Initiatives

National

SuzanneTyson
President
Studentawards Inc.

Suzanne has over 20 years of business experience in publishing, mobile communications and loyalty marketing. As President of Studentawards Inc., Suzanne is committed to helping students succeed in their pursuit of higher education. Suzanne got her BA from Western in 1987 and returned there to get an MBA in 1996—she counts her lucky stars because her graduating MBA class was the first to boast the Ivey name—and the second to last to benefit from tuition under $3,000 per year! Since success at college or university is often dependent upon financial factors, it is Suzanne’s mission to help as many people as possible find money for school through Studentawards.com.

Rick Spence
President
Canadian Entrepreneur Communications

Rick Spence is a Toronto-based business writer and consultant dedicated to helping businesses grow. As an expert in leadership, marketing, finance, innovation and opportunity, customer focus, and the best practices of successful companies, he has often been called “The Guru of Canadian Entrepreneurs.”

Rick is the former editor and publisher of PROFIT, The Magazine for Canadian Entrepreneurs. He writes a weekly column on entrepreneurship and innovation for the National Post, as well as columns for PROFIT magazine and other publications.

He wrote the first Canadian book on growth business (Secrets of Success from Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies). Rick has taught “New Venture Startup” at Ryerson University and sits on the board of directors of a Toronto-based geophysical software company. He has keynoted for more than 150 conferences, companies and associations in the U.S. and Canada.

He blogs regularly at Canadian Entrepreneur (www.canentrepreneur.com), and tweets his best business advice on Twitter under the handle “RickSpence.”

Michelle Savoy
Former President
Capital Guardian Canada
Current Franchisee of Boston Pizza

Michelle has spent most of her career in financial services. She spent almost twelve years at CIBC World Markets in institutional money market and fixed-income sales. She had a brief stint at Spencer Stuart & Associates as an executive recruiter. She then joined Capital Guardian, a Los Angeles based investment management organization, as an institutional relationship manager. She spent almost 13 years at Capital Guardian where she was President of the Canadian arm until her recent retirement. In 2008, Michelle opened a Boston Pizza franchise in Toronto. She currently serves on the board of the Canadian Scholarship Trust Fund and is on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Council of Champions. Michelle has a BBA in finance and marketing from the University of Ottawa.


Michael Hyat
CEO and Co-founder
BlueCat Networks

Michael Hyatt is CEO and Co-Founder of BlueCat Networks and a recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™ Award. Michael is a weekly business commentator on CBC Newsworld and guest-hosts CBC’s The Lang and O’Leary Exchange. He has been featured on the cover of Canadian Business Magazine and was a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. BlueCat Networks is a four-time winner of “Deloitte’s Fast 50”, winner of Red Herring’s Top 50 Private Companies, and was named CIX’s Canada’s Hottest Innovative Company . Michael also co-founded Dyadem, a highly successful Canadian software company that was acquired by IHS (NYSE: IHS). As an entrepreneurial success story himself, Michael helps and mentors youth and entrepreneurs to succeed and become contributing citizens in their communities. He is also an active lender with Kiva.org

Alberta

Justin Robinson
Manager, Communications
Osum Oil Sands Corp.

Honours degree in Communications from the University of Calgary. Background in Advertising. Loves start-ups and has consulted with many. Now works as the Manager of Communications at a rapidly growing young Alberta oil E&P company. Twice brought some of the worlds leading innovators to Alberta to teach high school students how to innovate; toured IDEO and actually touched the shopping cart from the nightline video in 2010; write and teach my own workshop on innovation; believe design thinking is a fundamental source of competitive advantage for any organization.


Ken Bautista
Co-Founder/CEO
Startup Edmonton

Ken Bautista is co-founder of Startup Edmonton, a social enterprise working to amplify creative innovation and startups in Edmonton through events, mentorship, workspace, and accelerators. He’s been a creative entrepreneur in the tech space for over 10 years, founding and growing two award-winning interactive companies, Hotrocket Studios and Rocketfuel Games. Under his leadership, Rocketfuel successfully raised public/private investment, and signed an exclusive deal with Discovery Communications, the world’s number one nonfiction media company. Ken has been featured in a number of publications including the New York Times, and was recognized in Avenue Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40”, earned a Horizon Alumni Award from the University of Alberta, and was named one of “Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People” by Alberta Venture Magazine in 2011.


