BCBusiness.com
September 1, 2007
The mayor of Surrey, and saviour Dianne Watts, doesn’t consider herself a natural-born politician.
“I came kicking and screaming into politics” says Dianne Watts with a laugh, referring to leaving her career as an architectural consultant to join city council in 1996. “Going from the business world to politics is a quantum leap, and it can be frustrating.”
But it is her business sense and can-do attitude that have won her plaudits from average citizens and business leaders alike.
“She has been a breath of fresh air to this city, reports Gary Hollick, president of the Surrey Board of Trade. He credits the mayor’s natural business skills with shaking up the status quo in the suburb Vancouverites love to hate.
“She’s a true leader,” Hollick observes. “When she recognizes that there are some issues somewhere, rather than sit around waiting for a whole bunch of people to do something about it, she goes for it and she gets it done.”