march 08, 2016

EMBRACING THE STRENGTH OFthe women in our valley.

MARCH 8TH 8 8 8 8 8 8WOMEN’S DAY

CELEBRATINGINTERNATIONAL

2016

NIC o� ers Women’s Studies courses this SeptemberGlobal Perspectives on Women (WST-100) is an introductory course which explores, through feminist thought, where women are situated with regard to the political, economic and socio-cultural constraints that impact their lives. Core concepts include the acquisition of gender identity, power and oppressive relationships, as well as an introduction to a variety of “feminisms” through feminist theory.

www.nic.bc.ca | 250-334-5000 ww

w.n

ic.b

c.ca

2 COMOX VALLEY RECORD • TUESDAY MARCH 8, 2016 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY www.comoxvalleyrecord.com

The Record’s inaugural International Women’s Day event was hosted on March 7th at 40 Knots Vineyard & Estate Winery for 70 local women interested in connecting and collaborating in the Comox Valley. Partners from this year’s event were 40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery, Natural Pastures Cheese Company, Wayward Distillation House, Royston Roasting Co, Hornby Island Tea, Royston Soapworks, PurelyFlowers, Ivan’s Truffles, Success Weight Loss and Annie Handley of Easy Street.

“The Record’s vision for International Women’s Day 2017, is to grow the annual event and raise funds for a women’s cause, while cultivating a diverse group of women from the Comox Valley. It will offer a platform for women to come together to share stories and secrets of their success, with a goal of creating collaboration and community, and to capture the momentum, of an enterprise community of women who value making connections and partnerships.” notes Chrissie Bowker, publisher of the Record.

Mark the date in your calendar next year, for an inspiring event and connect with Publisher, Chrissie Bowker for more information on how to become a partner or sponsor for 2017. [email protected]

Celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 allows us to appreciate the progress that has been made in women’s issues, while we also look to wards the future.

The origins of Inter na tional Women’s Day can be found in the context of the struggle by workers and suffragettes in North America and Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. What were the main issues then? Wo men worked hard in claiming their right to the vote (which men had long en joyed), better working conditions and gen der equality.

This special day has grown significantly on the international stage since the intervention of the United Nations in 1975. After that, it took very little time before the cause was taken up by women in both developed and developing countries. Now events are organized around the globe every year to promote the rights of women and facilitate their participation in political and economic life.

So let’s congratulate all those passionate, determined women who, by fighting for their convictions, make an important contribution to society every day of the year.

DID YOU KNOW?International Women’s Day is a public holiday in several countries, such as Laos, Rus sia and Moldova. In several other countries, including China and Madagascar, wo men are entitled to a day off work.

WOMEN’S DAYCELEBRATING

INTERNATIONAL

2016

We honour all passionate, determined women

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8. This is the occasion to highlight the contribution of wo men to economic development, among many other things. Whether they are business owners or employees, women are constantly proving their worth in the wor king world.

The evolution of modern society has changed the relationship between a woman’s role in the home and in the workplace. UN Women reports that the more women there are in the workplace, the more prosperous their countries’ eco nomies. Ac cording to the same organization, there are 552 million wo men in the global workforce, which is about 40 per cent of the world’s workers.

In the West, the majority of women earn some sort of qualifications before entering the workforce. A few months after giving birth, they typically continue their careers, entrusting their child to someone else’s care. The , published by the World Bank in 2012, indicates that young women are now in the majority at universities, representing 51 per cent of the world’s students. The estimate is based on statistics from two thirds of all the countries in the world. That is definitely a noteworthy improvement over the past.

A great deal of progress has been made in recent years. Indeed, the world has al ready been profoundly changed by the re cognition of the fact that gender equality is profitable for all.

What economic influence do women have?

MARCH 8TH IS

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY,

what better way to celebrate

the diverse backgrounds of the women in our valley

than an intimate networking event

in honour of the strong, vibrant local women.

CHRISSIE BOWKERPUBLISHER

LIZ ROYERSALES MANAGER

SUSAN GRANBERGCREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER

ALLISON BROWNOFFICE MANAGER

ERIN HALUSCHAKREPORTER

KAREN GOLDBYADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

DONNA LAFONTAINEADVERTISING CONSULTANT

TRACEY LAWRENCEADVERTISING CONSULTANT

DEB SALMONGRAPHIC DESIGNER

LESLIE EATONGRAPHIC DESIGNER

ANGELA PEARCECIRCULATION ASSISTANT

COBY PRIMROSEGRAPHIC DESIGNER

LENORE LOWEGRAPHIC DESIGNER

The women on staff at

www.comoxvalleyrecord.com INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY COMOX VALLEY RECORD • TUESDAY MARCH 8, 2016 3

The Downtown Courtenay Thrifty Food’s would like to highlight three of their women leaders.

