Biz X magazine January 2020 by Biz X magazine

YOUR ONLY INTERNATIONAL BORDER CITY PUBLICATION New Year Resolutions For Climate Change Believers THE PARENTING BIZ Inspiring Young Business

Professionals Who Keep Their Eye On The Prize

OCTOBER January 2020 2019

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Barnet Custom Fabrication Inc.; University Players; Gopher Gal Services; GreenerBins Composting Company; Mi5 Recordings And An Avalanche Of Event Photos!

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Under Pressure

Former National Hockey League goaltender Clint Malarchuk may look relaxed here, but for many years he was plagued by self-doubt, high anxiety, an obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. He’s now an outspoken advocate for those facing mental illness. Stress from a high pressure job and owning a business seem to go hand in hand. We talk with Clint and a few others who know “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”! — PAGE 18 B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

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table of contents JANUARY 2020 volume 23 • issue 1

4 Funny Stuff 5 From The Publisher: The Odette School Of Business “Community Champions” 6 Editorial Viewpoint: Climate Change Emergency Questioned Karina Richters, The City Of Windsor’s Supervisor, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change (photo courtesy of Karina Richters), is at the forefront of the climate change emergency declared late last year by city and county councils. Columnist Alan Halberstadt lauds the attempt, but expresses doubt that the general public will carry out the radical lifestyle changes required to meet the lofty targets of greenhouse gas emission reductions. 8 Front Lines 11 Heard On The Street 12 Milestones: Colautti Brothers’ “100 Year Anniversary Gala” 14 Newsflash 15 Biz X Was There 16 Dates To Remember 23 Tech Bytes: Stress Busters For Small Business Owners 24 Hot Shots: Stigma Enigma’s “Mingle For Maryvale” 26 Ask The Experts: As Easy As A, B, C — Composting! 27 Take The Lead: Claudette McGowan, BMO Enterprise Technology Employee Experience 28 Have A Cup Of Joe With Joe: UPcoming University Players Shows 30 Portfolio Corner: June Cleaver Or Jane Jetson? 31 XX Files: Lissa Scholl, Gopher Gal Services 32 The Parenting Biz: You Are Never Too Young To Be A CEO Childhood games such as house and pretending to be the boss at the office introduce kids to the world of business at a very young age. With drive and ambition, any child can grow up to become a CEO running their own company. As long as their parents encourage them to follow their

dreams, the sky is the limit. We introduce you to a few amazing, young local entrepreneurs. (Photo credit: © CanStock Photo/alkir)

37 Memories From “Windsor ComiCon” 38 Making A Sound Living: Tom McDonough, Mi5 Recordings Detroit 40 Hot Shots: The 24th Annual “Wines Of The World” 42 Awards Spotlight: The Third Annual “Evening Of Excellence” 44 Hot Shots: The 6th Annual “Artilicious” This fundraiser for The Kidney Foundation of Canada was made for foodies with its all you can eat appetizers and desserts. There was something for everyone! Volunteers Melanie Allen (left in photo by Rod Denis) and Sandra Silveira served cinnamon sugar and old fashioned glazed donut holes from Plant Joy, one of 29 participating businesses. The bakery provides vegan doughnuts made with organic and fair-trade ingredients. These bite sized treats were absolutely scrumptious and put a sweet smile on the faces of non-vegans too. So, what else was served at “Artilicious”? WARNING: Viewing these photos may cause extreme hunger, LOL. 46 Awards Spotlight: The 22nd Annual “Biz X Awards Gala” 52 From The Bookshelf: An Anthology Of Poetry & Surrendering To The Will Of God 53 The Way It Was: WWII Veteran Shares His Thoughts And Experiences On Service And Duty For Our Country 54 Biz Of The Month: Barnet Custom Fabrication Inc.

ON THE COVER — “Under Pressure!” — 18

We talk with former National Hockey League goaltender Clint Malarchuk in November before his speaking engagement at the Stigma Enigma 6th annual “Mingle For Maryvale” Adolescent Mental Health Centre. During this evening he shared his extraordinary life story — which includes his long battle with alcoholism and almost ending his life by a gunshot to the head — in his relentless effort to help end the stigma of mental illness and to help others who may suffer as well. Over time, constant stress can contribute to serious health problems such as mental disorders. Stress can manifest itself in many ways and can be caused by a variety of issues including home life, the workplace, job loss or change and pressures at school. Finding effective ways to alleviate stress is very important. Our cover story explores how Malarchuk is coping and also offers advice from local biz pros who have experienced (or are still experiencing) stressful situations. You will soon see they all do whatever it takes to get the job done and keep their stress under control . . . and you can too! Photo by Rod Denis (RodneyLDenisPhotographer.com) taken inside the Members’ Lounge at the Giovanni Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Avenue, Windsor. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

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from the publisher

W.E. Are The Champions By Deborah Jones

“We are the champions, my friends; And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end.” This famous Queen song is a great way to describe the business community of Windsor Essex! We never give up, despite constant challenges and always strive to be the best we can be. Many area organizations short form the word WE for Windsor Essex, which is one of the reasons why I also link this song to our region. In fact, it is the music we played during our gala when the winner of the 2019 Biz X Award for “Distinguished Biz Champ Of The Year” walked up on stage to receive their plaque. There were 18 nominees in this category with RFG Plumbing and RFG Electrical being chosen the overall winner. This award category clearly showed how many hard working companies there are in our distribution area. Due to this fact, we have now made this an annual category for our awards program.

Since my topic now relates to champions (an inspiring and positive way to start off our first issue of the year), now is the perfect opportunity to mention even more local champions. Dr. Martha Reavley, Professor of Management at the Odette School of Business and its MBA Cohort of 2021, hosted the 11th annual “Community Champions” event at the University of Windsor on December 6, 2019, recognizing the contributions of eight members of the Windsor Essex community. Although these incredible leaders come from different backgrounds, industries, and careers, they have made great strides in creating positive changes in the Windsor Essex community. This year’s “Community Champions” include: • Fo Abiad, Owner of Wintex Safety, Northstar Safety, FA Investments, Universal Health Products and Transition to Betterness Chair of the Board • Camille Cecchin, Community Philanthropist, W.E. Care for Kids Foundation

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The Odette School of Business MBA Program recently recognized eight exemplary “Community Champions”. In attendance for the ceremony from left were: Jim Cheetham, Lisa Tayfour, Sam Sinjari and Donna Wellington. Absent were: Fo Abiad, Camille Cecchin, Irene Moore Davis and Chris Lori. Photo by Rod Denis.

• Jim Cheetham, Local Philanthropist, Owner of multiple Tim Hortons locations • Irene Moore Davis, Historian, Author, Artist, and Community Leader • Chris Lori, Destiny Rescue, Foreign Exchange Trader • Sam Sinjari, CFO, Local Philanthropist • Lisa Tayfour, Community Philanthropist, House of Sophrosyne • Donna Wellington, VP Henry Ford Hospital, Leader in Healthcare In closing I leave you with more lyrics in the Queen song: “We are the champions; We are the champions; No time for losers, ’Cause we are the champions of the world!” May 2020 be your year of success. Happy New Year!

editorial viewpoint

Climate Change New Year Resolutions: A Hard Sell By Alan Halberstadt *If you have a comment on this topic, please post it under my column in the CITY section of BizXmagazine.com

ity of Windsor Council and Essex County Council recently jumped aboard the global climate change juggernaut by declaring a climate change emergency. This plugs our municipalities into the United Nations lofty goals shared by 500odd municipalities in Canada. In less than 12 years, the UN declares, in order to keep the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius (since pre-industrial times) and maintain a climate compatible with human civilization, there must be a reduction in carbon emissions of about 45% from 2010 levels, reaching net zero by 2050. Attendees at a November 29, 2019 symposium, sponsored by the WindsorEssex Climate Change Collaborative, the Essex Region Conservation Authority and the University of Windsor, heard how we all need to change the way we live in order to achieve the targets and stave off more flooding, wildfires, famine, drought and overflowing refugee camps. At home, climate change has already exacted its toll. We have experienced overland and extensive basement flooding, disgorged by heavy rain events, the emergence of invasive species, an increased number of high heat days (over 30 degrees Celsius), the rise in diseases and harmful algal blooms in our lakes and rivers. City Council recently had to pony up $2 million to install a new floating dock system at Lakeview Marina to counter rising Detroit River water levels. The city has ticketed $500 million on a sewer master plan, and is rolling out an East Riverside flood risk plan. These projects are Adaptation measures demanded by the current climate change reality. Now the emergency climate plan is identifying mitigation initiatives to slow down future consequences.

“Climate Change is at the centre of everything,” says Anneke Smit, teacher of a City’s @ Climate Action law course at the University of Windsor.

“Climate change is at the centre of everything,” says Anneke Smit, an Associate Professor of law at the university who teaches a hands-on class on municipal climate change. “The global emergency requires a coordinated response in all budget deliberations and council decision-making,” alerts Smit, who believes we are heading for a global catastrophe with impacts equivalent to the Second World War if we don’t take drastic measures over the next decade. The big push is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The main culprit is carbon dioxide, CO2, which releases contaminates into the atmosphere that traps the heat radiation from the sun nearest the earth. So here’s the scary part. Some 36% of Windsor’s emissions come from motor vehicles — cars, trucks, big jeeps and SUVs that jam our streets and freeways. And yes we are still known as the “Motor City”. “It’s a hard sell,” acknowledges Smit of the campaign to convince people to eschew convenience and lower or eliminate their car dependency. That’s tricky because would-be climate change advocates earn a good living in our assembly and automotive supplier plants. Society also remains immersed in runaway consumerism; witness the mad “Black Friday” dash to the malls. This is what grates on people who see the hypocrisy of emergency declarations by public servants and politicians who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. This also gives ammunition to the climate change deniers funded by Big Oil, Gas and Coal — those carbon-laced fossil fuels. “Youth are at the centre of the movement,” says Smit, noting the emergence of Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has travelled the world with her doomsayer climate change message. The actions of Smit’s own daughter, 15 year old Sofie Waters, is putting her activist parents to shame, muses Anneke, whose husband is Chris Waters, Dean of the law faculty at the U. of W. Both parents ride their bikes to work and back. Sofie refuses to use plastic water bottles and takes metal straws and utensils to school to eat lunch, and brings B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

her own dishes for take home leftovers. She declines rides home, opting to walk to a distant bus stop. At the grocery store she refuses plastic bags and foods with plastic packaging. Smit suggests students should write letters to grocery store chains or use social media to condemn over-packaging. “It’s the only thing they understand,” she warns. “It’s the power of leadership by example.” Given this is January, I have gathered a laundry list of New Year Resolutions (see coloured box below), thanks mainly to the Windsor-Essex Collaborative, for anyone who wants to employ personal action to reduce our carbon footprint.

New Year Resolutions

• Consume and use less of everything. Limit the number of cars to one per family. Purchase electric or hybrid vehicles. Obey anti-idling bylaws. Shut off your engines when caught in traffic. Boycott drive-thrus. • Reduce your energy, plastic, water and other resource use. • Drive and fly less when possible. Bike, walk, take a bus or a train. • Conserve home energy. Adjust your thermostat for less use every season, and take advantage of home retrofit programs (call 311) to improve energy efficiency. • Install solar panels on the roof of your home. • Eat less meat, eat local, and aim for zero household waste. Get a backyard composter and rain barrel. • Plant trees. Increasing forest cover is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change. “Every tree counts,” beckons Karina Richters, the City of Windsor’s Supervisor, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change. Richters is the pied piper of the city’s Community Energy Plan, a 122 page document flushed out by consultants and a task force that took 18 months and $280,000 to complete. When Council declared its emergency on November 18, 2019 Richters was directed to prepare reports within 90 days, recommending priority action items. A big one, Richters told me, is the rollout of a “deep energy retrofit” program whereby the city will share the cost with homeowners of upgrading windows, doors, HVACs etc. with the goal of saving 50% in your home energy costs. Windsor households create 35% more emissions than the Ontario average, largely because of the age of our housing stock. The energy plan data collectors told us that. I believe in climate change, but I also believe that not nearly enough people, myself included, are going to voluntarily change all their self-indulgent habits, until it hits them directly in the pocketbook.

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FRONTLINES Grant Thornton LLP Aims To Make Windsor Essex A “Vibrant Community” Over 100 community leaders from all walks of life and occupations spent a day last year in November brainstorming and developing ideas designed to make Windsor Essex an even more vibrant and livable community. Organized by Grant Thornton LLP, a tax and accounting firm, the day-long “Vibrant Communities: Live Labs” included participants from business, academia, politics, non-profits, health, the legal community and education. “I saw this as a perfect opportunity to focus on the positives and implement steps and programs to make this region an even better place to live, work and play,” believes City of Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “Negative opinions and voices tend to get most of the attention, but this kind of gathering focuses on the positive while at the same time suggesting ways to make improvements.” It was one of many sessions across the country organized by the accounting firm over the past 18 months, explains Kevin Ladner, Chief Executive Officer and

Executive Partner for Grant Thornton. Ladner mentions: “Our mandate at Grant Thornton is to help our clients thrive and succeed and part of that is helping to ensure the communities where they are located also thrive and succeed.” Windsor was the only community chosen from among the 23 regions across Ontario where Grant Thornton has offices to host a “Live Lab” session. “We believe the Windsor area is poised and ideally situated for added growth and success,” adds Ladner. “At Grant Thornton, we don’t have all the answers, but we can help bring people together to share ideas. If we can be a catalyst for communication between all the area stakeholders then I think we have done our job to the best of our ability.” Ideas voiced by many of the participants included improvements in green transit, solutions to the region’s chronic homeless problem, enhanced use of area waterfronts, more financial and mentoring support for small business start-ups and increasing diversification.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens (right) poses with attendee Kevin Moshal, Managing Partner for Grant Thornton LLP in Southern Ontario, during a brainstorming session in November 2019 at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. The day-long session brought together community leaders whose mandate was to share ideas and suggest ways to make the Windsor Essex region more successful. Photo by Dave Hall.

“We’ve seen consistent and steady business growth over the past three years, but in areas of diversification and business expansion, there is still work to be done,” says Stephen MacKenzie, Chief Executive Officer of the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation.“This was a very good exercise and Grant Thornton should be commended for putting it together. Bringing all the players together in a collaborative way such as this is very encouraging.”

Get Inspired To Work Out With Fury Since New Year Resolutions often relate to exercise and health, this next story can help you keep your commitment to get fit in 2020. Fury Training Grounds — which officially opened their new location in midOctober 2019 — is an ideal choice to ensure you meet your fitness and nutritional goals. The seven year old business was previously located at 100 Fairview Avenue in Essex Centre, but outgrew the space with increased membership and equipment. Now situated at 26 Fairview Avenue West, the new 4,000 square foot fitness centre provides group classes, personal training, and open gym times. “Born and raised in Essex made it an easy decision to open a business in town,” states Dave Cassidy, who owns Fury Training Grounds with his wife Jen. “We have raised our children here, been involved with many sports, and other community activities here and love the small town atmosphere.” Jen explains that Fury is “a small welcoming community that gives all our members the personal feeling of being on the same team. Most of our members refer to each other as their Fury family. We encourage one another, support one another and push one another to attain our goals.”

Dave adds, “We have created an atmosphere that is far less intimidating and pricey, with less locked-in commitment than the big box gyms, with better results.” The hybrid training gym offers an even ratio of weights/conditioning in regular

sessions and also offers nutrition plans and coaching. Speciality sessions include Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, core and conditioning. Get more details on this new facility by logging on to: FuryTrainingGrounds.com.

