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Pay InvoiceMembers in the News - May 2011
Charities and non-profits take centre stage;
New businesses and deals are all the rage
Partnerships and appointments, mergers and growth;
While awards and government support both
Scholarships, brew-offs, annual conferences too;
It’s all in this month’s Members in the News
WeCar, a car-sharing program by Enterprise Rent-A-Car , and Dalhousie University have come together to bring faculty, staff and students a totally automated car rental, membership-based, environmentally friendly transportation solution. WeCar supports Dalhousie’s culture of sustainability through the development of a sustainable transportation option. The new program on Dalhousie’s campus, which includes a Chevy Malibu hybrid and a Ford Fiesta, helps remove cars from the road and reduces pollution and traffic congestion on and around the University’s campus. Learn more at www.wecar.com.
United Way of Halifax Region’s 2010 Campaign was a huge success, raising $6,330,304. The goal set in September 2010 was$6.2 million. This year’s campaign was co-chaired by Joanne Keigan,vice president, Manulife Financial and Robert Chisholm, public affairs consultant. Funds raised will help residents participate in their neighbourhoods to make them safer and stronger;provide funds for 54 local community-based agencies; support efforts to introduce 211, a service that will give all Nova Scotians access to services they need; and provide youth with opportunities to become engaged. Learn more at www.unitedwayhalifax.ca.
Jack Innes, Q. C. , a partner with McInnes Cooper ’s Halifax office, was named winner of the Canadian Bar Association’s 2011 Douglas Miller Award. The Douglas Miller Award honours the late Doug Miller of Yellowknife, a former president of the Association’s Northwest Territories Branch and a very active CBA member who passed away in 1994. The award recognizes a CBA member who demonstrates outstanding dedication and team spirit. “We are delighted Jack was chosen to receive the Doug Miller award,” says McInnes Cooper Managing Partner Bernie Miller. ”For decades Jack has been demonstrating the qualities this award recognizes.”
ZedEvents recently announced Jane Davies as vice president of new business and marketing, providing the overall direction for the company and leading client contact. The realignment includes naming Leanne Andr ecyk as creative director in charge of innovation and execution, with a focus on clients’ creative objectives, including theme and décor. “With a solid foundation of experience, ZedEvents is even better prepared to serve clients and partner with suppliers in the future,” says Robert Zed, CEO. Learn more at www.zedevents.ca.
West Jet Airlines and American Airlines have entered into a comprehensive codeshare agreement. WestJet will initially place its WS* code on American or American Eagle flights from Canada to Chicago and Boston, with expanded service throughout American Airlines network expected in the near future. “This agreement with American Airlines marks an important milestone in WestJet’s history,” says Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet’s executive vice president, Strategy and Planning. “WestJet is executing our strategic plan to evolve our interline and codeshare capabilities. We’re very pleased to see the success of our efforts as we enter the first codeshare where WestJet will actively sell on another airline. We look forward to a successful relationship with American.”
The Four Points by Sheraton Halifax has signed on for renewable electricity with Bullfrog Power . The hotel’s lobby, the Starwood Preferred Guest Floor and all of the hotel’s administration offices are now “bullfrog powered” with 100 per cent green electricity. By adding renewable electricity to its sustainability plan, the hotel will green 156 MW of electricity, reducing its environmental impact while supporting regionally produced wind power. “Green electricity supports our mission to help create a sustainable world and we know this holds big appeal for our visitors and associates alike,” says Jody Sampson, rooms division manager, Four Points by Sheraton Halifax. “We look forward to educating our meeting planners about how they can bullfrog power their events at the hotel.”
Dr. Adrian Park has been named head and chief of the Department of Surgery at Dalhousie University and Capital Health. Park, a Canadian-trained laparoscopic surgeon who has practiced mainly in the United States, is an internationally recognized leader in minimally invasive surgery. “I suspect in a typically Canadian way,” Park says, “there’s a lot of good work being done here at Dal, but we’re not making a lot of noise about it. I’m a great believer in being proud of and promoting the good work that we’re doing.” Learn more about Dr. Park at http://news.medicine.dal.ca/adrianpark.htm.
Nova Scotia will provide $700,000 to support the Discovery Centre’s move to and expansion at the new Nova Scotia Power complex on Lower Water Street. The 40,000- square-foot location will allow expansion, improved layout and better visitor amenities, including accessibility. “A new waterfront location will make the Discovery Centre one of Canada’s most unique visitor experiences and a centre of excellence for informal and experiential science education for all Nova Scotians,” says Dov Bercovici, president and CEO, Discovery Centre. “We are grateful to the province of Nova Scotia, one of our founding partners 26 years ago, for funding that will enable us to transition to the new location by 2013.”
The Holiday Inn Harbourview has some new faces on its team. New General Manager Chris Duffy is joined by Executive Chef Erwin Palo, Director of Sales and Marketing Scott Leckie, Corporate Sales Manager Heat her Blackburn and Group Sales Manager Rosemary Matos.
Maritime Paper Products Inc. is increasing competitiveness and productivity at its operation in Dartmouth with support from the province as part of the jobsHere strategy. Maritime Paper will receive a $2.1 million term NSBI loan to purchase a new printing press and NSBI will also provide a four-year $201,375 payroll rebate tied to the company maintaining its 118 fulltime production employees. “After introducing a new printing press, which replaced two older models, we’ve seen improvements to product quality and to the efficiency of our overall production,” says Steve MacDonald, vice-president, Finance at Maritime Paper. “This investment will allow our company to continue delivering a superior product to our clients around the world.”
