The Guelph Chamber has gone north to get its newest leader.
Andy Veilleux has been selected as the next president and CEO of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce.
He comes in with experience throughout the chamber network in Ontario, most recently as the director of policy and government relations at the Sudbury Chamber in his hometown, a role he held for almost two years according to his LinkedIn page.
He holds an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) from Cape Breton University.
“I am honoured and thrilled about this opportunity,” he said in a news release. “The Guelph Chamber is a leader in the chamber network, and in the community, with a remarkable reputation. I am excited to work alongside our members to champion their needs and help drive our business community forward.”
Veilleux follows in the footsteps of Shakiba Shayani, who was in the role since Sept. 2019 before announcing in October she was stepping down.
The search for her successor was extensive, according to the chamber.
"I know Shakiba very well, that's part of the reason I took (the job)," Veilleux said. "I spoke to her quite a bit ahead of it. I knew her very well from different policy and advocacy stuff."
“Andy’s experience as an innovative leader coupled with his chamber experience make him an excellent leader for the organization and community,” added Curtis Tomlinson, the chair of the board of directors.
“I’m looking forward to his creative vision and him leading the team to continue to help businesses in our network be their best.”
He is set to take the job, as of Jan. 21.
"Guelph's a fantastic city, and the chance to come live in that region again was way too hard to pass up," Veilleux said.
