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Doodling for dollars

Ottawa Commercial Leasing

Graphic recorders are drawing plenty of attention for their skill at bringing business presentations to life > PAGES 8-9

September 14, 2015 Vol. 18, NO. 22

creating the right space for your business merkburn.com 613.224.5464

For daily business news visit obj.ca

Nordic force Fifteen years after emigrating to Canada, Iceland native has built quite a name as a developer. > PAGE 12

Ian Glenn’s firm, ING Robotic Aviation of Orleans, is a leader in the manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Drone business hitting new heights Experts say the sky is the limit for commercial applications in fast-growing industry With region’s tech know-how, observers predict bright future for local companies as unmanned aircraft soar in popularity > PAGES 4-5

Dualling festivals?

Westfest founder hunts for new location while BIA searches for replacement event. > PAGE 14 Canada Post Publications Mail: Agreement No. 41639025

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The Ontario Construction Lien Act is currently undergoing a provincial government review, which is expected to be complete by December.

NEW RULES FOR PAYMENT Construction industry lobbyists are pushing for legislative amendments that will expedite payment down the construction pyramid.

“Late payment and non-payment continue to bog down the construction process and are among the most common reasons for construction-related litigation,” Flewelling says. “Other frequently litigated areas include construction quality, delay claims and bonding.”

He and LMR’s construction law group are keeping a sharp eye on the outcome of the provincial review to understand how it will impact project owners, contractors, trades and suppliers.

“A big part of what I do is help clients with risk management and avoidance.

We want to avoid going to court wherever possible.”

Manage your liability as an officer or director with LMR’s Ryan Flewelling

Legal precedents continue to expand scope of personal liability

I

LESSONS FOR DIRECTORS “The Baker decision underscores the need for directors to have comprehensive insurance coverage that extends to environmental remediation costs,” says lawyer Ryan Flewelling, who notes that such coverage is rare and, when available, can be prohibitively expensive. “On an even more fundamental level, they should think twice about joining the board of a

He can help any company officer or director in hot water under the many federal and provincial statutes that can impose personal liability for any wrongdoing by their company.

RISK & AVOIDANCE But Flewelling emphasizes that the best defence takes place outside the courtroom.

“A big part of what I do is help clients with risk management and avoidance,” he says.

“We want to avoid going to court wherever possible.”

The law is always changing, and it’s a lawyer’s job to keep abreast and ensure clients are in the best position to avoid court proceedings.

Take, for example, another of Flewelling’s practice areas, construction law.

“When creditors and regulators are left with outstanding debts or unpaid fines and orders, they often look to directors and officers to pay when the corporation cannot,” Flewelling says. “There are numerous federal and provincial laws that impose personal liability on directors and officers, such as the Income Tax Act and Employments Standards Act.” For example, in the Baker case, several directors were ordered to pay $800,000 each pursuant to the Ontario Environmental Protection Act to remediate environmental contamination caused by their bankrupt aerospace company.

“If you find yourself in any situation of personal liability, you need a good litigation team to help manage your risks and protect your interests should the matter go to court,” Flewelling added.

For more information, please contact Ryan Flewelling at 613-236-9442 or RFlewelling@lmrlawyers.com

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In Baker v. Ministry of the Environment, the Ontario Divisional Court set a disconcerting precedent – former directors can be held liable even if they were not directors or officers of a company at the time that the offending events occurred.

While there has been debate in legal circles about the correctness of this decision, the former directors eventually settled with the authorities rather than embark on a costly and uncertain appeal.

The Baker case, which involved millions of dollars in remediation costs for a contaminated industrial site, should serve as a wakeup call for anyone serving, or planning to serve, on a board of directors.

Flewelling serves as litigation counsel with local law firm Low Murchison Radnoff LLP, where he focuses on commercial litigation, estate litigation, employment law, bankruptcy/insolvency issues and tax disputes.

ARE YOU IN THE HOT SEAT?

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

n the fall of 2013, a group of former directors and officers of Northstar Aerospace (Canada) Inc. discovered the hard way just how much personal liability individuals in their shoes can have for a company’s wrongdoing.

company with potential environmental issues.”

When payment issues lead to bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, directors and officers can once again find themselves personally liable.

TECHNOLOGY

Ian Glenn, CEO of Orleans-based drone manufacturer ING Robotic Aviation, says the unmanned aerial vehicle industry is poised for “exponential growth.” PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Drone industry gaining altitude Remote-controlled planes and helicopters are becoming big business, and experts say Ottawa innovators can play a key role in expanding their commercial roles

BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

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hen Ian Glenn was in charge of the Canadian army’s unmanned aerial vehicle program nearly two decades ago, drones were strictly the domain of the military.

Remote-controlled planes and helicopters were used for surveillance purposes or to drop bombs in areas considered too dangerous or inaccessible for regular fighter jets.

But as with a host of other advanced technologies, it was only a matter of time before businesses began to realize pilotless aircraft had money-making potential as well.

Mr. Glenn, the CEO of Orleansbased drone manufacturer ING Robotic Aviation, says UAVs have moved from the realm of science fiction to the mainstream. And he believes Ottawa can play a key role in keeping Canada at the forefront of the emerging drone industry.

“There’s lots of opportunity,” says Mr. Glenn, who also founded Unmanned Systems Canada, a national not-for-

profit industry group.

“Anyone who’s doing market assessments of the sector will tell you this market is … (on a path of) exponential growth. With the talent base that we have here, the resources we have available to us and the level of innovation that we’re able to achieve, there is no reason why Canada – and Ottawa in particular – cannot be a leader in this.”

From helicopters as small as your hand to planes as large as a Boeing 737, drones are gaining a devoted following among commercial users and hobbyists alike.

Maker Space North hosted its first event devoted to UAVs, Ottawa Drone Fest 2015, late last month. The one-day gathering offered races and flying lessons and attracted about 450 participants, including plenty of kids.

The turnout “shocked” head organizer Justin Tessier, who was expecting closer to 150 people. Mr. Tessier, who runs a small manufacturing company out of the maker space, says the event was designed to show the public that drones aren’t “shady and

shifty” and have moved far beyond their initial military purpose.

“Any time there’s a new technology, there’s always that sort of thing,” he says.

“It’s not like they’re breaking ground or anything. It’s a (remote-controlled) plane – they’ve been around since the ’70s. Yet as soon as you give it a sinister name … you create this new category for it, when in actuality it’s a natural progression from what we’ve all seen growing up.”

As drones become safer, cheaper and more accurate, their commercial applications will only continue to grow, advocates argue.

Clients around the world use ING Robotic’s vehicles to hover close to infrastructure such as power lines, flare stacks, windmills and pipelines to perform inspections that previously would have required workers to climb on equipment.

The east-end firm, which employs about 20 people, also works with governments, the military and law enforcement agencies on tasks from tracking illegal drugs to surveying wildlife. The vehicles’ ability to fly close

to the earth makes them valuable 3D mapping tools as well.

