The Drive Magazine // Winter 2023 // Issue 147

STAGING A REVOLUTION

HQ GROUP’S GROWTH STORY

DAVID BURMAN AND MISTER

Odette Opens Doors

SMILE That’s the Rose City Ford

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You can SMILE knowing that we will do our absolute best to provide you with great service. Thank you for making us your favourite dealership. We love knowing that you’re SMILING because you feel at home.

We love to see you smile because we’re Rose City Ford proud!

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PAUL ST-PIERRE ................................................ Publisher

DAVE HUNTER Vice President, sales

BREANNE MCGINTY Sales

SHAWNA BEECROFT Graphic designer

SABINE MAIN......................................... Creative director

MARNIE ROBILLARD ............................. Director of design

CONTRIBUTORS

VICKI BARTEL ............................................. Photographer

TREVOR BOOTH Photographer

JEN BRIGNALL-STRONG Writer

CHALET STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY Photographer

MONA ELKADRI .......................................... Stylist/writer

SYX LANGEMANN ....................................... Photographer

DEVAN MIGHTON Writer

MAXIMUS REID Photographer

MATTHEW ST. AMAND Writer

ANNA STANLEY ............................................. Copy editor

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On the cover: David Burman, President of HQ Group. It Takes a Community to Grow a Business.

Story by Matthew St. Amand. Photos by Syx Langemann. Follow and like us: Twitter @thedrivemag

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 147

SPOTLIGHT

14 Remembrance of a Speedway Titan. Jack “Speedy” Monaghan.

Story by Matthew St. Amand.

Photos by Chalet Studios Photography

AROUND TOWN

22 Unique News from Around the Windsor-Essex Region

BOOK REVIEW

26 Resurrections – In Her Own Words with Danielle Campo by Jen Brignall-Strong

Photo by Syx Langemann

GAME CHANGER

34 The World Beyond the Rink

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Kevin Hamlin

FOOD

Oh So Mona: Instant Ramen

Photos by Vicki Bartel

COMMUNITY

The Rise of a Fallen Giant By Matthew St. Amand

Photo by Syx Langemann

HEALTH & WELLNESS

42 Lending a Voice to Juvenile Diabetes

By Jen Brignall

Strong

Photo by Trevor Booth

PORTRAIT

46 It Takes a Community to Grow a Business with David Burman from Mister HQ

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Syx Langemann

MUSIC

58 Teardrops on my Guitar with Mark Chichkan By Devan Mighton

Photos by Maximus Reid

THE DRIVE THRU

64 Mezzo Ristorante and Lounge By Jen Brignall- Strong

Photo by Trevor Booth

BUSINESS

68 A Better, More Successful You with Michael Keirl

By Devan Mighton

Photo by Trevor Booth

INNER-VIEW

70 One on One with Colin Mochrie and Master Hypnotist Asad Mecci

By Matthew St. Amand

SPOTLIGHT

72 Better Put a Ring on It. A chat with Drina Baron-Zinyk from Baron Championship Rings

By Devan Mighton

Photo by Trevor Booth

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Welcome to the February 2023 issue of The DRIVE Magazine! As we kick off the New Year, there’s a sense of excitement in the air as we start fresh and look forward to all the possibilities that 2023 holds.

We’re happy to bring you a plethora of exciting stories and news from around Windsor-Essex.

Not only will you find a variety of engaging stories in our issue, but also important updates that you won’t want to miss. So, read on and discover what’s we’re up for our amazing YQG community.

In this issue, we chat with legendary race car driver Jack “Speedy” Monahan about his 40-year career as a speedway titan. Sports enthusiasts will also enjoy our interview with Drina Baron-Zinyk of Baron Championship Rings, whose family has crafted some of the most iconic sports championship rings in North America. We also feature hometown musician Mark Chichkan of Helix as he shares the story of how he found “the” guitar and Jen from Tailgate Takeout visits Mezzo Ristorante & Lounge as they reflect on 20 years of success in Windsor’s Little Italy. Additionally, we sit down with Danielle Campo-McLeod to discuss her new book, Resurrections.

We are also thrilled to announce the launch of W.O.W Magazine, an all-new publication coming this spring that will feature stories of some of our area’s most dynamic women and highlight a variety of issues through a uniquely female perspective. And, we’ll be releasing another edition of our W.E. Manufacture Magazine, spotlighting our region’s strength as a manufacturing and technology hub.

Thank you for making The DRIVE the most sought-after lifestyle magazine in the region. We couldn’t have celebrated 23 years of success without the support of our dedicated team, valued advertisers, and our loyal readers.

Yours truly,

Paul St. Pierre Publisher

REMEMBRANCE OF A SPEEDWAY TITAN

Forty years of car racing propelled Windsor’s Jack “Speedy” Monaghan into the realm of legend.

Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them drive cars really, really fast.

Jack “Speedy” Monaghan drove cars that most other people would never even get into. Jack raced cars that other people only photographed. He took cars that looked like spaceships around tracks, hundreds of times, at speeds that would wither the nerves of the most hardened “motor heads” sitting in the stands around the track. In fact, Jack achieved such speeds that in 326 races—some of them 100 and 200 lap races, which took hours to drive—he came in first.

Beat all the other drivers, who had variously honed death wishes. Maybe that’s why Jack prevailed so often. He didn’t have a death wish; he had a will to win.

Iron Man had his space age suit. Batman had his cape and cowl. Jack Monaghan had his Nomex® fire suit. An orange 03 Lucon Industries Hanley Chassis racing car was Jack’s Bat Mobile. According to one online source: “Jack terrorized the local tracks with this piece back in 1981 [an orange 03 Hanley Chassis]. Checker Flag Speedway placed a $500 bounty on Jack. No one collected!”

Much as it sounds like Jack Monaghan lived in the clouds with other mythic figures, he was a father, brother, uncle, friend, and business owner. Jack also had a kickass ability to get things done.

“Wherever he worked, he was the service manager,” says Jack’s nephew Ron Monaghan. “Whether it was Holiday Juice or Danny’s Transmission, every time, he ended up being the service manager. Then in the early 1960s, he went to Hallmark Memorial. Pretty soon he owned it, and then took it to the next level.”

Before all of that, however, there was racing.

“Jack was a car racer from the get-go,” Ron explains. “He was into motorcycles, too, back before you even needed a license to ride one. He raced them, too, at Cayuga, near Hamilton.”

Jack’s racing career started on the street. It wasn’t long before he sought out actual racetracks because there were too many limitations inherent in street racing. The danger quotient was still pretty high on those first dirt tracks on which Jack raced.

“Jack had some bad crashes,” Ron says. “In the 1970s, possibly the ’80s, he and another driver—Terry Kitchen—crashed. Nobody gets away without crashing. Grudges develop, or you lose control, or you blow a tire. The crash Jack had with Terry in Cayuga, they both hit the wall, and their cars were pretty much totaled. But the techs just cut off the front clip and the back clip, and put on new pieces.”

Jack experienced crashes, but his worst injury was rapping his elbow on the extinguisher he had in his car. Meaning: Jack crashed, but he didn’t get hurt racing.

named Louis Bennette, from the States, saw Jack race at Delaware Speedway. He said he would never forget the sound of that Lucon Industries car. “It was incredible,” he remembered. “The flames shooting out of that header!”

The headers proved too controversial for the racing circuit. A meeting was called about these. Jack was called into the meeting with racing circuit higher-ups, and was told that the headers were unsafe because they had to be blocking his vision.

“I showed up to the track late and had to start at the back of the pack,” Jack replied. “I don’t remember hitting anybody.”

Mount Clemens, Michigan on Thursday,” Ron recalls. “They raced at Delaware Speedway in Delaware, Ontario on Fridays. Checker Flag in Windsor on Saturdays, and if there was a special event or invitational—a hundred lap competition—would happen at Delaware or Checker Flag on Sundays.”

Ron continues: “Back then it wasn’t based on points. It was the purse that drew the drivers. Whatever raise had the biggest cash prize, that’s where the racers raced.”

Jack’s professional racing career spanned from 1961 to 2004. During that time, he achieved 326 race wins, 16 championships, nine second place points, and 10 Most Popular Driver awards at Windsor Checker Flag Speedway.

Race car driving has always been a dangerous business, but safety in the early 1960s was rudimentary. Jack was a skilled driver, but he did not escape the dangers of the track.

In 1974, Jack bought Checker Flag with John Fahringer and Mark Kalbol, and converted the dirt track to asphalt. They operated the track until 1979.

Following Jack’s passing in 2021, John Fahringer remembered his old friend in local media, saying: “We had quite a time when Jack and I first bought [Checker Flag Speedway] with the Township itself. The neighbourhood didn’t like the idea of us becoming a dominant racetrack. They didn’t like the crowds that would come there or the dirt that would come from the track itself… We would draw crowds of 3,000 to 4,000 on a two-nights-a-week basis.”

With sponsorship from Lucon Industries and Merryfield Automotive, Jack drove a stunning assortment of cars: late models, Junior Hanley Chassis, an old Chevy with 360-degree headers that thrust up from out of the hood and shot flames. A former tech,

It was a movie moment—but the headers had to come off.

Jack stopped racing in 2004. He knew he had a good run. He remained involved with the sport. He was known at every track where he went to watch a race.

In 2021, he was diagnosed with cancer. It was a cruel way for a great man to meet his end. No matter what the world threw at him, Jack remained the consummate gentleman. He used his remaining time to connect with his family and put his affairs in order.

Jack “Speedy” Monaghan passed away on September 15, 2021.

