profiles in business - The Business Link Niagara

Transcription

PROFILES IN BUSINESS
A LASTING IMPRESSION OF NIAGARA’S LOCAL BUSINESSES
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
PROFILES IN BUSINESS 2008
THE BUSINESS LINK NIAGARA
Make space for good design.
Lex Parker Design Consultants
Improving the quality of people’s lives one design at a time.
When you’re a commercial
registered interior designer like
Lex Parker, every day means
turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. As the head of Lex Parker Design
Consultants Ltd., he and his wife,
Susan, and their creative team have
spent the past 40 years looking beyond
the traditional, designing a wide range
of building projects throughout the
Niagara Region.
“We think from the inside out,” Lex
Parker says of their firm’s philosophy.
“That means planning our projects with
people in mind, creating something
functional and attractive that will invite
their interaction.”
Headquartered in the community for
nearly 30 years, the Lex Parker team
has become one of the most successful design firms in Niagara by demonstrating their creative vision and most
noticeably—their versatility.
Over the years, they’ve prepared
building design concepts and interior
design plans for a broad spectrum of
commercial projects in Niagara—ev-
er ything from Ruby Tuesday’s and the
Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview in
Niagara Falls to ScotiaMcLeod in St.
Catharines to the Rapelje Lodge in
Welland. They’ve recently completed
design and site planning for the SunN-Fun Resor t in Sarasota, Florida,
and are currently designing a barrel
and wine tasting room for Henr y of
Pelham Winer y.
“We’re not like the large interior
design firms in Toronto that specialize in any one area,” Lex explains.
“We’re very diversified, designing office
spaces, retail outlets, restaurants, tourist attractions and hotels, retirement
homes…the possibilities are endless.”
“We always get excited when the
client gives us a challenge,” adds
Susan Parker.
That was cer tainly the case in
2006 when they began working on
one of their most ambitious projects—a multi-million dollar resor t
complex for Sherkston Shores. Over
the course of three years and several
construction phases, their firm has
been instrumental in developing the
resor t’s site and building concepts
including a 250-seat dining room and
bar, a theatre and arcade facility, and
a proposed indoor pool—all reflecting
the resor t’s idyllic nature.
Whether it’s designing new facilities or revitalizing older ones, the Lex
Parker team continues to take on new
challenges. But Lex and Susan are
never ones to avoid other creative endeavours. They also run an acclaimed
Web site business (iCatcher Web Design) and even moved into board game
development (Dragon Chess).
At Lex Parker Design Consultants,
it’s all about creativity—and the ability
to make their clients’ lives easier and
more rewarding. Their motto is “Resist
the Usual!”
“We care about our clients and
what matters to them,” Lex says.
“Good design improves the quality
of people’s lives and that’s what we
always strive for.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
LEX PARKER DESIGN CONSULTANTS LTD
DESIGNERS AND SPACE PLANNERS
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
5
YEAR FOUNDED
1975
WEBSITE
www.parkerdesign.com
www.icatcherwebdesign.com
www.dragonchess.net
PHONE
905.641.2112
ADDRESS
14 Ontario St.
St. Catharines, ON. L2R 7M3
Jan Cook, Stephen Cook, Adam Cook, Amy Cook, Dave Alexander and Staff.
Credit Bureau Services Canada
A professional approach with nationwide resources.
Servicing the Niagara Region
for over 75 years, Credit
Bureau Services Canada
(CBSCanada) has built an enviable
reputation as an innovative and highly
regarded collection services and
receivable management firm.
CBSCanada serves a broad
spectrum of organizations including utilities and public institutions,
municipalities and regional governments, health care facilities, credit
card and financial institutions as well
as national entertainment groups and
retail corporations. They also service
over a thousand small businesses
and medical practices across Niagara
and throughout Ontario.
“Many companies are outsourcing their receivables these days,”
explains Adam Cook, Vice-President,
Client Services at CBSCanada, “By
hiring our team to take care of their
receivables, companies can focus
more on business development while
increasing their revenues in the
process. At the same time, we add to
their bottom line revenue by collecting
their receivables at an outstanding
rate of recovery.”
Whether it’s consumer or commercial collections—a small business or
a large corporation—CBSCanada will
customize their services to suit their
clients’ specific needs. For instance,
their team can manage their clients’
receivables department in whole or in
part, and provide various client recovery services including many transparent pre-collection services.
CBSCanada is now into its third generation of family ownership. The company is currently owned and operated by
Mr. Jan R. Cook (President), his children
Steve, Adam, and Amy, and his cousin
Dave Alexander. Jan’s father John C.
Cook originally purchased the company
in 1972, a company he started working
for in 1945.
The company as a whole is very
active in numerous charitable causes,
and Jan Cook has held a significant
leadership role for many major fundraising initiatives including Break-
through Health Care Niagara, the new
Niagara Regional Cancer Centre, and
the Seymour-Hannah Sports & Entertainment Centre.
Although CBSCanada offers the
tradition of a family business, they also
provide the vision and technical capabilities of a nationwide firm. Their team
continues to use the most effective
collection techniques and cutting-edge
technology on the market today.
“For the past twenty years, we’ve
been investing in new technologies to
help increase our range of services,”
Adam says. “As a result, our client
partnerships have continued to
expand in Niagara and now include
dozens of national organizations.”
To Adam, the biggest reason behind CBSCanada’s continued growth
is their team’s dedication to their clients. “We’re very proud of our team,”
he says. “Most of our employees have
been with the company for over 15
years, and they continue to be pivotal
to our success.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
45
YEAR FOUNDED
1932
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.cbscanada.com
PHONE
905.688.9855
Toll Free 1.800.263.4764
ADDRESS
26 Queen St, P.O. Box 186
St. Catharines, ON. L2R 6S7
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Publishers Note
or those of you who are avid readers of The Business
Link, you most likely know this story, but for you newer
readers, the origin of Profiles in Business in worth
repeating. Since we launched The Business Link in 2003 we
have had business owners and managers asking us to include
stories about their companies in our newspaper. It was a few
years later when it dawned on us to produce a publication
dedicated to showcasing the success stories of the great
businesses we have here in Niagara.
Our 2008 edition is packed full of successful businesses that
encompass what the Niagara Region is all about: hard work,
perseverance, trust, determination and personality.
Jim and Adam Shields, Co-Publishers of The Business Link Niagara Ltd.
“…we hope these
profiles give you
a glimpse into
the lives of the
people who make
up the Niagara
Region’s business
community—they
all have a great
story to tell.”
The Niagara Region is constantly changing and as the large
corporations downsize, there is an emergence of excited and
energetic entrepreneurs who are beginning to shape the future
of our business community. Profiles in Business gives you an
insight into the complex mix of business types that make up
our local economy. On the following pages we showcase 49
businesses that span our mix from retail to golf and insurance
to automotive. Each year we are honoured with the ability
to showcase these businesses and finding out what gives a
business its character and soul.
When reading about the businesses in this issue you will find
three common strings that run through them all—people,
passion and commitment.
As we travel around we are amazed at how our region has
changed. On your next drive take a moment and look at all the
new buildings, read all the new signs and you’ll see what we
are talking about. What is it that all these companies do? How
many people do they employ? Are they a headquarters, satellite
office or a homegrown success? In the following pages you will
get the answers to these questions and more.
Please accept our enthusiastic invitation to read the 2008
Profiles in Business and we hope you enjoy this year’s
compilation of Niagara businesses as much as we do.
Enjoy
P.S. If you know of a business who you think should be in the 2009
edition please email their information to the address below.
PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO:
Profiles in Business Magazine
13 Secord Dr., Suite 3, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2N 1K9
Fax: 905-646-5486 • e-mail: [email protected]
5
Left to right: Melissa Procopio, David Demoe, Trevor Marsh
David Demoe and Trevor Marsh—Financial Advisors
Creating Wealth and Securing Your Financial Legacies.
Everyone wants to attain
their investment goals,
whether it’s purchasing
a new house or cottage property,
funding a child’s post-secondary education, or planning a comfortable
retirement. In each case, sound
financial planning is required. In
the Niagara Region, the financial
exper tise of David Demoe, CFP
and Trevor Marsh, CA, CFP, as
well as Melissa Procopio’s administrative knowledge are combined
and uniquely being of fered for
their clients’ financial security
and success.
Located at 109 Russell Avenue
in St. Catharines, the Assante Capital Management team of David Demoe and Trevor Marsh is a leading
provider of integrated wealth management solutions offering financial
services to individuals, families
and businesses. Their office can
counsel on retirement planning, tax
minimization strategies, investing
severance packages, and the whole
range of investment opportunities
to manage your financial assets.
“Our team approach provides
clients with integrated financial services to create wealth and secure
their financial legacies,” says David
Demoe, senior financial advisor with
Assante. “We work closely with our
clients, to understand their desires
and anticipate their financial needs.
With our combined expertise as financial advisors and as a chartered
accountant, we’ll recommend the
best plan for any given financial
situation.”
“We can assist in growing and
preserving wealth, in advising for
best tax practices and in managing
investment portfolios.” Trevor Marsh
adds, “Our respective backgrounds
and business experience provides
our clients with a full perspective on
managing their wealth—and that’s
what sets us apart.”
Along with their office administrator, Melissa Procopio, David and
Trevor have a combined 45 years of
offering investment and tax advice
to Niagara business owners and
investors. “We were all born and
raised in the Niagara Region. We
have long standing friendships and
a tremendous working knowledge of
the people in Niagara. We’re here
because we like sharing our knowledge and helping our friends.”
David, Trevor and Melissa are
part of one of Canada’s leading
financial institutions that puts their
clients’ needs first. David explains,
“We offer a comprehensive financial
strategy based on personalized,
professional advice. Our solutions
focus on what’s most important to
our clients—reaching a level of financial security to enjoy all of life’s
experiences.”
David Demoe and Trevor Marsh are Financial Advisors with Assante Capital Management Ltd. (Member CIPF). Please contact
a professional advisor to discuss your
particular circumstances prior to acting
on the information above. The opinions
expressed are those of the author and
not necessarily those of Assante Capital
Management Ltd.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
3
YEAR FOUNDED
2006
EMAIL
[email protected]
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.assante.com/advisors/ddemoe/
PHONE
David Demoe, CFP, Financial Advisor
905.680.3095
1.866.434.9292
Trevor Marsh, C.A., CFP
905.641.6654
ADDRESS
109 Russell Ave.
St. Catharines, ON. L2R 1V8
Table of Contents
6
2
Lex Parker Design Consultants
3
Credit Bureau Services Canada
5
David Demoe and Trevor Marsh—Financial Advisors
7
DTZ Barnicke
8
Peninsula Flooring
9
Peninsula Lakes Golf Club
10
The Boot Shop
11
Peter Brown Financial Group
12
Dell Smart Home Solutions
13
PerformanceCars
14
Rolling Meadows Land Development Corporation
15
Gary Waters Ltd.
16
Alexander Awnings
17
Strategy9
18
Pacific Productions International
19
Desks Plus Office Furniture
20
Reuter & Reilly Insurance Brokers
21
Manor Cleaners
22
Mr. Furnace / Huero Commercial HVACR
23
Henley Honda
24
Photography with Grace
25
Business Education Council of Niagara
26
PrimeTime Living
28
Greenscapes Irrigation and Landscape Lighting
29
Total Mortgage Source 360
30
Imperial Cleaners & Tailors
31
Calamar Construction Canada Corp.
32
Creative Signworks of Niagara
33
Wiley Luxury Brand Auto Inc.
34
Bestway Bedding
35
PigOut Event Catering
36
Danima Technologies Inc.
37
Results Continuum
38
C.R. Smith Insurance
39
Valvano Salon Spa
40
Subaru of Hamilton
41
Morningstar Automotive
42
The Jeff Davidson Commercial Real Estate Team
43
Wellington West Capital
44
Roofing Niagara
45
H&R Block
46
Niagara College – Workplace Development Services
47
Roberto’s Pizza
48
Nevada Bob’s Golf
49
The Business Link Niagara Ltd.
50
Sundawn Integrated Services
51
Niagara College – Business Development Centre
Photos Provided By Photography With Grace
Left to right: Bottom row: Terri Otway-AACI Appraisal Division, Simon Prentice-Retail Leasing Sales Representative, and Deborah Armstrong-Office Administrator.
Top row: Howard Christie-CRA Appraisal Division, Taylor Wilson-Owner and Broker, Don Wilson-Hospitality Director/Broker, Todd Crawford-AACI/Broker.
Missing: Monica Wilson-Director of Marketing, and Owen Hughes- Appraisal Division.
DTZ Barnicke
One of Canada’s largest Commercial Real Estate advisors.
At DTZ Barnicke, there’s
more to being a successful
commercial real estate
broker than the old adage of
“location, location, location.” The
firm continues to thrive through
its focus on exceptional customer
ser vice, quick response times, real
time market research, and expertise
in numerous fields of real estate.
“We are just starting to grasp the
opportunities available to us on a
North American and Global basis with
our recent DTZ partnership,” explains
Taylor Wilson, President and Broker
of Record for DTZ Barnicke’s Niagara
office. “We can offer business people
in Niagara the entire world to either
source a property or as a means to
sell their property.”
DTZ Barnicke provides
commercial real estate brokerage
ser vices and advice to hundreds of
leading corporations and institutions.
Locally, Barnicke has assisted
Imperial Oil, the Easter Seals
Society, Investors Group, Loblaws,
Clarica and Allstate, among others.
DTZ Barnicke’s clientele includes
developers, owners, investors,
tenants and landlords—and deals in
all types of commercial real estate
from office and industrial locations
to retail, hospitality and corporate
projects and re-locations.
Taylor and his team’s dedication
to continuous improvement and
pursuit of excellence have certainly
helped them build a solid reputation
in the Niagara Region. In November,
2007, their firm merged with the DTZ
group—one of the top four global
commercial real estate advisors
based in Great Britain—and was
renamed DTZ Barnicke.
Headquartered in Toronto, DTZ
Barnicke now has 19 owned and
affiliate offices across Canada with
450 employees including over 300
real estate professionals. DTZ
employs over 12,500 people in
150 cities operating in 45 countries
around the world.
Despite their firm’s rapid
growth, however, Taylor and his
staff remain firmly focused on the
Niagara Region, ser ving the needs
of their clients and their community.
His team was recently involved in
establishing the Minacs Worldwide
Inc. call centre in Niagara Falls and
also helped Hor ton CBI Limited, one
of the world’s leading engineering,
procurement and construction
companies, to locate their
operations in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“We’re more than just a real
estate firm,” Taylor says of their range
of services. “We provide appraisals,
consulting, leasing, investment sales,
facility management and market
surveys to name a few. Even just
free advice or a statement on current
market conditions. Feel free to give
us a call.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
8
YEAR FOUNDED
1996
WEBSITE
www.dtzbarnicke.com
PHONE
905.354.7413
Toll Free: 1.800.618.7076
ADDRESS
4056 Dorchester Rd.
Niagara Falls, ON. L2E 6MP
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8
Left to right: Michelle Neufeld, Wendy Janzen, John Dyck, Loyd Redecop, Lesia Aucoin and Pat Orr.
