Leadership and community focus of Shaunavon Economic Development

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Shaunavon Standard

A crowd of nearly 60 people attended an evening event at the Elks Hall on Thursday (Jan. 29) organized by the Shaunavon and District Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Shaunavon’s Economic Development Committee.

The gathering featured a supper, networking opportunities, and informational presentations from the Shaunavon and District Chamber of Commerce and EDC, as well as a presentation from Great Plains College president and Amazon best-selling author Brad Mahon.

Mahon’s presentation, which included information about the college and its successful programs and partnerships, focused on his views and insights on leadership. He spoke about his own experience and development as a leader, from his early days as a musician to his careers as a post-secondary teacher and administrator, highlighting the important lessons he has learned along the way. Mahon is also the author of the best-selling book “Leadership is Personal”.

Mahon emphasized several vital components of successful leadership, including the importance of being visible and involved, celebrating achievements and recognizing staff, communicating with people, investing in the workplace and employees, and modelling behavior that can be observed and followed by others. Mahon also stressed the importance of building a strong culture in the workplace and connecting with the community.

In fact, community and culture were recurring themes throughout the evening.

“We’ll be hearing words like community, culture, and collaboration tonight,” Shaunavon & District Chamber of Commerce president Roderick Thienes told the assembled local business leaders and representatives.

“Those are strong values that I prefer over competition. Because when we come together as a community, build on our culture, and collaborate to bring resources, services, and links to our community, it benefits us all.”

Thienes also referenced points made by Shaunavon Economic Development Officer Mary Scott, who outlined several new initiatives being launched by the EDC in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. The EDC itself has rebranded as Thrive in Shaunavon Economic Development and Innovation.

“Economic development is important, but innovation takes us to the next level,” Scott explained of the rebranding launch. “It’s that extra piece that helps us recognize what’s possible, what could be happening, and what might be the next big thing that could be valuable to our community.”

Scott also spoke about two new key initiatives launched by the group.

EVOLVE is a series of professional development opportunities designed to bolster the Shaunavon business environment, promote individual growth, and encourage community participation. Last week’s gathering at the Elk’s Hall was the first event under the new program.

Another program, Foundations, was also launched this year and will provide education on job interviews and connecting with employers to stimulate workforce and employer engagement. The Foundations program aims to meet the needs of community members, whether they are entering the workforce, transitioning to a new role, or re-engaging with the job market. Its first event was a resume-writing workshop earlier this month.

“Foundations was developed to bring workers and employers together, so we can support both sides,” Scott said. “We want to help those looking for employment connect with businesses that need workers.”

She concluded her presentation by reminding everyone in the room that collaboration and teamwork are crucial to growth.

“Working together is critical to our success,” Scott said. “As businesses and individuals, we all need each other. We need to recognize that we are stronger when we work together.”

The evening concluded with a question and answer session with Mahon, prize draws and more socializing.