Ken Zelazny – Board Chair

Z2K Business Solutions

Ken brings decades of business leadership, executive coaching, and strategic advisory experience to his work with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. His career has included senior-level roles in large organizations as well as hands-on work guiding small and mid-sized companies through growth, operational change, and complex decision-making. That combination gives him a practical understanding of both the pressures facing local business owners and the broader systems that shape business success.

Ken’s commitment to community leadership extends well beyond his professional work. He has served as Chair of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation and as a Board Director with the Cambridge Economic Development Committee, bringing a consistent focus on strategy, mentorship, and collaboration to the organizations he supports.

For Ken, the Chamber plays an essential role in Huron County’s economy by connecting businesses, strengthening relationships, and helping create a unified voice on issues that matter to the region. He sees the Chamber as especially valuable for small and mid-sized businesses, giving them access to networks, resources, and visibility that can be difficult to build alone.

Ken chose to serve as a director because he wanted to contribute beyond his own business and help shape the broader economic future of the community. Through the Chamber, he is able to support other business leaders, encourage regional collaboration, and contribute to a stronger, more resilient business community across Huron County.

Caroline Haast – Treasurer

Topspin Finance

Caroline brings a strong finance and business strategy lens to her work with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. She is the Founder of Topspin Finance, where she works as a Fractional CFO supporting small and mid-sized businesses with annual revenues between $1 million and $25 million. Through that work, she helps business owners build and manage a full finance function without the cost and complexity of hiring and training an internal finance team.

Her career includes more than 15 years in corporate finance and advisory roles across manufacturing, oil and gas, and construction. That experience gives her a broad understanding of financial discipline, operations, and scale, while her early exposure to entrepreneurship came from growing up in her mother’s shop and seeing the realities of running a business firsthand.

Caroline’s community involvement is closely connected to her commitment to small business and local resilience. Through Topspin Finance’s “Spin It Forward” program, she supports grassroots community initiatives including food bank donations, holiday drives, and support for local families. She also mentors early-stage entrepreneurs through Futurpreneur and serves as an Expert-in-Residence with the Innovation Cluster of Peterborough and the Kawarthas, providing financial guidance to startups.

Caroline sees the Chamber as a hub for connection, advocacy, and collaboration, helping businesses access resources, build relationships, and adapt in a changing economy. She chose to serve as a director to apply her finance and strategy experience at the board level, supporting stronger decision-making and long-term resilience across Huron County’s business community.

Michael Ferguson – Director

Pickell Ferguson Law

Michael is the owner of Pickell Ferguson Law, where his practice focuses on real estate, wills and powers of attorney, estate administration, and corporate and commercial law. He holds an Honours BA in History and Political Science from the University of Ottawa and a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School. After articling with Norman Pickell in 2018 and being called to the Bar in 2019, Michael took over the firm in December 2024.

Alongside his legal practice, Michael is an advocate for mental health in the legal profession, drawing on personal experience to help advance a more open and constructive conversation within the profession. He is a contributing author to The Right Not to Remain Silent: The Truth About Mental Health in the Legal Profession, published by LexisNexis Canada in 2024 and republished in the United States in 2026. He also speaks frequently on continuing professional development panels on the subject.

Michael’s community involvement includes past service as a member and Treasurer of the Rotaract Club of Goderich, and current membership in the Rotary Club of Goderich. He also provides pro bono legal support to non-profit organizations where appropriate.

For Michael, the Chamber’s value lies in its ability to connect, advocate, and serve. In a large region like Huron County, he sees the Chamber as a platform for building stronger local business relationships, strengthening local supply chains, and amplifying the voice of businesses that might otherwise struggle to be heard. He joined the Chamber board because he wants to help build a vibrant local economy that allows future generations to live, work, and build their careers here.

Jordan Gibbings – Director

MicroAge Basics

Jordan brings experience across retail, operations, sales, and business ownership to his work with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. As part of the leadership team at MicroAge Basics, a locally owned company providing office products, furniture, and technology solutions throughout Midwestern Ontario, he focuses on building strong customer relationships while helping guide the company’s strategic direction. His varied career has given him a broad perspective on the opportunities and day-to-day challenges facing businesses across the region.

Jordan’s commitment to his community also extends beyond the workplace. He serves on the executive boards of both Clinton Minor Soccer and Seaforth Junior Broomball and volunteers his time coaching teams with both organizations. These roles allow him to contribute directly to opportunities for young people and families in the communities he serves.

Jordan sees the Chamber as an important way to connect businesses across Huron County, encourage collaboration, and provide a unified voice on issues affecting employers and entrepreneurs. He values the networking, education, and business development opportunities the Chamber creates, as well as its ability to strengthen relationships among businesses, community organizations, and local governments.

