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CCEO Annual Fall Conference 2025
Register now for the annual CCEO Fall Conference, held this year in Burlington November 3, 4, 5. See the Agenda below and book your accommodation at the special Conference Rate. Be sure to arrive the evening of the 3rd for a special welcome evening, and don't miss the evening Hospitality room - a dedicated space where connections and friends are made. Here is the Agenda:
Monday November 3
5:00 PM Hotel Atrium Bar, Registration, All-Star Kickoff: Ready, Set, Play!
Sponsored by Apprenticesearch.com
Get down to it and start connecting with familiar faces, spark new connections and build team spirit. This interactive evening is packed with fun group games, challenges and moments of collaboration that break the ice, build camaraderie, and celebrate unique perspectives in the room. The friendly competition will set the tone for open-minded exploration and teamwork, ensuring that everyone leaves energized and ready to learn from—and with—each other. (Wear comfortable clothes and sensible shoes)
9:00 PM Team Huddle
Open-door spot for recharging, sharing stories, and coming together. Be part of the Network team and casually hang, chat strategy, and build the connections that last long after the final session. Located in a dedicated banquet room in the Hotel. Cash Bar available. (Some :-) Drink tickets will be provided.
Tuesday November 4
8:30 am Registration Desk Open
9:00 Am Welcome and Opening
9:30 am Scouting Industry Trends: Coaching the Coaches
Award-winning Industry Coach Frank Kenny will help you spot the big picture trends and shifts that could impact current and new playbooks. Dive into evolving market and member trends to anticipate where the opportunities—and the obstacles—are taking shape. Identify external pressures, competing interests, and emerging threats and understand key metrics, from engagement and retention to community impact. All are important as your essential “game stats” for refining your strategy.
11:00 AM Time Out!
11:15 AM Think Like a Member: Insights from Chamber Champions
Step into the locker room and hear straight from the MVPs themselves—Chamber members! This interactive session puts the spotlight on the real stories and voices that make teams thrive. Let’s celebrate the wins and discover the unique value and unforgettable experiences that make membership more than a transaction. Leave with renewed motivation to foster team spirit, build lasting connections, and champion the “why” that keeps loyalty to the team.
12:30 PM Lunch and Half-time Pep Talk with The Scotties!
Kick back court side as Scott McCammon sits down with Scott Bridger from the Burlington Chamber who is a membership guru with sought after results. Discover the plays, principles, and persistence that led to record membership wins. Learn what motivates league leaders to keep building community, season after season and walk away hungry to break records in your own Chamber—one handshake, one story, one member at a time
2:15 PM Coach’s Clipboard: Zeroing in on what matters
It is time to work with Eric Lockhart to scan the field to pinpoint the most important industry trends that chambers should have in their OWN playbook. We scouted the trends with Frank Kenny, now let’s share what’s worked, what hasn’t, and swap actionable tips—lessons from real matches, not just scrimmages, and tackle the “what ifs”—what are the wildcards that could throw your chamber off its game? This will be a straight-talking strategy thinking session where the focus is building smarter plays for whatever comes next.
5:30 PM Huddle at Hagerty’s: Time to fuel up.
Gear up for an unforgettable evening at Hagerty’s Garage and Social, a vibrant automotive storage, museum and event space where history, technology, and fun meet! Ever wondered what it’s like to drive F-1? Tonight’s the night! Join us for an evening filled with great food, good company, and some hands-on entertainment—perfect for teams and solo all-stars alike.
9:00 PM Team Huddle
Open-door spot for recharging, sharing stories, and coming together. Be part of the Network team and casually hang, chat strategy, and build the connections that last long after the final session. Located in a dedicated banquet room in the Hotel. Cash Bar available. (Some :-) Drink tickets will be provided.
Wednesday August 5
9:00 AM Game Plan Unleashed: Building a Winning Chamber with AI
Suit up for a session that’s all about adding new plays to the game plan—by bringing AI onto the field as a true team player. With AI as one of the industry’s top trends, Frank Kenny will return and dive into ways to brainstorm, design, and execute sharp AI-powered moves. Sharing ideas and discovering how collaborating with AI isn’t just about technology, it’s about building a stronger, smarter team that wins. It is time to have our chambers advance down the field, one innovative play at a time.
