M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 7
Celebrating Important Milestones and Looking Ahead
<RX ZRUN KDUG 5HZDUG \RXUVHOI
Our One Source Advantage SURJUDP JLYHV \RX Ã&#x20AC;H[LEOH options for your insurance and ¿QDQFLDO QHHGV DOORZLQJ \RX WR GR PRUH ZLWK \RXU PRQH\
Before you head out, check if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need any of the following for your trip:
thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s We also offer: We
6XQJODVVHV 6XQJODVVHV
Boat insurance*
Sunscreen
Cottage insurance*
Life jackets
7 7UDYHO LQVXUDQFH UDYHO LQVXUDQFH
GPS
5 5HQWDO FDU LQVXUDQFH HQWDO FDU LQVXUDQFH
Â&#x2021; *URXS %HQH¿WV Â&#x2021; *URXS %HQH¿WV â&#x20AC;¢ Group Home & Auto Insurance â&#x20AC;¢ Group RRSPs Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; (PSOR\HH $VVLVWDQFH 3URJUDPV (PSOR\HH $VVLVWDQFH 3URJUDPV Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; ,QGLYLGXDO ,QVXUDQFH ,QGLYLGXDO ,QVXUDQFH ) )LQDQFLDO 3ODQQLQJ LQDQFLDO 3ODQQLQJ
First aid kit
*W *We We offer this. Contact us to learn more! **Available **Available with your auto policy policy. y..
&RZDQ¶V 2QH 6RXUFH $GYDQWDJH DGYLVRUV DUH KHUH IRU \RX <RX FDQ & RZDQ¶V 2QH 6RXUFH $GYDQWDJH DGYLVRUV DUH KHUH IRU \RX <RX FDQ FFRXQW RQ XV WR KHOS \RX VDYH PRQH\ RQ \RXU LQVXUDQFH DQG SURYLGH RXQW RQ XV WR KHOS \RX VDYH PRQH\ RQ \RXU LQVXUDQFH DQG SURYLGH WWUXVWHG DGYLFH WR KHOS SURWHFW \RX \RXU DVVHWV DQG \RXU ¿QDQFHV UXVWHG DGYLFH WR KHOS SURWHFW \RX \RXU DVVHWV DQG \RXU ¿QDQFHV Z ZKHQ WKH XQH[SHFWHG DULVHV KHQ WKH XQH[SHFWHG DULVHV
Cowan C owan Insuranc Insurance e Group
One Source Advantage Members can receive group Home and Auto discounts of up to 20%
1-888-333-6337 | chamber@c chamber@cowangroup.ca owangroup.ca | www.cowangroup.ca ww w.cowangroup.ca
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017 WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
features 18 23
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
COVER STORY
The University Idea, The Chamber of Commerce and the Community
Art Sinclair
Kenneth McLaughlin
EDITOR:
Heather Hutchings
FEATURE
BM0200: Through History and Into the Future, We're Here to Help By Julie Barker-Merz
24 26
20
M&T Printing Group PHOTOGRAPHY:
FEATURE
Adamski Photography
Canada's Prime Ministers: Truly at Home in Baden
ADVERTISING AND SALES:
Jim Rodger SPONSOR PROFILE
David MacLellan – dmaclellan@greaterkwchamber.com Don Critelli – dcritelli@greaterkwchamber.com Karen Cross – kcross@greaterkwchamber.com
McCarter Grespan Lawyers: Entrepreneurs at Heart
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:
John Weir
28
DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
FEATURE
Waterloo Region - A Globally Significant Brain Belt
Julie Barker-Merz, Tony LaMantia, Bruce Lauckner, Rosa Lupo, Greg McCauley, Kenneth McLaughlin, Ian McLean, Jim Rodger, Art Sinclair, John Weir
Tony LaMantia
PHOTOGRAPHY: Adamski Photography
FEATURE
CONTRIBUTORS:
I Wish I Could Do It All Over Again
Aislynn Cooper and Teri Egerdeen
Greg McCauley
ADVERTISING AND COPY DEADLINES:
July 21, 2017 for September-October 2017 September 22, 2017 for November-December 2017 SUBSCRIPTION AND BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES:
Darlene Jones djones@greaterkwchamber.com SUBMISSION POLICY:
departments 4
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Celebrating Successes and Looking Ahead
10
Rosa Lupo
5
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
A Legacy of Service to the Community Ian McLean
7
12
ADVOCACY
A Place to Stand Art Sinclair
8
11
14
PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH CARE
What Makes a Healthy Health System Bruce Lauckner
17 20 32
AWARDS
2017 Business Excellence Award Winners AWARDS
2017 Business Excellence Award Guests
Proposals and articles are accepted via mail or email c/o Editor - Advocate. Please do not send originals. All contributors articles must be accompanied by a head shot in a jpg file and a 40 word author’s bio. PUBLICATIONS PERMIT:
#40026716
FOR PERMISSIONS AND REPRINT REQUESTS
Heather Hutchings - hhutchings@greaterkwchamber.com PRINTED IN CANADA BY:
PUBLICATION OF:
NETWORKING
WinterNetworking NEW MEMBERS
February 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017 HI-LIGHTING MEMBERS
Health and Wellness EVENTS
Mark Your Calendar MEMBER NOTABLES
Chamber Members Achieving Success
POSTMASTER ADDRESS CHANGES C/O
ADVOCATE - PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 80 QUEEN STREETE NORTH, PO BOX 2367 KITCHENER, ONTARIO N2H 6L4 519.576.5000
The Advocate is a bi-monthly membership benefit publication of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. Advertising content and the views expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not constitute endorsement by the Chamber. The Advocate follows the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards (1990), copies are available through the Publisher. The Chamber cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur and has the right to edit material submitted. The Chamber will not accept advertising with competitor comparison claims and has the right to refuse advertising that is deemed to be false, misleading, or inappropriate.
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
3
message from the chair
Celebrating Successes and Looking Ahead BY ROSA LUPO In this month’s issue of The Advocate, we’re celebrating important business milestones. From Canada’s 150th anniversary to many Chamber members celebrating their important milestones, the Chamber looks ahead to the possibility and promise for future successes of Waterloo Region’s corporate community. Many of you will know that I’m a Gowling WLG business law partner, which means that I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside some of Waterloo Region’s most established and exciting companies. From advising on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, advocating in complex litigation cases and protecting invaluable intellectual property assets, I’m proud to be a part of a team that has helped countless Waterloo Region businesses grow and thrive.
closely with deserving organizations like KidsAbility, the Grand River Hospital and KW Counselling, we ensure that programs and services our community needs to succeed are supported. As a business leader, I am particularly proud that the Greater KW Chamber is a leader in community initiatives that are important to other members. Programs like the Chamber Health Care Resources Council that bring family doctors to the region, or our leading role in the Immigration Partnership of Waterloo Region that welcomes and helps settle and find work for newcomers to our community. As we look to the next 150 years in Canada’s future, this Chamber will continue to be a leading voice for business prosperity.
Global trade is increasingly important for all businesses. As an international law firm with a strong presence in Waterloo Region, firms like Gowling WLG are uniquely positioned to draw from its expertise in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia to support the strategic growth, that for businesses in the Waterloo Region has become increasingly global. The Region of Waterloo is home to many global companies, as well as three fantastic world-renowned post-secondary institutions, the head office for Canadian operations in the insurance sector and also the tech sector. The Chamber has been honoured and privileged to work alongside many of these entities in achieving our mutual global reach and recognition. Chamber members like Gowling WLG have a strong commitment to public service, and we take great pride in serving the Waterloo Region in many ways. By supporting the efforts of key groups such as Communitech and the Chamber of Commerce and working
4
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rosa Lupo CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rosa Lupo is a partner at the global law firm of Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP who practices in the area of corporate commercial law. She is enthusiastic about helping businesses and owners grow, expand and thrive.
message from the president
A Legacy of Service to the Community BY IAN MCLEAN The Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce has evolved and grown with the Region of Waterloo, Ontario and Canada. The Berlin Board of Trade was formed in 1886, nearly two decades after Confederation. Esteemed local historian Kenneth McLaughlin has noted the Chamber is a group that contributed significantly to the making of this Canadian city. Similarly the City of Waterloo Board of Trade organized in 1890 tracked a diverse route in the advocacy of economic, educational, and civic amenities. The former Elmira Board of Trade, formed in 1895, promoted the agricultural and economic health of their rural community. For over a century, business and local governments have maintained a unique and productive relationship for the attraction of business. The recent transition from the former Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Triangle to the new Waterloo Economic Development Corporation is the next important step in that evolution. Tony LaMantia and his staff ensure our economy remains competitive by aggressively marketing our region to meet the business demands for both current and future generations of innovators. The commitment and enthusiasm that Waterloo Region business exhibited a century ago remains and grows stronger today. The year 2001 was vitally important for the Waterloo Region business sector when the former Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce merged with the Woolwich Chamber of Commerce. A larger business organization brought an expanded voice not only locally but provincially and nationally. We became a leading advocate for arts and cultural investment as well as major infrastructure projects such as the Light Rail Transit and two-way, all-day GO train service. Our Chamber recognized that trade enabling infrastructure was critical for moving goods to position for export into global markets. The new Greater KW Chamber has also realized the importance of social infrastructure to support economic growth. For close to two decades we have lead community efforts to attract family physicians, specialists and related primary care services. Our efforts originated from the concerns expressed by local employers that potential employees were identifying the presence of health care services as a critical factor in decisions related to job offers. For the past twenty years we have been recruiting doctors at the rate of about one per month and will continue until every resident of Kitchener-Waterloo-Woolwich has access to a regular family doctor.
