Amie Zamonsky is the new president of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.

Zamonsky, in her fifth year on the Board was sworn in as president last week. The 29-year-old said becoming president was not something she had thought about when joining the Chamber, but it is something she feels she grew into.

“I think the longer I served on the board the more it was something I wanted to do, after I learned about the Chamber and what the Chamber does.”

So what does Zamonsky see as the role of the Chamber?

“I think the Chamber does a good job advocating for the community and being a voice for the business community,” she told Yorkton This Week.

Being under 30 might seem an added challenge for Zamonsky, but she doesn’t think her age will be a factor.

“I don’t think so,” she said, adding it might give her “a fresh perspective” on things.

And when experience is a key Zamonsky said she has lots of that around her.

“There’s so much experience on the board, it all evens out in there,” she offered.

Zamonsky said with five new faces on the 2013 Board of Directors, it’s a good mix, with voices representing varied industry and business in the city.

“I think it will be a really dynamic group,” she said.

As for goals as president Zamonsky said she sees the proposed Parkland College Trades and Technology as something the Chamber must be strongly behind.

“It’s a really good initiative,” she said, adding it would be an asset in helping deal with what she sees as the greatest current challenge to business in the city, that of finding sufficient staff.

“Definitely the labour shortage is the biggest issue for any business,” she said, adding “the Trades and Technology Centre is a huge answer to that problem.”

As it stands finding employees is stymying both existing business expansion, and new business growth.

“I don’t we’ve ever experienced this much of a labour shortage (before),” said Zamonsky.

Other issues Zamonsky said she wants to work on as president is continued improvements to the Yorkton Municipal Airport as an access point to the city.

“And it’s important we look at affordable housing too,” she said, adding that is also a component in attracting employees to Yorkton.