2017 Business Excellence Awards Nominations
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER VOLUME 49 No. 9 - 10 BUSINESS BRIEFS
Meet Our New Board
Windsor Essex Tech Show 1 I WINDSORESSEXCHAMBER.ORG
VOLUME 49 I No. 9 - 10 I BUSINESS BRIEFS VISIT THE CHAMBER ONLINE
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CONTENTS
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Join the Official WERCC Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Windsor-Essex-RegionalChamber-of-Commerce/125412597496221
IN OUR COMMUNITY
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Follow the latest WERCC news & updates at twitter.com/WERCofC
OUR MISSION
SPOTLIGHT
"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@windsoressexchamber.org Website: www.windsoressexchamber.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
STAFF Matt Marchand, President & CEO
mmarchand@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 222
Marianne Burke, Director of Events
mburke@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 221
Concetta DiCesare-Cafueri, Finance & Office Administrator
cdicesarecafueri@windsoressexchamber.org ext. 227
Sherri Gowman, Director of Sales & Marketing
sgowman@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 223
Caitlin Hildenbrand, Assistant to the Director of Sales & Marketing
childenbrand@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 230
Barbara Malmberg, Event Coordinator
bmalmberg@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 231
Lindsey Rivait, Communications Coordinator
lrivait@windsoressexchamber.org
ext. 228
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ADVERTISING SALES email: adsales@windsoressexchamber.org The WERCC may choose to generate revenue from many discount programs and services being provided.
Letter from the President & Chair
MATT MARCHAND PRESIDENT & CEO
JOHN CLARK CHAIR
Welcome to our Fall edition of the WERCC Business Briefs! The WERCC continues to advocate aggressively on behalf of business in Windsor-Essex by voicing our concerns about Bill 148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act. The President & CEO appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on July 14 and again in front of Premier Kathleen Wynne along with community representatives on July 28. Comments and video presentation are available on www.windsoressexchamber.org under President’s Blog. The President & CEO presented suggestions to change Bill 148 in order to attract and retain jobs and investment here in Windsor-Essex, including a five-year phase-in for minimum wage (similar to California), calling for cost offsets to help employers secure cost predictability, cost structure (the cost of doing business in Ontario is high in relation to other places), and working toward closing the skills gap to drive higher paying jobs. On June 22, we hosted a sold-out Information Session on the Changing Workplaces Review, presented by WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation, where members and guests learned about the Ontario government’s proposed changes to employment standards and how it affects business. The presentation by Peter Hrastovec (Shibley Righton LLP), Nancy Jammu-Taylor (McTague Law Firm LLP), and David M. Amyot (McTague Law Firm LLP), is also available on our website at www.windsoressexchamber.org under President’s Blog. An economic impact report was released on August 14. For details, and the full report, visit www.windsoressexchamber.org. In partnership with the OCC, we released the Talent in Transition: Addressing the Skills Mismatch in Ontario report, identifying 10 recommendations that will better align the skills acquired by Ontarians with those required by employers. From September 23-25, 2017 we’ll be in Fredericton, NB at the Canadian Chamber Annual General Meeting where we’ll present three resolutions to help local businesses. These resolutions focus on letting each of the provinces decide on its own transition to a low-carbon economy (e.g. cap & trade vs. carbon tax), protecting Canadian business by keeping the De Minimis threshold (for shipments that are allowed to enter Canada duty- and tax-free) low, and reducing Canada’s trade deficit. On the events side, nominations for the 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards are now open until October 4. For more information on this, please see page 7. As always, we have some great events on the horizon, including the Windsor Essex Tech Show featuring IBM’s Watson on November 14. Also coming up is Know Your Power - Helping Business Reduce Energy Costs on October 18 and the 18th Annual ATHENA Scholarship Luncheon on November 3. Visit www.windsoressexchamber.org for all the up-to-date news and events.
Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2017-2018 Board of Directors Mr. John Clark Chair** Partner Clarks LLP
Mr. Jeffrey MacKinnon Past Chair** Partner McTague Law Firm LLP
Ms. Shelley Fellows Director Vice President, Operations Radix Inc.