We have cut the number of local residents without a family doctor by over fifty percent. However a growing local economic and population base combined with the pending retirement of a significant percentage of local practitioners requires a continuation and expansion for efforts on behalf of both local employers and the community at large. A major factor that has separated Waterloo Region from many municipalities across Canada is the unique relationship between employers and our excellent local post-secondary institutions. Businesses have for many years recognized their success is dependent upon innovation, research and the ability to sell into global markets. The two universities and Conestoga College have been long-standing partners on meeting these objectives, and traditional barriers between the two sectors have never existed here. This has been noticed across the country and in fact, around the world. For over 135 years, Waterloo Region, and our Chamber, have been the beneficiaries of committed and talented volunteers that have grown our community. On behalf of the Chamber staff and board, I extend my thanks to all the individuals that came before and can ensure you that without these efforts, we would not be a desired global location for prosperity. We now look forward to building the community and growing business for another 150 years.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ian McLean Ian is President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
5
THANK YOU YOU TO OUR SPONSORS T TOURNAMENT OURNAMENT SPONSOR
26th ANNUAL
GOLF
ULTIMATE UL LTIMA ATE DRA DRAW AW W SPONSOR
SCRAMBLE
FEATURE FEA ATURE HOLE SPONSOR
R REGISTRATION EGISTRA ATION NO NOW W OPEN
HOLE SPONSORS
I
N
&
G
PRINT SPONSOR
MEDIA SPONSOR
advocacy
A Place to Stand BY ART SINCLAIR As Canada marks a century and one-half since Confederation, the Ontario government has commenced a series of media segments that use “A Place to Stand” as background music. Anyone over a half-century in age will remember this song, introduced during Canada’s 1967 centennial and becoming, at least for a year, Ontario’s unofficial anthem. The lyrics captured an eternal sense of optimism that the geographic centre of Canada was becoming the national political, social, cultural and economic nucleus as well. In southern Ontario, including the Region of Waterloo (which was Waterloo County in 1967), optimism was fueled by the CanadaUS Automotive Products Agreement, or Auto Pact, that was signed in 1965. The deal was negotiated on the Canadian side to correct a declining domestic industry symbolized primarily through a widening trade deficit. By 1970, the trend was reversed and Canada was in a trade surplus. It has been reported for many years that former President Lyndon Johnson told Canadian officials that the United States clearly lost on the Auto Pact and Canada won. Ontario was no doubt the major beneficiary, with high paying assembly jobs in Windsor and St. Thomas complemented by a network of parts manufacturers across both rural and urban centres. From 1965 to 1967, Premier John Robarts and then Minister of Education Bill Davis opened Ontario’s network of community colleges. TVOntario host Steve Paikin in his 2016 biography of Davis indicated that he deserves significantly more credit than received for this accomplishment. Waterloo Region without Conestoga College would be a vastly different and less affluent regional economy in 2017. The sense that Ontario would be wealthy forever was dealt a serious setback in the early 1980s when high interest rates conspired with a number of other external factors to put the province into an economic tailspin. Nowhere was this trend more evident than rural Ontario, where farmers borrowing heavily to capitalize on growing export markets a decade earlier were under severe pressure to meet debt obligations. The most notable dynamic of this era was the narrowing gap between Ontario and Alberta as the now dominant central region squared off against the emerging oil-based wealth of Calgary, Edmonton, and a town somewhere near the Arctic Circle named Fort McMurray. The battle of Ontario and Alberta was never fought in arenas, as the Edmonton Oilers dominated professional
hockey because of a kid from Brantford named Wayne. The divide was politically encapsulated in the now infamous National Energy Program under a Prime Minister named Trudeau. Federalprovincial relations in Canada were changed forever. The early 1990s brought Bob Rae and a new form of government to Queen’s Park. This was not the New Democratic Party of the prairies or British Columbia. Rae’s first budget in April 1991 brought double- digit billion dollar deficits and storms of protestors from Bay Street to the lawn in front of the Legislature. A quarter-century later deficits of that magnitude are annually expected. Mike Harris arrived in 1995 with a brand of fiscal conservatism that many analysts predicted would never be supported by urban voters. He was re-elected four years later by Toronto suburbanites. A meltdown on Wall Street in 2008 was followed shortly thereafter by the bankruptcies of two of Detroit’s big three automakers. General Motors ending up in that predicament would have been unthinkable in the Ontario of John Robarts. In 2014, Canadian author Bruce McDougall released his book The Last Hockey Game, which details the Toronto Maple Leafs last memorable run for the Stanley Cup. According to McDougall, the world of professional hockey changed forever after the Leafs beat the Canadiens on May 2, 1967. The following year, the league expanded to twelve teams and hockey became big business. Ontario, in many ways, changed with the Leafs. We went from followers to leaders economically and politically. And, as no one expected General Motors to go bankrupt, no one anticipated that 1967 would be the last Leafs championship for at least a half century.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Art Sinclair Art is Vice President Policy and Advocacy for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
7
perspective on health care
What Makes a Healthy Health System BY BRUCE LAUCKNER We all know that one of the key influencers in attracting talent and investment to a community is its health care system. People want to know that if they live and work in a community, they and their family will have the care they need. This is why our local Chambers have served a key role in attracting new physicians and specialists – to make sure our health care system is top notch to support business growth and overall community vitality. But what makes a good health care system? And, most importantly, how does our local system measure up? There are countless indicators and measures that tell us how we are doing. I find the most important ones to be those our friends, families, and neighbours talk about most. Primary Care: Your primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) is the foundation of our local health system. They are the quarterback of your care team, helping you to navigate the system and making sure you get the preventative care and treatment you need. There was a time in our community where many people didn’t have a primary care provider. Fortunately, as a result of the efforts of our local Chambers, the Medical School and local primary care preceptors working with the WWLHIN and local health providers – 96% of all local residents are now connected to primary care. Together, we have attracted 170 more family doctors and specialists to our community since 2010. Speciality Care: If you’ve lived in our community more than a decade, you likely remember having to travel out of town most of the time for highly specialized care. Fortunately, that’s not the case for many services now. St. Mary’s General Hospital is one of the top ranked cardiac centres in Canada – and we recently announced an additional $3.6 million to expand procedures there, as well as $6 million for an expansion to deliver arrhythmia care. We also have a high performing stroke program, cancer centre, longer-term mental health care program, and other new programs all introduced in recent years. Emergency Department Wait Times: Local residents with the highest care needs spend the least amount of time in the emergency department in Ontario. This means they are seeing a doctor, receiving tests, and being transferred for care in another place more quickly than anywhere else. Since 2008, improvements
8
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
to care in local emergency departments have resulted in residents waiting one million less hours for care. Safe Care: Patients at our local hospitals are among the least likely to die unexpectedly in hospital than anywhere else in Canada. If you live in one of our local long-term care homes, you’re among the least likely in Ontario to need to be transferred to the emergency department as a result of a fall. These are only two of hundreds of indicators that measure the safety and quality of local health care. All together, these are a few of the ways we can measure a healthy health system. That said, we still have a lot of work to do to make it easy for residents to be healthy and to get the care and supports they need. What are we working on next? Improving how easily a patient can get in to see their primary care provider, reducing wait times for hip, knee, and cataract surgeries, further reducing emergency department wait times, improving the patient experience in home care, and much, much more. Interested in learning more? Email me: bruce.lauckner@lhins.on.ca
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bruce Lauckner Bruce Lauckner is an energetic and visionary leader with a passion for people and community health and wellness. He was appointed CEO of the Waterloo Wellington Local Health Integration Network in 2011, leveraging 25 years of leadership experience in the private and public sector.
Photography by Adamski Photography
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
9
awards
2017 Business Excellence Awards Winners
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12 Photography by Adamski Photography
1 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD (1-10 EMPLOYEES) COLETTE FORTIN, OWNER AND MEDIATOR AT FAIRWAY DIVORCE SOLUTIONS ACCEPTS THE AWARD FROM BEVERLEY CUNNINGHAM, VICE-PRESIDENT, HR & COMMUNICATIONS AT S. G. CUNNINGHAM LIMITED.
