The following article was originally published Wednesday December 20 2017 by The St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. The following text has been captured using computer software and may not be 100% accurate. You can download a high resolution scan of the original publication HERE.

THE St George Business Chamber has outlined a number of strategies to grow the influence of local busi­nesses in 2018. The moves were an­nounced at the chamber's annual general meeting held at the St George Business Chamber office at Hurstville on December 14. The annual general meet­ing saw Allan Zreik re-elect­ed unopposed as president. Tony Baddour was elected vice-president, Carlos Zeidan secretary and Tak Li as treasurer. Mr Zreik announced the formation of a new Business Development Committee which will comprise promi­nent business leaders of the St George business com­munity and four executive members of the chamber. "We are currently in talks with a select group of business people with further announcements likely to be made once talks, with those nominated, accept their ap­pointments in the next few weeks," Mr Zreik said. "The chamber is making this move to create an inde­pendent platform for busi­ness leaders to voice their opinions and put forward suggestions for creating new business opportunities within the greater St George business community. "While there have been Economic Development Committees, from various organisations in the past, representation of the wider business community has been mostly limited;' he said. Mr Zreik said the commit­tee would develop a master plan of business develop­ment targets, after consult­ing with key stakeholders and the putting a schedule together to turn those plans into a reality. The chamber is also forming a number of new sub-committees, each representing suburban clusters to focus and swiftly address local business is­sues. Sub-committees have already been formed in Kog­arah, Lugarno and Mortdale. "Each sub-committee will hold monthly meetings to mine down into local busi­ness issues;' Mr Zreik said.· "The Chair of each sub­committee will then table the minutes of these discussions at Executive Committee meetings, complete with suggested solutions, and these will form part of the overall Chamber agenda. "It is through these sub-committees that we will be rolling out the St George Business Development Committee's Masterplan in the New Year:' Banks MP David Coleman congratulated the chamber on its progress during the past year. "It's been really nota­ble, especially in the past 12 months the emerging strength of the chamber, par­ticularly ·with the number of forums, meetings and work­shops:• He said it was important that business, especially small business, has a struc­tured way to put their case forward through entities such as the chamber.