Peninsula Flooring
“With over 40 years of experience, Peninsula Flooring boasts a 9,000 square foot showroom in
Virgil, Ontario.”
When building a new home
or renovating an existing
property; there are several
factors to consider before choosing
a new floor surface. Aside from
the degree of traffic the floor will
experience, one must also think
about the overall décor, design and
purpose for the flooring, as well as the
affordability factor. Founded in 1963,
Peninsula Flooring has grown to a key
player in the flooring industry from its
humble beginnings in a residential
garage in Niagara–on–the–Lake.
With over 40 years of experience,
Peninsula Flooring boasts a 9,000
square foot showroom in Virgil,
Ontario. Lloyd Redekop says
customers are usually surprised
at both the size of the showroom,
and the variety of floor covering
samples. Peninsula works closely
with homeowners and custom home
builders, and also provides services
for commercial properties.
While the latest trends are
towards ceramic and hardwood,
Peninsula prides itself on being full
service company with a selection of
all available flooring products.
“We have experienced a shift from
lots of carpet and vinyl to tile and
hardwood, likely because while they
service to its customers. With 10
installers—each with over 15 years
of experience—and four decorators
to assist with colour and product
selections, customers can expect only
the best from these flooring industry
experts.
“Our sales staff in the showroom has a particular knack
for understanding our customers’ needs and ideas for
their homes,”
are affordable, they add to the value
of the home,” says Lloyd.
Peninsula Flooring offers a variety
of flooring options: carpet, vinyl,
ceramic tile, hardwood (solid or
engineered), and laminate coverings.
Peninsula supplies and installs 98%
of its materials to both residential and
commercial customers.
Lloyd says that the team at
Peninsula Flooring is a close-knit
group of friends, family, and partners
that works together toward a
common goal of providing exceptional
“Our sales staff in the
showroom has a particular knack for
understanding our customers’ needs
and ideas for their homes,” Lloyd
says. “They have a remarkably good
ability to help people select the right
flooring and right colours to suit their
desired décor.”
Combine this with great selection,
and customers need look no further
than Peninsula Flooring for all their
flooring needs.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
15
YEAR FOUNDED
1963
EMAIL
peninsula.fl[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.floorsfirst.com/peninsulaflooring
PHONE
905.468.2135
ADDRESS
504 Line 2
Virgil, ON. L0S 1T0
Peninsula Lakes Golf Club.
Peninsula Lakes Golf Club
The jewel of Niagara.
When you’re trying to find that
perfect golf destination for
your next corporate event, it’s
hard to overlook the sheer beauty and
intrigue of Niagara’s own Peninsula
Lakes.
Located high atop the Niagara
Escarpment on Highway 20
in Fenwick, Peninsula Lakes’
championship golf course offers
finely–groomed fairways, sparkling
ponds and lakes, and a challenging
course that’s ideal for both the expert
and aspiring golf enthusiast.
Founded in 1980, Peninsula
Lakes’ 27–hole golf course is
comprised of three separate 9hole courses (Quarry, Hillside and
Orchard). Designed by acclaimed
Canadian architect Rene Muylaert,
Peninsula Lakes was originally a
massive sand and gravel quarry
before it was transformed into one of
Niagara’s premier golf courses.
“Over the years, our course has
grown tremendously,” explains Tom
Vanderlip, Director of Operations
at Peninsula Lakes Golf Club Tom
explains. “We started with a modest
four holes and a few yearly events.
Now we host over 200 tournaments
a year. We’ve become a real golfing
tradition in Niagara.”
Whether it’s a large wedding
reception or just a quiet outing with
friends, Peninsula Lakes’ meeting
halls and full-service dining rooms
can accommodate any special
event. For instance, their expansive
knowledgeable staff is always ready
to help with your event needs.”
Peninsula Lakes has built a solid
reputation as a world-class golfing
destination—and it’s easy to see why.
Their impressive championship course
has been recognized as one of the
“Top 100 Public Courses in Canada”
by The Globe and Mail in 2006 and
one of the “Best Golf Courses in the
“Over the years, our course has grown tremendously”
Terrace Room can seat up to 150
people while their Quarry Lounge
provides an intimate casual dining
atmosphere with breathtaking views
of the surrounding Short Hills area.
Peninsula Lakes also offers a wide
variety of individual and corporate
memberships in addition to their
multi–game packs and special golfing
packages.
“It doesn’t matter if you have
20, 40 or two hundred people,”
Tom says, “At Peninsula Lakes, we
have the facilities to handle any size
corporate function—and our friendly,
Niagara Region” by the Toronto Sun in
2005. Their course has also received
several accolades from the golf media
including a prestigious 4—Star Rating
in Golf Digest in 2006 and 2008.
According to Tom, being the very
best isn’t just part of their philosophy
at Peninsula Lakes—it’s a way of life.
“We always strive to make
your experience here at Peninsula
Lakes an unforgettable one,” he
says. “Excellent service…a relaxed
atmosphere…breathtaking views.
That’s what we’re all about.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
120
YEAR FOUNDED
1980
WEBSITE
www.penlakes.com
PHONE
905-892-8844
Toll Free 1-877-241-GOLF (4653)
ADDRESS
569 Highway 20 W.
Fenwick, ON. L0S 1C0
9
10
Left to right: Front row: Amy Morrison and Carrie Morrison. Back row: Larry Morrison and Tim Morrison.
The Boot Shop
Niagara’s Choice for Quality Men’s and Ladies’ Footwear.
Dressing for success starts
from the ground up—just
ask the footwear experts at
The Boot Shop. Their friendly and
knowledgeable staff has been helping Niagara residents put their best
foot forward for over 65 years.
With three store locations
throughout St. Catharines, The
Boot Shop offers high quality
men’s and ladies’ footwear as well
as the largest selection of orthopedic, safety and children’s shoes in
the Niagara Region.
“Our company has a long history
in the area,” says Larry Morrison,
owner of The Boot Shop, “But we’re
always trying to look ahead to the
future and find ways to serve our
customers even better.”
Larry’s father Stan originally
launched the company in 1942
with the help of his partner Jack
Ostrander. Larry and his brother
John eventually took over the family
business. In 2000, Larry became
The Boot Shop’s sole proprietor and
now runs the business with his three
children—Tim, Carrie and Amy.
That long family tradition also
applies to their own employees. The
Boot Shop has 40 full and part-time
staff—and many of them have been
with the company for over 25 years.
“The real secret of our success
is we’re family-owned,” explains
Larry, “We’re our own buyers so
we’re able to offer our customers a
better selection and a much more
service-oriented approach than the
big box stores.”
Whether it’s offering high-end
women’s fashions or supplying local
industries with CSA certified boots,
The Boot Shop has become Niagara’s first choice for quality footwear
and accessories. The Morrisons’
success has also seen them expand
their operations with two retail
outlets at the local General Motors
plants and a newly refurbished store
location on 46 James Street.
The Boot Shop has received
countless awards for their quality
and customer service. Their recognitions include Best Decorated &
Designed Downtown Store by the St.
Catharines Downtown Association
and several readers’ awards for Best
Shoe Store in local publications.
Community also plays a major role
in their company’s thinking. The Boot
Shop sponsors several local sports
teams and supports local charities
such as The United Way, the Niagara
Region Sexual Assault Centre and
The Rankin Run for the Cure.
Shoe styles have come and
gone over the years—but there’s
one thing that hasn’t changed. The
Morrison family still has a deep
sense of pride in their commitment
to the Region.
“Our family was born and raised
in Niagara,” says Larry, “And we
fully intend to stay here and keep
growing with our community.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
40
YEAR FOUNDED
1942
WEBSITE
www.bootshop.ca
PHONE
905.641.2224
ADDRESS
3 locations to serve you better:
46 James St.
Pen Centre
Grantham Plaza
11
Peter Brown—Owner of Peter Brown Financial Group Inc.
Peter Brown Financial Group
Peter Brown focuses on business families.
Business families have complex emotional and financial
relationships. They often
have long time horizons, spanning
generations and have grown deep
roots in the community.
Peter recognizes these attributes
in business families; he has the
financial and business experience of
a Char tered Accountant, the training of a Cer tified Financial Planner,
the estate planning knowledge of
a Char tered Life Under writer along
with specialized training to work with
business families to help develop
strategic plans not only for the business but for the family as well.
Peter is a professional business
consultant who has helped hundreds
of business owners organize their
future. He takes the complicated issues of business transition or estate
planning and explains them in a no
nonsense, here’s how to make it
happen manner.
Successful business people know
instinctively how to deal with day to
day issues in their business, and
they have a vision of where that business can go. Communicating that
vision, and planning to achieve the
vision often requires help from the
outside, objective assistance that
can work through the emotional issues that sur face quickly in a family
business.
Waiting to take action on this challenge could cost you money! And waiting until you are forced to make this
decision could cost you loss of control
and thousands of dollars more!
Peter’s professional qualifications,
experience learned “in the field,”
ability to simplify complex issues and
desire to help business owners prosper has made him one of the premier
business advisors in Niagara.
Peter received his C.A. designation in 1977; he demonstrated his
commitment to continuing education with courses in human relations, arbitration and mediation and
other business related topics. He
received the designation, Cer tified
Financial Planner (CFP) from the
Financial Planning Standards Council
of Canada in 1998, and earned the
prestigious Char tered Life Under writer designation from the CLU Institute
in 2004. He is also a member of the
international association The Family
Firm Institute where professionals
from various disciplines meet to discuss issues in family business and
how professional advisors should cooperatively approach the challenges
business families face.
Peter volunteers actively with the
Kiwanis Club of St. Catharines, the
Small Business Club of Niagara, the
Niagara Falls Small Business Enterprise Centre and the St Catharines
- Thorold Chamber of Commerce.
For your free no obligation discussion, call 1-866-720-3153 today!
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
3
YEAR FOUNDED
2001
WEBSITE
www.pbfg.ca
PHONE
905.688.6574
Toll Free: 1.866.720.3153
ADDRESS
509 Glendale Ave. E.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. L0S 1J0
12
Starting from right: Back Row: Sarah Snoei, Chris Wiens, Darly Klassen, Stephen Lamers and Daniel Dell. In front: Jason Dell and Christine Dell.
Dell Smart Home Solutions
Providing the finest in residential custom home electronics.
If you’re having trouble
getting the most out of your
home electronic systems,
it’s time you spoke with Jason Dell.
As the president and designer of
Dell Smart Home Solutions Inc., he
and his team have a broad range of
solutions that can help make your
life easier and more enjoyable.
Dell Smart Home Solutions is
Niagara’s leader in residential systems integration services, providing
home automation, lighting control,
home theatre, multi-room audio,
structured wiring, in-house communication, and advanced security
solutions. Located in Smithville and
servicing the entire peninsula, Dell
Smart Home Solutions is versed
in system design, project management, installation and programming,
and support for all areas of home
technology.
“We’re dedicated to helping
homeowners incorporate technology
into their home that will enhance their
life,” Jason says. “The important part
is to educate them about the wide
variety of products and technologies
available, and make sure they choose
a solution that will fit their lifestyle—
as well as their budget.”
Much of Jason’s clientele are in
the new home builder community.
As members of the Niagara Home
Builders Association, Dell Smart
Home Solutions works with builders, interior designers and architects to ensure the most seamless
installations possible. They also
work closely with other professionals including electricians, HVAC
contractors, cabinet makers and
landscapers.
“We’re the only company in
Niagara that is solely focused on custom residential electronics,” Jason
explains. “At Dell Smart Home Solutions, we don’t do anything on a retail
level. We sell solutions, not boxes.”
Dell Smart Home Solutions is
also a proud member of the Custom
Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA)—a global
trade association specializing in the
planning and installing of custom
electronic systems for homes—and
Jason’s team of technicians are all
CEDIA certified.
When he founded Dell Smart
Home Solutions in 2000, there was
a growing need for his services as
home technology became more
widespread and more complicated.
Now with over 15 years experience
in the electronics industry, Jason
and his team bring a wealth of
knowledge and expertise to every
project, large and small.
According to Jason, making
people’s lives at home easier is
the key to the heart of Dell Smart
Home Solutions’ success.
“Education is the biggest part
of what we do,” Jason says, “From
what’s possible, how it makes your
life easier, and finally how to use
it once it’s all installed. We make
technology simple.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
7
YEAR FOUNDED
2000
WEBSITE
www.dellsmarthomesolutions.com
PHONE
905.957.1750
ADDRESS
38 Hornak Rd.
Smithville, ON., L0R 2A0
Ed Dion, Fleet & Corporate Accounts Manager.
PerformanceCars
Flexible, easy transportation solutions—for any sized business.
PerformanceCars is keeping
Niagara on the move. As the
region’s leading choice for
fleet services, the PerformanceCars
team has successfully outfitted
thousands of local businesses and
corporations since 1964—everything
from commercial and residential
builders to manufacturers and
construction firms to landscapers
and general contractors.
“It doesn’t matter if our
customers need one vehicle or one
hundred,” says Ed Dion, Fleet and
Corporate Accounts Manager at
PerformanceCars, “We have the
ability to equip any sized business.”
When it comes to selection
and innovation, PerformanceCars
is always looking to provide their
customers with a greater choice in
light trucks, vans and cars.
For instance, PerformanceCars is
now the exclusive Niagara dealer for
the Dodge Sprinter—one of the most
versatile cargo and passenger vans
on the market today. With its dual
sliding doors, three available roof
heights, and a maximum cargo area
of 600 cubic feet, the Dodge Sprinter
offers a flexible and reasonablypriced transportation solution for
any sized company. Its optional
12-passenger capacity makes it an
ideal choice for Niagara’s tourism
operators. PerformanceCars has
also expanded their commercial fleet
recently to include the 2008 Dodge
Ram 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cabs.
PerformanceCars is committed
to making their customers’ purchase
an affordable one. They offer
various manufacturer discounts on
their fleet vehicles and represent
several financial institutions in order
to provide the best fixed-rate, low
interest financing possible. Any
business with a GST number can be
considered for PerformanceCars’
Fleet Purchase Programs.
PerformanceCars also provides
a wide range of benefits to their
fleet customers including full-service
package warranties, after-sale
fleet services, and collision and
auto glass repair. All services are
performed by their team of highlytrained certified technicians.
According to Ed, one of
PerformanceCars’ greatest assets
is their commitment to making their
customers’ lives easier and hassle-free.