7 HOSPITALITY/TOURISM AWARD BRUCE GORDON, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CENTRE IN THE SQUARE ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM MINTO SCHNEIDER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE WATERLOO REGIONAL TOURISM MARKETING CORPORATION.
2 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD (11-50 EMPLOYEES) KRIS RONAN, PARTNER AT INTRIGUE MEDIA SOLUTIONS ACCEPTS THE AWARD FROM STEVE LIBCZUK SWO OFFICE MANAGING PARTNER AT MILLER THOMSON LLP.
8 INNOVATION AWARD DRIVERSEAT CO-FOUNDERS BRIAN AND LUKE BAZELY ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM RENATA RUSINIAK, LEAD, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AT BLACKBERRY.
3 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD (OVER 50 EMPLOYEES) ARNOLD DRUNG, PRESIDENT OF CONESTOGA MEAT PACKERS ACCEPTS THE AWARD FROM ROSS JOHNSTON, DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS AT THE CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION & CAREER ACTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO.
9 MICHAEL R. FOLLETT COMMUNITY LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD MURRAY GAMBLE RECEIVES THE MICHAEL R. FOLLETT COMMUNITY LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM NEIL MORRISON, REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, GROUP SALES, EASTERN CANADA AT EQUITABLE LIFE OF CANADA.
4 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AWARD DAVID MCMULLEN, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER OF S.G. CUNNINGHAM LIMITED ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM RUSTY MCLAY, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED LEARNING.
10 NON PROFIT/CHARITABLE AWARD MACHELLE DENISON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STRONG START ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM PAUL EICHINGER, VICE PRESIDENT OF MTE CONSULTANTS INC.
5 ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD COURT DESAUTELS, PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD GROUP, ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM MURRAY COSTELLO, DISTRICT MANAGER FOR WATERLOO/BRANTFORD UNION GAS LIMITED 6 HEALTH & WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE AWARD BILL ALLISON, PARTNER AND LIANA LABRECHE, ASSOCIATE AT DILLON CONSULTING ACCEPTING THE AWARD FROM MALCOLM MAXWELL, PRESIDENT & CEO OF GRAND RIVER HOSPITAL.
10
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
11 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD KAREN TEMPLE FROM BDO CANADA LLP ACCEPTS THE AWARD FROM DR. HUGH MUNRO, DIRECTOR OF THE MBA AND PROFESSOR OF MARKETING AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AT THE LAZARIDIS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS. 12 YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD HONGWEI LIU, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF MAPPEDIN ACCEPTS THE AWARD FROM FERIDUN HAMDULLAHPUR, PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO.
awards
2017 Business Excellence Awards Guests
Photography by Adamski Photography
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
11
networking
Winter Networking
MEMBERS ENJOYING SOME FRESH ORANGE JUICE AT THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST.
KRIS RONAN OF INTRIGUE MEDIA EDUCATING OUR MANULIFE CHAMBER ACADEMY SESSION.
MEMBERSHIP AT THE FIRST
JAN JAWORSKY, MAYOR BERRY VRBANOVIC, AND WLC COMMITTEE MONI LAGONIA AT THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST.
MEMBER
KAREN REDMAN CAPTIVATED 360 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THE EMCEE FOR THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST. Photography by Adamski Photography
12
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
Q&A SEGMENT WITH KAREN REDMAN AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR. ANNE-MARIE ZAJDLIK AT THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST.
TONY LAMANTIA OF THE WATERLOO EDC SPEAKING TO HOW REGION.
TO INVENT THE FUTURE IN THE
CYP MIX & MINGLE – A FULL HOUSE AT THE CYP MENTOR MIX & MINGLE EVENT AT MAXWELL’S CONCERTS AND EVENTS.
networking
GUESTS OF EY SMILING FOR TOMASZ ADAMSKI PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST.
NETWORKING AT THE LIBRO CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS EVENT AT THE BERLIN, THEMED “CONNECTING WITH COCKTAILS”. OVER 140 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL NETWORKING BREAKFAST SERIES SPEED NETWORKING EVENT.
CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBER COURTNEY CASSEL CYP CHAIR JEN DOL HAVING A DRINK WITH THE HONEYPOT MARKETING CREW AT A CYP EVENT. AND
GALA CHANDELIERS – A TOUCH OF QUIRKINESS BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS GALA, THEMED VINTAGE CIRCUS.
TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE
KAREN REDMAN PRESENTING THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW AWARD TO JESSICA NGUYEN, AN
FULL HOUSE DURING THE SECOND SESSION OF THE MANULIFE CHAMBER ACADEMY SERIES, FOCUSED ON ONLINE ENGAGEMENT.
EXCEPTIONAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FROM
HURON HEIGHTS SECONDARY SCHOOL.
Photography by Adamski Photography
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
13
new members
February 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017 Anita's Skin Care Spa Spas - Beauty & Health Anita Krawiec, Owner 430 The Boardwalk, Suite 401 Waterloo, ON N2T 0C1 Email: info@anitaskincarespa.ca anitaskincarespa.ca Phone: (519) 571-1010 Buttercup Design Interior Design Services Andrea Utter, Owner/Principal Designer 108 Ahrens St W, Unit 1 Kitchener, ON N2H 4C3 Email: andrea@buttercupdesign.ca buttercupdesign.ca Phone: (519) 496-2804 Ceridian Canada Ltd. Business Services Chris Phan, SMB Client Executive 5600 Explorer Dr, 4th Fl Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y2 Email: christopher.phan@ceridian.com ceridian.ca Phone: (416) 270-9562 Chris Gehan Consulting Consultants Christopher Gehan, Principal 11 Huntingwood Crt Kitchener, ON N2P 2A7 Email: solutions@chrisgehanconsulting.ca chrisgehanconsulting.ca Phone: (519) 590-9444 Civilian Screen Printing Screen Printing Curt Crossman, Owner 100 Ahrens St W Kitchener, ON N2H 4C3 Email: curt@civilianprinting.com civilianprinting.com Phone: (519) 568-8942 Fax: (519) 568-7235 Clean & Tidy Janitorial Service & Supplies Shelby Behling, Owner 1941 Ottawa St S, Unit 7D Kitchener, ON N2G 0C2 Email: cleanandtidy@rogers.com cleanandtidykw.com Phone: (519) 722-0040
14
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
Curt's Coolers Inc. Coolers & Ciders Curtis Siemon, Owner 5860 Line 44, Bornholm, ON N0K 1A0 Email: curtis_siemon@hotmail.com Phone: (519) 301-5716 Dedicated Bookkeeping Solutions Inc. Accounting & Bookkeeping Services Deborah Hughes, President 675 Queen St S, Suite 260 Kitchener, ON N2M 1A1 Email: admin@dedicatedsolutions.ca dedicatedsolutions.ca Phone: (519 -489 0501 Fax: (519) 489-0506 DIBBZZ Event Planning Brennon D'Souza, Founder Email: brennon@dibbzz.com dibbzz.com Phone: (519) 933-9908 Festivals & Events Ontario Associations & Organizations Kathrin Delutis, CEO 625 King St E, Suite 2A, Kitchener, ON N2G 4V4 Email: info@festivalsandeventsontario.ca festivalsandeventsontario.ca Phone: (519) 742-2226 Fax: (519) 742-7206 Finesse Graphic Design & Marketing Graphic Designers Shalini Sathyan, Owner Email: shal@finessedesign.ca finessedesign.ca Phone: (416) 559-2613 GNR8 Online Solutions Digital Marketing Agency Blake Wyatt, Agency Owner 85 Rolling Meadows Dr Kitchener, ON N2N 1T4 Email: gnr8onlinesolutions@gmail.com generateonlinesolutions.com Phone: (905) 328-6900 Grand River Financial Solutions Financial Planning Consultants Lisa Lishman, Partner 50 Sportsworld Crossing Rd, Suite 280, Kitchener, ON N2P 0A4 Email: lisa@grfs.ca grfs.ca Phone: (519) 589-1054 Fax: (519) 650-8114