“I was always nervous talking with Jack,” Ron recalls. “He just seemed to be everyone’s hero. He went to Checker Flag, and he was the man. Even when I went to school, people said: ‘I can’t believe you’re related to Jack Monaghan!’ He was a special guy.”

St. Clair College provided me with a strong foundation of skills and knowledge to prepare me for success in the corporate world. Since graduating, I was able to secure my dream career in the business industry.

Tierney Probert Public Relations Class of 2017

CCS Engineering and Construction provides its staff with a positive working environment and a welcoming, diverse, culture. Professionals in their own right, employees continue to innovate and master their individual fields of expertise under the CCS family. This is directly reflected in the type of customer care that CCS is able to offer to all clients. CCS will continue to strive for excellence within the construction industry providing the utmost level of efficiency and professionalism through each and every project. CCS is a leader in the construction industry providing exciting professional career oppurtunites. Additionally, CCS will maintain focus on social responsibility and continue to give back where they can. CCS Engineering and Construction will always stand for INTEGRITY, LOYALTY, PROFESSIONALISM and TRUST

19 Amy Croft Drive, Unit 202 | Tecumseh, ON | ccsengcon.com

TRUST IS OUR FOUNDATION FOR EVERY PROJECT

CASS Caulking Inc. Cassandra Warren, President

CCS interior designs by KA Kelsey Auger, Interior Designer

ramenINSTANT

INGREDIENT:

FOR THE SOUP BASE

1 cup red pepper paste

1 ½ cups soy sauce

½ cup honey

1 ½ tbsp onion flakes

½ bulb of garlic, peeled and pressed

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp vegetable oil

FOR THE JAR

Chopped snap peas

Edamame beans

Chopped Napa cabbage

Shredded or thinly peeled carrot

Sautéed portobello mushrooms

Fresh cilantro, whole leaf or Rough chop

Fresh green onion, sliced

Instant rice noodles (uncooked)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make your soup base by combining all ingredients in a saucepan on low-medium heat. Cook until it just begins to boil, then remove it from the heat. Once it has cooled, store in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge.

2. In a large heat-safe jar (canning jars are great), add your desired amount of soup base to the bottom of the jar. I like adding about 2 ½ tablespoons, but you can adjust this to your liking and the jar’s size.

3. Next, begin to layer your jar, starting with the uncooked instant rice noodles and then your remaining veggies.

4. You can then store your prepared jar in the fridge for later consumption. When you’re ready to enjoy, pour boiling water into your jar, ensuring that it covers your noodles and vegetables. Cover the jar and let stand for 3-5 min, or until the noodles are cooked.

Mona Elkadri is a lifestyle blogger with a fondness for everyday living and entertaining, from sweet recipes to home décor and DIY, and everything in between. Ohsomona.com

Welcome to our custom content page meant to highlight unique news from the Windsor-Essex region

ASTRAL MEDICAL ESTHETICS

Astral Medical Esthetics is celebrating the opening of their new location located at 753 Walker Road ( near Wyandotte Street East ). Owner and founder Krystal Krawiec has renovated a historical Walkerville home built in 1893 into a stylish injection clinic. Krystal is a Registered Nurse and entrepreneur who specializes in aesthetics. She also teaches in the Medical Esthetician Practitioner Program at St. Clair College. They offer Botox, advanced dermal fillers, thread lifts, microneedling, and PRP hair restoration. To book an appointment and see pricing- follow @astral.medical on social media or call 519-990-8162 today.

F&B WALKERVILLE

During the pandemic F&B temporarily closed their basement restaurant to make room for a Pop-up of the beloved Slices Pizza. With the focus of the Foodies of the world being pushed toward the take-out only market a Smoked Wagyu Tartare delivered to your home just didn’t have the same zing as a Steaming Hot Windsor Style Pie. It’s the service people missed, along with the comradery, the social aspects, and the ability to reach out and greet one another. This message was received loud and clear as more customers came in person to collect their pizza just to see their friends and be around others. The staff thanks you all for that dedication and the really fun two-year run. F&B took the time to recount your favourite experiences, your favourite dishes and evolve our offerings into a more intimate and stylish setting. They are very proud to announce the relaunch of F&B Restaurant and happy to share locations with our sister Funky Chow Kitchen in Windsor’s hippest basement lounge. 2090 Wyandotte St. E. Lower (corner of Wyandotte & Argyle) Walkerville, Windsor – 519.915.8147

BEDDAZZLE BEDROOM & BATHROOM STUDIO

Beddazzle Bedroom & Bathroom Studio has been known as the purveyors of the most luxurious bedding and finest linens in Windsor & Essex County for nearly 40 years. Janis O’Neil Scherer has passed the baton to new owner Christopher John, he is so pleased to be able to continue to feature the same opulent offerings and a few new items as well. Christopher, alongside his wife, Andrea, are very grateful to Janis for her guidance, professional expertise, and grace. The pair will ensure their patrons continue to have access to the finest linens, exquisite bedding selections; many are woven in Portugal and Italy, then expertly sewn in Canada, as well as unique home décor and gifts. Beddazzle is now open and located at 2390 Central Avenue, in Windsor, Ontario (Central at Ypres). Be sure to visit their stunning new showroom and design studio. They are open Monday-Friday 10-5 Saturdays 11-3. They can be reached at 519-915-1317 or online at www.beddazzle.com.

CCS ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

CCS Engineering and Construction is proud to welcome Cassandra Warren, President of Cass Caulking along with Kelsey Auger, Interior Designer from CCS Interior Designs by KA to their team. Both bring several years of professional experience to CCS and will work closely with the variety of specialized divisions offers clients. Professionals in their own right, these team members will continue to innovate and master their individual fields of expertise under the CCS family. CCS is a leader in the construction industry providing exciting professional career opportunities along the way. CCS Engineering and Construction will always stand for INTEGRITY, LOYALTY, PROFESSIONALISM and TRUST. For more information on services and projects, please call 226-499-2227 or visit them online at www.ccsengcon.com today.

CANADEL FURNITURE

The warm feeling of family is alive and well when shopping at Canadel Harrow. When carrying on his father’s dream of having a furniture store, Rob Duncan was mindful of continuing to offer the same “small town” vibe. Equipped with 40 years of experience and working alongside his wife and daughter Rob stays family centric while continuing the family tradition. “We have a deep-rooted tradition of offering quality and expertise,” says Rob. While originally the furniture store started by his father in the same historic building held many lines, Rob has become a sole Canadel focused showroom. “This allows us to showcase the many possibilities this Canadian Manufacturer has to offer.” The 4500 sq ft showroom has a wide selection of dining room sets to help you envision and choose the perfect elements to create the set of your dreams. Rob and his family invite you to experience the timeless elegance of Canadel Furniture in their hometown at 27 King West, Harrow, On. Quality and customization that is well worth the drive.

ADVANCED BUSINESS SYSTEMS

Advanced Business Systems, packed another full house with their 30th annual American Thanksgiving Day Football Classic Charity Event which raised an amazing $22,500.00 for the Make-AWish Foundation in Southwestern Ontario. Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. They are on a quest to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. Pictured, from left to right are Mike Burnett, Lisa McDonald, Jim Scott, Jack Jorgensen, Glynnis Wolch, and Jason Loewenberg.

LASALLE VISION

Dr. Krishna Khatri, the owner and Optometrist at LaSalle Vision is proud to officially announce the opening of a State-of-the-art Dry Eye Clinic located at 5935 Malden Road in LaSalle. Dr Khatri envisioned this in 2020 during the pandemic when the effects of increased screen time and predominantly indoor lifestyle was increasing the incidence of patients presenting to her with symptoms of dry eyes. Dry eyes is a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease. Dr Khatri believes that patient’s needs related to dry eyes need to be validated. Restore Dry Eye Clinic offers advanced diagnostic equipment which helps determine the root cause of dry eyes. Restore Dry Eye Clinic offers not one, not two but three of the most advanced treatments available in the treatment of dry eyes. Backed by science, these revolutionary treatments provide hope for patients suffering from dry eyes. Book an appointment today by calling 519-966-9236 to get started on your personalized dry eye plan.

Syles offers service and installation on the following:

Furnaces

Boilers

IN HER OWN WORDS

Danielle Campo-McLeod on what happened and what comes next.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

Photo by Syx Langemann

For Danielle Campo-McLeod, life has always been about beating the odds.

Whether it was defying expectations to become a gold medal Paralympic swimmer or surviving a near-death experience after the birth of her third child, the 38-year old Tecumseh native has overcome more obstacles than most people encounter in an entire lifetime, many of them playing out in the public eye.

Now, as she continues to adapt to her ‘new normal’ and heal from a year’s worth of life altering surgeries, the young mother is sharing her story of perseverance in a new book, Resurrections: My Will to Survive is Olympian.

“This is the story of how we got here and where we’re going,” she says.

The book chronicles some of the most pivotal time periods in Danielle’s life; from being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at 16-months old and navigating through school as ‘the girl with the funny walk’ to her rise as a record-breaking athlete and meeting her now husband Denny in a chance encounter on a beach in Florida.

She also recounts the moment she learned of her misdiagnosis over 30 years later and shares her perspective of the events that led up to her postnatal health scare following complications from bowel surgery.

The project seemed like the next logical step in her journey, she says, after fielding a myriad of questions from friends and community members when she returned home in November 2021. She wanted to share her story in a meaningful way with everyone who had supported her during her journey.

“It would be the third thing that everyone would say to me when I talked to them,” Danielle laughs. “They’d ask me how I was doing, if I needed more surgery, and if I was going to write a book.”

