Each year, the Kamloops Chamber President has the option to honour an individual in Kamloops with the President’s Award. The award is generally given to someone who has made a significant difference in our community. At the 2022 Kamloops Chamber AGM and Evening with Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir & Mayor Ken Christian, the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce proudly awarded Brant Hasanen the 2021 President’s Award.
Brant Hasanen has served as a Kamloops Chamber member since 1997 and served in other roles including:
- President and Past President of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce
- President, Past Chair and Governor of the BC Chamber of Commerce in addition to serving on it’s Policy Review Committee
- Policy Review Committee member for Finance and Taxation for the Canadian Chamber
- And that’s just the most recent Chamber-specific roles
His drive and passion has fueled the Chamber’s advocacy process and he has been instrumental in creating the organization that you see today.
Due to his tireless work in the policy process, Canadians now have access to the Tax Free Savings Account (came into affect in 2009) and the 10 year passport (came into affect in 2013)
On a personal level, he has made a commitment to mentoring new Directors and our Chamber staff team and is consistently looking for ways to share expertise and provide guidance.
We have received two testimonials from the Chamber network that I would like to share with you all, first is from President and CEO of the BC Chamber, Fiona Famulak:
On behalf of the BC Chamber of Commerce, I want to express our sincere pleasure in your recognition of Brant Hasanen for his decades of commitment and service to the Chamber network.
Brant served on the Board of Directors of the BC Chamber of Commerce for many years and was Chair of the Board in 2014-15. He is naturally curious, never shy of asking tough questions and can be counted on to bring wisdom, insight, good ideas – and good humour – to any conversation. We are very grateful that is a Governor of our association and continues to serve as a dedicated volunteer on our Policy Review Committee.
We cannot think of anyone more passionate or more deserving of this prestigious recognition and send our heartfelt congratulations to Brant. – Fiona Famulak
In addition, we received a testimonial from Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber and Perrin writes:
Thank you for the opportunity to recognize Brant Hasanen at your event today. It’s very fitting that you are recognizing Brant as part of your State of the Communities event, since volunteers like Brant help shape communities every day in unsung ways.
Our network is comprised of three tiers and Brant is one of those rare individuals who have served at all three levels of our Canadian Chamber Network. We were pleased to have Brant sit on our board of directors representing the BC Chamber of Commerce when he was chair of that organization from 2014 to 2015. He was able to bring the perspectives and his experience of both his community chamber and the provincial chamber to our discussions.
Brant has also served on our tax committee, adding his professional insights to our work on tax reform. We’re very grateful that he continues to serve on this committee.
Personally, Brant, I want to thank you for the countless hours that you have volunteered at all three levels of the chamber network. Our network is strong because of the support of community volunteers and the work that they do through their chambers of commerce. Brant, volunteers like you in communities large and small, representing businesses of all sizes, in every sector and every region help make communities like Kamloops better places to live, work and play for all of us. And for that and for so much more that you do, we thank you. – Perrin Beatty
Congratulations once again to Brant Hasanen on this outstanding achievement.