Gusto Beckford Catering Caterers Jill Stroeder, Event Manager 665 Colby Dr, Unit 11 Waterloo, ON N2V 1C2 Email: beckfordcatering@gmail.com beckfordcatering.ca Phone: (519) 888-0634 Heartland Farm Mutual Insurance Michael Eckardt, VP & CFO 100 Erb St E Waterloo, ON N2J 1L9 Email: insurance@heartlandfarmmutual.com heartlandfarmmutual.com Phone: (519) 886-4530 Fax: (519) 886-1630 Hell Bent BBQ Caterers Marc LeBlanc, Pitmaster Email: pitmaster@hellbentbbq.ca hellbentbbq.ca Phone: (226) 868-1501 Insurance Bureau of Canada Insurance Liam McGuinty, Director, Government Relations, Ontario 777 Bay St, Suite 2400 P.O. Box 121 Toronto, ON M5G 2C8 Email: LMcGuinty@ibc.ca ibc.ca Phone: (416) 362-2031 Kidsport Kitchener Waterloo, The Family Centre Sports Associations & Organizations Jeff Brown, 65 Hanson Ave Kitchener, ON N2C 2H6 Email: hr@kidsportkw.ca kidsportcanada.ca Phone: (519) 772-4399 Masri O Architects Architects Reema Masri, Principal Architect/President 609 Kumpf Dr, Suite 101, Waterloo, ON N2V 1K8 Email: rmasri@masrio.ca masrioarchitects.ca Phone: (519) 579-0072
new members
February 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017 Mattingley Solutions Health & Wellness Leah Mattingley, Owner 45 Manley St Ayr, ON N0B 1E0 Email: leah@nextlevellife.ca leahmattingley.com Phone: (519) 897-3647
Quattro Paper Technologies Inc. Manufacturers Isabel Kuxdorf, Associate 180 Northfield Dr W, Unit 4, 1st fl Waterloo, ON N2L 5A6 Email: isabel.kuxdorf@quattropaper.com quattropaper.com Phone: (226) 929-3853
Meridian Credit Union Credit Unions Frank Halsey, Branch Manager 440 Erb St W, Unit #5, Waterloo, ON N2T 1H4 Email: frank.halsey@meridiancu.ca meridiancu.ca Phone: (519) 404-5778
Save a Life First Aid & CPR Training Health Care Service & Supplies Joanne Soucie, Director 1245 Franklin Blvd (Upper Level), Cambridge, ON N3R 7E5 Email: info@savealifecpr.ca savealifecpr.ca Phone: (519) 589-9367 Fax: (519) 624-3986
Mockingbird Interiors Interior Design Services Meredith Perez, Owner/Designer Email: mockingbirdinteriors@icloud.com mockingbirdinteriors.com Phone: (226) 338-2216 Monarch Collection Inc. Retail Pat Quinn, CEO 2145704 Ont Inc - 55 Northfield Dr E, Unit 185 Waterloo, ON N2K 3T6 Email: pat.quinn@monarchclothes.com monarchclothes.com Phone: (519) 404-0801 MyCxO Canada Business Services Stephen McInnes, Email: info@mycxo.ca mycxo.ca Phone: (519) 404-0840 MyShop Inc. Manufacturers Josh Kubassek, President 44 Gaukel St Kitchener, ON N2G 4P3 Email: josh@myshopmakerspace.com myshopmakerspace.com Phone: (519) 573-8926 Price Chiropractic & Fitness Chiropractors Jason Price, Owner 368 Phillip St Waterloo, ON N2L 5J1 Email: drjason@pricehealth.ca pricehealth.ca Phone: (519) 885-5433 Fax: (519) 885-3155
Sibo Marketing Inc. Marketing Consultants Andy Taylor, President 5-420 Erb St W, Suite 352, Waterloo, ON N2L 6K6 Email: sales@sibomarketing.com sibomarketing.com Phone: (519) 721-2639 Fax: (519) 885-9902 Smitty's Fine Furniture Furniture Dealers Kathy Baldwin, Manager 170 Gateway Park Dr, Kitchener, ON N2P 2J4 Email: cafrontdesk@smittysfinefurniture.com smittysfinefurniture.com Phone: (519) 658-9313 Ssen Corp Internet & Technology Products & Service Kiwi Ssennyonjo, Director 235 Ardelt Ave Kitchener, ON N2C 2M3 Email: info@ssenn.com ssenn.com Phone: (519) 744-3200 TalentUpfront Event Planning Debb Ritchie, CEO & Creative Director 22 King St S, Suite 300 Waterloo, ON N2J 1N8 Email: dritchie@talentupfront.ca talentupfront.ca Phone: (519) 500-2122 (519) 279-0161
Talize Discount Stores Neil Marr, Store Manager 1144 Courtland Ave E, Unit 10 Kitchener, ON N2C 2H5 Email: 1001sm@talize.com talize.com Phone: (519) 744-4300 Fax: (519) 744-3300 Think Green Solutions Alternative & Renewable Energy Chris Borutskie, Lighting Investment Consultant 335 Laird Rd, Unit 3 Guelph, ON N1G 4P7 Email: cborutskie@reonac.com thinkgreensolutions.ca Phone: (519) 501-4849 Vellicorp Employment Agencies Annette Rossel, 12 Sherwood Ave Kitchener, ON N2B 1J9 Email: support@vellicorp.com http://vellicorp.com Phone: (519) 753-0153 Vince Vasco, Realtor Real Estate Brokers & Agents Vince Vasco, Real Estate Sales Representative 808 Courtland Ave E Kitchener, ON N2C 1K3 Email: vince@soldbyvasco.com / Web: http://soldbyvasco.com Phone: (519) 575-1475 Fax: (519) 744-8136 WineX Wine & Beer Making Ronda Schenk, Owner 809 Victoria St N Kitchener, ON N2B 3C3 Email: winex@on.aibn.com winexcuse.ca Phone: (519) 571-9704 Fax: (519) 571-9706
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
15
ŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ͕ ŐƵĞƐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽůůĞĂŐƵĞƐ ŝŶ ƐƚLJůĞ ŝŶ ϮϬϭϳ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞƐĞ ŶĞǁ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ WĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ 'Ăůƚ ŽƵŶƚƌLJ ůƵď
ĞůƵdžĞ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ŶŶƵĂů WĂĐŬĂŐĞ͗ Ϯϰ ZŽƵŶĚƐ ǁŝƚŚ Ăƌƚ ĨŽƌ zŽƵ Θ zŽƵƌ 'ƵĞƐƚƐ͕ ^ŽĐŝĂů DĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ н ŵŽƌĞ Ψϯ͕ϭϬϬ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ tŽƌŬ Θ WůĂLJ ĂLJ WĂĐŬĂŐĞ͗ DĞĞƟŶŐ ZŽŽŵ͕ >ƵŶĐŚ͕ 'ŽůĨ ǁŝƚŚ Ăƌƚ ΨϭϮϱ ƉĞƌ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ dŽƵƌŶĂŵĞŶƚ ĂLJ WĂĐŬĂŐĞ͗ 'ƌŽƵƉƐ ϭϮ ƚŽ ϭϮϬ͕ >ƵŶĐŚ͕ 'ŽůĨ ǁŝƚŚ Ăƌƚ͕ ŝŶŶĞƌ Ψϭϰϵ ƉĞƌ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƚĞ ŶŶƵĂů DĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ͗ &Ƶůů DĞŵďĞƌ WƌŝǀŝůĞŐĞƐ͕ hŶƌĞƐƚƌŝĐƚĞĚ WůĂLJ н ĚĚ ƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞƐ Ψϰ͕ϰϱϳ ǁǁǁ͘ŐĂůƚĐŽƵŶƚƌLJĐůƵď͘ĐŽŵ - ϱϭϵ͘ϲϮ Ϯϭ͘ϴϯ ϯϭϴ - ŵĂŝů ZŽď DŽŽƌĞ Ăƚ ƌŵŽŽƌĞΛŐĂůƚĐŽƵŶƚƌLJĐůƵď͘ĐŽŵ
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
RBC Dominion Securities Waterloo is hiring new Investment Advisors RBC Dominion Securities in Waterloo is seeking motivated individuals for a fulfilling career in the wealth management industry. If you’re looking for the support you need to build a successful career, RBC Dominion Securities offers several advantages:
O O O O
Strength and stability Independence with support Powerful tools and technology Top-calibre training
With an independent focus that encourages and rewards initiative, industry-leading investment and
wealth management support, and the backing of Canada’s largest financial institution, RBC Dominion Securities is the premier choice for investment professionals who want to build a successful wealth management practice.
For more details, please contact Vice-President and Branch Manager Mark Hodson at 519-747-7790 or mark.hodson@rbc.com.
We value diversity in the workplace, are committed to Employment Equity and will provide reasonable workplace accommodation to applicants with disabilities. RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©2017 RBC Dominion Securities Inc. All rights reserved. 17_90561_001
16
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
hi-lighting members
Health & Wellness A Body in Motion Rehabilitation
A Body In Motion
430 The Boardwalk, Suite 303 Waterloo 70 Victoria St N, Suite E, Kitchener abodyinmotion@theboardwalkmedical.com abodyinmotion@on.aibn.com www.abodyinmotion.ca
A Body In Motion is focused on individualized, hands-on treatment by a registered physiotherapist, each and every time you visit our clinic. We provide caring, skillful treatment to clients of all ages, treating a wide variety of conditions including orthopaedic, pelvic health and pediatric.