Mr. Jason Ilijanic Chair-Elect** Director, Commercial Services WFCU Credit Union
Ms. Beverly Becker Director Director, Local Marketing & Special Projects Windsor Star
Mr. Romeo Girardi Director Executive Vice President Farrow
Ms. Maureen Lucas Treasurer** President Lucas Professional Search Group Mr. Scott Jenkins Vice Chair** Director of Advertising Caesars Windsor
Ms. Marie Campagna Director Executive Vice President Operations / CFO Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Mr. Sean Collier District Manager, Windsor/Essex Chatham/Kent Union Gas
Mr. Carl Hooper, CPA, CA Director Assurance and Advisory Partner Collins Barrow Windsor LLP Mr. Benjamin Iannetta Director, Emerging Leaders Representative Business & Technical Services ProSoft XP
Mr. Paul LeFave Director Chair – Transportation Committee Business Development Cornerstone Courier Ms. Mila Lucio Director VP of Human Resources Green Shield Canada Ms. Shannon Rickwood Chair – Membership Services Committee Financial Advisor Rickwood Financial Group/ Manulife Securities Inc.
Dr. Francine Schlosser Director Professor, Odette School of Business Executive Director, EPICentre University of Windsor Ms. Ann-Marie Belanger 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
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Meet Our New Board
Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce 2017-2018 Board of Directors Mr. John Clark Chair** Partner Clarks LLP
Mr. Romeo Girardi Director Executive Vice President Farrow
Mr. Matt Marchand President & CEO Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Carl Hooper, CPA, CA Director Assurance and Advisory Partner Collins Barrow Windsor LLP
Mr. Jason Ilijanic Chair-Elect** Director, Commercial Services WFCU Credit Union
Mr. Benjamin Iannetta Director, Emerging Leaders Representative Business & Technical Services ProSoft XP
Ms. Maureen Lucas Treasurer** President Lucas Professional Search Group
Mr. Paul LeFave Director Chair – Transportation Committee Business Development Cornerstone Courier
Mr. Scott Jenkins Vice Chair** Director of Advertising Caesars Windsor
Ms. Mila Lucio Director VP of Human Resources Green Shield Canada
Mr. Jeffrey MacKinnon Past Chair** Partner McTague Law Firm LLP
Ms. Shannon Rickwood Chair – Membership Services Committee Financial Advisor Rickwood Financial Group/Manulife Securities Inc.
Ms. Beverly Becker Director Director, Local Marketing & Special Projects Windsor Star
Dr. Francine Schlosser Director Professor, Odette School of Business Executive Director, EPICentre University of Windsor
Ms. Marie Campagna Director Executive Vice President Operations / CFO Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
Ms. Ann-Marie Belanger Director, Non-Voting Chair-ATHENA Committee VP - Sales/Marketing Empire Communications Inc.
Mr. Sean Collier Director District Manager, Windsor/Essex – Chatham/Kent Union Gas
Dr. Alfie Morgan Director Emeritus Non-Voting Professor Emeritus of Business Administration University of Windsor
Ms. Shelley Fellows Director Vice President, Operations Radix Inc.
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** denotes member of executive committee
Mental Health/Workplace Safety Employer Community Must Confront the "Mental Health Action Gap": Ontario Chamber of Commerce One in five Canadians of working age currently live with a mental health problem or illness. In its new report and toolkit, Working Towards Mental Wellness, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) argues many of these Canadians do not receive the appropriate support at work due to the “mental health action gap”.
The OCC’s toolkit lays out three initial steps for employers to start taking action on mental health in the workplace: •
In a recent survey of members, the OCC found that while 81% of employers believe spending on employees’ health and well-being is a good investment, only 4 in 10 businesses actually have a formal mental health strategy in place. The gap between business sizes is particularly acute, as only 35% of small businesses have a strategy compared to 65% of medium and 76% of large businesses.
