WINDSOR ESSEX TECHTOBERFEST OCTOBER 29, 2013 featuring
SEPT OCT2013 and more to come!
VOLUME 44 | No. 9 - 10 | BUSINESS BRIEFS HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM
Erik Moll, Microsoft Canada and Carlo Ciaramitaro, KPMG LLP (Sponsor) at the first annual Windsor Essex Techtoberfest last October
ASK HR WWW.WINDSORCHAMBER.ORG
CONTENTS
7
UPCOMING EVENTS
WERCC | VOLUME 44 | No. 9- 10 | SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2013
5
9-10
11
13
15
MEMBERS AND FIRMS IN THE NEWS
NEW MEMBERS
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS
TECH CORNER
ASK HR
IN THE COMMUNITY
STAY CONNECTED
OUR MISSION “Leading the business community for creating regional economic prosperity.” Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2575 Ouellette Place, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1L9 Tel: (519) 966-3696 Fax: (519) 966-0603 Email: info@windsorchamber.org Website: www.windsorchamber.org
STAFF
Matt Marchand, President & CEO Holly Connelly, Assistant to the President Sherri Dulcamaro, Director of Sales and Marketing Igor Siljanoski, Policy Manager Marianne Burke, Director of Events Crystal Van Aspert, Finance & Office Coordinator Lindsey Rivait, Communications Coordinator Kerri Day, Membership Service Coordinator Barbara Malmberg, Event Coordinator
mmarchand@windsorchamber.org hconnelly@windsorchamber.org sdulcamaro@windsorchamber.org isiljanoski@windsorchamber.org mburke@windsorchamber.org cvanaspert@windsorchamber.org lrivait@windsorchamber.org kday@windsorchamber.org bmalmberg@windsorchamber.org
ADVERTISING SALES email: adsales@windsorchamber.org
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WELCOME
Letter from the President & CEO Welcome to another instalment of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Business Briefs. We have our new Board of Directors in place and have a full schedule of amazing events coming up over the next few months. The Chamber once again hosted a successful By-Election Debate for Windsor-Tecumseh in July as part of our MATT award-winning election strategy. The key MARCHAND issues for the debate were gathered from PRESIDENT & CEO a survey we sent to our members. Those issues included Ontario finances, economic growth, job creation, accountability, the cost of energy and the Green Energy Act, as well as skills training and the future of the health care system in Windsor-Essex. Congratulations to MPP Percy Hatfield for his win. In July, I attended an Automotive Roundtable with Premier Kathleen Wynne and automotive executives. I also raised key Chamber issues with Minister of Finance Charles Sousa at a roundtable meeting on August 26.
Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2013-2014 Board of Directors Ms. Carolyn Brown Chair** Vice President, Administration Detroit-Windsor Tunnel LLC Dr. Janice Forsyth Chair-Elect** President Foresight Management Consulting Mr. Ed Miles Past Chair** Tax Partner Miles & Co. Chartered Accountants Mr. Marty Beneteau Director Editor-in-Chief The Windsor Star Mr. David S. H. Cree Director Chair - Transportation Committee President & CEO Windsor Port Authority Mr. Adam Davis Director President Next Dimensions Inc
Mr. Steve Deneau Director Vice President Business Development Windsor Family Credit Union (WFCU) Mr. David Diemer Director Chair: Environment & Energy Committee Associate Dillon Consulting Limited Mr. Carl Hooper, CPA, CA, CFE Director Partner Collins Barrow Windsor LLP Mr. Jason Ilijanic Director Relationship Manager TD Commercial Banking Southwestern Ontario Region Mr. Kevin Laforet Director President and CEO Caesars Windsor
Mr. Jeffrey MacKinnon Treasurer** Partner McTague Law Firm LLP Mr. William Sivell Director Chair: Membership Committee Owner/Broker of Record Liberty Business Brokers of Ontario Ms. Ann-Marie Athavale Director Non-Voting Chair: ATHENA Committee VP - Sales/Marketing Empire Communications Inc. Dr. Alfie Morgan Director Emeritus Non-voting Professor Emeritus of Business Administration University of Windsor ** Denotes member of Executive Committee
Ms. Maureen Lucas Director President LucasWorks! (Windsor) Inc.
We have our Go For Health Luncheon featuring guest speaker Dr. Deborah Kane on September 11, an After Business networking event on September 12, Distinguished Speaker Luncheon with Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara on October 17, and another After Business on October 24. One of our largest events of the year, the Windsor Essex Techtoberfest, takes place Tuesday, October 29 at the Caboto Club. This year we’ll be welcoming speakers from Blackberry, Google, Life Size, Constant Contact, and more! You don’t want to miss this! We’re pleased to welcome Richard Peddie, former President and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, as the guest speaker for the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 137th Annual General Meeting on November 21. All members are invited to attend. You’ll also want to start thinking about planning your company’s Holiday Party, so keep our Multiple Business Holiday Party in mind on Friday, December 6—we do all the work, you have all the fun! Stay tuned for more events and news on our website at www. windsorchamber.org.