Kim Wright – Floral Department Head

Kim has a 20 year horticultural background and has worked at Thrifty Foods for five years. She loves the freedom she has to order, buy and design for the floral department. She doesn’t like waste and appreciates the challenge of ordering a beau-tiful and accurate variety for her customers. Kim enjoys coming to work every day and appreciates the personal nature of the store and is proud of the family atmosphere they strive to create. Thrifty Foods donates to many community events and fundraisers. Kim led a Relay for Life team last year and likes giving back to the community. She knows many of her customers by name and is a positive, joyful leader at the entrance to the store!

Jen Rumney – Front End Department Head

Jen has worked at Thrifty Foods for 14 years. She leads a team of 30 women and coordinates com-munication between departments. She enjoys the unique local, family atmosphere of the downtown Thrifty Foods location. Jen is inspired by her staff, many of whom have worked together for several

Thrifty FoodsDowntown Courtenay

JEN, KIM AND LINDY

660 England Ave.,

250-338-1383thriftyfoods.com

years. Teamwork is very important to her, and she appreciates the support and hard work of her staff. Jen trains and mentors her staff to work together, respect each other and live by good values. Jen’s favorite event to volunteer her time at is the upcoming Father’s Day Fishing Event.

Lindy Berkowitz – Vitamin Department Head

Lindy has worked for Thrifty Foods for 14 years and at this location the last four. Alternative and holistic medicines have changed her life and she is passionate about helping people make good choices for themselves and know the alternative options. Lindy is proud of the warmth this Thrifty Foods has. She is thrilled with how the Vitamin Department has moved and grown. Lindy takes great care with each customer to ensure they feel heard and have the best available options present-ed to them. She cares deeply for her customers and knows many by name, leaving a piece of her heart with each one.

These women are shining examples of the excel-lent customer service at the Downtown Thrifty Foods.

The Crown Isle Thrifty Food’s would like to highlight three of their women in leadership.

Grace Afolaranmi – Pharmacist

Grace Afolaranmi has worked at Thrifty Foods since 2012. She takes patient care very seriously and is always working to keep her knowledge at the forefront of her field. She enjoys using her skills and expertise to serve and help people. She pays great attention to the details and interac-tions of her clients’ prescriptions. The pharmacy offers travel vaccinations, medication reviews and immunizations.

Jennifer Danforth – Front End Department Head

Jennifer Danforth has worked for Thrifty Food’s for 24 years. She is responsible for the management of the cashiers and customer service; leading a team of 40 staff. She is proud to work for a store that works hard to source local products; within the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island. Jennifer was an essential part of the set up and opening of the Crown Isle Thrifty Food’s. She attributes much of the success of their smooth opening to the sup-port they received from their sister store in Cour-

Thrifty FoodsCrown Isle

LINDA, JENNIFER AND GRACE

Crown Isle Thrifty Food’s 444 Lerwick Rd., Crown Isle

250-331-5101thriftyfoods.com

tenay. Jennifer is proud to be part of a company that gives back so much to the community. Smile Cards are a great way to fundraise. Thrifty Foods will donate an amount equal to 5% of the amount you load on your Smile Card to the fundraising group. There is absolutely no cost to you. Take the Smile Card with you to Thrifty Foods when you go grocery shopping.

Linda Coolidge – Floral Department Head

Linda Coolidge has worked for Thrifty Food’s for almost 24 years. Most of those years she worked in the Deli but recently transferred to the Floral Department when this store opened. She is really enjoying the change of scenery and creativity that is vital to her department. Linda is proud to work for an organization that sources local and supports community events. She is excited to have two new floral designers joining her team this week and is anticipating a busy wedding season for the floral department.

These women are an integral part of the Crown Isle Thrifty Food’s team!


Margaret joined Jim at Hitec Printing in 1988. Her leadership is marked by her deep care and value of her employees. She believes that her number one job is to look after her employees. She encourages them to explore their creativity by trying new designs and tak-ing courses to learn new programs. Margaret believes that employees need to be nurtured, supported, trained and treated fairly, without them the business wouldn’t run. In her time off Margaret’s greatest priority is to invest in the relationships in her life. She deeply values her family and friends.

Hitec Printing specializes in screen-printing, custom embroidery, digital printing, souvenir design, sign design and imprinting for corpo-rate team and promotional product buyers. They are well known in the Comox Valley and involved in most valley wide events. Customer service is their greatest strength; Margaret’s goal is to delight each customer by delivering orders on time, with attention to detail and fulfilling the vision of the customer.

“Your image is our business”

HiTec Printing

MARGARET MCKENZIE

479 4th St. Courtenay, BC

250-334-3656www.hitecprint.com

The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce is a local, grassroots organization founded to inspire entrepreneurialism and support small business. Small business is the backbone of the BC economy and the Comox Valley.

Dianne Hawkins feels that the best thing about her position as CEO at the Chamber is creating programs, working on collective projects and building relationships. She loves connecting people and working togeth-er. She has worked in both public and private sector, has a background in adult education and grew up in a family business. She enjoys the challenges and the rewarding “aha moments!” of business.

