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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 1, 0834-20X JANUARY 2010

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The St. John's Board of Trade's monthly publication, Business News magazine, brings you timely and informative articles about member companies, Board activities, as well as business trends and tactics. It keeps you informed of the Board's policy efforts, events, and other members’ activities.

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Page 1: Business News - January 2010

VOLUME 25, NUMBER 1, 0834-20X JANUARY 2010

Introducing the 2010Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade

IN THIS ISSUE:•Big thinking for your brand

•Working with a marketing budget•Communicating in crisis

Page 2: Business News - January 2010

sparkmarketing.ca

Selling requires conversation. And engaging in conversation with tactics like an every-so-often radio ad,

a once-in-a-while print ad

or a one-time whacky YouTube video

is like throwing pennies at your customer’s window while they sleep,

then running away.

You aren’t there when they wake up.

A consistent, integrated approach across different media gets results. So keep your pennies.

Let’s use them to chase the dollars out there.

Page 3: Business News - January 2010

Business News is a monthly publication of the St. John’s Board of Trade.

Reproduction of any material contained in Business News is permitted provided written approval from the St. John’s Board of Trade.

Articles and criticisms are invited, but opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of the St. John’s Board of Trade. We encourage you to support the business leaders whose names and products you see advertised in this issue as well as throughout our entire membership. The Board reserves the right to edit submissions.

Editor: Krista Penney

Printed by: British Group of Companies Impress Print Solutions

ST. JOHN’S BOARD OF TRADE EXECUTIVE

Derek Sullivan ChairJo Mark Zurel Senior Vice-ChairSteve Power First Vice-ChairJanet Peddigrew Second Vice-ChairBruce Templeton Immediate Past ChairSherri Walsh Treasurer

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dennis DillonKelly FinlayJerry KirklandPaul LannonDenis MahoneyMark McCarthyMargot Bruce O’ConnellCelina Stoyles

STAFF

Nancy Healey ChiefExecutiveOfficerJennifer Chaytor Manager, Finance & ComplianceLori Coleman Business Affairs ManagerMargie Davis Sales ManagerCraig Ennis Manager of PolicyWanda Palmer Event MarketerKrista Penney Manager of Member CommunicationsSherry Ryan Member Relations Administrator

St. John’s Board of Trade34 Harvey RoadP.O. Box 5127St. John’s, NL A1C 5V5 CanadaTel: (709) 726-2961 Fax: (709) 726-2003E-mail: [email protected]: www.bot.nf.ca

Cover photo by Shane Kelly of The Studio/Shane Kelly

Photography.

IN THIS ISSUEContents

Business News

CHAIR’S MESSAGE 2FEATURES 3KEEPING CURRENT 13MEMBERSHIP 20

January 2010 1

Page 4: Business News - January 2010

Chair’s Message

Business NewsJanuary 20102

INTrodUcINg NEw cHaIrIt is a great pleasure to communicate with you for the first time as Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade

It is a privilege to work with the Board, committees and staff to undertake the work you, as members, expect

the Board to lead on your behalf. I look forward to a year that is as full with success as 2009 was, under my predecessor Bruce Templeton. Before I introduce myself, I would like to take a moment to thank Bruce for his leadership, energy and efforts throughout 2009. It was a pleasure and a great learning experience for me to work with Bruce and he has left the Board in excellent shape. As Chair for 2010, I hope to build this great organization even further. For the past 15 years, I have been based in the Newfoundland and Labrador IT (software and consulting) sector. Today I am the General Manager of Atlantic DataSystems, part of zedIT group of companiesandafirmspecializinginbusiness solutions such as accounting/ERP software and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. During my career, I have been fortunate to work with a diverse base of clients, from local companies of all sizes to international work withfirmsinCalifornia,aswellaslargeCanadian Government accounts in Ottawa. Over this time I have been continually impressed by the quality of the work being done by companies here in Newfoundland and Labrador and competing globally. There truly are no barriers we cannot overcome when we commit to succeeding here in our beautiful home province. I hope in the coming 12 months that the Board of Trade can play a small part in each of your successes. The journey to the position of Chair of the St. John’s Board of Trade is one that I have enjoyed at all stages, whether at networking events and luncheons or when engaged in my true passion-- policy and advocacy. In fact, I would like to talk about

some of the Board’s advocacy priorities for 2010. Late last year, the directors and policy committees came together for a facilitated brainstorm that was guided by your survey results. In 2010, the Board will be advocating for such things as enhanced provincial competitiveness, a provincial debt reduction strategy, a city vision as part of the re-vamped municipal plan, and strategic spending at City Hall. There are other key areas that we will act on for you,

our members, but these are areas where we will concentrate our efforts as we look to continually improve the local business climate. I like to believe that strong business builds strong communities. Really, that is what the Board is here to do. On one side we have our advocacy efforts where we present your challenges and solutions to governments and work to have them make decisions that support

Chair Derek Sullivan

“I like to believe that strong business builds strong communities…that is what the Board is here to do”

the business community. And, on the other side,wehaveaffinityprogramstosaveyoumoney, various events to help you build your contact list and learn from successful people, and many other opportunities to make you and your business more visible to potential partners. It all comes down to creating value for you. You don’t have to be a member of the St. John’s Board of Trade, it is a choice. We do what we can each day to make sure that it’s an easy choice. It can be a challenging task at times but one that every person involved with the Board of Trade is committed to. I am pleased to play a role in leading that effort. But let me be clear that it is very much a group effort. We have dedicated volunteers who spend time doing advocacy work, who aim to enhance our communication with our valued members, who organize networking and special events all aimed to support your success. Teamwork and dedication are hallmarks of the St. John’s Board of Trade. I encourage you to be involved in these efforts this year, as we all get more from this great organization when we put more into it. Our skill sets, experiences and industries may be different, but we have a common goal of building St. John’s into a more vibrant, higher achieving and progressive business community. On behalf of the Board of Directors and all of our volunteers and staff, let me wish you well for 2010 and thank you for your valued support of the St. John’s Board of Trade. This is your local business organization and I thank you for allowing me to lead it forward.