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BEA NOMINATIONS
Chamber Releases By-Election Survey Results The Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce has surveyed its members on the provincial by-election for Windsor-Tecumseh. The key issues for the Chamber members included Ontario finances, economic growth, job creation, accountability, the cost of energy and the Green Energy Act. Other issues include skills training and the future of the health care system in Windsor-Essex. “We are very pleased with our members’ engagement in this election. The survey gives us a big boost in addressing the issues that matter to our members and the community. We were proud to
host a lively debate and a healthy exchange of views,” said Matt Marchand, President and CEO, Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. As part of the Chamber’s award winning election strategy, the Chamber hosted a by-election debate on Thursday, July 18, 2013 at the Caboto Club. This was sponsored by Media Street productions and covered heavily by The Windsor Star, AM800 CKLW, and TVCOGECO. For more information, visit www.windsorchamber.org.
Nominations for the 24th Annual Business Excellence Awards are now open! Since 1991, the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce has recognized excellence in the business community with the Business Excellence Awards, now in their 24th year. Over 250 awards have been presented to local businesses and individuals. Now is the time to nominate! Nominations for the prestigious awards are open until Oct. 4, 2013. This year 12 awards will be presented and award winners will be announced on April 23, 2014 at the Business Excellence Awards. Also included in the awards ceremony are the recipients of the Believe Windsor Essex and ATHENA Awards. Additionally, the Business Excellence Awards Committee is currently looking for Judges to assist with this year’s event. Judges will be required to read and evaluate all submissions in the categories they are judging. A review meeting with all judges is mandatory as well as three site inspections of nominees are required. Judging will take place between November and mid December.
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The Chamber is also accepting proposals for Show Producer, Technical Producer and Video Producer. The Chamber looks forward to seeing Windsor-Essex businesses grow even further for the 24th Annual Business Excellence Awards this year. For more information, including how to nominate a business or individual, visit www. windsorchamber.org/events If you are interested in nominating or becoming involved in this process please contact Marianne Burke at (519) 966-3696 ext. 21 or mburke@ windsorchamber.org for details.
NEWS.COMMUNITY
MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY
Alpine Construction proudly presents its Annual Charity Golf Tournament at Pointe West Golf Course on September 16, 2013. The proceeds from this event will benefit The Sapper Mike Mc Teague Wounded Warrior Fund and Windsor Essex Military Family Support Group. The cost is all inclusive: breakfast, golf, cart, dinner, mulligans, skins game, and raffle tickets. For more information email isavoni@alpineconstruction.ca or call (519) 737-0500.
Beach Grove Golf & Country Club is excited to announce that the facilities will be undergoing approximately $5,000 in renovations from STC Group Inc. This includes complete renovation of: Men’s Locker Room, Stanley Thompson Lounge, Ladies’ Locker Room, the Marine Room, the Dining Terrace and the St. Clair Room including replacement of the waterfront deck. The kitchen will also be renovated and fully modernized to a state-of-the-art culinary facility. The renovations will be completed in March 2014. For more information, visit www.beachgrove.net.
collaboratively in the spirit and intent of the 2001 Conservation Vision, the U.S. Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, and the Western Lake Erie Watersheds Priority Natural Areas initiative. As part of this agreement, ERCA and its partners have created a Canadian Registry of Lands, similar to the U.S. Detroit River’s International Wildlife Refuge, recognizing a voluntary commitment to manage lands that have been registered with conservation and habitat protection and restoration as top priorities. For more information contact Danielle Breault Stuebing, Director of Communications and Education, at (519) 776-5209 ext. 352 or dstuebing@erca.org.
Farrow, Canada’s premier independent customs broker, donated $7,500 to the Canadian Red Cross to aid victims of the recent floods in Calgary, Alberta. In a statement to clients, Randy Motley, President, Canada indicated “we have employees and offices in Alberta, and while we were fortunate that neither our employees, nor our facilities, were significantly affected by the flooding of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, nevertheless, as members of the communities in which we do business we feel compelled to help with the restoration effort in Calgary.” For further details contact Joe Corace, E.V.P Marketing, Development & Innovation, at joe.corace@ farrow.com or (519) 252-7775 ext. 273.
Voting has now begun in the 16th Annual Biz X Magazine Awards! You can nominate your favourite businesses and people in Windsor Essex until September 20. Please make sure your nominee is over 19 and lives in Windsor/ Essex. There are 25 categories ranging from outstanding new business to retail shops, Chinese food, top restaurants, insurance agent, artist of the year and more. Winners will be announced in the Nov/Dec 2013 edition of Biz X Magazine and at an awards gala taking place November 15 at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. Official rules and more information can be found at www.bizxmagazine.com. Good luck to all local businesses and Chamber members!