One of her key leadership strengths is build-ing engaged teams and program develop-ment. What has worked for her over the years is to lead from her heart, and trust her instincts. Being in leadership has taught her the importance of authenticity, to defy her fears, and to live with integrity and embrace innovation. She accounts her success to the network of support and accountability she has built around herself.

CV Chamber of Commerce

DIANNE HAWKINS

250-334-3234comoxvalleychamber.com

Tracey and John McGinnis opened Blinds Bubbles Boutique in 2004 when they moved to the Comox Valley. Tracey has grown up in family run businesses, so when they moved to the Valley the most natural thing to do was open her own store.

Blinds Bubbles Boutique was the first Hunter Douglas Gallery location in BC and they continue to exclusively sell Hunter Douglas products, committed to the newest design and innovations including remote control operation.

Tracey enjoys participating in the community by volunteering on various boards. She was on the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors for 5 years and then as the president for the 6th. She was also a director on the Women’s in Business Network board and is currently on the Comox Valley Hospice Board. Tracey finds the most signif-icant part of the business is her customers. She loves finding the perfect product that is both beautiful and functional for your home.

Blinds Bubbles Boutique

Tracey McGinnis

221 c church street, comox

250-941-7824blindsandbubbles.com

Bonnie Hawkins and her husband Michael bought Complete Auto Clinic two years ago. Bonnie strives to offer excellent customer service to her local neighbors and custom-ers. Most of their customers are referrals and over half are female. She is proud they supply a competitive automotive service to the Valley, which is delivered with integrity, trust and reliability.

Complete Auto Clinic has a dedicated team of highly skilled technicians who provide their customers with excellent service, and go above and beyond to deliver quality cus-tomer care. Appointments can be tailored to customers’ schedules; they inspect vehicles for safety and maintenance requirements, and practice environmental soundness in the dispensing of used products. The Com-plete Auto team is known for their attention to detail, quality products and everyone raves about their great service.

CompleteAuto Clinic

BONNIE HAWKINS

3-678 Anderton Rd., Comox

250-890-0102


Floss Dental Hygiene

Services Inc.HeatHer MayHew,rDH

#101a – 1771 Comox ave., Comox

250-941-0488flossdentalhygiene.ca

Heather Mayhew proudly opened Floss Den-tal Hygiene Services in 2009. She has been providing preventative dental care to clients of all ages in an innovative and non-tradi-tional environment. “Floss” focuses on oral health and ultimately, overall body health.

Several of the services offered are dental hygiene cleaning, oral cancer screening, polishing, fluoride application, and teeth whitening in a relaxed setting. Floss is located on Comox Avenue and is the only independent dental hygiene clinic North of Nanaimo. Heather extends these same services to mobility-challenged clients in Residential Care Facilities. Heather gener-ously donates her time for “Gift from the Heart”; a day of free dental hygiene services for clients who may have financial barriers to dental hygiene care.

Heather would like to thank all her clients and the positive response from the Com-munity for making Floss Dental Hygiene Services a success in the Valley. New clients are always welcomed with a smile

Since the start of Care-A-Van, a mobile healthcare clinic, on April 27th 2009, over 1,000 individuals who are homeless or at-risk have received healthcare services aboard the Care-a-van. Care-A-Van is part of the Comox Bay Care Society, a non-profit that provides all services at no cost to the clients. They rely solely on donations from the Comox Valley and receive no government funding.

As a registered nurse and mental health and addictions counselor, Helen Boyd was seeing many people fall between the cracks of our social system. She had the idea to reach out to those who seemed to be out of reach. Helen is proud and thankful for the quality of care, dedication and generosity that is given by the 44 volunteers. The most challenging aspect of their work is the lack of available rental housing. Helen and her team are proud members of the CV Coalition to End Homelessness, which is working to create additional housing. Helen has provided tremendous leadership to the coalition.

Care-A-VanComox Bay Care Society

HELEN BOYD

Care-A-VanCOMOX BAY CARE SOCIETY

2800 Cliffe Ave., Courtenay BC. V9N 2L7

250-702-7011www.comoxbaycare.org

For Brenda Hetman-Craig and Layne Robert Craig, 40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery presented the perfect opportunity to follow their passion for farming and wine. Locat-ed on 24 stunning acres, 40 Knots is the largest grape winery in the Comox Valley, and the second largest on Vancouver Island. With striking views of land and sea, the winery has 19 acres of vines and a beauti-ful tasting room. Their wines have received many awards and accolades.

Brenda believes in the importance of being involved in the community, buying local, collaborating rather than competing with local businesses and that your best cus-tomers are always your local customers. She is sure that the perfect pairing to any local wine is local food. She is passionate that the best wine is naturally made in the vineyard by taking great care to grow and nurture naturally by using traditional meth-ods. And that when passion and love are in what you do, the difference shows in the product you create.