Setting expectations: Identify your organization’s unique needs and solicit employee buy-in for change. Ask yourself what you are doing each day to model mental wellness at work.
•
Creating a supportive environment: Make sure all employees feel welcome and able to talk about their mental and physical challenges without fear of judgment or reprisal, by encouraging culture change at all levels of the organization.
•
Maintaining the conversation: Regularly measure the health of your organization to ensure that mental wellness strategies are not left on the shelf, and link action taken to results.
Understandably, small businesses have failed to act on mental wellness due to cost, perceived scope of responsibility, privacy concerns, or simply a lack of knowing what to do. With mental illnesses costing the Canadian economy an estimated $50 billion annually and on average cost businesses almost $1,500 per employee per year, there is a strong business case for implementing a mental health strategy in the workplace.
More resources to help employers build their own mental health strategies can be found on the OCC website: www.occ.ca/mentalhealth.
In Working Towards Mental Wellness, the OCC is encouraging employers to adopt mental health strategies for their work place by following the toolkit provided in the report. Fostering a healthy work culture does not require excessive process or large expenditure. The OCC’s toolkit for employers lays out a simple process to help organizations of all sizes get a mental health strategy in place.
Listen Up! 4 Steps for Reducing Workplace Noise Noise affects virtually every workplace in Ontario, no matter the size or sector. Without proper controls, exposure to noise can lead to many issues. The most obvious impact is noise-induced hearing loss but stress, hypertension, poor sleep and mental health, and physical injury due to communications challenges can all be linked to noise exposure.
rent a sound level meter. There are also apps available that can be used as screening tools. Smart phone apps must be used cautiously and shouldn’t be relied on for complete accuracy. If an app provides a number that hovers around 85dB (the current occupational limit over eight hours), call in an occupational hygienist to do a proper survey.
One in five adults aged 19 to 79 already have mild hearing loss or more in at least one ear. Chances are that with time and continued exposure their hearing will worsen. Statistics like these have prompted the Ministry of Labour to launch an occupational noise initiative. From April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 inspectors will be looking at how—and how well—employers are protecting workers from noise.
3. Determine the best way to protect employees:
A new noise regulation (381/15) passed in July 2016 says employers must follow a “hierarchy of controls” to protect workers. Under this hierarchy, engineering controls and work practices come before personal protective equipment (PPE), such as earplugs and ear muffs. Engineering solutions are the better option because they control noise everywhere eliminating the reliance on workers to wear protection. Take action now Create your own noise prevention plan with these four steps: 1. Determine if your workers are exposed to high levels of noise. Be sure to pinpoint the sources of noise and who’s going to be affected where. 2. Conduct a risk assessment. You can do a rudimentary assessment just by walking around and listening. If you’re looking for preliminary numbers,
•
Start with engineering controls. Can you reduce noise at the source or along the path of transmission? Before implementing a control (such as enclosing a machine), check with an expert to ensure you’re not introducing new hazards.
•
Look at work practices. Could repairs make machines less noisy? Could you adjust schedules to reduce workers’ exposure time or duration, or increase distance from the source?
•
Consider Personal Protective Equipment if other controls are not possible. Select PPE carefully, though. Talk to employees about what kind of protection they’d prefer and which is most comfortable. Ensure that workers are trained on care and use, including proper fit, limitations, inspection and maintenance, and most importantly hygiene. Dirty ear plugs can lead to other health issues.
4. Ensure your controls are working. Implement a surveillance program that includes audiometric testing to make sure people are using hearing protection correctly and not suffering hearing loss. For more information on workplace noise, visit www.wsps.ca/noise.
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In Our Community Congratulations to Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce Pillar Member BASF Canada on being named one of the Great Place to Work®’s Canada’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing. According to Terri Howard, Director Human Resources, BASF Canada, “At BASF Canada, our commitment to being a good corporate citizen is a source of great pride for employees. We live our corporate purpose—creating chemistry for a sustainable future—by sourcing and producing responsibly. Our employees are fundamental to achieving the goals set out in our strategy. Through our global safety concepts, we serve to protect BASF employees, contractors and our neighbours to ensure we meet the future and current needs of society in a responsible manner.” For more information visit www.greatplacetowork.ca.