“This book is my thank you letter,” she continues. “I really wanted to write this because we still think about the candle lighting and all the support. I just want people to know that it was the connection to this community that helped us get through some of the toughest times.”

It wasn’t the first time Danielle consid -

ered the idea of putting her experiences to paper.

“I had previously been working on a different project that was going to focus more on my swimming, but after everything that happened…you can’t go back to the steps you walked before.”

Upon returning home from the hospital in November 2021, Danielle says she began to write little notes to herself of details she thought she’d include in a book, never actually knowing what it would look like or how she would write it.

“I quickly realized that it’s a talent to be able to write and it was not my talent,” she laughs. “Every time I would sit down to write, it would sound like a Dr. Suess book.”

Danielle eventually enlisted the help of Marty Beneteau, forming an unlikely friendship with the former Windsor Star editor after working with him on a speaking engagement for MBA students at The University of Windsor.

“It just kind of clicked, this friendship,” she recalls. “Then I called him one day I said, ‘Marty, I want you to write my book.’”

Danielle and Marty kept in touch over the next few months, speaking over the phone as Danielle was once again hospitalized following an infection after her ostomy bag reversal surgery and again just weeks later after her gallbladder exploded.

“With me, it’s go big or go home when it comes to medical stuff,” she jokes.

Although they had initially put the book on the backburner, Marty had continued taking notes during their conversations.

“When we finally sat back down together again, he just started asking me questions and that’s just how it all kind of flowed out,” she says, noting that keeping the book in her own voice was extremely important to her.

“I told him, ‘I just want to be able to tell my story; it’s got to be real, it’s got to be raw,’” she explains. “When I started getting some of the samples back it was like reading my own voice, so I knew we were on the right track.”

Danielle says it took about nine months to write the book, with the pair meeting weekly on Marty’s back porch;

Danielle talking while Marty transcribed and asked questions.

“It just became my ‘Thursdays with Marty,’” she says. “My family knew that it was like our protected day. As I was telling this story, they could see the healing happening so it became a priority for everyone that Thursdays I would be doing this.”

While the book is a candid account of her life’s most critical turning points, she acknowledges that there were some thoughts that didn’t make it to print.

“I don’t think I’ve even let myself feel all the scary feelings associated with what happened, so that’s not in the book,” she says. “Like, I almost died three times. I was almost not here for my kids.”

Now, Danielle is choosing to focus on the blessings of the present and the opportunities of the future.

“I want to be here for all the little stuff,” she says, sharing the priority is time with her family. “I’d also love to do more speaking engagements, and even master class type things around connection and empathy.”

In the meantime, she’s content making up the next chapters of her life as she goes.

“The ‘what’s next?’ is always a crazy question because I don’t know,” she says. “It’s really weird when people say, ‘You wrote your life story’ and I want to say, ‘Wait, I’m only 38; I hope there are a lot more chapters!’”

Photo by Heike Delmore

This book is my thank you letter, I really wanted to write this because we still think about the candle lighting and all the support. I just want people to know that it was the connection to this community that helped us get through some of the toughest times.

THE RISE OF A FALLEN GIANT

Windsor entrepreneurs and young, urban professionals are taking a second look at downtown Windsor and see opportunity around every corner.

By Matthew St. Amand

Photo by Syx Langemann

If you build it, they will come.

Downtown Windsor is like an aging prizefighter who has taken substantial knocks but has not gone down for the count. Thirty years ago, the city core was the centre of twentysomething bar/nightclub nirvana. With young people in nearby Michigan unable to legally drink alcohol before the age of twenty-one, American fun-seekers poured into Windsor where the drinking age was only nineteen. Owning a bar in downtown Windsor at that time was like having a license to print money.

“Downtown Windsor used to be one of the best in the country,” says Windsor City Councillor Renaldo Agostino. He knows of what he speaks. Renaldo came from Toronto with his twin brother, Remo, in 1993 to attend school. Over the years, Renaldo has owned or operated many successful businesses in the core, including the Windsor Music Café and the Boom Boom Room.

He continues: “In the mid-1990s, we got budgets from beer and liquor companies that were more than many other cities. Our sales were astronomical. We had a downtown core visited by 15,000 to 20,000 people per week.”

As with all “too good to be true” scenarios, the gravy train finally came to its natural stopping point. Every boom time comes with a price. Downtown Windsor’s reputation took a hit, and the city core became something of a No Man’s Land to people uninterested in club life—which was most of the rest of the city.

A group of local entrepreneurs are unwilling to let the downtown’s doldrums continue. In fact, depending on who you speak to, the Windsor core is fertile ground for new business opportunities.

Vern Myslichuk, owner/operator of BetterMade Cabinets opened the La Vern’s Market, in the summer of 2021, on the corner of University and Pelissier, bringing a much needed grocery store to the area.

“I am a big believer in: ‘If you want something to happen you have to make it happen,’” Vern says. “I’m not the type of person to say, ‘Downtown will be great,’ and then do nothing about it, myself. That wouldn’t sit well with me. So, I started investing in downtown and saw that it made a difference, saw people from The Hive, and connected with a group of people with the same mindset.”

A component to the planning that was missing thirty years ago is a sense of balance. In Windsor downtown’s heyday in the 1990s, entertainment consisted of bars, clubs, and more bars and clubs.

“There’s a new generation of young people who are beyond the bar and club scene of the ’90s,” says Anthony Maggio. “I grew up in that bar scene, and the new generation doesn’t want that anymore. Their taste is different. The young people who are moving into apartment units downtown want restaurant/lounges. The nightclub scene is not what it used to be. It’s a different demographic.”

“The difference between then and now,” Renaldo says, “is a better balance of bars and nightclubs, along with residential, retail, restaurants, and other amenities. We are seeing the beginnings of this residential shift downtown, people actually coming here to live. They’ll need groceries, drug stores. It’s a perfect storm. All these things mixed in to one are what gives you a banging downtown!”

And the amenities are coming. La Vern’s Market has been open for more than a year. The owner of Oven 360 has opened Cucina

360 in the historic building that once housed Ye Olde Steak House, at 58 Chatham Street. The new restaurant offers traditional Italian cuisine, and seats up to 95 people.

“Our group has put a lot of time and effort into redeveloping Chatham Street,” says Anthony Maggio of St. Clair Rhodes Development. “Arrangements are being made on a frequent basis to repurpose iconic locations in the core. The revitalization of downtown has begun.”

There is certainly some civic pride at the center of resuscitating Windsor’s core, but more than that, it makes good business sense. There is money to be made.

“The La Vern’s Market project started eighteen months ago because of what I saw happening downtown,” Vern says. “I wanted to get in with the grocery store now because there will be thirty-eight residential units going into that building. Just servicing those units will bring in some big numbers. Not only that, everything around it. Just recently, I noticed a restaurant opened on Chatham, a bistro opened on Pelissier. Neither of them was there a few weeks ago.”

Vern thinks it is a good time for businesses to locate downtown. “People are getting in now, at good rates, and they will be thankful,” he says. Vern believes that in five years, it will be difficult finding space.

Building photos by Maximus Reid

Renaldo, who has downtown Windsor in his blood, says: “We just finished WIFF (Windsor International Film Festival). It was an incredible success. These people work hard. They have their hearts in downtown Windsor. I am working to bring people together. We’re a team, not individuals, and that’s what will make ours one of the best downtowns in Canada.”

He continues: “There is a new sense of unity when it comes to city council, wanting to see our downtown get better. That’s the vibe I get from the other councillors. They ask ‘What do you need? Whatever you need for downtown, we’re there for you?’ This really motivates me. We’re trying to help as many people as we can.”

There are still bumps in the road. Some entrepreneurs wish there was less “red tape” involved with opening businesses downtown. They believe the process could be more streamlined, and would like to see the City of Windsor tangibly encourage businesses to locate downtown with tax breaks that benefits both landlords and tenants.

Renaldo sums up the feelings of many involved with the revitalization of the Windsor core: “We need to work hard and get on the same page. Indecision is worse than a wrong decision. Let’s choose a path forward. The precursors of what is coming all indicate a bright future ahead for downtown Windsor.”

THE WORLD BEYOND THE RINK

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Kevin Hamlin

It’s amazing the pinball ricochets life takes, bringing us to experiences that we might otherwise miss if we stuck to our original plans. That’s how Windsor Lancers men’s hockey team ended up in British Columbia in September, visiting the infamous Kamloops Residential School, and helping rebuild a community devastated by forest fires, floods, and mud slides.

“My son Ray plays Junior A in the BCHL,” Kevin explains. “My wife [Theresa] and I dropped him off last year. That was when the forest fires were burning. It was unprecedented.”

The U.S./Canadian border was closed at the time, forcing Kevin and Theresa to drive home by the Canadian route.

“The drive took us through Kamloops,” Kevin continues. “We stopped at the Kamloops Residential School because everyone was talking about it.”

Indeed, the residential school was world-wide news after two hundred fifteen graves were found by ground-penetrating radar.

“We pulled up and it was a feeling I will never forget,” Kevin says.

The Windsor Lancers men’s hockey coach believes that his players benefit from having memorable, life-changing experiences in the larger world.

He describes seeing two hundred fifteen children’s school uniforms fastened to the guardrail on the way into the grounds: one for each of the two hundred fifteen graves.

“It was a pretty emotional visit for us,” Kevin says. “On the way home, Theresa and I couldn’t help thinking: ‘Maybe we could do something with the team and go back to BC and partner with the First Nations and help some of the people who had been displaced by the fires.’”