Brent King
Director of Operations
TENET medical Engineering

Brent King is Director of Operations and TENET Medical Engineering a division of Smith and Nephew inc. TENET is a dynamic manufacturer of Innovative Arthroscopic and Orthopaedic Positioning Products.  The organization is focused on developing unique solutions to patient positioning issues in the OR.  Through surgeon and OR staff expertise and input they have developed and brought to market several successful products. Brent carries 17 years experience in the development of Class I Medical Devices.  He leads a team of 40 Engineers and technical staff in the design, manufacture and sales of over 40 medical products into 50 countries throughout the world.  TENET’s marquee product The SPIDER Limb Positioner was invented and patented by Brent, a product used to position patients for a multitude of procedures.  Recently he was awarded the Manning innovation award for the development of the SPIDER.  Brent graduated in 1993 with a BSC in Zoology from the University of Calgary followed, in 1996, by a BaSC in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia.  He serves on the External Research Advisory Board (UofC).  In his spare time he enjoys time spent with family, snowboarding, and motorcycles.


Pam Boytinck
Executive Director, TechRev
Innovate Calgary

As a corporate marketing manager, an entrepreneur, and a consultant, Pam has learned, first hand, how to address and overcome many of the challenges technology companies face throughout the course of product development, commercialization, and on-going product management.  Armed with a BComm, Marketing Specialization from the University of Alberta, Pam draws on the skills, knowledge and experience she has developed over the course of her career, spanning over 25 years, primarily in the tech sector. She has led development, commercialization, and launch initiatives for telecommunications companies, and supported clients in the ICT, Retail, Education, Government, Construction, and Non-Profit sectors.


Michele Fugiel Gartner
Program Manager, Enterprising Non-Profits Alberta
Trico Charitable Foundation

Michele Fugiel Gartner is the Program Manager for Enterprising Non-Profits Alberta and an active participant in the philanthropic and social enterprise sectors in Calgary, AB.  This has included work with the Max Bell Public Policy Training Institute, as a writer for Social Finance.ca, a member of the Innovation Exchange, and as the Executive Director of Social Venture Partners Calgary. Prior to this role, Michele was employed with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and participated in Rotary International’s Group Study Exchange to Saitama, Japan where she studied the role of philanthropy and Japanese civil society.  She received her M.A. degree in International Studies and Diplomacy at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and is an alumna of the Asia Pacific Leadership Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, HI.

Atlantic

Stephen Reaman
Business Development Officer IPEI
Innovation PEI

As a youth Steve started working with horses, training, trail riding and operating a trail riding business.  Always looking for an easier, gentler way to work with the horse, Steve was using “natural” horsemanship techniques long before they became in style.  Over the course of working with horses he has become a certified farrier and ornamental ironworker. He also has completed the Ag Engineering program at Nova Scotia Agricultural College and an Ag Business MBA from the University of Guelph. During the past 10 years Steve has been providing coaching to business clients with Innovation PEI.


Holly Bond
Director, Sales and Marketing, Eastern Region
Bullfrong Power Inc.

Holly Bond brings more than 20 years experience to her role as Director of Sales and Marketing in the Eastern Region for Bullfrog Power. Holly joined Bullfrog Power in 2009 and helped successfully launch Canada’s 100 per cent green electricity provider in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Prior to joining Bullfrog Power, Holly founded the Bulldog Interactive Fitness Inc.® franchise where she combined interactive video games with exercise to make fitness fun for kids.