Voting has now begun in the 20th annual Biz X magazine Awards! Nominate your favourite businesses and people in Windsor-Essex now at www.BizXmagazine.com/biz-x-awardsnominations until September 12 at noon. Nominees are made public when voting commences at 9 a.m. on September 13 and continues through to September 27 at 5 p.m. During the voting period you can go online and cast your vote. Winners are announced in the Nov/Dec 2017 edition of Biz X magazine and a gala to honour all winners takes place November 17 at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts.
Congratulations to Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce Gold Circle Member Caesars Windsor, whose hotel has earned one of Canadian/American Automobile Association’s (CAA/AAA) top accommodation rankings – the respected Four Diamond award. This year marks their 18th consecutive award since 1999. It is the only hotel in the Windsor-Essex area this year with this status.
The Essex Region Conservation Foundation (ERCF) celebrated 40 years of remarkable conservation efforts with the launch of The Place for Life Campaign. This campaign will raise $1 million over three years to support both new and ongoing projects and programs. For more information contact Danielle Breault Stuebing, Director, Communications & Outreach Services, at dstuebing@erca.org.
Congratulations to Ghanam Consulting Inc. who recently celebrated their 10th business anniversary of helping organizations with strategic people solutions. Ghanam Consulting Inc. is a full-service management consulting firm that provides assistance to individual organizations to solve people problems and strategic challenges. Their team of experts offer services to the broader labour market through their primary and secondary research work on displaced workers, essential skills, training and evaluation, and workplace integration. For more information visit www.gcistrategy.com.
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The 15th annual Hospice Face to Face campaign has kicked off. Started by Cogeco Cable TV host John Fairley, the event encourages 500 people in Windsor and Essex County to ask 10 people for $10 for Hospice. The campaign runs until September 30. For more information visit www. hospicefacetoface.ca.
Congratulations to Thai Palace Restaurant on their 10th anniversary! Throughout September, Thai Palace will be donating a portion of its revenue to a local charity. Thai Palace is located at 1140 Lauzon Rd. For more information visit www.facebook.com/thaipalacewindsor
On June 23, Victoria Manor Supportive Housing opened their doors for a Paint Nite fundraiser for their Residents. Victoria Manor is a “Housing with Supports” home that provides permanent housing and supervised care to over 110 persons with disabilities (including mental, physical and developmental), with ages ranging from young adults to seniors. For more information visit www.victoriamanor.ca.
Congratulations to Windsor Express, who is hosting NBL of Canada draft combine from October 20-22 at St. Clair College. The camp is limited to 150 players, American and Canadian, and registration is being held through Global Basketball. For more information visit www. windsorexpress.ca.
George Sandala, Chair of the Windsor Port Authority, is pleased to announce the appointment of Walter M. Benzinger to the Board of Directors. Benzinger was appointed by the Federal Government for a term of three years commencing June 27, 2017. For further information, please contact David Cree, President & CEO, (519) 258-5741.
Congratulations to Workforce WindsorEssex’s Michelle Suchiu and Heather Gregg on their new positions within the organization. Suchiu is the organization’s new Executive Director and Gregg has been assigned new responsibilities to lead the Local Employment Planning Council (LEPC) project. For more information contact Justin Falconer, Manager of Communications & Government Partnerships, Workforce WindsorEssex, at jfalconer@ workforcewindsoressex.com.
Call for Nominations for the 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards
Call for Nominations for the 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards! Since 1991, the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce has recognized excellence in the business community with the Business Excellence Awards, now in their 28th year. Over 300 awards have been presented to local businesses and individuals. Now is the time to nominate! Nominations for the prestigious awards are open until Wednesday, October 4, 2017. This annual business event, the Chamber’s largest, brings together business, government and industry leaders from all over the region to join in celebrating the Chamber’s and business community’s achievements. Every BEA event is an elaborate production. It has extraordinary exposure and prestige attached to it, and has become a must attend, sell-out event. The evening’s program holds an unprecedented reputation and explodes with excitement from approximately 1,000 guests as they gather to pay tribute to the award recipients.