It’s a tired cliché that, for athletes and their coaches, the playing field or ice rink is the entire world to them.

“Our goal is to help change people’s lives,” Kevin says.

Season after season, he seeks to open his players to the larger world with team-building excursions. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Kevin took his team to New Orleans on two separate occasions to help with rebuilding efforts. In 2001, following the 911 attacks in New York City, Kevin took players to Manhattan to pay tribute to the victims. Kevin not only views his players as athletes, but as citizens, and believes it’s his job to offer them experiences beyond the ice rink to bring insight and build character. So, a team-building trip to British Columbia dovetailed perfectly with his philosophy.

“After witnessing the devastation of the forest fires, floods, and mudslides out west, we wanted to help the First Nations community,” he says. “The natural disasters combined with the horrific news of the residential schools are more than anyone should have to deal with. Providing homes for five families is a great start, and I hope it will inspire other groups to do something similar.”

The unmarked graves found at the Kamloops Residential School shocked the conscience of the nation, and brought a dark and troubling aspect of Canada’s history into the light. The horror festered for decades beneath the façade of daily life, rising to the surface in unexpected moments. For instance, in 2016, during the Tragically Hip’s final concert in Kingston, Ontario, singer Gord Downie addressed the issue: “It’s going to take us one hundred years to figure out what the hell went on up there but it isn’t cool, and everybody knows that. It’s really,

really bad. But we’re going to figure it out. You’re going to figure it out.”

At that time, Downie had teamed up with Essex County graphic novelist, Jeff Lemire, to create The Secret Path, which told the tragic true story of Chanie Wenjack, a twelve year old Ojibway boy who died in 1966 while attempting to walk through freezing temperatures from a residential school in Kenora, Ontario, to his home approximately 600 kilometres away.

The 215 graves at the Kamloops Residential School thrust the tragedy onto the front pages of newspapers across the country. Couple that discovery with the natural disasters that ravaged the area, and the community Kevin and the Windsor Lancers sought to help was in real pain.

It is easy to wonder in the face of such circumstances: “What good could we possibly do there?”

“While working with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina,” Kevin recalls, “someone told me: ‘It’s not your

group alone that will make much of a difference, but when you add your group to the next group, to the next group, you can move mountains. It has to start somewhere.’”

Kevin enlisted the help of several people to make the trip happen.

“I reached out to people in Vancouver who put me in touch with Wayne Schnitzler, CEO of First Nation Emergency Service Society,” Kevin explains. “He passed the ball to Larry Price, supervisor of restoration. From that point on it was a huge planning piece. I worked with Greg Prymak, off ice director with our team, to put together an itinerary. Merrit BC was ground zero for us.”

He continues: “A big piece to that puzzle was UNIFOR National, which felt so strongly about our project. They financially supported much of it— committing $50,000 to support the team’s efforts. They also sent eight tradespeople to help with the building. That was huge.”

The team arrived in BC on Friday and on Saturday, they toured the Kamloops Residential School. They were joined by Dr. Beverly

Jacobs, Senior Ad visor to the President on Indigenous Relations and Outreach at the University of Windsor. She helped prepare the team for what they would encounter visiting the residential school.

Aside from helping with rebuilding in Merrit, the Lancers conducted hockey camps for kids from five bands.

The team worked by day and trained at night. They got the full experience of living in a disaster area, sleeping on cots in a local gymnasium. It certainly didn’t slow them down. When they met the UBC Thunderbirds for two exhibition games, the Lancers won both.

Reflecting on the experience, Kevin says: “The guys in my dressing room are influencers, the leaders of tomorrow. I want them to take this experience with them, and maybe it will have a ripple effect. Maybe instead of only influencing hundreds of people it may influence thousands of people because of this ripple effect .”

IN PERFECT HARMONY

By Jen Brignall-Strong

by Syx Langemann

For some people, a trip to the dentist can evoke feelings of stress and discomfort.

The team at Harmony Dental is looking to change all that.

“I picked the name Harmony because I feel like there has to be balance in life,” explains owner Dr. Eugenia Brokalakis. “In dental work, it’s a balance of being gentle, thorough, and making things comfortable for the patient.”

A dentist since 2006, Dr. Brokalakis has opened her own practice in a stunning new building in the town of Tecumseh between Lesperance and Banwell. During the construction process, she was meticulous about her design decisions, gearing everything toward patient comfort.

“I picked the blue colours and everything in the office to be very calm and serene,” she explains. “A lot of people have dental anxiety; adults can sometimes be a little nervous going to the dentist and I treat a lot of children as well, so I tried to think of everything.”

Dr. Brokalakis says since opening in November, she has received a lot of positive feedback from patients about the space, which includes TVs on the ceiling above the dental chairs so patients can relax and watch a show during their cleanings and procedures.

“We also have noise cancelling headphones if a patient wants to use them,” she adds. “We’ve found that these kinds of things really help keep people at ease.”

Convenience was also a huge factor when planning the office. With the majority of her patients living on the Tecumseh/Windsor border, Dr. Brokalakis wanted a place close enough for them to walk to.

“I wanted something close to home and close to my patients,” she says, noting she herself lives in town with her 10-year old twin boys. “I love this area; everyone knows each other. Tecumseh is such a great community.”

Harmony Dental is a full service dental office, offering everything from preventative care like routine cleanings and check-ups to extractions, restorations, and cosmetic dentistry like teeth whitening, veneers, root canals, bridges, crowns, and partial dentures.

For fast and comfortable scanning of a patient’s mouth, Dr. Brokalakis proudly utilizes CEREC© technology to take digital impressions using a small, intraoral scanner. Rather than taking the conventional putty dental impressions, she can scan a patient’s mouth and make them a crown in office the same day.

“If a patient comes in and they break a tooth, I can create a treatment plan on the

Photo

New Tecumseh dental office offers gentle approach to oral health.

spot,” she explains. “I scan it, design it, mill it, bake it, and the patient goes home with it the same day.”

Dr. Brokalakis says her patients love the ease and convenience of having everything taken care of on site in one visit.

“I’ll put a movie or show on for them, they get to relax and get everything taken care of the same day,” she says. “I don’t need to send anything to the lab to be made and they don’t have to come back or be refrozen.”

“It’s very accurate and I like being able to offer that service in house,” she continues, noting that with the CEREC technology, she can also upload the scans and send them to the lab to create everything from night guards to partial dentures, implant crowns, and more.

For patients looking to straighten their smile, Harmony Dental will soon be offering CEREC’s SureSmile Clear Aligner System, an alternative to traditional metal braces that gently shift teeth using a series of clear retainers.

In addition to treating adults and adolescents, Dr. Brokalakis also enjoys working with kids; introducing little ones to healthy oral hygiene habits in a positive, fun environment.

“I’m a mom myself and I really love treating kids,” she says. “I’ll see babies as early as 12 months.”

True to the practice’s “peace and harmony” mantra, Dr. Brokalakis and her team go the extra mile to keep even the youngest, most apprehensive patients relaxed through every procedure.

“Our hygienist is very thorough but also gentle,” she says. “Everyone here all has the same approach and the same mentality. I am very proud of our team and the experience and compassion they bring to the practice.”

The office is currently open five days a week, with evening appointments and emergency services also available to accommodate busy schedules.

“Everyone has different schedules and I want to be flexible and available to my patients,” she says. “My patients know I’ll come in after hours for them too. A lot of them have been with me for so long they just call me if something comes up.”

Dr. Brokalakis and her team can be contacted by phone at 519-956-7684, through social media on Instagram and Facebook, as well as the office’s website, www.harmonydentalwindsor.ca.

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LENDING A VOICE TO JUVENILE DIABETES

Local boy raising awareness of chronic illness and advocating for resources.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

Photo

by

Trevor Booth

By the time Kade Tiessen’s family learned he had Type One Diabetes, it was almost too late.

The now 10-year old Kingsville boy was just six when he began to exhibit a variety of symptoms that weren’t adding up to doctors or his mother, Stephanie Segave-Tiessen.

“It was a really weird mix of things; he also had no energy and he was normally a super active kid,” she said. “Type One Diabetes just was not on my radar at all. It was really hard to pinpoint it at the time, but knowing what I know now, I can see it a mile away.”

Stephanie says as Kade’s illness progressed with no real diagnosis, she began to think perhaps it was something psychological.

“He was sick for several months and I remember toward the latter part of it I was calling a child psychologist and thinking that he was depressed,” she recalls.

In addition to the lethargy, Kade was also extremely skinny despite being constantly hungry and thirsty, although the extent of those symptoms was not fully realized by Kade’s family or teachers.

“I was a working mom, so had I been with him all the time, I would have seen the extent of that and thought to tell a doctor about it earlier on,” she continues. “The mom guilt is real.”

Kade was drinking so much, Stephanie says, he began frequently urinating to the point of having accidents. Approximately a week before his diagnosis, he became so sick and lethargic they knew something was seriously wrong.

“He had no fever and no other symptoms so we thought perhaps it was cancer or another illness,” she says. “Kade’s grandmother suggested diabetes and as I was researching, I saw something that mentioned diabetes as well and that’s when it all clicked.”

Stephanie brought Kade directly to a pediatrician where he was given a requisition form for blood work to confirm the diagnosis. On their way home from the doctor’s office, Kade began vomiting.

Once they got home, Stephanie began doing more research on Type One Diabetes and happened to stumble across a YouTube video of a young girl the same age as Kade having a similar experience with excessive thirst, hunger, and gaunt appearance.

