Frontenac Business Services Celebrates at AGM

Jeff Green | Jun 26, 2025

Frontenac Business Services hosted their annual general meeting at Harrowsmith Brewing Company on Tuesday June 17, to provide an overview of their standings for the fiscal year, a reminder of the services that Frontenac Business Services provide and to share some testimonial success stories from business owners who benefit from FBS.

While a detailed report can be found in the June 21, 2025 edition of Frontenac News, the team at Frontenac Business Services was excited to announce that while their numbers seemed down, it meant a positive trend within the businesses of Frontenac because when FBS’s numbers are lower, that means the businesses utilizing FBS are paying off their debts and in less of a need for loans. Ian Murdoch, former Chair of FBS’s Board of Directors, reflected on the numbers.

“Our AGM is a special time for the business community to come together and see how we stand up for the year,” said Murdoch, former Chair of the FBS Board of Directors and Vice President (Revenue and Growth) for Cambium. “We finished a little lower and that’s because of the prosperity of our businesses. Many of them paid off their loans and that’s a sign of a great support network in Frontenac so people are really doing well here and I think that’s an indicator that we have more money to lend out and the system is working awesome.”

He also reflected on the fact that despite an unsure economic climate nationally and internationally, he is optimistic that the businesses of Frontenac will pull through.

“I think what the recession doesn’t kill is entrepreneurship  and 99.9% of the businesses that we work with are entrepreneurs and I think that they are resilient,” he said. “They pivot, they change and especially in Frontenac where you’ve got so many businesses that are based in accommodation and tourism, they have to pivot when you look at some of the seasonal operators that had a huge amount of US tourists in the pandemic, they pivoted and they changed their offerings and they attracted people more locally.”

He feels confident that if there is a further economic downturn that with the help of Frontenac Business Services and the push to buy local and buy Canadian that it will help the economic climate of the county.

“I think if there is a slow down in the economy I think we can lean on marketing and business counselling and all of those things to bring people back to a natural element where they’re going to support local and I think that’s going to help. If there is a lowercase ‘r’ (recession), I think that’s what’s going to keep people rocking and rolling, because entrepreneurship doesn’t die.”

He commended the people of Frontenac and the businesses of Frontenac for creating and supporting local businesses that people want to see succeed.

“If you spend anytime in Frontenac County, it just bleeds local right? There isn’t anything you can’t get here and I think that people are supporting that more than ever,” he said. “If you go on Facebook groups or social media, everyone’s reaching out to their community to see where they can get supplies or support local construction companies, trade services, counseling services, tax services, you name it. It’s a great time to tap into a community that’s here to support you.”

During the meeting,  Murdoch stepped down as Chair of Frontenac Business Services’ Board of Directors during the AGM after a two-year stint in the role.

“Getting to see what happens here is incredible and the team is changing people’s lives. It might not be the most glorious job, but what they’re doing here is super meaningful and I don’t know where we’d be without them.”

The meeting started with the report of the numbers from FBS and then business owners who had a positive testimonial from the help they received from FBS were invited to speak. First to speak was the owner of Harrowsmith Brewing Company, the space where the event was held.

He discussed the history of the barn and how it’s 200-year-old history of the space informed what he wanted to portray in Harrowsmith Brewing Company’s brand. He wanted to use the history to emphasize the strong local connection to Harrowsmith as a thank you to the community from the welcome he felt moving to Frontenac to start his career as a teacher after a career shift from being a mechanic. While the beer for Harrowsmith Brewing Company is not brewed at the barn, it is made from local ingredients and the names of the featured beers, Frosty Mugginz, Heritage 1909, Level Lager and Spike’s Corners, boast a local connection to history. In his speech he thanked FBS for their support and advice.

The next speaker was James Kirkham, the owner of Wolfe Island Pizza and Pub to give an update on running a business on Wolfe Island and how FBS helped bring his dream to a reality and how their continued support is beneficial to his business.

Finally, Cyndy Benello of Glen Haven Resort discussed the trials and tribulations of buying and renovating a trailer home resort in Frontenac while being new to the community and how FBS’s support, advice and workshops supported her through that transition. 

The meeting concluded with mingling and refreshments.

To learn more about Frontenac Business Services, their report on businesses in Frontenac and how they can support a business, visit the website at frontenacbusiness.ca .