New Directors Bring Additional Spark to Board Table
Sheena Grant from Relief Inspections has joined the Chamber board along with Ross Naka from Nelson Toyota. Chamber members voted in the two new additions to help the board of directors guide the business community through the next two years.
Ross Naka and Sheena Grant Join Team at the Table
The Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce has added a pair of new board members that arrive with a passion for community, leadership at a variety of levels and a legacy of giving back.
At its annual general meeting earlier in the spring, Chamber members voted in Sheena Grant and Ross Naka to help the board of directors guide the business community through the next two years. Governed by a 13-member volunteer board representing a cross-section of the regional business community, the Chamber operates through a collaborative governance model focused on advocacy, economic development, member engagement and organizational sustainability.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Sheena and Ross to the Chamber board,” says Chamber executive director Tom Thomson. “It’s important that we have a mix of committed community builders representing important business sectors sitting at the table. Chamber members will be well served by these new additions. Both Sheena and Ross have shown strong leadership within their own careers, a trait that is essential to our overall success.”
Bringing Sectors Together for Success
Sheena Grant is the owner of Relief Inspections and takes a seat at the board table with a background in health care that provides her with experience in navigating complex regulatory and public sector systems.
As a home, commercial, radon and WETT (wood energy technology transfer) inspector, Grant works at the intersection of trades, real estate, insurance and property management. Her role naturally connects contractors, realtors and service providers, giving Grant a broad and practical understanding of multiple business sectors and how they rely on one another.
“I value integrity, social responsibility, and strong local economies built on trust and collaboration,” she says. “I am direct, solutions-focused, and deeply loyal to the organizations and communities I serve. I see the Chamber as a collaborative hub for our local economy. Its role should be to bring businesses together, across sectors, to share knowledge, build relationships and support success.”
Aside from her professional career, Grant is active in the local soccer community. A Nelson Soccer Association rep coach and a player herself, Grant is committed to keeping girls engaged in sport while building confidence and leadership through athletics.
Starting her two-year term on the Chamber board, Grant is looking forward to learning more and contributing the efforts that help the region prosper.
“Strong local economies are built through connection, not isolation,” she says. “The Chamber creates space for meaningful collaboration, collective problem-solving and unified advocacy so that businesses aren’t navigating challenges alone.”
Past Meets the Future
The general manager at Nelson Toyota, Ross Naka is a young family man with deep roots in the region and a desire to build a stronger local economy. Rising through the ranks at the local dealership, Naka brings a variety of skills and experiences to the Chamber board table.
With deep family roots in the region in both business and volunteerism, Nelson Toyota GM Ross Naka is has taken a seat at the Chamber board as a new director.
“Being someone who lives and works in Nelson, the Chamber is important to me because it influences the business environment we operate in,” he says. “There’s also some family history for me, both my grandfather and uncle were GMs at Nelson Toyota and involved in the Chamber board, so I liked the idea of carrying on that history of joining and contributing to Nelson’s business community.”
Naka’s grandfather Maurice Renwick founded Nelson Toyota in the late-1960s and his uncles Cal and Sandy took over operations in the early 2000s. Returning to the West Kootenay after a post-secondary run where he studied at both Langara College and Simon Fraser University while playing varsity basketball, Naka began working with his family at Nelson Toyota in 2007.
When the dealership was bought by the Kalawsky Auto Group based out of Castlegar, Naka stayed on and bolstered his education with a post-graduate degree in dealership management. He was the parts and service manager until the end of 2022 when he was promoted to GM starting in 2023.
Naka packs a strong foundation of customer service and problem solving, making him a terrific asset at the board table for his first two-year stint.
“Being a part of the Chamber board is an opportunity to be part of initiatives that strengthen the local economy and help businesses in Nelson succeed,” says Naka. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with other local business leaders and learning from their experiences and perspectives.”
Businesses Helping Businesses
Naka and Grant join the board at time when small business is facing an increasingly complex environment. Along with their board colleagues—Rebeckah Hornung, Karen Bennett, Paul Cowan, Rob Little, Ravi Binning, Trent Zoobkoff, Matt Hanlon, Ashley Elliott, Stephen Harris, Linden Horswill and Clive Jackson—the Chamber will continue to advocate and amplify for the business community.
“We have a diverse, cross-sector team at the table with individual talents that will be valuable as we help businesses in the Greater Nelson grow and we welcome new entrepreneurs looking for an opportunity to contribute,” says Thomson. “Our community is fortunate to have a board that’s engaged, hard working and ready to problem solve for the overall success of all business.”
At the 133ed Chamber annual general meeting, outgoing directors Roger Qualye, Bob Hall and Chris Drysdale were thanked for their years of service at the board table.