But it was online retail giant Amazon’s announcement that it was testing UAVs for door-to-door deliveries that really opened the public’s eyes to their commercial potential, Mr. Glenn says.

“People went, ‘Hey, wait. It’s not all about spy drones and killer drones.’”

Currently, drones are almost always controlled by operators who remain within sight of the crafts. Mr. Tessier calls automated UAVs that can swoop across the sky carrying packages, taking photographs or inspecting crops the “Holy Grail” of drone technology.

“The big push is automation,” he says. “That’s the direction everything seems to be going in.”

However, the image of an airspace teaming with unmanned planes and helicopters has the potential to generate backlash among citizens and lawmakers, some observers say.

“For all the love that’s being shown for drones, I think there’s also going to be sort of the counterpunch as well, where people will be wondering do they have a place and what are the limits,” says

Michael Mulvey, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management.

The marketing expert says a drone boom could spark questions about the aircraft’s safety as well as fears that UAVs will be used to invade privacy – for example, an unscrupulous company hovering a camera-equipped helicopter over a competitor’s plant in an attempt at corporate espionage.

“I think it’s a very legitimate concern,” he adds. “The dilemma there is that often this sort of nefarious use of these technologies are one step ahead of the legislation. Perhaps the best business opportunity is to become a lawyer with expertise in this area. It’s going to be busy for a while.”

Canada is a leader in small-scale commercial drone use because it already has a well-developed system of rules to govern UAVs, says Diana Cooper, who heads the unmanned aerial systems and robotics practice group at local law firm LaBarge Weinstein LLP. Ms. Cooper says those rules, combined with current privacy laws, make for a relatively robust regulatory framework.

“I would say we have a pretty good system in place compared to a lot of other countries,” she says. “The fact that

Canada has a fairly mature industry is encouraging. I’m hopeful that … we’re going to see the industry continue to grow.”

Transport Canada announced in May it was developing new regulations for UAVs, including new flight rules and minimum age limits.

Currently, recreational users of drones that weigh less than 35 kilograms don’t need permission to fly but must stay away from certain areas such as airports and busy streets.

Commercial operators of UAVs weighing 25 kilograms or more require a Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada and have to follow certain conditions. Each certificate is negotiated on a case-by-case basis and must be renewed after a set period of time.

But critics say the current regulations stunt drones’ commercial growth potential by requiring pilots to be able to see the devices at all times or be in contact with someone who can.

Only a couple of exemptions were granted last year, Ms. Cooper says. But line-of-sight rules will loosen up in the near future as drones gain in popularity and sophistication, she predicts.

Still, the changes can’t come soon enough for Mr. Glenn, who says other

“With the talent base that we have here, the resources we have available to us and the level of innovation that we’re able to achieve, there is no reason why Canada – and Ottawa in particular – cannot be a leader in this.”

– IAN GLENN, CEO OF ING ROBOTIC AVIATION

nations such as the United States are quickly moving to adapt their regulations to a wider range of commercial purposes.

“Canada is absolutely losing its leadership role,” he says. “Beyond-visual line of sight is the next thing that Canada needs to lead on.”

When it does, the capital region should be well-positioned to surge to the forefront of UAV technology, local observers say.

“I think Ottawa has massive potential in this area,” Mr. Mulvey says. “Ottawa has a rich history of network technology and Wi-Fi technology and those scientists and engineers, they still live here.”

Ottawa native Alex Mitchell, a PhD student at the Queen’s School of Business who has studied the UAV phenomenon,

says hubs such as Maker Space North and the innovation centre slated to open at Bayview Yards in 2016 are the perfect breeding ground for breakthroughs in fast-evolving fields such as drone innovation.

“Initiatives like that I think are great,” he says. “I think that brings the right kind of people together that have these skill sets. That’s where you get this grassroots commercial activity coming from.”

Mr. Glenn agrees, saying the innovation centre will only add to the city’s already strong foundation in the industry.

“That’s exactly the kind of thing that I see as being useful to me as a manufacturer,” he says. “Drones take all different kinds of technologies to make work.”

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

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Great ideas are born at Calabogie Peaks Resort Retreats in a balanced, beautiful environment exceed objectives of the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada, Nolan also appreciates that Calabogie has made an impressive commitment to health and safety programs. “Not only are the staff well-trained, they have a thorough emergency response program in place and have invested in defibrillators for the resort,” he notes. “I would say Calabogie Peaks is a leading business in this regard and it serves as a great example of their customer-focused approach.”

He describes the resort as being extraordinarily flexible and accommodating. “I’ve had barbeque dinners that had to be moved indoors at the last moment because of rain, and they cheerfully made the change. I’ve had groups with members unable to participate in hiking up the mountain, so they took them up by chairlift. I’ve had receptions on the beach and not only did Calabogie provide exceptional food and drink, they also made canoes available to enhance the experience. In a nutshell, they are very hospitable and want you to take advantage of all they have to offer.”

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

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hief Michael Nolan, head of the county of Renfrew Paramedic Service, is a big fan of Calabogie Peaks Resort. He’s hosted a number of events at Calabogie, on behalf of the County of Renfrew as well as the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus. He says his reasons for returning to Calabogie time and again are simple. “It’s a unique place to host a meeting or conference as it has so much to offer in terms of a balanced experience.”

“Not only are there excellent meeting facilities offering all the latest technology and high speed internet, but you also have access to the most beautiful, natural environment. That’s where the balance comes in. Regardless of the season, there are a multitude of recreational

opportunities, whether you want to canoe on Calabogie Lake, hike up the mountain, explore the golf course or go skiing or snowshoeing. It’s just so easy to structure a productive event that leaves participants feeling great because they’ve also been healthy and active while achieving business objectives.”

Nolan notes that when you bring a team to Calabogie, they become a captive audience. “Everything is on site and there’s enough variety to keep the entire group engaged. They aren’t trying to run to the bank or skip out on events; people are immersed in a business and recreational oasis. Because there are few distractions, you can get the most out of your group.”

As the Director of Emergency Services for Renfrew County and the former president

When it comes to the food, the emphasis on hospitality is equally evident. “They’re very accommodating of all diets; whether you’re gluten free, vegan, or a meat lover, they do it all very well,” says Nolan. “They can put together anything from a classic Canadian menu or a creative international menu. The same excellent service applies and they’re always very flexible regarding timing so if you need to shift your agenda, the request is met with a smile.”

He notes that every staff member he has interacted with at Calabogie sees themselves as an advocate of the organization. “They are very engaged, truly understand about delivering great customer service and are remarkably unflappable. I think part of the reason everyone is so willing to always go above and beyond is because Paul and Liz Murphy, the owners, lead by example.

They provide a refreshing personal touch that you don’t often find elsewhere. On top of that, Calabogie is unequalled in terms of the value for money they provide, especially given the richness of the experience.”

“Just last week, someone mentioned to me that when they’ve been to a meeting at Calabogie it feels the best ‘work holiday’ ever. To have people walk away having met their objectives and feeling a personal sense of renewal – that’s the greatest measure of success to me as an event organizer. To achieve more than you set out to do is wonderful. Calabogie epitomizes the best of work-life balance.”

