Together as a Chamber Network, we serve as the voice of business in our communities, but also as an advocate to ensure that issues affecting the growth and competitiveness of our members are acknowledged and addressed. The Outstanding Advocacy Campaign Award is presented to a member chamber of commerce or board of trade that has produced an exceptional piece of advocacy work.

The Burnie Gillespie Memorial Award is awarded to a chamber of commerce or board of trade manager whose dedication to community service has contributed to their organization's success. Burnie Gillespie was a long-serving board member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. He devoted his life to volunteering and was an inspiring leader to chamber professionals at the community, provincial, and national levels for over 25 years. This award is presented to a chamber of commerce or board of trade manager who brings exceptional leadership to their organization and lives and breathes community service.

The Chair’s Award recognizes a chamber of commerce or board of trade for outstanding success in the design, development, and delivery of an innovative program or service. Initiatives cited may represent a brand-new member offering or an innovative approach in rethinking how an existing service or program is delivered. Presented at the discretion of the Chair of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce this award is given to a chamber of commerce or board of trade that excels through innovation in building membership value.

As a Chamber Network, we rely heavily on the active engagement and incredible efforts of our volunteers, who each year contribute their expertise and countless hours of their time. Richard Dolphin was a board member of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce from 1994 - 2001, making him one of the OCC’s longest serving board volunteers. The Richard Dolphin Community Service Award is awarded to a Chamber Network volunteer (board member) who is dedicated to community service and consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to represent the interests of their chamber of commerce or board of trade.

The “James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award” is presented to a member of the Chamber Executives of Ontario, who has displayed exemplary efforts as a mentor and a leader. This award is selected by peers and presented during the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting & Convention each year in early May.

Nominations are received each year from chamber and board of trade executives to not only acknowledge the efforts of one of their peers, but also to pay tribute to the memory of a very special friend, the late Jim Carnegie. Carnegie, who acted as a mentor to many CEO members, was an outstanding leader in the chamber federation and was a dynamic leader in his own community.