40 Knots Winery

BRENDA HETMAN-CRAIG

2400 Anderton Road, Comox

250-941-8810www.40knotswinery.com

Spa Roché is owned and operated by Roché Borowicz, a certified Permanent Makeup and Paramedical Camouflage Technician and highly trained Clinical Esthetician. Roché holds a CIDESCO diploma from the world’s major international beauty therapy association based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Spa Roché offers permanent makeup of eyebrows, eyeliners and lips to enhance or correct features. The advanced skincare ser-vices include facials, non-surgical facelifts, micro needling for wrinkles, as well as scar camouflaging and treatment of minor skin irregularities such as skin tags, broken cap-illaries, milia and clogged pores.

Spa Roché adheres to the highest hygienic and procedural standards in the industry. Many of Roché’s clients are repeat custom-ers and provide her with excellent referrals. She is passionate about women being as beautiful as they can and feeling confident with their appearance.

Spa RochéRoché BoRowicz

222 5 St. courtenay

250-871 5558www.sparoche.com

[email protected]


Lewis & Sears Marketing & Event Management is a premier marketing and event management company specializing in event marketing and event production. With over 25 years in hospitality and tourism, Susan Lewis and Wendy Sears have staged major events and promotions around the world. Today, as Lewis & Sears, they combine their vast expertise and resources for clientele on Vancouver Island. They partner with business and industry, government agencies and non-profit associations alike, and manage all types of events from Meetings and Conventions; Incentive Programs; Event Production; Festival Production; Tradeshows; Destination Management; Sponsor-ship Procurement and Management; Event Mar-keting; and Social Media Management.

Susan and Wendy recently celebrated 8 years in business in the Comox Valley. Every one of their projects is planned and executed for maximum effect. Creativity is key and details are flawless and seamless. They work hard to garantee that services align, on time and on budget, equaling a lasting impact. Whether it is a conference, board retreat, media launch, fundraiser or festival Wendy and Susan will work to ensure seamless results.

Lewis & SearsMarketing & Event Management

SUSAN LEWIS • WENDY SEARS

[email protected]

1-866-594-3243lewissears.com

Clients rely on them to guide them through every step of the event planning process. From procur-ing sponsorship to providing on-site management of logistics, staff and volunteers, to writing thank-you letters, they do it all! They coordinate all aspects of events, from beginning to end.

A couple of up coming events that Susan and Wendy are proud to organize this year are the Filberg Festival at the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park July 29 – August 1. This is the Filberg’s main fundraising event. They also coordinate the TELUS Motorcycle Ride for Dad June 18. Ride for Dad is to raise funds to save men’s lives by support-ing prostate cancer research and raising public awareness of the disease.

With these community wide events Susan and Wendy are honored to work with all stakeholders in the community from city hall to corporate sponsors to local neighbors. They are pleased to have good working relationships with them and thankful for the collaboration among the leaders of the Comox Valley.

Carla Arnold has been working as a real estate specialist in the Comox Valley for six years. In that time, she has enjoyed compassionately and professionally aiding clients through the process of buying or selling a home. She understands this can be an overwhelming transition and strives to make it as smooth as possible.

As a long-time community member, Carla appreciates the importance of giving back. She feels privileged to be able to pro-vide bursaries and scholarships to the Arts. Carla is committed to the community, invested in relationships and prides herself on conducting business with integrity.

RoyalLePageCARLA ARNOLD

250-338-3711 121 - 750 Comox Rd., Courtenay

[email protected] CarlaArnold.com

Carla Arnold

Katherine Kirk opened Yummies & Gyros Greek Café 17 years ago as a way to create a job for herself as a single mom. Anyone who has tried a greek Gyros (yeer-ro) or Donair pita wrap with Beef and Lamb at Yummies & Gyros greek cafe knows it is worth the effort to find them off the beaten track down on Puntledge Rd across from value village.

Cooking the gyros meat on a horizontal spit and made to your custom order Katherine is proud to offer a healthy option for people on the go, phone in’s, stop by the drive thru or delivery gluten free, kids meals and office lunches.

Katherine loves her regular customers and introducing Gyros to new customers and we are proud to donate to and support local community events and fundraisers. Remem-ber A GYROS IN YOUR HAND BECOMES A YUMMY IN YOUR TUMMY.

Yummies& Gyros

greek Cafe

Katherine KirK

279 Puntledge rd, Courtenay, BC

250-338-2299www.gyroscafe.com


Kris Trudeau started Halftone Pixel in the Comox Valley nearly five years ago, built upon a foundation of over a decade of industry experience. Kris’s knowledge and insight have given her the ability to approach website and graphic design with a holistic approach. She shows her clients the value of methodical, intentional design and user experience, and the roles these play. Only after understanding the key aspects of a client’s business and, most importantly, what concerns their customers have, can a long-lasting, professional website and brand be created.

