Kelowna: In the midst of its 120th anniversary year, the Kelowna Chamber is pausing to pay tribute to its volunteers at the annual Presidents Dinner, Monday April 27 at the Coast Capri.

Hosted by Immediate Past President Derek Gratz, the event will celebrate Maryse Harvey (2024), who will be stepping away from her past presidential role and joining an illustrious group of former presidents, numbering 113 over 120 years, including founding President Daniel Wilbur (D.W.) Sutherland (1906-08); W.A.C. Bennett (1937-1938); Bill Bennett (1966); Walter Gray (1981-82); Nick Frost (1983; founder of Castanet); Marion Bremner (1985, first woman president); Paul Mitchell (1988, Pushor Mitchell); Steve Thomson (1998; longtime MLA); Tom Dyas (2016-2017; current Mayor).

Seven former Chamber presidents served as Mayor of Kelowna at one time or another, logging 56 years at City Hall. With every passing year, the early names grow a bit fainter in memory. To capture and preserve this history, the Kelowna Chamber is spending hundreds of hours this anniversary year cataloguing its story in a four-part documentary, “The Board of the Orchard City”. The first segment, “The Founding 50” is debuting at the Presidents Dinner.

The Chamber’s history – and present – is one of volunteerism, politics, advocacy and growth. The Presidents Dinner is an opportunity to pause, express thanks to its volunteers: from Board directors, to Ambassadors, and all those who have gone before to give the thousand-member organization the strength it demonstrates today.

Patrick Bobyn, 2026-2027 President who was sworn in by Mayor Tom Dyas on March 31, says, “This special evening is a time-honoured tradition that brings us together to celebrate the remarkable individuals who have shaped our Chamber’s legacy. The dinner is not only a celebration of service, but also a reflection on the rich history of the Chamber. It is an opportunity to pause, appreciate how far we have come, and look ahead to the future we are building together.”

Derek Gratz, Immediate Past President, will sit as an ex-officio Director throughout the coming Chamber year. “I welcome Patrick into his role and look forward to his continued focus on increasing collaboration and strengthening Kelowna and the Okanagan. It was an honour to serve as President to represent so many exciting member businesses, forge new connections, and learn from local leaders.  I truly enjoyed enhancing the already strong connections between the Chamber and the business community and am very proud of the increased collaboration with Okanagan College and the University of BC.”

Maryse Harvey, now past president of the Chamber, had nothing but praise for her director colleagues over her years at the Chamber. “I spent so many hours working on Chamber issues that I honestly lost track of the time,” said Harvey. “I’m delighted at how the Chamber thrived under Derek’s leadership, and look forward to watching Patrick’s progress from afar, as I spend some time back and forth to and from Kelowna over the next few years.”

“This is our annual volunteer thank-you event for all our volunteers,” says George Greenwood, Chamber CEO. “Every level of volunteer will be recognized, including Chamber Ambassadors, Directors, and members of our committees. And our Silent Auction adds some extra fun for our guests.”

Three awards will be handed out at the dinner: the Marion Bremner Director of the Year; the Volunteer of the Year; and the Ambassador of the Year.

The event, with Presidents Circle member Rogers Business as Presenting Sponsor, will feature a silent auction which helps offset the costs of the volunteer event. Auction items may be offered at hello@kelownachamber.org. Tickets are $115 (members) and $150 (non-members) and must be purchased online by April 22 at events@kelownachamber.org.

5:30 p.m. – Reception 

6:00 p.m. – Opening Remarks and Dinner

7:00 - 8:30 p.m. – Awards & Swearing in of New Directors

 

The work continues for Kelowna Chamber Staffer Tatum Grundy, 120th Anniversary Project Lead. She has devoured all the Chamber’s Minutes Books, built display boards, and is now shooting a four-part documentary on the history of the Kelowna Chamber and Kelowna with an accompanying script.