“We understand our clients are
busy people,” he says, “So we
always go that extra mile to save
them time and money. For instance,
if they can’t visit our showroom to do
their shopping, we can offer them a
quote over the phone—or even bring
the vehicle right to their door for a
test drive.”
PerformanceCars’ fleet operation
has been selling and servicing cars,
trucks, minivans and SUVs for over
40 years—and they’re committed
to keeping Niagara’s businesses
moving for decades to come.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Over 300
YEAR FOUNDED
1964
WEBSITE
www.performancecars.ca
PHONE
905.688.2802
ADDRESS
357 Ontario Street
St Catharines, ON. L2R 5L3
13
14
Glen Gordon, President of the Rolling Meadows Land Development Corporation.
Rolling Meadows Land Development Corporation
“Over 200 lots were sold out before even a single pipe had been placed in the ground.”
Drive about 2 km south on
Highway #58, from Thorold
Stone Road and you will
see the new site of the Neighbourhoods of Rolling Meadows. A
rolling landscape, now reshaped
with huge neat ribbons of earth
meandering through what will be
the first stage of construction.
Over 200 lots were sold out
before even a single pipe had
been placed in the ground. Already
known as the largest planned community in the histor y of the Niagara
Region, recent earth moving works
provide a strong sense of reality
to this unprecedented scale of
development.
Land developer Glen Gordon
has been collecting land for the
project since 1993 and was
delighted to see that first shovel
of earth moved. When asked what
motivated him to purchase these
spanning tracts of land that many
years ago, he had this to say, “This
land was in an excellent position
in the Region. And although at that
time, I had not yet envisioned what
has become, Rolling Meadows, I
knew there was tremendous potential in that property mass.”
Indeed there was, and what
has been the most challenging
aspect of the project? Glen replied,
“Land development is an exercise
in patience. You need a number of
skill sets and a depth of financial
ability, but the ver y nature of the
development business is waiting
for the procedural process, while at
the same time, always being ready
for the next steps. It’s the hurr y up
and wait game, exemplified.”
Much of the urbanization in
Niagara has generally straddled the
QEW highway, but with Greenbelt
legislation, a regrouping is taking
place, above the escarpment to
areas that may not have attracted
the same attention, in the past.
Glen believes the key to the suc-
cess of these new places, relies
on being close and well-connected
to existing developed areas. “As
an example, Rolling Meadows
is located on a major provincial
highway, easily connecting itself to
places like The Pen Centre in just
a 7 minute drive or 11 minutes to
the new hospital site.”
What consumers are expecting
from their new communities, has
evolved too. “I think new homebuyers are beginning to want a more
earth friendly approach to the
way communities are built. That’s
the wisdom used in the design of
Rolling Meadows, to address that
higher expectation.”
Has Rolling Meadows truly
reached this new consumer goal?
Glen replies with a smile. “Ultimately, homebuyers will be the true
standard of how closely we have
matched their dreams with Rolling
Meadows’ reality.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF SUB CONTRACTORS
15
YEAR FOUNDED
1993
WEBSITE
www.neighborhoodsofrollingmeadows.com
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.658.6276
From left: Patrick DiFelice, Paul DiFelice
Gary Waters Ltd.
The finest men’s clothing store in Niagara—guaranteed.
In today’s business world,
setting yourself apart from
the competition takes skill
and a lot of determination–but it also
takes a fine set of clothes.
The Gary Waters team knows
all about how to dress for success.
They’ve been providing Niagara with
premium men’s business and leisure
wear for nearly 50 years.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re
sixteen or sixty,” says Paul DiFelice, coowner of Gary Waters with his brother
Patrick. “Everybody wants to look good
and be successful—and the way you
dress is one of the most important
ways you can impress people.”
Located at the Pen Centre in St.
Catharines, Gary Waters offers a
wide range of quality menswear from
business attire to casual wear and
accessories, showcasing such premier brand names as Zegna, Canali,
Coppley, Eton, Jack Victor, Lacoste,
Bugatti and Hugo Boss. They even
provide corporate clothing and acces-
sories including special custom items
for employee recognition events.
But Gar y Waters is about more
than just outstanding selection and
exceptional quality—it’s also about
convenience. With their in-store
tailoring ser vice, their team can
alter garments on the spot to make
sure they provide you with just the
right fit and style. If a customer is
looking for a one-of-a-kind outfit, Gar y
Waters can even create custom-made
garments—creating just the right
pattern, fabric and drape to suit their
customer’s needs.
If you don’t have time to pick out
the proper wardrobe, the Gary Waters
team is always ready to help. Their
staff can pick out select garments
or complete ensembles based on
your exact specifications and have it
ready when you arrive. Gary Waters’
wardrobe consultants can even come
right to your home to help you better
coordinate your wardrobe—or suggest
possible alterations.
Gary Waters has a long history
of success in the fine menswear
business. One of the oldest men’s
clothing stores in the Niagara Region,
Gary Waters Limited was established
by Gary Waters back in 1960. Over
the years, the store was remodeled
and renovated several times as it
grew from a modest 3,200 square
feet unit to today’s expansive 6,500
square feet layout. Gary Waters sold
the entire operation to his longtime
employees Paul and Patrick in 2004.
Finding the perfect ensemble may
look like a difficult task. But at Gary
Waters, dressing for success has
never been easier.
“Just talk to one of our personal
stylists,” Paul says, “You’ll be surprised
how simple and affordable it can be.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
16
YEAR FOUNDED
1960
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.garywaters.ca
PHONE
905.688.2233
ADDRESS
Pen Centre
St. Catharines, ON.
15
16
Left to right: Sue Andres, Scott Andres, and Dave Gossen.
Alexander Awnings
Custom-designed shade solutions for the home and office.
If you want to be cool as a
cucumber over those hot summer months, it’s time to place
a call to the dedicated shade experts
at Alexander Awnings.
Located on 483 Eastchester
Avenue East, St. Catharines, Alexander
Awnings is a full service manufacturing
company specializing in the design and
installation of custom made awning
products.
The Alexander Awnings team
offers a wide variety of items including entrance and walkway canopies,
stationary patio deck awnings, roll
down/up curtains, traditional and fixed
frame window awnings, three season
sunrooms, retractable patio deck
and window awnings, and phantom
screens.
“Our strength is our creativity,”
explains Dave Gossen, Sales Estimator at Alexander Awnings. “Awnings
are the perfect addition to any home
but we also have the ability to create
any custom project whether it’s a patio
awning or privacy curtain.”
In order to demonstrate their broad
selection, Alexander Awnings has an
expansive showroom as well as an
on-site welding shop, a spray booth,
and a cutting and sewing department
so their team can have complete
quality control over the manufacturing process. For their customers’
convenience, Alexander Awnings also
offers free estimates and in-home
consultations.
Alexander Awnings has been
serving Niagara’s awning needs since
1950. The Andres family acquired
Alexander Awnings in the early 1980s
and the company is now operated by
Scott Andre.
It’s easy to see why Alexander Awnings has become so successful over
the years. Awnings can provide several
advantages to homeowners. Not only
do they protect home furnishings from
premature fading, they can provide
greater living spaces over patios and
verandahs. With people’s increasing
focus on “going green,” awnings are
also a simple and cost-effective way to
conserve energy—shading doors and
windows and dramatically reducing the
need for air conditioning.
Homeowners aren’t the only ones
taking advantage of awnings. Dozens
of businesses and tourist operations
across Niagara such as the Riverbend
Inn and Vineyard, the Niagara-on-theLake Golf Club, Casino Niagara and the
Niagara Fallsview Casino & Resort have
turned to Alexander Awnings for all their
shade solutions. Alexander Awnings
has also been active in the local community—donating specialty awnings for
projects like the Wellness Garden at St.
Catharines’ Shaver Hospital.
At Alexander Awnings, it’s about
more than just offering high quality
products at affordable prices. It’s
about finding the best solution for the
customer’s particular need.
“It doesn’t matter if you need
awnings for your home or office,” says
Dave. “Our expert staff can create
something that’s both attractive and
functional and help solve all your sun
and rain exposure problems.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
10
YEAR FOUNDED
1950
WEBSITE
www.alexanderawnings.com
PHONE
905.984.6884
Toll Free: 1.888.255.5560
ADDRESS
483 Eastchester Ave. E.
St Catharines, ON. L2M 6S2
Left to right: Tom Delibassis - CTO, Andrew White - President & CEO.
Strategy9
Marketing intelligence for marketers.
If you’re wondering how you can
acquire new customers and
still improve the loyalty of your
existing client base, Strategy9 has the
answer—customer marketing systems.
Based out of St. Catharines,
Strategy9 is a leading provider of datadriven, web-based marketing, email,
customer relationship management
and database solutions. Serving small
and medium enterprises as well as
Fortune 500 companies across North
America, Strategy9 provides a wide
range of marketing solutions including
everything from email campaigns,
surveys and contests to on-line sales,
promotions and loyalty programs to
wireless ticketing and slot tournament
automation.
After holding senior marketing
and IT positions with several leading
financial and government firms,
President & CEO Andrew White
decided to launch Strategy9 in 1999
in order to give marketers more
effective, measurable systems and
make their marketing easier.
“At the time, I noticed that the
marketing software out there wasn’t
doing enough to help marketers
understand their customer databases—
particularly those without programming
experience,” he says. “It also didn’t help
companies that wanted to communicate
easily with their customers.”
In order to tackle this challenge,
Strategy9 began introducing their
IQ-Series of on-line marketing tools
in 2001. This suite of leading
edge marketing solutions includes
everything from ContestIQ (a fully
integrated contest system for
collecting and analyzing customer
information) to SurveyIQ (a complete
set of research tools for conducting
online research). All of Strategy9’s
products are rigorously tested, making
them powerful and effective tools for
today’s marketers.
And Strategy9’s business plan has
certainly paid dividends. To date, their
state-of-the-art marketing solutions
have been adopted by a wide array
of leading firms including TD Canada
Trust, Ontario Lottery & Gaming, CIBC,
The Beer Store and Union Energy.
“We’re currently marketing our Slot
Tournament Management System to
global casinos and will be installing it
in several Las Vegas Strip locations,”
Andrew says of their current projects.
“We’ve also made enhancements
to our mass email delivery system
EmailIQ which allows us to send out
millions of emails a day with detailed
reporting and click tracking analysis.”
To Andrew, their success is built
on a simple philosophy. Software
should be user friendly, easy to
implement and more importantly,
inexpensive to maintain.
“Strategy9’s solutions are webbased and created on the Microsoft
development platform so they are
easily accessible and well supported,”
he explains. “By using our technology,
companies can acquire new
customers, lower customer attrition
and increase their overall loyalty—
and in a way that’s both easy and
affordable.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
10
YEAR FOUNDED
1999
WEBSITE
www.strategy9.com
PHONE
905.988.3999
888.846.5551
ADDRESS
101 Eastchester Ave.
St. Catharines, ON. L2P 2Y9
17
18
Brad Murphy
Award-winning creative that always gets results.
Professional quality, compelling energy, an edgy creative
style—they’re all hallmarks
of the creative team at Ridgeway’s
Pacific Productions International.
Since 1992, they’ve been providing
their clientele with powerful marketing tools that always get noticed in
the marketplace.
“We take a real design/build
approach with our film projects,”
explains Bradley R. Murphy, president, producer and director of Pacific
Productions International. “We always
try to work closely with our clientele
and make sure we design a creative
approach that works best for them.”
is a full service multi-media marketing and production company. Serving
clients across Canada and throughout
western New York, their firm specializes
in motion picture design delivered as
corporate marketing and training DVDs
and/or webcasts as well as multi-media production and web design.
Whether it’s radio jingles, television
commercials or fully interactive websites, Pacific Production International’s
cast of creative associates has been
developing award-winning promotional,
information and instructional campaigns for nearly twenty years now.
Bradley originally launched Pacific
Productions International after a successful career as a music producer
and studio engineer. In fact, his
company’s background in recording
and audio production is one of the
things that’s really fuelled their success and set them apart from their
competition
“We started out very grassroots,”
Brad says of their origins, “But today,
we have a large network of film industry contractors and associates from
Vancouver to Halifax that’s comparable to many of the larger production
companies in Toronto.”
Their creative team has developed
film projects for a vast range of clients—whether it’s Tourism Niagara,
Grant Thornton Inc., the Canadian
Red Cross, Sherwin Williams or the
Province of Ontario. Recently, their
team completed a promotional DVD
for the Niagara Economic Development Corporation’s “Profit with
Ontario” marketing initiative to help
promote Ontario’s floriculture industry
in the U.S.
And Pacific Production International’s reputation for quality has
certainly turned heads in the industry.
Their firm has received a long list of
accolades over their histor y including recent honours at the 2008
Summit International Awards and
a 2006 Festivals & Events Ontario
Achievement Award for Best T.V.
Commercial they produced for Port
Colborne’s Canal Days.
At Pacific Productions International, being a boutique production house
means thinking big—with big results.
“Our work has the same punch
and realism of a feature film,” says
Bradley, “We can do special effects,
sound design…everything our counterparts can do—and more.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
5
YEAR FOUNDED
1992
WEBSITE
www.pacificproductions.ca
EMAIL
bmurphy@pacificproductions.ca
PHONE
905.894.6212
Toll Free 1.888.241.1137
ADDRESS
344 Ridge Rd.
Ridgeway, ON, L0S 1N0
From left to right: Scott Sunstrum, Barb Kolbuc, Jim Forbes, Crystal Johnston, Joey Hewitt, and Sky Rose.
Desks Plus Office Furniture
Ser ving Canada’s and the world’s office furniture needs since 1989.
Whether you need an entire
design built or just a used
filing cabinet, Desks Plus offers the best value—guaranteed. With
over 30 years in the office furniture
business, Jim Forbes, the president
of Desks Plus, has the experience to
help clients both big and small find
just what they need. He acknowledges
that customers often know what they
want for their office space, but aren’t
sure if their idea will actually work
within their environment.
“As professional office designers,
we help make our clients’ lives easier
by reducing the stress of implementing their concept,” Jim says. “Our
designer is able to take the dimensions of their office, create a floor
plan—often using 3-D images—and
show them examples of how their different furniture choices will look.”
The Desks Plus team has been
ser ving the office furniture needs of
Canadian and international businesses since 1989. From a single desk to
an entire call centre, Desks Plus is
able to create the most effective and
cost-efficient workplace solution possible, using ergonomic accessories
that are essential for a safe, healthy
working environment.
Desks Plus is also proud to boast
call centres in Nicaragua, Panama,
and Mexico for a number of major British and American corporations.
“To get the job done we bring in
our own factor y-trained assembly
COMPANY INFORMATION
“Our staff’s commitment to customer service has been paramount
to our success in a very competitive marketplace.”
that the vast majority of their products are made right here in Ontario
by suppliers using strict environmentally-conscious practices throughout
the manufacturing process. Working
with all these resources, Desk Plus is
fully-equipped to satisfy any office requirement—from small entrepreneurs
looking to establish a new business
to large corporations expanding their
office space.