Like Kade, the young girl became so ill she began vomiting and was admitted to the hospital. Soon after, she died as a result of Diabetic Ketoacidosis; a serious complication of diabetes that develops when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to break down sugar for energy, causing a buildup of acids in the bloodstream called ketones.

“I watched this video in shock and said, ‘Oh my god we’re going to the hospital right away.’”

Stephanie rushed her son to Leamington hospital where he was immediately triaged. After administering a finger prick to test his blood glucose level, they were told to drive directly to Windsor Regional Hospital’s Metropolitan Campus. A blood sugar level of 7 or higher indicates diabetes, and Kade’s blood sugar level was astronomically high at 27.

“They told us, ‘Drive to Met. Don’t stop,” she recalls. “They said there would be a pediatric endocrinologist there waiting for us. It was very scary.”

By the time they got to Windsor, his veins were so dehydrated they couldn’t get an IV into him, recalls Stephanie. Kade was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

wide campaign by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation called “Kids for a Cure.”

“His meeting with both of them was great,” shares Stephanie. “Irek actually told Kade that if he wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance, that he would deliver it to her personally and that he was going to join the diabetes caucus (a committee that meets several times a year to discuss policies and research investments and supports for people with diabetes.)”

Kusmierczyk also invited Kade to join him in Ottawa this February to sit in the House of Commons and get a firsthand look at government process.

“He is so excited to go,” says Stephanie. “The experience has really shown him how powerful it can be to share your story.”

While Kade still has to monitor and balance his blood sugar 15-20 times a day with the help of a continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump, the young athlete doesn’t let that slow him down. Despite his challenges, he plays travel soccer and travel hockey.

“Kade says he wants to help kids like him because it’s just so much when you first get diagnosed,” says Stephanie. “Every time you eat, you have to count carbs, finger poke, and administer insulin; it can be very depressing so it’s great to be able to show some positive examples of people living with this chronic disease.”

“When you get into Diabetic Ketoacidosis, everything just stars shutting down,” explains Stephanie. “They can’t just give you insulin to bring the sugar down when it’s that bad. Your electrolytes are completely out of whack so they have to do it gradually.”

Kade spent a week in the ICU, ultimately recovering from the episode determined to fight this new battle and share his story with others in hopes of raising awareness and advocating for more government resources.

Three years later, Kade is doing just that, recently meeting with local MPs Chris Lewis and Irek Kusmierczyk as part of a Canada-

As a parent striving to manage their child’s condition, Stephanie says it’s been important to stay positive and to connect with other families and local resources for support and guidance.

“We have an amazing pediatric metabolic team at Met Hospital that deals with all of the families managing Type One Diabetes,” she says. “As soon as Kade was diagnosed, they did a fantastic job educating us and have just been a wealth of support. The clinic kind of flies under the radar but they really do important work.”

To learn more about Type One Diabetes in children, log on to www.jdrf.ca.

Kade says he wants to help kids like him because it’s just so much when you first get diagnosed. Every time you eat, you have to count carbs, finger poke, and administer insulin; it can be very depressing so it’s great to be able to show some positive examples of people living with this chronic disease.

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO GROW A BUSINESS

Mister HQ Group president, David Burman, believes that to have a successful business, you need a successful community—and he’s found that in Windsor.

By Matthew St. Amand

Photos by Syx Langemann

As long as David Burman can remember he has had a tendency toward transformation. Combining this with his innate sense of style—back when he counted his age in single digits—he flipped his bedroom and redesigned the family dining room on a regular basis.

“I think people are either born with a sense of style, or they are not,” says David, president of Mister HQ Group, one of Windsor’s most exciting and successful businesses.

It’s no wonder he is a two-time graduate of St. Clair College, excelling in their Hotel Management and Food and Beverage Services programs. Not only was David born with his own sense of style but has always possessed a desire to blaze his own trail.

“I come from a long line of entrepreneurs,” he explains. “My father’s mother founded one of Canada’s first beauty supply stores owned by a woman: Burman’s Beauty Supplies in London, Ontario. She and my grandfather owned a dry-cleaning store, and a nightclub, up until their retirement.”

David’s mother is descended from a longer line of American entrepreneurs.

“My great grandfather owned an amusement park,” David continues. “He also owned Darby’s Delicatessen, which had locations across Michigan and was nationally recognized as one of the best in the United States.”

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1990, David moved to Windsor with his family in 1995. He retained strong roots with the American side of his family and maintains dual citizenship.

David attended Riverside Secondary School for two years, and then two years at Brennan. Following graduation, he attended St. Clair College.

“I was one of the first people from the college to do Disney’s International College Program,” David says.

He did private concierge and front desk at Disney, through Central Michigan University

“As a dual citizen,” he goes on, “I was given a lot of responsibility. I got to work with celebrities and take on unique tasks. The experience opened a lot of doors.”

During his time at Disney International College, and the jobs David subsequently worked, he learned that providing excellence in service was pivotal to success no matter the business.

“After high school, I worked for the Ambassador Bridge company, in maintenance, and in the toll booths,” he says. “I eventually went to work at Costco as a seasonal worker. I always had a hunger to learn and do more. I moved from being a seasonal to Costco’s Membership Department. Soon after, I moved up into the administration in charge of their financials. By the time I left Costco, I was a supervisor.”

and particularly his family, his parents and aunt, for all they did to aid him.

“Where I am today is because of them,” he says simply. “My parents are the backbone of my success. They’re conservative people by nature, and sometimes felt I was moving too aggressively with my business. They often suggested that I take smaller steps, move with caution. My aunt, though, was my buffer with my parents. She would say to them: ‘Trust him.’ And they did. Even when we disagreed, I knew they had faith in me.”

Having his parents’ faith was important, but in those early days of Mister Maid, David also needed his parents’ hands. They lent their time and cleaning skills to David’s burgeoning business.

“My parents both had jobs—mom was in the medical field and my dad was a tech sales executive—but they also helped me. Now my aunt also works for the company. I’ll never forget that when I couldn’t afford employees, my family and friends helped me.” Youthful enthusiasm may be part of the fuel cell propelling Mister Maid, but David’s entrepreneurial spirit came into full bloom interacting with residential and commercial clients. Everywhere he turned, he saw a niche to fill.

It was in 2012, while working at Costco that David was approached to buy Mister Maid. He was twenty-two years of age. The company was struggling, but the opportunity came when David felt himself ready for a transition. On paper, the purchase might not have been the soundest business decision, but in his gut, David knew it was the right path.

“After buying Mister Maid, I went to each client and said: ‘Look, I know you’re not happy. Please give me the opportunity to regain your confidence,’” David recalls. “I remember getting a big boost when I went to see Greig Pedler, who was a customer. He listened to me and said: ‘OK, show us what you’ve got.’”

David did.

Reflecting on his slow, steady climb to success, David is quick to credit his friends,

While working mainly with residential clients David saw that the local real estate market had a gaping need for staging and interior design services. And so, Mister Style was born in 2015.

“I’m proud to say that I pioneered the staging business in Windsor,” David says. “Within the last two years, my staging business has grown exponentially, while a dozen other staging companies have entered the Windsor market. Recently, I have worked remotely in Florida, completing four large projects. Locally, we have worked with multiple restaurants and commercial outfits. At our busiest, we completed eight hundred forty stages—averaging four to six a day!”

This audacious approach—that yielded solid results—has gained notice, leading to Mister Style taking on projects in London, Toronto, Vancouver, Detroit, Michigan and Naples, Florida (where Mister Style South is established).

We need to be passionate about these small businesses. We become stronger when everyone is thriving. We have to learn not to live in fear, to take that risk, take that leap of faith!

In 2019, David’s experience with Mister Maid showed him there was also a need for in-home care. And so, Mister Care was born.

“We saw that there are people who are injured, or otherwise who need support in their homes,” David says. “We had some personal support workers already working in the cleaning department, so it wasn’t a huge leap to have them provide the care they were trained to provide.”

“I came to a point where I had to create some boundaries between me and my work,” he recalls. “People lose themselves in their businesses. I think we need to focus on being ourselves and being an asset to the business. The desire to serve can sometimes have adverse effects. I was working sixteenhour days, being overly communicative, and then during my downtime I isolated myself. As a consequence, I found it uncomfortable being around people.”

David now focuses on valuing quality over quantity. Still, he approaches his work with a high degree of sensitivity. Cleaning people’s homes, designing for people, staging their homes for sale, David treads in very sensitive areas of people’s lives and his success demonstrates that he navigates that terrain with skill and empathy.

It was also in 2019 that the Mister HQ Group branding came into being.

“‘HQ’ stands for ‘High Quality,’” David explains. “People have told me over the years: ‘You’ve got such an attention to detail,’ and I genuinely believe that great customer service and an excellent eye for detail are crucial, no matter the business.”

With each new venture, people asked David: “How do you focus on so many businesses?”

“They’re intertwined,” he says. “They have all grown organically. When I see a need that I can fill, I fill it.”

It’s one thing to see a need, but quite another to have the business acumen and energy to fill it. David has both. There is, however, a cost of doing business that is not reflected on any balance sheet: the personal cost. Attempting to be “all things to all people” is a laudable goal but is never truly attainable. After years of personal and professional evolution, and with pleasing others being the cornerstone of his business, David’s mental health suffered.

This empathy carries over into David’s life beyond the business. One of his central beliefs is that in order to have a strong business, we need to have a strong community. David has used his position as a business owner to put his beliefs into practice, partnering with important programs, such as Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario (ALSO), Transition to Betterness, United Way, Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST), House of Sophersyne, and Children’s Aid Society (CAS).