Jordan chose to become a director because he believes in contributing to the long-term success of the region. Serving on the board gives him an opportunity to share his business experience, work alongside other local leaders, and help build a strong business environment that creates opportunities for current and future generations in Huron County.

Caroline Hill – Director

Exeter BIA

Caroline brings a strong background in business development, sales, marketing, and community-focused economic development to her work with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. As Manager of the Exeter BIA, her role includes advocacy, beautification, and supporting efforts to make Exeter’s Main Street a stronger destination for residents, visitors, and local businesses.

Her career has included more than 21 years of sales and marketing experience, along with operational leadership in independent retirement homes. Across those roles, business development and networking have been central to her success, helping her build lasting relationships within communities, organizations, and local business networks.

Through her work with the Exeter BIA, Caroline is involved in a number of community and partnership initiatives, including committee work connected to the Exeter Rodeo and Exeter United Way. That work reflects the close relationship between downtown business districts, community events, local causes, and the broader economic health of rural communities.

Caroline sees the Chamber as an important support pillar for organizations like BIAs, offering an additional layer of advocacy when businesses and industries need a voice at the table. She also values the Chamber’s role in providing educational resources, employee benefit programs, and practical support that help entrepreneurs lead with greater confidence, retain employees, and contribute to a more stable local economy.

Caroline chose to serve as a director to continue supporting local entrepreneurs and franchise owners who play an important role in rural communities. She also brings a South Huron perspective to the board and looks forward to helping connect businesses across Huron County.

Peter May – Director

Maitland Valley Grotto & Strength

Peter is the owner and operator of Maitland Valley Grotto & Strength in Goderich, a business he created after returning to his hometown from the Kitchener-Waterloo software sector. After nearly a decade building a career in the corporate world, Peter chose to leave that path behind and bring a long-held vision to life: opening a climbing gym in the community where he grew up.

That return to Goderich was not only a business decision, but a community one. Peter built Maitland Valley Grotto & Strength with a strong local focus, including partnerships with other area businesses that add value for his members while helping drive traffic and awareness throughout the local economy. His involvement with the Chamber began before he became a director, including volunteer support for the Corporate Challenge.

Peter sees the Chamber as an important resource for businesses of all sizes, particularly entrepreneurs who often do not have the time to seek out information, resources, and networking opportunities on their own. In his view, the Chamber provides direct support to local businesses while also advocating more broadly for the economic conditions and business environment that matter to Huron County.

Peter chose to serve as a director as another way to help his community grow and thrive. Having moved back to Goderich because of his connection to the area, he brings the perspective of a young entrepreneur committed to seeing more businesses, ideas, and opportunities take root locally.

Ralph Rubino – Director

Tri City Financial

Ralph brings more than a decade of financial services experience to his work with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. Since entering the financial industry in 2013, he has worked with large banks and private firms before opening his own firm in 2019. Today, he works with families, employers, and employees across Huron County and surrounding areas, helping them understand their financial options, plan with confidence, and prepare for the future.

His commitment to the community extends well beyond his business. Ralph has served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors since 2021 and has been involved with Engage Goderich for nearly 10 years, including service as both a director and chair. He also sits on the Fund Development Committee for the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Foundation and serves as an ambassador for the Magnetic Moments MRI Campaign, supporting efforts to bring an MRI machine to Huron County.

Ralph sees the Chamber as an important source of connection, information, and support for local businesses. In a region where many businesses are small, he values the Chamber’s ability to help business owners build relationships, access resources, and feel less isolated in the day-to-day work of running a business.

Ralph chose to serve as a director because he wants to support local businesses and encourage more young entrepreneurs to get involved. Through the Chamber, he gains insight into the challenges businesses face while also seeing the progress, creativity, and community leadership taking place across Huron County.

Colin Carmichael – Executive Director

Colin Carmichael joined the Huron Chamber of Commerce as Executive Director in April 2024, bringing a background that combines communications, small business ownership and community-focused work.

After earning a degree in political science from Wilfrid Laurier University, Colin spent about 20 years working in communications across the public, private and non-profit sectors. His experience included media relations, issues management, corporate communications and public relations, culminating in his role as Director of Marketing and Communications at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. He later moved to Huron County, where he owned and operated a small business just north of Goderich for about 10 years and also taught as a sessional instructor for Fanshawe College in Huron County.

At the Chamber, Colin is responsible for the organization’s day-to-day operations. In practical terms, that includes member relations, communications, advocacy, events, board support, website management and the many behind-the-scenes details that keep the Chamber moving.

He believes one of the most overlooked aspects of Chamber membership is the Chambers Plan, particularly for solopreneurs and small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Many could benefit from better understanding how strong that program is, especially if they are currently going without coverage or paying more than necessary for traditional health benefits.

For Colin, the most satisfying part of the work is helping members solve real problems, make the right connections or benefit from advocacy that would be difficult to pursue on their own.