Additionally, the Business Excellence Awards Committee is currently looking for Judges and Sponsors 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. The Chamber looks forward to seeing Windsor-Essex businesses grow even further for the 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards this year. For more information, including how to nominate a business or individual, visit www.windsoressexchamber.org. If you are interested in nominating or becoming involved in this process please contact Marianne Burke at (519) 966-3696 ext. 221 or by email mburke@ windsoressexchamber.org for details.
This year 10 awards will be presented and award winners will be announced on April 18, 2018 at the Business Excellence Awards at Caesars Windsor. Also included in the awards ceremony are the recipients of the Believe Windsor Essex and ATHENA Awards.
Holiday Party: We Do All the Work, You Have All the Fun! This event was created so that small to medium sized companies could have an easy solution to the challenge of a company Holiday Party. Let us take care of your office Holiday Party plans. You and your guests will enjoy a festive party including cocktail hour, a delicious sit down dinner and dancing with a great DJ. Not only does our event team take care of the details, we also
create a tremendous atmosphere with opportunity to network and mingle with other organizations. This is one great party with many businesses together to celebrate the holiday season. Join us on Friday, December 1, 2017. Visit www.windsoressexchamber.org for more information.
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Tech Corner Tech Corner: Artificial Intelligence for Business Part 2 By Atif Malik, ITIL, Sr. Account Manager, AlphaKOR Group We are in a state where we don’t have to imagine what the future holds. We merely have to look around us to see that the future is already here. AI is a widely discussed topic amongst experts in business and technology circles. However, the progression of AI is so fast that it should no longer be a topic of discussion, but rather a call to action on how every organization in every industry can benefit from this disruptive technology. For instance:
Another widely recognized obstacle for connected and autonomous vehicles is cyber-security. With the advent of AI combined with IoT (Internet of Things), vehicles will be able to communicate with each other in order to produce a safe and efficient driving experience for their passenger(s). This poses a tremendous challenge in cyber-security as hackers are already tinkering with potentially dangerous exploits for these vehicles and their systems.
1. There was more than $300 million in venture capital invested in AI startups in 2014, a 300% increase over the year before (Bloomberg).
In a controlled attack in 2015, hackers remotely took control of a Jeep Cherokee’s UConnect system from their couch over 16 KM away from their target. The driver, who was traveling at 112 KM/Hour when the attack began, lost control of his air-conditioning, radio, and windshield wipers. The hackers focused their attack on the Jeep’s transmission, which was disabled while it was on the highway, moving uphill, with no shoulder to pull over. The hackers disabled the vehicle’s brakes, causing the Jeep to roll backwards on the slope with traffic behind it. Luckily, no one was hurt in this incident. This documented exploit resulted in Jeep recalling 1.4 million vehicles in order to install anti-hacking software. But, will auto manufacturers be able to remain ahead of hackers who are becoming more capable of exploiting their autonomous and connected vehicles? From my experience, it’s always the hackers who are ahead of everyone else.
2. By 2020, 85% of customer interactions will be managed without a human (Gartner). 3. 32% of executives say voice recognition is the most-widely used AI technology in their business. (Narrative Science). 4. By 2018, six billion connected devices will proactively ask for support (Gartner). 5. 44% of executives believe artificial intelligence’s most important benefit is “automated communications that provide data that can be used to make decisions” (Narrative Science). 6. By the end of 2018, “customer digital assistants” will recognize customers by face and voice (Gartner). 7. 80% of executives believe artificial intelligence improves worker performance and creates jobs (Narrative Science).