Over the years, Jim Forbes has developed Desks Plus into a world-class
business specializing in the design
and set up of call centres. Desks Plus
can set up a centre complete and
ready-to-go—from beginning to end.
In 2007, Desks Plus outfitted several
crews that can work around the
clock,” Jim explains. “Our staff’s
commitment to customer ser vice has
been paramount to our success in a
ver y competitive marketplace.”
And with their ongoing success,
Desks Plus will be expanding their
own operation in 2008 with the construction of their new showroom and
corporate office on 131 Dieppe Road
in St. Catharines.
A people-oriented and driven
company, Desks Plus’ reputation
stands on providing the products and
ser vices that their clients need, want
and demand.
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
10
YEAR FOUNDED
1989
WEBSITE
www.desksplus.com
PHONE
905.641.4713
Toll Free: 1.800.667.2658
ADDRESS
485 Eastchester Ave. E.
St. Catharines, ON. L2M 6S2
19
20
Left to right: Standing: Trish Franklin, Elaine Gordon, Barbara Brown, Dan Charters, Jeff Reuter, Debbie Gowan, Teresa Liota, Teri Legros. Sitting (left): Judy Spencer;
(right): Dick Reilly.
Proudly continuing service in the Niagara Region for over 80 years.
When you’re looking for solid
advice and reliable insurance
products—all delivered at
the peak of service excellence—you
can trust the team at Reuter & Reilly
Insurance Brokers.
Proudly continuing service in the
Niagara Region for over 80 years,
is one of the area’s most respected
boutique insurance brokerage firms.
Their team provides an exceptional
range of insurance coverage including
commercial general liability and
professional liability insurance,
commercial property insurance, and
group disability and life insurance.
For your personal insurance needs,
Reuter & Reilly Insurance Brokers also
supplies everything from home and
auto insurance to recreational vehicle,
cottage and travel insurance coverage.
As an independent brokerage firm,
is able to offer a comprehensive
product selection, greater flexibility,
and a firm understanding of the local
economy. They also have a 24-hour
live answering service to handle
emergency insurance situations and
serve their clients even better.
According to Jeff Reuter, president
of Reuter & Reilly Insurance Brokers,
their team’s strong working knowledge
of the products they carry gives them
a real competitive advantage when
it comes to satisfying their clients’
requirements. They also provide their
clients with a wide choice of coverage
and insurers.
“Our brokers are all fully-licensed
professionals with decades of
experience in the industry,” he says,
“We always listen carefully to our
clients to make sure we match their
needs perfectly with the right carriers.”
The Reuter & Reilly team is just
as committed when it comes to
the needs of their community. Over
the years, they’ve sponsored and
actively participated in several local
charities and organizations including
the Welland Pelham Chamber of
Commerce, the YMCA, the Welland
Public Library, and various fundraising
events and children’s sports teams.
Originally founded in the 1920s,
the brokerage is now owned and
operated by Jeff Reuter. Although
it started out as a modest family
business, Reuter & Reilly Insurance
Brokers has thrived over the years,
growing into a successful boutique
brokerage.
And Jeff and his team of dedicated
insurance experts are proud to
continue the same tradition of service
excellence the Reuter & Reilly families
have nurtured for more than eight
decades.
“It’s our mission to provide
our clients with a broad choice of
insurance products and services
in a professional, knowledgeable
and friendly manner,” Jeff explains.
“We always work closely with them
to ensure they fully understand
their options and can make sound
insurance decisions. By treating our
clients as lifelong customers and
operating with a long term outlook on
things, we make them our number
one priority.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
11
YEAR FOUNDED
1920’s
WEBSITE
www.reuter.on.ca
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.732.2418
Toll Free 1.866.844.7144
ADDRESS
515 Niagara St. N. P.O. Box 460
Welland, ON. L3B 5R2
21
Gino Marchionda
Manor Cleaners
“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.”
It was Aristotle who said,
“Pleasure in the job puts
per fection in the work.” Fiftysix years after establishing Manor
Cleaners Ltd., Gino Marchionda still
takes pleasure in working every
day to produce per fection for his
customers. With his wife Leona at
his side managing production and
administration, Gino is pleased with
the way the business has developed
and grown over the years.
Gino is a certified Master Dry
Cleaner with top environmental
protection certification. One of the 10
biggest dry cleaners in the country,
Manor Cleaners has undergone
rigorous testing to become the
first cleaning service in Canada to
be recognized with the Award of
Excellence from the Clothing Care
Council in Washington, D.C.
“We had to successfully remove
the toughest stains from the mostdelicate fabrics,” explains Gino in a
recent interview. “It is a great honour
to be included with the best of the
best in dry cleaning services.”
Manor Cleaners offers nine retail
locations, numerous home/office
pickup and delivery routes, in-house
leather and drapery cleaning, 24-hour
drop boxes, and a mat and uniform
rental service. For busy people who
care about their clothes but have
little time to care for them, Manor
Cleaners offers pickup and delivery
services to its customers at no extra
cost. Mat rentals also constitute
a large part of Manor’s corporate
services. Logo mats are available,
consistent with customers’ corporate
branding. Mats are ideal for dust
and slush control, and safety. Manor
Cleaners cleans and replaces mats
on a bi-weekly basis.
A finalist for the 2006 Niagara
Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
and the St. Catharines Business
Achievement Awards, Gino
acknowledges that excellence is the
key word that touches everything his
team does. Manor’s fabricare centre
on Nihan Drive in St. Catharines
boasts 12,000 square feet of
the latest in dry and wet cleaning
technology. The only Sanitonelicensed dry cleaner in Niagara, Gino
uses crystal-clear solvent and his
cleaning methods are completely
environmentally friendly. With no
plans to retire or slow down, Gino is
a living testament to the statement:
“When love and skill work together,
expect a masterpiece.”
Manor Cleaners recently opened
a depot in Thorold’s Pine Street Plaza
and it’s already been flooded with
new customers.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
55
YEAR FOUNDED
1952
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.manorcleaners.com
PHONE
905.934.8484
Toll Free 1.800.263.1494
ADDRESS
23 Nihan Dr., Unit 2
St. Catharines, ON, L2N 1L2
22
Mike Petrus & Team of Mr. Furnace/Huero Commercial HVACR.
Mr. Furnace / Huero Commercial HVACR
“We want to help our commercial customers save money and stop
overspending on their utility bills…”
For over 25 years, Mr. Furnace / Huero Commercial
HVACR has been proudly
serving the Hamilton, Burlington
and Niagara Regions in all aspects
of the mechanical field.
With over 200 years of combined experience in the industry,
the Mr. Furnace / Huero team
specializes in refrigeration, cold
storage, air conditioning, fire tube
and water tube boilers as well as
energy management and conservation systems. They’re also dedicated experts when it comes to
hot water, forced air, gas, propane
and electric heating projects.
Heating and air conditioning
equipment is vital to the success of any business. That’s why
the Mr. Furnace / Huero team
always makes it a point to keep
client downtime to a minimum.
Their highly-skilled technicians
are always ready to help offering 24-hour Emergency Service
seven days a week. When the Mr.
Furnace / Huero team takes on a
project, they also provide preventative maintenance, keeping in touch
with customers to ensure their
equipment continues to run at
peak performance for as long as
possible.
In order to help their clients “go
green,” Mr. Furnace / Huero Commercial HVACR can also convert
businesses over to more energy
efficient products.
“We want to help our commercial customers save money
and stop overspending on their
utility bills,” explains Mike Petrus,
General Manager of Mr. Furnace
/ Huero Commercial HVACR, “We
always show them how they can
make dramatic savings on their
energy costs—and the money they
save can help them finance new
equipment.”
Mr. Furnace and Huero have
been familiar names in the Niagara
area since the 1980s. When the
two companies merged in 2003,
they formed two distinct divisions—residential and commercial
/ industrial—to help serve their clients even better. The Mr. Furnace
/ Huero Commercial division has
been in operation since May 2004,
servicing all types of commercial
jobs—from high rise apartments to
heating plants.
According to Mike, the key to
their company’s success is “our
people.”
“We do what we can to fit the
requirements of each customer,
evaluating the needs and providing the best options in each
case,” he says.
Whether it’s their firm belief in
continuous training or exceptional
customer service, the professionals at Mr. Furnace / Huero Commercial HVACR have the skill and
the know-how to get the job done.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
13
YEAR FOUNDED
1983
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.mrfurnacehuero.com
PHONE
905.357.0919
Toll Free: 1.800.321.4011
ADDRESS
8375 Lundy’s Lane, PO. Box 26025
Niagara Falls, ON. L2G 7X2
23
Reni de Verteuil—President of Henley Honda, in front of her new dealership on Lake St. in St. Catharines.
Henley Honda
Think Honda…think Henley Honda!
Henley Honda is the
largest by volume and
most established Honda
automobile dealership in the
Niagara Region, faithfully ser ving
the community with automotive
sales, ser vice and leasing for over
35 years with Honda vehicles and
over 45 years with quality pre-owned
vehicles. Henley Motors has three
St. Catharines locations to ser ve
you better—the all NEW Henley
Honda at 308 Lake Street, Henley
Honda Resale Centre at 375 Lake
Street, and Skyway Fine Cars at 135
Dieppe Road.
Here we grow again! The new
home of Henley Honda is a state-ofthe-art facility featuring a seven car
showroom to showcase the awardwinning, outstanding Honda line-up
(including the Honda Civic—Canada’s
#1 selling vehicle for the past
decade) as well as drive-in ser vice
comfort and Express Ser vice.
Henley Honda delivers an
automotive experience with integrity
that makes customers want to do
business with us.
“We are dedicated to providing our
customers with an enjoyable vehicle
ownership experience,” explains Reni
de Verteuil, President and Dealer
Principal of Henley Honda. “It’s all
about the customer experience. With
our passion for friendly, enthusiastic,
superior service, we’re committed to
making you a long-lasting customer
and friend.”
Henley Honda has developed
a deep bond with the Niagara
community over the years. Henley
originally obtained the Honda
franchise in 1972, becoming the
first Honda dealership in Niagara
and one of the first in Canada.
The business was subsequently
purchased by the de Ver teuil
family in 2003. Since that time
much attention has been focused
on Henley Honda’s profile and
commitment to the community.
Henley Honda is proud to be
the official automotive sponsor for
Brock Athletics, having committed
$100,000 which the Brock
University Athletics Depar tment is
utilizing for athletic scholarships.
The annual Henley Honda Car
Rally has raised over $10,000
in donations for Gillian’s Place
(formerly Women’s Place) from the
past two rallies. (Get your engines
ready…this year’s rally is set for
Sunday, October 5, 2008.) Henley
Honda is also involved in a number
of other local charities including
Hospice Niagara, Community Care,
and several local hockey, softball
and soccer teams.
“We are most appreciative of
the suppor t and confidence our
customers display in us,” says
Reni, “So we believe it is our civic
responsibility here at Henley to
contribute back to our community.”
With its award-winning vehicles,
over 50 dedicated employees and an
extensive list of satisfied customers,
Henley Honda is firmly on the road
to continued growth and success!
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
50
YEAR FOUNDED
1972
WEBSITE
www.henleyhonda.ca
PHONE
905.934.3379
ADDRESS
308 Lake St.
St. Catharines, ON. L2N 4H3
24
Photography with Grace
Portraiture and commercial photography.
Grace Wileichuk-Smith’s
motto is simple: “If you
have it, give it—if you know
it, teach it.” As the sole owner and
operator of Photography with Grace,
she lives that philosophy every
day, bringing more than 27 years
of experience and dedication as a
professional photographer to each
photo assignment.
“I love the art of photography,”
Grace explains. “It’s so gratifying
to be able to create memories for
people through pictures.”
Grace’s career started modestly enough. After graduating
from the photography program at
Sheridan College with honours in
1980, Grace worked for over twenty
years as a senior photographer at
a local photography studio, honing
her skills on thousands of photo
shoots. Looking for a greater challenge, she decided to move out on
her own in 1999 to launch Photography with Grace. She recently
relocated her home studio to a
picturesque setting in the historic
Welland Mills in Thorold—a location
she’d admired every since she was
a little girl.
Although portraiture is her
specialty, Grace has done extensive
commercial work for a long list of
companies and non-profit organizations over the years including
John Deere, TD Bank, ATI and the
Niagara Wine Festival. Her commercial assignments often take her
outside the Niagara Region, and it’s
not uncommon to find Grace traveling across the U.S. and Canada
to shoot agricultural and forestry
machinery. Her work has appeared
in dozens of promotional materials
nationwide, and she also keeps
active with dozens of weddings and
corporate events year round.
Grace is always a firm believer
in giving back to her community.
She’s enthusiastically involved
with Dreams Take Flight—a charity
that gives children with terminal
illnesses the opportunity to visit
Disneyland. Each year, Grace volunteers her time to photograph them
on their one day trip to Florida,
snapping pictures of them enjoying
the park. After their special day,
Grace offers each child a special
group photograph to commemorate
the occasion.
Photography with Grace is all
about one person with immense
talent and drive, making a living
from her art. It’s a one-on-one
business where Grace does all
the consultation, photography and
correspondence herself. But the
workload never fazes her. She’s just
feels blessed to be able to do a job
she loves.
“In my 27 years in the industry,
I’ve never ceased to be fascinated
by people,” she says. “I love being
able to capture their personality and
character. To me, this is more than
a living—it’s a passion.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
1
YEAR FOUNDED
1999
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.photographywithgrace.com
PHONE
905.327.0709
ADDRESS
20 Pine St. N. Unit B
Thorold, ON
25
From left to right: Front row: Clara Fisher, Larisa Carver, Carrie Marino, Arran Fraser, Carla Allen, Michael Jackson, Paul Magowan, Matt Watson, Brenda Carbert.
Middle row: Judy Reid, Jo-Anne Giroux, Linda Kellar, Kathy Felice, Candice Brown, Karen Schmidt, Pauline Carroll, Michelle Thacker, Renee Rocheleau, Nancy Torretto,
Janice Wilson, Sandy Jones. Back row: Connie Shoalts, Louise Gazzola, Cindy Crawford, Pat Christmas, Kerri Dingwall, Angela Martinez, Ted Palmer, Wayne Liebau,
Sue Vlaar, Beth Barnfield, Rajko Platisa, Lynne Rabak, Chantel LePage, Natalie Hardman.
Business Education Council of Niagara
“…a commitment to growing and retaining Niagara’s talent pool…”
The recognized leader in developing and creating innovative
Business-Education-Community partnerships and programs, with a
commitment to growing and retaining
Niagara’s talent pool, the Business
Education Council (BEC) envisions a
Niagara where everyone has access
to opportunities for rewarding careers,
lifelong learning and skills development
and an enriched quality of life. For over
20 years, BEC has worked with business,
education, government and the community to enhance these opportunities by
fostering, developing and implementing
creative strategies.