Currently, David sits on the foundation board of directors for CAS where he runs the “No Cold Child” program with the Fortis Group. This program ensures that hundreds of children will not be cold this winter. The campaign recently raised more than $30,000 providing holiday packages, which included new winter coats and accessories, along with hygiene products and gift cards.

With five growing businesses, deep roots in the community, David Burman and Mister HQ Group enter the new year on solid footing.

“We, as a community, are driven to support one another,” he says. “We need to be passionate about these small businesses. We become stronger when everyone is thriving. We have to learn not to live in fear, to take that risk, take that leap of faith!”

Learn more about the great things happening at Mister HQ Group by visiting them online at www.misterhqgroup.ca.

As a dual citizen, I was given a lot of responsibility. I got to work with celebrities and take on unique tasks. The experience opened a lot of doors.

TIRECRAFT BRINGS THE EXPERIENCE AND CARE SO YOU CAN KEEP IT LOCAL

By Devan

When Erik Smith says he has experience in the tire industry, he isn’t joking, and after a lifetime of learning the game from the ground up, at Windsor Tirecraft at 3800 Webster Dr. in Windsor, he has the location, the services, and the staff it takes to give you the automotive and commercial tire experience you need.

Smith started changing transport truck tires at 16 years old while he was still going to school. “I was changing tires on the side of the road for a lot of years—and did emergency night calls,” he recalls. Eventually, the company he worked for was sold and he was given the opportunity to join the sales staff. After six years, he walked away and partnered at Windsor Tire, Inc. and, in 2018, bought out his partner.

“Tirecraft is a group of independent tire dealers that joined together to make a group to combat against the big corporation stores,” explains Smith. “Everyone who is involved in Tirecraft owns their location, but because we’re heavy into the commercial trucking industry, if there is a truck driver coming from North Bay to Windsor with a blown tire, there’s a Tirecraft here he can deal with just like there’s a Tirecraft in North Bay.”

Windsor Tirecraft offers a wide variety of services for their customers. On the commercial side, they offer 24-hour service for transport truck companies, on-site mobile service for construction companies and farmers, and tire pressing services for forklifts in factories. When it comes to mechanical work, Tirecraft provides full engine diagnostics, brakes, suspensions, alignments, tires, and oil changes. They are also a leader in aftermarket accessories, offering wheel and lift kit packages that have become quite popular.

Smith says that what sets his company apart from his competitors is the level of experience and amount of caring among his staff.

“With our commercial division, everyone that is in a leadership position has done the job of changing tires before,” he states. “Whether it was the giant earthmover tires, forklift tires, Bobcats, backhoes, farm equipment, everyone in a management or sales position has done the job before. We have tons of experience, and the management team isn’t afraid of jumping in and getting dirty when we are slammed with business.

“With our service technicians, I have the most amount of service trucks on the road. I have double of what my two main competitors have combined. In our commercial division, we’re extremely service oriented— which is everything nowadays.”

He says that on the retail side, his mechanics have roughly 50 plus years of experience between them, and that his service advisors have grown in the business from the shop floor to the front desk. Why shop for tires at a big box store whose staff are typically shuffled from one department to another with no continuity, and minimal knowledge? Tirecraft invests heavily in continuous training for all departments of the business and believes in long term relationships with its customers.

Mighton Photo by Trevor Booth

Owner Erik Smith talks coming up in tire industry, growth, and doing it right.

Smith explains that they are a company that cares—both about their customers and their employees. He says that before going out on his own, he experienced a boss that was stingy and treated his employees terribly, and he has learned from that. Service guys on mobile service get to bring home their work trucks, phones, uniforms, and boots are paid, employees on night call get paid 50 per cent of the labour charge, while Tirecraft’s competitors only pay 30. Then there are the small details, like the staff receiving cash bonuses, Under Armour hoodies, and personal cars fixed at cost.

Smith grew up changing tires for almost 20 years, he gets it. He knows what it’s like to work for a living and just scrape by. “I spent a lot of years working days and nights to provide for my family. It has given me a unique perspective as a business owner to understand what my employees go through. It also gave me a special understanding of what customers truly value. Which is service, dependability and affordability.”

His loyalty to his employees has paid off for him. With steady annual growth, he has expanded his business from 18 to 31 employees since the start of the pandemic.

“They see how I treat them and they know what else is out there in this industry for them—they watch my back quite a bit,” says Smith, and he admits that after years of pounding the pavement and working long hours and as an active single father of three, taking night school classes, all while running Tirecraft, it is nice to have peace of mind when it comes to his staff and business.

Smith continues to look toward the future, adding more apprentices, another licensed technician, more hoists, newer equipment, a new alignment machine, as well as a touchless tire machine for high-end and after-market rims. He says that he is always looking to expand and is currently looking into adding to their fleet of commercial service trucks and maybe a mobile heavy mechanical truck.

“We’re looking to grow,” states Smith. “I’m at the point now, with having my management team around me, I can step back from working in the business and start working on it and figure out where our growth opportunities are.”

TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR

Helix guitarist Mark Chichkan recalls how he got “The Guitar.”

By Devan Mighton Photos by Maximus Reid

Mark Chichkan and his brother Michael were called from their classrooms. In the midst of their parent’s divorce, it was a rare event for their father to come by the school and take them for lunch.

When he pulled up in his car and picked them up, they knew this would be a day to never forget.

Not long before, Mike Chichkan had taken the boys to their cousins’ house in Dearborn for a little jam session in their uncle’s garage. With Michael wailing away on his cousin’s Ludwig drum set and Mark making a Gibson Les Paul sing through a Fender Princeton amp, Mike looked on with pride and a touch of premonition.

“My dad and my uncle, I remember them walking through the garage door, they both have a beer in their hand, and my dad has this look on his face and he’s just beaming—so proud—he’s laughing and he’s pointing at my uncle and he’s sayin, ‘I told you, I told you,’” recalls Helix guitarist Mark Chichkan. “We finished playing and I could hear them going at each other just outside the garage door, and I was laughing to my brother, ‘Who are they laughing at?’”

After picking them up from school, their father took them straight to the music store, turned to the boys and said, “I told you guys you needed some new gear, well, today’s the day. Go ahead and grab whatever you want.”

As Michael gravitated toward a Pearl drum set on that afternoon, Mark found the instrument that would change his life—a 1978 Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul guitar.

“It’s the one I have till this day,” explains Mark. “I learned everything I know on that guitar. Everyday, when I look at that guitar, I think of my dad.”

Barely a decade later, Mark is a professional guitarist, recording and touring with some of the biggest acts of the early 90’s Canadian rock scene.

“I was in a band called Mindstorm and it was the first road band that I was ever in,” explains Mark. “I was playing pretty steady all around town... so I had plenty of opportunity to play prior to going on the road.”

After picking up his first job at General Motors at 18 years old, he answered an ad for an audition in Kitchener that his mother had found. Managed by Helix manager Bill Seip, that band, Mindstorm, hired Chichkan who toured with them and also played on their second album, 1991’s Back to Reality.

When Mindset imploded, Seip offered to manage a band built around Mark, resulting in Even Steven, which was later renamed Ruben Kane. After a year of touring, the two sat down to review their relationship, but Mark says when he learned the contract Seip wanted him to sign would cost him his publishing rights, he balked. In return, Seip sued Mark for $2,500 in “owing fees”— something Mark denies owing until this day. However, on the advice of Legal Aid, he and another band member paid away the lawsuit.

“The silver lining of it all is that I never hated [Seip], even after all of that,” states Chichkan. “I still liked the guy a lot. He taught me a lot in this industry and I have a hard time hating anyone, in truth.”

Seip offered Mark a chance to join Helix, a well-known national act, who Mark joined in 1993.

“I’ve always considered myself a pro and when I set my mind to something, as far as music goes, I learn it properly and the way it’s supposed to be,” explains Mark. “I knew I had my end down, I wasn’t scared about my parts because I knew I was capable enough— it was just nerve-racking being in a gold and platinum-selling band.”

Mark says that Helix was his dream gig. He went on tour with the band, made lifelong friendships with the other members, played on a couple albums, and even brought a couple songs to the band.

Unfortunately, in 1999, between relationship problems and professional obligations in his hometown of Windsor, Mark stepped away from Helix.

“My life as a musician is here in my hometown,” says Mark. “What I’ve done here, all my life, made my living as a musician. These people depend on me and when you book a gig, they depend on you to show up and do your job.”

Instead of relying on the inconsistency of fill-ins, Mark focussed on his musical obligations at home. However, his friendships in Helix were never forgotten and almost 25 years later, lead singer Brian Vollmer reached out to him during the pandemic and offered a chance to return.

“It couldn’t have been a more perfect timing,” explains Mark. “I regretted leaving Helix at the time and I get this opportunity, again, to be back in Helix. When Brian called me, I thought, ‘Holy shit, how lucky is this!’ I said, ‘Yes, of course I want to play again.’ I felt like a junkie and I was jonesing to play live music again and to be playing in a national act like Helix again, I just jumped at it.”

In 2022, he played his first gig back with the band, opening for Honeymoon Suite in Edmonton at a private show.

He says, in 2022 and 2023, the band has been all about fly-in touring. Coming in the day before on a plane—rehearse, soundcheck, show, go home the next day—sharing the stage with the likes of Kim Mitchell, Tom Cochrane, Nazareth, Foghat, Sweet, Harlequin, and even Toronto, Prism, and Loverboy.

He says that at 55 years old, he is truly living. “This is an ongoing Cinderella

There’s just so many good things happening with the band next year—it’s just unbelievable.

story. There’s just so many good things happening with the band next year—it’s just unbelievable.”

