Board Spotlight - Matt Villnave

Meet our Chairman, Matt!

Matt Villnave serves as the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.  He has been a volunteer for the chamber for the past 7 years, with the last four as the First Vice Chair position.  Matt is the owner of Lewiston Digital LLC as well as Trait-Carré a retail store in Lewiston, NY.

Why is your business a member of the Chamber?
Lewiston Digital is a B2B business so the Chamber allows me to meet other business owners that may have problems I have solutions for.  Referrals from the Chamber are very valuable!

What is your favorite local business to support?
It’s hard to narrow it down, but I guess I’ve been known to spend some time at the Griffon.  I’m also a big fan of Sgt. Peppers Hot Sauce.   I am involved in the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

What are you doing on your days off? 
Days off are not something small business owners often experience, but I do enjoy family time hanging out with my dogs.  I’m not going to say I’m a foodie, because who isn’t…but I enjoy cooking.   During the boredom of the COVID era, I began collecting vinyl records.   I am also a bit of a craft beer enthusiast!

What else can you share with our membership?
When I was a kid growing up, we often made vacations to Niagara Falls and I really found something special about the area.   When I graduated from Niagara University, I wanted to find a way to be a part of the tourism industry here and put my technical / creative skills to work for the region.   It took me about 10 years to figure that out, but I’ve managed to align myself with the organizations here that are doing this good work. I’m proud to know that the work I do on a daily basis has a positive impact on our region through the awesome client base I have and of course, by involvement with an organization like the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce that provides additional opportunities for storytelling, grown and championing our region.

Thanks Matt!   We are grateful for your strategic leadership!