The people development continuum
spans from early years to adulthood. Ted
Palmer, Executive Director of the BEC
says, “Good people development begins
with leaders providing growth opportunities for kids aged 0-6. BEC provides the
infrastructure and administrative function
for Early Years Niagara. The 30 partners
in this initiative are working together to
ensure the optimal development of all
children in Niagara. The Council firmly
believes that enhancing the opportunities for personal growth has to occur
at all levels of the people development
continuum, 0-6, school years and entry
and re-entry to the workforce.”
School to Work transition programs
of the DSBN and NCDSB are enhanced
through career fairs, parent/student/
teacher conferences, the website www.
apprenticesearch.com and a speaker
bureau with over 300 members from
the business community who volunteer
their time to share their expertise with
students. The BEC publishes Pursuits
Magazine, which educates students
about job preparedness, employment
options, choices for post-secondary
education, and more.
The Council also offers a full menu
of Employment Ontario funded programs
to unemployed residents of Niagara
to help them re-enter the workforce.
Offered in resource centres in St.
Catharines and Niagara Falls, the Career
Planning Service, Job Finder’s Club,
Niagara Employment News and Wage
Assistance programs.
The BEC provides the management
structure for the development and on-going operation of the www.YourNiagara.ca
resident portal on behalf of 20 municipal
and educational partners. Ted says, “We
are proud to be the managing administrative partner of this group. This project
demonstrates our strength when building
strategic alliances.”
All BEC programs are staffed by an exceptional team that is the heart and soul
of the organization.
“We want to ensure that all people
...stay in the region.”
“We want to ensure that all people
are productive, earning a sustainable
wage, thereby supporting economic
development,” says Ted. “This makes
it more inviting for businesses to
locate here and for grads to stay in
the region.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
45
YEAR FOUNDED
1987
WEBSITE
www.becon.org
PHONE
905. 684.7200
ADDRESS
3340 Schmon Parkway, Unit 2
Thorold, ON, L2V 4Y6
26
PrimeTime Living’s ownership and management team—Bruce Elmore, Judy Freeman and John Hitchock—at the launch of The Heatherwood.
PrimeTime Living
Experience a world of possibilities.
When you’re in the
business of helping seniors
lead more comfortable lives
like the team at PrimeTime Living,
there’s no better job in the world.
Established in 2007, PrimeTime
Living is a dedicated and
compassionate company, providing
residences and related services to
seniors across Canada. Their team
of highly–trained and experienced
staff understands the needs of
seniors and is hand–picked to
ensure their residents are always
treated with comfort and respect.
“We’re committed to making
sure our customers experience the
best lifestyle in their retirement—
and it shows,” explains Judy
Freeman of PrimeTime Living, “Our
occupancy rates are one of the
highest in the industry.”
PrimeTime Living was formed
through a strategic partnership
between Brujjon Real Estate
Holdings Inc. and KingSett Capital
Partners. KingSett is in the private
equity, pension and investment
business and works with companies
staff are passionate about making
their residents’ retirement years the
very best possible.
“Many seniors housing
companies don’t put a great deal
of care into the finish or design of
“At PrimeTime Living, we care about what we’re doing—and you
can see it in every detail of our residences. From our furnishings,
right down to our support staff and programming.”
to source, capitalize and manage
investment opportunities while
Brujjon has been in the Canadian
seniors housing business for over
30 years. Judy, Bruce Elmore and
John Hitchcock are the managing
partners of PrimeTime Living.
With their extensive history
in finance and commercial real
estate, PrimeTime Living has quickly
become a leader in the Canadian
seniors housing industry. All of their
their rental facilities,” Judy says,
“At PrimeTime Living, we care
about what we’re doing—and you
can see it in every detail of our
residences. From our furnishings,
right down to our support staff and
programming.”
PrimeTime Living owns and
operates over twelve seniors
residences across Canada including
prestige facilities in several Ontario
and British Columbia communities
like Ottawa, St. Jacobs, Vernon,
Kamloops and White Rock. By
acquiring seniors properties and
revitalizing them from the ground
up, PrimeTime Living is infusing their
facilities with new life and passing
that same excitement and passion
on to the residents who live there.
Over the past year, the
PrimeTime Living team has gone
to great lengths to build a strong
presence in the Niagara Region
and are the proud managers of
St. Catharines Place Retirement
Residence—the first facility in
the PrimeTime Living franchise.
Located on 113 Scott Street,
this private 87–unit assisted
living facility offers a full range
of wellness services including
nursing care, meals, medication
administration, attendant care and
daily housekeeping.
Like all of PrimeTime Living’s
properties, St. Catharines Place
makes every effort to provide their
residents with activities that are
enjoyable, inspiring and suitable for
their every need. Their wide range
of programs and special events
include everything from shopping
excursions and fashion shows to
movie nights and dinner theatre to
spa days and manicures to cooking
and baking clubs.
With their commitment to
quality and world–class amenities,
PrimeTime Living has become an
incredible success. For instance, St.
Catharines Place currently boasts
a 100% occupancy rate and has a
long waiting list of applicants looking
to take advantage of its services.
In fact, with the aging of the baby–
boomer generation and the growing
needs of Canada’s senior population,
PrimeTime Living is rapidly expanding
their franchise to meet the increasing
demand for its services.
In June 2008, they marked
the grand opening of the latest
addition to the PrimeTime Living
The Heatherwood’s layout also
features several gas fireplaces and
abundant natural lighting that help
create a comfortable and inviting
atmosphere in which to live.
It’s little touches like these that
“That’s why we’re so passionate about what we’re doing here at PrimeTime Living. Our residents are always delighted with our properties—
and that’s our biggest reward.”
chain—a brand new 80–unit
independent living facility called The
Heatherwood. Located adjacent
to St. Catharines Place, this new
$24-million, state–of–the–art
retirement complex provides mature
adults with one and two bedroom
suites and a continuous level of
care and freedom. Their amenities
range from an exercise room and a
billiards lounge to a fine dining room
and an expansive movie theatre.
make PrimeTime Living a big winner
with their customers both across
Niagara and across the nation.
“We believe everyone should
have the opportunity and support
to live their lives to the fullest,”
Judy says. “That’s why we’re so
passionate about what we’re doing
here at PrimeTime Living. Our
residents are always delighted with
our properties—and that’s our
biggest reward.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
300
YEAR FOUNDED
2007
WEBSITE
www.primetimeliving.ca
PHONE
905.336.8559
Toll Free 1.866.267.2737
ADDRESS
St. Catharines Place
113 Scott St., St. Catharines
ON L2N 7L2
The Heatherwood
115 Scott St., St. Catharines
ON L2N 7L2
27
28
Chris Shirchenko—Owner & proprietor of Greenscapes Irrigation and Landscape Lighting.
Greenscapes Irrigation and Landscape Lighting
Quality service and expertise in the irrigation industry.
In this day and age, choosing
the right irrigation system
for your yard or property can
be a challenging decision. There are
several factors to consider such as
irrigation placement, affordability and
water efficiency, but you can solve
all these issues and more with the
help of Greenscapes Irrigation and
Landscape Lighting.
“Over-watering is a major
concern these days,” says Chris
Shirchenko, the owner and proprietor
of Greenscapes Irrigation, “People
have been looking for ways to have a
healthier lawn and still reduce their
water usage—but the technology
just hasn’t been available to them. I
developed Greenscapes to help my
clients address these challenges.”
With a Greenscapes Irrigation
system, customers can now achieve
a much denser, greener lawn while
reducing costs and maximizing
efficiency of water consumption. Chris
and his team also design and install
a wide variety of custom outdoor
landscape lighting solutions as a part
of their service.
By utilizing the industry’s
most advanced products and
certifications, Chris ensures all
system installations are made to last
and require minimal maintenance to
keep landscapes looking beautiful.
Recently, Greenscapes teamed
up with Rainbird—an international
manufacturer of innovative irrigation
products based out of Tuscon,
Arizona—to become a Select
Contractor. As a Select Contractor
Greenscapes is required to uphold a
strict code of ethics to ensure every
installation is completed thoroughly
and professionally.
“A sprinkler system is the
most efficient way to water your
landscape without lifting a finger,”
Chris explains, “It’s also the perfect
way to increase the value of your
home or property.”
Chris founded Greenscapes eight
years ago—but in many ways, he was
born into the irrigation business. In
1976, Chris’ father founded Durham
Lawn Sprinklers which became the
foundation for Chris’ expertise in the
irrigation industry.
Providing optimal service and
complete customer satisfaction
is Greenscapes top priority. This
has contributed to the significant
growth in business over the past few
years based on their commitment
to excellence. Greenscapes has
had the privilege of working with
numerous prestigious landscape
contractors and home builders in the
Niagara Region.
Greenscapes designs and installs
irrigation systems that minimize
water consumption by the use of
specific products that guarantee a
healthier greener landscape. Call the
Greenscapes team today.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
8
YEAR FOUNDED
2000
PHONE
905.938.9145
ADDRESS
24 Baraniuk St.
St. Catharines, ON.
29
Left to right: Hannah Goodhand, Sami El-Farram, Dana Staff, John Coholan, Shelly Demoe and Frank DelPriore. Absent: Linda Leslie, Marlene Ouwendyk and Andrew Person.
Total Mortgage Source 360
Truly your means to all mortgages.
Trying to find that perfect
mortgage can be quite a
challenge. There’s dozens
of options out there to choose
from—everything from open
mortgages to variable mortgages
rates—not to mention all the time
and legwork involved. Luckily the
team at Total Mortgage Source
360 is ready to help you make your
homebuying dreams easier.
Sami El-Farram recently opened
Total Mortgage Source 360 with
co-owner Frank Del Priore in
February 2008—and their team of
seven mortgage consultants brings
decades of experience in Niagara’s
real estate and financial services
industry to the table.
Serving Niagara and Southern
Ontario, Total Mortgage Source 360
is an independent mortgage brokerage located at 5 St. Paul Crescent
in St. Catharines. Their consultants
offer several benefits to homebuyers including free, no-obligation
professional advice about mortgage
products, personalized one-on-one
service, and a single point of contact
for all mortgage inquiries. Their
company also provides mortgage
loan insurance through the Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation as well as Genworth Financial
Canada.
“We offer the professionalism
of a bank and the flexibility of a broker,” explains Sami, Senior Consultant at Total Mortgage Source 360.
“When you’re dealing with a bank,
they offer only one set of rates—and
they may not be the best for you. But
with Total Mortgage Source 360, we
shop your mortgage around to find
you the best rates on the market.
And all our rates are automatically
discounted so you never have to
haggle over the price.”
With Total Mortgage Source
360, their specialists are available
whenever it’s convenient for their
customers including early mornings,
evenings and weekends—and they
also have a 24-hour turn around
time with most mortgages.
“We’re available 24/7,” Sami
says, “So we can meet our customers either at our office or come right
to their door—whatever works best
for them.”
“In contrary to public beliefs, we
are not the alternative to banks,”
Frank says, “We are, however, the
primary means to all mortgages.
We are competitive on all fronts especially regarding multi-residential,
commercial, industrial and private
mortgages.”
With a wide selection of over 30
lenders and affordable pricing, Total
Mortgage Source 360 has become
a burgeoning success and continues to make their customers’ lives
easier—one of their number one
priorities.
“Our role is to search the market for a mortgage that’s perfectly
suited to their financial needs,”
says Sami, “We want to take all
the hassle out of the mortgage
process. That’s why we’re here.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
9
YEAR FOUNDED
2008
WEBSITE
www.tms360.ca
PHONE
905.646.9347
ADDRESS
5 St Paul Cres., Unit 3
St Catharines, ON. L2R 3P6
30
Left to right: Aurora Posteraro and Dom Posteraro.
Imperial Cleaners & Tailors
The natural choice for Niagara’s dry cleaning needs.
When you’ve been a
successful dry cleaning
operation for over 40 years
like Imperial Cleaners & Tailors,
constant improvement isn’t just
important—it’s a must.
“We’re committed to making
our customers’ garments look
their best,” says Dom Posteraro,
president and co-owner of Imperial
Cleaners & Tailors, “That’s why we
always strive to invest in the latest
technologies and use the finest
solvents and cleaning solutions
available.”
Located on 3489 Portage Road
in Niagara Falls, their company
provides a complete dry cleaning
and laundry service including free
local collection and delivery service
for their clients’ convenience.
Their team offers several specialty
services such as wedding dress
and curtain cleaning, hand-finished
laundry servicing as well as
cleaning for leather and suede
items. Their custom tailors also
provide on-site repairs, alterations
and fittings.
One of Imperial Cleaners &
Tailors’ most popular offerings
is their corporate dry cleaning
service for Niagara employers.
Once companies arrange for this
service, their employees simply
leave their clothes in the company’s
designated drop off area. Imperial
Cleaners & Tailors then pick up
the cleaning on site and return
the orders at their next scheduled
delivery time.
“We currently serve a number
of adult lifestyle communities and
major hotels in Niagara Falls,” Dom
says, “It’s a very attractive service
for companies because it allows
them to offer their employees
a simple, convenient cleaning
service at no additional cost to
themselves.”
Many companies claim to be
the dry cleaning experts—but
Imperial Cleaners & Tailors prides
themselves on always doing that
little bit extra for their customers.
“It’s always important to
protect your clothing—and using a
specialist ensures that your clothes
receive the best possible care,”
Dom explains. “Some cleaners
may cut costs by using outdated
machinery or cheaper soaps. We
don’t compromise on quality.”
Imperial Cleaners & Tailors is no
stranger to the Niagara Falls’ dry
cleaning industry. Established in
1965, Imperial Cleaners & Tailors
is now run by Dom and his sister
Aurora. Their dedicated team of
cleaning professionals has over
100 years in the dry cleaning
industry, offering the latest in
customer service excellence.
And it’s that same commitment
and attention to quality that makes
Imperial Cleaners & Tailors the
natural choice for all Niagara’s dry
cleaning needs.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
11
YEAR FOUNDED
1965
WEBSITE
www.imperialcleaners.ca
PHONE
905.356.0736
ADDRESS
3489 Portage Rd.
Niagara Falls, ON. L2J 2L1
31
Gary Ulias, Vice President and General Manager of Calamar Construction Canada Corp.
Calamar Construction Canada Corp.
Specializing in design-build and construction management services.
Calamar Construction Canada
Corp is a progressive,
industrial, commercial and
institutional general contractor
specializing in design-build and
construction management services.
A vertically integrated organization,
Calamar Canada offers services
ranging from site selection, municipal
approvals, financing, design and
construction. Currently, construction
is underway on the second of eight
Concrete Tilt Up office buildings which
are available for lease, in Niagara-onthe-Lake in their newly developed, 23acre, Class A prestige business park
called The Compass Centre.
