I think it’s fair to say there will never be anyone quite like Brian J. Small, who passed away on Jan. 24. He was 85.
From 1969 to 1994, Brian held the job that I do now at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. His name was part of our organization’s archives but, I must admit, I’ve only recently learned about the extent of his accomplishments.
Catherine Holt is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Cedric Steele, who served as president of The Chamber while Brian was the general manager, called to let us know of Brian’s passing.
“He was a great connector,” Steele said about Brian. “He had a very small staff and worked day and night trying to make things happen.”
Listening to stories about Brian reminded me of a different time. It’s become exceptionally rare for CEOs to stay with one organization for five years — never mind a quarter century.
Steele was there when Brian worked tirelessly to create an economic development commission for our city. He was driven by a desire to create opportunities for young people so they wouldn’t have to leave Greater Victoria to further their careers. An entire generation has been able to work and raise their families here, thanks to Brian and The Chamber. His advocacy efforts helped create jobs and educational opportunities that didn’t exist before.
Working with the power of The Chamber, Brian was instrumental in establishing engineering, business and law schools at the University of Victoria. He was also a major player in the development of Camosun College’s Interurban Campus and in securing a site for Pearson College.
“Brian was sought out by hundreds of people to help make the ‘right’ business connection for their project or idea,” said Linda Kitchen, who worked with Brian for 14 years as operations manager of The Chamber. “His love and vision for the film industry for the region was one I’ll never forget – often spending a good part of his day working on finding the right location for a producer.”
In 1970, Brian’s tenacity in attracting Hollywood productions resulted in the creation of the Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission.
And, in 1980, The Chamber purchased an ad in Time magazine featuring a photo of Brian and text encouraging businesses to set up shop in Greater Victoria. The campaign resulted in more than 500 inquiries from businesses — including Canadian Tire, which went on to open five stores in our region.
Terry Farmer, whose businesses include Accent Inns, chaired the Chamber’s board of directors from 1972 to 73.
“Brian was one of the most supportive, dedicated, enthusiastic and innovative people I knew and he set the tone for the magnificent Chamber that we have today,” Farmer says. “Brian was a trailblazer and we are fortunate to have had Brian working with us for all those years.”
Personally, as someone who advocates for Chamber members in 2020, my favourite story about Brian not only reflects an approach from a different era of doing business but also shows the skill Brian had for nurturing valuable relationships.
According to a few sources, Brian was able to arrange weekly tennis matches with Bill Bennett, the Premier of BC at the time. You don’t need much of an imagination to picture Brian lobbying for Greater Victoria’s businesses as he lobbed balls across the court at the Premier.
Thank you, Brian, for all you and The Chamber accomplished. Your memory continues to inspire new generations of Chamber members who carry on the work of making Greater Victoria such a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Catherine Holt is CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