Kris believes in giving back to her commu-nity and she has demonstrated this through her years of board service to many Comox Valley charitable organizations, as well as mentoring students during their work practi-cum. She has also won several awards; in 2015, Halftone Pixel won the Reader’s Choice award for Best Web Designer in the Comox Valley and in 2014, Kris was named one of the Comox Valley’s Top 40 under 40.

Halftone Pixel

Kris Trudeau

250-871-0623www.halftonepixel.com

Monika Ferguson has been part of Runge’s Deli for 47 years. Her parents opened the deli in 1969, Monika proudly took over the family business in 2005. Runge’s Deli is a culinary treasure with a delectable blend of traditional European products and Gourmet Specialty Foods. They have imported chees-es, European Deli meats and dry goods. With the addition of Franz Porcelain and Jim Shore collectable giftware, the store is a taste of Europe. The holidays are a spec-tacular event at Runge’s and should never be missed. They have beautiful cardboard Easter eggs from Germany ready to be filled with your choice of candy or chocolate.

Monika still wakes up every morning and looks forward to going into work. She loves having specialty products that can’t be found elsewhere; they bring so much delight to her customers. She is also thankful for her faithful employees. Her leadership is fair and she works hard to run her shop so that everyone loves coming in - employees and customers!

Runge’s Deli

MONIKA FERGUSON

347 4th Street

250-338-8621347 4th Street

Rachel Blaney was elected in November as Member of Parliament for North Island—Powell River, which includes Comox and areas B and C, out to Gold River and as far north as Rivers Inlet on the mainland. Rachel is constantly seeking new ways to help make Island communities stronger and more welcoming as she did previously as Executive Director for the Immigrant Wel-come Centre. She is a passionate advocate for responsible development and believes we can build a stronger local economy by supporting small business, protecting our environment and engaging in meaningful dialogue with First Nations.

When not in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Rachel is busy meeting and working with local governments, community orga-nizations and constituents in communities around the riding to learn about the wide variety of issues they are working on and to advocate on their behalf. She is constantly amazed by people’s resilience and creativity in dealing with the challenges we face.

RACHEL BLANEY

908 Island Hwy, Campbell River

[email protected]

Member of ParliamentNorth Island-Powell River

When Lara Austin entered the financial ser-vices industry in the mid-1990s, the environ-ment was decidedly male focused. While still the minority, women now represent 25.7% of investment agents, dealers and traders (Statistics Canada 2016 Labour Force Sur-vey) and that number is increasing. This is due in part to the changing role of women in society generally. Given the choice, 60% of women prefer to deal with a female advisor, and among women over 65, this number rises to almost 80%.

Talented women are starting to understand that the financial services industry offers a satisfying career choice with multiple oppor-tunities for advancement.

As an Investment & Wealth Advisor, Lara works with successful retirees and profes-sionals in the Comox Valley. Should you wish to learn more about becoming a client, Lara would be pleased to speak with you. If you are a young woman potentially interested in a career in the financial industry, please e-mail your questions and best number to reach you. Lara is happy to share all she knows! Lara Austin is an Investment & Wealth Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities Inc. which is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

RBC Dominion Securities

LARA AUSTIN

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. ©RBC Dominion Securities Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. 16_90857_WDE_004

RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Lunch & Learn Workshops Hosted by Wealth Advisor Lara Austin

EstatE Planning for BlEndEd familiEs February 25 and April 21

invEsting for incomE March 17 and April 28

tax stratEgiEs for thE high-nEt-Worth March 3 and April 7

PoWEr of attornEy Planning February 19 and May 5

Contact Una Guile at 250-334-5604 to register. For more information, visit www.lara.austin.com.

[email protected]

250-334-5606www.LaraAustin.com

*Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund


Royston Roasting

DYAN SPINK

3904 Island Hwy S., Royston

[email protected]

RoystonROASTING Co.

3904 Island Hwy S., ROYSTON

bccoffee.ca

Dyan Spink has been in the coffee business since she moved to the Comox Valley in 1997. Since opening Royston Roasting Company in 2010 she sells only fair trade, organic coffee. At the International Women’s Day event Dyan will be introducing Royston Roasting Company’s newest product – Cold Brew Nitro Coffee that runs off a draft tap!

Dyan is very involved in the community and focuses most of her advertising dollars on their private label coffee, where they print labels for specific fundraisers, non-profits and events. She loves being part of events and enjoys donating coffee as a way to give back to the community. Dyan also runs food safe, customer service, hospitality and barista training courses up and down the Island with her portable espresso machine. She enjoys seeing how fast her students learn and how rewarding the training is. Many students quickly get a job after taking her course.

Sue Finneron took as over General Manager of the family business in 2000 when it was a General Motors Dealership. In 2009, they re-branded, emerging as Finneron Hyundai, and building on an already firm reputation as a top-notch company - meeting not only the needs of those looking to buy, but also offering first-rate after-purchase service.