Janice MacPherson
Program Manager
Wallace McCain Institute for Business Leadership

Janice MacPherson is a serial entrepreneur as well as the Program Manager with the Wallace McCain Institute for Business Leadership at UNB. At the age of 24 Janice co-founded Net Idea, Telecommunications Inc. In Nelson, BC  which turned out to be one of the longest running independent ISP`s in Canada. For more than 14 years Janice was responsible for the overall operations of Net Idea including market development, human resource management and financial cost controls In 2008 Janice entered the food service industry when she and two partners opened a quick-service wood fired pizzeria in Rothesay, New Brunswick called Pomodori.  A year after opening Pomodori was ranked 8th best in the world when they competed at the World Pizza championships in Italy. With a focus on natural and local ingredients, Pomodori is doing its part to create change in the quick service business by delivering delicious, healthy dishes in a fast food environment. Chosen as one of the top 15 Entrepreneurial Leaders in New Brunswick on 2008, Janice is now part of a strong network of fellow entrepreneurs and also helps new entrepreneurs with their business challenges through her role at the Wallace McCain institute. She also hosts a radio segment on CBC Radio 1 featuring entrepreneurs from around the province promoting all the innovative products and services being generated by our home grown talent.


Scott Andrews
Business Consultant – Team Lead
YMCA-YWCA of Northeast Avalon – Enterprise Services

After graduating from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Co-op), Scott’s professional career began in the Advertising industry.  Once he realized life in the Ad industry in St. John’s Newfoundland didn’t resemble “Mad Men” in any way, he quickly transitioned to the economic development sector.  Scott has spent the past 13 years helping entrepreneurs start up businesses with his main area of focus being business plan development and feasibility/viability assessments.  Scott is currently employed with the YMCA of Northeast Avalon (Enterprise Services) where he is a Business Consultant/Team Lead. He has been affiliated with the CYBF Loan Program since 1999.   He currently resides in St. John’s, NL where he spends most of his time explaining that he is not the ‘other’ Scott Andrews (Liberal MP, Avalon) although he thoroughly enjoys the media attention his name receives.

British Columbia and North

Wendy Agrey
Instructor
Real Smart Real Estate Training

Real Estate Sales, Executive Assistant, Fitness Instructor, Public Affairs – Telus


Alpana Sharma
Communications and Client Service Coordinator
Women’s Enterprise Centre

An innovative and entrepreneurial professional, Alpana Sharma is the Communications & Client Service Coordinator of Women’s Enterprise Centre (WEC). She writes a blog for small business and is also a founding member of Vancouver Women Entrepreneur Network. Before joining WEC, Alpana was the Coordinator of business services at Business Victoria. As the key person for CYBF at Business Victoria, she provided hands-on assistance to young entrepreneurs on the Vancouver Island and received the 2010 CYBF outstanding community partner award.

Sara Couper
Communications Coordinator
Small Business BC

Sara Couper is the Communications Coordinator for Small Business BC. After completing a Bachelor or Journalism Honours at Carleton University, she launched a freelance travel writing business in order to see the world and share her experiences with other. She took that experience forward to become a Public Relations & Youth Entrepreneurship Coordinator at Community Futures of the Central Okanagan. Before the joining Small Business BC team, Sara handled communications and managed a BC wide mentoring program for entrepreneurs at the Women’s Enterprise Centre.


Heather Gordon
Microfinance Program Manager
Vancity Credit Union

Heather Gordon is a Microfinance Program Manager at Vancity Credit Union. Her primary role is the application of innovative microfinancing to individuals and businesses that enable high social, environmental, and community impact. In addition to lending, part of her role at Vancity is to liaise with community partners to develop financial literacy and community.


Joel Young
Founding Chair & Chair Advisory Council
Okanagan Valley Entrepreneurs Society

Joel Young is the Founding Chair & Chair Advisory Council for the Okanagan Valley Entrepreneurs Society, a society that strives to establish an organization of entrepreneurial leaders and enhance the growth of entrepreneurial ventures throughout the Okanagan through guidance, coaching and mentoring, resources and education. Joel has extensive experience in entrepreneurship, small business development, coaching, consulting, teaching industrial and economic development/investment.

Manitoba and North

Ivy Lopez Sarmiento
Business Consultant, Youth Entrepreneurship
Government of Manitoba

International business and local economic development experience. Financial services experience. Previously self-employed. Currently working in Small Business Development with the Government of Manitoba.


Shaun Michael Bruce Hampton
Entrepreneurship and Career Development Consultant
Manitoba Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors

Shaun has been involved in community / economic development since 1997 throughout the province of Manitoba. He worked with Junior Achievement of Manitoba for five years, first as a department manager and then in 2003, Shaun took a position with the Province of Manitoba as a program consultant. In this role, Shaun is responsible for entrepreneurship, business and career development programming and initiatives. He is a tireless promoter of entrepreneurship and advocate for youth engagement at all levels in this area.