When Nolan brings a group to Calabogie, he usually make arrangements so participants can book an additional night or two at a preferred rate. “As people fall in love with the place, they are simply not in a rush to leave at the end of the conference or retreat,” he explains.

“Calabogie is unequalled in terms of the value for money they provide, especially given the richness of the experience.” ~ Michael Nolan Nolan’s advice to anyone considering hosting an event at Calabogie is straightforward. “Don’t look any further.

From the people to the place, you’re not going to find a better environment to rejuvenate a team and maximize the potential of your organization. You’ll find your participants will be talking about their time there for years afterwards – I can say from experience that many will call it a highlight of their business career.

Great ideas are born at Calabogie; people come together in ways unlike they’ve ever experienced before.”

To book your next corporate event at Calabogie Peaks Resort, please visit www. calabogie.com or call 1.800.669.4861.

EVENTS

“There are no working hours for leaders.”— James Cardinal Gibbons

BOBs back in business for 2015 edition Nominees sought as prestigious annual business awards get set to honour region’s top performers CEOs of the Year 2014: Tobias Lütke, Shopify 2013: Paul Loucks, Halogen Software 2012: Louise Wendling, Costco Canada 2011: Jean Laurin, Schinnerer Group 2010: Don Smith, Mitel 2009: Karen Kinsley, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 2008: Roy Mlakar, Ottawa Senators 2007: David Dobson, Corel Corporation 2006: Kevin Dee, Eagle Professional 2005: Peter Strom, March Networks 2004: Roger Greenberg, Minto 2003: Richard L’Abbe, Med-Eng 2002: Ron Zambonini, Cognos 2001: George Cwynar, Mosaid 2000: Rod Bryden, WorldHeart and Senators

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ttawa’s biggest annual business awards show is once again looking to honour the best and brightest companies in the region.

The Best Ottawa Business Awards are now accepting nominations for the 2015 edition of the event in two broad categories – best overall company and best new company. A total of five companies will be recognized in each category.

Eligible firms must be commercial enterprises or Crown corporations located in the National Capital Region. Past winners include such heavyweights as Shopify, Halogen, Kinaxis, Farm Boy and Gabriel Pizza.

Nominations are also sought for local companies that have demonstrated exceptional performance in various specific categories, including exports, HR, marketing, sales, corporate philanthropy and sustainability.

In addition, there are four other major award categories.

Two outstanding local businesspeople will be honoured with the coveted CEO

Minto’s Roger Greenberg was honoured with the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. FILE PHOTO

of the Year award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. Other awards will be presented for Newsmaker of the Year and Deals of the Year.

This year’s ceremony takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at the Shaw Centre.

The deadline for nominations is Monday, Oct. 5.

For tickets and more information on how to nominate a company, go to bestottawabusiness.ca.

– OBJ staff

Creating value

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Bank Street BIA; City of Ottawa; Colin & Nicole McKinnon; Costco Wholesale; Dixon family; Donald J. Byrne; Eddie O’Brien; Essiac Canada Int’l Inc; Frank & Susan Young; Frisby Tire; The Glebe BIA; Irish Seniors; Hulse, Playfair & McGarry; McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home; Michael McLaughlin; Moriarty Property Maintenance; Charles E. Noonan & Old Stone Bridge Securities; Ottawa Therapy Dogs; Peter Rock; Robert E. McElligott; Scott Bell; Vice & Hunter LLP

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Ottawa Police Services, Ottawa Fire Services, the Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa and Labourers’ International Union of North America, Local 527; LiUNA Local 527

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

Collins Barrow Ottawa is fluent in value creation. Now proudly serving the National Capital Region in both official languages, our two locations are helping businesses achieve prosperity with expert audit, tax and advisory solutions.

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2015-02-05 11:26 AM

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Arnprior native Kara Stonehouse has built a successful part-time business as a graphic recorder, taking notes at presentations using images and words. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

The art of drawing conclusions Local consultants are turning their doodling skills into dollars as practitioners in the expanding field of graphic recording

BY DAVID SALI david@obj.ca

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

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ara Stonehouse was a graduate student in Sweden a few years ago when she was introduced to an idea that changed the course of her career.

She didn’t exactly see the writing on the wall – more like the drawing on the board.

A woman came in to help her and her fellow master’s candidates flesh out their thesis ideas in an unusual way: she sketched their thoughts and concepts, cartoon-style.

“I was blown away,” Ms. Stonehouse says. “I was like, ‘This is a job? You get paid for this?’”

Today, the Arnprior native is one of a growing number of professionals known as graphic recorders who are hired to draw doodles and diagrams as a way

of illustrating complicated concepts in business presentations.

Proponents say this new brand of visual note-taking helps generate ideas, fosters collaboration and captures the attention of employees who would otherwise be apt to play with their smartphones in the middle of meetings.

“You can definitely see the trend where the value in business is about being creative,” says Ms. Stonehouse, who runs a part-time business called Aha! Graphic Facilitation. “We’re not just doing desk jobs that are very straightforward and linear anymore.

We’re tackling more creative problems, more systems thinking in our work.

Bringing that creative thinking to work and using those processes, it makes work more fun for people and engages them.”

In her four years on the job, she’s worked with dozens of non-profit groups, government agencies and private

companies to bring their presentations to life with images.

Graphic recorders, she stresses, don’t need to be highly trained artists – simplicity is golden.

For example, a discussion about water conservation might feature a smiley face and a hand holding a glass of water next to it, with a river running in the background. Ms. Stonehouse will often draw caricatures of speakers with a sentence or two in thought bubbles above them.

“I’m a visual thinker, it’s how I think,” she says. “Sometimes a certain image will just sort of pop into my head about, ‘Oh, that would really explain that really well,’ so then I’ll put that beside it. But you want to use the words and images together to make strong linkages.”

She listens carefully during presentations, searching for themes and thought patterns that can be expressed

in a straightforward visual way.

“You don’t always get the ‘aha,’” she concedes. “It doesn’t always totally come together, but if you set up well what the purpose is and then design the meeting to meet that purpose, you should usually get there.”

When that happens, visual notetaking is a powerful tool that helps employees process information more quickly and retain more knowledge than those who simply sit and stare at a presenter, says Jennifer Shepherd, a graphic recorder and the owner of local consulting firm Living Tapestries.

A professional facilitator with a master’s degree in human systems intervention, Ms. Shepherd still recalls getting a full dose of the power of visual notes at a presentation almost a decade ago.

Although the specific details of the drawing she saw have been lost to time,

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Thought bubbles abound in many of Kara Stonehouse’s drawings. COURTESY KARA STONEHOUSE

“Sometimes a certain image will just sort of pop into my head about, ‘Oh, that would really explain that really well,’ so then I’ll put that beside it. But you want to use the words and images together to make strong linkages.”

– GRAPHIC RECORDER KARA STONEHOUSE

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Centrepointe Childcare Services, is a believer.