In 2015, Finneron Hyundai earned its first Pres-ident’s Award of Merit - an honour bestowed to the top 15 Hyundai dealerships in the country. One year later, Finneron Hyundai one-upped itself, not only winning its second straight Pres-ident’s Award of Merit, but also being honoured as the top Hyundai dealership in Canada. (Of the 15 President’s Award winners, one is selected every year as the top overall dealership.)

“Last year we were in the top 15 and I was so proud of that achievement,” said Finneron. “Being number one in the country is something that you dream about but never expect to happen.”

Finneron Hyundai

SUE FINNERON

250 Old Island Highway, Courtenay

250-334-2441finneronhyundai.com

Sue is proud of her staff and loves working with such a great team.

Finneron Hyundai has many other women work-ing in the Dealership. Jan Vandenbiggelaar and Glenice Neal in the Sales Department; Cheryl Meszaros as a Service Advisor; Rebekah White, Appointment Coordinator; Paige McKimmon in the Parts Department; Joy Porter, Controller; Cathy Ruthven, Accounts Payable; Barbara Vac-cher and Taylor Finneron in Reception. All of these great ladies played an important role in getting Finneron Hyundai to the top.

Sue would like to say thank you to all her staff and customers for getting them to where they are today.

Finneron Hyundai works to be a one-stop shop for service, shopping and advice. They have a fantastic selection of new and used Hyundais. They focus on customer service and are proud to provide each customer with a great car-buying experience whether you’re looking to purchase, finance or lease a new Hyundai vehicle or quality used car or truck. They also offer professional maintenance and repair maintenance and repair services for all makes and models.

They are looking forward to working with you!

Your Hyundai Dealerin Courtenay and Comox

Sue Finneron accepting the award for top Hyundai Dealer in Canada from Don Romano President of Hyundai Canada.

DL: 30993

Owner/Operator Jeanie Bruneau is a Reg-istered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner and Certified Professional Cancer Coach. She maintains and upgrades her creden-tials annually through a variety of courses and is fully qualified to provide nutritional guidance! Jeanie believes that the key ingredients to a healthy, happy life are a positive attitude, good nutrition and exer-cise. Jeanie is passionate that you can find a holistic, natural answer to increase health in your life.

Prevention is the Key! Jeanie’s Vitamin Centre is your one stop shop to a healthy lifestyle! Vitamins, minerals, nutritional sup-plements, herbs, homeopathic supplements and body building supplements, specialty, as well as nutritional assessments are available.

Jeanie’sVitaminsJEANIE BRUNEAU

Comox Centre Mall, Comox

[email protected]


Our legacy of women of distinction began at St. Joseph’s in 1913 when the hospital was founded by four Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. The Sisters left Toronto on a mission of mercy to provide medical care to the loggers and their families at the request of J.D. McCormack, President, Comox Logging Company.

From the very beginning, the courageous Sisters took on leadership of St. Joseph’s, combining health care excellence with a sense of compassion, until 1989 when ownership transferred to the Diocese of Victoria.

From a four bed farmhouse hospital to a bustling 241 bed facility with modern diagnostic and treatment services, women of distinction continue to serve St. Joseph’s in delivering quality health care to our community.

Women represent an overwhelming majority of the workforce in health care.

St. Joseph’sGeneral Hospital

WOMEN ARE A VITAL PART OF THE FABRIC THAT IS ST. JOSEPH’S

2137 Comox Avenue, Comox, BC

250-339-2242

“Each day as I enter my workspace I am mindful that I may be honored with meeting people sometimes at their most vulnerable. It is with this awareness that I take this honor and hold it with the utmost respect and caring,” says Laurel Anderson, Aboriginal Liaison Nurse.

Women of all ages and backgrounds contribute to the delivery of care and leadership at St. Joseph’s. From volunteers, auxilians, staff and physicians to board members - women are a vital part of the fabric that is St. Joseph’s.

“I’m honoured to be surrounded by so many talented and dedicated women, providing care and compassion every day,” says Lorie McDiarmid, Housekeeping Department.

Women, past and present, have been key in supporting our mission of providing outstanding care with compassion.

Sarah Savage, Clinical Coordinator of the 24 bed inpatient surgical unit says, “I strongly believe my role is to support and lead front line staff to ensure that patients receive the best possible experience.”

“It is also important for us to recognize the many women that St. Joseph’s has had the privilege to care for over the past 100 years,” says Jane Murphy, President & CEO. “Women who have entrusted St. Joseph’s with their care, or care of their loved ones - it is an honour to serve our community.”

SIN

CE

1913

Care with Compassion...

with over 100 Years of Service

Re Bastien specializes in photographing women offering boudoir photo sessions, as well as personal or business portraits. She believes that when women have a flattering photo of themselves it gives them confi-dence. Her clients have shared that this renewed confidence affects their personal life, relationships and work.

Re fell into boudoir photography seven years ago when a client asked for a boudoir photo session before her mastectomy. Re later did a second shoot after the surgery. The before images may have documented who she was previous to the surgery, yet the after photos helped her accept herself, and her discover who she was - just as beautiful - after her surgery. Re is passionate that boudoir sessions are for any woman, and has had women of all sizes and ages book boudoir sessions!