The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC) is the holistic agency that offers a number of programs and services including linguistic translation and interpretation services, cultural competency and consulting, and English as a Second Language. These programs and services will assist employers with meeting the needs of their employees and enable them to remain competitive in an ever-changing economy. The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County has two locations: 245 Janette Ave. and 7651 Tecumseh Rd. E. For more information visit www.themcc.com.
American and Canadian partners gathered at Riverdance Park in LaSalle in August to sign an agreement between the Essex Region Conservation Authority and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to ensure that lands on both sides of the border will be managed
Congratulations to all incoming Rotary Club Presidents in Windsor-Essex. Your dedication of service above self is outstanding. For more information on serving via Rotary, explore the many clubs available to you in our region. Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and
professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world.
The Salvation Army Advisory Board Annual Luncheon will be held on Monday, November 18, 2013 at 11:45 a.m. at the Caboto Club in partnership with the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918). The theme this year is “Giving Hope in the Midst of Disaster” and will highlight the work of The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services. The keynote speaker for this event is Dr. Frank Stechey, a native of Windsor, who will share his personal experience with The Salvation Army following the World Trade Center disaster in New York in September 2001, where he served as a part of the Dental Identification Team. Tickets are $20 and are available by calling (519) 253-7473 ext. 215 or emailing TSAWindsor@gmail.com.
United Communities Credit Union recognized staff members for their commitment to the community by donating over $12,000 to registered charities chosen by staff. The Gift Match program, now in its fifth year, rewards credit union staff for their donation of time and funds to local community groups. The 2013 program resulted in $12,600 being donated to 42 different local charities, including the W.E. Care for Kids Foundation, Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, South Huron Hospital Foundation and Ronald McDonald House, among others.
WEARCI’s goal in establishing the WindsorEssex “100 Mile” Peninsula Club is to provide a foundation for new residents age 50-plus who have recently relocated to the WindsorEssex region, with an opportunity to utilize their broad range of skills and experience for the purpose of developing sustainable programs that encourage and inspire volunteerism, active lifestyles, social inclusion, knowledge sharing and the ongoing attraction of new, active adult residents. For more information, visit www.retirehere.ca.
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PHOTOS
Windsor-Tecumseh By-Election Debate (Sponsored by MediaStreet)
Celebrating 30 Years of After Business Events If you have never attended an After Business event, you are missing a great marketing opportunity. After Business is Essex County’s original premier networking event. Each of these are planned by the After Business Committee to give you an affordable, first class, networking opportunity in a social setting. The Chamber has many After Business networking events coming up.
September After Business Thursday, September 12, 2013 HOSTED AND SPONSORED BY LOCATION The Windsor Star 300 Ouellette Ave.
October After Business at Essex Golf & Country Club Thursday, October 24, 2013
Celebrate the Holiday season
LOCATION Essex Golf & Country Club 7555 Matchette Rd., LaSalle
Thursday December 12, 2013
TIME 5:00Pm - 7:00pm
TIME 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Tickets $10 Members, $20 General Admission This is a Networking Only event.
Exhibitors Welcomed!
with an After Business at Caesars Windsor
TIME 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
The host locations have the unique opportunity to welcome new and current clientele and showcase their facility. Held at a member location, After Business events include an opportunity to tour the Host’s facility, as well as door prizes, refreshments and lots of opportunity to connect with fellow Chamber members. The After Business Committee continues to strive for a first class event and encourages all members to attend. For more details, contact Barbara Malmberg at bmalmberg@windsorchamber.org. 6 | WINDSORCHAMBER.ORG
UPCOMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
Go For Health Luncheon – Work Fit Life Wednesday, September 11, 2013 Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Debbie Kane Includes a health promoting “Meet Smart” lunch Caboto Club 2175 Parent Ave. 11:30am – 1:30pm
Debbie Kane
Tickets $28.25
Social Media Lunch & Learn Wednesday, September 18, 2013 location Hampton Inn & Suites 1840 Huron Church Rd. time 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tickets $25 Members, $40 General Admission Featuring Guest Speaker Matt Dunlop, President & Marketing Director of Mainstream Marketing
Distinguished Speaker Luncheon featuring Andrea Horwath Wednesday, September 25, 2013 location Caboto Club 2175 Parent Ave. time 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
ANDREA HORWATH
Tickets $35 Members, $45 General Admission Tables of 8 or 10 are available
14th Annual Athena Scholarship Luncheon featuring Mary Spencer Thursday, October 3, 2013
Distinguished Speaker Luncheon New Horizons for Economic Growth featuring Tecumseh in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Region Mayor Gary McNamara friday, October 11, 2013 THURSDAY, October 17, 2013
LOCATION Caboto Club 2175 Parent Ave.