Sincerely,Derek Sullivan

Page 5: Business News - January 2010

Gardiner Centre ConnectsmodErN commUNIcaTIoNS

Business News January 2010 3

communicating wITH customers in an Internet world

Marketing communications - this term has been bandied about for many years but

many organizations have been focused more on the marketing element than on the communications. Typically communications have been one directional, focusing on getting the organizations message across to their customers. Everything focused around the organization. As any marriage counselor will tell you, when only one party is talking, there is not much communicating occurring, and the relationship will suffer. In this respect, business relationships are no different from personal relationships. If you are ‘talking at’ your customers rather than ‘communicating with’ them, you are in danger of damaging the relationship and eventually they will stop listening andmoveon.Thefirststeptomovefrom ‘talking at’ your customers to true communication begins with listening. Fortunately many businesses have already started doing this with varying degrees of success through customer surveys and customer complaints responses. The rapidly growing world of social media and the Internet means that in order to be successful in building deeper relationships and greater loyalty with your customers, it is not enough just to listen to them but you need to be willing and able to engage your customers in interactive communication. Through social networks, customers are engaging with each other and recent statistics suggest that over half of social network users want to interact with business in their networks. The emergence of the “Social Web” which is dominated by social networks like Facebook, online blogs, Twitter, and sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube provides both an opportunity and a challenge for organizations today. For

those that are able to utilize these resources effectively, they can provide a wealth of information, insight and connectivity to your customer base. Those that are unable tomanagethischangewillfindthemselvesleft out of the conversations that will take place within these mediums; your customers communicating with each other, or worse, your competitors communicating with your customers! The expectation of consumers today is that you care enough about them that you are monitoring what is being said on the Internet. The tools are there through free programs like Google Alerts. Take a look at a complaint made on a blog today, and when several customers have shared similar circumstances, a comment that is usually made is, “I guess that ‘xyz’ company really does not care, otherwise they would have responded by now.” This increased expectation means that it is no longer enough to respond to the customers that complain to you directly, but you need to be prepared to respond to those who are also complaining publically. In order to do so, you need to be part of the conversation. So, if you are not already engaging in

conversations ‘with’ your customers, there is no better time to begin. Through the use of social media like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube, you have the opportunity to become engaged with your customers through effective communication. You also have the ability to listen to the conversations that are going on ‘between’ your customers to provide you with critical insight on how to provide more effective customer service. The outcome will be value for both your business and your customers, and the potential for deeper ongoing relationships. Start communicating ‘with’ your customers today. Connect with the Gardiner Centre and the Faculty of Business Administration at [email protected] more effectively with social media or to let us know how your business is communicating with its customers.

Lyle R. Wetsch is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Memorial University’s Faculty of Business Administration. His teaching, research, speaking, and consulting interests are in e-marketing and consumer behaviour, specifically in the area of social media.

Prof. Lyle R. Wetsch, Faculty of Business Administration

Page 6: Business News - January 2010

Feature

Business NewsJanuary 20104

rEcrUITINg NEwcomErSonline recruitment of international professionals in Newfoundland & Labrador

By the year 2020, the labour shortage in Canada is expected to reach 950,000 workers. According to

Statistics Canada, “If current immigration rates continue, it is possible that immigration could account for virtually all labour force growth by 2011” (Statistics Canada, 2006 census). The number of immigrants selecting Newfoundland and Labrador as their destination of choice is increasing on an annual basis. AXIS Career Services, a division of the Association for New Canadians, is actively promoting the talents and skills of newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador. As the only full service immigrant settlement agency in the province, AXIS Career Services is dedicated to providing comprehensive client-centered programs and services to assist newcomers with successful labour market attachment. As part of the national Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) initiative, funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), AXIS Career Services recently unveiled an innovative online recruitment tool for employers interested in hiring internationally educated professionals and diversifying the workplace. AXIScareers.net is a skills matching database populated by clients of the Association for New Canadians who have completed pre-employment readiness training at AXIS Career Services. The online recruitment tool provides employers with an opportunity to post job openings and search a resume database byskilllevel,thefirstofitskindintheprovince. AXIScareers.net is exclusive to clients of the Association for New Canadians, and provides businesses with a direct way of tapping into the growing pool of talented immigrants already living in Newfoundland and Labrador. This interactive website also outlines a variety of Bridge to Work programs and services designed to provide newcomers with

labour market information, occupation-specificlanguagetraining,mentoring,career training placements, internships, workplace orientation, job readiness workshops and licensure exam preparation. The AXIS approach is integrative and customized to meet the clients’specificneeds and the needs of the employer. AXIS Career Services continues to develop strategic partnerships with public and private sector employers,

as well as community and professional organizations, to promote a talented pool of internationally educated professionals and trades persons to the Newfoundland and Labrador labour market. Through AXIScareers.net, partners of AXIS Career Services can avail of resources to support employable, internationally educated workers. Attracting a diverse, skilled labour force increases access to global markets, as having in-house knowledge of doing business in other countries is invaluable. Growing the workforce through immigration also addresses current labour shortages and increases the local population, which will build a skilled labour force, help lessen the burden on the aging population, and diversify our communities to attract even more newcomers. However, the emphasis is not only on attracting more skilled labour to the province, but also on helping newcomersfindjobstosupporttheirfamilies and in turn making Newfoundland and Labrador their home.

Carla Foote is marketing and communications manager with AXIS Career Services. For more information about recruiting internationally educated professionals online through www.AXIScareers.net, please call (709) 579-1780 or e-mail [email protected].

Carla Foote

Page 7: Business News - January 2010

FeaturecoNSUmEr BEHavIoUr

Business News January 2010 5

Surveying the 2010 communications landscape: New media, ‘old’ media and everything in between

Thefirstdecadeofthe21st Century is already behind us. Now just might be a good time for you to take stock of your marketing practices and make sure your business is up to speed. First, a few of the givens: Instant communication. Freedom of expression. Access to information. And unprecedented power in the hands of the consumer. Whether the ground rules of the new media environment sound to you like an unnerving prospect or a golden opportunity depend on your vantage point, or even when you were born. It’s been more than 30 years since the beginnings of the digital revolution and many companies - including some in the communications business like traditional ad agencies - are still playing catch-up. Once upon a time, business owners controlled the conversation about their brand through one-way communication in a limited number of channels. Today, consumers and communications have turned the corner while marketing tactics, for the most part, haven’t. So what’s an advertiser to do? The good news is, human nature hasn’t changed. People still need information to make decisions, rely on friends and family for advice, appreciate good service and enjoy advertising that entertains. Instead of being overwhelmed by the explosion of choices, consumer behaviour - not media - is still the best barometer of where to advertise. So, if you’re trying to decide which side wins in the traditional vs. new media debate, the answer is, ‘it depends’. Followyourcustomerandyou’llfindyour media. And targeted, sniper-like media planning is as critical as strategy and creative. Companies need to get back in front of their audience, and the questions that were relevant in 20th Century media planning are still relevant today. Where are they

spending their time? What information do they need? When do they need it? Thedifferenceanddifficultycomesin analysing consumer behaviour in a fragmented, online world. ‘New media’ is not some strange, new fad. The move to an online and instant way of doing business is a permanent, central change. Rather than view platforms like micro sites, Facebook or Twitter as add-on to the regular campaign, online options are more tools in the toolbox that demand equal consideration to the traditional.