Elected leaders and Fury Training Ground staff/owners came together in mid-October 2019 for a ribbon cutting ceremony, including from left: Trainer Haley Rounding; Essex Ward 4 Councillor Sherry Bondy; Trainer Niki Tapak; Essex MPP Taras Natyshak; Owners Jen and Dave Cassidy; Essex Ward 1 Councillor Morley Bowman; former Essex MP Tracey Ramsey and Essex Ward 2 Councillor Kim Verbeek. Photo courtesy of The Town of Essex.

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FRONTLINES A New “Sweet Spot” Opens On Erie Street The heart of Via Italia now has a new restaurant with the grand opening in early November 2019 of Mi Amor Creperie, which specializes in sweet and savoury crepes as well as local wines and has a selection of works by local artists adorning its walls. “The focus is to try and be a little avant garde or Bohemian in our menu and ambiance,” explains General Manager Kayla Reid. “It’s certainly unlike any other restaurant on the street and we think we complement them in a positive way.” Located at 770 Erie Street East, the restaurant profiles a new local artist every month. They are able to display their artwork on the restaurant’s walls with no commission charged if they are able to make a sale during their month’s exposure. “It’s an absolutely great opportunity to get my work in front of a new audience in a new space,” says artist Eugenio Mendoza. “It’s a very intimate setting, which should complement my style that features bright colours.” Mendoza, who teaches at the Art Lab in Walkerville, adds he is excited about seeing how diners respond to his work and he’s happy to be getting exposure to a new audience. The menu at the restaurant, meanwhile, is as eclectic as the art work. A variety of crepes are offered featuring ingredients such as seasoned ground beef, chicken, mozzarella cheese, eggs, cheddar cheese, ham, guacamole, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, chipotle mayo, sour cream and lettuce as well as nutella, berries, and bananas. Charcuterie boards and fondues are also available

From left: Heather Morency, Server; Kayla Reid, General Manager; Owner Dave Foley and Sarah Bertram, Server, welcomed guests at the official opening of Mi Amor Creperie, a new restaurant in Via Italia. The delectable creations of Chef Giuseppe Piruzza of The Chef’s Table were served during the opening event. Photo by Dave Hall.

and you can visit for breakfast, lunch, dinner and of course, dessert! “It’s a quaint, cute place and it’s very original,” says Michelle DiNardo who attended the official opening. “I can see myself becoming a regular.” She adds, “It’s nice to see another choice along the street and I think it’s going to be very popular because not many places serve crepes in as many varieties.” Owner Dave Foley (and in house chef) is glad he’s finally open after all the hard work put in by his staff in getting the space ready. “We’re trying to focus as much as possible on local products and wines,” says Foley. “And featuring local artists will give the space a different look every month, which we think will keep it fresh and interesting.” For information on their hours of operation and more, see: Facebook.com/MiAmorCreperie.

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HEARD ON THE STREET Where’s Matt? Many have been asking since the 2018 Windsor municipal election and we now have the answer! After being educated at the London School of Economics, Matt Marchand took a 25 year detour through the region’s public sector, including running for City of Windsor Mayor in 2018, before landing at IG Wealth Management six months ago. “Absolutely, it’s come 100 percent full circle,” says Marchand. “I made my first commodities trade at 17 with an account I shared with my dad, so financial planning and investing has always been a major passion.” As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Windsor Essex Region Chamber of Commerce, Marchand recruited Trevor LeDrew, Regional Director of IG, and his firm to join the chamber as Gold Circle members. “I knew about the great work they did in the community and I am very pleased to be a member of the team,” Marchand indicates. LeDrew says it was an easy decision to attempt to recruit Marchand, but adds, “We weren’t the only suitors for his services.” LeDrew believes IG and Marchand are a perfect fit “because of Matt’s background and passion for our community and our industry.” Prior to running for Mayor in the last municipal election, Marchand spent more than six years with the chamber, eight years as Director of Government Affairs for the Continental Rail Gateway and 11 years as Policy Assistant in the office of the City of Windsor Mayor then, Mike Hurst. His educational background also includes the University of Windsor. Mandaloun, the latest addition to the Erie Street dining scene in Windsor, opened for business serving Lebanese cuisine, at the end of November. Owner Sass Ammar, who also owns Shawarma Express at 300 Tecumseh Road East, has been planning to open a fine

dining spot for a number of years and when La Zingara closed at 769 Erie Street East, he jumped at the opportunity to fulfill a dream. “It’s a great location and it fits what we were looking for perfectly,” says Ammar adding the kitchen focuses on Lebanese dishes featuring lamb and shish kabobs. “It’s a challenge, but I just decided to do it and I think we’ll be successful.” Efforts to attract a small grocery store into the city centre are continuing, according to Brian Yeomans, head of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association. “With the growing number of people working downtown or going to school in the core, our group believes there is a growing need for a grocery store and we are trying to attract one as we speak,” Yeomans states during a midDecember interview. “We have a large captive audience for a number of different kinds of retail outlets and a grocery store would fit into the mix very well.” A number of new businesses have already opened or are in the process of being launched including: Whiskeyjack Boutique, Maiden Lane Wines and Spirits, The Chelsea Coal Fired Pizza/Ultra Pub, Interrobang Vintage Clothing, Lowend Co. clothing store, a photography store and a West African restaurant. Yeomans says the DWBIA is encouraging all prospective business owners to complete a business case study with help from the WindsorEssex Small Business Centre. “We want all the new businesses to be successful so that they will remain open on a long-term basis,” comments Yeomans, who is encouraged by the growth. This isn’t to say there aren’t still many vacant storefronts in the core where Casa Del Habano, the former Ray and Kim’s Convenience Store, BB Branded and Starbucks storefronts remain unoccupied, among others.

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After serving Windsor Essex customers for over 30 years, family-owned Windsor Disposal Services (WDS) has been acquired by GFL Environment Inc. WDS owner Vince Moceri has stayed on along with his staff to help make the transition seamless. Taken from a press release, Patrick Dovigi, GFL’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, is quoted as stating: “For more than 30 years, WDS has been a trusted family-run provider of solid waste management services to its residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers. We look forward to welcoming WDS’s management team and employees, led by Vince Moceri, to the GFL team, and continuing to provide customers with sustainable environmental solutions.” GFL is the fourth largest diversified environmental services company in North America with operations across Canada and in 23 U.S. states. Moceri was unavailable for comment by press time. After four years of operating a Windsor daycare and training school for dogs, Kelly FrenchMitrevski is moving Animal Antics Behaviour Centre to a new location at 3966 North Service Road East in February. “It’s a very visible location, while the same time attracting less street traffic, which will make it easier for our clients,” French-Mitrevski notes. “It’s smaller in terms of square footage, but has less wasted space so it will be a much more efficient location for us,” she adds. French-Mitrevski holds a master’s degree in animal behaviour and opened her business in October 2015 to take advantage of her love of animals and her education. “It’s a perfect fit for me and I love it,” she says. The centre’s previous location at 2465 McDougall Avenue will eventually become a new home for Catholic Central High School. Jade Chinese Cuisine, a long time downtown restaurant at 157 Wyandotte Street West in Windsor, is for sale (as of mid-December). The business is listed for $249,900 by agent Suzy Cui of Jump Realty. It was established in 2002 by Anthony and Carly Ho. Cui notes the current owner simply wants to downsize and doesn’t have enough time to devote to a large 250 seat restaurant.

Colautti Brothers’ “100 Year Anniversary Gala”

MILESTONES October 26, 2019 at St. Clair College Centre

For The Arts, 201 Riverside Drive West, Windsor Photos by Julianna Bonnett. All people in photos listed from the left.

Five Italian immigrants opened Colautti Brothers Ltd. back in 1919 and now, 100 years later, current owners, family members, suppliers and customers came together for an extravagant night of celebration to honour all company employees, past and present. Colautti Brothers owners photographed with local politicians include: MP Windsor West Brian Masse, Peter Indelicato, Clorinda Nicodemo, Tom Marshall, City of Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, and David Nicodemo.

Designs by Diane created the décor for this 1920 themed party, which impressed guests with the chandeliers, candelabras and floral arrangements, lighting and the red and black colour combination. Shown at the gates, which welcomed guests into the room, are the owners of Colautti Brothers and family members: Mary Dryden, David Nicodemo, Tony Balestrini, Clorinda Nicodemo, Peter Indelicato, and Tom Marshall.

Among the evening’s festivities included entertainment by Big Louie and the Band. Posing on the dance floor for this shot were owners and employees with their family from Vince Ferro Construction: Brian and Carol Miles, Tonia and David Glysinskie, Rose Ferro, Doug Tofflemire, Maria and Vince Ferro.

The business community came out in full force for the gala including the Collavino Group/PCR Constructors — Paolo Collavino, Mario Collavino, Laura Chiandussi, Andrea Collavino, Paola Collavino and Renzo Collavino.

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The owners of Pupatello Construction, along with their spouses, also showed their support for the Colautti family: Joe and Donna Lorkovic, Cathy and Tony Pupatello, Rene and Fabio Pupatello, Christine Kao and Tony Pupatello Jr.

Many attending the gala made sure to snap a picture in front of a replica of the first Colautti Brothers vehicle, a model T pickup truck. We also took advantage of this perfect photo-op to take a shot of those sitting at the Matassa Construction table — Mike and Lisa Sorrel, Elaine Weeks and Chris Edwards (Matassa guests) with Daniela and John Miller.

Gala guests — such as Dave Matthews (Applewood Construction), Linda Maurina, Jack Monaghan (Hallmark Memorial Co.), Jean Susko, Lisa and Mark Beaulieu (JP Thomson Architects) — enjoyed a delicious dinner, with crème brûlée for dessert, and connecting with past and future business connections.

Emcees for the night were Amanda MarshallScully and her husband, Tom Scully, who are the daughter and son-in-law of Colautti Brothers owner Tom Marshall. Learn more about this local flooring and countertop company online at: Colautti.com.

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In the end it’s all about family! Closing out this photo spread is the President of Colautti Brothers Ltd., Peter Indelicato, who is thankful for the support of his children, Alisa and Matteo and his wife, Sandra.

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NEWSFLASH THE RUNDOWN KPMG (618 Greenwood Centre, 3200 Deziel Drive, Windsor) has expanded its practice in the region with the acquisition of Renaud Partners LLP, a Windsor based firm. The addition of John Renaud, Chris Renaud and their team expands the local KPMG Enterprise practice, which specializes in serving small and medium sized businesses, as well as providing tax planning and preparation services for individuals and professionals. With over 40 professionals and support staff in the Windsor office, KPMG has the resources required to provide a full range of assurance, tax and business advisory services. Learn more at: KPMG.ca. EncoreFX, a leading provider of foreign exchange, global payments, and risk management products for corporations, has now partnered with Libro Credit Union to offer self service international payments and foreign exchange services to Libro’s Business Owners. In today’s fast-paced world, business owners expect international transfers and payments to happen easily and quickly. With this in mind, Libro is pleased to establish this partnership in order to leverage the capabilities of Express, EncoreFX’s debut Fintech platform. In doing so, Libro Owners will have access to robust, online, self-serve foreign exchange and international payment solutions, which they can access via the Libro platform they are familiar with, from anywhere in the world. Martin Kihle, Vice President, Business Banking at Libro Credit Union (Libro.ca) states EncoreFX’s “foreign payment solutions will allow Libro to deepen its relationships with its Owners and provide the necessary tools they require in today’s business environment. A soft launch will be initially made available to select Libro Business Owners.” EncoreFX focuses on helping fellow Canadian businesses succeed on a global level and Linda DeLuca, the Business Development Executive for Windsor Essex is able to assist companies in highly competitive industries such as agriculture. Refer to: EncoreFX.com for more background information on the company. Don’t let snow be a bad four letter word! Men In Kilts Windsor now provides professional quality snow removal for your home or business. Their kilted technicians clear your driveways and pathways so you can save your back! And, they have a special Neighbour Savings Program with a percentage discount offered to all in the same block. For the details, send an email to: windsor@meninkilts.com.

ON THE MOVE Motor City Community Credit Union’s (MCCCU) Board of Directors announced in early December 2019 that Robert Griffith has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Griffith has been with MCCCU since 2011 as Chief Operating Officer, and most recently over this past year as interim CEO. Prior to that, he had 26 years’ experience in the financial services, holding various management and Senior Management positions. Griffith brings knowledge, capability and experience

Motor City Community Credit Union Chief Executive Officer, Robert Griffith.

as a financial services leader. His personal strengths of implementing strategies, coupled with his approachable style and community involvement, make him the best leader and CEO as Motor City Community Credit Union celebrates 80 years in this community, in 2020. WOW! Find out further details on their services at: MCCCU.com. The Board of Directors of Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women (W5, 1368 Ouellette Avenue, Suite 102) appointed Olivia Brezeanu as the new Executive Director, effective November 2019. Serving the Windsor Essex community since 1982, W5 is a non-profit, charitable organization striving to achieve excellence in service delivery to immigrant/refugee women and their families, endeavouring to become full and participating members of Canadian society. Brezeanu was previously the Interim Executive Director for the past year and prior to that she held the titles of Associate Executive Director and Employment Services Senior Manager. “Olivia has shown enormous commitment and capacity for growth in her role,” states Board President Christine Lucier. “She embodies the very mandate of what W5 is about. She is one of our greatest success stories and we know that through her achievements, she will empower many others to do the same.” Beginning as a newcomer to Canada, Brezeanu received settlement services and B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

employment assistance from local agencies including YMCA of Windsor, Women’s Enterprise Skills Training, Unemployment Help Centre and W5. From volunteer to sector professional, from passion to purpose, she found her path to serve the local communities

Olivia Brezeanu, Executive Director of Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women (W5).

and develop operational skills and leadership abilities. Since 2017, she has served on the ONESTEP Ontario network’s board as the Western Region Director. Brezeanu comments, “I came to Canada starting at ground zero. W5 recognized the value from my multi-culture career journey and provided me with all the possible support to grow from an entry-level position to eventually become the Executive Director. I am grateful to the Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me. And I am honoured to lead our team of dedicated staff and volunteers with global talents to help newcomer women and their families in our community.” If you are an employer and need help to find qualified employees, log on to: WWWWIW.org to learn how W5 can assist you in training your workers!

David Debergh, Branch Manager, Libro Credit Union Kingsville.

With a strong credit background and 19 years in financial services, Libro Credit Union welcomes David Debergh, Branch Manager, to their Kingsville location, 328 Main Street East. Debergh is a passionate Libro Coach dedicated to helping their customer/owners have an exceptional banking experience. He and his family are long-time Kingsville residents, and he is excited to share his knowledge and experience with his hometown and the surrounding area. Go to: Libro.ca for further information on how Libro can help you achieve your dreams today!

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was there!

“Hope In The City Luncheon” photos by Rod Denis. The Salvation Army “Hope In The City Luncheon” — in partnership with the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) — was held on November 14, 2019 at the Giovanni Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Avenue, Windsor. From left are: Major Paul Rideout, Jim Crichton, CTV News Anchor; Rosita Hall, Keynote Speaker; Shannon Wise, Divisional Director of Marketing & Communications; Gord Faas, Rotary President; Major Everett Barrow; Gerry Pocock, Advisory Board Chair; Lieut. Gina Haggett; Major Vi Barrow; Major Dana Reid and Major Robert Reid.

Advisory Board Member, Madelon Kidd was honoured at the “Hope In The City Luncheon” with a Certificate of Appreciation, presented by Major Everett Barrow, in grateful recognition of 30 years of service and dedication to The Salvation Army.

