Lynn Whitehouse gave a tearful goodbye to the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening, an organization she has been the executive director of for 31 years.
“I am one of the most dedicated community people and it’s because of you,” she said, to a crowd of chamber members gathered at Cascades Casino.
A retrospective slideshow showed pictures from Whitehouse’s three decades in charge of the chamber.
Current provincial minister and former City mayor, Peter Fassbender, paid tribute to Whitehouse before speaking as part of a panel on regional transportation later that evening.
“She and I danced many dances over the years in terms of issues around Langley and I always appreciated her enthusiasm, her passion and commitment.” he said “She’s an amazing lady.”
Another member of the panel, Louise Yako, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association, also spoke fondly of Whitehouse.
“Lynn is a great collaborator. So whenever there was an opportunity to work together, to move an issue forward, Lynn was the first to pick up the phone and say ‘here’s a transportation issue I think it affects trucking and I think this is something that we need to be done, let’s do it together.”
Yako also joked that she would miss working with Whitehouse because of their shared trait of a short stature.
“But mostly the reason I appreciate Lynn is she’s one of the only people I can look in the eye. And I really appreciate that.”