Sometimes guerrilla /street marketing or Google ‘pay-per-click’ marketing can offer a more targeted, memorable approach than a big, bloated TV budget. The problem for the traditional ad agencies is that while non-traditional channels like guerrilla or even Twitter may sometimes be the more effective choice, marketing companies haveyettofigureouthowtochargetheclient the same overhead as a traditional ‘print+TV+radio’ campaign.Intheend,fluencywins.Theneedforauthentic stories continues. Your marketing communication needs to be able to speak thelocaldialectandbefluentinthetruthwhen it meets the consumer. Bottom line – tapping into authentic communication in 2010 puts your company aheadofalaggingfieldandreunitesyourbrand with its audience. But beware. Deliver less than promised and the newly-empowered consumer will sniff you out and parade your failures to the online world. That’s where digging deep for meaningful insights into the true nature of your company and brand will give you a stake in the game. Get it right once and you may never have to re-invent your marketing again. Provided some other game-changing revolution doesn’t come along.

David Keating is creative director at Upstream. Online, visit upstreammarketing.ca.

David Keating

Page 8: Business News - January 2010

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Page 9: Business News - January 2010

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This is a one day event you won’t want to miss. Book your tickets today!

Contact Wanda at 726-2961, ext.9 or [email protected]

Business Outlook ConferenceThursday, January 21, 2010Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre8:00am – 4:00pm

Business Outlook features leading expert advice on businesstrends, opportunities and challenges for your organizationin 2010 and beyond. Business Outlook gives you theinformation you need to make your cup runneth over.

Visit us online at www.bot.nf.ca for updates on ourexciting speakers featured at this year’s Business Outlook.

Tickets are $225 (non-member rate) and $175 (member rate)for this full day event. Reserve your seat now!

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Welcome by Incoming Chair,Derek Sullivan

Sherry CooperExecutive Vice-Presidentand Global Economic StrategistBMO Financial Group

Guest Speaker - TBD

HonourableTom MarshallMinister of FinanceGovernment of Newfoundland & Labrador

Nutrition Break

Demographics/Major Projects PanelSpeakers - TBD

St. John’s Board of Trade Annual General Meeting

Lunch

Don Mills, CMRPPresident & CEOCorporate Research Associates Inc.

TA LoefflerSchool of Human Kinetics and RecreationMemorial University of Newfoundland

Honourable Kathy DunderdaleDeputy Premier and Minister of Natural ResourcesGovernment of Newfoundland & Labrador

Closing Remarks/Conference Concludes

ConferenceAgenda

Contact Margie at 726-2961, ext.2 or [email protected]

Business ShowThursday, January 21, 2010Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference CentreCrush Lobby and Main Ballroom10:00am – 5:00pm

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Page 10: Business News - January 2010

Feature

Business NewsJanuary 20108

SmarT markETINgworking with micro-sized marketing budgets

Forthefirst20yearsofmycareerIhelped organizations communicate better. Product launches, annual

reports, media kits…it was my job as a consultant to connect clients with the people they served. Now that I’m running my own small business, I frequently wish I had one of me. Most small businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador operate with fewer than ten employeesandthatdefinesusasmicro-businesses. Working with small budgets, we clutch our purse strings and prioritize spending decisions: Meet payroll or hire a marketing agency? Often, the choice is obvious. I read an article the other day that said, “Think of marketing and advertising not as an expense, but as an investment.” Clearly, the writer was not balancing a budget at the time of writing. Planning a budget-conscious marketing strategy for a micro-enterprise can be extremelydifficult,especiallyifyoudon’thave much marketing expertise. If you fall into this category, you should look at how

some small business owners stretch a $10 marketing “investment” into a $1000 sale. I’mbothpleasedandhorrifiedtosaythat despite 20+ years experience as a marketing and communications consultant, I’ve only just learned this lesson myself. Last month I attended the Board of Trade breakfast for new members and enjoyed meaningful conversations with about six people. We traded business cards and when I got back to work, I did what I’ve often advised others to do and dropped them a note to say, “Nice to meet you, want to come visit my business?” All six said yes. In the week that followed, I welcomed each of them to Myx. As a result, one booked a business meeting, another booked a Christmas event and yet another sat with me to plan how we might collaborate in the coming year. If you set aside the Board of Trade membership fee, the whole marketing experience cost me well under $10 (breakfast was free) and the return on investment will be well over $1000. Astounding. If you’re like me, running a micro business and managing the marketing effort on top of everything else, here’s a tiny bit of advice: Fatten your marketing

strategy with the free opportunities sitting right in front of you. Just be strategic about it. Include in your plan some money for ads and some more money for well designed and printed marketing materials. Then turn your attention to the activities that cost little but promise high impact:

Join / get active with industry •associations.

Attendeventswhereyou’llfind•potential customers.

Polish your elevator pitch. Find a way •to humbly yet convincingly tell people how good you are.

Pay close attention to your writing. •How you craft your emails and proposals, even signage, can make or break someone’s impression of you.

Use free (or cheap) technology. Email •customers through Constant Contact, join networking sites, blog your ideas, and use Twitter and Facebook if your clients will like it.

These things are all inexpensive or free and when combined with well-positioned paid messages, they can help create a balanced and cost effective marketing strategy for your small enterprise. So when it comes to the theory that marketing costs are an investment, not an expense, for my micro-business I might be willing to agree… especially if I “invest” heavily in things that are free. That’s my strategy for 2010. Wish me luck.

Gina Pecore is president of Myx, a meeting and business retreat centre located in beautiful Topsail.