In April of this year, his father, Mike, passed away at 87 years old, leaving a loving legacy on his son—his love of music and that Les Paul guitar.

“I’ve learned so much on that guitar,” says Mark. “It has brought me through so many trials and tribulations in my personal life and I still have it, it’s my main guitar till this day.”

His father knew that Mark had something special in him. Back on that day, in Dearborn, Mike had bet Mark’s Uncle Nick, that those kids in the garage that sounded so good on that gear were his sons, not his brother’s.

“They couldn’t see us, just heard us,” explains Mark. “So, when they opened the door and seen us, my dad was just beaming.”

This is an ongoing Cinderella story.

BEYOND DESIGNING BOUNDARIES

Award-winning masterpiece.

Proud recipient of 8 Landscape Ontario Excellence awards. Achieving the pinnacle of landscaping success.

MEZZO RISTORANTE AND LOUNGE

20 years of tasty fare with impeccable flair.

By Jen Brignall-Strong

What’s the secret to becoming one of Windsor’s most award-winning, popular restaurants?

For Mezzo Ristorante and Lounge, it’s simple: make good food and do good things.

“Our goal is to bring Windsor-Essex a fantastic dining experience and help out our community as much as we can,” says owner Filip Rocca.

Now in their 21st year of business, Mezzo has made a name for themselves as Erie Street’s not-to-be-missed hot spot; with an eclectic, contemporary atmosphere, extensive wine list, and innovative Italian cuisine.

“We started it from scratch back in August 2002 and well, now we’re here,” laughs Rocca.

Since then, the restaurant has been consecutively ranked as one of the top spots in the city, most recently named Windsor’s Top Choice Italian Restaurant for the past four years including 2023, an accolade Rocca and his business partner Darcy King are extremely proud of.

It is truly a great honour for our team,” says Rocca. “Top Choice is a prestigious award that recognizes the dedication of our staff and the superior experience we strive to provide.”

Of course, it’s also Mezzo’s mouth-watering food that keeps both locals and out-oftowners coming back, with a diverse menu featuring a mix of classic Italian fare and unique creations prepared by Head Chef Pat Lizzi and his team.

Favourites include the homemade pasta, specifically the ravioli; stuffed with roasted butternut squash and mutsu apple in a ginger, bacon, sundried tomato cream sauce. Other must-try items include the sesame encrusted ahi tuna topped with mango chutney, and the pan-seared ‘AAA’ beef tenderloin.

“The ravioli and the tuna are our most popular menu items, but there are so many great choices,” says Rocca. There are also delicious vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten-free items, he adds.

For those with a sweet tooth, they feature a selection of desserts like house made tiramisu and crème brûlée, as well as specialty dessert coffees and martinis.

Mezzo has also become a popular lunchtime destination, notes Rocca, with a variety of affordable soup, sandwich, and salad choices, as well as appetizers and pastas, meat, and fish.

“We see a lot of lunchtime business meetings or people meeting up with friends,” he says, sharing that they regularly host special events, meetings, and parties in their private dining area which seats up to 40 people.

Since their inception, Mezzo has also opened their doors to many community events and charities as well; supporting a number of local initiatives, including Project Christmas. Their most notable event is their annual Christmas lunch. Each year, the restaurant opens on Christmas Day to welcome people in for a delicious free meal; whether they’re homeless, elderly, down on their luck, or lonely.

“It’s great to be able to give back to our community. We’ve been doing it since the beginning,” says Rocca. “We also get donations for hats, mitts, and gifts for kids as well so everyone can leave here with something from us.”

This year, Rocca says Mezzo is looking forward to bringing back some of their other popular events, which they had to pause during the pandemic.

“We plan on bringing a lot more of our events back in 2023,” he says. “We used to do a monthly supper club night with a set menu tied to a charity and that will be returning for sure. It’s like a monthly little party.”

They also host live musical entertainment each week, and offer unique fixed menu dinners for special occasions including Valentine’s Day.

“We’ve put together something great for Valentine’s Day this year that we think people will really enjoy,” says Rocca.

Details about the latest events and entertainment can be found on the restaurant’s socials.

As for what else this year holds, Rocca says the team is looking forward to doing what they do best; continuing to serve extraordinary food in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

“We love our city and being a part of Via Italia,” says Rocca. “We love our Michigan customers who support us as well. We truly enjoy what we do and hopefully we’ll be doing this for another 20 years.”

Photo by Trevor Booth

A BETTER, MORE SUCCESSFUL YOU

Michael Keirl is here to help with Infinite.Paradigm.Solutions.

By Devan Mighton

Photo by Trevor Booth

What is the best way to achieve your goals? How do you become successful? Where, inside, do you find your peak potential? Through his business, Infinite.Paradigm. Solutions, Michael Keirl mentors individuals, businesses, and entrepreneurs to motivate them and find success in what they do.

Keirl defines success with a quote from late motivational speaker Earl Nightingale.

“This isn’t my definition, but I’ve adopted it and I believe it,” states Keirl. “’Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or a worthy ideal.’ It’s moving towards the goal— that’s what success is.”

He offers the analogy of the lead up to Christmas as an example of Nightingale’s ideation.

“A lot of the time, we find ourselves happiest as we’re moving towards the goal— it’s like Christmas. People are excited for Christmas and then Christmas afternoon— well, it’s already been Christmas. It’s the build up, moving towards it—it’s the journey—and it’s setting a big goal that might scare you a little bit. You don’t know how you’re going to do it, but you believe you can.”

Keirl explains that many people reach a point where they feel stuck. “We’re always trying to reach higher, and then we often hit a plateau and we’re not able to move through it—and we wonder why that is,” says Keirl. “There’s so many distractions and so many things around us always trying to grab our attention, that move us away from the things we’re trying to achieve. People seem to get stuck and can’t move past a certain level or they’re unable to achieve some of the goals and the things they’re trying to do and they don’t know why they can’t figure it out.”

Through Infinite.Paradigm.Solutions, Keirl guides people through a process of discovery where they can learn to better apply ideas and concepts that, deep down, they already know and what they need to do to achieve their goals.

“The biggest thing that stops people is what we call the Thinking-Knowing Gap,” explains Keirl. “We know what we should be doing, but generally we don’t and it comes down to habits.”

A consultant of the Proctor Gallagher Institute, co-founded by Canadian self-help

author Bob Proctor, Keirl offers a variety of different types of coaching and consultation for businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals.

“I facilitate a process that Bob has created,” states Keirl. “Bob was a master of disinformation and studied it like a scientist for 60-plus years. He is a master of moving people into action and the application of solid success principles.”

His other business, AudioTwo, specializes in high fidelity audio. Offering solutions in two-channel equipment, turntables, streaming solutions, and equipment from entry level to high end.

“I have solutions that are $1,000 or over $100,000, it just depends on what someone’s looking for,” says Keirl.

Having purchased the company in May 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked hard to achieve goals and milestones with his business to keep it growing and thriving through shutdowns and lockdowns.

“Doing it through COVID, we ignored what was going on, and just made it happen,” he says. “This year’s been pretty good.”

Keirl says accountability is key and likens it to a “success insurance policy”.

“I use the same process to achieve my own goals and have shared it with my family,” he explains. “My daughter has become exceptionally good at it. She writes her own report card at the beginning of the year and works towards the goal everyday. No pressure—she knows what she wants and gets busy doing it—she has built the habit.”

Keirl found the teachings of Proctor in his own search for betterment. Reading books by self-help gurus and not finding the results he hoped for, he came across Proctor and found instant improvement.

“Bob’s a teacher; he’s the master,” he explains. “He’s done it for so long, but I have my study routine, just like Bob did, learning everyday, that’s part of it. The learning part is very important, but then it’s the application which is the difference. You start applying it to what you’re trying to do and the goals that you’re trying to achieve—that is what I find is the difference between what Bob was sharing and a lot of the things I see out there.”

“We can go through our entire school system and learn very little about ourselves. School takes care, piling up the knowledge, and this is very important—I believe in a good education—but it’s the doing part that gives us our results in life. Most people are doing things they don’t want to do, giving them results they don’t want and, yet, they do them anyway—why is that?”

Keirl has applied Proctor’s philosophies to his everyday life and his work.

Keirl adds that if you look around, you will see many people who are successful, and you don’t understand how they accomplished this. Many of these people probably couldn’t tell you how they achieved their success—they just have successful habits.

“It can be developed—anybody can achieve a goal that they really want to do, it’s just building the habits of achieving that goal,” states Keirl. “If you knew how to do it, you’d already be doing it. The challenge is discovering what you need to do to achieve the goal and that’s what stops most people.”

“It’s never too late to start,” he adds. “Life can be a marvelous trip. If it’s been rough to this point—that’s okay, it’s the past, it can’t be changed. Write out the old image with all its unpleasantness on a piece of paper. Get a steel bowl and then burn it—it’s done and refuse to let it control you anymore. Then, write how you want it to be, think, and focus on that. You will get ideas, write them down. pick just one and start working on it.

“Success is moving towards the ideal— if you are moving towards it, you are a success.”

It can be developed—anybody can achieve a goal that they really want to do, it’s just building the habits of achieving that goal,” states Keirl. “If you knew how to do it, you’d already be doing it. The challenge is discovering what you need to do to achieve the goal and that’s what stops most people.

YOU’RE BECOMING VERY, VERY SLEEPY… PREPARE TO LAUGH

Improv comedian Colin Mochrie and Master Hypnotist, Asad Mecci, combine their unique talents in a one-of-a-kind show called “HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis.”

