The CEO of investStratford, Joani Gerber has been named the 2022 recipient of the Business Leader of the year by the Stratford and District Chamber of Commerce.
A media release said Joani Gerber brought a wealth of experience to investStratford since taking the helm in 2017. Her leadership experience includes positions at both the Waterloo and Stratford Accelerator Centres, the Perth Community Futures Development Corporation, and the Stratford Perth Centre for Business. She is a Board Member of the Huron-Perth Healthcare Alliance and worked closely with the United Way Perth-Huron Campaign Cabinet and the Stratford & District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Born and raised in Stratford, her sense of business and community started at an early age at JS News, the business owned and operated by her family on Wellington Street in downtown Stratford. Entrepreneurship and small business are important to the success of any community and Gerber takes great pride in supporting the growth of all businesses in Stratford and area.
Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson said of Ms. Gerber. “Joani’s steadfast, strong, and dependable leadership at investStratford has improved and enhanced our community in countless ways. She works tirelessly and capably not only to maintain and support local businesses, but also to attract new investment, and build on the strong economic foundation we have here in Stratford."
investStratford supports the City of Stratford’s Economic Development goals and is committed to advancing the economic future of Stratford through investment in arts, education and industry. The Business Leader of the Year is voted in secret ballot by the Chamber Board of Directors from a list of nominees. The person with the top number of votes is the winner, with the intention of highlighting a personal story to inspire our community. The Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards offer businesses the chance to shine and are an opportunity for businesses to promote advancement of responsible business leadership within the community.
The award will be presented October 13th at the annual Business Excellence Awards gala at the Best Western Arden Park Hotel.