He hired Ms. Stonehouse for a retreat of the centre’s board of directors and says her drawings not only helped create a spirit of collaboration, they also served as a vivid reminder of the concepts that were discussed for months afterward.

“It was really to bring strategic planning to life,” he says. “It becomes a different way of communicating and making people see things.”

Ms. Stonehouse, whose other job is as organizational director of Rockland’s Tucker House, has hired a couple of parttime assistants and hopes to find two more at an upcoming graphic recording workshop in October. She plans to branch out and attract more high-tech clients in the near future, adding she expects demand for her services to keep rising.

“It’s definitely growing,” she says.

Ms. Shepherd, who sometimes works together with Ms. Stonehouse, agrees the field of graphic recording is gaining more and more respect.

“When people first see this work, sometimes they see it as an opportunity to entertain or they see it as a novel way to engage participants in their session,” she says. “I think there’s been a shifting from that novelty to looking at how it can more deeply serve a business’s strategic objective.”

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

the message behind it remains as clear in her mind as ever.

“I can remember, years later, what the name of the keynote speaker was, what the topic was that they were exploring and what was really meaningful, just by recalling the image in my own mind of what this other graphic recorder had captured,” she says. “You have an opportunity to see the ideas reflected back to you and you’re using more of your senses.”

And a growing number of companies aren’t just leaving the drawing to the professionals. A 2009 study in the Applied Cognitive Psychology journal found that people who doodled during meetings actually remembered more of the information that was presented than those who didn’t, which some experts attribute partly to the fact that drawing seems to use just enough of the brain to keep participants from daydreaming.

To that end, Ms. Shepherd says she’ll often hand markers to the audience to let them try it for themselves, regardless of whether they have any artistic talent.

“Whenever we’re trying to understand something more deeply, it helps to get ideas out of our heads in a way that we can see them,” she says. “Somewhere along in their lives, they’ve denied themselves that capacity. If you can write the alphabet, you can draw.”

Robert Chan, a board member at

COMMENTARY The book(s) on startups

Great River Media 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 500 Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 6K7 obj.ca

Klipfolio founder Allan Wille has the rundown on what Ottawa’s entrepreneurs need to read to get ahead

EDITOR, ONLINE CONTENT Tom Pechloff, 238-1818 ext. 291 editor@obj.ca

PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 publisher@obj.ca SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES Don Mersereau, 238-1818 ext. 286 CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 david@greatriver.ca

COPY EDITOR Krystle Kung CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@obj.ca ART DEPARTMENT Jamie Dean, 238-1818 ext. 278 jamie@greatriver.ca

Y

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

ears ago, when I was in my early 20s and the company I was with was just getting off the ground, I decided I should read Robert’s Rules of Order. I figured the information in the book would be useful for running board meetings.

Robert’s Rules of Order was first published in 1876, and though it remains a standard guide on how to run meetings and deliberative bodies, I found it so boring I swore I’d never read another business book again.

Luckily, my outlook changed over time. As we worked to get Klipfolio off the ground, I found myself turning to books on business in my search for ideas, inspiration or simply reassurance.

Since then, I have found several books to be tremendously helpful.

Over the last few months, I have often referenced these books in passing. I thought it would be useful to list some of them, in case anyone is interested in a little reading while the last hints of summer are still here.

This list is in no particular order; what these books have in common is that they’ve helped me understand the business world. I think they’d be valuable to just about anyone working with a startup.

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Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers, by Geoffrey Moore (Harper Business, 1991; revised edition, 2014) This book is probably the grandfather of all books that deal with how to sell new or cutting-edge products to large markets.

Mr. Moore basically argues that the market – the people to whom you are trying to sell – is divided into several cohorts, ranging from early adopters to skeptics.

The “chasm” is the gap between the early adopters and the mass market.

What I learned from this book – and

Regan VanDusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 regan@obj.ca ADVERTISING SALES Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 wbaily@obj.ca Alison Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 alison@obj.ca Susan Salsbury, 238-1818 ext. 229 ssalsbury@obj.ca

have seen first-hand – is that early success when you launch a product may not be an indication of your future ability to sell to a mass market.

The people you sell to at the start are those who thrive on being on the cutting edge. The mass market has other considerations and you need to understand them if you are going to “cross the chasm” and sell to them.

Who Moved My Cheese? An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, by Spencer Johnson (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1998) This is a short, fun book published in the late 1990s about how to deal with change. My big takeaway from this book is that you not only have to adapt to change, you have to expect change to happen. It’s an easy read – you can get through it in a day or two.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t, by Jim Collins (Harper Business, 2001) Jim Collins looks at what it took for some companies to make the transition to greatness and examines why some others failed at the task. Until I read this book, I never imagined I could run a company; I figured I didn’t have the right personality. The big lesson for me from this book is that you don’t have to be a pushy, extroverted “rock star” to be a successful CEO. What’s interesting here is that Mr. Collins took a very research-based approach as opposed to just relying on first-hand accounts of

running a business. Know that and you’ll get the most out of this book.

MARKETING & SALES CO-ORDINATOR Cristha Sinden, 238-1818 ext. 222 cristha@greatriver.ca

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,

by Chris Hadfield (Random House Canada, 2013) This is the story of astronaut Chris Hadfield’s life. What really resonated with me was his advice about planning for success: he talks at length about the importance of setting goals, working through problems and just getting things done. He describes people’s contributions in life and in business as being a “minus one” – harmful; “zero” – neutral; or “plus one” – adding value.

The book is simple, aspirational, and well worth the time.

A few other works are also worth mentioning, such as Peter Thiel’s Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future (Crown Business, 2014) or the musings that come from the guys at 37signals. They make you think.

Another book that is on my list and which seems to be reaching a fever pitch with readers is The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz (Harper Business, 2014). I’m looking forward to reading that one, but I have to finish the heavy book I’m getting through now first!

INSIDE SALES SUPPORT Marc Nordemann-Keller, 238-1818 ext.259 marc@obj.ca

Allan Wille is a co-founder of Klipfolio and its president and CEO. He’s also a designer, a cyclist, a father and a resolute optimist.

CAREER ADVERTISING & MARKETPLACE ADVERTISING SALES 238-1818 ext. 251 VICE-PRESIDENT OF OTTAWA BUSINESS EVENTS Susan Blain, 238-1818 ext. 232 susan@ottawabusinessevents.ca FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 jackie@greatriver.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS/DISTRIBUTION 238-1818 ext. 248 subscribe@obj.ca PRINTED BY Transcontinental Qualimax 130 Adrien-Robert, Parc Industriel Richelieu Gatineau, QC J8Y 3S2

Ottawa Business Journal is published by

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2015.

Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement.

A guaranteed minimum of 14,000 copies per week are printed and distributed.

READER COMMENTS Readers revved up about Uber debate

any special protection for Ottawa taxi driver jobs any more than there is for auto worker jobs or water-milling jobs that disappeared a hundred years ago?

