WeBA stands for the West Edmonton Business Association, a collection of more than 300 businesses comprising thousands of employees that are located or do business in the thriving west end of Edmonton.

Companies range from single entrepreneurs to large corporations with hundreds of employees, and they don’t even need to have a business located in the west end to join. (A recent member is located in Calgary.) The rough boundaries of the WeBA area are Groat Road, St. Albert Trail and the river – but if you do business in West Edmonton, you’re welcome to join. The organization was formed in 1982 by, in the words of Executive Director Karon Kosof, “five renegade entrepreneurs” who were upset by an attempted tax grab by the City of Edmonton. The group was formed to provide a unified voice for area businesses to meet with and speak with both the City of Edmonton and City Council. The short-term result of the founding of the group was a tax rebate. The long-term result was the fact that WeBA is alive and thriving today.

WeBA is not a business revitalization zone. There is no government money involved, and it is totally supported by its membership. The objectives of WeBA are:

* to provide a common voice for West Edmonton business issues;

The West Edmonton Business Association team includes, from left, vice-president Fred Filthaut, Rod Robertson and executive director Karon Kosof.

* to promote member business interests;

* to liaise with government;

* to educate and inform its membership;

* to act as a resource for West Edmonton businesses;

* to provide members with opportunities to promote their products and services.

In short, WeBA is about building your business, your contacts, the west end and the City of Edmonton.

“Basically, business is about relationships,” says WeBA President Rod Robertson, a partner with the chartered accounting firm SVS Group LLP. “Without people, you have no business. WeBA gives you an opportunity to meet people, to learn from them, showcase your business, and help both your business and yourself as an individual.”

WeBA is not just a networking group, nor is it merely a social organization. Rather, WeBA is a blend of business, politics and socializing that makes it an important part of any West Edmonton business.

Connections West is an example of how all three elements come together at one time.

Connections West is a twice-monthly breakfast meeting, which allows members to focus on relationship building, with an educational component as well. Each meeting has a guest speaker covering a wide range of topics.

A recent meeting, for example, had a WeBA-member lawyer discuss privacy legislation.

There are also up to eight luncheons held every year, and the guest speakers are frequently high-profile members of the political community, such as Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Anne McLellan, Premier Ralph Klein, and Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith. There are also periodic after-business mixers for members to learn about others who are in the organization, and major social events in the Fall and Spring. (This Fall’s Gala is a salute to Edmonton’s 100th Anniversary.)

WeBA does not concern itself only with the west end, but with the well-being of the City of Edmonton overall, says WeBA Vice-President Fred Filthaut, General Manager of CFRN TV. For example, WeBA, Filthaut says, made a financial contribution to the Churchill Square Legacy Project.

“Our focus is on West Edmonton, but we are part of the city overall,” says Filthaut.

Membership, at just $145 a year, has been kept reasonable and equitable for all.

“One of the things that makes WeBA so vital,” says Kosof, “is that the small-business owner has as much of a voice as a large business owner.”

WeBA means different things to different companies. For a large company, it affords an opportunity to become part of the community. For a smaller firm, WeBA gives them access to a network of valuable business associates and friends.

There are a number of advertising opportunities open to members, from sponsoring luncheons and advertising in WeBA’s newsletter Business West, to links to the WeBA website. WeBA members are kept apprised of all WeBA events through the Business West newsletter, e-mails or faxes, and an excellent website that includes a complete calendar of events for the months ahead.

Politics is important to WeBA members, whether it is in the form of Mayoralty Forums or in dealings with the city.

“The city takes us very seriously,” says Kosof. “City departments contact us regarding different matters when they want our input.” This can include high-profile matters such as road improvements or lower profile but still important matters such as litter.

WeBA has pushed vigorously for important improvements to the Yellowhead Trail, such as the recently completed 184th Street overpass, and moving up the construction of the 156th Street overpass by a year.

Being entirely independent from government funding means WeBA speaks its mind to the city, but is regarded as a voice of reason for its reasoned and principled stands on the issues.

Kosof credits the “phenomenal” Board of Directors and volunteer committees for doing extraordinary work for the west end.

For more information about WeBA, check out their website at www.weba.org, or phone Karon Kosof at 780.457.5796.