Board of Directors

Committed to supporting Winnipeg’s thriving business community

The Chamber is governed by members of a highly dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. Our directors are from companies of various sizes and sectors and reflect the diversity of our membership. We are also proud to have a gender-balanced board.

Each director brings with them a wealth of knowledge and experience and is committed to community leadership and supporting The Chamber’s mission. The board meets regularly to approve policy, engage in discussion around issues affecting the business community and to make decisions around the general governance of The Chamber.

Amanda Buhse

Chair

Coal & Canary

Amanda Buhse, Founder and CEO of Coal and Canary, is a dynamic entrepreneur who turned a $40 investment into a multimillion-dollar brand. Her work has been recognized by Forbes and featured in gift bags for the GRAMMYs, Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes.

Amanda has received numerous accolades, including being named “Female Entrepreneur of the Year” (WBOM), a two-time Spirit of Winnipeg Award winner, and most recently, a finalist for the North American Women of Inspiration Awards being held in New York City this November. Representing Canada on the world stage, she was a Canadian delegate at the G20 Summits in Milan and Hamburg and serves on multiple boards, including the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and the World Trade Centre of Winnipeg.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys singing, painting, and spending time at Brereton Lake with her family. And when she’s not doing any of those things, you can also find her being a seat filler at prestigious events such as the GRAMMYs and Emmy Awards. Amanda remains a creative and inspiring leader in both business and life and is passionate about showing other Winnipeggers that we can all achieve big things in our vibrant and dynamic city.

Bob Somers

Incoming Chair

Scatliff+Miller+Murray

As a Registered Landscape Architect and Principal at Scatliff+Miller+Murray, Bob leads a nationally respected team of professionals driving innovative placemaking and infrastructure-based landscape solutions. With over 30 years of experience, Bob’s work merges design excellence with meaningful community and economic impact — championing projects that enrich Winnipeg’s urban fabric and contribute to its long-term resilience.

A proud Winnipegger, Bob received the Chamber Initiative Award in 2006 from The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for his volunteer leadership behind Chamber Way, reflecting his deep commitment to civic improvement through collaborative vision. This journey began in the creative sector, touring the country in the 1990s as a bass player — an experience that shaped his understanding of entrepreneurship and cultural development. He later served as Board President of Manitoba Music (2017–2021), supporting local artists and strengthening the province’s creative economy.

From 2022 to 2024, Bob served as President of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, where he amplified national collaboration and positioned landscape architecture as a driver of public investment across Canada. Bob’s ongoing leadership continues to strengthen Winnipeg’s reputation as a city that values visionary design, cultural entrepreneurship, and community-driven growth.