Calamar Canada has an exclusive
licensing agreement with CON/STEEL,
an engineering firm that specializes in
site cast concrete tilt-up wall systems.
This enables Calamar Canada to be
the sole contractor of the CON/STEEL
concrete tilt up wall system in Southern
Ontario. This particular method of
sustainable construction is extremely
popular and proven throughout the
United States and Western Canada,
but is relatively new to Southern
Ontario. “We have completed very
successful projects from Bowmanville,
NOTL, Kitchener, St. Catharines to
Milton in 2007 says Ulias and I intend to
aggressively expand the Calamar Canada
territory in 2008. Our best prospects for
Design/Build of our Tilt-Up technology,
are those that recognize the cost of
occupancy and not just the cost of
construction”.
We also have some very exciting
news in that as of March 31, 2008
we changed our name from Draftcon
Calamar to Calamar Construction
Canada Corp. By changing our name,
it will allow us to gain synergies with
our U.S. partner Calamar and promote
our visibility and name recognition
nationally, which will ultimately benefit
our customers, clients and tenants.
We now have offices in Niagara
on the Lake, Stoney Creek, Toronto,
Wheatfield, NY and Omaha, NE. Calamar
will continue to bring the latest in
construction innovation and technology
to our customers construction and
development projects.
Part of Calamar Canada’s success
has come in the form of four particular
awards in 2007. The Ready Mix
Association of Ontario Award, The
Tilt-Up Concrete Association of North
America Award, the CON/STEEL
Alliance International Award and the
Buffalo based Brick by Brick Award
for creativity in Architecture. “I am
delighted to be recognized with these
awards and accolades, “says Ulias,
“but our customers testimonials
expressing their absolute satisfaction
is truly rewarding and gratifying.”
While Calamar Canada specializes
in the innovative Concrete Tilt Up
technology, it is however, only one
of the many building solutions this
leading general contractor offers.
They also provide building systems
in conventional construction and preengineered metal, as well as expansion
and renovation services, but specialize
in Green Building, LEED certified,
energy efficient insulated concrete
buildings. Both large and small users
benefit from the uncompromising
commitment and dedication to quality,
value and customer service conveyed
on each and every project. Calamar
Canada truly adds value through
creative solutions.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
32
YEAR FOUNDED
1986
WEBSITE
www.calamar.com
PHONE
905.643.8191
Toll Free 1.866.476.6661
ADDRESS
430 McNeilly Rd., Suite 7
Stoney Creek, ON, L8E 5E3
32
Steve Gilliam
Creative Signworks of Niagara
Niagara’s first choice for sign-making excellence.
Creative Signworks gets
noticed by thousands of
Niagara residents every
day—and that’s just the way they like
it. Their company has installed literally
dozens of high profile signs across
the Niagara Peninsula. And for Steve
Gilliam, the president and owner of
Creative Signworks of Niagara Inc.,
it’s a true sign of their success.
“Over the years, we’ve developed
from a mom and pop sign shop
into one of Niagara’s leading sign
manufacturing firms,” he explains,
“We’re extremely proud of our work
and our ability to exceed our clients’
expectations.”
Steve’s team of designers,
production and installation experts
manages ever ything in-house—from
simple logo designs to structural
layouts, welding, sandblasting and
spray painting. Creative Signworks
also has a distinct advantage over
other sign companies—the ability
to offer traditional hand-painted,
23 karat gold-leafed sign-making
techniques as well as modern
computer-design work and large
format digitally printed graphics.
“In the race to move for ward,
ever yone’s going digital and handcrafted signs are being forgotten,”
Steve says of the industr y. “There’s
only a couple of places left in all
Niagara that are still doing creative
three-dimensional routered and
sandblasted signs—so that makes
us uniquely qualified in the signmaking business.”
In the past several years, their
firm has continued growing and
expanding their business. For
example, in December 2007 Creative
Signworks moved their entire
operations from their previous 4,000
square foot unit to a more extensive,
state-of-the-art location on 42 Clark
Street, Welland.
Creative Signworks’ new
10,000 square feet manufacturing
facility allows plenty of room to
accommodate the increased demands
of their client work. Their expanded
space also gives their team several
benefits including the ability to
manage all their work in-house,
reduce waste during production, and
control the cost and quality of each
job from start to finish.
“In the sign manufacturing
industr y, it’s ver y important to have
a clean working environment so dust
and dirt doesn’t get embedded in the
sign when it’s assembled,” Steve
says, “Our new facility is remarkably
clean and lean—so the quality of our
work is now even more professional.”
Creative Signworks’ belief in
delivering exceptional quality and
always doing that little bit extra for
their clients is reflected in their firm’s
motto: “At Creative Signworks…we
work for you.” That’s why the
Creative Signworks team has become
Niagara’s first choice for sign-making
excellence.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
7
YEAR FOUNDED
2000
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.creativesignworks.ca
PHONE
905.714.1963
ADDRESS
42 Clark St.,
Welland, ON, L3B 5W6
33
Left to right: Chris Chew, Christopher Graves and Mark Wiley.
Wiley Luxury Brand Auto Inc.
Worry-free luxury vehicle acquisition and service – all at an affordable price.
If you’re looking to purchase a
late model Mercedes-Benz SL
Roadster or a classic 1963
Bentley S3 Continental, you don’t
have to contact your financial advisor.
You just have to call Mark Wiley.
“Purchasing a luxury vehicle can
be a major investment,” says Mark,
president of Wiley Luxury Brand Auto
Inc., “I try to give my clients as much
vehicle for as little cost as possible.”
Located at 219 Merritt Street in
St. Catharines, Wiley Luxury Brand
Auto offers their clients the highest quality pre-owned luxury brand
vehicles available on today’s market.
Whether it’s late or classic models,
Mark sources vehicles from all over
North America.
At Wiley Luxury Brand Auto, Mark
and his team provide full disclosure
of a vehicle’s history as well as
a complete warranty and service
package. Mark also ensures that all
his vehicles are fully-inspected and
reconditioned. He can even place his
clients with one of several financial
institutions to make for easy financing
or leasing.
A lifelong Niagara native, Mark
has spent the past 23 years in the
automotive retail industry including 10
years in various senior sales management positions with both MercedesBenz and General Motors. During
his tenure with General Motors, he
experienced incredible success—ranking in the top 1% in auto sales right
across Canada.
Always looking to go that extra
mile for his clients, he decided to
launch his new business in 2008 to
address two key factors he noticed in
the auto retail industry.
With the recent parity of the U.S.
and Canadian dollars, Mark realized
many car buyers in Canada were
beginning to question the high costs
of luxury vehicles offered at the major
dealerships. A new luxury vehicle will
also depreciate an average of 45%
in its first three years (mostly in its
first year)—but will only lose 25% of
its value over the next three years. By
choosing a pre-owned luxury vehicle,
car buyers can realize a substantial
savings from an independent dealer
that would be much better spent on
a long term investment—or even
another luxury car.
To Mark, it’s all about looking after
his clients’ best interests and making
sure they make the best purchase
possible.
“Choice is the key,” he says. “I try
to steer them towards vehicles that
have good track records. I give them
all the facts—but at the end of the
day, I let them decide.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
5
YEAR FOUNDED
2008
WEBSITE
www.wileyluxurybrandauto.com
www.luxuryautorental.ca
PHONE
905.680.9990
905.680.9191
ADDRESS
219 Merritt St.,
St. Catharines, ON. L2T 1J6
34
“Who would you rather buy a pair of shoes from? A show maker or a department store? A showmaker makes a good shoe because thats all he makes. Now who would you rather buy
a mattress from? A mattress factory like us or a department store?” -Mike Mulholland
Bestway Bedding
“Bestway Bedding is one of Niagara’s best kept secrets.”
“I upholstered my first
mattress in my dad’s mattress factory when I was
12 years old,” says Mike Mulholland. Since learning the trade in his
father’s Brantford, Ontario mattress
factory, some things have changed,
but his ties with the mattress manufacturing industry have remained
a constant. Now with 15 years of
established business in Niagara,
Bestway Bedding is one of Niagara’s best kept secrets. Its factory,
warehouse and retail showroom
located at 50 Scott Street West in
St. Catharines offers factory direct
custom made and standard mattresses to customers. The benefit
of being able to buy direct often
results in savings from 20 to 50%.
Bestway Bedding offers a variety of
mattresses from memory foam, to
latex rubber; from split boxsprings
to electrical, adjustable beds. The
retail showroom also has accessories like pillows, sheets, and
mattress pads.
Bestway Bedding’s commercial
division serves a diverse range of
clients from yachts to commercial
freighters, hotels, student residences, hospitals, and more. In the
boating/shipping industry, Bestway
Bedding creates custom mattresses
to fit in the hull of yachts, right
through to the mattresses needed
for freighters like Algoma Central
Shipping or the Upper Lakes Group.
While the factory supplies RV,
tent-trailer, and camper mattresses
for both new and used RVs, the
hotel and hospital industry requires
unique mattresses that are flame
retardant, hypo-allergenic, and antistatic. The company can manufacture standard sized mattresses
as well as luxurious heart-shaped
and round beds for special suites.
Bestway Bedding also supplies
hospitals, retirement homes, and
community rehabilitation residences
such as the St. Catharines Associa-
tion for Community Living with mattresses that meet their particular
specifications.
Mike’s passion is shared
between his commitment to the
local community and his love for his
work. Along with supporting various
local sports teams, Mike is an active participant in the Niagara Shriners that fund 26 hospitals across
North America for burn victims up
to the age of 18. Mike says, “I love
being self employed; there are long
hours but good benefits. I get a
great sense of satisfaction in knowing that if customers come in with a
particular challenge like a bad back,
or a weight problem, that we can
build something that will make them
more comfortable.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
6
YEAR FOUNDED
1991
WEBSITE
www.bestwaybedding.com
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.685.6333
ADDRESS
50 Scott St. W.
St. Catharines, ON. L2R 1C9
Alan Dickson
PigOut Event Catering
Spit Roast event catering and machine sales.
Alan Dickson has catered
at hundreds of prestigious
events throughout Scotland
over the past 20 years. In the fall
of 2007, however, he brought his
innovative Pig Out Event Catering
operation to Canada. According to
Alan, “the opportunities for outdoor
catering are greater over here and it
rains less!”
Catering to clients throughout
Niagara and Southern Ontario,
PigOut’s signature item is their Spit
Roaster. This unique gas–fired Spit
Roast machine is manufactured
from high grade stainless steel by
Hingston Metal Fabricators in St.
Catharines and is suitable for cooking pigs, lamb, venison, prime rib
or chicken. Due to the cutting–edge
design of their Spit Roaster, there
are no fumes, making it ideal for everything from small indoor weddings
to large corporate events, from 50
to 5,000 people.
PigOut can cater entire affairs
or offer their Spit Roast machines
for rental or purchase. Their staff
can also provide freshly prepared
salads, delicious desserts and
artisan cheeses to make the event
complete. All their produce is grown
right here in Niagara and is transported to their clients in refrigerated trailers, ensuring finest quality.
(Their website at www.pigout.ca
also provides complete menus and
instructional video.)
The Spit Roaster is available in
two sizes to suit both the home and
commercial markets. Their machine
can roast a whole 30 or 50 lb. pig
in less than four hours while their
larger commercial model can roast
a 150 lb. pig in just seven hours.
Their unit also operates as a heated
carving station once the cooking is
complete.
“The roasting machines here are
charcoal-based and lack efficiency,
taking up to 15 hours to cook a
large pig,” Alan says of their ma-
chine’s competition. “But our Spit
Roaster is gas-fired in an enclosed
temperature–controlled oven so the
meat juices are retained. The result
is the best crackling pork you’ve
ever tasted.”
This year, you’ll see PigOut
Event Catering at many major
festivals and events including the
Beamsville Strawberry Festival,
the Niagara–on–the–Lake Farmers
Market, the Niagara Wine Festival,
and the Royal Winter Agricultural
Fair in Toronto. Their client list
also includes a wide spectrum of
golf clubs, wineries and corporate
clients across Ontario.
PigOut Event Catering has only
been in operation in Niagara for a
short time. But the response to their
Spit Roaster’s exceptional taste and
professional presentation has been
overwhelming—and bodes well for a
prosperous future.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
4
YEAR FOUNDED
2007
WEBSITE
www.pigout.ca
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.650.0781
905.650.0761
ADDRESS
210 Glendale Ave., Suite 25
St. Catharines, ON. L2T 3Y6
35
36
Top (left to right): Breah Sivegraito, Jordan Code, Ryan Wittenburgh and Dave Rotella (owner) Middle (left to right): Leigh-Ann Frommann, Alex Erazo and Nick Svab (owner)
Bottom: Aqeel Ahmed
Danima Technologies Inc.
Leading web development firm celebrating ten years in business.
When Dave Rotella, Nick Svab
and Matt Walsh first launched
their web company in 1998,
the e-landscape was still in its infancy.
But ten years and hundreds of satisfied clients later, DANIMA has turned
their modest success into one of the
most progressive web development
firms in southern Ontario with offices
in Toronto and Niagara Falls.
Although it started out as a
straight-for ward web design and hosting firm, DANIMA has now expanded
their range of innovative offerings to
include search engine optimization,
multi-media presentations, domain
name registration, business management systems, e-product development
and e-commerce applications.
“When we first started developing
websites, the industr y was still fairly
green here in Niagara,” says Dave, the
president of DANIMA Technologies Inc.
“But today we have a proven reputation of providing our clients with excellent products that help them maximize
their on-line potential.”
Over the past several years,
DANIMA has been particularly active
in systems development—creating
on-line solutions that help businesses
take advantage of the web more effectively. Whether it’s on-line reser vations or teacher resource development
systems, DANIMA has created web
solutions for dozens of clients in the
automotive, construction, sports, tourism, hospitality, non-profit and educational sectors—ever yone from Hilton
Niagara and Employment Help Centre
Niagara to York Region School Board
Transportation Ser vices and Kawartha
Pine Ridge School Board.
“The future of web development is
not in creating pretty designs,” Dave
explains. “It’s all about creating clean,
functional websites that can help businesses save time and make money.”
DANIMA has even expanded into
the music industr y recently with the
launch of www.joegrushecky.com—an
on-line download site for Grammy
award-winning artist Joe Grushecky.
“More and more music artists are
leaving the major labels these days,”
Dave says, “So independent download
sites are going to become more common as time goes on.”
But DANIMA is more than just
custom web design and cutting
edge e-products. Their firm is also
an active member of the community
and recently became one of the lead
organizers of Light of Day Niagara
(www.lightofdayniagara.com)—an
annual series of benefit concer ts
that raises money for ALS and the
Parkinson’s Society of Canada.