There are always a tremendous amount of individuals who donate to The Salvation Army’s “Christmas Kettle Campaign” (officially launched at the “Hope In The City Luncheon”) each year. We would also like to honour our troops who make it possible for us to have freedom of speech, such as those shown in this group photo with luncheon VIPS, from left: Lieutenant-Colonel C.J. Quinlan, CD Commanding Officer, the Windsor Regiment (R.C.A.C.); Pete Remdenok, Korean War Veteran; Gordon Faas, President, Rotary Club of Windsor (1918); Rosita Hall, Professional Speaker, Trainer, Performance Coach, Canadian Best Selling Author; and Gerry Pocock, President-Elect, Rotary Club of Windsor (1918). Caché Boutique now carries the Joseph Tassoni high-end jacket line, which includes pieces for both men and women ranging from full down coats to light packable outerwear. Pictured rocking Joseph Tassoni jackets are models from left: Lauren Jubenville, Natalie Shepley, Rylee Maddox and Michelle Chappus. Caché is situated in the Urban Selections Plaza, 5975 Malden Road in LaSalle. Caché photos by Josie Elysia. Having a bit of fun at the Caché Boutique “Holiday Open House” on December 12, 2019 is Owner Christine Romualdi carried by male models (from left): Christian Saab, Chinedu Agbalizu, Celse Ngollo and famed Canadian designer Joseph Tassoni, who was visiting from Burlington. The coats they are all wearing are Canadian-made Joseph Tassoni originals. Sunray Group celebrated the grand opening of the first Fionn MacCool’s and Four Points by Sheraton Windsor Downtown, 430 Ouellette Avenue with an invitation only event on October 23, 2019. Pictured from left are: Kristian Neill, General Manager of Fionn MacCool’s Restaurant/Pub Windsor; Jordan Beaumier, Four Points Windsor Sales Manager; Paula Beach, Sunray Group Regional Director of Sales; City of Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens; Kenny Gibson, Sunray Group President; Christine Melnyk, Sunray Group Executive Director of Operations; Don Lougheed, Marriott Senior Director of Franchise Operations; Wes ElChaar, Four Points Windsor General Manager; Gordon Orr, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island C.E.O.; and Jenn Graber, Sunray Group Windsor Sales Manager. The newly renovated hotel offers 147 spacious guest rooms, over 1,900 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, a 24 hour fitness centre, indoor pool and sun deck, guest laundry, lobby pantry, business centre and fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Photo by Rod Denis. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

DATES TO REMEMBER

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Jan. 18 & 19: If you are engaged or know someone who is, plan to attend the 33rd annual “Wedding Extravaganza ’20: The Big One” at the Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Avenue in Windsor from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This event is Southern Ontario’s largest wedding show with two full floors of wedding excitement, free gifts and over $25,000 in prizes. Admission is $12 at the door or the “Very Special Experience Ticket” is available online for $60. Plan your wedding with over 200 wedding professionals, see the exclusive Interactive Wedding Gallery and take in three fashion shows daily. This is the “must attend” wedding show of the year! For further details email: nancyc@weddingshow.com; refer to: WeddingShows.com or call 978-0676. Jan. 24, 25, 26: The “Windsor Psychic Expo” at the Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Avenue is the city’s largest international psychic expo with private readings, books, crystals, lectures and more. Admission is $10 and good all weekend (includes all psychic demonstrations, but private readings cost extra). Hours: Friday noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Go to: PsychicExpos.com to get more event details as we are pretty sure you are not a psychic! Your reward is a discount coupon off the cost to attend the expo as a bonus. Jan. 25: “T2B Goes East” to celebrate “Gala 23” at Caesars Windsor, 6 p.m. This theme is inspired by Moroccan, Indian and Arabian cultures and features non-stop live entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and a plated dinner. Tickets are $250 and this gala sells out so get your ticket early! For more

information and to RSVP see: Facebook. com/Transition2Betterness; view: T2B.ca or phone the T2B office, 944-5143. Jan. 31: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the Detroit Pistons present “Mental Health Night” at Little Caesars Arena, 3645 Woodward Avenue in Detroit from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Don’t miss seeing The Pistons take on The Toronto Raptors with exclusive ticket pricing and packages available. A $5 proceed from each ticket sold benefits the CMHA “Sole Focus Project”. Admission is $45+ USD. For more info email: khill@cmha-wecb.on.ca; go online to: WindsorEssex.CMHA.ca/events/detoitpistons-mental-health-night (please note there is not a typo in “detoit” for this website) or dial 255-7440. Jan. 31 to Feb. 9: This is an engagement you won’t want to miss! Presented by The University Players, “The Cassilis Engagement” takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Essex Hall Theatre located at the corner of Wyandotte and Patricia in Windsor. This Oscar-Wilde-style comedy is subtitled “A Comedy for Mothers”, written as a period comedy in four acts. Young Geoffrey Cassilis, the widowed Mrs. Cassilis’ only son and heir to a vast country estate and fortune, has fallen in love with Ethel Borridge, a lowly shop girl he met during an omnibus accident in London. Mrs. Cassilis’ friends and relations in the country around the family seat at Milverton are appalled both at the engagement and at Mrs. Cassilis’ “seeming” (the key word) approval of it. Mrs. Cassilis is afraid that if she were to let her true feelings of opposition be known and object openly

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to the engagement, Geoffrey might marry the girl out of spite. Instead, Mrs. Cassilis’ strategy is to invite Ethel and her mother to stay with them in the country to see if the lowborn city girl can really stand the “dull” kind of life her fiancé will live. Worlds collide as the unbridled Mrs. Borridge bursts on to the scene and takes on the refined country life with hilarious results. Admission ranges from $8 to $22. For more information call 965-6321; email: kristen.siapas@uwindsor.ca or visit: UniversityPlayers.com. Feb. 1: In Honour of the Ones We Love proudly announces its 22nd annual gala dinner with a “Dreams Do Come True” theme at the Ciociaro Club, 3745 North Talbot Road in Oldcastle. Tickets are $150. The evening features champagne and hors d’oeuvres by Koolini at 6 p.m. followed by a delicious gourmet dinner and martini bar at 7 p.m. Find out full gala details at: InHonour.ca. For tickets please email: anita@inhonour.ca or phone 791-8633. Feb. 8: The Windsor Transportation Club’s annual “LobsterFest” fundraiser takes place at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts, 201 Riverside Drive West in Windsor beginning with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and dinner from 6:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. Dinner includes: soup, salad, a maximum of three lobsters per person, coffee/tea and dessert. Live music by Almost Famous, door prizes and a 50/50 draw round out this fun filled evening! Admission is $100 per person and tables of 8 or 10 are available. Final reservations must be in by Jan. 25. Questions? check out: WindsorTransportationClub.com; email: jasonp@ivesinsurance.com or please call 398-8557.

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ooking back at his life, Clint Malarchuk knows now that he was under stress for most of it and facing bouts of emotional illness even as he was forging a career as a National Hockey League Goaltender. After suffering a life-threatening injury during a game in 1989 in which a skate blade sliced his neck wide open, Malarchuk would sink into deeper bouts of depression, which led him to attempt suicide on two occasions. “The injury changed my life forever,” he says. “I was lying on the ice and told one trainer to call my mom because I thought I was going to die. And I told the other trainer to hold my hand because I didn’t want to die alone.” The cut would take 300 stitches to close but he was back at work in 11 days. Today, he’s a well sought-after motivational speaker and an outspoken mental health advocate. His memoir, “The Crazy Game: How I Survived in the Crease and Beyond,” was published in 2014. “I know now what my purpose in life is and that’s to talk about my struggles with the hope that it helps other people,” says Malarchuk who was a guest speaker in November 2019 at the Stigma Enigma fundraiser for Maryvale Adolescent Mental Health Centre. Stigma Enigma’s mission is to increase awareness and the need for community involvement across the Windsor Essex community about mental health issues, particularly among adolescents. (Refer to: the website: StigmaEnigma.ca) Malarchuk believes stress can manifest itself in many ways and that it can be caused by many different factors in a person’s life, including a loss of a loved one, divorce, illness, struggling to support a family, taking care of an elderly family member or keeping a business afloat in difficult times. For many others facing stressful situations in either their professional or private lives, recognizing the problem is the first step towards dealing with it. In order to try and help people recognize stress and deal with the consequences, Biz X magazine has spoken with a number of people who have faced stressful situations, as well as some professionals who have provided tips and tools on how to mitigate stress when it inevitably threatens to take over our lives. We begin with Nancy Campana, who channelled the grief she felt at losing her son Rocky, who took his own life in 2012 after struggling to gain acceptance as a gay male, into supporting others who face similar issues in their lives. She established an annual “Run for Rocky” event and created the Rocky Memorial

Coping With Extreme Stress

When Life Throws You A Curve Ball COVER STORY By Dave Hall

Stigma Enigma presented the 6th annual “Mingle For Maryvale” Adolescent Mental Health Centre on November 9, 2019 at the Giovanni Caboto Club. Clint Malarchuk (a past NHL goaltender) was the Keynote Speaker for the evening and discussed the stressful serious mental health issues he has faced. Nancy Campana runs a local business, Nouveau Event Planning, and takes care of all the speaker details pro bono annually for this event. She also has experienced major stress after the sudden death of her son. Yet, both are survivors and hope others can learn from their life experiences. Photo by Rod Denis.

Scholarship program, which awards $1,000 scholarships to high school students who show leadership in helping to ensure that Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs in their high schools were visible and created safe spaces. Campana runs Nouveau Event Planning (1280 Woodmont Crescent, LaSalle; NouveauEvent.com) and says that no matter B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

what else is going on in your life, business has to go on, especially an event-planning company because it’s not something you can put off for another day, week or month. But, it wasn’t easy for Campana and husband Rob and their other children Connor and Kirsten. “By the time, we got off the plane after it happened, Rob and I had decided we would

not let it (losing Rocky) tear our marriage apart as often happens,” says Campana, whose son was living in Toronto at the time. “We had two other children to be concerned about and we were steadfast in our support for them at a terrible time.” But, Campana freely admits that if it hadn’t been for her family and the business, “I might have stayed in bed for weeks.” “We also had a lot of close friends who tried to keep us busy and included,” Campana recalls. “There were nights when we didn’t want to go out, but we did anyway.” In addition to supporting the couple’s children and operating her business, Campana also started going to yoga with a very good friend and still goes regularly to this day. “Yoga and regular meditation is what saved me,” she says candidly. “There are still days when I cry and cry, but I learned a valuable lesson through it all.” She continues by stating, “I am more patient and I have come to realize that what doesn’t get done today will get done tomorrow. And if it doesn’t get done tomorrow, it will still get done.” Campana also reveals that her son’s loss taught her to value what she has, on a daily basis. “It’s been seven years and, as a family, we have made it through this in a pretty amazing way by supporting each other along every step,” she expresses. “Sure, I’m hypersensitive about Connor and Kirsten, but they are happy and doing what they love.” Stress, meanwhile, can manifest itself in many ways in the workplace where job losses, job changes, promotions and doing more with less can bring about high levels of anxiety, which many workers ignore to their detriment. Liz Bennett is an Executive Assistant at Pelee Island Winery and a certified holistic health coach, but, that’s not all! She is also a wife, mother to a six year old and caregiver to her ill father. Photo courtesy of Sue Rice.

Liz Bennett, who holds down a highpressure ever-changing middle management position at Pelee Island Winery (455 Seacliff Drive, Kingsville; website: PeleeIsland.com) and also works as a certified holistic health coach, says it can be a combination of all of the above. Bennett’s mother passed away three years ago and now she’s the primary caregiver for her father who is battling cancer. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

She has two brothers and while her father lives with one of them, Bennett has taken on much of the responsibilities for looking after him. “As a female, I take on much of the care-giving activity,” adds Bennett who is married and the mother of an active six year old child. “There is always a lot going on and I can’t eliminate the stresses, so I have developed a toolbox of techniques that help me deal with it.” They include regular exercise, going for nature walks, yoga, guided meditation, high intensity training and writing in a daily gratitude journal in which she tries to list all the positive elements in her life including family, health and career. “I also make a point of taking time for myself even if it’s only a hot bath with some essential oils so I can decompress — and I don’t let vacation days go to waste as much as I used to,” she adds. “I’m still a work in progress, but I’m feeling less guilty about taking that time for myself. Like a lot of people, mostly women I believe, I tended to put myself last and while caring for my mom before she passed, I became burnt out and quite sick.” However, Bennett, whose family has been very supportive, now believes she has a handle on her situation and more readily recognizes the signs and takes great pains to deal with them as quickly as possible. “Sometimes, it’s as simple as finding a quiet space and spending five minutes with a hot cup of tea,” she indicates. Bennett has also established some boundaries, which include not answering the phone during family dinners and not responding to emails outside business hours. As all of Bennett’s tools appear to work for her, people facing stressful situations may also want to consider neutral intervention. Mary Kaye Lucier, a social worker with a private practice at 9869 Tecumseh Road East in Windsor, also believes stress is a part of our everyday lives and when life throws

Mary Kaye Lucier, a social worker with a private practice at 9869 Tecumseh Road East, says people in stressful situations need to heed the signs and take steps to deal with them when life throws them an inevitable curveball. Photo by Dave Hall.

you that inevitable curveball, you have to recognize the signs and deal with them. “It can manifest itself in many ways including a fluctuating heart rate, anxiety, light headedness, panic attacks, weakness, and feeling sick to your stomach,” she explains. Lucier says that if any of those symptoms appear, one of the best ways to cope is to focus on breathing techniques, which help to restore oxygen levels in the brain so you can think more clearly and deal with the problem. “I also recommend that people try to avoid thinking everything is an all-or-nothing proposition,” she suggests. “Focusing on good versus bad and why can’t my life be better only throws gasoline on the fire.” According to Lucier, “It takes practice to let it all go and accept the fact there is nothing you can do to avoid stress, but there is something you can do to get through it. And that includes eating well, being social and exercising.” Ronna Warsh, a leadership coach with a private practice dealing largely with public

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sector workers, says that stress can affect workers at both ends of the spectrum from senior employees forced to embrace change to younger workers contemplating their first job interview. “For younger workers, prepping for that first interview can be extremely stressful because an entire career can ride on it,” explains Warsh, a former head of social services for the City of Windsor. “The younger generation may not be used to face-to-face verbal interviews because they spend so much time on their phones, so my role is to help them work through it.” For older workers and those in senior management positions, meanwhile, the stress levels can be just as high because scrutiny and expectations rise as workers are promoted into more senior positions, notes Warsh (RonnaWarsh.com).

Ronna Warsh, a local leadership coach, running her own practice out of 114 Giles Boulevard West in Windsor, believes workplace stress can be debilitating and difficult to overcome unless you find ways to mitigate it, including reaching out for professional help. Photo by Dave Hall.

“It’s often harder to adapt as you get older because you’re used to doing things a certain way, but times have changed and you have to change with them,” she adds. “Expectations of customers have changed over the years

and you have to be ready to deliver what they want and when they want it.” It’s been said that Windsor Essex is a region of people without jobs and jobs without people as companies try to find people with the right skill sets to fill key positions in their workplace. “It can be stressful for business owners who have customers seeking products if you’re having difficulties finding employees to fill those orders,” says Warsh. Warsh adds that successful business owners are those that can predict the future and get out in front of it. All of which comes with an immense amount of pressure because the livelihoods of an entire workplace can depend upon that vision. Dan Woods, a Sales Representative with Royal Lepage Binder Real Estate (23 Main Street East, Kingsville), and Bob Gabriele, an estimator and supervisor of installation crews at Gabrielle Floor and Home Furnishings (56 Talbot Street West, Leamington), have managed to deal with the triple stress of juggling their careers and families, while also carving out a niche as a two-man musical combo. “It’s hectic at times,” points out Woods, who plays saxophone. “But, my work hours are somewhat flexible and I’m able to

Dan Woods, (left) who plays saxophone, and Bob Gabriele, (right) who plays piano, have teamed up to play classic rock pieces for the past six years. Both have found the time for their hobby in addition to their professional and family responsibilities. Photo courtesy of Dan Woods and Bob Gabriele.

schedule appointments around our gigs so I’m lucky I can do both.” Woods acknowledges that if he had a job with more rigid hours, it would be difficult to accept gigs during the week at Freddy’s Cocktail Lounge & Restaurant in Leamington and elsewhere on weekends including some on Pelee Island in the summer months.