LOCATION Detroit Regional Chamber One Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI TIME 9:00Am – 10:30Am
LOCATION Ciociaro Club 3745 NORTH TALBOT ROAD, oldcastle
Remarks by Terence Bowles and Craig Middlebrook
TIME 11:30am - 1:30pm
TIME 11:30am - 1:30pm Tickets $40 General Admission, $25 Students
Windsor Essex Techtoberfest Presented by KPMG Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Featuring speakers from Blackberry, Google and more! Inquire about sponsorship and exhibitor space LOCATION Caboto Club 2175 Parent Ave. TIME 8:30am - 5:00pm
Tickets $35 Members, $45 General Admission
137th Annual General Meeting Thursday, November 21, 2013
Multiple Business Holiday Party 2013 Friday, December 6, 2013
Featuring Guest Speaker Richard Peddie on My Dream for Windsor-Essex
time 6:00pm – 11:30pm
Richard Peddie
location Caboto Club, 2175 Parent Ave. time 11:30am – 1:30pm Tickets $35 Members, $45 General Admission
We do all the work, you have all the fun! MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, ONE BIG PARTY! Details coming soon!
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HRPA’S EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT CONVICTIONS SCOREBOARD
CONVICTIONS HRPA MEMBERS
2010
2011
2012
177
424
424 1015
0
0
0
Total
0
Sometimesbeing being shut shut out a good thing. Sometimes outisis a good thing. Between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012, a total of 1,015 companies and individuals were convicted under Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Employment Act, incurring Between January 1, the 2010 and December 31, 2012, a total of Standards 1,015 companies and big fi nes and public shaming on the ministry website. individuals were convicted under the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s Employment
Standards Act, incurring big fines public shaming on the ministry website. Of all individuals named in these cases,and none were HRPA members. HRPA regulates the named professional practice of itsnone members who agreemembers. to abide by its Rules of Of all individuals in these cases, were HRPA Professional Conduct. For more information on how HRPA-member HR professionals can help
HRPA regulates the professional ofrisks, its members agree to abide by its you reduce your workplace legal and practice compliance please visitwho www.HRPA.ca/ESA Rules of Professional Conduct. For more information on how HRPA-member HR professionals can help you reduce your workplace legal and compliance risks, please visit www.hrpa.ca/ESAWindsor. tario. It connects its membership to an unmatched range of HR information resources, events, professional development and networking opportunithe national standard for excellence in human resources management and the Senior Human Resources Professional (SHRP) designation, reserved for high-impact HR leaders. www.hrpa.ca
HR Information Service is a service of the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)—Canada’s HR thought leader with more than 20,000 members in 28 chapters across Ontario. HRPA connects its membership to an unmatched range of HR information resources, events, professional development and networking opportunities and annually hosts Canada’s largest HR conference. In Ontario, HRPA issues the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation, the national standard for excellence in human resources management and the Senior Human Resources Professional (SHRP) designation, reserved for high-impact HR leaders. www.hrpa.ca
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NEW MEMBERS
MEET YOUR NEW MEMBERS JUNE - JULY 2013
Aleeda Inc. Cosmetic Distribution & Manufacturing (Main) Juvenal Alvarez Chairman 5000 Howard Business pkwy LaSalle, ON N9H 2K8 Phone: (519) 966-2556 Fax:(519) 966-2557 info@aleedainc.com http://www.aleedainc.com AskGuy Event Graphics Inc Guy Langevin General Manager 705 Lite Street Point Edward, ON N7V 1A7 Phone: (519) 491-0405 Fax:(647) 277-1238 info@askguy.ca http://www.askguy.ca
GFL Environmental Inc. Environmental Consultants & Services (Main) Jim Leether Operations Manager 2700 Central Ave Windsor, ON N8W 4J5 Phone: (519) 948-8126 Fax:(519) 948-8155 gflwindsordispatch@gflenv.com http://www.gflenv.com JemD Farms Greenhouses (Main) Jim DiMenna Owner/President 2400 Graham Side Road Kingsville, ON N9Y 2E5 Phone: (800) 286-0691 sabrinap@jemdfarms.com http://www.jemdfarms.com
The Bistro at the River Restaurants (Main) Tony Bahceli President 78 Riverside Drive West Windsor, ON N9A 0A3 Phone: (519) 971-0100 Fax:(519) 971-8114 bistroattheriver@yahoo.ca http://www.bistroattheriver.com