DANIMA has spent the past ten
years helping their clients keep pace
with rapid changes in the e-landscape.
And with its dedicated team of eight
design and development professionals, DANIMA is fully prepared for
another ten.
“At DANIMA, our philosophy is:
Keep it simple but effective,” Dave
says. “We’re all committed to providing businesses with ground-breaking
solutions and helping them become
more successful in the on-line arena.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
8
YEAR FOUNDED
1998
WEBSITE
www.danima.com
PHONE
905.357.4977
ADDRESS
6746A Morrison Street, Unit 3
Niagara Falls, ON. L2E 6Z8
37
Team building session
Improving team dynamics and relationships
Management and team development
through Personality Dimensions session
session
Ildi Wiley
Results Continuum
Taking customer service and sales skills training to another level.
Ildi Wiley is offering a silver bullet
to companies looking to improve
their business performance and
dramatically impact their bottom line—it’s
called the Results Continuum.
Results Continuum Incorporated is a
training and development firm that teaches
leaders and their teams how to achieve
exceptional internal and external customer
service by focusing on three areas: leadership and front-line training on building a
service culture, team building and team
dynamics and human resources training.
The spectrum of Results Continuum’s
services has evolved from the experience
that Ildi has had in facilitating corporate
training sessions across Canada and
throughout the Golden Horseshoe area
ever since she launched her company
in 1995. “I really started this business
because my customer service experiences were always so poor that I became
passionate about providing a solution”
explains Ildi. “In working with companies
and organizations, I quickly recognized that
there were common barriers to achieving
optimal levels of customer service including a lack of service standards, issues in
the team dynamics between and amongst
leaders, managers and team members
and a challenge to keep staff engaged and
motivated.” This has lead to a three step
approach that serves as a foundation to
all of the training that Results Continuum
delivers: first, know yourself by engaging in
a self-assessment process, second, know
your team and understand how to leverage
team strength and blind-spots and next,
engage in working toward your organizational goals and objectives.
Drawing on her years of experience
in the corporate, hospitality, training and
not-for-profit fields, Results Continuum offers full and half-day sessions on-site with
clients or at company retreats and conferences. Rather than using a lecture format,
Ildi’s sessions are ver y hands-on, relying
on workbooks, audio-visual presentations,
role playing and other activities to keep
her participants actively engaged in the
learning process.
Two of the areas in which Ildi and her
team have experience tremendous demand
are their Service Audit process and their
Selling and Marketing to Women program.
“The service audit is a full on-site and
‘mystery’ assessment of all aspects of a
businesses customer service elements
ending with a full report of what the business is doing right, direct customer feedback regarding their service experience
and area’s for attention in their service
delivery” explains Ildi. The Selling and
Marketing to Women program evolved from
the fact that many of Results Continuum’s
clients, ranging from financial services to
non-profit organizations to pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, either have
or could tap into the billion dollar market
that the female consumer represents, so
it made sense to customize their training
programs for these clients accordingly.
Studies indicate that female consumers
have very different buying patterns—not
to mention higher customer service
—than their male counterparts. “Women
are responsible for 87% of all consumer
purchases,” says Ildi.
“I absolutely love what I do,” she
says, “It’s so rewarding to see individuals, teams and companies engaging in
the learning continuum and realizing their
personal and business potential.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
14
YEAR FOUNDED
1995
WEBSITE
www.resultscontinuum.com
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.562.1712
ADDRESS
P.O. Box 42
Jordan, ON. L0S 1S0
38
Left to right: Doug Smith, Cindy Smith, Brad Melmer, Janet Gatecliff and Debbie Pratt.
C.R. Smith Insurance
Niagara’s leading choice for insurance and financial planning excellence.
C.R. Smith Insurance has
been ser ving Ontario since it
was established in 1974 by
Chuck Smith. Continuing the family
tradition, Chuck’s son Doug joined
the agency in 1989 and assumed
full responsibilities when his father
retired in 1997.
C.R. Smith Insurance specializes
in employee benefits for companies
of all sizes, in wealth management,
life insurance, estate and succession
planning. Thanks to a strong team of
well-versed professionals and a full
range of products and ser vices, C.R.
Smith Insurance will meet any insurance needs and provide excellent
financial planning ser vices.
Most notably, all of this is accomplished with a sincere interest in and
concern for the needs and values of
its clients. This is a highly professional agency that prides itself on its
personal ser vice. As a matter of fact,
Doug says: “We treat our clients’
needs as though they are our own.”
The agency meets the insurance and
financial needs of the community with
integrity, knowledge of the products
available, and of course, that firm focus on client service. Doug maintains
that “our core values continue to be
trust, pride, service and commitment.”
and succeed,” Doug says. Simply
stated, he claims: “There’s so much
potential to do so much good here.”
A thriving, well-respected brokerage firm with over 30 years experience behind it, C.R. Smith Insurance
continues to prove itself as one
COMPANY INFORMATION
“We treat our clients’ needs as though they are our own.”
These heartfelt concerns for the
care and welfare of others comes
as no surprise to anyone who knows
Doug Smith. He is a man of strong
convictions concerning community
involvement and feels a strong sense
of responsibility towards the community that has given him and his
family so much. This is most evident
when one learns that he is the chair
of the Wise Guys Charity Fund—a local foundation that has poured nearly
$1.5-million dollars into the Niagara
Region to date. “Working with Wise
Guys is our way of giving back to the
community that has helped us grow
of the best business providers in
Niagara. Likewise, the Wise Guys
Charity Fund persistently grows to
meet the ever evolving needs of the
community. Regardless of these accomplishments, Doug Smith remains
modest.
“By no means am I alone in this,”
he says. “There are many others involved. Be it business or charity, I’m
surrounded by great people.”
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
5
YEAR FOUNDED
1974
PHONE
905.687.4063
ADDRESS
502-80 King St.
St Catharines, ON., L2R 7G1
39
“The Valvano Team”
Valvano Salon Spa
Creating memorable experiences through the element of beauty.
If you want all your cares to
disappear—if only for a few
hours—all you have to do is
walk in the doors at Valvano Salon
Spa. With its striking castle-like
layout, and open courtyard, and treatment rooms themed after the four
elements fire, earth, air, and water,
Valvano’s unique salon / spa experience is designed to offer their clients
the utmost in comfort and care.
“We’re committed to delivering a
consistent, high quality experience to
our clients,” explains Felice Valvano
who co-owns Valvano Salon Spa Inc.
with his brother, Tony.
Located at 134 Niagara Street
in St. Catharines, Valvano is a full
ser vice salon and day spa providing
ever ything from manicures and pedicures to facials and massages. The
hub of their creativity lies within the
salon space taking up 2,500 square
feet and utilizing 27 hairdressing
chairs. Here the client and stylists
discuss and create a hair colour
treatment best suited to their eye
and skin tone. The hair can then be
complemented by a style specifically
formed to their natural hair texture,
bone structure and ultimately their
lifestyle.
“We’re always focused on improving the way we do business,” Felice
says. “One of the reasons for our
success is our team of experts. They
all go through a rigorous internal
training program so that we can produce highly-skilled team players that
love what they do. As a result, our
clients receive a ‘wow’ experience
ever y time they visit our salon.”
In order to become an all encompassing ser vice and product provider,
Felice and Tony (along with David
and Marilyn Vendittelli) launched
Valvano’s first in-store professional
line of product called BLOW Hair
Care. Created in 2005 with the input
of their clients and the Valvano team,
the BLOW line of innovative shampoos, conditioners, styling and finish-
ing products has been per fected by
chemists to ensure the best possible
ingredients and formulas.
But Valvano Salon Spa is more
than just superior products and
exceptional ser vice. The Valvanos
are even educating today’s up and
coming young talents—donating their
time and expertise with cosmetology
programs and competitions at the
District School Board of Niagara in
both the separate and public boards.
A winner of The Business Link’s
40 Under Forty Business Achievement Award in 2006 and a semi-finalist in the 2008 Global Salon Business Awards, Valvano Salon Spa has
received numerous honours in the
hair industr y over the years for their
innovative hair fashion designs—and
it’s easy to see why.
From their team of fully-trained
stylists and estheticians to their spa
packages and treatments, Valvano
Salon Spa offers Niagara residents a
rejuvenating experience.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
19
YEAR FOUNDED
2000
WEBSITE
www.valvano.ca
PHONE
905.684.5580
ADDRESS
134 Niagara Street
St Catharines, ON. L2R 4L4
40
Sue Booth-Sales Manager
Subaru of Hamilton
Delivering uncompromised customer service performance.
Five years later with hundreds
of vehicles sold, the team at
Subaru of Hamilton is still
working hard to serve their customers
even better.
“We’re committed to making our
customers feel like they’re part of the
family,” says Sue Booth, Sales Manager
at Subaru of Hamilton. “That’s one
of the reasons why we’ve been voted
number one in customer service across
Canada for five consecutive years.”
Serving Niagara and the greater
Hamilton Region, Subaru of Hamilton
offers an exceptional line–up of new
vehicles including Subaru’s award–winning Tribeca, Forester, Legacy, the
Outback , Impreza WRX AND STI—and
a large selection of pre-owned vehicles.
Their dealership also provides a wide
range of financing and leasing options
on all vehicles at affordable rates.
Subaru of Hamilton’s commitment
to car–buyers doesn’t end with their
outstanding pricing and selection. Their
after-sales service includes a courtesy
shuttle service, roadside assistance
and information clinics.
Subaru’s highly qualified service
team is always going that extra mile to
provide their customers with the utmost
in vehicle care. In order to keep cars
performing to the same high exacting
standards as the day they were purchased, Subaru’s certified technicians
are all fully trained and up–to–date with
Subaru’s cutting edge technology. Their
with greener driving alternatives and
minimize their impact on the environment. Subaru recently introduced the
state–of–the–art Subaru PZEV (Partial
Zero Emissions Vehicle)—one of the
cleanest vehicles on the road today.
Compared to the average new vehicle,
the Subaru PZEV offers 90% cleaner
emissions and is more eco–friendly
than most hybrid or alternative fuel ve-
“We’re committed to making our customers feel like they’re part of
the family,”
CAA recommended service centre also
features an extensive inventory of new
parts as well as the latest in repair and
diagnostic equipment.
“We use only the highest quality
OEM parts to ensure each part is just
right for your vehicle,” Sue adds. “We
stand behind our service work and
ensure we get the job done right for our
customers the first time.”
As an eco-conscious company,
Subaru has made great strives in recent years to provide their car–buyers
hicles, without the added expenses.
Subaru vehicles may have changed
dramatically over the years, but there’s
one thing that will never change—
Subaru’s dedication to their clients.
“At Subaru of Hamilton, we deliver
uncompromised customer service performance every single day,” says Sue, “Our
team is proud to help make our customers’ car buying dreams a reality.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
25
YEAR FOUNDED
2003
WEBSITE
www.subaruhamilton.ca
PHONE
905.389.4500
ADDRESS
1505 Upper James St.
Hamilton, ON. L9B 1K2
Left to right: Jeff Morningstar, Dave Morningstar, and Steve Van Pagee
Morningstar Automotive
Building customer relationships based on trust and honesty.
When St. Catharines’
Day Ford Lincoln closed
its doors in 2007, Jeff
Morningstar had a career decision to make. Having worked as a
senior technician with the dealership for more than 20 years, he
approached his brother Dave who
was employed as controller for a
large automotive parts wholesalerretailer at the time.
The two of them quickly decided
to join forces and open their own
automotive repair facility. After Jeff
and Dave acquired the entire contents of the automotive shop from
the Ford dealership, they launched
their own Morningstar Automotive
in October, 2007.
As a full ser vice repair facility,
Morningstar Automotive is capable
of ser vicing all makes and models
with obvious strengths when it
comes to Ford vehicles. Morningstar Automotive specializes in fleet
maintenance, providing evening
and weekend ser vice to fleet
customers so firms don’t need to
take their vehicle out of ser vice for
routine maintenance. They are also
an approved supplier for GE and
PHH Fleet Management Ser vices.
Jeff’s and Dave’s business
philosophy is to build a strong
relationship with ever y customer
based on trust and honesty.
That’s why Morningstar Automotive always gives their customers
a detailed repor t, showing them
what items require attention soon
and what may require attention
down the road.
“Our customers tell us time and
time again that the most important
thing to them is finding a mechanic
they can trust,” Dave says. “We
pride ourselves on taking the time
to inspect each vehicle bumper to
bumper the ver y first time it comes
through our doors—even if it’s only
for an oil change.”
At Morningstar Automotive, Jeff
focuses on the technical aspects
of the business while Dave man-
ages the business side of their
operations. Their team includes
Steve Van Pagee—a fully licensed
automotive technician who has
over seven years experience with
local independent garages.
After several months in business, the Morningstar philosophy
is turning into a growing success
for Jeff and Dave. Their customers are not only returning—they’re
telling friends and family. They also
have plans for expansion such as
hiring additional mechanics over
the coming months.
With their competitive rates,
fast friendly ser vice and dedication
to their customers, Jeff is proud to
see their family business continue
to thrive.
“We strive to build customers
for life so we never pressure them
into repairs they don’t need,” Jeff
says of their goal, “We treat them
right ever y time so we know they’ll
be back.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
3
YEAR FOUNDED
2007
EMAIL
[email protected]
PHONE
905.682.5550
ADDRESS
7 Petrie St.
St. Catharines, ON. L2P 3J6
41
42
Left to right: Back: Laurie Iafrate, Steve Davidson, Tony Evershed, Michel Guertin, Ryan Serravalle, Lori Turner. Middle and Front: Corrie Veenstra, Allan Sillaste,
Jeff Davidson, Greg Davidson, and Heather Davidson.
The Jeff Davidson Commercial Real Estate Team
“Jeff’s passion is for exceeding his customers’ needs and expectations.”
Jeff Davidson, Broker has
been the number one Realtor® for the past four years
for Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate
Centre Brokerage. Having the most
listings, one of the largest teams conducting more transactions, and holding the most properties for sale and
for lease; in state-of-the-art facilities,
and with the most diversified services
that can be managed in one site, the
Jeff Davidson team is truly at the top,
not just among Royal LePage offices,
but across the entire real estate
industry in the Region of Niagara.
Jeff’s passion is for exceeding his
customers’ needs and expectations.
“I saw a service void in the
industry and have spent my time and
resources directly addressing this
need,” explains Jeff.
The Davidson team has taken
customer service to the next level
with savvy use of technology, and
advanced marketing tactics. Their
websites have received an overwhelmingly positive response from both
customers and clients including their
national websites for Residential,
Commercial, Industrial and Build to
Suit. We now have over 90 national
websites feeding our local sites www.
jeffdavidsonresidential.com and www.
jeffdavidsoncommercial.com which
benefits our clients by receiving over
1,500,000 hits annually!
