A well-respected member of the Summerside-Wilmot community, Chris Palmer possesses a wealth of entrepreneurial experience and a passion for giving back to his community. “I am eager to work to create an even better environment for our Youth and Families, our Business community and our Seniors!” says Palmer.
Both he and his wife Kyla, a registered nurse, were raised in District 21 and are now proudly raising their two children, Logan and Sydney, in the community that helped raise them.
Chris operates Island Stoneware, a Prince Edward Island-based handmade pottery manufacturing company that wholesales to approximately 100 stores in Canada and the US. He and his family also operate Garden Homes on Pope apartments in Summerside.
His entrepreneurial spirit, experience and savvy over the last 25 years led him to operate a number of other successful businesses across a variety of sectors, including information technology (ICON Data Systems and Auraucom Internet Services in Moncton, N.B.); visual communications and marketing (Revolution Media in Charlottetown and Summerside, PEI); tourism (Blue Spruces Beach Cottages in Hampton, PEI); and property development (Garden Homes on Pope in Summerside, PEI). Chris also has experience working in large business, working with cable and telecommunications giant Eastlink, serving as Manager of Internet Services for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Chris earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (accounting major) in 1991 and returned to school part time to complete a Master of Business Administration degree in 2011, both from the University of Prince Edward Island.
His passion for community engagement has led him to become an active volunteer with a number of organizations and groups over the years, including: Summerside Dolphins Swim Club (named Volunteer of the Year in 2015), Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, College of Piping, Downtown Summerside Inc., Tourism Summerside, Summerside Regional Development Corporation, Junior Achievement of Prince Edward Island, and the Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce to name a few.
Chris has also been an active Liberal Party member in District 21 since his return home in 2003, supporting grassroots initiatives and leading fundraising efforts. During this same time, he has worked on three provincial Liberal election campaigns in Summerside and three federal Liberal election campaigns in the riding of Egmont, serving in a variety of supportive and leadership roles.