DEPTH Training Inc
DEPTH Training Inc
2-483 Conestogo Rd. Waterloo p. 226.748.9494 e. info@depthtraining.ca www.depthtraining.ca
DEPTH Training Inc. is a local business established to change the lives of the members of the Waterloo Region. Our services include athletic development, SHREDCity (KW’s best fitness and nutrition program), Personal Training, Physiotherapy, Chiropractic Care and Massage therapy.
St. John Ambulance 250 Gage Avenue, Kitchener (519) 579-6285 Maggie.Sieber@on.sja.ca www.sja.ca
St. John Ambulance
The Westhill Retirement Residence
St. John Ambulance, Canada’s leading authority in First Aid, train thousands annually in first aid, health and safety courses. As a charitable organization proceeds from our training support programs such as Medical First Response, Therapy Dog and Home Caregiver Support.
The Westhill Retirement Residence
25 Westhill Drive, Waterloo (519) 725-0525 info@westhill.sifton.com westhill.sifton.com
The Westhill is a Retirement Residence located in the heart of Waterloo. From simple pleasures like enjoying a variety of menu choices, to living well, with a recreational events calendar designed to enhance your mind, body and spirit; we have a passion for healthy aging and wellness.
Soul City Health and Wellness
Soul City Health and Wellness
151 Frobisher Drive Building C-210 Waterloo 226-647-7685 info@soulcityhealthandwellness.ca www.soulcityhealthandwellness
At Soul City Health and Wellness, we offer Massage Therapy, Cupping Massage, Reiki, Hot Stone Massage, Pilates, and Doula Services. We directly bill to insurance companies, appointment's can be booked online. All massage therapy services are provided by an RMT.
Arnold Hearing Centres
Arnold Hearing Centres
Chris Arnold, President (519) 742-9494 Twitter/YouTube: ArnoldHearing Facebook: arnoldhearing www.arnoldhearing.ca
As a locally owned and operated hearing clinic for over 65 years, we help YOU choose the best hearing aid for your situation. We are proud to be a family-run business, and our friendly, experienced staff can help provide the best advice.”
Flowt K- W
Flowt K-W
550 Parkside Dr, Unit B3 Waterloo (519) 577-2022 mark@goflowt.com www.goflowt.com
ARNOLD ARNO ARN NOLD
H HEARING EAR I N G CENTRES C E NT R E S CELEBRATING C E L E B R ATII N G 6 5 YEARS YEA R S SINCE 1950
Break through to a whole new level of wellness. Discover a mind-body experience unique to sensory deprivation tanks. Learn firsthand the multiple benefits from resetting both your brain and body. Book your float on our website or Facebook page.
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
17
cover story
The University Idea, The Chamber of Commerce and the Community BY KENNETH MCLAUGHLIN The University of Waterloo celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Can it really be sixty years ago that a group of bright, enthusiastic and excited students enrolled in a novel and untried Canadian experiment in university education? The institution in which they enrolled was the Waterloo College Associate Faculties. It had been chartered the previous year by a group of concerned community leaders to offer science courses and to be associated with, but separate from Waterloo College; its courses in science and business would also be available to students at the nearby St. Jerome’s College. As we look back at the beginning of what has surely been a dramatic transformation of our community, it is timely to recall that the Chamber of Commerce played a crucial role in initiating the university idea and in bringing it to fruition. In so many ways, the Chambers of Commerce of Kitchener and Waterloo (now the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce) and their predecessors, the Boards of Trade, have had a profound impact on this community. Few public institutions can match their legacy of community concern and vision. It is perhaps not so well known, however, that without their strong leadership and support the University of Waterloo might never have come into being. In 1948 the chamber had begun to press for the creation of a new and independent university combining the strengths of the Lutheran-affiliated Waterloo College and Kitchener’s nearly 100-year-old Roman Catholic St. Jerome’s College. On behalf of the Kitchener Chamber’s Education Committee, the Chamber’s Secretary Manager, Vic McKenty, invited the presidents of the two colleges to meet with a special committee “for the purpose of discussing a joint [university] site in their [the colleges’] development plans for the future.” McKenty explained that: “It is the feeling of the board of Directors of the Chamber that considerable saving to both institutions [St. Jerome’s College and Waterloo College] would result if they could see their way clear to share certain buildings, as well as campus and recreational facilities. Each, of course, would have its separate seminary.” With support from Carl Pollock, President of Dominion Electrohome Industries and Chair of the Chamber’s Education Committee, the movement toward university status was launched. The timing was propitious. At the end of the Second World War, veterans had a strong desire to participate in university education. The technical skills and leadership in Canada’s prosecution of the war demonstrated that universities had a vital role to play in the modern nation, while the
18
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
need to renew Canada’s democracy also led many to pursue a university degree. As the nation returned to peacetime, the Kitchener Board of Trade, reconstituted after the war as a Chamber of Commerce, began to plan for the future well-being of the community. The Chamber’s ideas were prescient and timely. Both St. Jerome’s and Waterloo College were hoping to expand and both would be coming to the community for financial support. In 1948 neither college was able to see the advantage nor the opportunity offered in the Chamber’s proposal. In August, 1956 Ira Needles, another prominent member of the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce, announced what he called, “The Waterloo Plan.” In it he introduced the idea of co-operative education, which in many ways grew out of this community’s cultural values. In July, 1957, the first students arrived to take classes in two temporary buildings, hurriedly constructed by local builder Ratz Lumber, in a parking lot behind Waterloo College’s Willison Hall. Two years later the Waterloo College Associate Faculties became the University of Waterloo (the charter was passed in March, 1959). Its programs today range from engineering to arts and culture, from health and the environment to research in aging in Canada and in outer space, to groundbreaking research in quantum computing and nanotechnology and a host of others. The impact of its scientific, cultural, political and economic outreach in our community is striking. Members of the Chamber of Commerce can be rightly proud of what their 1948 initiative achieved. But it is more than that. The forerunner of this amazing story begins in 1911 with the Waterloo Board of Trade. President J.C. Mueller offered to donate five acres of land free-and-clear to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada to locate its Evangelical Lutheran seminary in the small, predominantly German-speaking town of Waterloo. Waterloo’s members unanimously subscribed $1,750 for a five-acre seminary site. The Mayor of Waterloo and Mueller, whose company made the barrels and kegs for the Seagram Distillery, along with other community leaders conducted a successful campaign to collect subscriptions. Three members of the Council of the Board of Trade were trustees of the property until July 10, 1924 when they handed over the title deeds to the seminary. It was on this land, purchased by the Board of Trade, that Waterloo College was established and the Waterloo College Associate Faculties had its beginning.
cover story
The Chamber’s original proposal for a university emerged in a slightly amended form in 1959 when the University of Waterloo was established and St. Jerome’s College moved its arts and mathematics programs to Waterloo as a founding college of the University of Waterloo. The Lutheran-affiliated Waterloo College and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary chose to remain separate. In 1959 Waterloo College became the Waterloo Lutheran University until 1973, when in the face of the elimination of government funding for sectarian post-secondary institutions, the Waterloo Lutheran University amended its charter and its name to become Wilfrid Laurier University. Members of the Chamber of Commerce had always taken an active interest in the fate of Waterloo’s universities. When one looks back over the last 60 years, it is obvious that members of the Chamber of Commerce have continued to play an active role in shaping the future of our local universities. Carl Pollock, a past-president of the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce, played a leading role in establishing the University of Waterloo, serving as chair of its Board of Governors and also as its Chancellor. His son, John Pollock, a prominent chamber member and active supporter of the University of Waterloo, agreed to accept the position of Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. Peter Sims, whose father was a founding member of the University of Waterloo, was not only a chair of the Chamber of Commerce but also chair of the University of Waterloo’s Board of Governors. By coincidence, and in keeping with this community’s strong sense of community spirit, Peter’s wife, Betty Sims, took her turn on the board of Wilfrid Laurier University and like her husband, served as Laurier’s board chair. Jim Beingessner, another past president of the Chamber of Commerce who had guided Wilfrid Laurier University’s economic growth, became Chancellor of St. Jerome’s University. Wherever one looks, members of the Chamber of Commerce have served their community and its universities. How rewarding all of this would have been to Vic McKenty and the chamber’s education committee. Members of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce can take great pride in knowing that their initiatives and their foresight played no small part in making Kitchener-Waterloo one of the foremost university centres in North America. One can hardly imagine another community in Canada in which our universities would ever have been created, let alone emerged as internationally-acclaimed centres of advanced research and learning. Nor is it a legacy that we should simply take for granted. It took faith and foresight,
leadership and courage. The members of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce are among those who saw their communities’ interests and acted to bring them into fruition. All of us at both universities share our gratitude in the words of Walter Bean, who characterized the chamber’s history as exemplified “over the years in the voluntary efforts of thousands of chamber members, working unselfishly, not only to serve their own interests, but those of the community at large.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth McLaughlin Kenneth McLaughlin is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Waterloo where he served as Professor of History; he was also Vice-President and Academic Dean of St. Jerome's University. In 1986 he wrote the Introduction to Builders And Boosters, the centenary history of the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce, and supervised its publication. advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
19
events
Mark Your Calendar May 5, 2017
May 9, 2017
Leadercast
Manufacturing Summit
8:00-4:00pm CIGI Ticket: $100 Leadercast is a full day event focused on leadership and motivation like no other event. Broadcasted live from Atlanta with world renowned speakers focusing on finding your purpose!