KM&T Lean Evolutions Ltd. Consultants (Main) Denise Madden HR Consultant/Office Manager Windsor International Airport 3200 - 201 County Road 42 Windsor, ON N8V 0A1 Phone: (519) 966-0999 Fax:(519) 966-0996 denise.madden@kmandt.com http://www.kmandt.com
G & K Services Canada Inc. Uniforms (Main) Chris Moore Area General Manager 9085 Twin Oaks Windsor, ON N8N 5B8 Phone: (519) 979-5913 Fax:(519) 979-0358 kquinlan@gkservices.com http://www.gkservices.com
Thomas A. Lavin Realty Ltd. Real Estate Agent/Brokers (Main) Patrick Lavin Broker/Owner 12214 Tecumseh Rd. Tecumseh, ON N8N 1L9 Phone: (519) 735-6015 Fax:(519) 735-7994 maindesk@primus.ca http://www.lavinrealty.com
Gaudet’s Aluminum Ltd. Aluminum Products (Main), Garage Doors Germain Gaudet President 11610 County Rd. 42 Tecumseh, ON N8N 2M1 Phone: (519) 735-6454 Fax:(519) 735-9267 gaudetaluminum@primus.ca http://www.gaudetsaluminum.com/
Montel Plastics Ltd. Plastic Injection Moulding (Main) Joseph Monteleone President 4200 Delduca Drive Oldcastle, ON N0R 1L0 Phone: (519) 737-9609 Fax:(519) 737-9621 joseph@montelplastics.com http://www.montelplastics.com
SYNLawn Synthetic Grass (Main) Denis St. Pierre Regional Distributor 468 West Puce Road Belle River, ON N0R 1A0 Phone: (226) 280-3781 Fax:(519) 727-0177 jmailloux@synlawn.ca http://www.synlawn.ca
Westport Power Inc. Automobile Parts & Assemblies (Main) Craig Hilton Plant Manager 525 Hill Avenue Windsor, ON N9C 4H5 Phone: chilton@westport.com http://www.westport.com
Windsor River Cruises Cruise Ship (Main) Victoria Order of Nurses Windsor Essex John Sheridan Home Health Care (Main), Health & Vice President Wellness 1 Festival Plaza Jon Jewell Windsor, ON Manager of Business Development Phone: (519) 258-0911 4520 Rhodes Drive info@windsorrivercruises.com Suite 400 http://www.windsorrivercruises.com Windsor, ON N8W 5C2 Phone: (519) 254-4866 Fax:(519) 254-7768 windsor@von.ca WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT http://www.von.ca HOW WE ASSIST OUR MEMBERS Vito Masonry Ltd. Masonry & Bricklaying Contractors (Main) Dan Pipitone Manager 501 Estate Park St. Clair Beach, ON N8N 2C1 Phone: (519) 735-2871 Fax:(519) 735-2871 vitomasonry@gmail.com Walsh Legacy Law Firm Lawyers (Main) Justin Walsh Barrister & Solicitor 1695 Manning Road, Suite 201 Tecumseh, ON N8N 2L9 Phone: (519) 962-9074 Fax:(519) 962-9077 jjw@walshlegacy.com http://www.walshlegacy.com WESCO Distribution Electrical Supplies - Wholesale (Main) Jeff Neal Western/Northern Ontario 3250 Electricity Windsor, ON N8W 5J1 Phone: (519) 948-9888 Fax:(519) 948-8750 jeneal@wesco.com http://www.wesco.ca
IN ACHIEVING THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS THROUGH OUR MARKETING INITIATIVES? KNOW SOMEONE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CHAMBER? CONTACT
SHERRI DULCAMARO
DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING
sdulcamaro@windsorchamber.org or 519.966.3696 Ext. 23
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CHAMBER’S AFFINITY PROGRAMS AND OTHER MEMBER BENEFITS? CONTACT
KERRI DAY
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
kday@windsorchamber.org or 519.966.3696 Ext. 30
Please note,the members listed are only for the months indicated. For a full membership directory, Please visit www.windsorchamber.org Contact Kerri Day for an electronic version of our directory exclusively for Chamber members.
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CONNECTED
STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP June - July 2013 RENEWING MEMBERS Abrik
Costco Wholesale
Holiday Inn Downtown Windsor
R C White Ltd.
AccountAbility
Coulter’s Furniture
Howie & Partners LLP Chartered
Ramstar
Actuarial Solutions Inc.
Culmone Law Office
Accountants
Reach for the Skye Windsor
Aldo’s Clothing & Jewellery Ltd.
Danbury Property Management
HRPA of Toronto
Rick’s Insulation
Amy’s Helping Hands
(Windsor) Inc.
Hulka Porter Immigration & Family
Roma Tile
Armando’s
DMS Canada
Law Firm
Rose City Ford Sales Limited
Baymar Supply Ltd.
Dr Doug Drkulec
Ikon E.D.M. Services Inc.
Roseland Golf and Curling Club
Beckar Engineering Ltd.
Earl’s Auto Repairs
Injection Technologies Inc.
The Rum Runners Tour
Bertoni Chairs & Things Inc.
The Empyrean Group Inc
Kelly Services (Canada) Ltd.
Savvy Boutique Inc.
Best Rate Auto Sales
Erie Architectural Products Inc.
Lakeshore Fixture & Gauge
Schulich School of Medicine &
The Bloomin’ Gardener
Essex Region Conservation Authority
Lighting Plus Wholesale
Dentistry
Bull and Barrel
Everest College
Liqui-Force Services
The Travel Zone
Caesars Windsor
Express Employment Professionals
Manz Contracting Services Inc.
triOS College
Canada Wide Packaging
E-Z-Y Way Self Storage Ltd.