– Ron Holdway

Re: “Taxi industry spinning its wheels” (Aug. 3) Umar Ruhi says it nicely. Hopefully his status as an expert will carry some weight with the city council and our mayor, who until recently had their heads in the sand and have been the biggest part of the problem. Their hope that maybe Uber would just go away was so typical. Their concern was focused on protecting the status quo, including a ridiculous plating system that allowed non-participating investors to capture a share of taxi revenue while making no contribution to its operation. Their least concern was the quality of service experienced by taxi customers. That was also the case for taxi drivers and operators. This was only possible because the customers had no leverage, at least before Uber showed up. To regular taxi users, the drivers are getting exactly what they deserve. The drivers need to be reminded that we live in a capitalist society that functions on Darwinian principles. If you don’t compete, you lose. Why should there be

I like the technology that Uber presents and I believe it is a part of their competitive advantage. However, the Uber economy simply does not adhere to taxation such as HST and income tax or other regulations. These are government-mandated issues that apply to the taxi industry and it is government that has not been prepared to respond to the sharing economic model. The competitive advantage that Uber has is that its drivers can essentially run an underground economy and nobody really has the capacity to enforce regulations or taxation on Uber drivers and consumers. The sharing economy washes its hands clean of these issues and government is not responding. This article is correct in that the end result will be a hybrid of both models. The taxi industry is also too slow to innovate and its structure is outdated. But the core issue here is governments’ inability to enforce collection of HST and income tax and enforce regulations, giving Uber drivers an unfair competitive advantage.

– David

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CONSTRUCTION Immigrant builds strong foundation for success Iceland native Volundur Thorbjornsson has made a home – and name – for himself as a leading property developer in eastern Ontario

BY PAUL PARK Special to OBJ

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

M

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12

ore than a decade after leaving Iceland to come to Canada, Volundur Thorbjornsson is constructing quite a legacy in eastern Ontario.

Mr. Thorbjornsson – known as “Wally” to many of his Canadian friends who find his real name difficult to pronounce – left his home in Húsavík, a small town on the Nordic island nation’s northern coast, in 2001.

Since then, he has made his name by building residential housing and erecting industrial parks in Carleton Place, Almonte, Perth, Ottawa and Ogdensburg, N.Y. He continues to scout new territory and is developing new sites that should be open in the next year or so.

One such development is a proposed industrial park at the “Postyard,” a piece of property just off Highway 15 in Carleton Place.

The 11-acre lot should be ready by next spring. The site is currently being graded, with construction to follow shortly.

“It’s cheaper if you start with the bedrock,” explains Mr. Thorbjornsson, who began by building townhouses in the area in 2004.

Home construction soon became a binational venture for him. For several years after arriving in Canada, he designed prefab houses that he shipped back to Iceland. Workers there were able to put them together easily and they sold quickly in the burgeoning Icelandic real estate market. When the worldwide financial crisis hit the island hard in 2008, leading to the institution of capital controls, Mr. Thorbjornsson decided it was time to exit the market and focus on North America.

He is currently working to erect a 202-unit development in the Jackson Ridge district of Carleton Place, a plan that calls for 12 to 16 apartments in each building. The stacked townhouses will feature such amenities as bike storage spaces, a fitness centre, guest rooms and a park.

Mr. Thorbjornsson plans to rent the units for the first two or three years, selling off a few each year. His partner in the venture is Thomas Cavanagh Construction, a well-known firm in the area.

“You need deep pockets for something like that,” he jokes, explaining why he brought another company into the mix.

He prefers to work with his clients to see how they want to develop their properties. His commercial units typically rent on five-year leases.

“I’m an easy-going landlord,” Mr. Thorbjornsson says.

His work has not gone unnoticed. In 2013, he was named Business Person of the Year in Carleton Place for his work in revitalizing the downtown sector of the city.

“I believe in giving back to the community that has given to you,” he explains.

Volundur Thorbjornsson is an investor in startups as well as a builder. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON He sees a bright future for his adopted hometown. Carleton Place’s population has remained fairly stable at around 10,000, but new businesses and residences are popping up everywhere.

Mr. Thorbjornsson attributes the boom to the expansion of Highway 7 from two – CARLETON PLACE DEVELOPER VOLUNDUR THORBJORNSSON lanes to four in 2006.

The local chamber of commerce is hoping the Department of National company is in its embryonic stages but one of his industrial parks. His office Defence’s pending takeover of the former hopes to make a leap forward when the is on the second floor of a walk-up Nortel site in Kanata next year will owners appear on CBC’s Dragons’ Den building, where one wall is covered spur more families to consider living in this fall. with inspirational business mottoes in Carleton Place. Mr. Thorbjornsson also Plans call for the devices to be English and Icelandic such as, “When thinks DND’s move west will give the manufactured at a plant in Renfrew. Preopportunity knocks, most people community a boost and speaks highly orders from the website mean the firm’s complain about the noise.” of civic officials who, while protecting first six months’ worth of production has He and his wife Daja Kjartansdóttir, environmental and other considerations, already been sold. who also works at the company, are eager to assist developers in Among Mr. Thorbjornsson’s future live outside of Perth with their four improving the region. projects are a 282-unit residential children on riverfront property. Mr. Meanwhile, the homebuilder not development that he hopes to have Thorbjornsson stresses the importance only promotes his own business, on the market by 2017 and another of his children’s education, given his but also helps others get started. Mr. industrial park on six acres of land he experience as a high school dropout Thorbjornsson is an investor in Mehoe has purchased. who began working on fishing boats in Enterprise, a startup that has designed a All of this makes him an active Iceland at 15. fire-extinguishing system called Haven employer in the region. Because the A thousand years ago, explorers from that uses dry powder rather than water work may be seasonal or of limited Iceland arrived in Canada, settled here to douse flames. duration, his payroll varies from 15 to 47 briefly and then left.

CEO Matthew Perry was originally a workers, depending on the time of year.

But Volundur Thorbjornsson is one firefighter, while COO Michael McManus Mr. Thorbjornsson oversees this mini- Icelander who has stayed and left his worked in the construction industry. The empire from a nondescript building in mark on his adopted community.

“I believe in giving back to the community that has given to you.”

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Getting your workplace investigations right with Emond Harnden 10 common mistakes to avoid

A

s an employer, whether you’re subject to federal or provincial labour regulations, you are obligated to investigate incidents or complaints of workplace harassment, violence and safety or health issues.

With that in mind, you may be wondering just what a proper investigation entails.

It’s an important question because, as several recent court decisions show, poor investigations can be costly.

A former Wal-Mart employee in Ontario, for example, was awarded more than $400,000 and 20 weeks salary when a jury determined not only that she had been harassed and abused on the job but also that Wal-Mart’s investigation wrongfully concluded her complaints were unfounded.

The experts at Ottawa law firm Emond Harnden have identified 10 common mistakes in workplace investigations to help employers protect themselves and ensure their employees are treated fairly: 1. Failing to Conduct an Investigation Promptly All complaints must be treated seriously and acted upon in a timely manner.

Employers can be held liable for delays and evidence can be lost or forgotten if too much time has passed.