Re BastienPhotography

RE BASTIEN

250-650-4072rebastien.com250-650-4072

Katharine Spowart has lived in Courtenay with her husband and family for 15 years. Family life is important to her. She and her family enjoy snowshoeing, hiking and love exploring other countries. Katharine has been a Financial Planner for 30 years. She is dedicated to her field and has achieved the very prestigious CSI Award of Excellence. She spends much of her time focusing on educating her clients to ensure they are empowered to make informed decisions. Katharine specializes in financial advice for families including those going through separation, divorce and loss.

Planning for your future involves more than just money. It involves you, your family, your needs, values and dreams. Simply stated, Katharine is confident she can help her cli-ents find financial solutions and strategies to assist them in meeting their goals.

RBCFinancial Planning

KATHARINE SPOWART, PFP

RBC 1015 Ryan Rd, Courtenay

[email protected]


Art Knapp Courtenay has recently transi-tioned into a second-generation family run business lead by sisters, Linda and Sylvia Van Hage. They have been in the valley since 1991 and are pleased to offer cus-tomers expert advice in gardening, décor and most recently, fashion.

The sisters are honored to carry on the family business and recently received the Heritage Recognition Award at the 2015 Comox Valley Chamber Annual Awards. Their leadership is marked by their passion for what they do and belief in each other.

Art Knapp has a large Home, Gift and Decor section featuring a variety of tasteful and unique decor to suit any household, sourced locally and internationally. They offer the Comox Valley’s best selection of indoor trop-icals, annuals, edibles and nursery plants. They also have a wide selection of quality clothes for the sophisticated and chic, at an affordable price point. They’re proud to have staff with expertise in each department.

ArtKnapp

2855 Wentworth Rd., Courtenay

250-334-3024artknappcourtenay.ca

LINDA VAN HAGE SYLVIA VAN HAGE

Two women, Elizabeth Smith and Betty Emery, started the Comox Valley ElderCollege in 1999. ElderCollege is com-mitted to meeting the learning needs and educational interests of adults 55+ in the Comox Valley. It is part of North Island College (NIC), but operates on a self funded budget and is run completely by volunteers. ElderCollege is designed for participants who are looking for a unique community of adult learners. There are no exams, no grades and no pressure; it’s all about learning for fun!

The Comox Valley ElderCollege is pleased to feature five of their committee leaders:

Louise Argyle Co-Chair, Curriculum CommitteeThe Curriculum Committee coordinates the lectures series Saturday mornings as well as finding leaders for all courses offered. Louise enjoys the wide variety of courses offered at ElderCollege and the opportunity for life long learning. Louise emphasized that there are so many opportunities for women leaders. “Women are movers and shakers!”

Gail Nasadyk Co-Chair, Curriculum CommitteeGail has been a member of ElderCollege since the very beginning, 1999! She especially enjoys the team aspect of co-leading the Curriculum Committee. She also appre-

Comox ValleyElderCollege

AILEEN WILLIAMS • LOUISE ARGYLE • LIZ TURNBULL GAIL NASADYK • ALANA GOWDY

Find us on [email protected]

250-334-5000 ex.4602www.nic.bc.ca/ec

ciates the energy of the young people at NIC’s shared campus. Gail and Louise lead a large team of volunteer course leaders and coordinators, and they are always looking for more!

Aileen Williams Chair, Volunteer Support CommitteeAileen said that the best part of her job is that she gets to thank and recognize all of the volunteers with gifts and cards that are presented at the end of their class. She especially enjoys the comrades and community she has found at ElderCollege.

Liz Turnbull Chair, Member Support CommitteeThe biggest function of the Member Support Committee is coordinating registration in fall and winter. Liz is pas-sionate about making sure each member feels welcome and comfortable. She emphasized that there is a place for everyone to learn something new from the vast variety of subjects at ElderCollege.

Alana Gowdy Chair, Communications Committee.Alana finds that the most inspiring aspects of her job are the fun and the friendship. She invites everyone on their 55th birthday to come join ElderCollege! Alana is proud that the Comox Valley ElderCollege is the largest ElderCollege on Vancouver Island with over 1100 mem-bers and 50-60 classes offered each semester. She is honored to be leading with these women, who are here because they want to be, because they are having fun!

Lezlie Chassé is the operations manager of the Comox Valley Co-op and Cardlock. She is excited they are expanding April 1st by amalgamating with Peninsula Co-op, this means greater advantages for member owners. Lezlie is proud that Co-op is community focused. She is honored to be part of a company that gives back to the community by donating and sponsoring many businesses, clubs and events.

The petroleum industry used to be a man’s world, but times have changed; now there are many women in leadership at Co-op and Lezlie is proud to be one of them. Co-op creates opportunities for growth, and she is encouraged by the possibilities Co-op offers its employees. She believes this provides staff the incentive to keep driving forward, learning and growing. Co-op strives to make you feel like “You’re at home here!”