Mastro Kitchen Studio
TRQSS, Inc.
The Canadian Club Brand Centre
FIS Flexible Industrial Solutions Inc.
Meloche Windows Ltd.
TST Expedited Services
Canadian Diesel
Flood Chiropractic P.C.
Mercury Products Co.
Underground Specialties Inc.
Circle 5 Tool & Mold Inc.
Foot Care Institute
Metro City Paving Ltd.
W.E.T. Automotive Systems Ltd.
The City Grill
Galati Cheese Company Ltd.
Multicultural Council of Windsor
Walkerville Self Storage
Cogeco
GENIVAR Inc.
and Essex County
WindsorEssex Community
Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards Estate
Giant Tiger
Personnel By Elsie
Foundation
Winery
Hiram Walker & Sons, Ltd.
Quinn Roofing Solutions
Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club
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SPOTLIGHT
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS NEW member
As the longest standing not for profit, charitable health care organization in Canada, The Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) has been serving Canadians for over a century. Throughout history, VON has most commonly been associated with nursing services. Today, they serve Windsor-Essex with an increasingly diverse range of community programming. Along with the traditional nursing services, VON works in partnership with local sponsors and healthcare institutions to also provide community based programs such as: Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP), Prenatal Education, Meals on Wheels, Chronic Pain Management, Foot Care Clinics and others designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged individuals. With an aging population and an escalating demand on the health care system, VON has stepped forward to deliver innovative solutions to fill gaps in local health care. Most recently, VON has taken the lead on the introduction of the Seniors Active in Falls Education (SAFE), which is a seniors’ exercise program aimed at safety and wellness. Join VON Windsor-Essex on Thursday September 26th for their 3rd Annual Exposure Art & Fashion Exhibition fundraiser at The Overseas Motors Mercedes Benz Showroom. The event will feature a modern art show followed by a fashion show focused on local independent designers and boutiques. Tickets are now available. If you would like to attend, volunteer or contribute to the causes of VON, please contact Emily Kiss at 519-254-4866 ext. 6235 or at Emily.kiss@von.ca.
Renewing member
With four locations in Windsor, the main one at 909 Riverside Dr. E. at Parent Ave., Blondie Cleaners provides the area with professional dry cleaning with a focus on customer service and professional quality. Blondie offers dry cleaning, wet cleaning and full laundry services. Wedding gowns are cleaned, spotted and packaged in-house, not shipped out to be cleaned. Same day service is always available for standard garments. Over the past 78 years, this company has become a household name. Whether they’re referred to as Blondie Cleaners, Blondie, or Blondie’s, the name has become synonymous with two things: unparalleled quality in dry cleaning and resounding customer service. Customers faithfully depend on Blondie Cleaners to care for their finest garments, household linens, wedding gowns and draperies. The establishment treats customers’ garments as if they were their own and always puts customers and their needs at the centre of what they do. With warm and friendly staff, certified onsite master cleaners, and state-of-the-art equipment, they have all the ingredients to satisfy their customers’ needs. Blondie Cleaners has always been the front runner in being environmentally conscious. In 1996, Blondie was the first dry cleaner in Windsor to introduce wet cleaning. In 2005 they were the first cleaner to introduce alternative solvents to the region when they installed their hydrocarbon machine using DF2000 detergent. By the end of September after the installation of their newest alternative solvent machine they will be the only cleaner operating with 100% alternative solvents and the only cleaner without a perchloroethylene machine in Southwestern Ontario. Blondies also has locations at 3063 Dougall Ave., 218 Lauzon Rd., and 2050 Lauzon Rd. with plans to open two more locations soon.
Johnson Insurance: Little Things Make a Big Difference At Johnson Insurance, we want to make sure our customers are well cared for, which is why we pay attention to the little details.
we’re giving you a little something more. Enjoy little perks and rewards like:
And as a member of one of our preferred groups, some of the extras you’ll enjoy include: • Home insurance deductibles that decrease faster • Higher limits on Critical Illness insurance • Confidential legal advice hotline
• AIR MILES reward miles on your home and auto premiums • 100 scholarships valued at $1,500 each awarded annually across Canada • A safety program designed to help you prevent and prepare for emergencies
Personalized We know that not all customers are the same. That’s why you’ll have a dedicated account representative that will get to know you personally. Being able to better understand your specific needs allows us to make sure that you’re well taken care of and that you always have the right coverage.
Convenient Whether you’ve got a claim or a 10 p.m. question about adding your newly-licensed daughter to your auto insurance, we’re at your service. With live customer support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we promise you’ll talk to a dedicated Johnson employee every time you call.