3. Choosing the wrong investigators It may be appropriate to engage an investigator from within your company.

He or she will have the advantage of understanding the workplace culture and any systemic problems within it. Bringing

4. Failing to Follow Your Own Policies and Procedures Courts and other bodies will scrutinize your company’s policies. The employer must ensure workers and investigators understand those policies as well as making sure any investigative procedures spelled out in company policy are followed.

5. Conducting a Biased Investigation Neutrality is key. The investigator must have no connections to any of the parties and always be objective. The employer must define the mandate and direction of the investigation.

6. Failing to Gather All Relevant Information All relevant witnesses must be interviewed

and their statements put in written form.

Encourage them to keep events in chronological order.

7. Ignoring Confidentiality and Privacy Consider all documentation and information confidential material except where the investigation calls for disclosure.

Be certain that all parties understand the sensitivity of the situation and respect confidentiality.

8. Failing to Properly Document Investigations and Findings Proper documentation is essential to ensure accurate evidence. Take notes to document witness and party interviews.

Those interviewed should also review the notes and sign off on them. Keep a neat record of statements, notes and all other relevant materials.

9. Retaliating Against the Complainant or Others The employer is responsible for ensuring there is no retaliation against complainants

or anyone else co-operating with the investigation.

10. Failing to Advise of the Outcome/ Take Remedial Steps Once the investigation is concluded, the employer must inform both the complainant and respondent in writing and whether or not the allegations have been substantiated. In either case, employees must be warned against retaliation and informed of the implications of it. When complaints have been substantiated, the complainant should be assured steps have been taken to prevent future issues and reminded that they should report any instances of retaliation.

For more information, visit Emond Harnden at www.ehlaw.ca.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

2. Disregarding Procedural Fairness You need to ensure the investigation is fair to both sides and the findings unbiased.

All parties involved must be aware of the case, all relevant evidence, and given every opportunity to defend themselves.

someone in from the outside will eliminate any appearance of bias or conflict of interest and may bring a fresh perspective.

Whoever you choose, they should have relevant skills and experience.

13 OBJ.CA

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Show will still go on despite end to BIA’s Westfest grant, group insists Organization’s board to issue RFP for ‘comparable summer festival’ in 2016, chair says

BY TOM PECHLOFF tom@obj.ca

T

he Westboro Village Business Improvement Association’s decision to opt out of its title sponsorship deal with Westfest does not mean there will be no summer festival in the neighbourhood in 2016, BIA board chair Dan Hwang told OBJ recently.

“We’re not eliminating the festival,” he said. “We just want to see what else is out there. We feel we are simply doing our due diligence in determining what our next course of action for a summer festival will be in Westboro.”

The board plans to issue a request for proposal later this month for a “comparable summer festival,” it said in a three-page statement released on Sept.

4, adding the decision was made after a process that included a three-year survey of BIA members.

The survey indicated some members thought there was room for improvement in the $500,000 festival, but Mr. Hwang would not get into specifics.

In a recent Kitchissippi Times story, many BIA members expressed frustration with the board over the decision. One told OBJ it’s clear the board doesn’t fully represent its members.

Mr. Hwang said there are “about eight” board members now and “about two” vacancies. He said the board includes a few retail representatives, a few from the health-care field and some property managers.

Mr. Hwang, a dentist, said the board wants to see adequate representation from all sectors and hopes the vacancies

get filled at the BIA’s next annual meeting in November.

In spite of the support Westfest has received from some BIA members, the issue essentially came down to money, Mr. Hwang said. In 2015, the title sponsorship value was cut from $150,000 to $125,000, but even that was more than the BIA could afford, he said. That amount made up 65 per cent of the BIA’s annual marketing budget.

Mr. Hwang stressed the BIA is a big fan of Westfest and said he is encouraging founder Elaina Martin to submit a proposal, adding Ms. Martin and her group Westfest Inc. would be a leading candidate.

Ms. Martin has already said she has no plans to submit a proposal and has started looking for a new location for her event.

Elaina Martin. PHOTO BY ANDREA TOMKINS

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14 OBJ.CA

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Courtesy. Communication. Respect.

Brook Restoration puts customer service first

G

etting your property restoration done right and done safely is important. But so too is working with a contractor you can trust to leave a positive impression on your residents.

Think about it this way. If your home needed repair, what level of professional conduct and behaviour would you expect of any worker you let through the door?

In addition to training its people above industry safety standards through its own certified school, Brook makes every effort to ensure its employees make a good impression on the job site.

“The personal safety and comfort of residents matters to us,” said Gary

It’s an approach that starts with the simple things, like no catcalling or swearing, wearing proper gear and company colours that are in good repair, and showing respect. That respect extends to each other and how foremen manage their teams, as well as to a client’s staff and residents.

The other side of this equation is communication.

“Part of making the grade to be a foreman or supervisor at Brook is having the interpersonal skills and sensibilities to present a proper image for the company and ensure everyone feels comfortable, no matter the situation,” Roodman said.

Making the grade with Apollo

Open communication at Chateau Vanier

Apollo Property Management manages thousands of condo units across Ottawa.

Brook recently completed exterior work for Apollo at two 28-storey luxury highrises in Centretown. The Brook team replaced weathered caulking throughout the exteriors of the buildings for all windows and precast concrete panels.

Chateau Vanier on McArthur Avenue is a condo community that includes three towers. Here, the project was about as loud and messy as an exterior job can get – balcony repair. The Brook team removed deteriorated concrete, cleaned reinforcing steel, installed new concrete and applied protective waterproofing material.

“Brook was very easy to work with and communication great, which I’ve found is quite rare with contractors,” said Property Manager Melanie Pilon. “Every day the foreman would keep me in the loop and advise me of any complaints or issues I would have to communicate to our residents. This willingness to work with us meant there were never any bad surprises.

Brook’s workers treated the property like it was their own home and understood the people who live here.”

“We have exposure to a multitude of suppliers,” said Jim Soares, a Property Manager with Apollo. “Brook stands out in terms of its customer service, willingness to accommodate ability to work with our staff at all levels and the professionalism of its people on site. They look at the relationship for the long-term, not just to the end of the current project. And they are very responsive any time we have a question or concern.”

Find out more

To discuss your project needs, visit www. brookrestoration.ca or call Gary Roodman at 613-796-9913

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

It’s a point of customer service not lost on the team at Brook Restoration. The awardwinning Brook team includes more than 300 skilled craftsmen, dedicated labourers and strategic managers available to provide service anywhere in Ontario from its offices in Toronto and Ottawa.

Roodman, Brook’s Ottawa General Manager. “For every project, we make certain the personality of our team is a fit for the character of the building.”

17 OBJ.CA

THE LIST

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

Company/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web

OBJ.CA

18

Largest advertising agencies (Ranked by number of local employees) No. of local employees/ Year established in Ottawa

Principals

Notable current clients

1 2

McMillan 541 Sussex Dr. Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z6 613-789-1234/613-789-2255 mcmillan.com SMITH (formerly Cactus Commerce) 300-490 St. Joseph Blvd.

