Mr Rose takes over from James Howell, who stepped down earlier this month after a year in the role.

The chamber also has a new vice-president, with Wagga RSL general manager Andrew Bell stepping into that role.

Mr Rose said he hoped the chamber would be able to make life easier for the city’s businesses during his tenure.

“Business chambers and business really form the backbone of a stable community – it’s often the difference between one that’s in growth and one that’s in decline,” he said.

“You’ve got to have a lot of hats on to run a business successfully and I’m hoping over the next year the chamber will be able to make life a bit easier for local business.”

Mr Rose said he hoped to bring contacts he’d made through his own business and a professional approach to the chamber as its new president. His own business, Southern Oil, is currently undergoing a significant growth phase and Mr Rose said he hoped to stimulate expansion for the chamber in his new role.

For the new vice-president, Mr Bell, a veteran of the chamber board and general manager at the RSL for the past 16 years, the next year is about growing and building a chamber which has turned the corner in recent times.

“The chamber’s been in a bit of decline but it’s growing and building strongly now and it’s going to be there for the businesses of this town for many years to come,” he said.

“We’re hoping to stabilise the whole chamber and regain the trust of all businesses in town … I think (trust) is improving all the time.”

Mr Bell said he thought the city’s business community needed an “active” chamber underpinned by the professionalism of experienced operators around town.

“You need to be able to trust the chamber to assist, especially the really small businesses, the guys who don’t really have any backup,” he said.