In conclusion, I’ll stick with my Ford for now until they figure this out. Learn more at the Windsor Essex Tech Show on November 14! Register online at www.windsoressexchamber.org
8. By 2020, smart agents will manage 40% of mobile interactions (Gartner). 9. Artificial intelligence will replace 16% of American jobs by the end of the decade (Forrester). Here’s how the automotive sector is using AI to its advantage today: It is predicted that autonomous vehicles will drastically reduce collisions and their associated injuries and costs, resulting in a lower need for insurance. More fluidity in traffic flow will greatly reduce wait times in rush hours for major city centres, drastically improving quality of life for its citizens. Increased access to autonomous transportation will provide enhanced mobility for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Significantly lower fuel consumption will stem from a combination of the vehicle’s AI constantly learning and adapting to the roadway and electric motor capabilities. Transportation as a Service (TaaS) models will create new revenue streams for organizations that provide shared mobility services to customers. One such organization that is already planning to capitalize on TaaS is Uber. Uber partnered with Mercedes’ parent company, Daimler-Benz, to purchase 100,000 fully autonomous S-Class sedans. The deal, worth over $10 billion, is set to position Uber to provide customers with TaaS which they claim will be lower than the cost of vehicle ownership. For consumers, such as myself, a brand new S-Class for less than the cost of my Ford seems pretty enticing! Autonomous Vehicles will not come without obstacles. In May 2016, a selfdriving Tesla Model S using autopilot was involved in a crash with a transport truck which left the Tesla driver with fatal injuries. Tesla’s Autopilot system failed to calculate the white colour of the tractor-trailer against the sky and cleared the vehicle to proceed without applying brakes. Tesla released the following statement: “neither autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied.” The car attempted to drive full speed under the trailer, “with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S”.
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www.allegrawindsoressex.ca
MEET YOUR NEW FELLOW MEMBERS COMMUNITY BUILDER
Snapd Windsor Newspaper Publishers Jeff Casey, Owner/Publisher 3041 Dougall Ave., Unit 9, Suite 222 Windsor, ON N9E 1S3 Phone: (519) 566-9254 windsor@snapd.com www.snapdwindsor.com/
BUSINESS BUILDER
Carswell Partners Human Resource Consultants Terry Gillis, President & Managing Partner 201-235 North Centre Road London, ON N5X 4E7 Phone: (888) 712-9993 jen.dawson@carswellpartners.com www.carswellpartners.com It's Your Day Bridal Boutique Bridal Shop Sarah Taylor, Store Director 1661 Front Road LaSalle, ON N9J 2B7 Phone: (519) 978-5003 Fax:(519) 978-0803 info@itsyourday.ca www.itsyourday.ca
JUNE 2017 Polish Canadian Centre Association of Windsor Non-Profit Mariusz Bojsan, Supervisor 5085 South National Street Windsor, ON N8Y 2G2 Phone: (519) 257-8597 poloniapark@cogeco.net poloniawindsor.ca Shoeless Joe's Sports Grill Restaurants Jennifer Gellatly, VP Business Development 551 Jevlan Drive Vaughan, ON L4L 8W1 Phone: (905) 760-1295 Fax:1 (905) 265-2672 franchising@shoelessjoes.ca www.shoelessjoes.ca Supreme Plumbing & Heating Inc. Plumbing & Heating Stephan Kovacs, President Phone: (519) 995-1807 supremeinc@bell.net Victoria Manor Supportive Housing Supportive Living Leigh Vachon, Executive Director 759 Victoria Avenue Windsor, ON N9A 4N3 Phone: (519) 258-6200 info@victoriamanor.ca leighvachon.wixsite.com/mysite
The Chamber Membership Services team supports various Chamber and Community events throughout the year. For more information on membership, or to send us your good news, contact Caitlin at childenbrand@windsoressexchamber.org.
DO YOU HAVE OUR LOGO ON YOUR WEBSITE? Let our community know that you are a trusted resource.
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STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Returning Members JUNE 2017 / JULY 2017
Abrik
Employment Assessment Centre
Lighting Plus Wholesale
The Bull & Barrel
Acenzia
Envy Boutique
Liqui-Force Services
The City Grill
Baymar Supply Ltd.