9:00-2:00pm St. George Banquet Hall Tickets: $75 • Table of 8: $550 Exhibit Booths: $300 The Annual Manufacturing Summit brings the manufacturing and supply chain community together in Waterloo Region for an event featuring keynote speakers and a diverse exhibition.
Coffee Break Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Event Sponsor: Silver Sponsor: Small Business Sponsors: Bronze Sponsors: ®
Community Partners:
May 9, 2017 Manulife Chamber Academy presents Social Media Marketing 101 (Plus How to Build a Facebook Ad) 8:00-9:30am Kitchener Public Library Member Ticket: $20 Future Member Ticket: $25 This workshop will teach you how social media marketing works. How to you choose your platform and learn what the platform can do for you! Then be taken on a tour of exactly how to build a Facebook advertisement from start to finish. Title Sponsor:
Insurance is the last thing business owners think of when times are good. But, when there’s a claim it’s their first call. You should have the best coverage possible. Get an expert opinion on your commercial insurance needs.
insure@erb-erb.com 1.800.265.2634 www.erb-erb.com 20
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
events
March 24, 2017
June 6, 2017
Libro Chamber Young Professionals presents Living La Vida Local
Manulife Chamber Academy presents How to Create Your Content Strategy (Plus the Tools to Make it Happen)
5:30-7:30pm Borealis Grille & Bar Members: $5 Future Member: $10 Join the Libro Chamber Young Professionals for a casual networking event where you can meet other young professionals from the Region and make lasting connections!
8:00-9:30am Kitchener Public Library Member Ticket: $20 Future Member Ticket: $25 This workshop will help you discover how content marketers manage to create, schedule, and manage their content efficiently and effectively. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll leave prepared to craft your own strategy and begin producing positive results for your company through more website traffic and customer referrals.
Title Sponsor:
Title Sponsor: Silver Sponsor:
June 15, 2017 May 31, 2017
Home Hardware Business After 5
Point of View Luncheon with Police Chief Bryan Larkin
5:00-7:00pm FoxNet Members: Complimentary Future Members: $10 Exhibit Booths: $50 Come out to this casual B2B networking event with friendly faces and easy conversation.
11:30-1:30pm Crowne Plaza Kitchener-Waterloo Member Ticket: $40 â&#x20AC;˘ Member Table of 8: $310 Future Member Ticket: $50 Join us and Police Chief Bryan Larkin for an interesting talk on the future of policing in Waterloo Region as he continues his commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of operational policing services while developing long-term strategies to build a strong, vibrant and healthy community. Title Sponsor:
Title Sponsor: Media Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors: G
Print Sponsor: I
N
&
Event Sponsors:
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
21
ALL NEW URBAN CHIC DECOR ACCENTS LAMPS • VASES •FRAMED ART & MORE MIX & MATCH YOUR STYLE
SAY MORE WITH YOUR FLOOR From exotic Hardwoods to sensational new Vinyls to one-of-a kind Carpets, we are the ONE store for your perfect floor.
IT’S THE AREA’S LARGEST DESIGNER FLOORING SELECTION AT UNBEATABLE PRICES!
We promise you’ll love the way your new floor looks, or CARPET ONE will replace it FREE – including installation. *Not applicable on Clearance Products. Get details in-store.
990 VICTORIA ST. N., KITCHENER WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
22 CARPET • HARDWOOD • LAMINATE • VINYL • TILE • AREA RUGS
(BESIDE TIM HORTONS) 519.571.0550
www.ffcarpetone.com
feature
BMO200: Through History and Into the Future, We’re Here to Help BY JULIE BARKER-MERZ 2017 is a special year for BMO Financial Group, as we mark 200 years of doing business.
Our History On November 3, 1817, we opened our doors in rented rooms on St. Paul Street in Montreal, and ever since that day, we have been a part of the continent’s business landscape. When you think about it, the story of BMO is inextricably bound up in the history of North America. Throughout the past two centuries, we've played a key role in facilitating trade and commerce, and in financing public infrastructure, on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.
We could think of no better way to celebrate and say thank you than to give back in a way that speaks directly to who we are as a company, and that reinforces the promise we've made since we opened for business: we're here to help. We're proud to be Canada's first bank and this initiative is a modern build on what we've always known to be true: that we are only as strong as the customers and communities we serve – communities like ours. Our own wish is that, in a small way, the wishes that we're able to fulfill may cause a ripple effect that can be long lasting.
Looking Ahead…
And of course we've been deeply involved in the history of our customers – from manufacturing and resource companies to hightech entrepreneurs, from governments and public institutions to people buying homes, providing for their loved ones and saving for the future.
As we reach 200 years and start to move into the future, we remember more than ever before the first priority of our bank – to earn and maintain the loyalty of you, our customers. This remains as important today as it was for our entrepreneurial founders in those small rooms in Montreal in 1817.
Greater Kitchener-Waterloo has been an integral part of that history. We’ve been in the region since 1860, when we opened our first branch in Kitchener; our first location in Waterloo followed in 1881. We have proudly grown that presence to 13 branches and 200 employees today.
The perpetually changing landscape in which BMO operates is one we share with you, our customers. The future of our bank is inseparable from the futures you are working to create. We are committed to continuing to evolve with you – in step, constantly anticipating your changing expectations while maintaining our steadfast reliability.
Granting Wishes
In short, and as always, we are here to help.
As part of reaching our bicentennial year, we at BMO have decided to do something special to thank the communities where the bank does business – including Greater Kitchener-Waterloo. Throughout 2017, BMO will be granting wishes, both big and small. These wishes will be granted across a number of categories, such as Green, Togetherness, Legacy, and Community. As part of the celebration, we are calling on individuals and organizations to wish it forward by visiting www.BMO200.com. Visitors to the website can simply choose their category, write their wish, and toss their digital coin on the screen. Their digital experience is interactive and comes to life when the wish is made. Those participating will also have the opportunity to share their wish with friends.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julie Barker-Merz Julie Barker-Merz is the Senior Vice President for South Western Ontario Division for BMO Bank of Montreal. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the personal and commercial banking business in the South Western Ontario market. Julie, her husband Gerry and two daughters Genevieve and Gabrielle have recently moved to the region and are proud to call Waterloo their home.
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
23
feature
Canada’s Prime Ministers: Truly At Home in Baden BY JIM RODGER Did you know that Sir John A Macdonald moved to Baden last June? Canada’s first Prime Minister is very comfortable in his new home on the pastoral grounds of Castle Kilbride, a National Historic Site in Wilmot Township. The Castle and Macdonald are sharing a nine acre parklike setting with the township’s Administrative Centre. “A Canadian Conversation”, is the life-sized bronze sculpture of Sir John A Macdonald by Wilmot Township artist Ruth Abernethy. The work was installed on the east lawn of the Castle last June. In an accidental nod to the past and present, Macdonald has a handsome and historic Italianate villa looming over his left shoulder and the local Tim Horton’s flanking his right. Abernethy is one of six Canadian sculptors in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia who will be commissioned to create statues of all of Canada’s Prime Ministers for this site. By the end of 2017, Macdonald will have some august company. On June 29, three more Prime Ministers created by Abernethy, Morgan Macdonald and Nathan Scott will join him on “The Prime Ministers Path.” The path is a Sesquicentennial project created to assist Canadians in understanding our leaders and in exploring the eras in which they lived. Organizers of the project anticipate at least two more Prime Ministers will be installed on the Baden site in 2018. In addition to the creation and installation of the sculptures on the Prime Ministers Path in Baden, the project has partnered with educators at the Shulich School of Education at the Brantford Campus of Nipissing University to create lesson plans on democracy, decision making and the lives and times of each Prime Minister. These resources will be made available on line at no cost to all interested parties. The Prime Ministers Path will be a rich, entertaining and enlightening site for students, visitors and tourists. Each statue will provide a unique opportunity to open windows on events in Canadian history since Confederation. The sculptures are meant to be interactive and will be installed at ground level without bases
or plinths. Visitors will be engaged by the figures as they discover “Easter Eggs” integrated into each work. (Easter Eggs are small, subtle symbols, icons or words that have been worked into or hidden on some surfaces of each sculpture). The Easter Eggs highlight significant events that occurred in Canada at that time and document the triumphs and tribulations of PHOTO CREDIT: CASSANDRA KOCH each Prime Minister. Tracy Loch, Curator and Director of Castle Kilbride, is pleased and surprised by the interest and dedication of visitors who explore “A Canadian Conversation.” Since the Macdonald statue arrived in Waterloo Region literally thousands of selfies and photos have been taken as young and old alike sit down for a chat with our first Prime Minister. Castle Kilbride staff prepared a guide to the Easter Eggs, but scores of visitors are still compelled to come into the Castle with questions about Macdonald and the symbols on his sculpture. Loch anticipates the double draw of touring the handsomely restored home of James Livingston and the opportunity to experience a significant and historical collection of Canadian sculpture will make Castle Kilbride an even more popular attraction for Waterloo Region. Great interest has already been expressed by the travel, tourism and coach industries. The Prime Ministers Path is ideally situated as a tourist and student day destination in Waterloo Region. Baden is located midway between Kitchener and Stratford. The sculptures will surely become a stop for thousands of travellers visiting the Region and on their way to the Stratford Festival. Oktoberfest visitors to the Hubertushaus Fest Halle in Mannheim are only minutes away from Castle Kilbride.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim Rodger Jim Rodger is a co-coordinator of the Prime Ministers Statue Project. He is a retired arts educator and was Principal of KitchenerWaterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI).
