Dunstall named president of New Hamburg Board of Trade

The New Hamburg Board of Trade’s 2026-2028 executive. Image courtesy of New Hamburg Board of Trade

By Amanda Nelson

The New Hamburg Board of Trade has welcomed Lillianne Dunstall as its new president for 2026, a milestone year marking the organization’s 75th anniversary.

“Seventy-five years really reflects a long history of volunteers supporting local businesses and that speaks to the resilience of the Board of Trade,” said Dunstall. “We've adapted to economic changes and struggling times over the last 75 years, and we're still standing, and that is a testament to the volunteers and the businesses in New Hamburg.”

Dunstall, who also serves as a township councillor for Wilmot, brings years of experience working with and advocating for small businesses across New Hamburg and Wilmot Township. She said she is looking forward to the challenges of the role, with several new initiatives already underway.

Dunstall said she plans to continue organizing signature events while also expanding community connections through new local initiatives, including an International Women’s Day event in March.

She said advocacy will be a key focus this year with an emphasis on better connecting businesses across Wilmot.

“I would like to offer them more value for their membership and that, so we've started to look at more advocacy,” said Dunstall.

She said one of the strengths of the board of trade is the diversity of voices represented around the table.

“One of the things that I really like about our board of trade is it's really got a lot of diverse voices,” she said. “We have people there from retail, from insurance, restaurant owners, real estate agents, financial advisors, people from the manufacturing sector. Those voices are all from very different industries, but they're sitting at that table. So that's something that I think is a real benefit to our community.”

Dunstall also said supporting younger entrepreneurs will be a priority in 2026.

“It’s very important to me that we try to get some of our younger entrepreneurs, and we've got some now that are on the executive and they've got such amazing ideas,” she said. “The board of trade has always supported the entire community, not only our businesses, but our community in general and younger voices can add to that.”

The board of trade has also updated its website, which will launch soon. Dunstall said the new site will provide stronger connections for businesses across New Hamburg, including a resource page with links to small business loans and seminars on topics such as social media and financial management.

Currently, the board of trade has 90 business members across New Hamburg. This year, the organization hopes to continue expanding by offering deeper connections and more support throughout the township.

The New Hamburg Board of Trade is an active part of the Wilmot community, connecting local businesses and supporting the people who live and work in the township. The organization helps organize events such as Canada Day, the Santa Claus Parade and Sidewalk Sale Days, and also maintains the town’s water wheel, festive lighting and downtown flower displays.

For more information, visit www.nhbot.ca.