ENWIN Utilities Ltd.
Manz Contracting Services Inc.
The Empyrean Group Inc
BDO Canada Limited
Essex Region Conservation Authority
Manz Decorating Centre
The Travel Zone
Beach Grove Golf & Country Club
E-Z-Y Way Self Storage Ltd.
Mastro Kitchen Studio Inc.
The Walkerville Tavern
Beckar Engineering Ltd.
Foot Care Institute
Montel Plastics Ltd.
triOS College
Bertoni Chairs & Things Inc.
G & K Services Canada Inc.
Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County
TRQSS, Inc.
Blak's Bakery Ltd.
Galati Cheese Company Ltd.
Northern Lights Hydroponics
Visions of Canada
Caesars Windsor
Ghanam Consulting Inc.
Personnel By Elsie
Vito Masonry Ltd.
Canadian Diesel
Glen's Moving Ltd.
Plaza Ontario Marble & Tile
Web Geeks
Circle 5 Tool & Mold Inc.
Hogarth Hermiston Severs LLP
Pools by Angelo
WESCO Distribution
Cooper's Hawk Vineyards Estate Winery
Homestyle Bakery & Delicatessen
ProSoft XP
Windsor Public Library
Corporate Sign Source
HRPA of Toronto
Ramstar
Windsor River Cruises
Corvette Depot
Injection Technologies Inc.
RWDI
Windsor Utilities Commission
Culmone Law Office
Jerzy S. Dmowski
Smartex Products (Canada) Ltd.
Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women
Danbury Property Management (Windsor) Inc.
Johnson Inc. Insurance
Technophar Equipment & Service (2007) Ltd.
WSP Canada Inc.
David Moncur Engineering
Lacasse Printing Company Ltd.
The Bloomin' Gardener
Thank you to all of our valued members for your continued partnership.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE ASSIST OUR MEMBERS IN ACHIEVING THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS THROUGH MARKETING INITIATIVES? KNOW SOMEONE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CHAMBER? Contact Sherri Gowman, Director of Sales & Marketing, to consider membership with us and to learn about potential savings in conjunction with our programs. sgowman@windsoressexchamber.org or (519) 966.3696 ext. 223. We are here to assist you with your membership! Contact Caitlin Hildenbrand, Assistant to the Director of Sales & Marketing, at childenbrand@windsoressexchamber.org or (519) 966.3696 ext. 230. Please note, the members listed are only for the months indicated. For a full Membership Directory please visit www.windsoressexchamber.org or for a personal copy contact Caitlin.
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Spotlight On Our Members Community Builder
Pillar
EasyInsure
Active Business Services
For Grant Belanger and Leen Meyer of EasyInsure, joining the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce two years ago was an essential ingredient to their company’s success. As one of the fastest growing insurance brokerages in Canada, EasyInsure specializes in Commercial, Professional Liability, Home, Auto, and Life Insurance products as well as Individual and Group Benefit Plans.
The story of rising energy prices for businesses has found a permanent place in our daily news.
Established in 2007 when the duo were only 22 years old, EasyInsure is a nationally operated full-service online insurance brokerage with its head office located right here in Windsor. Their newly acquired location at 880 North Service will be ready in September and features 30,000 square feet of office space situated on 3.5 acres of land along the E.C. Row Expressway. Additional office space is also available for lease or build-to-suit with 50,000 more square feet available.
Laurie Veres, who heads the Southwest Ontario region for Active Business Services in Windsor notes, “In the midst of the turmoil, businesses have an opportunity to take pro-active steps to tame their energy costs. The Darlington Nuclear Reactors are moving ahead with refurbishment, the Cap and Trade Program is already impacting bottom lines and initiatives such as the ICI can seem overly complicated for consumers. Our assessment ensures you receive an accurate representation of your current energy landscape and outlines any potential opportunities that align with your business objectives. All businesses should explore their options. There has never been more urgency.”