Gina Pecore

Page 11: Business News - January 2010

FeatureSocIaL mEdIa STraTEgy

Business News January 2010 9

TgIF

Just recently I had the pleasure of reading a great article by Al Ries called TGIF. If you’re not familiar

with Al Ries, make it a point to read some of his material this year. That effort alone will set you on the right track. Al Ries has been a mentor of mine for many years. He mightn’t know this, but neither do the hundreds of other mentors I have out there. The greater majority of us so commonly know TGIF as “Thank God it’s Friday”. However, in this age of social media, TGIF has become the “Twitter, Google, Internet and Facebook” for what’s perceived as being in the know with regards to social media.Here’swhatIreallyfindintriguing;Idon’t think the big companies even have it figuredout.Thisbeastcalledsocialmediahas mass appeal and a desire to belong, but does that translate into a sale? Nothing is guaranteed anymore, and for companies dumping millions into their social media campaigns, I’d make sure you have your guiding strategy in place. This was where Al Ries was going with his article and the same approach I have been taking for years; that strategy always comes before design or tactics. Just because you have some really sexy social media outlets at your disposal, these devices are only tactics to help you deliver your message or your position within the marketplace. Don’t forget the Holy Grail still comes back to branding and how you’re positioned in a persons’ mind. Just because you have a Facebook group or your doing Tweets, doesn’t mean you’re operating from a solid strategy. As we lead into another New Year, which will be a great one by the way, I have a few simple questions I want to share with you before you embark on any social media campaigns. Treat these as guidelines if you will.

What’s your current positioning •statement?Do you have a LogoMark and is it •working for you?

What’s your genuine compelling •promise?

Now, here’s your challenge. If you don’t have the answers to these three questions, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s only the top ten percent of businesses in the world putting these strategy blocks into play. As a business owner, this can be intimidating and strategy development is not easy. That’s exactly why so many business owners go right to the tactics. But Andrew, “I have a Facebook group started for my business.” This doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t answered the three questions above. Now let me bring this full circle. Five years ago, three business partners and I set out to create a way to make it easy for business owners to have guaranteed access to expertise required to develop sound strategy. More importantly, after working with hundreds of business owners, this On-Demand solution had to be affordable and accessible 24/7. Myself, as a business consultant, I’m not available 24/7 or cheap. This solution would have to be so simple to follow that it’s intuitive and almost predicting your next step. Imagine

having access to the strategies that large companies spend millions to deploy. Imagine this year, keeping your wallet full. Having extra time to do the stuff that normal people do and rekindling the passion that got you into business in the firstplace. Today’s reality is that with On-Demand applications, you can source expertise on anything, and I mean anything. Most of these applications will get you started in the right direction. Some of you might want to DIY (Do It Yourself) and some may want to call in some traditional help, but the application should set you in the correctdirection.That’swhyfiveyearsago, we started creating the Thrive On-Demand application to help business owners with strategy, before they deploy any tactics and this applies to your thoughts about any TGIF campaigns you might do.

Andrew is co-founder and VP of sales & marketing for Thrive On-Demand, the world’s first on-demand marketing expert application. Find out more about Thrive and Andrew at www.ThriveOnDemand.com.

Andrew Goldsworthy

Page 12: Business News - January 2010

Feature

Business NewsJanuary 201010

workpLacE HEaLTHdeclining workplace fatality trend reversed in 2009

For four straight years fatal workplace accidents in this province declined steadily. Workplace fatalities

declined from 13 in 2004, to ten in 2005, then to eight, seven and to just six in 2008, matching the long term trend of an overall declininglost-timeinjuryrate.Thefirsttwo months of 2009 saw no accidental workplace deaths at all. But on March 12, 2009 Newfoundland and Labrador suffered the terrible tragedy of Cougar Helicopters Flight 491, with the loss of 17 lives. This tragedy alone would make 2009 the worst year of the decade for accidental workplace fatalities. Alarmingly, the province suffered a series of tragedies in 2009. Between May and October, ten more workers lost their lives on the job. All of these accidents are devastating for families, for co-workers and for employers. As employers and employees,wemustfindawaytolearnfrom these tragedies and do whatever we can to eliminate these types of events in the future. Of the ten fatalities in May to October, sixwereintheoffshorefisherysector,twoin construction and two in separate aircraft crashes. Employers and employees in all sectors must make extra efforts to carefully review all safety practices and procedures and ensure safety programs and policies are in place, understood and in action. Just as the Wells inquiry into the Cougar disaster is reviewing all safety practices and procedures in that industry, key players in other industries must cooperate and carefully review all other fatal accidents this year to understand exactly what happened, to learn important lessons from these tragedies and to apply lessons learned to future work. Fisheries, forestry, mining, aviation, construction, transportation – these can all be high-risk industries. Now is the time to get the conversation going among key stakeholders in each industry, to share best practices and implement proven

safety measures. Some industry sectors, such as the construction industry, have taken a vital leadership role through the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association. I am proud to say that the WHSCC has helped facilitate some of this important work, but more important is the work yet to be done and the lives yet to be saved.

One workplace fatality is too many

We must all take action now and work together to ensure that the next high risk hazard is avoided. Industry-wide safety groups and safety sector councils are proven to reduce the risk of accidents and to save lives. There is no excuse for delay; the time for action is now. In addition to working together in

Leslie Galway

“Employers and employees in all sectors must make extra efforts to carefully review all safety practices and procedures and ensure safety programs and policies are in place, understood and in action.”

industry groups, we can all review and improve our own safety management systems. Remember SAFE: Spot the Hazard, Assess the risk and Find a safer way, Every day.

1. Spot the hazard – look for and recognize all hazardous situations. Make it part of your daily routine to scan for potentially hazardous situations. Encourage others to do the same.

2. the risk – evaluate all hazardous or potentially hazardous procedures and ask ‘Is there a safer way?’

3. Find a safe way Every day – control all hazardous situations with safety measures that eliminate the risk of injury or illness.

We all forget things. Make sure you plan for this.

As you perform these three steps, understand that relying on memory for important tasks is not the best way to stay safe. Make sure your safety policy statement is reviewed regularly. Mark it on your calendar today! Create a reminder that ensures you look for hazardous situations on a regular basis and have a comprehensive checklist for all critical tasks. One workplace fatality is too many. By employing best practices and sharing lessons learned, we may be saving the life of someone very close to us.

Leslie Galway was appointed Chief Executive Officer for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission in January, 2008. In her role as CEO, Ms. Galway reports to the board of directors and is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the organization.

Page 13: Business News - January 2010

FeaturemarkETINg INSIgHT: BIg IdEaS

Business News January 2010 11

Hey, what ever happened to the big idea?

