Anita Huberman today announced that she will leave the Surrey Board of Trade (SBoT) on August 30, 2024 to explore new opportunities in the next chapter of her career.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of this esteemed city-building organization. I am incredibly proud of the leadership-oriented work my staff and I have accomplished over the past three decades to support and advocate for the business community,” says Huberman.
Huberman is the longest serving President and CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, having served for 18 years – unprecedented in the chamber of commerce/board of trade industry. During her 31 years with the organization, having served in a variety of roles, she has built the organization up from a struggling entity into one of the largest organizations of its kind in Canada.
Huberman revitalized the Surrey Board of Trade’s government advocacy portfolio to take it beyond taxes and employment to include social policy issues like poverty reduction, healthcare, and childcare. This holistic vision for a more livable city with economic opportunity drove her to advocate for Surrey through policy resolutions instigating change at all levels of government. This enabled her to highlight important issues that impact both business and community, such as crime, transportation, environment, workforce development and international trade.
In addition to advocating for change, Huberman has brought opportunity to Surrey Board of Trade members and the community at large by hosting networking events, developing awards programs, making countless connections and opening a second location with the Surrey Technology and Skills Centre in partnership with Western Community College. The new centre, strategically located in Surrey’s Health & Technology District, is designed to make Surrey a technology destination.
Huberman has been honoured with multiple awards while also making time for community service on committees ranging from disability and inclusion to innovation and investment. She holds the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, received a Canada 150 Community Medal and was a Business in Vancouver Top 40 under 40 recipient. In 2023, she was named one of the top 500 Influential Business Leaders in BC by the Business in Vancouver Media Group and in 2023 and 2024, she was one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Vancouver. In 2022, Anita won SFU’s Distinguished Alumni Award and in 2021, she was announced as being 1 of 15 Outstanding Canadians for her work in the private sector and through the pandemic. In 2019, in recognition of her many years of service, she was awarded the Surrey Community Builder of the Year. Huberman is also a long-time supporter of Canada’s military and was appointed an Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy by Canada’s Minister of National Defence and is serving in her fourth term until 2027.
Huberman is a highly visible advocate for Surrey businesses at all levels of government with a demonstrated history of evolving and combining business and social issues to reinvigorate and transform the community. Rory Morgan, Chair of the Board of Directors, says the Board is grateful for Huberman’s many contributions over the years: “Anita is a true champion of Surrey, the business community and the community at large. She lives and breathes this commitment – giving of her time and energy like few others to help make Surrey a better place to do business and a better place to call home.”
Past Chair Baljit Dhaliwal agrees with these sentiments, adding that, “Anita’s entrepreneurial spirit guides her vision and is one of the reasons the Surrey Board of Trade is one of the top organizations of its kind in the country.”
Huberman’s contributions have set the Board of Trade up for success in the years to come. Joslyn Young, Vice-Chair, expands upon the role of the Board now and into the future: “The Surrey Board of Trade is part of a powerful network of Chambers that use their voice to advocate for change. Our role as the Board of Directors is to support the President and CEO in successfully achieving their goals. We take this responsibility seriously and employ a governance model that empowers while providing guidelines for success. Anita leaves big shoes to fill, but we are excited by the opportunities ahead of us and look forward to what the next chapter will bring.”
A Special Committee, including board members of the Surrey Board of Trade and the South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce, will conduct the search for the next President and CEO. “This is an incredible opportunity to lead an influential and growing organization that represents businesses of all sizes and sectors,” says Morgan. “With the strong team we have in place at both the staff and Board level, we expect a smooth transition and a bright future for the organization and the Surrey business community.”