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Woods and his wife Natalie (who is a Corporate Sales Representative for Prime Communications), have been married for 23 years. And with some compromises along the way, they’ve been able to make it all work. Their two sons have graduated from high school and are largely independent, but Woods admits “I’ve missed a few events

here and there, especially New Year’s Eve because it’s a given that I will be playing that night.” Gabriele, who has played piano in one band or another for more than 40 years, says playing gigs at different places can be hard work at times. “The set-up and tear down takes an hour or so each, but the middle part, when we’re playing, is great fun and makes it all worthwhile,” he says. Gabriele has been married to his wife Penny for 42 years and they have three grown children and five grandkids. “She knew what she was getting into,” admits Gabriele, laughing. “It was more difficult and time-consuming when the kids were younger because they had their own activities, but now, it’s a little easier as long as you manage the time properly.” Woods and Gabriele have been musical partners for about six years and the duo play mostly classic rock, including Elton John and Billy Joel compositions, along with some smooth jazz. “It’s been a godsend for both of us because we love it and the pressures from work just disappear when we’re playing,” adds Gabriele. For Cynthia Ballard, dealing with stress as an entrepreneur and as owner of CB Marketing Solutions (CBmarketing. solutions) comes with its own pressures. And those pressures caused her to suffer from stroke-like symptoms in late November. It forced her to take time off from her agency, which is difficult when you are the owner and the main creative force behind the company.

Cynthia Ballard, owner of CB Marketing, is easing back on her professional life and taking more time for herself after suffering stroke-like symptoms in November of last year. Photo courtesy of CB Marketing.

“As an employee, you can often take time off as needed, but as an owner, it’s not that easy because you have clients with needs and projects you have to complete in a timely manner,” she comments. “I work with subcontractors and they are great, but a lot of the responsibility still falls on the owner.” Ballard also teaches Reiki, a form of energy healing, and she found that she hasn’t always followed her own advice when

Former National Hockey League goaltender Clint Malarchuk (right) is an outspoken supporter of mental health survivors. He is pictured during an interview with Biz X magazine freelance writer Dave Hall before a Stigma Enigma fundraiser in November 2019. Photo by Rod Denis.

it comes to relaxation and mitigating stress. “There’s always going to be some stress in your life and I realized I wasn’t always following what I was telling my clients,” she explains. “| realized when I had my episode that I needed to pay more attention to the signs and take steps to deal with them.” Ballard informs us her signs included numbness, weakness on her left side, an elevated heart rate and dizziness. “I used to work while watching my kids’ baseball and hockey games, while I was on vacation and away at tournaments and this was my body telling me it was tired of the abuse,” she believes. “I’m still left with some nerve pain and exhaustion, but I am getting stronger every day.” Ballard opened her agency five years ago with five clients and now has 25 and while she’s encouraged by the remarkable growth, it has brought its own set of challenges. As a small business owner she has to be able to meet the demands and deadlines of a larger client base while maintaining the same levels of quality and services. “Every client is my only client at the time I am working on their project,” she says. “Fortunately, our sub-contractors are great at what they do and there have been no issues.” She has one final piece of advice. “But, with employees — whether they are contractors or not — there comes a responsibility to make sure the business remains successful because other people’s livelihoods are in your hands.” There are also occasions where being busy, juggling a career, family and a vocation can be handled by time management combined with a supportive spouse and children. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

Now, Ballard takes time for herself. She’s refocusing her life, restructuring her business and taking care of herself so she can take care of family, friends and clients.

Managing Stress/Emotional Issues — You Will Survive!

For those facing stresses at home or at work, it can be simply a matter of carving out some time for self-reflection, enjoyment, exercise and meditation. But for others, the journey can be much longer and more involved. For Malarchuk, his journey is far from over and he’s focusing his energies now on speaking to people about his past struggles and urging them to talk about their issues and seek professional help, if necessary. “Many people suffer in silence and I was guilty too,” adds Malarchuk. “But, it’s out there. There are 10 year old kids thinking about it (suicide) for Pete’s sake and that’s heartbreaking to even think about.” Malarchuk says he also felt guilty about complaining about it. “I was living the life as an NHL goaltender and now the NHL gives me a platform to talk about this issue,” he states. “I’m very emotional about it, but I truly believe that if people hear me talking about it, it might give them the strength and power to talk about it as well.” It’s clear that stress can take many forms and it is an inevitable part of life. Yet, it doesn’t have to consume you. It can be managed, particularly if you talk about it, seek professional help or work on different ways to relieve the stress when it threatens to take over your everyday existence.

TECH BY TES

10 Tips & Tricks For Small Business Owners To De-Stress By Susan Shaw

Too much to do. Not enough time. Living the dream wasn’t supposed to be so hard and being an entrepreneur was supposed to generate way more time freedom, not to mention, income. What happened? Better question: what now? Time to take matters into your own hands. Own it. All of it, the good, the bad, whatever — there are some actions you can take right now that can dramatically reduce your stress-load, even before your credit card is paid up. Keep it simple with these 10 actionable steps. Doing a few can really change your direction, more than five has the potential to shift you into a new mindset, and if you do all 10, well it might just knock your socks off . . . in a good way! 1. 10 at night — get your gear ready for the next day and go to bed 10 minutes early. This simple practice opens an amazing doorway to more time.

2. 10 up — hop out of bed at the first alarm, no snooze and move! The neurochemical rush for this “win” is huge. 3. 10 toe taps, squats, push ups, anything at all — just get your blood flowing to wake up fast with a burst of energy, 10 seconds is all it takes! 4. Take time for 10 . . . to just daydream — if you want tomorrow to be more than today, imagine it in detail. This not only lifts your spirits, but you may just find yourself moving effortlessly in the direction of your guided thoughts. 5. Breathe 10X with intention — relax your facial muscles and your tongue, then your shoulders and allow yourself to breathe slowly for 10 full breaths for an immediate physical, mental and emotional re-charge. 6. Travel with 10 foods — what you eat matters a lot, so don’t leave it to drive-thru choices after your willpower is all used up. You know what fuels

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you best. Buy it. Prepare it. Bring it with you. 7. Turn off for 10 — no texting for 10 minutes, just turn the thing off altogether and get a break from the distractions. Do this as many times per day as you need to get focused. 8. Tidy for 10 — pick one area, maybe a drawer or stack of “something” and clean it up. In just 10 minutes, you can lift the load of “old stuff” not getting done. 9. Tackle 10 new projects or ideas — these can be just very small items but get them started and stir up some momentum. 10. Team for 10 — get your team on board! Touch base for just 10 minutes, articulate your vision of the business, then listen for ideas and feedback, and feel free to share these 10 tips. Nothing will move you and lift you like a motivated team with a shared direction! Following through on these “10X tips” puts you in the space of being productive, appreciating the people around you, and connecting with your purpose. With these things in place, your time with family and friends can be free of stress and more deeply rewarding. Tech Bytes is powered by WEtech Alliance (Wetech-Alliance.com). The columnist for this edition, Susan Shaw, is an experienced business consultant who has worked with small and large multi-location operations, Founder & President of Oui Believe Incorporated, Corporate Training Services & cofounder of Mobile Mindset Mentor, Mynd Method App.

The 6th Annual “Mingle For Maryvale” Adolescent Mental Health Centre

November 9, 2019 at the Giovanni Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Avenue, Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left.

To see even more photos and videos from this event and others, visit: BizXmagazine.com under “Biz X was there”

1. Presented by Stigma Enigma (with a mission to increase awareness and the need for community involvement in dealing with mental illness), .this annual mingle raised $116,000 for Maryvale’s Adolescent Mental Health Centre — surpassing the previous year’s total! This incredible amount was raised through ticket sales, silent auction items, Tim Hortons box donations, car raffle ticket sales, and event donations. The Keynote Speaker for the evening was Clint Malarchuk (middle in photo), former NHL goaltender and mental health advocate, who is shown with Stigma Enigma committee members Cathie and Mark Smith. For more information on these two organizations, log on to: StigmaEnigma.ca or: Maryvale.ca. To read more about Clint, turn to page 18 of this issue! 2. Joe Di Carlo, Co-owner of CSN JJ Dominion Collision and CSN Riverside Collision, generously donated a classic 1980 Corvette Stingray as a prize to help Maryvale raise money through the sale of raffle tickets throughout the summer/fall months and at the event itself. Pictured are (from left): Tony Meriano, Joe Di Carlo, Morgan Ing, Teresa Kolic, Christina Di Carlo, Diandra Di Carlo, Maria Di Carlo, Jacqui Ianni, Daniel Di Carlo, Amanda Jraige, and Dan Kolic.

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The lucky winner of the car was Mick Sertic who may not have been in attendance at the event, but we can bet he is thrilled with his new ride!

Arpin, Dermatology Sales Representative at Galderma Pharmaceuticals, and Kevin Vincent, Territory Sales Manager at J & J Pharmaceuticals.

3. Three’s company with Randy Semeniuk, Chair of School of Community Studies, St. Clair College; Stan Francic, Co-owner of Infinity Rx Group and major sponsor of Stigma Enigma and Dr. Patrick X. Smith, local family Physician and Founder/Chair of Stigma Enigma. Just a few of a long list of sponsors proud to support Stigma Enigma and Maryvale are: Tim Hortons TJ Enterprises, Riverside Physiotherapy Clinic, Giovanni Caboto Club, Nouveau Event Planning, Holland Cleaning Solutions Ltd., Gus Revenberg, and Windsor Machine Group.

5. The owners of North 42 Degrees Estate Winery and Bistro 42, Martin Gorski and Suzanne Dajczak (also a Workplace Safety and Insurance Lawyer), had a wonderful time networking and participating in raffles that also included another Ontario company, Nic & Syd who supported the cause though their “Crystal Cares” program diamond draw. For a $20 donation, guests received a stunning pair of Swarovski Bijou Clear Crystal earrings valued at $85 and a ticket for a chance to win a pair of 0.52 ct. diamond stud earrings, donated by The Gold Shop of Windsor, worth $1,899!

4. Among the 523 guests and sponsors in attendance, who enjoyed the dinner, live music and silent auction bidding, were: Lou Prantera, CFO at RJO Investments; Lucia Prantera, retired Teacher; Catherine

6. The family of the founder of Stigma Enigma, Dr. Patrick X. Smith, gather together for the Biz X photographer just before the silent auction got underway. Photographed were: Charles and Laurene

Smith, Chuck Smith, Clint Malarchuk (Keynote Speaker), Dr. Patrick X. Smith, Jenna Smith, Amanda Benichou, Michael French, Cathie and Mark Smith, Brenda Smith, Shannon Smith, and Patrick Smith. A few of the auction donors included: Cycle Culture, Forest Glade Fireplaces, Silver Tee Golf, Manz Decor, Oxley Estate Winery, and the Windsor Spitfires. If your company or organization would like to provide a prize for the 2020 “Mingle For Maryvale” or lock in a sponsorship, contact Mary Bondy by emailing: m.bondy@sympatico.ca.

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An Easy Option To Composting With GreenerBins By Dave Halliday

think it’s safe to say that most everyone on our planet cares about our orbiting home. The fragile balance that allows us to appreciate the world that we live in is affected by many things. We as humans, without question, possess the ability to affect our environment the most. In saying that many would believe that I mean we are the driving force behind the negative effects upon our planet. However, I feel we are also the only creatures on this planet that are consciously attempting to change our environment for the better. It is acknowledged that the majority of what we are currently trying to correct was of our own doing, but I think we deserve credit for recognizing our responsibility to correct the issues that may affect the ability of future generations to enjoy our beautiful planet. We have enacted several programs and practices designed to bring about positive change for the environment. A common thread in each of these objectives is the cumulative effect we can have when we all get involved in even the slightest way. It all adds up! One of the objectives we can all participate in is composting of suitable waste materials. Do we all know how to create a composter? How can those in a business, institutionalized facility, or a large apartment complex, compost and even if they did, where would they use the end product? GreenerBins Composting Company has been assisting local residents in the quest to not only reduce their negative effect upon our planet but to actually elicit positive change for our environment. Dane Fader, Founder of GreenerBins (GreenerBinsCompost.com) has been in operation for the past year and a half. He graciously volunteered to share some insights with the readers of Biz X about the service they provide.

What is it that you do? “GreenerBins is a smallscale organic waste recycling service,” informs Fader. “We offer weekly food waste pickup, then Dane Fader, Owner of we turn it into high-quality GreenerBins, at his new compost, which we use on farm location. Photo courtesy of Taylor Lanoie. our farm.” So all of the compost is used by the farm? “No” he says, adding, “Every spring we deliver compost back to our customer base to use in their gardens and donate the rest to community gardens and schools in our local communities.” It appears your company is quite unique! “GreenerBins is Windsor Essex’s only organic waste management service,” claims Fader. “For those who wish to compost but can’t, or don’t have the time, we’re happy to help!” How much material is potentially compostable, but ends up in our landfills? “Unfortunately, 39% of what is sent to the Windsor Essex regional landfill is compostable,” indicates Fader. “This represents an enormous proportion of our local waste stream which could be diverted from the landfill and recycled into the local food system.” How can compost be applied to the food system? “All the nutrients contained in the food waste (nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, etc.) are all lost when they’re sent to the landfill,” he says. “Composting recycles these nutrients back into the food system when it is applied to fields. If food waste was recycled into beautiful compost at the end of its life and applied to fields instead of fertilizer, we’d have higher yields and better quality food, less water pollution, and all the nutrients in food could just be recycled back into the system instead of wasted in the landfill.”

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Call 519-979-3711 What are the negative effects to not composting when possible? “When food waste and other organic matter are sent to the landfill, it doesn’t decompose properly,” Fader advises. “This causes the release of harmful gasses that contribute to climate change. We hear a lot about the burning of fossil fuels and how it’s warming the planet, but the gases released when food waste is sent to the landfill are much worse!” It would appear composting initiates a cycle that is beneficial to our planet. Can you briefly describe this cycle? “Composting closes the loop of the food nutrient cycle,” he states. “When food is grown, it extracts nutrients from soil. If those nutrients are just thrown into the landfill, soil is depleted over time. To combat this, farmers have to use synthetic fertilizers to add nutrients back to the soil, which is expensive, ineffective over the long-term, and can pollute waterways.” What fuels your passion for this cause? “Composting food waste helps to mitigate climate change while strengthening the local food system,” he replies. “It’s incredibly important, but it’s also difficult, time-consuming, and can attract pests.” Fader concludes with: “I wanted to create a service that made it easy for people to enjoy the benefits of compost (beautiful black gold to use in their garden) without all the hard work associated.” Usually at the end of this article, we go for a punch line in the closing paragraph, but not this time. The topic at hand is serious and the long term negative and positive effects of our actions are too important to the future lives of our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Let’s all make a resolution to make changes that protect and preserve our planet for now and for the future. Happy New Year everyone from Biz X!