There’s no question the marketing and competitive landscape brands live in is changing. Today’s markets

are about conversations. According to the Cluetrain Manifesto, “A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies.” Jeff Jarvis author of ‘What Would Google Do?’ agrees, “Customers are now in charge, the mass market is dead, and is being replaced by the mass of niches.” So of course to market in this new reality you need a social media campaign. How about a funny You Tube video? Maybe a guerilla stunt, that’s sure to get people talking about your brand? Understanding and following trends is important, with change being the only constant. Adding new tools to your marketing arsenal builds success. But doing it strategically ensures success – as part of an integrated strategic plan. For Tony Matta, VP Marketing Frito-Lay, when the year began there were two main goals for the marketing department. Thefirstwastorespondtotrendsinthemarketplace. This meant just-in-time marketing – using social media and creating a dialogue with consumers. The second was to focus on big ideas. “Forget about technology for a second; the world of big ideas is the same world it’s always been,” Matta explains. “If you can create something that’s a big enough story, people are going to want to have a conversation about it regardless of how you put it into market.” Good ideas drive good business, bad ideas don’t. A big idea used to be a moving or funny television spot. Today, a big idea from an agency might not be an ad at all – it’s whatever solves the problem, maybe a coat oraplay,maybeaflashmoborpublicity

stunt.Oldrulesareflyingoutthewindowand creativity is booming. “The best people in our business – the ones who will have the most relevance to clients well into the future – are not ad-makers: they’re problem-solvers,” says Nancy Vonk, co-CCO, Ogilvy & Mather, Toronto.

Great problem-solving ideas are single focused and speak in a tone or voice that befitsthebrand.Theypushtheenvelope,challenge our senses, and force us to engage. Great ideas make us talk, impel us to share, and make us anticipate when and where we’ll see more. Great ideas accomplish goals. Donald Gunn (The Gunn Report) has been examining the relationship between creativity and effectiveness and has proved to his satisfaction that award-winning

Christa Steeves

“great problem-solving ideas are single focused and speak in a tone or voice that befits the brand. They push the envelope, challenge our senses, and force us to engage.”

advertising increases market share. A study of 400 of the most-awarded campaigns in the world between 1992 and 1995 found that 86.5 percent of the ads were associated with market success. In other words, ads with award-winning qualities were two and a half times more likely to achieve, or surpass, clients’ objectives. Leo Burnett reprised Mr. Gunn’s study in 2002 and unveiled similar results: Four out of fiveaward-winningcampaignsachievedpositive market results for clients. Great ideas are grounded in strategy. What makes them great is insight. They are based on developing good strategic thinking around an insight and idea and then translating that into good execution no matter the tools chosen to reach the audience. Big ideas transcend media. Everything changes. Everything stays the same. So while new tools will continue to emerge everyday, and you will want to follow the trends, there are some things that will stay the same – like the basics. What’s the right message communicated in the right way through the right channels in order to effectively reach the right consumers? What’s the big idea? Keep it big and you will do big things for your brand.

Christa Steeves is a Partner with SPARK.She can be reached at [email protected]

“Learn the rules. Break them. Break them all. Find something new.”

SPARK is a marketing agency based in St. John’s and Halifax specializing in online, offline, and integrated marketing communication with a focus on big idea thinking.

Page 14: Business News - January 2010

Feature

Business NewsJanuary 201012

crISIS commUNIcaTIoNSLessons learned from the Tiger woods saga

As Tiger Woods learned the hard way, a failure to communicate effectively in a crisis is bad for

business. Indeed, a crisis could undermine your corporation’s brand and performance, as well, if you are not prepared when disaster strikes. What should Tiger have done after crashing his SUV outside his home on November 27? He should have immediatelyconfessedhisinfidelities;apologized to his wife, family and the public; and taken some time off golf to make it right. A guest appearance on Oprah or a similar show, to show contrition and ask forgiveness, would also have helped. Instead, Tiger let the story gallop out of control in the media for two weeks as a seemingly endless parade of women came forward to confess that they too had been his mistress.

Inmid-December,Tigerfinallyconfessedon his website that he had cheated on his wife, Elin Nordegren, but the damage was already done. By then, one corporate sponsor had cut the world’s most famous athlete from this roster of celebrity endorsers; and others had taken a step back to see how the story would unfold. Fortunately, there is a better way, as Michael McCain’s storied response to the August, 2008 listeriosis crisis shows. McCain, the president of Maple Leaf Foods, led a team that responded immediately after news broke that Canadians became sick after eating tainted meat produced by McCain’s company. This

was a tragic event, resulting in the deaths of 20 Canadians. In an intensive media campaign and a storied YouTube video, McCain took responsibility for listeriosis contamination, expressed his sympathy for the families affected, and detailed the steps that the company had taken to try to ensure that the problem would not recur. In the wake of this crisis, public attitudes toward Maple Leaf Foods were tracked by Terence Flynn, a professor at McMaster University’s School of Business. Using benchmark data produced by Leger Marketing, Flynn was able to show that the reputation of Maple Leaf Foods recovered to pre-crisis levels within months. By January, 2009, “good opinion ratings” among purchasers of Maple Leaf products were at 88 percent, which “eclipsed the pre-crisis ratings.” Obviously, McCain both “got it” and “got it right.” The lessons in both the Woods story, and the Maple Leaf Foods story, are clearlyapplicabletomanyfirmsinsideNewfoundland and Labrador. This may seem particularly relevant to the oil and gas sector, and to other heavy

Cathy Dornan

“It is about more than the right media relations. It is about focus, honesty, timeliness and most importantly the future success of the organization.”

resource industries, especially given the recent tragedy of Cougar Flight 491 in March of last year. But recent history has also shown that crisis can affect a wide range of organizations, including municipalities (the Walkerton tainted water story); public health (the ER/PR crisis and others); and utilities (the 1998 ice storm in Quebec). Is your organization ready to communicate in a crisis? To show that it cares, that it is able to take responsibility, that it has a plan to take the appropriate actions to make the situation better? To answer these questions in the affirmative,youmusthavetakensomekeysteps. First, you must have a comprehensive crisis communications plan that assigns roles,identifieskeystakeholders,andisready to be implemented at a moment’s notice. In addition, you must have a team in place that can carry out the communications plan. In the heat of the moment, organizations must coolly make multiple contacts with family members, employees, regulators, government agencies and departments, politicians, community leaders, and others. This is important work. Indeed, history shows that an appropriate crisis communications response can be crucial to the viability of organizations and to brand strength. It is about more than the right media relations. It is about focus, honesty, timeliness and most importantly the future success of the organization.