By Matthew St. Amand

It’s an outlandish pairing of specialties—improv comedy with hypnosis— which could either be a bizarre spectacle or a stroke of entertainment genius. In the hands of legendary improv comedian, Colin Mochrie, and Master Hypnotist, Asad Mecci, this surreal concept is brilliantly creative and highly entertaining.

“The genesis of the idea came while I was taking an improv class at Second City,” Asad explains. “The instructor kept telling the class; ‘Get out of your head! You’re too much in your head!’ He used confusion tactics to get knee-jerk reactions from people, or what he called ‘unconscious comedy.’”

This resonated with Asad because, during hypnosis, the part of the brain that deals with self-reflection becomes disconnected. Hypnotized subjects are no longer self-conscious about what they’re doing, but carry out the suggestions given to them by the hypnotist.

“I wondered: ‘Can I use hypnosis to hack this process? Can I take someone who has no improv experience and turn them into a good improv artist using hypnosis?’” He laughs. “The answer was a resounding ‘Yes!’”

Asad pitched the idea to comedian Colin Mochrie, who thought it was utterly insane—and instantly loved it for that very reason.

The show was born in 2016 and has played to audiences in Europe, North America (including a stint off-Broadway), and select Canadian cities. The premise is both simple and bonkers: up to twenty volunteers are chosen from the audience. Asad hypnotizes them looking for those who are most suggestible. Once he has whittled the number of volunteers down to the best five or six hypnotic subjects, Colin comes out and works his magic.

“We run games with the volunteers,” Colin explains. “One is the ‘Super Hero’ game, and I’m auditioning for a new partner, asking what qualifications they have. One volunteer said their name was the Gibraltar Kid, and I asked ‘So, do you

get hard like a rock?’ The person said, ‘No, I have residency…’”

In that moment, the impossible nearly happened—Colin Mochrie was almost thrown for a loop.

“I had no idea what that meant, so I asked: ‘What does that mean?’ And they said: ‘I have residency in Gibraltar, so if there is crime there, I can take care of it.’”

Colin marvels at what the volunteers come up with. They give him plenty to work from, and throw him all the curve balls he can handle—and more.

During another game in which Colin plays a detective trying to solve a murder, a volunteer said: “It’s all in your mind, Colin. There is no murder.”

old time acrobat spinning dinner plates on top of sticks, continuously shoring-up the volunteers’ tranc e states.

One of the many interesting aspects of the show is that Colin and Asad speak to the volunteers afterward to find out how much they remember.

“They’re aware of everything,” Colin told Cracked.com in June 2022. “To the audience, it looks like they’re slumped over and totally out of it but they’re aware of absolutely everything that happens in the show. When I’m improvising with someone, they’ll bring up something that happened three scenes before in a scene that they weren’t in. And reincorporate it! Every night, we find an improv superstar.”

There was one memorable night where one of these improv superstars was a young woman who confessed to suffering from intense social anxiety. She had no idea why she volunteered to go onstage, but said it was one of the best experiences of her life.

Asad points out that the hypnotic techniques he uses in the show are for entertainment purposes, only, and not intended as therapy.

Colin adds: “Asad gives the volunteers a suggestion that they never felt so good, and people come out of it feeling positive and happy, almost as though they just finished a workout.”

“When I’m working with the ‘Whose Line’ guys, I have a general idea where things are going,” he says. “I don’t have that with the volunteers. They have no game plan. They are not thinking about the end of the sketch.”

“Colin cannot relax because he has no idea where the sketch is headed,” Asad adds.

Asad doesn’t get much time to relax onstage, either. Keeping five hypnotized volunteers in a trance state is no easy feat. Only on television do hypnotized subjects remain in a trance state until the hypnotist counts down and snaps his fingers. In real life, Asad is moving around like an

Colin and Asad are touring Canada with the show for the first time since 2019. Although the show is entirely unscripted, they have refined the games played with the volunteers, learning that the simpler the premise the more response they yield from those hypnotized.

The show plays across North America well into September of this year.

“HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis” makes a stop in Windsor on February 11 at the Chrysler Theatre. Visit www. chryslertheatre.com/events/ for ticket availability and pricing. For more information about the show, itself, check out www.hyprov.com.

I wondered: ‘Can I use hypnosis to hack this process? Can I take someone who has no improv experience and turn them into a good improv artist using hypnosis, the answer was a resounding yes!’

BETTER PUT A RING ON IT

Baron Championship Rings is revolutionizing the celebration of sports.

By Devan Mighton Photo by Trevor Booth

When you ask Drina Baron-Zinyk what makes a good ring, she will tell you that the best sports ring is the one you put a lot of thought into. Not the glam, not the glitz, but the ring that tells the story of how that athlete and their team got to this point.

"As long as that ring tells the story, all the way through from beginning till end, I feel that it ends up being a perfect ring," she explains. "I find that every single ring that we design, when we work with a team, we put a lot of thought into. We'll ask them, and

it's not just, 'Do you want a big ring?' It's not about budget, it's not about that. We say, 'Tell us about your championship run. What does it take to get to that championship game?' And, they tell their story."

In 2019, when the Toronto Raptors finally fulfilled 24 years of promise to their fans and brought the National Basketball Association championship to Canada, Baron Championship Rings were thrust into the limelight. Their ring design, proudly declaring "NORTH" in front of the iconic CN Tower

made international news and was highly sought after by fans of the team.

The road to the unveiling of that ring was long, with many twists and turns, but is something Baron-Zinyk speaks of fondly.

"Back in '82, my parents had started the business but as a retail," says Baron-Zinyk. "They did things like engagement rings. My dad (Richard) decided that he wanted to do something different and do school rings because there were no Canadian companies

that manufactured school rings, they were all American. He was like, 'Why isn't there anything in Canada?'"

Over the years, the business, then known as Baron Insignias, started doing sports teams. Something that Baron-Zinyk says drew herself and her brother, Peter, into the fold.

"As he started doing sports rings, we got more interested in the business, got involved, and started getting teams in British Columbia, Toronto, and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, which was actually one of the first associations we ever got," she recalls. "With them, we said, 'We want to be your official ring supplier so that in every championship, we have the rights to the OMHA logo,' and it worked out well—so we started getting other associations."

However, the siblings wanted to take the business even further—right into the mainstream.

"In 2015, my brother and I decided we wanted to take the company to the next level, so we asked my father if we could buy him out," explains Baron-Zinyk. "We bought the business and we rebranded it Baron Championship Rings. We still do the school rings and everything, but we wanted to specialize in championship rings and do it well."

Baron started actively pursuing US schools, and even though they kept hearing things like, "We've never heard of you— we've only heard of Jostens," they started making in-roads.

did a presentation," says Baron-Zinyk. "We went outside the box, doing something that no one had ever done before with setting the diamonds in the "World Champions"—everything we did on that ring had never been done before. Then, the Cavs called us and said, 'We pick you!' We were like, ‘Uh, what?’ So, we asked why they picked us and they said ‘you gave us the best design’.”

Part of what makes Baron's rings so eye-catching is the story behind each ring— which Baron tries to capture in each one.

"They'll say, this was our final score, but if they tell us they had a motto, or anything like that—even how many years it took to get them there—we put that all in the story, even if it's just through stone counts, but put it with a certain image," explains Baron-Zinyk.

She says that the Cavs experience was a door-opener for Baron. Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert purchased over 2,600 rings to give to everyone from the players to the sponsors, to the concession staff. The other effect was that other teams were suddenly drawn to their designs, teams like the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, New York FC, LAFC, and Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League, several NCAA programs, and the Toronto Raptors' affiliate 905 Raptors.

However, landing the Toronto Raptors in 2019, when they won the NBA championship, may have been their biggest coup.

"We didn't know—you don't take for granted that you're going to get it just because you're Windsor and they're Toronto," states Baron-Zinyk. “We fought hard for that one, but it worked out well. It was kind of cool. Toronto is where my parents started their business and that's where I was born and lived there until I was 10. I felt like I was coming full circle."

jerseys, helmets, turf, basketball nets, and sports balls.

On a personal level, Baron-Zinyk sees herself and her company as advocates for women's sports as well.

"When it comes to rings, you have your male versions of the rings, but the female ones are getting just as large—which is amazing to see," she says. "Having two teenage daughters in sports, for me, when I think of the future, it's all about recognizing more of the female sports with their rings. When you work with a team, just because they're female, doesn't mean they want a small, dainty ring."

Baron will be bejewelling the Canadian Under-18 Women's Hockey team that won the IIHF World Championship in January, but they’ve also done the rings for Canada's Olympic Soccer Team, the LA Sparks and Seattle Storm of the WNBA, Baylor's NCAA Division I women's basketball team, Wayne State, and a variety of national cheerleading and dance championships.

"When the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship in 2016, we knew some people through Team USA Basketball because we'd done their rings, so we went and

The added success has allowed Baron to focus on giving back. Their charity, Leave No One Behind, has given out, according to Baron-Zinyk, roughly 10,000 free rings to players on teams that could not afford to celebrate their team's championship. Starting in 2017, they also started putting aside one dollar from every ring sold to go towards funding players and teams in need, providing

"When it comes to Baron and you talk about the future and legacy, what's important to me with the business is showing my girls— my two daughters—never giving up," states Baron-Zinyk. "It's not just about working hard, it's also about being honest and leading with listening to your employees.

"I find, sometimes, I'm looking at my girls and I think that in women's sports, there's so much unfairness in certain things and I want them to see that there is fairness out there, there is equality—you can be just as great as that boy right there. Be you, be true to yourself, and be strong."