EasyInsure might be a national company on the rise, but its roots are firmly planted in Windsor where its owners live, work, and play. For more information, visit their website at www.easyinsure.ca or call 1-800-679-2640.
Despite temporary relief for some businesses, concern is still growing and there appears to be no end in sight for Ontario’s energy fiasco. Our team is here to assist businesses in developing and improving your energy management strategy.
Commercial and Industrial consumers can hedge against uncertainty and our new Energy Storage Solutions can provide substantial relief to the Global Adjustment charge for Class A customers. We have a wide variety of solutions custom-tailored to your specific needs. Our participation in the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce helps us get the message out that every business has options when it comes to their commodities and we are proud to be trusted by our local community. We welcome your call or please drop by our office at 3391 Walker Rd. in Windsor. For more information visit www.activebusinessservices.com or contact Laurie at laurie.veres@activebusinessservices.com or (519) 962-7835.
Members Only Savings Programs: As a member of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, you have access to numerous resources designed to advance the success of your business and provide you with exclusive benefits. For complete information visit us at www.windsoressexchamber.org/membership/membership-benefits/. Employee and business owner HEALTH CARE BENEFITS with our: CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE GROUP INSURANCE The Chamber offers access to Canada’s #1 group insurance plan – the Chambers Plan. The Plan operates as a non-profit and it is known for stable, pooled, competitive rates for firms from 1 to 100 employees. As well as health and dental coverage, you can customize your plan by selecting from a list of available benefits. Some of the Chambers Plan benefits, like Best Doctors and Business Assistance Services, are even included at no cost. HOME & AUTO INSURANCE With origins dating back to 1880, Johnson Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected providers of insurance and benefits in Canada. Today, the company is part of the global RSA group, with employees across the country dedicated to serving you better. Members who qualify for the PS Plan get
preferred rates, and access to a wide range of products and services. You receive personalized and convenient service. Highlights of the PS Plan include: 24-hour service, online access to your insurance coverage details, and interest-free monthly payments. You may also get extras on home and auto insurance. Contact www.johnson.ca/wercc or call toll free 1-800-5630677. Remember to identify yourself as a member of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce! OFFICE SUPPLY PROGRAM With our Grand & Toy Office Supply Program, members save significantly on over 7,000 instock office supplies for next day delivery. Get the products you need, and the choices you want– for the best value. Your representative will review your preferred products to maximize your savings and develop an exclusive savings program based on your needs.
PAYMENT PROCESSING SAVINGS WITH FIRST DATA MERCHANT SERVICES First Data, a leader in the electronic payment processing industry, brings you exclusive benefits to help grow your business. Together we are ready to help you with preferred pricing and products tailored to suit your needs. See the savings: Visa 1.49%, MasterCard 1.49% and Debit $0.05/Transaction (standard discount rates – additional processing fees may apply). UPS SERVICES! Chamber members, take advantage of the UPS Members Benefit Program and save on a variety of UPS services! You’ll receive 30% off small package shipments within Canada, to the U.S. and to worldwide destinations, 25% off imports into Canada, discounts starting at 75% off freight shipments, and more. To get started today, visit www.membersbenefitprogram.com/WindsorCC or call 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800-636-2377).
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MEMBERSHIP / UPCOMING EVENTS
Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce Tiered Membership Program
LEAD PROMOTE CONNECT Tiered Membership Packages Include: Increased logo exposure & market visibility Strategic Marketing & Customized Advertising Packages Plus More To learn more about becoming an industry leader, contact: Sherri Gowman, Director of Sales & Marketing sgowman@windsoressexchamber.org (519) 966-3696 ext. 223
UPCOMING EVENTS September After Business Wednesday, September 20, 2017 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Know Your Power – Helping Businesses Reduce Energy Costs Wednesday, October 18, 2017 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Caboto Club (2175 Parent Ave.)
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18th Annual ATHENA Scholarship Luncheon Friday, November 3, 2017 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Caboto Club (2175 Parent Ave.)
Windsor-Essex Tech Show Tuesday, November 14, 2017