TAKE THE LEAD

Leading World Impact With Claudette McGowan By Sherrilynn Colley-Vegh

had a chance to meet Claudette McGowan, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of BMO Enterprise Technology Employee Experience (Toronto) at the WEtech Alliance “Tech Women Day Breakfast” on October 24, 2019. She is also an award-winning, globally-focused information technology leader. McGowan left a lasting impression with her infectious energy, positive personality and inspiring advice gleaned from more than 17 years of success leading digital transformations, improving infrastructures and designing new approaches for organizations. In addition to being C.I.O. McGowan is the technology leader for the new BMO Urban Campus, opening in 2020. She started as a help desk manager and moved on to progressive leadership roles and is credited with developing a multi-year workplace technology strategy that resulted in modernizing tools and support for 45,000 employees. McGowan designed the first “Women in Technology Affinity Group” at BMO. This amazing young leader gained her experience in information technology (IT) at Wellesley Hospital, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Services, and Deloitte. She holds a Master of Business Administration (Athabasca University) and is a Certified Change Management Practitioner (Prosci Canada). She is also a Business Coach (CTAInternational Coach Federation), has a Masters Certificate in IT Management (University of Ontario Institute of Technology), and a Masters Certificate in Project Management (York University/Schulich School of Business).

Married with two children, McGowan’s passion for literacy and technology is evident in the many causes she supports. She’s authored five books and partnered to launch the “Black Arts and Innovation Expo” (BAIE) to celebrate “Black History Month”. The BAIE promotes diversity and strives to increase women on boards, encourage women entrepreneurs and inspire excellence in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. They showcase outstanding achievements of innovators in the arts, entrepreneurship and technology. She is a recipient of many awards including the “Green4Good Visionary” award; “Black Business & Professional Association Woman of Honour” and “Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada”. AdWeek magazine heralded her as a “Toronto Brand Star” and the Digital Finance Institute recognized her as one of the “Top 50 Canadian Women in FinTech”. One of her career highlights was moderating what is being hailed as “the most insightful one-on-one conversation” with Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States at “Elevate” (Canada’s largest technology and innovation festival), where she received her own standing ovation. I had the honour of moderating her presentation at the “Tech Women Day Breakfast” and had a chance to get to know her a bit more after the event, before her tour of Detroit with Dan Gilbert and team. One of the many books that she wrote intrigued me as a unique way to help those struggling with making ends meet. It was an informative book called “Da Ultimate

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Claudette McGowan (right) is pictured at the WEtech Alliance “Tech Women Day Breakfast” with Moderator and Biz X Columnist Sherrilynn Colley-Vegh, October 2019 at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts.

Hook-up: Free things for All Canadians”. When asked what three dream guests she would invite to dinner, her answer included Pierre Trudeau, Nelson Mandela and Ada Lovelace, who designed the first programmable computer in 1842. In an interview with “CBC Life” by Natasha Bruno, McGowan offered five pointers for women — speak up in the workplace; never devalue your self-worth; focus on your craft; navigate life with a growth mindset; and seize the moment. My next question related to the future and what was next for her. She confided in me and stated: “I want to take it to the next level by doing something global.” This goal has led her to “SOLADI,” a United Nations project that will involve every country in the world. I believe McGowan is not only one of the most important women in Canada, but she has the potential to impact the entire world, perhaps even become a Nobel Peace Prize contender.

Sherrilynn Colley-Vegh is an award winning leadership consultant and former Director of Leadership Windsor/Essex, Principal, Chief Communications Officer and business owner with over 30 years of experience in education, administration, mentoring, consulting and community leadership. If you know a leader in the community to profile here in this column, please email: Sherrilynn@BizXmagazine.com.

HAVE A CUP OF JOE WITH JOE

Catching Up With UP By Joe McParland

niversity Players (UP) is the theatrical performing arm for students enrolled in programs at the University of Windsor’s School of Dramatic Art. The School of Dramatic Art began in 1968 through the vision and efforts of Professor Daniel Patrick Kelly who taught speech and dramatic works in the university’s English department. But, it was a full decade earlier that UP came into existence under the direction of Father Cornelius Patrick Joseph Crowley, Dean of Graduate Studies and Head of the English Department, 1960-1967, with Assumption University, the precursor of the University of Windsor. In the “Dictionary of Basilian Biography” . . . the author writes of Fr. Crowley, “He directed the Assumption Players for over five years in such productions as ‘The Mad Woman of Chaillot’ and ‘The Little Foxes’. His production of ‘The Glass Menagerie’ was one of four college plays invited to the National Catholic Theatre conference, Kansas City, Missouri, 1957.” (Basilian.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/08/ DictionaryBasilianBiography.pdf) Now in its 61st year, University Players is halfway through its six performance season. From September through December 2019, audiences were treated to the Shakespearean tragedy “Othello”; a contemporary drama, “The Wolves” and a

family favourite, “Beauty and the Beast”. (Note: the remaining performances in their current season are profiled at the end of this article). Today, the University of Windsor’s School of Dramatic Art boasts an unparalleled reputation across the country, offering students from around the world the following options: BFA in Acting, BA in Drama in Education and Community with a concentration in Applied Theatre, BA in Drama and Concurrent Education, BA in Dramatic Art, BA in Drama and Communication, Media and Film. The BFA in Acting traces its beginnings to the 1970s and was the first program of its kind in all of Canada. Over the years, the school has turned out a veritable “who’s who” list of alumni who have found success on such acclaimed stages as the “Stratford Festival” and “Shaw Festival”, as well as numerous other theatre houses, and many national and international touring companies world-wide. Here are just a few great examples . . . The most recent grad to hit the big time is Sean Sennett, currently in the national touring company of “We Will Rock You,” which just played at Caesar Windsor’s Colosseum on the final days of November 2019. Sennett is a 2019 alumnus with a BFA in Acting and a veteran of Windsor’s rich theatre community. Then there is Danielle Wade who, beginning in 2012, played the role of Dorothy over 500 times in Toronto and

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Photographed on stage during the November 2019 University Players (UP) production of “Beauty and the Beast” from left are: Robyn Gallop, Cullen MacNaughton, Olivia Ridpath, Haiden Lyle, Jonathan Lombard, Katy Chapman, Jamar Adams-Thompson and Natalia Martin. Photo courtesy of Melissa Stewart Photography.

in the national tour of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, “The Wizard of Oz”. She then starred last season in Stratford’s “The Music Man” and is starring in Tina Fey’s musical, “Mean Girls,” now on Broadway and touring the United States. And there are two other notable alumni — Emmanuelle Zeesman from the Broadway musicals “The Wizard of Oz” and Finding Neverland” and Laura Condlln who will be starring as Captain Hook in Stratford’s 2020 presentation of “Wendy and Peter Pan”. This list of esteemed alumni is by no means exhaustive, nor does it include the many successful grads involved in independent works, actors like Rose Napoli who is a highly successful Toronto area actor and playwright. So, let’s take a look at the final three offerings of UP’s 2019-2020 season with insight and commentary by Kristen Siapas, Marketing and Public Relations Co-ordinator with UP and the University of Windsor School of Dramatic Art — and also an alumnus of the BFA in Acting Program and a local actor.

First up is “The Cassilis Engagement”, January 31 to February 9, 2020 at the Essex Hall Theatre. Siapas: This is directed by Lee Wilson who has joined the school as an Associate Professor this year and who brings us a long career spanning the globe. It is a classic piece, a comedy with an Oscar Wilde feel to it. It centres on the romantic relationship of a high-born man and a low-born woman and the interactions of their respective mothers. It’s a clash of the classes; it’s city mouse meets country mouse and is great fun. The second play is “Morning Sacrifice” running February 28 to March 8, 2020 and is presented in the smaller and more intimate Hatch Studio Theatre located in the Jackman Dramatic Art Centre. Siapas: This is directed by alumnus Sarah Kitz, a Toronto writer, actor and director. It is a classic dramatic period piece and features a cast of all women. It tells the story of an all girls’ school in 1939 Australia, on the eve of World War II, and the struggles they face with an evil head mistress who is controlling of all the women in the school. It explores the politics of power between women, and the gender roles they’re forced into, and what happens when you step outside of the norms. It’s a very dark and passionate work and most entertaining. And, finally, the season concludes with “Stag and Doe” playing March 27 to April 5, 2020 at the Essex Hall Theatre. Siapas: This selection was written by Mark Crawford, a theatre actor and playwright who grew up in Glencoe in Southwestern Ontario, the son of dairy cattle farmers. It is directed by Marc Bondy, an alumnus of the BFA Class of 2000. For 20 years he has worked as an actor, director and teacher with many of Canada’s finest theatres. Simply put, “Stag and Doe” is an hilarious, over the top, farcical comedy dealing with one couple having their Stag and Doe at a local community hall who then agree to share it with another couple whose wedding reception tent has unexpectedly blown away. It’s filled with ‘awkward’ relationships among the wedding party members, collapsed wedding cakes and caterers run amok and sent to jail.

For more information about tickets and start times for these three plays, visit the University Player’s website: Uwindsor.ca/universityplayers.

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June Cleaver Versus Jane Jetson By Steven Mayo Since the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, the idea of a traditional retirement and pension thinking has now drastically changed, forcing a massive re-thinking by government, business, and individuals. In the old days, June Cleaver only needed savings of $25,000 to earn the same minimum wage in retirement that she earned while working. By the time it became 1996, savings needed jumped to $225,000. A retiree in 2019 would now need to $2 million in savings to earn the equivalent of minimum wage in a risk free, Government of Canada bond, before any other pensions are received. (Source: Brad Dunkley at Waratah Capital Advisors). All of this is the result of lower interest rates and changes to the timing of pension payments from governments. Countries such as France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland,

Australia, Spain, the U.S. and many more, have now raised the minimum age to 67 years for the start of pension payments. Brazil just did a massive reform since the old system consumed nearly half of the country’s budget. Many countries are under financial stress from low interest rates, aging populations, slow economies, and a tax base that is stretched or dwindling. Countries like Greece know all too well the pitfalls of too many retirees taking out of a system and not enough younger workers putting back in. The Greek Crisis took 40 years to occur and there were many reasons for the mess, but reality hit them hard and it was an early warning sign for the rest of the world. It was also the reason many countries are changing government pension plans, and should be a warning to individuals to plan and save more for themselves.

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Thankfully in Canada our pension plan is in great shape and the portfolio well diversified. Our great country also encourages immigration, which keeps the average age of the population lower and the tax base growing. However, we should all expect changes to government pension plans eventually. Individuals do need to boost savings and reduce debt. It is the level of debt that scares me the most. Too much debt today can reduce lifestyle in retirement. The future may look bright, but Jane Jetson and daughter Judy will likely be dealing with financial stars that are lined up quite differently than June Cleaver’s were. The simple life is now replaced with the need for financial discipline. For this first issue of 2020, I leave you with a quote to consider: “The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome will become bankrupt. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance.” ~ Cicero, 55 BC Steven Mayo is a Vice President, Director, and Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (Member — Canadian Investor Protection Fund). This article is not intended as nor does it constitute investment advice. Readers should consult a qualified professional before taking any action based on information in this article.

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PROFILING LOCAL BUSINESS WOMEN Story And Photo By Rebecca Wright

LISSA SCHOLL W

Has Seniors In Good Hands

ith today’s aging population, there’s a trend towards businesses opening to serve the older generations through various ways. Such is the case with Gopher Gal Services, an errand and service business designed to help seniors — predominantly — with everyday tasks that have proven difficult for them. “Seniors often have family that has moved away or unable to help so this prompted me to think about starting a business around this need,” says Owner Lissa Scholl. Some of the errands and services offered at Gopher Gal Services (GopherGal09.wixsite.com/GopherGal) include: grocery shopping, dry cleaning pick-up and drop offs, prescription pick-ups, postal drop offs, packing boxes for small moves, gift buying and wrapping, holiday decorating and more. Scholl has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 17 years and has been married to a health care professional for 25 years. In November 2019, she decided to do something that could prove helpful for the aging community and began her business. “As rewarding and busy being a stay-at-home mom can be, I decided to try something new,” states Scholl. “My strong organizational skills, along with my love of helping others, are what led me to this.” She notes how everyday chores can take up a lot of time and energy, and Gopher Gal Services has been designed to help free up your time to be able to focus on the things that are most important. One of the biggest differences in owning your own business, as opposed to working for someone else, is the sense of pride you establish in building something of your own, comments Scholl. “Finding work/life balance has always been a goal of mine,” says Scholl. “Owning my own business allows the flexibility for family while giving me an opportunity to meet and help seniors in need.” Scholl is currently servicing Tecumseh and East Windsor for now, but will consider other areas as the need arises. She notes that she has insurance as well as a police clearance. Born and raised in Windsor, Scholl takes pride in the work she does in the community through her business. And on the side, she has spent a lot of time in her life volunteering in schools, classrooms, food banks, and helping others.

For the elderly simple things such as grocery shopping can be very difficult. This is why it is one of the services Lissa Scholl is happy to provide for her clients.

She feels her background of engaging with the community — along with her hard working, trustworthy disposition — has set her up for opening Gopher Gal Services. Scholl has been doing presentations about her services to seniors’ groups, and suggests that if anyone is interested they should call to book a mini presentation, as she would be more than happy to provide one, anytime. “I am providing a personal errand service for independent seniors in our community,” Scholl expresses. “And I look forward to meeting new clients and providing an extra set of hands!”

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THE PARENTING BIZ By Julianna Bonnett And Jim Murphy

Cut Out For Business And Stardom

ome may ask, “What’s the matter with kids today”? In our opinion, “the kids are alright”! And what better way to prove our point by including in The Parenting Biz section, for our first issue of 2020, a story on young business professionals working hard to get ahead! We are sure the following short stories on these local go-getters will inspire even more youth to follow their dreams, move up the corporate ladder, create their own job or start up a new business. (Hint: parents, show this story to your child and who knows what might happen in the future!). So grab a cup of hot chocolate, and get ready to meet a few amazing entrepreneurs, all under the age of 22.

Lexy Delicata, 21 Years Old

Snip, snip, snip is the sound that creator and founder of Glam By Lexx Hair Extensions, Alexandra (Lexy) Paige Delicata loves to hear on a regular basis. For over a year and a half, 21 year old Lexy has been working at In The Chair Hairstudio located at 1670 Wyandotte Street East in Windsor. However, after meeting clients who were frustrated with their hair extensions and products, she realized there was a need for not only luxurious, but also more affordable hair extensions in Windsor. “I was having young girls that I worked on, come into the salon and I was realizing how frustrated they were getting with their hair,” Delicata reports. “They were ordering hair extensions from online retailers and they would come in and I would just be like ‘these are not something you should be putting in your hair’!” After becoming aware of this issue, which many young girls were running into when it came to their insecurities about their hair, Delicata decided to do her own research into finding out how she could provide people with high quality hair extensions with 100% Human Remy hair. “My mom and I started doing so much research just to figure out how we could make this happen,” says Delicata. “I remember going home to my mom and explaining to her what I was dealing with at work and right away she started doing her research to see if we could do anything to make getting good extensions a thing.” In August 2019, Delicata started

up her hairline business and has hundreds of Instagram followers on her “glambylexxhairextensions” account with her main goal of providing women with the most reliable hair products. Whether that is with hair extensions or cutting and colouring hair at the salon. Delicata also has another account under “Instagram.com/ glambylexx_” with over 8,000 followers. “I have been doing really well,” she comments. “People are surprised how young I am and that I am able to run my own business and provide people with valuable products. But, after finishing school and realizing how hard it was to get a job in my field, I knew being my own boss was the best decision for me.” For more information on Glam by Lexx Hair Extensions or to place an order, check out her website: GlamByLexx.com.