Lindy Norris
Consumer Market Management
MTS Allstream Inc.

Lindy is a natural leader with strong business acumen. Extensive expertise in areas of market management, marketing communications, strategy and analytics, nonprofit engagement, and public relations allows her approach to centre on innovation, engagement, sustainability, and accommodation of market evolution. Her outgoing demeanor and results-oriented disposition allow effective relationship building and bridging team strengths to leverage new opportunities. Her strategies have realized success through establishing and increasing brand recognition, igniting viral marketing, driving social media engagement, increasing revenue per unit, and propelling overall profit. Lindy possesses exceptional and dynamic communication abilities, coupled with a creative and confident disposition. Her strong executional abilities and personable character allow for resonance with all audiences. She is proud to be extensively involved with and leading several community and cause-based initiatives: to date, Lindy has directly influenced the injection of over $200,000 to local (Winnipeg) non-profit organizations in 2011.

Jennifer Nixon
MTS Marketing Associate
MTS Allstream Inc.

Being a recent graduate from the University of Manitoba and a new addition to MTS allows for an exciting outlook on the prospect for Manitoba. Proud to be a part of an ever changing and evolving city that is lucky to have some big accomplishments over the last year. The environment in Winnipeg has never been better for young aspiring entrepreneurs and it is an honour to judge the creative ideas brought forward by them.

Paul M. Lacap
Director, Product Management & Innovation
IC Group

Paul has an extensive background in both marketing and technology initiatives. Walking the lines between both, Paul has been working with IC Group to create products, platforms and services that will help their Fortune 100 clients further engage their customers in today’s demanding marketplace.

Ontario

Francois Brouard
Director /Associate Professor
Sprott Centre for Social Enterprises (SCSE) / Sprott School of Business, Carleton University

François Brouard is a bilingual Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (B.A.A.) from HEC Montréal, a Master’s Degree in Accounting (M.Sc.) from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). He is currently an Associate professor in the accounting group (taxation and financial accounting) at the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University and Director of the Sprott Centre for Social Enterprises (SCSE). He previously worked as a consultant in training and strategic scanning, a professor at Université du Québec à Hull (UQAH), a project manager for the Professional Education Program of the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec (OCAQ) and a lecturer in several universities. He also worked in auditing and tax for an international CA firm (Samson Bélair / Deloitte & Touche). His research interests include social entrepreneurship, strategic intelligence, business transfer, SME, governance, professional education, tax and financial planning.


Denise Herbert
President & CEO
DMH Public Relations & Communications Inc.

Denise Herbert is the owner of DMH Public Relations & Communications Inc., a marketing, advertising, communications, PR, media relations, business building and development firm and Community Partner for the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. Within the company, she also holds the positions of President & CEO. From 2006 to 2009, Denise also proudly lent her skills to Georgian College as the instructor for the public relations courses offered in the Business Studies Department. She was Executive Officer in charge of communications and strategic planning to Ontario’s 23rd Premier, and Strategic Advisor, responsible for policy, communications, media and issues management for the Minister of Finance under Ontario’s 22nd Premier. During her tenure with the Government of Ontario, she effectively implemented five provincial budgets, five economic statements and a new corporate communications and correspondence process. Denise holds an Honours Bachelor in Social Science, Political Science and Communications from the University of Ottawa, a Professional Development Teaching Practice Certificate from Georgian College, and a double certification in professional media training. She is currently a member of the Greater Innisfil Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Denise was born in Muskoka and presently resides in the City of Barrie with her husband James and their collie Kane.

Rob Whent
Entrepreneur in Residence
WEtech Alliance

Rob is a digital pioneer, using technology to deliver eLearning for large corporations and school boards since he opened McGill Digital Solutions in Windsor, Ontario over 24 years ago. Rob left the company in the spring of 2009 to put his full-time efforts into OTEP. A technologist at heart, he knows first hand the problems that parents, teachers and children with learning disabilities face. Rob is also the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for WEtech Alliance in Windsor Ontario, one of the 14 regional innovation centres across Ontario dedicated to helping  entrepreneurs succeed.