Cathy Dornan is the executive vice president of Bristol and a corporate and crisis communications consultant. She can be reached at [email protected]

Page 15: Business News - January 2010

Keeping CurrentaroUNd THE Board

Business News January 2010 13

In November, Board of Trade

Directors and policy committee

members, met for Think Tank to set

policy priorities for 2010. Some of

the outcomes include provincial

competitiveness, provincial debt

reduction strategy, City vision and

municipal spending.

Leader of the Opposition, Michael Ignatieff, addressed the St. John’s Board

of Trade on Friday, November 27 speaking to many issues affecting this

province, including Marine Atlantic and Search and Rescue. Ignatieff was

accompanied by Federal MPs, Judy Foote and Sibohan Coady, as well as

Senator George Furey.

Management Systems Design and Consulting Services

Systems Integration Training Programs and

Auditing Services On-site Placements

Work smarter. Not Harder

Page 16: Business News - January 2010
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Page 18: Business News - January 2010

Keeping Current

Business NewsJanuary 201016

aroUNd THE BoardCongratulations winners of the Business Excellence Awards!

Hosted by the St. John’s Board of Trade - Recognizing business leaders for their accomplishments and contributions

A special guest at the 2009 Business Excellence Awards brings holiday greetings to attendees

Janet Peddigrew of BMO Financial Group accepted the award for Contribution to Community & Community Service (50+ employees)

Host of the 2009 Business Excellence Awards, Krysta Rudofsky

2009 Business Excellence Award recipients with Chair, Bruce Templeton (far left)

KevinDuggan,CEOofCamouflageSoftware accepts the Business Excellence Award for Innovation

Page 19: Business News - January 2010

Keeping CurrentaroUNd THE Board

Business News January 2010 17

Glenn Bolger of The Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union accepted the award for Customer Service and Reliability

Jeff LeDrew, owner of Jumping Bean Coffee Company, accepted the award for New Start Up

Kevin Casey and Ed Roche of The Idea Factory won the award for Contribution to Community & Community Service (less than 50 employees) and also took home the prestigious Business Excellence Award

Corinne Dunne of College of the North Atlantic accepted the award for Growth in Domestic/Export Markets

John Steele of STEELE Communications was recognized as Business Person Volunteer of the Year

Rutter Inc. was recipient of the award for Productivity & Quality Improvements, accepted by Fraser Edison

Thank you to all those who attended

Page 20: Business News - January 2010

Keeping Current

Business NewsJanuary 201018

aroUNd THE Board

Industrial design or patents - What’s the difference?

An industrial design is the features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornament (or any combination of these features) applied to a finished article made by hand, tool or machine. It may be, for example, the shape of a table or the shape and ornamentation of a spoon. The design must have features that appeal to the eye. To be eligible for registration with the Industrial Design Office, your design must be original. If you take a close look at your toilet paper, notice the repeated pattern? This type of pattern is protected by the Industrial design act.patents are for new inventions or processes that offer innovative and useful functions. canadian law regards the functional aspects and design aspects of articles quite separately. Therefore, you cannot list a function as an element of your industrial design. you may, however, be able to obtain a patent for your article’s functional aspects and an industrial design for its aesthetic ones. Suppose you develop a new kind of folding chair. The way the chair folds, its lightweight construction, its strength and its durability are all functional qualities. The industrial design features could include the shape or configuration of the chair, and any patterns or ornamentation on it or any combination thereof. If you’ve invented a new type of door lock, you could apply for an industrial design for the aesthetic look and shape of the handle whereas a patent could be sought for what makes your door lock work; the spring, levers and tumblers.

For more information about protecting your ideas, designs and products, call 1-800-668-1010 for the Canada/Newfoundland and Labrador Business Service Network or visit www.canadabusiness.ca/nl.

SMALL BUSINESS TIPS

Would like to congratulate our

Platinum Partner

for winning the 2009 Innovation in Business Award

at the 17th Annual St. John’s Board of Trade Business Excellence Awards

Congratulations to all the 2009 Business Excellence Award

Winners

To find out more about us, visit platoconsulting.com or call 709.576.6770

Page 21: Business News - January 2010

Keeping CurrentpoLIcy maTTErS

Business News January 2010 19

Identifying advocacy ‘wins’Sometimesitisdifficulttoquantifythesuccess of advocacy efforts. Advocacy wins are often incremental and subtle. But the efforts pay off over time, and the evidence is showing. Some examples of advocacy work paying off recently include:

The City of St. John’s commitment to •look at proportional tax rates between residents and businesses as a long term policyGetting calls from Senators on credit •and debit card regulatory changes and the Ontario Ministry of Revenue to discuss HST experiencesBeing approached by the WHSCC, the •Hebron proponent, and stakeholders like the City and the Downtown Development Commission to talk about their issues and challenges in ourroleasakeyinfluencerinthebusiness community

Having a federal party leader and •local MP take up the issue of Marine Atlantic while mirroring messages that the Board has communicatedHaving the City enhance its pre-•budget consultation process at our urging, and talking to provincial government departments about shared priorities and how to accomplish them.

Board weighs in on mil rate/City budgetWhen the City brought its budget and associated mil rate forward on December 14, the Board was ready to respond with its members expectations, supported by intense advocacy work in the months preceding the budget. The position of the Board of Trade is that it has mixed reaction to the City of St. John’s budget and mil rate. The Board had advocated for a proportional, or equal percentage, mil rate reduction for residents and businesses (the City implemented a decrease of 0.9

mils for both categories). The Board also expressed some concern over the growth of the budget over the past decade. “While we welcome a mil rate decrease for both residents and businesses, we are disappointed that the reduction was weighted unequally,” said Bruce Templeton. “That said, we very much welcome the City’s efforts in 2010 to examine the Board’s idea of proportional taxation as a long term policy. The reason the Board pushed hard for a proportional mil rate reduction is because a balance in the tax burden between residents and businesses keeps our city competitive for businesses.” “There is a reality that a competitive business sector contributes to all other facets of city life, including a vibrant arts community, active volunteers, and other contributions,” said 2010 Board Chair

continued on page 20...

Page 22: Business News - January 2010

Keeping Current

Business NewsJanuary 201020

poLIcy maTTErS

Derek Sullivan. “People won’t always view business in that light, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Keeping a balance in what we all have to pay really does support the community as a whole.” Balance is something the Board will continue to advocate for in 2010 as the City re-visits its municipal plan. The Board welcomed the City’s forward thinking to undertake this initiative and strongly supportsthisprocess.Humanandfinancialresources have been allocated within the Board’s 2010 budget and workplan for being a part of this initiative.