PHOTO CREDIT: TOWNSHIP OF WILMOT
24
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
Recruit Talent Recruit Guelph 7VZ[ JV VW M\SS [PTL WHY[ [PTL HUK Z\TTLY QVIZ `LHY YV\UK 5V ^HP[PUN MVY H TH[JO H[ .\LSWO 1\Z[ WVZ[ PU[LY]PL^ HUK OPYL
Post your jobs today!
As a member, you will receive the priority access and service you deserve on your night out. Do you want to be the first to know when a new show is coming and have first access to seats? Maybe a personal concierge and cocktails in the Members’ Lounge is more your style. If you’re looking for a truly premium experience, give us a call today and get ready to enjoy perks tailored to your preferences. For more information on CentreStage Membership, visit our website or call 519 578 5660 ext. 5251
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
25
sponsor profile
McCarter Grespan Lawyers: Entrepreneurs at Heart BY JOHN WEIR The enthusiasm echoing through the walls and boardrooms of the Riverbend Drive office of McCarter Grespan Beynon Weir has always been derived directly from helping our business clients succeed in achieving their goals. The complexities of drafting agreements which service the best interests of a business and its owners, undertaking difficult negotiations, navigating regulations and developing in-depth wealth preservation strategies can be very intimidating tasks. We recognize that by working together with our clients as a trusted advisor and applying our technical skills and experience to these legal challenges, they are better able to focus
26
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
their time and skills where they truly desire - in the growth and success of their business. McCarter Grespan was established in 1989 on the premise of providing business clients with creative and effective legal solutions. Over the years that have followed, the commitment to focus our practice on corporate, real estate and generational planning matters has enabled us to build a team of true professionals who share the same passion toward businesses and business owners. Our team is there to assist our clients in
sponsor profile
completing their business objectives and providing sage counsel while navigating through inevitable business challenges that arise. Our growth has led us to work with clients in all corners of Ontario and across Canada, reinforcing that not only our technical expertise, but our commitment to responsiveness and being accessible to our clients is our true strength. At McCarter Grespan we are fortunate to be a part of an energetic business community such as that found in the Waterloo Region. We are grateful to have an ambitious and growing client base with a contagious level of optimism for the future. We are proud to work alongside those in the business community because our collective success has enabled McCarter Grespan and its owners to experience the entrepreneurial dream as well - providing the Firm with the opportunity to establish and continue growing our practice and expertise, as well as the pride of delivering a growing number of professionals and students with successful and challenging careers.
Through Chamber networking events and other endeavours, our lawyers and staff are eager to identify opportunities to engage with community organizations and charitable causes to support which benefit the region that has been supportive of the growth of our Firm. Our Firm is proud to have established a culture which values and commends community involvement. The diverse backgrounds of our team lead to an array of contributions; including significant time commitments at a board and advisory level with hospital foundations, seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interest groups, individuals with disabilities and animal welfare organizations.
Our Firm joined the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce in 2015 after identifying that membership represented an excellent opportunity to engage with other business owners and to raise our profile as a truly elite service provider within the Region. Many of our business clients have been involved with the Chamber for several years and have identified several benefits of participation. During the past few years, our lawyers have attended numerous luncheons and speaking engagements with the Chamber also offering our Firm great opportunities to sponsor and play an elevated role at these events. Our junior lawyers and students have also greatly benefitted from the Chamber Young Professional events, which have served as great ice-breakers for our own young professionals to gain experience with the concept of peer networking.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Weir John Weir has practiced business and real estate law in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region for more than 25 years and served as the Managing Director at McCarter Grespan Lawyers since 2011.
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
27
feature
Waterloo Region – A Globally Significant Brain Belt BY TONY LAMANTIA Our community is no stranger to challenges, transformation and growth. In fact, we have demonstrated a willingness to embrace the opportunity to reinvent ourselves using new technologies and brilliant ideas. Inventing the future is what we are all about. Over the years, we have successfully transitioned from a community that relied heavily on traditional manufacturing to a diversified high-tech, advanced manufacturing and financial services hub. Promising young companies such as Thalmic Labs, Clearpath Robotics, Vidyard, Axonify, Encircle, Aeryon Labs and ETAS are changing the landscape alongside larger enterprise stalwarts such as OpenText, BlackBerry and ATS Automation. I believe our region is a globally significant ‘brain belt’. Last Spring, Antoine van Agtmael, a financier and Fred Bakker, a retired journalist, visited Perimeter Institute, the Institute for Quantum Computing and Communitech to discuss their book, The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation. The pair interviewed CEOs in dozens of countries to identify global innovation hotspots and the shared characteristics among these communities. Their research led them to areas where opportunity costs are low, social and economic life is drastically improving, like-minded companies are sharing basic research and there is a strong sense of collaboration between post-secondary institutions, research centres and companies. So what do ‘brain belts’ have in common? They are often home to well-established high-tech firms, advanced manufacturing companies, and offer a thriving start-up community. A number of internationally recognized organizations call our community home, such as Google, Christie Digital, and NetSuite. In addition, the start-up community continues to grow robustly with nearly 2,500 start-ups emerging in the last five years. Brain belts excel at innovation and innovation is a team effort. All players in the ecosystem need to be willing to share ideas, knowledge, research, network and facilities. That is evident in our community through the multiple co-working, shared workspaces, research centres and incubators, such as Communitech, Velocity, the Accelerator Centre, OpenSky, the Gaslight District and Catalyst137, which when completed, will be the largest of its kind. Our strong cluster of post-secondary institutions – University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College – support our growth as a brain belt by attracting the brightest minds and offering the opportunity to conduct meaningful research and co-op work experience. Brain belts are often globally recognized leaders in one (or a few) disciplines. Locally, we are leaders in AutoTech as the home to one of the first autonomous vehicle tracks and the significant research and development happening at the GM Innovation Labs, Toyota Manufacturing and WatCAR, just to name a few. We also have strengths in Quantum Computing, Physics, IoT/ICT/Tech,
28
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
Advanced Manufacturing (including agtech and food processing) and Financial Services. A community’s ability to repurpose and modernize existing infrastructure, such as factories and warehouses, is an example of a brain belt in action. Many of the former factories and warehouses are now home to incubators, research centres and office spaces. There are numerous examples in our community, Communitech (Lang Tannery), the Gaslight District (South Works of Babcock & Wilcox), Open Data Exchange (former police station) and Catalyst137 (warehouse for Uniroyal Goodrich tire plant). Recently the Federal government in their 2017 Budget announced their continued commitment and investment to innovation in Canada with an increase in funding that supports the ongoing development and growth of superclusters, such as the TorontoWaterloo Corridor. Federal, provincial and municipal alignment gives us an incredible opportunity to accelerate our innovation agenda with committed government partners. What does all of this mean for Waterloo Region? I believe Waterloo is a globally significant brain belt. The mobilizing themes of inter-regional collaboration, unique positioning, invention, disruption and our ability to transform and reinvent ourselves are alive and flourishing in our community. Waterloo Region as a brain belt is resonating on the international stage, with a steady flow of traffic from international business, official government trade delegations and key investment intermediaries. As an organization, the team at Waterloo EDC looks forward to leading investment promotion and supporting the work of our partners and stakeholders to showcase our community as the global brain belt that we know it is. Let’s get to work inventing the future together! ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony LaMantia Tony’s career spans more than 25 years of experience in large public sector organizations as well as private sector growth-oriented companies. Previously, Tony worked for the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure. He helped lead the Ministry in both attracting investment to the Province and working with industry and regional stakeholders. His private sector repertoire includes executive-level roles with innovative and entrepreneurial companies in the technology and mining sectors.