Linden Crain, 19 Years Old

When we think about interns, what comes to mind are young people getting coffee, making photocopies and doing other mundane jobs. However, for 19 year old Linden Crain — an Intern at Happier Camper Canada, 274 Dalhousie Street Unit 104105 in Amherstburg — his responsibilities include marketing, event planning, sales and customer support! Since 2010, Happier Camper has featured restored vintage ultra-light trailers with an emphasis on eco-friendly design.

In 2019, Bryce May — Owner/Manager of Happier Camper Canada (Ultralight Trailers, Camp Goods and Espresso Bar) and self-proclaimed “nomad” — opened the Canadian location in Amherstburg. “Many of my fondest memories, stories and travels have taken place with a small camper,” says May who is also a young business owner at just age 25. “Growing up with my father and brother Derek May, Founder of Happier Camper, renovating a small fleet of vintage trailers, I acquired a unique skill set that has allowed me to have a deep understanding of the ultralight travel trailer business. It came to a turning point when I decided to take on the responsibility of sales and a showroom of my own, in order to grow the Happier Camper name as an independent business in Canada.” Bruce May and Crain make up the team at Happier Camper Canada. Although Crain wasn’t born into the camper restoration business, he has the passion and the vision to help take companies like this one to the next level. “I chose the role of Marketing and Sales at Happier Camper to improve my customer service skills, develop my branding and market research skills and develop my sales skills,” Crain explains. “Being on the sales team gives me an opportunity to connect with customers, offer advice, and improve my problem-solving skills. I am proud to say I have had a direct impact on Happier Camper Canada’s growth and the opportunities within the recreational vehicle and outdoor goods industries are endless.” Crain is currently in his second year of the Business Administration program at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business. He started in marketing and sales early as a Customer Experience Associate at TD Canada Trust, where he helped

Creator and founder of Glam by Lexx Hair Extensions, Lexy Delicata works on a client’s hair at In The Chair Hairstudio on Wyandotte Street East in Windsor. Photo by Julianna Bonnett. B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

THE PARENTING BIZ tells Biz X. “My goal is to continue to drive Happier Camper Canada products in all regions of Canada, increase our retail location customer traffic, become the most popular travel-trailer company on the market, and become the most attractive trailer showroom and espresso bar in Windsor Essex!” For more information, refer to: HappierCamper.com or look the company up on their social media pages such as: Facebook.com/happierespresso.

Summer Crosby, 22 Years Old

Linden Crain (left) and Bryce May of Happier Camper Canada, stand next to a refurbished vintage trailer situated inside their Amherstburg location which also houses Happier Espresso. Photo courtesy of Happier Camper Canada.

customers with daily transactions and sold banking products. He also worked as a Project Brand Coordinator for Enactus Windsor’s “Youthrive” program, where he created social media content for thousands of students trying to start their own business ventures in both grade school and high school.

Crain also has experience with foundations such as Local Leaders and the Amherstburg Community Foundation, which allowed him to practice and implement skills relating to sponsorships and donations. “Today, I am bringing both my sales and marketing skills together to help grow the Canadian side of Happier Camper,” Crain

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At only age 22, Summer Crosby is forging her way through the Windsor music scene making sure she gets her name out there about the change she wants to see in her community. Crosby is a recent marketing graduate from St. Clair College in Windsor and after completing their Marketing program she moved to Toronto to complete a post grad in music business. Then, after completing the music business program, she returned to Windsor and is now currently interning at Blackburn Radio and working in marketing at The Majestic Theater Center and Magic Stick in Detroit. Regardless of all the things Crosby is doing, she has big dreams for helping make Windsor a “music city” and refining the music

THE PARENTING BIZ scene in the downtown core and beyond. “In the future, I hope to be involved in the inclusion of Windsor implementing a Music Officer as part of our city’s members,” Crosby states. “We have so much potential being a larger city surrounded by smaller towns and being a border city.” According to Crosby, if Windsor worked on more things in the downtown core we could showcase our local talent and artists more. “I truly believe if we can follow in the footsteps of cities like London, and Mississauga in implementing a Music Officer and becoming a music city, we can revolutionize our city’s downtown core and create opportunities for businesses, musicians, and creative individuals of all kinds,” states Crosby. “We have so much culture in this city. It’s time we start using it to our advantage.” Between working at The Majestic Theater in Detroit and interning at Blackburn Radio, Crosby also coaches Peewee Girls Hockey, volunteers for the Sun Parlour Female Hockey Association in Windsor and Assemble Sound in Detroit. Yet with all the things she is involved with, there’s no stopping her when it comes to getting done what she wants. “It’s tough to know how to balance

can handle, and always make it home at the end of a long day.” As a young entrepreneur in Windsor, Crosby has set her goals high for making Windsor the best place to visit and to showcase our local businesses in the right way. “I want people to know to not let the uncertainty cloud your dreams,” Crosby advises. “You will feel unsure, you will wonder if it’s worth all of the hard work. You’re going to want to give up and just find an easy job to take on, but if you truly believe in what you’re working for and what you want, you will find your way.”

Jedd Cruz, Ian Lufitha & Hector Nilo, 22 Years Old Plus Shawn Dela Cruz, 21 Years Old

Local entrepreneur Summer Crosby poses for a photo at one of the many graffiti walls located on Pelissier Street in Windsor. Photo by Julianna Bonnett.

everything,” Crosby comments. “That’s life, so I find that the best solution is to steer clear of set in stone planning. I try to take each day as it comes, not accept too much work than I

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With more and more purchases made online, getting people out to physically shop at a brick and mortar store can be tricky. Cruz, Lufitha, Nilo, and Dela Cruz, Owners of Lowend — located at 365 Pelissier Street in Windsor — opened their vintage shoe, clothing and street wear retail shop near the end of 2019 as a place for customers to hang out and find great deals on unique vintage items. “We felt the city of Windsor needed a store for the community, where you can hang out, but also buy that one clothing piece or pair

THE PARENTING BIZ of shoes that you have been looking for,” says Cruz. “Especially with Windsor being a smaller city, buying online is at its prime and has caused shopping malls and storefront locations to lose customers. So we made sure we could beat that market and supply Windsor with prices and quality goods that are incomparable to the current retail options, whether it’s online or brick and mortar.” All four owners have retail and customer service experience, as well as a shared passion for fashion. However, their bond goes deeper than that. “Before we opened the store, we were all good friends — you could call us brothers,” Cruz explains. “Our relationship goes back to high school where we bonded over fashion, photography and other similar interests. Lowend has helped our relationship grow.” Opening their store has allowed them to share their passion and friendship with the larger Windsor community. “The retail/resale world is very diverse, with different brands, unique pieces of clothing, and tons of sneakers and footwear” states Cruz. “It has connected us with many people, ones we call our friends.” While three of the owners are currently in school for business (Lufitha at the University of Windsor and Nilo and Dela Cruz at St. Clair College),

The owners of Lowend are shown with their entire crew in their store at 365 Pelissier Street in Windsor, standing from left: Ian Lufitha, Aaron Concepcion, Morel Mandap, Julien Mortier, Matthew Blair, Jack Belleghem, Shawn Dela Cruz and William Bernabe (in middle, crouching), Hector Nilo and Jedd Cruz. Photo courtesy of Dawson Lovell.

they have big plans for once they graduate. “Lowend wants to take over the Canadian retail market,” Cruz tells Biz X. “We want to be the number one store in Canada for your vintage and street wear needs. Hopefully, in the coming years, we will have stores in major cities including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and more.”

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Refer to: Instagram.com/lowendco to keep up to date with all this fabulous fashionable foursome does!

Alexa Carroccia, 18 Years Old

Windsor and Essex County is home to some of the best musical talent in the country, including The Tea Party and Big Sugar.

THE PARENTING BIZ A name you might not know yet is that of 18 year old Alexa Carroccia, the next local star on the rise! Carroccia started in the music biz in 2012 at a talent showcase in Los Angeles, when she was just 11 years old and she hasn’t looked back since. In 2017 she released her first EP with Polaris Records titled “Years” followed up by her second EP “Clementine” released in October 2019 with a performance held at the Olde Walkerville Theatre on November 21. “The inspiration for the lyrics in “Years” came during an extremely rough time,” Carroccia explains. “I was suffering from depression and was sick in the hospital around the time I was writing and recording the songs, so that definitely influenced the record.” While the tone of the first EP was dark, Carroccia’s second EP “Clementine” is a coming-of-age story, with the lyrics coming from the singer/songwriter’s own life experiences. “I was dealing with my first breakup, which I was able to learn and grow from,” Carroccia tells Biz X. “Most people go through it, so it was nice to see people connect to that. Life has many ups and downs and finding the goodness and light through those things is the basis of the album.”

Alexa Carroccia started singing at age 11 and has not stopped ever since. She wants everyone to know that it is okay to be different and she shares her unique qualities through her music. She dares you to be different too! Photo courtesy of Nathalie McFadden.

The young singer/songwriter finds musical influences in unlikely places including 1975, Cheap Trick, The Smiths and The Ramones. “I really love music from the ‘70s and ‘80s, so you can hear some of that influence in my

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music for sure,” says Carroccia. “I also love Amy Winehouse and Adele, so my vocals/ singing style is definitely inspired by them.” Although shy by nature, Carroccia was forced to overcome this fear in order to share her gift and passion with others. “Music is truly my passion,” she says. “It has always been a struggle because in this industry you really have to put yourself out there and share yourself with people, which is difficult for me because I am quite shy at first and don’t like to be the centre of attention. But, that is not possible with music, so it has pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am used to it now, although I have so much to learn about the industry.” While Carroccia attends the University of Windsor for Criminology, she has big dreams for her future in the music industry. “A goal that I have is to one day tour across North America — getting my music out there, meeting and connecting with people would be a dream comes true,” she explains. “Also, I hope to get picked up and signed by a label, which would be amazing and definitely help me get moving along in the industry.” To hear some of her music, check her out on Spotify and Apple Music. To see some of her videos, log on to: AlexaCarroccia.com.

THE PARENTING BIZ

Memories From The 2019 “Windsor ComiCon”

ike a kid in a candy store, whether you are young or young at heart, “Windsor ComiCon” is always an exciting place to be! In mid-September 2019 the show floor at The Colosseum inside Caesars Windsor, was filled with superheroes, geeks, and other assorted fans of sci-fi, comics, horror, fantasy and video games, during this annual two day event. (See: WindsorComicon.com) As always, this 2018 Biz X Award winner for “The Most Wonderful Event Of The Year,” featured plenty of big stars, attendees in elaborate costumes and lots to see and buy! So who did the Biz X team have an opportunity to meet? Check out the following snapshots for a short summary. 1. Freelance writer Jason Kerluck was thrilled to meet TV and movie star legend Erin Gray. Best known for her roles as Kate Summers on “Silver Spoons” as well as Col. Wilma Deering in “Buck Rogers In The 25th Century”, the ever so polite Gray spoke to him about “Dragon Con,” one of the largest privately-run conventions out there. Gray and her Buck Rogers co-star Gil Gerard regularly attend this Atlanta, Georgia convention.

2. And Captain Buck Rogers himself was in the 21st century, with Gil Gerard stopping by Windsor for the first time. For a guy that played a futuristic space hero, he had a real down to earth personality. Sharp witted, he kept any folks he talked to on their toes. He had a little bit of advice as well when it comes to cell phones. “If it ain’t life or death . . . turn your phone off!” It seems that Buck Rogers really kicks it old school! 3. If there’s something strange, in the neighbourhood, who ya gonna call? Well, if you were at this year’s “Windsor ComiCon” you would be calling on Chatham’s Vandersluis family — Jocelyn, Brian, and Carson — they “ain’t afraid of no ghosts”! 4. Scott St. Amour (left) and Phil Sawyer showed off some very pricey, but valuable comics, at the booth of 2015 “The Model For Success Hobby Shop” Biz X Award winner, Paper Heroes Comic Book Lounge & Collectibles. And yes that’s correctly labelled — one of those comic books costs $3,500! 5. Legendary actor Doug Jones may not have a familiar face, but you have likely seen him in at least a few movies. Naturally skinny and flexible, he portrays many nonhuman characters such as the creatures from “The Shape of Water”, “Hellboy” and “Pans

Photos by Rod Denis

5 6

Labyrinth”. However, he is best known for playing the character “Saru” on the new “Star Trek: Discovery” series. 6. Local businesses in the comic industry participate and sponsor this event to get their name out there and meet current and B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

future customers. 2019 Biz X award nominee Cartoon Kingdom had a massive booth on site and staff keeping the geek masses happy from left were: Lucas Diano, Brittany Watts and Arlen Mifflin.

MAKING A SOUND LIVING

Tom McDonough. . . “Today’s Music Industry Is Limitless” By Lori Baldassi

om McDonough has a passion for great music that led him to not only host a radio show, but also to own the show and his own record label before becoming President at Mi5 Recordings Detroit, distributed by Universal Music Group (website: MusicNoises.com) Not content with just playing the music, he wanted to be part of the machine that sought out talent, cultivated their art and put them in touch with the right people to move them to centre stage. McDonough is a man with a serious passionate plan about what he wants to do, but more importantly what he wants his artists to be . . . and that’s limitless. His tenaciousness is reinforced by a solid back up team whose resumes are filled with Grammy Awards and Billboard Hits. While some labels live in the past by perpetrating a “silo effect” (separation between their artists) McDonough looks to the infinite possibilities and encourages artists to cross over and partner with anyone they want to collaborate with, as long as the outcome is great music. Last year McDonough signed local Biz X Award winner “Artist of the Year” 2016 musician Christian Vegh with RL Recordings, three days after he graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music on an artist development contract. After RL Recordings merged with Mi5 Recordings — Universal Group, McDonough decided to keep Vegh and move him up to Mi5 Recordings Detroit. In McDonough’s opinion “Christian is a rarity in the music world. He certainly has a rare talent and ability to create music that will rival the likes of Hendrix, Clapton and Page. His outlook and professionalism set him apart from most up-and-coming artists today. We look forward to what the future holds.” Due to this local music connection, we needed to find out a bit more on Mi5. Biz X caught up with McDonough (TM) between flights and business meetings at an upscale restaurant in Grosse Pointe, in October 2019, to talk about his vision for his artists and the future of the music industry. Biz X: You’ve gone from your own radio show to your own record label to Mi5 Detroit. Was this always your plan for your music career? How did it evolve? Tom McDonough (TM): I owned the Radio Station WROM Radio for

music on air; I wanted to be part of finding and curating careers in the music industry, in a new and innovative way, to develop the next generation of great artists. Biz X: What makes your label different than any other label? TM: We look at the long-term overall development of the artist. That encompasses supporting their branding, music, tour collaborations, and seriously connected partnerships. So far, several artists on our label are charting, proving our plans are coming alive.

