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Family businesses

A Publication of
where the heart is

750 Hespeler Road
Cambridge, ON N3H 5L8
Tel: 519-622-2221 Fax: 519-622-0177
www.cambridgechamber.com I often talk about small business and care of one or two, or even more, fami-
Executive Committee reiterate some statistics to emphasize lies. In 1974 when my father started his

Nicole Pereira - Chair the importance of this little economic business, which is still located in the
Cambridge Centre Honda
chair@cambridgechamber.com engine in our community. same building he bought, never did he
Lorne Wallace - Incoming Chair
Lone Wolf Technologies imagine that five families would be tak-
Stephen Witteveen - Past Chair
Pavey Law LLP Nearly 99% of all businesses are sta- en care of because of what he started
Terry Kratz - Treasurer tistically considered small, employing all those years ago.
Hemmerich, Flanagan, Kratz, McRae & Wilson LLP
Muuray Smith - Executive less than 100 people. However, 80% of
The Achievement Centre
Darren Drouillard - Executive all new jobs in Canada are created by These small businesses are the life-
Powerline Logistics Services Inc.
those very same small businesses and blood of our communities. They not
Directors 70% of everyone who works in Canada only feed, house and clothe many fami-
Kristen Danson - MitoGraphics Inc works for one of those small compa- lies, but they provide part-time jobs to
Mike Doersam - Vision Travel Solutions
Rena Hawkins - H-4 Logistics Inc nies. And that’s where I finish off and their neighbours’ kids. They also sup-
Sarah Hughes - Energy+ Inc. say, ‘small business is too BIG to IG- port other small businesses in the com-
Dr. John Tibbits - Conestoga College
Jason Warmington - Hallink RSB NORE!’ Period, exclamation mark! munity and they volunteer their time to
help minor sports teams ex-
But there is more to talk cel. These same businesses
about than just the size - also join community clean-
Staff
Greg Durocher - President & CEO the who might be just as up groups, get involved in
president@cambridgechamber.com
important. Big companies their kids’ schools, use lo-
Scott Bridger - V.P. Membership Services and Engagement
Brandi Sinclair - Business Development Manager come from everywhere on cal parks, eat at local res-
Lisa Durocher - V.P. Marketing, Events and Member Enrichment the planet it seems, but taurants, and celebrate
Melissa Davidson -Event Enrichment Manager
Gaby Gomez - Member Enrichment Advocate small companies come community milestones with
Brian Rodnick - Communications from the grassroots of their neighbours. These
Wendy Meecham- Relationship Manager
Jeanette Mahoney - Visitor Services Supervisor our community. I know companies and the families
Donna Gravelle - Physician Recruitment
doctors4cambridge.com this because I’m a product of one of running them are vested in the commu-
those small businesses that is still suc- nity more than anyone else.
Spectrum is published four times per year by the Cambridge
Chamber of Commerce and distributed to all Chamber members. cessfully operating in the same place
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the policy of the Cambridge Chamber of I left it 20 years ago, and in fact, it is When my father started the business
Commerce, Spectrum, its publishers or employees. The Chamber
cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may
occur in this publication. The sale of advertising space in Spectrum still managed by and employs ‘family’. it wasn’t so he could become globally
does not constitute endorsement by the Chamber. Spectrum reserves
the right to edit any material submitted. It’s now in the hands of the third gen- known and become a public company
eration of the Durocher family after my traded on the TSX, possibly abandon-
Find us on:
nephew, Matt, took over from his father ing its roots for global or shareholder
Cambridge Chamber twitter.com/My_Chamber a few years ago. Until about four years recognition. He did it to invest in some-
of Commerce
ago, the employees included my sister, thing that hopefully would create an
who has since retired, but my niece re- opportunity for his family. He invested
Cambridge Chamber cambridge_chamber mains and is currently working for her in this community for his family. In his
of Commerce
cousin Matt. mind, this was an enduring invesment,
Design & Layout Printed by: one that he hoped might be something
The more important element hidden in his family would appreciate and fight as
some of these neat small businesses hard for as he did.
are families. Many of them, if not all of
www.cambridgechamber.com www.advanceprinting.ca
them at least in the early years, took We all know these family businesses

6 www.cambridgechamber.com
Spring 2019