Gatineau, QC J8Y 3Y7 819-778-0313/819-420-0121 smith.co

72 1996

Gordon McMillan, CEO and chief creative officer Robert Hyams, president

Schneider Electric; Salesforce; Trend Micro; Unify; Business-to-business creative agency focusing on brand and campaigns, primarily Intuit; HUB International; LexisNexis; Commvault; for global technology companies.

BrandActive

70 1995

AT&T; Microsoft; Cisco; Tourisme Montreal

Strategy and intelligence; technology - commerce; website; content management; experience design

3 4 5 6

Banfield Agency 35 Armstrong St. Ottawa, ON K1Y 2V4 613-722-6832/613-722-7151 bsl.com Acart Communications 600-171 Nepean St. Ottawa, ON K2P 0B4 613-230-7944/613-232-5980 acart.com bv02 Inc. 103-858 Bank St. Ottawa, ON K1S 3W3 613-231-2802/613-822-8340 bv02.com Mediaplus Advertising 103-141 Catherine St. Ottawa, ON K2P 1C3 613-230-3875/613-230-1458 mediaplusadvertising.com

45 1973

Benoit Lavigne, vicepresident of managed services Sylvain Boies, vicepresident of account services Nancy Webb, president John Charette, vicepresident and creative director

Iridium; Alcatel-Lucent; MeadJohnson Nutrition; National Arts Centre; Hydro Ottawa; Canadian Medical Association

Creative; marketing; brand strategy; PR, social and content strategy; graphic design; advertising and promotional campaigns; event management; video production; web and mobile application development; media strategy and buying

40 1976

Al Albania, president

Calypso; Canadian Bar Association; Egg Farmers of Full-service agency including: strategic planning; integrated ad campaigns; media Canada; federal government; Elections Canada; planning; media buying; direct marketing; branding; creative; digital media; public Grand River Transit; Harding; Holitzner; Hydro relations; media relations; social marketing Ottawa; La Maison D'Or

35 2002

Andrew D. Milne, CEO

Yukon Arts Centre; United Way; University of Manitoba; Canadian Ski Patrol; Carleton University; Algonquin College; NAV Canada; Export Development Canada; CHEO; Open Text

Website design and development; mobile app and responsive design; digital strategy; user experience; storytelling (video concepting, scripts, video and audio production); digital marketing (social media and community management, SEO); analytics

24 1984

Ottawa Tourism; Rideau Centre; Shaw Centre; Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group; CPAC; Canada Post; Rogers TV; AIC; CATSA; NAPRA; CHEO Foundation; Tartan Homes

Advertising; interactive; branding

Accurate Design & Communication Inc. 100-57 Auriga Dr. Ottawa, ON K2E 8B2 613-723-2057/613-228-0145 accurate.ca Xactly Design & Advertising 204-311 Richmond Rd. Ottawa, ON K1Z 5H8 613-745-2225/613-745-3861 xactlydesign.com gordongroup 334 Churchill Ave. N. Ottawa, ON K1Z 5B9 613-234-8468/613-234-8655 gordongroup.com Kaboom Communication Design 14 Jeanne d'Arc St. Gatineau, QC J8Y 2H2 819-772-4621/819-772-1629 kaboom.ca Marketing Breakthroughs 202-2255 Carling Ave. Ottawa, ON K2B 7Z5 613-721-3335/613-721-3337 marketingbreakthroughs.com Stiff 101-9 Gurdwara Rd. Ottawa, ON K2E 7X6 613-683–4100/WND stiff.ca Cyan Solutions Ltd. 200-58 Arthur St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7B9 613-860-4444/613-247-9190 cyansolutions.com Electric Medialand 101-45 Spencer St. Ottawa, ON K1Y 2P5 613-723-6777/613-728-4628 emland.com The Bytown Group Inc. 2-326 Somerset St. W. Ottawa, ON K2P 0J9 613-562-1861/613-562-0987 bytowngroup.com MediaStyle 131 Bank St., 3rd Floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7 613-369-5006/WND mediastyle.ca TRUEdotDESIGN 43 Eccles St., 1st Floor Loft Ottawa, ON K1R 6S3 613-749-9449/WND truedotdesign.com H3Creative Inc. 114-42 Antares Dr. Ottawa, ON K2E 7Y4 613-722-7871/613-722-5351 H3creative.com Star Marketing Group 7-1149 Shillington Ave. Ottawa, ON K1Z 7Z3 613-759-4400/WND starmar.ca Creekside Communications Inc. 201-200 Isabella St. Ottawa, ON K1S 1V7 613-695-7755/WND creeksidecommunications.com

22 1988

Don Masters, president and creative director Christine Kincaid, vicepresident Jennifer Irwin, vicepresident Diane J. Dufour, president Marc Landry, partner and chief financial officer

Business-to-business sector; industry associations; federal, provincial and municipal governments

Creative services include strategy and implementation, copy, design for print and online, video production.

22 2002

Denis Andre Sabourin, president

Carlingwood Mall; Canadian Veterinary Medical Association; David Beckham Academy; Gal Power; Air Force Association; City of Ottawa; Bytown Catering; Ottawa Construction Association

Advertising; branding; content development; desktop publishing; hosting; graphic design; mobile; online marketing; printing and promotional items; search engine optimization; social media; trade show booths and exhibits; web design and development

15 1987

Robert Chitty, founder and WND president

Strategic identity development and brand building for governments, private enterprises and NGOs; content development and execution of digital media; go to market; strategies; brand and identity; stakeholder engagement; ROI reporting

15 1998

Katleen Allen Pierre Falardeau Christine Lajoie, partners

National Gallery of Canada; Canadian Space Agency; Slush Puppie Canada; Industry Canada; Canadian Museum of History; Ville de Gatineau; Canada Revenue Agency

Advertising; graphic design; web design; multimedia; web programming; branding

15 1995

Stephen Klein, CEO and creative director

Preston Hardware; District Realty; Greely Sand & Gravel; Paramount Properties; BluMetric Environmental; BEMAC Collision Group

Strategic and marketing planning; branding, advertising campaigns, web marketing; enterprise SEO and SEM; Google advertising; promotional videos; WordPress web design and development; website copywriting and maintenance; social media marketing

14 1985

James Hanington, CEO

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

11 1994

Argo Group; Canadian Blood Services; Canadian Fuels; CARE Canada; Elections Ontario; Hamilton Insurance Group; M. Sullivan & Sons; Office of the Governor General of Canada; Saatchi & Saatchi; University of Ottawa Telfer School of Business Brent MacGillis, president Amnesty International; Canadian Real Estate Association; Forest Products Association of Canada; Bell Canada; Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement; Railway Association of Canada

Services offered

Builds and manages brands, develops communications strategies and go-tomarket through traditional, digital and social communication.