Tom McDonough, President of Mi5 Recordings Detroit

11 years and we did over 36 major celebrity interviews a week, including my show “This Moment in Time”. I closed WROM and continued with my show until January 2018. This is when I moved to the new show — “The Dcap” — which I co-host with Mark Kassa, Vice-President of Operations at Mi5 Detroit, the same co-host I have on my TV show “Welcome to the D”. I also created my own music publication (Music Player Magazine) that reaches millions, so it’s a great one-two punch, introducing new acts to the entertainment industry and promoting the ones we already know. This was all developing simultaneously with the label, RL Recordings over the course of 18 months and it became clear that I needed to simplify the label end of things. That’s when Ted Mason, Universal, and I merged creating Mi5 Recordings Detroit. Biz X: How have you adapted to all the changes and challenges of the business side of the music industry? TM: We intend to forge forward with an ideal partnership with our artists with Mi5 Detroit allowing us to venture into new territory in the industry, adapting to this ever-changing business. Biz X: What was the pivotal moment when you said “I’m going to open a record label”? TM: It was while doing an interview with the iconic Jefferson Airplane on my Internet show “This Moment in Time” with my on-air co-host Dave Bickler. We were discussing music and the industry and all the great music from that time. I realized I had the urge to do more than playing the B I Z X M A G A Z IN E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

Biz X: What type of talent are you trying to develop? TM: We envision the development of the next generation of artists. We are a multigenre label with multi-genre experts. This Grammy award-winning staff helps us realize this vision. We are excited to bring this label and Universal Music Group distribution to Detroit, which is undergoing an outstanding revitalization and has always been known as a music centre. Biz X: When opening a label how did you cultivate your dream team to carry out your vision for the label? TM: Well, that is a tough question, here is the tough answer. I utilized all my networking and connections in the industry to be able to pull together this great staff. Our staff is a group of Grammy award-winning, Billboard hit charting people, who all have the same belief that the development and support of artists are critical in the industry. We firmly believe this and have been working hard on generating a great atmosphere for artist cultivation and collaboration. Biz X: You’ve been in the music industry for a long time. Please highlight a few of the most significant changes that have impacted the industry and artists, and forecast what’s coming up musically now. TM: The changes from the ‘70s ‘80s and ‘90s years of music are significant. Gone are the days of large payout contracts before anything is sold. With the dawn of the Internet and YouTube, gone are the days of large-scale sales and our weekly trip to the record shops for vinyl, cassettes, and CDs. Now is the time of streaming and YouTube videos. MTV’s vision of music videos certainly boomed and is now the

new gauge for music. Think of it this way, where would Taylor Swift be without those great music videos and catchy pop hooks? Certainly, music videos have caused a craze. I think that many of the great songs of today are made greater by the creative entertaining videos with the songs. Today it’s not just the music, but the detail and the performance. You ask what is coming next . . . well, let me put it this way — its TV, movies, and music. You couldn’t ask for anything more. What we will see in the next two years in the industry will be amazing and something big is coming . . . ! Biz X: Artists cross over to different genres nowadays. How important is it for an artist to choose one genre, or is it more acceptable and possible to cross over to other genres? TM: Music genres are much more blurred with the cross-over songs and blending of artists at many of the great award shows. My personal opinion, being versatile and able to perform in more than one genre will make you more marketable. Genres are meant to be used in multiple ways, we all must think outside the box in this modern music industry to appeal to the masses. Biz X: Your label values “giving back”. Can you describe some of your community charity work?

TM: We love working with charities and many great organizations. One of my favourites is “The D-MAN Foundation”, Danny’s Miracle Angel Network (MyDman.org), which is dedicated to enriching the lives of families and individuals living with physical and mental disabilities. Others include: Macomb Foster Closet (Facebook.com/ MacombFosterCloset); Capuchin Soup Kitchen (CskDetroit.org); Yoga Moves MS (YogaMovesMS.org); Girls Rock Detroit (GirlsRockDetroit.org ) and Girls Rock Windsor (@girlsrockwindsor) Any organization that provides great experiences and gives back to others is most important to each of us at the label. From simple smiles to food and clothing, it makes for a rewarding and enriching experience for all of us.

and think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to take small gigs and jobs. #2: Develop your branding and social media — make connections and network well. Always be polite. #3: Develop a plan — always follow through, for yourself and for others. #4: Have faith in yourself — rejection will happen more often than it won’t. Never give up and remember success comes from within.

Biz X: In the past musicians were “discovered” and a team swept in and made them a star. Now artists have to develop to a certain point to just get on the label’s radar. What is the best advice you can give a young musician looking for their big break? TM: Artists have such a hard job now trying to be discovered, worrying about social media numbers, booking their shows, music production, performing well and honing their musical skills. My best advice would be to take into account these four easy steps. #1: Fine-tune your skills — branch out

From working backstage production to the radio airwaves, Lori Baldassi has been involved in the music industry on a number of professional levels for many years. Having spoken in front of the CRTC, Baldassi holds a certificate in Adjudication from York University Toronto and is a graduate of St. Clair College’s Media Convergence program. If you have any questions for her, please email: editorial@bizxmagazine.com.

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Biz X: What’s next for you and what’s next for the record label? TM: I believe the sky is the limit; there are so many opportunities ahead for us, the industry and our artists. I never thought we would be as far as we are now, so I can only say I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

The Rotary Club Of Windsor-Roseland’s 24th Annual “Wines Of The World”

October 25, 2019 at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts, 201 Riverside Drive West, Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left.

1. If you love wine and great food, this annual wine and culinary event must be on your list of things to do. It’s also a fundraiser (approximately $20,000 was raised) supporting important local and international projects for the Rotary Club of Windsor Roseland (RoselandRotary. com). So wine not be there year after year! Pictured here are some of the Event Planning Committee members: Gisele Seguin, Gordon Orr (Master of Ceremonies), Mander Matharu, Mara Riccardi, Aruna Koushik (Event Chair 2019), Gerri Carey, Richard Rosenthal, Elaine Snaden, Paula Talbot, Krista Miller, Karen Watson, Sue Zanin (Club President 2019) and Sue Desjarlais. 2. Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW) had two popular offerings this year; a 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, held by St. Clair College student Daniel Gosselin and a 2015 Meritage VQA, held by owner, Bernie Gorski.

3. Over 300 wined and dined to their heart’s content, including guests Joe Stein and his girlfriend, Denise who know that good friends always wine together!

Representative Dave McNair with a 2017 Cabernet Merlot “Lady in Red,” poured by St. Clair College hotel and restaurant management student Dawson Farmer.

4. At the Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery table, samples of a Dry Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon were served by Sales

5. If you wanted to enjoy delicious pierogies from Little Foot Foods you had to get to their booth fast before they were all gobbled up!

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To see even more photos and videos from this event and others, visit: BizXmagazine.com under “Biz X was there”

The business is well known for its homemade pierogies such as spinach, feta, ricotta, and balsamic mushroom and onion, as served by St. Clair College students Darshpreet Singh Sidhu and Priyanka Sharma. Their instructor Marnie Edghill kept a watchful eye to monitor how the students at the event dealt with real life dining situations. All went well and the students did a fantastic job of serving all the food and beverages from “Wines of the World” exhibitors!

6. St. Clair College students Dev Kukretri and Pritpal Singh assisted The Cheese Bar Owner, Sarah Barrette, with passing out samples. Barrette is a purveyor of Artisanal cheese and gourmet accompaniments and featured a selection of sheep, goat, dairy cow, water buffalo and vegan cheeses, for all to enjoy with their glass of vino.

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AWARDS SPOTLIGHT

Culinary Federation Windsor And ORHMA Windsor Present The Third Annual “Evening Of Excellence” October 28, 2019 at Essex Golf & Country Club, 7555 Matchette Road, LaSalle Photos By Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left.

To start us off let’s meet some members of the ORMHA Windsor Essex Board — Dharmesh Patel, ORHMA Windsor Regional Chair; Justin Barker, Comfort Inn South Windsor; Joe D’Angela, St. Clair College Centre for the Arts; Luis Rivero, Holiday Inn & Suites Ambassador Bridge; Chef Kris Lauzon, CF Windsor; Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis, CF Windsor President; Sue Heath, Caesars Windsor; Dick Bederaux-Cayne, East Side Mario’s; Mike Verzosa, Prime Lighting Design; Moe Razak, Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel and Charlie Kobryn, retired tavern owner.

The Windsor region of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA.com) and the Culinary Federation (CF) Windsor Chapter hosted this annual gala that included an amazing five course dinner prepared by Culinary Federation Honour Society Chefs. Of course, the food served was the main attraction, but the various culinary awards presented were also a big highlight. Winners were chosen from the results of an online survey conducted by the head office in Toronto.

From the CF Windsor Chapter — Chef Kris Lauzon; Chef Dave Nugent; St. Clair Culinary College students Jessica Howes and Brigitte Dyksterhuis; Chef Adelina Sisti-DeBlasis, CF Windsor President; Chef Alex Migneault; Chef Linda Nelson; Chef Ron Hart, Chef John Kukucka, Executive Chef Essex Golf & Country Club; Chef Ahron Goldman and Chef Vincent Del Duca — all worked together to cook up this “Evening of Excellence”.

Teresa Diaz (Chef) and Karen Harris (Owner) of Thirteen at the Inn in Leamington earned the award for “New Restaurant of the Year 2019” which was given to them by Dharmesh Patel, ORHMA Windsor Regional Chair.

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As well, Patel gave Assistant Food and Beverage Manager Rob Macovei of Caesars Windsor, their 2019 certificate for the “Best Bar None Ontario Accredited Venue” and the “Best Bar None Windsor People’s Choice Award”.

As ORHMA Windsor Regional Chair, Patel presented a 2019 certificate for the “Best Bar None Ontario Accredited Venue” to Andrew Thomson, Food and Beverage Manager of Essex Golf and Country Club. “Best Bar None” is an industry-led international accreditation and awards program for liquor licensees. To be accredited, establishments must maintain the highest standards for their customers and staff, manage the sale and service of alcohol responsibly, and have good relationships with the community and hospitality industry partners.

Charlie Kobryn, ORHMA Board Member awarded the “Essex/Kent Accommodation Facility of the Year 2019” to Dharmesh Patel, GM for the Quality Inn Leamington.

Sisti-DeBlasis presented the “National Chef of the Year” Award (for all of Canada) to Carmelo Vadacchino, Corporate Chef, Brand Ambassador, F. Dick Knives Canada/Fornoteca Pizza Ovens Canada of Concord, ON. Michelle and Vito Maggio, Owners of Vito’s Pizzeria accepted the award for “Restaurant of the Year 2019” from Patel.

Missing from photos: Viewpointe Estate Winery, the recipient for “Supplier of the Year 2019.”

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Owners of the Stonecroft Inn Greg Brklacic and his son, Frank accept the “Windsor Accommodation Facility of the Year 2019” award from Kobryn.

The 6th Annual “Artilicious” To Benefit The Kidney Foundation of Canada November 6, 2019 at Caesars Windsor, Augustus Ballroom, 377 Riverside Drive East, Windsor. Photos by Rod Denis. All people in photos listed from the left.

Twenty-nine Windsor Essex eateries — along with McDonald’s handing out cups of coffee — prepared a variety of dishes for 400 hungry diners at the 6th annual “Artilicious”. After filling their bellies, attendees could also browse through the art and literary work of 16 local artisan vendors. Emceed by Dan MacDonald, on air personality for Bell Media, the evening also featured a performance by 15 year old singer/songwriter, The Real Carson Janik and

a Live Art Battle among four local artists. And most importantly, over $16,000 was raised for The Kidney Foundation of Canada! For more information visit: Kidney.ca/WindsorEssex. 1. At this colourful booth we found Rashmi Dadwal, a unique artist who has displayed multi-faceted artistic qualities in a short period of time. She has developed expertise in many forms of visual art, including practices ranging from textile design, to painting, sculpture and iconography. 2. Owners of The Harvest Table, Ron and Liana Giles, served a healthy “Harvest Salad”. Known for its fresh food choices for breakfast and lunch, this diner is situated right in the Market Square building on Ottawa Street and Walker Road. 3. At this annual all-you-can-eat food feast, attendees sampled savoury and sweet fare from

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local eateries, including Eastern Flavours. Mina Kuhl and Ahmed Zabian from the Walker Road restaurant, dished out their Butter Chicken on Biryani Rice, a tasty example of Middle Eastern flavours that combines the tastes of Pakistani, Indian and Arabic foods. 4. Ah decisions, decisions . . . would you choose either the Cream of Mushroom or Lentil soup from Eddy’s Mediterranean Bistro and Tabouli by Eddy’s Lebanese Cuisine served by Owner Eddy Hammoud? Both were delicious! 5 Manuel Calleja, Peter Pace and Veronica Cardoso of the Malta United Society of Windsor were on hand with their Party Pastizzi, a traditional savoury pastry with ricotta inside. 6. Souq (the Arabic word for market) specializes in Middle Eastern and North African dishes. At the event, Owner Ghasan Bassiso served up Beef Tajine and Vegetarian Moussaka.

To see even more photos and videos from this event and others, visit: BizXmagazine.com under “Biz X was there”

8 7. KOMA stands for the Kitchen Of Michael Anthony and is named after the grandfather of Owner/Chef Michael Anthony Barlozzari (right) who also shares the same first and middle name. This amazing chef is pictured with volunteer Darin Reybroek who made sure attendees had a taste of KOMA’s seared Beef Tenderloin Tartlet with Caramelized Onions, Smoked Gouda, Vin Cotto and Tarragon Cream.

8. Head Chef Josh Bourque and Owner Mark Hawken of the Walkerville Eatery specialize in handcrafted sliders and wood stone pizzas. But, for this year’s event they offered something a little different — Frito Pie — which was loaded with chili, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions. It was all that and a bag of “Fritos” chips as the saying goes!

Happy New Year

www.peleeisland.com/shop/

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“THE 22ND ANNUAL BIZ X AWARDS GALA” AT ST. CLAIR COLLEGE CENTRE FOR THE ARTS, 201 RIVERSIDE DRIVE WEST, WINDSOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2019 THEME: “H2O — When Your Ship Comes In” All people in photos listed from the left. Photos by Rod Denis unless marked. “Shiver me timbers” did Diane SpenclerGlover of Designs by Diane go “overboard” to transform the room into a dining area on a big cruise ship? The accompanying photo (left) does not do the décor justice, but you can see here the starboard side of the “ship” with anchors, life preservers, navy linens, Captain’s hats, candelabras, a promenade deck on the stage, ship’s wheels, wooden piers and more! The fabulous, fashionable tuxes the “Men of Biz X” wore came from Collins Clothiers, represented by Uniform Sales/ Store Manager Emily Montanaro and her guest, Tara Santini (below on left) Curious about how the men looked? Check the next photo.

Not only were the tuxedoes (in the theme colour of navy) on the cover of the 2019 November/December Awards issue, but members of the Biz X team/family celebrity presenters, and Judges (above) — Jim Murphy, Dave Oswald, Jack Eisenberg, Jason Kerluck, Justin Barker, Andrew Di Pietro, Jack Rosenberg, Steve Meehan, Joe McParland, Raj Luckhai, Dave Hall, Justin Fox, Joe Montaleone, Rod Denis, Greg Gynp and Charlie Hotham — were dressed in these fine threads for the gala evening. Missing from photo: Chris Ensing, Dan MacDonald and Chad Goulet. Professional Musicians (Joshua & Kristina) Joshua Yeryk and Kristina Foto of Windsor Weddings definitely “rocked the boat” with their renditions of theme tunes such as Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On”. The two young and fabulous singers are pictured with Marlene Corey, Producer/Director for Cogeco Cable/YOUR TV.

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Sonja Lenhardt, Carly Delpup, Steve Schincariol and Becky Langlois of the Motor City Community Credit Union know small business is big business! That is why, year after year, the company sponsors the Opening Reception.

The WindsorEssex Small Business Centre, sponsor of the Business & Service section, was represented by four women: Shannon Dyck, Manager; Sabrina DeMarco, Executive Director; Christina Melnik, Information Coordinator and Myrtle Donnipad, Youth & Entrepreneurship Advisor.