Rewarding Above and beyond comprehensive coverage and first-class service,
Call today to learn more about the special coverage available to you! 1-877-632-2965 11 | WINDSORCHAMBER.ORG
FOSTER
VOLUNTEER BELIEVE
MENTOR
CONTRIBUTE
! s s e c c u S e h t Be Part of BILL & DOT MUZZATTI CHILD & FAMILY CENTRE – OPENING NOVEMBER, 2013
For more information on how to get involved and/or contribute to programs and services as well as the Bill & Dot Muzzatti Child & Family Centre, please contact: Mike Clark, Manager of Public Relations & Fund Development 519-252-1171, ext. 3210 • mclark@wecas.org • www.wecas.org
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COMMUNITY & TECH
Tech Corner: Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Did you know that 46% of businesses who experience a fire, flood or other type of major disaster will never re-open? That’s quite a sobering thought: the odds of your business recovering from a major event like this are essentially 1 in 2. The real tragedy here is that most of the companies who didn’t make it through a crisis could have survived with the right planning and preparation.
1TB
We have good backups. Isn’t that sufficient? By far the most common disaster scenario is equipment failure, so having good backups of your critical applications and data is certainly an important first step. Unfortunately, backups alone won’t help much if the equipment that runs your applications is destroyed or inaccessible. How long will it take to provision replacement equipment, and what happens to your business in the meantime? Furthermore, if backups are stored in the same area as your production systems, as opposed to a safe off-site location, there’s a significant risk of losing these, too. People, Process and Infrastructure Most businesses carry insurance to cover losses related to building and equipment damage, but many fail to plan for the operational challenges of getting things back up and running after the dust has settled. A solid disaster recovery and business continuity plan needs to re-align your people, processes and infrastructure quickly after an incident. The specific steps required to make this happen will vary considerably and depend on many different factors, including the kind of business you’re in and the types of risks you are likely to face. Ask yourself the following questions: How will we continue to deliver goods and/or services to our customers? How will we replace damaged inventory or production equipment? How will we get financial and other supporting systems back up and running? How will we make payroll in a timely fashion? What steps will be required to re-establish communications (phones, email)? What are the people and infrastructure dependencies for critical business processes? How will we cope with the possibility that some of our staff may be unable or unwilling to perform their duties? When is a plan not a plan? In order for any disaster recovery and business continuity plan to be effective, it needs to be battle ready. This means ensuring that your team is aware of the plan itself, and where to find it in an emergency. It also means reviewing the plan on a regular basis (annually, at a minimum) and readjusting various components to reflect any changes in your people, processes or infrastructure. The Right Plan A disaster recovery and business continuity plan can be very simple, or extremely complex. Right-sizing a plan for your organization requires a thorough analysis of the risks, and the potential costs associated with their manifestation. Some risks might be safe to ignore altogether. Others may be too costly to mitigate entirely, requiring some middle ground. With the right planning and preparation, you can ensure that your business doesn’t become another statistic. Adam Davis is the President and CEO of Next Dimension, a locally owned IT Services Organization with offices in Windsor, London, and Waterloo. For more information on their disaster recovery services please contact him at adavis@ nextdimensioninc.com Adam Davis is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Join us at the second annual Windsor-Essex Techtoberfest on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 at the Caboto Club!
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
Getting Started: Your Roadmap to a Health & Safety Program At the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, we promote a healthy and safe work environment for the same reason we do it with our family members: to foster well-being, achievement, and prosperity. Complying with your legal responsibilities as outlined under Ontario’s Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) is critical, and involves not only acting in a healthy and safe manner, but formalizing your program in writing. Whether you’re a new business looking for a way to start, or just want to verify that your existing program would pass muster in a Ministry of Labour inspection, you’ll find these four steps to an effective program straightforward, manageable and possible to implement in just minutes a day. Step 1: Start with a self-assessment Complete a confidential 30-question self-assessment to determine your current status. Your answers will help you find out what your key responsibilities are, how well you’re doing, and where you need to focus your efforts to ensure you’re in compliance. Very likely, you’ll discover that you’re already doing many of the right things; perhaps all you need to do to be compliant is write them down. Step 2: Develop your health and safety policy statement Developing a policy statement is easy. Think about why health and safety is important to your business as you answer these three questions: • What is my health and safety promise? • How will we do it? • Who will do it? Step 3: Put your health and safety program in action Put the “right stuff” in motion to ensure compliance.
• Post mandatory items on your health and safety bulletin board; for example, your policy statement; Ministry of Labour posters summarizing the health and safety rights and responsibilities of workers, supervisors and employers; a copy of the OHSA; and more.
• Meet the requirements for first aid supplies, fire protection equipment, and personal protective equipment.
• To identify all potential hazards, inspect every job, task and piece of equipment in your workplace, and review hazards common to your industry. Put policies and practices in place to protect your workers. Hazards common to most workplaces include musculoskeletal disorders; slips, trips and falls; contact with equipment or tools; hazardous materials/chemicals; and motor vehicles.
• Inform and train workers on your workplace hazards and related safe practices, and what to do in the event of an incident or emergency. This is especially important for new workers.