Winnipeg sales coach and keynote speaker Peter Skakum and his company Tangent Strategies Inc. chose to call Halifax home in November 2010. “I wear my passion for our city, our province and the Atlantic Ocean on my sleeve, and maintain that Halifax and Nova Scotia could attract twice the current number of tourists to its shores annually were they to promote the region’s two most enigmatic features,” he says. Learn more about Peter Skakum and Tangent Strategies at www.tangentstrategies.com.
Twin Bridges Photo is now operating full time. “We’re very excited to announce our leap from part time to full-time business!” says owner/photographer Heather Rushton. “We now have even more availability for headshots, family photography, event photography, weddings and more.” Visit www.twinbridgesphoto.com to learn more.
Equals6 recently announced the launch of its Top-Talent Scholarship program. Together with private industry partners, Equals6 is providing scholarships to high school and college/university students. “The Equals6 Top-Talent Scholarship program is a great way to encourage and support bright, well-rounded and motivated students across all disciplines,”says Andy Osburn, CEO of Equals6. Together with industry partners such as SimplyCast, there are more than 25 scholarships totaling close to $10,000 being offered. “It’s our objective to recruit smart and talented employees and providing student scholarships through the Equals6 Top-Talent program is a great way to identify and engage future star performers,” says Saeed El-Darahali, president and CEO of SimplyCast. Learn more at www.equals6.com.
Citadel Security and Investigations has merged with Northeastern Protection Service. “As a result of this merger we are excited to welcome Darrell Smith, Citadel’s former president, to our management team as manager of special projects,” says Mark Joseph, president of Northeastern. “Operating for the past 19 years as a professional security and investigation agency, Citadel was a natural choice to amalgamate with Northeastern. Hands-on management, specialized services and a progressive business model align the two companies in a similar approach to asset protection for their clients.”
Augustus ( Gus) Richardson, QC launched a new Halifax-based service, ADR Private Court, which allows individuals, organizations or corporations throughout Canada to have virtually any non-civil case heard and resolved in as little as one day. Proceedings can take place at any neutral location agreeable to the parties involved; they can even be heard on-line. “The public court system does many things very well, but it doesn’t work quickly and it’s extremely expensive,”says Richardson. “It literally take years to have a case heard and, if the dispute concerns less than $200,000, it could cost more in legal fees than the case is worth.” Learn more at www.adrprivatecourt.ca.
Green Power Labs Inc. recently had the opportunity to show California Clean Tech venture capitalists that Nova Scotia companies are leaders in clean energy innovation. “We are extremely pleased to be one of five Canadian companies chosen to present to this investor group who have a specific interest in the convergence of IT and clean energy innovation. Nova Scotia has strong leadership in the Clean Tech sector and it’s time for us to step boldly onto the world stage,” says Dr. Alexandre Pavlovski, CEO of Green Power Labs Inc. “With serious attention from the CleanTech investment community, Green Power Labs is well positioned for rapid growth as a global leader in solar power forecasting.”
Garrison Brewing recently hosted its third annual Ultimate Brew-Off and the launch of last year’s winning entry – “Tilford’s NiT-WiT Belgian-Style Wheat.” Each year, Garrison hosts the only BJCP certified contest to showcase the talents of Maritime home brewers; this year’s style was a Schwarzbier (Black Beer). The ceremony kicked off with 2010 Brew-Off winner Scott Tilford receiving cases of his very own commercially produced beer. The name, NiTWiT, is a play on the “Wit” beer style featured in the 2010 competition. “The brewhouse literally stopped working and broke into applause when the beer came off the bottling line,” says Garrison President Brian Titus. “The look, taste and aromas are just amazing.”
Kerr Global Communications recently announced it will run a year-long pilot project with Clean Nova Scotia’s Fleetwiser Program and the Residential Energy Affordability Project (REAP). “We have been helping many clients across Canada lower emissions and raise operating profits by delivering detailed fleet data; it’s very exciting to be able to work with Clean Nova Scotia in our own backyard to help educate local businesses on the advantages of GPS Fleet Tracking,” says Mike Herenberg, vice president at Kerr Global Communications. Kerr Global will install its GPS system on the Clean Nova Scotia vehicles to assist with REAP program delivery and performance tracking. The results of this project will be documented in a case study later this year.
Prostate Cancer Canada Atlantic (PCC) launched its new information and support centre office in March. ”The opening of the PCC office in Halifax represents a first for Nova Scotia and the Atlantic provinces in that it positions PCC in nearing the goal of becoming a national organization with offices, volunteers and partners in every region of Canada,” says Peter Mallette, director, Atlantic Region. ”It’s also a major step forward in Prostate Cancer Canada’s mission – to raise funds for research into the prevention, detection and treatment of prostate cancer, and for awareness of the disease and the support of men and their families.” Learn more at www.prostatecancer.ca.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Halifax Chapter recently announced that UFCW has come on board as the presenting corporate sponsor of the 2011 Light the Night Walk. The walk takes place in October in 240 communities across North America; for the first time Halifax has added its name to the list of walk sites. For more information please visit www.lightthenight.ca/hal.
Nova Scotia will play host to the Canadian Institute of Management’s 2011 AGM and PD Symposium: Creating a Healthy Workplace: Leading in the 21st Century. Chamber member Brian Duggan, C.I.M., CHRP, president of Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group Limited, is the president of the host Mainland Nova Scotia Branch. For more information please visit www.cimns.ca.