Results of Think Tank 2009On November 26, directors and committee members of the Board of Trade gathered to discuss the policy and advocacy priorities for 2010. This discussion is held each year,

and the process improves over time; this year, members were encouraged to provide advice to the people around the table via an electronic survey. Over 50 issues were collected in four areas (municipal, provincial, federal and transportation) from the survey and discussed and debated. After much discussion at the professionally facilitated Think Tank session, the Board’s policy priorities for 2010 will include:

Provincial competitiveness•Provincial debt reduction strategy•City vision and planning•Municipal budgeting and spending•Municipal measurement•National energy strategy/Lower •ChurchillMarine Atlantic•Atlantic Gateway•Airport availability and access•Provincial budget•

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bristolunexpected.comFortis Building, PO Box 2220, 139 Water Street, St. John’s NL A1C 6E6 T. 709.753.7242 F. 709.753.5820

Rachel Cameron, Senior Research CounselRachel’s research career spans 11 years. During that timeshe has worked for organizations such as Pollara Inc.,ACNielsen Canada, Queen’s University and The Hospitalfor Sick Children. Rachel’s strength lies in her keen abilityto analyze information and to provide strategic directionto clients. With this mindset, she has assisted both privateand public sector clients on a wide range of issues.Rachel is looking forward to contributing to the Bristolteam and to the challenges of her new role.

Nancy O’Connor, Senior Public Relations Counsel

Joining Bristol from Bombardier Aerospace, Nancy is asought-after public relations practitioner with 10 years ofexperience providing strategic communications advice toboth the public and private sectors across Ontario, Quebec,and Newfoundland and Labrador. Specializing in mediarelations, crisis communications, and corporate brandmanagement,Nancywill act as a senior client leader, offeringcomprehensive PR counsel and communications planningtailored to the needs of Bristol’s growing client base.

Welcome HomeLots of companies say congratulations to new hires, but when they’resuch a perfect match it’s more appropriate to say welcome home.

Bringing a wealth of expertise, Bristol is proud to welcome Rachel andNancy. Strengthening our team of strategic advisors, their additionfurther secures us in a prominent place to meet the growing needs ofour clients and the evolving marketplace.

continued from page 19... Regional cooperation•Development and regulation•

Defining ‘provincial competitiveness’Competitiveness encompasses a number of topics that create a business environment wherelocalorganizationscanflourishand outside businesses can look for sustainableandprofitableopportunities.The Board will work toward provincial competitiveness by advocating on issues that either contribute to a competitive environment or detract from it. Such issues include payroll tax that is used by other jurisdictions to deter business from locating in Newfoundland and Labrador, WHSCC premiums that need to be continually driven lower, and issues such as labour market development, retaining key skills and bringing in the right set of immigrant skills.

Page 23: Business News - January 2010

Keeping CurrentUpcomINg EvENTS

Business News January 2010 21

Mixer at GEO Centre

Mixer at The Martini BarMixer at The Murray Premises

Mixer at Kenny’s PondPlease see the following available dates below (note we are flexible if there is a better available time): . Thursday, January 28th . Thursday, February 18th . Thursday, March 4th . Thursday, April 22d . Thursday, May 27th . Thursday, June 10th . Thursday, July 22nd . Thursday, October 21st . Thursday, November 4th Contact Lori Coleman at [email protected] or phone 726-2961 ext. 6 to discuss this sponsorship opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you!

2010 Event Schedule Make sure you check back for our upcoming 2010 Event Schedule in February’s issue of Business News!

We value your input and would love for you to submit your suggestions on possible speakers for our events in the New Year. Perhaps the CEO of your company is coming to town or your organization is putting off a big conference and bringing in a keynote speaker. Let us know your ideas!

Contact Lori Coleman, Manager of Business Affairs, at [email protected].

Page 24: Business News - January 2010

Membership

Business NewsJanuary 201022

mEmBEr NEwS CGA-Canada’s research and advocacy initiatives strive to educate the public and inform policy makers about important current and emerging issues and to promote greaterfinancialliteracyamongCanadians.The association also works to strengthen consumer awareness of key issues and ultimatelyincreaseconsumerconfidenceinthe marketplace.

Bull’s eye! World cup coming to St. John’sDestination St. John’s recently hosted officialsfromtheNationalDartsFederation of Canada to show off the City’s great venues and facilities. As a result, the Federation decided to submit a bid to host the 2013 World Cup in St. John’s. Two other countries were in the running: Sweden and Turkey.

St. John’s won the bid that will bring upwards of 400 people from 30 plus countries to the city at an event that run overfourorfivedays. “With a steady hand and careful aim we threw our three darts and hit a ton 80; now the dart world sees us as their bullseye!” said Keith Healey, CEO of Destination St. John’s. Chair of Destination St. John’s, Mark McCarthy said, “This is just another example of when we can present ourselves to the world; they are truly amazed by what we have to offer and can’t wait to get here.”

106 Airport Road, St. John’s, NL 709.753.3500

We Take Care of the Million Little Things.

100% satisfaction. We Guarantee It!The Comfort Inn Airport boasts over 5000 sq ft. of modern conference and banquet space for business meetings, conferences, seminars and special events. Let one of our experienced meeting planners help you create a successful and worry free event.

CGA receives national recognitionTheCertifiedGeneralAccountantsAssociation of Canada (CGA-Canada) has received the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) Associations ‘Make a Better Canada’ award in the category of public information and education. The award, presented to CGA-Canada at the recent 2009 CSAE Leadership Awards in Toronto, recognizes thesignificantcontributionsmadebytheassociation to the Canadian public. “Our research and advocacy activities have been a tremendous source of pride for the national association, and for CGAs across the country” said Anthony Ariganello, President and CEO of CGA-Canada.

Page 25: Business News - January 2010

MembershipmEmBEr NEwS

Business News January 2010 23

Ches’s raises funds for Camp Delight On November 7th, 2009, Ches’s Fish and Chips hosted its 3rd Annual “Night of Delight” in aid of Camp Delight. To start the evening Ches’s provided a buffet style dinner, followed by a silent and live auction. All proceeds from the evening were donated to Camp Delight - Candlelighters Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. In total the evening raised $24,158. Camp Delight is a week long camp for children aged 7 - 17 years who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as their brothers and sisters. The camp gives the children a chance to be kids in an atmosphere where the only medicine that matters is fun. Thank you to all who volunteered and organizations that made donations to the auction. Without community support events such as a “Night of Delight” would not be successful. We look forward to next year.