Full-service digital marketing and communications: strategic marketing planning; social media; content marketing; inbound lead generation; SEO; graphic design; web design and development; printing; promotional branding; video production; signage

11 1985

Todd Marcotte, president and owner

10 1977

Bob Corrall, president and WND owner

Full-service marketing communications: graphic design; advertising; web design and development; multimedia and video development; photography; corporate brand development and management

9 2009

Ian Capstick, managing partner Caitlin Kealey, partners

National Association of Friendship Centres; National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation; Canada's Nurses; Credit Unions of Canada; Canada's Building Trades Union

Full-service agency specializing in communications audits, plans and strategy; media relations, graphic design, digital strategies, social media management, communications workshops and training, message crafting and speech writing.

9 2012

Shelley True, president

Barry Hobin & Associates Architects; Uniform Developments; Deslaurier Custom Cabinets

Strategy; branding; marketing; graphic design; social media; public relations; copywriting; web design and programming; advertising; showroom interior design

8 1972

Rob Herrera, president

7 1990

6 2008

ACCC; University of Ottawa Heart Institute; DND Advertising and marketing including web design; video production; graphic Support our Troops; Carleton University; Alti design; corporate ID packages; trade show materials and displays; direct mail; Construction; AltMed Pharmaceuticals; HTG fundraising campaigns Sports; Inside Edge; Algonquin College

Hydro Ottawa; Canadian Commercial Corp.; SOGC; PWGSC; CFIA; NRCan; Elections Canada; IDRC; Graphic Media Group; Canadian Judicial Council; Health Canada; Interactive Audio Visual; Science, Technology and innovation Council; Ind.ee John Saykali, president and Calabogie Golf, Carlingwood Dental; All Seasons creative director Restaurant; Air Tabs Bridlewood and Barrhaven Dental; Lieutenant's Pump; Green by Nature; DNS Networks

Graphic and web solutions; creative and communications consulting; branding; corporate identities; advertising; corporate reports and publications; project/print management; web and application development and programming

Michaela Tokarski, president

Marketing: graphic design, website development, and communications

Red Apron; GoodFood2u; Whalesbone; KineMedics; Ottawa High Performance Centre; Bikram Yoga North York; Toronto Ultimate Club; Fitmom Ottawa; Bloomfields; GradeA; Canadian Leaders in International Consulting

Branding; graphic and web design services; marketing strategies; media planning and placement; advertising campaigns; awareness campaigns; print co-ordination; promotions/special events; trade show personnel and support services

WND = Would not disclose *Did not respond to 2015 survey. Using data from previous years.

Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca. This list is current as of August 24, 2015 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in an attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market.

Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

FOR THE RECORD Contracts

Carson Asphalt Paving Inc. 3232 Carp Rd. Description: Re-construction of Levy Road Buyer: National Research Council $353,000

Global Knowledge Network (Canada) Inc. 360 Albert St. Description: RFP – Certified project management training Buyer: DND $984,694

The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.

General Dynamics Canada Ltd. 1941 Robertson Rd. Description: Mercury global anchor stations Buyer: DND $59,126,790

Renovation Marc Cleroux Inc. 183 Freeman Description: Electrical vault

Veritaaq Technology House Inc. 2327 St. Laurent Blvd.

Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $7,147,516

Gemma Property Services Inc. 1200 Montreal Rd. Description: Exterior grounds maintenance Buyer: National Research Council $872,360

Gannon/Blackburn Electric 2000 Thurston Dr. Description: New generator Buyer: National Research Council $525,650

Excel Human Resources Inc. 102 Bank St. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $4,765,011

The FiA Group 360 Maloney E. Description: Space optimization – R.H. Coats building Buyer: PWGSC $871,495

Frequentis Canada Ltd. 1400 Blair Pl. Description: Aircraft (military) miscellaneous communications equipment – repair and overhaul Buyer: DND $500,000

Coradix Technology Consulting Ltd. 151 Slater St. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Health Canada $3,970,842

GasTOPS Ltd. 1011 Polytek St. Description: Engineering support services – IMPS Buyer: DND $550,179 Calian Ltd. 340 Legget Dr. Description: Programmer/ software developer – level 2 Buyer: Environment Canada $543,078

Oracle Canada ULC 45 O’Connor St. Description: ADP software Buyer: Canadian Food Inspection Agency $1,061,261

Asokan Business Interiors 11 Laurier Description: Sit-stand desks Buyer: PWGSC $263,836

People on the move

Oracle Canada ULC 45 O’Connor St. Description: ADP software Buyer: Canadian Food Inspection Agency $971,685

General Dynamics Canada Ltd. 1941 Robertson Rd. Description: Miscellaneous communications equipment Buyer: DND $8,497,064

waterproofing project Buyer: PWGSC $297,000

Catherine Lamotte has been appointed general manager of Hotel Novotel Ottawa. After working for the group’s properties in Europe for the past 15 years, Ms. Lamotte will manage daily hotel operations for the first time in Canada. She began her hotel industry career in 1991 as general manager of a hotel in Paris.

The Bruyère Foundation announced the appointment of Peggy Taillon as president. Prior to joining Bruyère, Ms. Taillon led the Canadian Council on Social Development, influencing public policy and the changing landscape for

Computer Media Products Ltd. 1000 Thomas Spratt Pl. Description: Refurb – Teknion Buyer: PWGSC $241,045 SSC Script Services Corp.

440 Laurier Ave. W. Description: Translation services Buyer: PWGSC $218,452

the third sector in Canada over the last several years.

Soloway Wright LLP recently announced three new additions to its Ottawa team.

Kyle Van Schie is a litigation lawyer who is a member of the firm’s employment, labour and public law, commercial litigation, insurance law and personal injury practice groups. André Ducasse is a commercial litigation lawyer who practises in the areas of banking litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency litigation, construction litigation, shareholder remedies and disputes, mortgage remedies, insurance defence and general commercial litigation. Sybil Johnson-Abbott joins the firm as a real estate lawyer and a member of its real estate and development and commercial leasing law groups.

Acaveo Inc. 55 Metcalfe St. Description: Communications Network Software Buyer: PWGSC $426,136 Nortrax Canada Inc. 189 Cardevco Rd. Description: Six-wheel-drive grader Buyer: Transport Canada $354,000

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MNP LLP, one of the largest chartered accountancy and business consulting firms in Canada, celebrated the naming of Carleton University’s athletic park in honour of its sponsorship of the Ravens football team and Keith Harris Stadium.

MNP purchased the naming rights for five years, which will significantly enhance the university’s football program for athletes, fans and alumni. Pictured above (centre right): MNP’s Doug McLarty, Lynn Honsberger and Gordon Lee participate in the ribbon cutting. (Keith Harris is also pictured third from left.) “MNP is relatively new to Ottawa and we wanted to get involved in the community in a supportive way. Our sponsorship of the athletic stadium will ensure programs remain strong at Carleton,” said MNP in a statement.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

MNP SCORES NAMING RIGHTS AT CARLETON U

New Sessions Start: 28 septembre 2015

Why participate in Canada’s Best Managed Companies program?

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Opportunity to be part of a premier business network

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