Helping Us Make Our Vision Possible A special Thank You to each of these Chamber Sponsors.
CHAMBER CHAIRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CIRCLE
CHAMBER PATRON
12@12 Chamber
Academy TITLE SPONSOR
CHAMBER TRUSTEE
MEDIA PARTNERS advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
29
feature
I Wish I Could Do It All Over Again BY GREG McCAULEY A few years ago, EY celebrated its 150th anniversary of serving clients in Canada, which prompted a time for celebration and reflection on what it has meant to be in business since before Canada even existed as a nation. As I now approach the time to retire from EY, I again pause and reflect on the changes that I have observed during my rewarding career.
acceleration continues today with various modes of delivery and communication. The expectations that now exist for immediate attention and response have elevated the need to have good systems, to have organized teams, and to be “two steps ahead.” The race to catch the 4:30 courier pick-up of years ago has beenreplaced with immediate scanning and emailing.
There is the obvious commentary in respect of change in landscape, evolutions of various industries and the global positioning of Waterloo Region. All are very exciting developments in their own right. My observations however, are in respect of the not so obvious. From my perspective though, they are very striking changes that have evolved during my working years. Four areas come to mind: mentoring, ability to contribute, pace of business and aspirations.
At the time that I graduated from university, the “badge of honour” was being hired by a blue chip company such as IBM, Procter & Gamble or General Motors. The few graduates who joined the family business or who acquired a franchise operation (i.e. wanted to be an entrepreneur), were viewed as not being on the preferred career path. This view was based in part on the premise that one developed their business skills through experience within an organization – being engaged in a great training program at a world class company. Today of course, the badge of honour for university and college graduates is initiating or being part of a business start-up. I marvel at the environment that exists today for young graduates: the incubators, the pools of capital, the mentoring support systems, and the collaborative engagement of people. Despite what is written today, it is my personal belief that the opportunities for graduates who have the drive and determination, the willingness to work hard, to take some risks – are so boundless compared to the scope of opportunities that existed during my early years.
Firstly, I am particularly enthused by a subtle shift in the manner in which people interact in the business community. Early in my career, there was certainly a system for mentoring and counselling within an organization, engaging the senior leaders with junior personnel. This exists in similar forms today. However, the magical intersections that I observe today, of business leaders of all ages engaging across organizations and industry sectors, breaks the subtle “class” distinction that existed years ago. The genuine desire and willingness of senior business people to share their experiences and mentor a broad base of young leaders, to encourage and support their passions, occurs without incident today and yet would have been a rare occurrence early in my career. Prior to the emergence of technology in business, there was little that I could contribute as a young professional, other than a willingness to work hard and a strong commitment and passion for the profession. In today’s environment, university graduates are equipped with savvy skills in the use of technology, data gathering and creative thinking that outstrip the capabilities of many senior business people. The contribution of young professionals today has much greater impact. They have an important seat at the boardroom table. I have observed the introduction and virtual extinction of a revolutionary piece of technology – the fax machine. The speed of business made a quantum leap with the fax machine, and the rapid
30
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
The years pass by quickly, but the memories continue. I vividly recall Dr. Tom Diggory, our 4th year business policy professor at WLU, gazing at us in our final class and exclaiming with excitement: “I wish I could do it all over again”.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Greg McCauley Greg McCauley is a partner of EY Waterloo Region office. His practice is focused on serving entrepreneurs of privately owned businesses. Greg is a proud graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and he currently serves on the board of Waterloo EDC.
take my card
Benjamin Moore
The Power of Education BY JOAN FISK 428 Gage Ave. KITCHENER
1120 Victoria St. N. KITCHENER
583 King St. N. WATERLOO
245 Edinburgh Rd. S. GUELPH
(519) 578-5330
(519) 772-1127
(519) 576-7576
(519) 836-4731
www.heerspaint.com
Benjamin Moore Paint Wallcoverings Blinds & Draperies Décor Accessories In Home Consultations
facebook.com/heerspaint
597 Colby Dr. Unit #6, Waterloo, ON
519-603-9916 info@steadfastgasservices.com / www.steadfastgasservices.com
over err
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
31
member notables
Member Notables Dana Shortt wins Mompreneur Award As noted in our March-April Advocate, Dana Shortt of Dana Shortt Gourmet and Gifts was nominated as one of 22 finalists for the 2017 Mompreneur Award of Excellence sponsored by the Momprenueur Showcase Group and ParentsCanada magazine. Congratulations to Dana for receiving the Grand Prize at a conference in Toronto on March 3-4. Ms. Shortt’s many previous awards include the 2006 Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.
Cowan Insurance Group Recognized for Fifth Consecutive Year Cowan Insurance Group recently received their fifth consecutive award as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies is one of the nation’s leading business awards programs recognizing domestically-owned and managed companies for innovative, worldclass business practices. Applicants are evaluated by an independent judging panel from private companies and academia who examine culture and people, innovation, sustained performance, and strong financial results. Cowan has consistently demonstrated these principles by driving profitable growth through its proven and highly effective business model. They focus on employee innovation, support the growth and development of talent leading to career progression opportunities, uphold a collaborative corporate culture, and maintain strong corporate social responsibility. The winners of Canada’s Best Managed Companies were recognized at a gala in Toronto on April 19, 2017.
Brody Enterprises – A Quarter Century in Painting Conestoga-based Brody Enterprises is celebrating 25 years in the painting industry. Since 1992, they have been involved in thousands of projects ranging from small renovations to large scale construction. In 2017, the company thanks their valued customers and friends who have expressed confidence and loyalty. They look forward to continuing this tradition of quality, integrity and service while moving to the next 25 years.
32
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
member notables
Member Notables Senior Executive Changes at Ernst & Young The Kitchener office of Ernst & Young (EY) has announced a major senior leadership change. Cynthia McIntyre has assumed the role of managing partner. She has been practicing at EY offices across Southwestern Ontario for twenty years, most recently leading the tax practice in Waterloo Region. Current managing partner Greg McCauley will be retiring from the firm after a 34 year career. He has compiled an impressive record of local community service including the boards of directors of Epilepsy London & Area, Bereaved Families of Ontario (London chapter), Waterloo Regional Arts Council, and an appointment in 2015 to the Waterloo Economic Development Corporation. Greg attended Wilfrid Laurier University and St. Jerome’s High School. The Chamber thanks him for many years of support and extends our best wishes for his future endeavours.
Gateman-Milloy Wins Award for Corporate Citizenship Kitchener-based Gateman-Milloy recently received the 2016 Canadian Construction Association Community Leader Award. One of the company’s corporate goals is to be an active member of its local communities at all levels. By providing advice, sponsorship, employment, in-kind donations and volunteering, they are not only succeeding in business but helping others succeed as well. Gateman-Milloy has established an endowed academic grant with Conestoga College for their Civil Engineering Technology or Architecture Construction Engineering Technology programs. Since the program’s inception, it has also benefitted by hiring 10 of the highly-skilled graduates from the program. Other causes the firm is involved with include the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Rare Charitable Research Reserve and Innisfree House.
KW Oktoberfest on list of Must Experience Festivals Renowned travel website Expedia.ca has included the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest on their list of 17 Must-Experience Festivals in Canada for 2017. Events were selected based on factors such as national buzz, local pride, strength of headliners, and wacky sights you simply cannot miss. With Canada’s 150th Anniversary this year, towns and cities are showcasing their biggest festivals yet. The 49th annual KW Oktoberfest is scheduled for October 6-14, 2017. Executive Director Dave MacNeil stated in a media release that “we are really excited that to be included in the recent Expedia.ca Travel Blog providing an open invitation for guests to join Canada’s Greatest Bavarian Festival. “
advocate MAY | JUNE 2017
33
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD.
BUILT TO LEAD. CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD IS A LEADER IN THE LOCAL & GLOBAL REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE, PUTTING THE CLIENT AT THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE WE WE WE
NEGOTIATE. CREATE. REDEFINE. NAVIGATE.
FOR OUR CLIENTS. Michael H. Polzl President, Broker of Record Cushman & Wakefield Waterloo Region Ltd. 4295 King Street East, Suite 101 Kitchener, ON N2P 0C6 +1 519 585 2200 cushwakewr.com
34
WWW.GREATERKWCHAMBER.COM
text
The Power of Education BY JOAN FISK
advocate advocate JANUARY M |F AY EBRUARY | JUNE 2016 2017
35