Comox ValleyCo-op

LezLie ChassÉ

699 aspen Rd., Comox

250-339-19554889 N. island hwy., Courtenay

250-338-8181


Christa Wolst opened Island Sewing & Embroidery in Comox with her husband in 2012 and also has a store in Willow Point. She offers a wide variety of sew-ing machines, notions, specialty threads, machine accessories, and more, to support the creative needs of stitching enthusiasts. She features thread walls not seen in any other shop. Brother remains her flagship brand and she cannot say enough good things about the quality of their sewing machines.

Christa is a quilter, loves machine embroi-dery, uses the machines she sells as well as the notions and extra’s she has in both stores. She is passionate about education, each of her stores boasts a classroom, Christa wants her customers to be confi-dent in their craft and have access to more knowledge. Christa says the best part of what she does is to see her customers proud and pleased with the work they have created.

Island Sewing & Embroidery

CHRISTA WOLST

105-2100 Guthrie Rd., Comox

250-339-1940islandsew.ca

Every woman deserves to achieve her goals with confidence and peace of mind.

That is the mission of Susan Carson, Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor, and her team at CIBC Wood Gundy. Susan understands that women face difficult challenges associated with balancing health, family, career and wealth. Susan is uniquely qualified to serve and empathize with all women because she’s been there herself – hav-ing been single, married, divorced and widowed. Both her personal life experience and exceptional industry qualifications over the past 18 years with CIBC Wood Gundy help Susan understand and guide clients through life’s most difficult and joyous transitions.

Since moving to the Comox Valley late in 2014, Susan has formed a dedicated, service-oriented team to help her create a unique experience for clients:

• Maia Winter, Client Associate, is in her seventh year with CIBC Wood Gundy and has a detailed and patient approach to answering clients’ questions about the markets or their portfolios.

• Arline Grieve, Administrative Assistant, who recently joined the team after working at CIBC for six years, excels at customer service and prides herself on her ability to anticipate clients’ needs before they arise.

CIBC Wood GundyThe Carson Advisory Group

SUSAN CARSON • MAIA WINTER • ARLINE GRIEVE • BRANKA PETROVIC

[email protected] 101-635 Fitzgerald Ave, Courtenay

250-703-5391www.susancarson.ca

• Branka Petrovic, Client Associate, works diligently to enhance client relationships through timely and relevant communication, detailed proposals and enjoyable events.

From the first contact with The Carson Advisory Group, Susan’s clients are quick to notice the team’s unique approach. Clients feel comfortable to express their questions and worries; to clarify their goals and dreams; and then to work towards achieving them. No matter what the request, Susan and her team are dedicated to ensuring clients and their requests are handled with the utmost respect and discretion.

Susan and her team at The Carson Advisory Group are enthusiastic about empowering women and helping them plan, organize and simplify their financial affairs. And they welcome questions and inquiries!

You can hear Susan’s Market Report on 98.9 FM the Goat Radio each weekday at 8:04 a.m. and 4:04 p.m. Tune in to hear her fresh perspective!

CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Susan Carson is an Investment Advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy in Courtenay. The views of Susan Carson do not necessarily reflect those of CIBC World Markets Inc.

Maia Winter Client Associate • Susan Carson Portfolio Manager & Investment Advisor • Arline Grieve Administrative AssistantBranka Petrovic Client Associate (not present at time of photo)

Work Better, TogetherThe Comox Valley Women’s Business Network features top-notch speakers, business mentors and creative networking opportunities. We meet the second Wednesday of every month between September and June.As a CVWBN member you can:- Develop business and personal skills through our monthly program speakers.- Network and develop relationships with other women in business.- Promote your business on the member profile page of our website and our Facebook page.- Create a membership profile page on our website, which can be used as a landing page if you don’t have your own website.- Be a ‘Spotlight Speaker’ and promote your business to other CVWBN members.We invite you to come and join us! Guests may attend up to two meetings before deciding to join this amazing organization.

Women’s Business Network

www.CVWBN.org

reader’schoicereader’schoice2015

AWARDOF

T H E C O M O X V A L LE

Y

WINNEROF THE

President CVWBN 2015/16 BOBBIE NORTON


A Lifestyle Show for & about Women

Presented by

WomenA Lifestyle Show for & about April 16 & 17, 2016

Saturday 9:30-4:30 • Sunday 10-4Comox Community Centre | 1855 Noel Avenue, Comox

Admission: Adults $6/Day or Weekend Pass $10 55+ & Students $4 • Ages 12 Under Free

OVEr 50 Exhibitors!

Informative seminars on both days!

Beauty Products & Services • Home Decor • Business & Financial Info • Cosmetics & FashionHealth & Wellness • Gifts • And Much Much More!

Partial Proceeds to the Comox Valley Transition Society

FMI [email protected]

AFFORDABLEBOOTH SPACE STARTING AT

$380

march 08, 2016

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