The staff of Bigtime Presentations has worked on award-winning creative campaigns for some of the largest companies in the region. The Biz X Awards ceremony is also a big night for Owner Jason Kennedy and his team of Maggie Schofield, Carter Timm, Joseph Gaugh, Mike Healey and Damon Boyko.

Lea-Ann Suzor, Co-owner/Manager at Festival Tent & Party Rentals and Co-owner Ken Suzor Sr. were also gala sponsors.

Best of all we raised over $6,500 for Sparky’s Toy Drive through raffle ticket sales, coat check proceeds/tips and guests who donated to the cause upon arrival with cash or a toy. Firefighters helping out to collect all included: Cody Long, Les Dorgo, Matt Stephenson, Chris Tremblay, Sean Costello and Jack Bailey. Photo by Kim Jussila.

As always it was another great team effort by the St. Clair College culinary team — Keenan Xierchez, Chef De Partie; David Dimoglou, Banquet Chef; Carmine Incitti, Executive Chef; Sanjit Sinha, Banquet Chef; and Luigi Luig, Chef De Partie — who prepared a world class dinner including the main course, Breast of Chicken Supreme with Sweet Potato Duchess and Buttered Asparagus Demi-Glace. The first course was Artichoke Chowder followed by Smoked Salmon Galette. However, the dessert was also a major attention getter as the nautical themed Cheesecake Signature Tower featured chocolate anchors, the sand and the sea!

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For a complete list of the 272 nominees and details on the 24 winners in the November/December 2019 issue, visit: BizXmagazine.com and view the “Back Issues” section. You can also get more information on our upcoming 2020 awards program and see highlight videos from the gala!

Emcee Joe McParland welcomed guests Rose Cartier and Rosita Blackman Smith, Manager, Catering Sales and Small Business Development for St. Clair College Centre for the Arts with a warm Biz X hug.

Biz X Parenting Biz Sales Account Executive, Shelley Oswald may have been busy networking with award winners and Biz X suppliers, but she found time to share the evening’s success with her hubby, Dave.

Security services were provided by Ryan Moroz and Tony Rush of Johnston Security Solutions. Brendyn Johnston, Founder & CEO of the company was missing from photo but was in attendance at the “Biz X Awards Gala” as well.

THANK YOU TO OUR AWARDS GALA SPONSORS . . .

Motor City Community Credit Union The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation’s Small Business Centre St. Clair College Alumni Association Tecumseh Mall Community Gaming & Entertainment Group (Breakaway and Paradise Gaming Centres)

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Our “fearless crew from the SS Minnow” (Gilligan’s Island) included Celebrity Presenters Joe Montaleone, Broker of Record for Century 21 Showtime Realty, Inc.; Debra McVeety, General Manger of Tecumseh Mall and Charlie Hotham, Owner of Hotham Building Materials.

WATCH GALA HIGHLIGHTS ON YOURTV! Cable 11/HD 700 on the “Plugged In” show with Andrea Morosin in JANUARY 2020. See ad on page 51 for all dates and times.

And the winners are . . . “Distinguished Biz Champ Of The Year”: RFG Plumbing and RFG Electrical represented by Brad Peever; Mark Kemski-Mitic; Owners Ryan, Frank and Brandon Giles; Annette Giles, Dejan Stojcevski and Kyle Mailhoit.

BIZ X WISHES TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT OF APPRECIATION TO OUR SUPPLIERS (not represented in photos) The Trophy Boys, Spencler Creative Group, Pelee Island Winery, Limos By Mr. J’s, Eastwood’s Grill & Lounge, and Wunderbooth, plus all the local businesses who donated raffle prizes, especially Artist Asaph Maurer!

“The Grass Is Always Greener With This Lawncare Service”: Yard-Worx Landscape & Supply represented by employee Kyle Bigelow and Owner/ Operator Shane Dupuis, who had a quick photo-op with Della Jones-Goulet of Biz X magazine. Della’s hair and makeup was beautifully done by Brianna Rocheleau from Great Looks Hair Salon and Lidia Raihana, Owner of Makeup by Lidia.

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Film Camp for Kids & Youth, supported by MANAN Media, was responsible for assembling video footage and utilized the services of Albert Sharp and Zachary Balogh from the media department at St. Clair College.

“Restaurant That’s Hot, Hot, Hot For 2019”: Bacchus Ristorante represented by Toni Spadafora, Owner Vern Myslichuk, Manager Jodi Bennett and Rayan Mykal.

“Marvelous Millennial Manager”: Rachael Myers, Owner of Little Foot Foods is shown on stage with Celebrity Presenter, Chris Ensing, CBC Windsor News at 6 Host and Biz X Publisher Deborah Jones. Hair and makeup for Deborah by Gia DeMarco of Meraki Hair Boutique. Photo by Kim Jussila.

“The Sharp Dressed Man’s Casual Store”: 67 Richmond Men’s Fashion Clothing represented by Lisa Butera, Retail/Marketing Manager and Owner Peter Leardi, posed with Della Jones-Goulet of Biz X.

“Ethnic Market Making A World Of Difference”: Romano’s Specialty Meats & Italian Deli accepted by Owners Claudio and Anna Mancini.

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“The Injury Lawyer It Doesn’t Hurt To Hire”: Jennifer Bezaire of Greg Monforton And Partners Injury Lawyers.

“The Only Optometrist To See”: Dr. Abby Jakob of EYES (second from right) poses with parents Walt and Jill Jakob, and husband Patrick Michaud.

“The Best Little Retail Shop Of 2019”: dressed by an Olive, accepted by Owners Merja and Daniel Avena. The couple are photographed with Biz X Publisher Deborah Jones and Celebrity Presenter, Dan MacDonald (right) from AM800 CKLW/93.9 The River. Photo by Kim Jussila.

“Delectable Diner To Start The Day”: Michigan Diner in east Windsor. Owned by the Gojci family — Noah, Loreta, John, Nina and Nilda — the gala was a family affair with all celebrating their success. “The Most Wonderful Event Of The Year”: “Windsor-Essex Pride Fest” was accepted by Board Co-Vice Presidents Robert Vitella and Wendi Nicholson with Board President David Lenz, “Everyone’s Cup Of Tea”: Windsor Tea Emporium. Accepting the award for CEO/Founder Mary Christine Smith was her husband Serge Carvalho with daughter Taryn Smith and Customer Services Representatives Kelly Morand Tolmie (sister) and Amanda Gates.

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from the bookshelf

Take A “Journey” With The Live Poets Society And How To Become God’s Servant For Life By Marlene Markham-Gay

nder the editorship of local member Roy G. James, “Journey”, An Anthology Of Poetry By Members Of The Live Poets Society Of Windsor, Ontario and Essex County has recently been released. This book was written by prominent local poets. Many of the poems include names of familiar places in Essex County. You might remember attending Prince Edward School. Irvine “IRV” Barat writes: “Reddish brick fortress on the next block was where I gained entrance into the turf of ABC/ joining other miniature beings/ in our first foray into big boy and big girl land/ Teachers looked tall as the giants/ of the nursery tales we were offered/ and Principal Mr. Gibson/ he of thunderous shout/ inculcated us in the meaning of discipline.” Even if you did not attend Prince Edward School, the description might remind you of your early days at the school where your education began. “We the members of the esteemed Live Poets Society are no longer adolescent teenagers searching for a place in the world,” writes James. “Let’s just say we’ve arrived! This anthology is just that. ‘Journey’ is a sharing of our wisdoms and insights in poetic form for literary leisure to urge you, the reader, to laugh, to cry, to think.” If you love poetry, this collection of poems written by Windsor and Essex County’s Live Poets Society should be a part of your library. It is available to purchase at Storytellers Book Store, 1473 Ottawa Street in Windsor. Next up we have “Total Surrender:

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Transformation from a self-serving life to GOD’s servant for life” written by local author, John Edward Habib. This book is for everyone. It can help you to find true happiness, real purpose and identity. It is a self awareness and self healing book. This author, the tenth of 14 children, resides in Windsor. Through adversity, change, loss and resistance Habib came to a place of total surrender. It is his desire that this book challenges you to embrace your personal journey of total surrender. The book is written with 10 chapters, each one is based on a quote from the Bible. At the end it has a “Prayer of Surrender.” Throughout the book there are testimonials and quotes from people who have experienced total surrender to God. Habib writes in this inaugural work: “Loving yourself, flaws and all, is what total surrender is all about. Pride and fear of acceptance manifests into a stronghold. If you feel the need to be someone just for the purpose of being accepted, you are void of love.” Inspirational and a book worth exploring, “Total Surrender” can be purchased at Indigo at the St. Clair Beach Shopping Centre, 194 Commercial Boulevard, Tecumseh.

Marlene Markham-Gay is the former host of CFTV’s “Storyteller.” She promotes local authors through the book corner at The Essex Railway Station, inviting them to display and sell books. She has encouraged all eight of her grandchildren to read.

THE WAY IT WAS

For All The Right Reasons Story And Photo By Andrea Grimes

e were together after the funeral of a WWII Veteran. It was as good a time as any, so I asked, “Why did you enlist?” He began to answer, then paused. For generations our WWII Veterans were united by silence. His eyes welled up with tears, his lips quivered and his gnarled hands grasped his cane. I could see in answering my question he was taken back to the days of his youth. And then he spoke. “So why did I serve?” he asked. “Not much to tell, really. It wasn’t because of what life threw at me. I am made of sterner stuff. Others had it worse than me. I had opportunities to make something of myself. I was hell bent on stopping Hitler in his tracks — to do everything in my power to keep Canada free.” He continued by adding, “Times were really tough growing up on the farm during the Depression. My parents had one room, my sister in another and I slept in the barn. Dad just wasn’t right when he returned from the Great War. He struggled with life and turned to the drink. He would wake up in the middle of the night in fits of anger and would beat me just as soon as look at me. His anger drove him over the edge. He raped my cousin and she fell pregnant at 15 years old. She turned to the local midwife to take care of things so she could go to Teacher’s College. Sadly, we found her the next day dead on the floor of the milk shed.” He took a deep breath and recalled a bit more to his story: “In one of dad’s drunken stupors, he wandered off in the middle of the night. Ol’Nick, the Sheeny Man found him

Pictured is a traditional military setting for a veterans’ memorial service table.

in a ditch a few days later where the crows pecked out his eyes. We made the best of life and soon our resourcefulness paid off.” He turned to me and smiled, “Sis graduated top of her class. Mum tried her hand at baking and opened a very successful bakery — the only one for miles around. With my mechancial skills, I got the truck up and running and made deliveres during the day and attended trade school at night. I toyed with the idea of working at the Ford Motor Company after graduation. I was ready to fulfill my ambitions.” Wiping the tears from his eyes he stated, “Like many lads, I walked away from the assembly line and joined up. Thoughts of being cooped up on a ship gave me the shivers. I was a stretch too tall to be a pilot. As a farm boy, I needed to be on terra firma and ended up with the Essex Scottish landing on Dieppe in ’42.” Adding a shake of salt to his beer and squaring his shoulders he said, “Finding cover on the beach was hell. Over the

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deafening din of mortar fire I heard a piper urging us onward. For those who were alive in the morning, many were dead by night. I can still smell the burning flesh of those poor lads who never got off that beach. That human experience was as quick as a thought. We quit being boys and became men.” With a light-hearted chuckle he ended with: “Even though my escape attempts from the POW camp were in vain, I was having a hell of a good time rattling the German guards, especially when they realized their days were numbered.” The Veteran who shared his experiences of duty and service with me (for all the right reasons) did so on the condition of remaining anonymous. He was happy to be sitting in the Legion reminiscing about life over a short one. He sighed, his medals rising and falling with each breath remembering the Veteran who earned the privilege to serve and was buried today. And now you know. As a civilian Veterans Advocate, Andrea Grimes was presented with the “Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal” and the “Governor General’s Medal” recognizing her volunteer service to Veterans and military families of our Canadian Armed Forces, as well as with military family service-support organizations to include North Wall Riders Association, Windsor Veterans Memorial Service Committee, Military Institute of Windsor, the Royal Canadian Naval Association, the Korean War Veterans Association and the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association.

OF THE MONTH

Barnet Custom Fabrication Inc. Waves Goodbye To Water Damage Problems Story And Photo By Dave Hall

yndon Barnet has turned Barnet says he supplemented his his passion for welding and income by taking on contract work protecting lakefront property into for local tool, die and mould shops a successful business, which just and then “maxed out credit cards entered its fourth year of operation. and borrowed from my parents to Barnet, 26, has used his make ends meet.” experience in crafting custom-built Barnet adds that his parents automotive parts for off-road trucks Kelly, a former professional hockey and street cars and transferred player, and Cathy, have been fully those skills into designing modified supportive of business efforts as has steel plates, which are installed on Essex Metals and Scott Prentice breakwalls to deflect water back Sr. And now that the business into the lake. is on a solid footing, Barnet is “We’re crazy busy and I feel hoping to expand. blessed by what has been coming “Our target market is the 20,000 our way,” says Barnet, a Harrow to 25,000 homes identified by the native. “It’s a roller-coaster at times Lyndon Barnet, Owner of Barnet Custom Fabrication Inc., stands by a hydraulic provincial department of natural like any small business, but overall shear machine, which he uses to bend and cut steel for use in his business that resources that are in a flood plain,” custom builds breakwall water deflection plates. The plates deflect water back I am happy with the progress into the lake to protect lakefront property. Barnet states. “The number has we’ve made.” doubled in the past year or so and In January 2017 Barnet launched his He adds, “Our products have prevented water levels are expected to continue rising business, Barnet Custom Fabrication basement flooding in many cases and that before anything improves.” Inc., after learning much of the trade from is something we are extremely proud of In order to hedge his bets and keep his George Turnbull, a veteran when it comes because of the cost of making repairs and employees busy, Barnet still takes on outside to repairing and shoring up breakwalls. replacing property.” work for welding shops, custom fabricators, “It’s hard, dangerous work at times and Barnet currently has four fulltime breweries, wineries and residential home George is still at it at age 89,” states Barnet, employees, but plans to add more staff as owners in need of custom metal products. who worked alongside Turnbull for 18 his business grows and he requires more In the near future, Barnet plans to move months. installation teams. into a larger fabrication shop and acquire Barnet’s patent-pending contoured water He started his business after realizing the larger and more efficient equipment to deflection plates divert water back into the larger tool and tie and fabrication shops he enable all products to be manufactured lake as opposed to letting it flow behind had worked for didn’t want to take on small in-house. breakwalls and onto property causing jobs because of the overhead and labour “Ultimately, I hope to have six or seven erosion and other types of damage. costs involved. full-time shop employees and two complete Damaging high winds and rising water “I recognized a need in the marketplace installation teams so that we can respond to levels along the Lake Erie coastline are and decided to fill it,” explains Barnet, a our customers’ needs as quickly as possible,” causing havoc on many properties and graduate of St. Clair College’s welding and he comments. forcing home owners to turn to potentially fitting course. “Lake levels are probably never going expensive repairs. After graduating from St. Clair, Barnet back to what they were and will probably “As a company, we claim our products worked for a number of fabrication shops get even worse,” Barnet believes. “And once deflect about 70 percent of water from large in Harrow including Refac Industrial water gets behind a breakwall, you end up waves and in fact, some customers have told Contractors Inc. Barnet still uses a small with erosion, falling trees and other damage, us our plates have deflected an even higher part of their shop for custom fabrication which can be expensive to fix.” percentage of potentially damaging water,” processes (thanks to Ric Kellar). For more information, please check: says Barnet. When he first launched the business, Facebook.com/BarnetCustomFabrication.

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PHOTOS BY TARIK OF M.T. PRODUCTIONS

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