Building strong communities.

BMO Financial Group® is honoured to have been selected as a top contributor

to the community and community service. We thank our customers for

their ongoing support and for helping us give back to various local charities.

Thank you from your friends at BMO Financial Group Newfoundland and Labrador.

® Registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal.Proud to be a part of our community

Page 26: Business News - January 2010

Membership

Business NewsJanuary 201024

mEmBEr proFILES

Foundedin1997,PlatoConsultingInc.isaprofessionalITconsultingfirmbasedinSt.John’s.Asaprovenindustryleader,withISO9001:2008certification,Platoprovidesfull-spectrumITsolutionsintheareasof,enterpriseresourceplanning,healthcareITconsulting, IM/IT strategy consulting, internetworking, security consulting, as well as data privacy and protection. In partnering with both private and public sector clients to manage their IT needs, Plato employees combine extensive market experiencewithsuccessfuleducationalandindustryexpertise.Thecompany’sdiversefieldsofspecializationinclude:Projectmanagement, business and technical analysis, infrastructure and systems design, implementation and integration. Platohasestablisheditselfasaconsistent,leadingITconsultingfirm,whichprovidesclientswithsuperior,forward-thinkingITsolutions.

Please visit www.platoconsulting.com for more information.

Faculty of Business Administration

Business AnalysisThe Masters Certificate in

www.mun.ca/gardinercentre

2010 PROGRAM18 days over 4 months: March 9 - June 26, 2010

Are you on a career path to becoming a Business Analyst?

The Business Analyst plays a key role in ensuring customer requirements are clearly identified and translated for the project manager, resulting in a greater likelihood of project success.

Become a member of the Gardiner Centre’s first graduating class of the Masters Certificate in Business Analysis and gain the competency, confidence and credibility to be a successful and sought after Business Analyst. Visit www.mun.ca/gardinercentre or call Jackie at 737-2131 to learn more.

Page 27: Business News - January 2010

mEmBEr proFILESMembership

Business News January 2010 25

The Maher Group of Companies is an entrepreneurial organization located in St. John’s with interests concentrated in three principle areas; business development, industrial supply and service and property management. Our dedicated team of business professionals provides strength and innovative solutions to our clients. Thecombinationofthisuniquelyqualifiedgroupofcompaniesoffersacapacityandmethodology,toprovidebothshort-termandlong-termbenefits.Ourcorestrategyistoestablishandfosteruniquepartnershipsthatbringtogetherlargemulti-nationalcorporations, national companies and local enterprises. We are dedicated to identifying our client’s needs then harnessing the proper and experienced resources to meet the local demands of major projects.

For further information please feel free to contact us 709-753-7330 or email [email protected]

Steers Insurance Limited is an independent insurance broker, 100 percent locally owned and operated, that has been in operation for over 80 years. From St. John’s to St. Anthony to Labrador City, we have 15 locations providing the knowledge and service to our customers demand from our local accredited insurance professionals. At Steers, we represent a wide range of insurance markets which allow us to provide you with competitive pricing, superior service, andaddedvaluebenefitsforbothyourcommercialandpersonalinsuranceneedsincludingourpersonalgrouphomeandautoprogram. Our knowledgeable professionals have expertise in all aspects of commercial insurance including CGL, contractors, bonding,directorsandofficers,marine,professionalliability,fleet,etc.

For more information call us at 1-877-4STEERS or visit our website at www.steersinsurance.com.

Page 28: Business News - January 2010

Membership

Business NewsJanuary 201026

mEmBEr proFILES

Podium Digital is a provider of digital marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing and Web analytic solutions. Established in early 2008, Podium Digital develops and delivers digital strategies for local, national and international clients from its downtown St. John’s headquarters. Through partnerships with Google, Yahoo, and Facebook, Podium Digital has the tools to create and maintain a powerful digital marketing presence for virtually any business, in any industry. At Podium Digital, the client relationship is king. Be it a huge multinational or local small business, Podium Digital deploys the full digital marketing arsenal to get real results, every time.

For more information contact us at 738-5202 or visit www.podiumdigital.com

Building Owners and Managers Association of Newfoundland & Labrador (BOMA NL) has members from various areas of the real estate industry including property owners and managers, suppliers and industry professionals. BOMA NL is one of the 11 federated locals that together form BOMA Canada.BOMA NL brings value to its members, by providing a strong voice for the industry which is based on strength in numbers, creating a critical mass and focus of resources to push for change on advocacy issues. Through our national committees and strong communications across the country, BOMA facilitates the sharing of information and pooling of expertise, ideas and resources for thebenefitofthelocalassociations,individual members and the industry at large.

For more information on BOMA Newfoundland and Labrador please call 722-8765 or check out our website at www.bomanl.com.

Page 29: Business News - January 2010

MembershipmEmBEr proFILES

Business News January 2010 27

579-5301 colour-nl.ca

Marketing and Communications Counsel

Advertising and Design Consultants

work that gets closerto your customer

adding colour to your communication.

Gerard Ryan, a Realtor with EXIT Realty, has worked hard to earn the designation of Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®), to better serve home buyers.The ABR® designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded by the Real Estate Buyer’sAgentCouncil(REBAC),anaffiliateoftheNationalAssociationofRealtors®,torealestatepractitionerswhomeetthespecifiededucational and practical experience criteria.When you work with Gerard Ryan you’ll be served, not sold. “Your interests become my interests.” You’ll be working with someone who has gone the extra mile by completing specialized training in delivering the best in buyer-representation services. Plus, as a realtor who has an ABR® designation, you know he has an established track record, with proven experience in representing the concerns of homebuyers.

Call Gerard at 709-682-8481 or email [email protected].

Gerard J Ryan Realtor

Page 30: Business News - January 2010

Membership

Business NewsJanuary 201028

NEw mEmBErS

$52,010$52,010

caa atlantic - NL55 Kelsey DriveSt. John’s, NLA1B 5C8Tel:693-4722Marlene Smith , Branch [email protected] access...

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We work to represent you –

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Page 31: Business News - January 2010

C

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Steers BOT ad Feb 10.ai 2/10/2009 4:32:05 PM

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College of the North Atlantic (CNA) would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s St. John’s Board of Trade Business Achievement Awards, with special congratulations to the Business Excellence winner The Idea Factory. CNA won the award for Growth in Domestic/Export Markets primarily for the impressive growth of its projects in Qatar and China.