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Step 4: Make sure everyone understands their different roles Under the OHSA, workers and employers must work together to identify health and safety problems and develop solutions. This concept of “internal responsibility” assigns specific roles to employers, supervisors and workers, encompassing compliance, reporting hazards, training, and more. Make sure everyone embraces and acts on their various responsibilities. (Note that the OHSA requires businesses with more than five staff to have a Health and Safety Representative.) Finally, assemble all the elements of your health and safety program into one easily accessible document: online, in a binder, or whatever format best suits your business. For more information Look for simple, easy-to-use resources that will walk you through all four steps, provided at no cost by our trusted health and safety advisor, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), at www. wsps.ca. Search on “small business.” Look for “Closing the Loop” resources under Downloads. Also, stay informed with timely information about occupational health and safety by connecting with WSPS on Twitter at twitter. com/wsps_news.
ASK HR
ASK HR “How do I get an underperforming employee to improve?” You first need to know what is going on with the particular employee. Is there anything else going on in their job, the work environment, with co-workers, a supervisor, or more broadly in their life that is precluding them from performing? Let’s face it, most people don’t wake up in the morning and think to themselves: “How do I steal from my employer by doing a lousy job?” The reason for this is that people normally associate feelings of safety with remaining employed. This is normally not assured with blatant, or continuing underperformance on their part. If you can alleviate or improve upon whatever is impeding your apparent underperformer’s performance, the problem is often resolved quickly. Having worked with hundreds of small to mid-sized employers since 2004, this can be anything from: - a lack of knowing what exactly is expected at a level they really understand, and can therefore act upon; - a poor manager who demotivates; or, - personal problems that are distracting their focus from timely, accurate work. This is not about excuses. It is about understanding what is really going on in order to truly help enable employee performance. This is also not about prying too deeply into an employee’s personal life. Instead, it is about asking respectfully and supportively how you can help remove potential barriers to their individual performance. The difference between success and failure here is often driven by your approach. Help is usually accepted, blame is usually deflected. As a bonus, a helpful employer usually ends up earning the trust and respect of their employees, the #1 driver of their, and increasingly your, performance. If, after understanding what is really going on with a particular employee, you still believe it is a performance problem, ask them how you might be able to help them perform better in their job. Nicely, calmly, usually privately, and in a spirit of discovery, while taking notes, ask them: “How could we as an organization, or me as a leader here, enable you to perform better in your role?” Listen carefully to their responses, and let them come back to you if they want to think about it for a day or two. Maybe they need some training, coaching, mentoring, support, tools, safety gear, ventilation, or potentially something else. Enable them if it seems reasonable. Normally, by working with someone to get their performance level up, the sheer fact that you’re doing so provides an improvement. This is because you are positively impacting their esteem, plus the additional gains you are likely to discover.
Finally, if and when you and/or your qualified human resources consultant has worked through the diagnostic work to determine that there is an actual individual performance problem, then, and only then, should you consider additional action. For a typical small to mid-sized employer, this will involve a progressive discipline process as laid out in your HR Policies & Procedures documentation, tied back to their employment agreement. This normally starts with a verbal warning, working through one or more written warnings, moving up to a formal performance improvement plan, and failing improvement, potential termination, normally ‘without cause’ in a legal sense. Pay-in-lieu of notice, statutory severance, career transition, and common law considerations should all be considered. In reality, these parting goodies as they are often viewed are to provide a bridge for the employee as they work to find their next employer. You are also covering off some of their basic physiological and safety needs in the process. Don’t begrudge them, it’s wasted energy. We recommend you pay up and move on. Alex Gallacher CHRP, SHRP is Managing Director of ENGAGE HR™ www.engagehr.com Do you have workplace questions? For only $149 per year, the Human Resources Professionals Association’s (HRPA) HR Information Service connects you with HR Hotline—fast and knowledgeable over-the-phone answers to all your workplace/employment-related questions. For more information, go to www.hrpa.ca/HRSubscriber.
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VOLUNTEERS
Looking for a few good volunteers! The Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce has nearly 200 volunteers who generously volunteer their time and resources on committees and task forces that address issues in an effort to make Windsor and Essex County a more attractive community in which to live, work, and play. Participating on a committee is a great way to increase the value of your investment in the Chamber. Besides increasing your business contacts, you ensure your issues are addressed and become part of the Chamber’s voice on behalf of our community. Volunteers are Chamber members who: • Want to network and meet other members • Want to be part of a team designing and delivering programs to the membership • Contribute to the development of Chamber policy • Want to increase their own awareness of community projects, proposed legislation and how it affects their business
Volunteer committees are continually active addressing issues and keeping you informed. The Chamber supports the work of numerous committees, which meet on a regular basis to monitor areas of interest and concern. These committees include: After Business, ATHENA, Business Excellence Awards, Environment & Energy, Finance & Taxation, Golf, Government Relations, Membership Services & Development, and Transportation. If you are a member and interested in getting involved in the Chamber, email Holly Connelly, Executive Assistant to the President, at hconnelly@windsorchamber.org or visit www. windsorchamber.org/volunteers.
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