10.30 Time Out! Check-out and closing of Silent Auction
11:15 AM Revenue Playmakers: Mapping Winning Moves Beyond Dues
It’s time to map out the full field of revenue sources—old and new—but also get tactical about how to spot opportunities and adapt successful moves from other “coaches” in the Chamber network. Break down the types of revenue and learn how to assess which plays are keeping squads strong and where they might need to shift formation. Let’s tap into the game film, hear what’s worked, what’s been a challenge, and how others are adapting for their own team’s success. Leave with tools and strategies for mapping, tracking, and testing new moves in your revenue playbook.
12.15: Two-minute warning: Lunch and head for home!
Remember to bring something for the Silent Auction table. This helps fund our bursary program.
(Note - there is no "Bring a Bottle or Bring a Book" this year)
Here are the guidelines for the bursary program:
CCEO Conference Bursary Award Guidelines and How to Apply
The Board of Directors of CCEO is pleased to offer a limited number of bursaries up to a maximum of $500 for our Annual Conference. Funds for Bursaries are provided through the generous donation of CCEO Members to our Silent Auction at Conference (please remember to bring a Silent Auction item), and are now matched by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Chambers Plan, allowing us to provide up to SIX Bursaries each year!
Criteria:- CEO Member Applicants must be in good standing (having paid their individual annual Member dues.)
- Applicants must attach their most recent Year End Financial Statements.
Deadline:
Applications will be accepted up to October 1, 2024.
Note: In the case of numerous submissions, consideration may be given to applications according to the order in which they are received.
Preference for bursaries may be given to:- Chambers/Boards of Trade with a Demonstrated Financial Need, and/or,
- Small Chambers/Boards of Trade, and/or,
- First Time Participants.
How to Apply- Please email your application letter (no longer than 600 words) to the Executive Director of CCEO. Clearly state why the bursary is needed and how taking part in Conference will benefit you and your Chamber of Commerce/Board of Trade.
- Address applications to Stu Harrison manager@chamberexecutives.on.ca using Subject Line: CEO BURSARY APPLICATION
Considerations:
•Recipients are expected to pay upfront for Conference registration and accommodation.
•A recipient must attend and engage in the full conference to be awarded the bursary.
•Bursaries are awarded at a maximum value of $500.
•Should a recipient be unable to attend due to extenuating circumstances, efforts are made for their registration to be refunded and no bursary is awarded. Should they cancel their registration under ordinary circumstances but after the cancellation deadline, no refund is processed, and no bursary is awarded.
•CCEO reserves the right to not award any bursaries from submissions received. CCEO Members can apply once every five years. Under extraordinary circumstances and/or at the discretion of CCEO, subsequent submissions after a successful bursary application could be reconsidered after 3 years.
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Date and Time
Monday Nov 3, 2025 Wednesday Nov 5, 2025
The evening of November 3 - Special Welcome evening.
November 4 - All-day workshops and guest speakers plus an evening Host Night.
November 5th - Half-day workshops and guest speakersLocation
Conference Hotel - Holiday Inn / Candlewood Suites Burlington
Guest Rooms Available November 3-5, 2025 at discounted Conference Rates- Standard Room with one king bed and a double bed pullout couch -$135.00 (plus 4% MAT & 13% HST, per evening)
- Standard Room with two queen beds -$135.00 (plus 4% MAT & 13% HST, per evening)
Cut Off Date
In order to benefit from the discounted rate all reservations must be made by October 10, 2025. The rate is available on a first come first serve basis.
To book by Internet:
Attendees can book directly online by clicking the following link which has your negotiated rates preloaded: Chamber Executives of Ontario Conference
To Book by Phone:
Call the Hotel's Toll Free Reservation Line at 905-639-4443 and ask for reservations. In order to receive the group rate, the caller must ask for
(Chamber Executives of Ontario Conference, Group Code :CEO
Cancellation:
Reservations can be modified up to 72 hours prior to arrival. Cancellations after this time are subject to a charge of 1 night room rate plus applicable tax.
Fees/Admission
CCEO Members: $250 + HST before September 30th, 2025
Registration for additional staff $200
After September 30th - $275 + HST
Non-Members $350 + HST
Registration closes October 24th 2025