Jessica Potts
Small Business Consultant & Manager
St Catharines Enterprise Centre

As the manager of the St Catharines Enterprise Centre, Jessica takes great pride in assisting aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in realizing their dreams. She has a true enthusiasm for inspiring and facilitating the ‘awesomeness’ in others. Her motivation comes from her personal commitment to having the best day EVER – every day.

Quebec

Jean Lepage
Director, Business Services
Developpement Economique CLD Gatineau

Working in the economic development and entrepreneurship fields for more than 25 years, Jean Lepage has helped a multitude of entrepreneurs create and grow their business. As an entrepreneur, he also launched several of his own companies. Today, he leads a team of professionals specialized in economic development at Economic Development – CLD Gatineau. He also serves on several boards and consultation committees.

Yves Plourde
General Manager, Entrepreneuriat Laval
Entrepreneuriat Laval

Yves Plourde has extensive international experience, having worked overseas from 1993 to 2000 for various non-governmental organizations in Africa and Central and South America. As the Export Commissioner for the Centre-du-Québec region, he explored the Chinese market and was member of the entrepreneur delegation at Futurallia 2001. From 1965 to 1990, he worked for the family business, where he expanded into international markets in Europe, Asia and Americas and negotiated a contract of more than $32 million for the Exportation Gaspé Cured Consortium. As an entrepreneur, Yves Plourde launched a ceramics studio, a consulting firm specializing in technological innovation for the farming sector and a tourism business also offering nautical activities in the Dominican Republic. He holds a postgraduate license in molecular genetics from University of Saskatchewan and a MBA from Université Laval. Yves Plourde is the vice-president of the Réseau IncubAction Board of Directors and member of the Boards of Ressources entreprises and Aide Médicale Internationale à l’Enfance (AMIE). He is currently an instructor in entrepreneurship at the Institut de la Francophonie de l’Entrepreneuriat, in Mauritius and a consultant for international projects.

Christian Wopperer
Vice-président
Sales Intelligence

Christian Wopperer has over twenty years of experience in business development and IT sales in Europe and Canada. His background as an entrepreneur gives him a solid foundation in the marketing and sales challenges faced by start-up companies. He founded and managed a Zürich-based (Switzerland) company specializing in the development and sale of quality insurance software. His company increased its sales figures by 250 % annually. Since his arrival in Canada in 1995, he helped Canadian companies export to Europe, has headed the marketing and sales department of Orthofab Inc. and implemented KMtechnologies’ commercialisation strategy in Montreal.

At CEIM, Christian Wopperer developed a technique to identify potential clients, known as the “Mechanics of commercialisation”. This program assists entrepreneurs in the building and managing of a commercialization department, with minimal investment, within a short delay and with almost immediate ROI. Christian Wopperer’s brings his expertise to a project primarily at the beginning stages and in sales development. He offers seminars on various sales-related themes on a regular basis.

Christian Wopperer holds a Swiss Business degree (or “maturity level”), a Diploma in Informatics from EPSIC (Lausanne, Switzerland) and an Advanced Management Certificate from McGill University.

Larry Hiles
President & CEO
Regina Regional Opportunities Commission

Larry is currently President and CEO of the Regina Regional Opportunities Commission (RROC).  Larry has long been active in all aspects of the community, both in Regina and around the province.  Throughout his life, Larry has tried to balance his career and his community involvement. His participation in the business community includes a variety of distinguished.

Dr. Bill Brooks
Partner
eclecthink

Bill has 10 years of experience in the development of programs to increase the level of innovation and creativity in business and entrepreneurship. He has 20 years of management and leadership experience in industry, business and the non-profit sectors.

Jennifer Shewchuk
Marketing Consultant
Global TV Saskatchewan

Jennifer attained a 4-year Bachelor of Commerce degree with Honours in Marketing. She has worked full-time with Global TV Saskatoon, a division of Shaw Media, for over two years. She provides creative and innovative multi-platform advertising solutions, with a specialization in conventional television. She is a member of various business organizations within Saskatoon including the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, North Saskatoon Business Association, and the Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association. She also maintains the position of Executive Director of The Promotion Club of Saskatoon.