The Jeff Davidson team has
in standing still, being ever on the
lookout for new opportunities to serve
the customer better.
“Our goal is to maintain our
status as the number one Realtor in
Niagara and to continue to strive for
excellence in every area: innovation,
technology, and service,” he says.
“The Jeff Davidson team has combined its diverse backgrounds and unique skills to create an exceptional force
in the industry…”
combined its diverse backgrounds and
unique skills to create an exceptional
force in the industry, with sales representatives, general administration,
client services, in-house technology
providers, and marketing. In addition
to the commercial sales & leasing services our clients have come
to know and trust, the team has
expanded to include residential sales,
property management, and property
maintenance, as well as project development and build-to-suit capabilities.
Always setting the bar higher
year after year, Jeff doesn’t believe
“We will never be at a point where we
believe we can sit back; we are in no
way complacent.”
While the industry continues to
evolve at a rapid pace, one thing
remains the same—Jeff Davidson and
his team will continue to do all it can
to exceed clients’ expectations.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
15
YEAR FOUNDED
1987
WEBSITE
www.jeffdavidsoncommercial.com
PHONE
Head Office 905.688.4561
Direct 905.688.6242
Toll Free 1.800.771.4913
ADDRESS
33 Maywood Ave.
St. Catharines, ON., L2R 1C5
43
Left to right: Front row: Lori Berry-Administrative Assistant, Gail Belchior-BA, BEd, PFP, Associate Advisor, Anne Braithwaite-BBA, Administrative Assistant, Bogue ClarkBA, Administrative Associate. Back row: Wayne Triano-BA, MEd, CMA, Investment Advisor, Robin Lewis-CFP, PFP, Investment Advisor, Milan Plentai-BEcon, CFP, CIMA, Senior
Investment Advisor and Sean Greenhalgh-BSc, Administrative Assistant.
Wellington West Capital
“We serve our clients first.”
Investors looking for a true
client-focused approach to
their finances don’t have to
look any further than the dedicated
Investment Advisors at Wellington West
Capital Inc. (Wellington West).
The St. Catharines team at Wellington West provides wealth management, tax and financial planning (as it
relates to your investments), insurance*, asset management and capital
markets services to institutions and
individuals. With eight team members
in St. Catharines and more than 500
across the country, Wellington West
is one of the fastest-growing independent full-service investment firms in
Canada, administering more than $9.4
billion in assets.
The St. Catharines team—including Investment Advisors Milan Plentai,
Robin Lewis and Wayne Triano—prides
itself on their responsiveness and the
unique perspective they bring to each
client relationship.
“I have access to quotes from vari-
ous international exchanges—London,
France and Germany for example—and
this gives us and our clients a view to
global markets,” says Milan.
In recent years, Wellington West
has also received several top industry
honours. Named one of Canada’s 50
Best Managed Companies in 2008,
Wellington West was also designated
one of the top employers in Canada in
the 2008 Hewitt Associates / Report
on Business Magazine 50 Best Employers survey.
With their team’s focus on providing
effective investment strategies and a
personalized approach to their clients’
needs, Wellington West has become
one of Canada’s foremost investment
firms. That’s why Niagara’s investors
can feel comfortable knowing their
finances are in the hands of trusted
investment professionals.
“Today’s families and foundations
are looking for clear direction, solutions and independent advice—and
that’s what we deliver,” Robin says
of their services. “Our advisors are
always ready to help with their investment requirements. And that’s the
reason behind our success—we serve
our clients first.”
* Insurance products provided by
Wellington West Financial Services Inc.
Only Milan Plentai, Robin Lewis, Gail
Belchior and Anne Braithwaite are Insurance licensed with Wellington West
Financial Services Inc.
Any opinion expressed herein is
based solely upon the author’s current
analysis and interpretation of each
information and is subject to change.
The document is delivered by WW on
the condition that WW, its officers,
directors and affiliates shall incur no
liability whatsoever or howsoever arising in connection with the information
contained herein or reliance thereon.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
8 people in the branch.
YEAR FOUNDED
1993
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.wellingtonwest.com
PHONE
905.641.1221
ADDRESS
40 King St.,
St. Catharines, ON., L2R 3H4
44
The Roofing Niagara team pictured in front of their latest roofing project at the Falls View Terrace Non-Profit Housing Corporation in Niagara Falls.
Roofing Niagara
The shingle and flat roof specialists.
It’s always comforting to have a
roof over your head, particularly
when it’s installed by the
dedicated roofing experts at Roofing
Niagara. Although they’ve only been in
business for six years, their team has
quickly built up a sterling reputation for
quality and exceptional workmanship in
the roofing industry.
“We’re committed to being the very
best,” says John Dermott, the owner of
Roofing Niagara. “We use only the finest
roofing materials from the most reliable
suppliers so we always stand by our
work. Herman’s Building Supplies has
always been there for us. They have good
materials and an excellent staff.”
Serving the Niagara Region all the
way from Hamilton to Port Colborne,
Roofing Niagara specializes in shingle
and flat roofing projects. Their 20-man
team uses several high quality roofing
systems and roof maintenance products
from such leading manufacturers as GAFELK and CRC Corp. Roofing Niagara is
also an expert when it comes to handling
renovations, windows and doors, and
home improvement assignments.
Throughout the busy summer season,
their work crews are available six days a
week, working round the clock—and can
even offer same-day roofing for those
clients that require a rapid turnaround.
Their team is also active throughout the
winter months, doing a lot of roofing work
for insurance claims.
Although most roofing installation
outfits provide five or seven year
warranties on their workmanship, Roofing
Niagara offers a full fifteen year warranty
on all their roofing projects. Their roofing
consultants are on call 24-hours a day
and provide free work estimates.
John Dermott recalls that when he
launched Roofing Niagara back in 2002, it
was only him and John Perdola. The two of
them had a $200 van and a small trailer
and they were manually shoveling shingles
at the dump. But with dozens of new
companies and housing developments
springing up across the region at the
time—and their combined decades of
experience as independent renovation
and roofing contractors—the incentive to
expand the business was just too great
to ignore.
“Now we have a fleet of vehicles
including two dump trailers and all the
latest equipment—so it doesn’t matter
whether the project is large or small,”
John says. “Our team can handle any
commercial or residential project.”
Over the years, Roofing Niagara has
worked on literally dozens of local roofing
projects for clients such as Stamford
Realty, the YMCA of Niagara and the
Central Gospel Community Homes in St.
Catharines. They’ve also done extensive
work on several major townhouses
and apartment buildings and recently
completed work for the Falls View
Terrace Non-Profit Housing Corporation in
Niagara Falls.
Much of Roofing Niagara’s success
can be attributed to their reputation
for excellence—and every year, they’re
rewarded by dozens of satisfied clients
that refer their roofing services to friends
and associates. It’s a great source of
pride for their company.
“We’re making our clients happy by
rewarding them with high quality work,”
John says of the referrals. “That’s the
highest compliment we can get.”
Roofing Niagara offers rapid response
times and quality workmanship at a fair
price. Call John and the Roofing Niagara
team today at 905-351-9164 for a free
estimate. Big or small—make the call.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
20
YEAR FOUNDED
2002
EMAIL
roofi[email protected]
PHONE
905.351.9164
Judy Frasor—Senior Tax Specialist, John Harris—District Manager, Pam Shortland—Manager, Joe Gallop—District Support.
H&R Block
The H&R Block Difference
Originally founded in the
U.S. by Henry and Richard
Bloch, H&R Block opened
its first Canadian office in 1964. Just
three years later, H&R Block offices
doubled to 45. By 1969, there were
165 offices. Today, there are more than
1,000 H&R Block locations across
Canada.
For many Canadians, preparing
a tax return can be a stressful
experience.
With more than 40 years of
experience in Canada, H&R Block
guarantees the maximum tax refund for
every client. Last year, more than two
million Canadians trusted H&R Block
for their tax preparation. H&R Block tax
professionals are some of the besttrained tax specialists in Canada. All
tax associates must complete 59 hours
of initial tax training and a continuous
advanced training program so they are
up-to-date on any tax law changes.
This year’s tax forms will include
many new credits and deductions
that affect nearly every Canadian.
Filing a tax return is more than just
entering numbers on a form. Every
H&R Block client is interviewed by a
tax professional to ensure they have all
the information they need to prepare
a return. Many clients have benefited
from the interview process when a tax
qualifying clients to walk in with their
return and walk out with their money
immediately. Clients can also choose to
load their tax refund on an H&R Block
Debit Card which is accepted wherever
the Interac symbol is displayed.
Clients enjoy year-round support
for all their tax needs as part of
“H&R Block offers clients choice on how to receive their
tax refund. The Instant Cash Back option allows qualifying
clients to walk in with their return and walk out with their
money immediately.”
professional finds additional credits or
deductions they are entitled to claim.
H&R Block supports all of its
tax preparation with the Accuracy
Guarantee. If there is an error on a tax
return, H&R Block will pay any penalty
and interest incurred. It means a little
peace of mind for clients.
H&R Block offers clients choice
on how to receive their tax refund.
The Instant Cash Back option allows
their preparation fee. If Canada
Revenue Agency (CRA) requests
additional information or supporting
documentation, H&R Block will respond
for the taxpayer. If the CRA requests an
audit, a representative will accompany
you to explain how the tax return was
prepared.
For more information or to find
the closest office, please see
www.hrblock.ca
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
4000+
YEAR FOUNDED
1955
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.hrblock.ca
PHONE
1.800.HRBLOCK
45
46
Left to right: Joanne Fedosov—Consultant, Jean Quattrini—Consultant, Duncan MacDuff—Research Facilitator, Laura Fakla—Project Assistant, Anne Pederson—Consultant,
Rena Posteraro—Project Manager.
Niagara College—Workplace Development Services
Building better workplaces through people development.
Over the next five years,
the competition for skilled
employees is going to get even
tougher for employers as increasing
numbers of workers begin retiring from
the workforce. Is your company prepared
to meet this challenge? If not, the
consultant team at Niagara College’s
Workplace Development Services (WDS)
is here to help.
Niagara College launched their WDS
project in September 2007 in order to
help Niagara’s small and medium–sized
businesses enhance their HR practices
and create a workplace culture that
will better attract, develop and engage
their employees. The WDS team offers
no-cost consulting services in several
areas including organizational needs
assessments, HR fundamentals,
employee development, and the
recruitment and retention of employees.
“WDS is designed to help local
businesses become employers of
choice and improve their productivity,”
says Rena Posteraro, WDS Project
Manager at Niagara College’s Maid
of the Mist Campus. “By positioning
yourself as an employer of choice, you
can attract new talent much easier and
better retain your current employees.”
The WDS is funded through Human
Resources and Social Development
Canada’s Workplace Skills Initiative
(WSI). Niagara College originally applied
to the WSI and received $1.8-million
in funding for their three year pilot
project over 160 other applicants. The
WDS is one of only 14 agencies in all
of Canada to receive funding through
the WSI.
Since it was launched last fall,
WDS has assisted their clients in a
wide spectrum of sectors including
the manufacturing, agri–business,
tourism, environmental science, health
& wellness, interactive media and bio
manufacturing industries. The WDS
team currently serves 50 clients across
the Niagara Region and interacts with
dozens of other companies through
their community outreach programs
and connections with local Chambers
of Commerce, small business clubs
and other networking associations such
as the Canadian Italian Business and
Professional Association (CIBPA) and the
Niagara Industrial Association (NIA).
To date, the WDS has been a huge
success and proven incredibly valuable
to businesses looking to improve
their productivity and maximize their
potential.
“Canada’s economy is driven by
small and medium-sized businesses,
yet these enterprises often don’t
have the tools they need to succeed,”
explains Amy Lemay of Vista Science
and Technology, one of the first WDS
clients. “Programs like this help
improve our competitiveness by
addressing a critical need.”
Some of the benefits of WDS
are decreased employee turnover,
increased profitability and employee
engagement at the workplace. Whether
it’s helping businesses to create job
descriptions or put together a policies
and procedures manual, the WDS team
is looking forward to giving Niagara’s
employers the opportunity to build
better workplaces.
Contact Laura Fakla at [email protected]
for further information.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
7
YEAR FOUNDED
2007
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
www.ncwds.com
PHONE
905.374.7454 Ex. 3640
ADDRESS
5881 Dunn St.
Niagara Falls, ON. L2G 2N9
Roberto Vergalito. Absent: Rino Stabile, Tom Cieryt and Nino Strazzella.
Roberto’s Pizza
Niagara’s “friendly neighbourhood pizza guy.”
There’s no such thing as
“slaving over a hot stove” for
Roberto Vergalito. As the owner
of Roberto’s Pizza in St. Catharines,
he’s turned a full-time business into a
lifelong passion and one of the most
successful independent pizzerias in the
Niagara area.
“You can’t just be a pizzeria—you
have to have fun,” he explains, “I’ve
always wanted to have fun and the
pizza game has given me that exact
opportunity.”
Located on 109 Martindale Road
in St. Catharines, Roberto’s Pizza
features everything from subs, fries
and bruschetta to pizza slices, garlic
bread and vegetarian pizzas—using all
fresh and homemade ingredients.
Having grown up around the pizzamaking business, Roberto has spent
over twenty years in the industry
improving his craft. He originally
purchased “Paesano Pizza” in 1999
from the previous owner and completely
revamped the business to make it
more professional. His pizzeria became
a modest success—until he decided
changed the name to “Roberto’s Pizza”
in 2001. His business jumped by 35%
in the first week alone.
“I’ve always wanted to be the
friendly neighbourhood pizza guy,”
Roberto says of his company
philosophy, “So I know all my
customers’ names…and do little
things like give out candy to the kids.
That’s why my customer loyalty is the
best—bar none.”
Word of mouth has been one of
Roberto’s biggest assets—in more
ways than one. For instance, when
many people mentioned they were
allergic to the gluten found in most
pizza flours, Roberto decided to take
action. After experimenting with several
different recipes, he finally perfected a
gluten-free pizza and reached a whole
new market.
“I’m the first and only pizzeria in
Niagara that uses gluten-free pizza
dough,” he says. “I have people coming
to me now that haven’t eaten pizza in
twenty-five years.”
When he’s not busy running his
business, Roberto has also become
one of the pizza-making industry’s most
active ambassadors. In addition to
contributing columns to Canadian Pizza
Magazine, he’s competed at the World
Pizza Championships in Italy, and even
served pizza to the Prime Minister.
Nominated for the 2007 Niagara
Entrepreneur of the Year awards,
Roberto is always looking to do that
little bit extra for his customers—but at
the end of the day, it all comes down to
being passionate about his business.
“It doesn’t matter what you do for
a living—be it pizza, real estate or
just plain working for some company,”
Roberto says, “Just make sure you
enjoy what you do and be the best.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
3
YEAR FOUNDED
1999
WEBSITE
www.robertospizza.ca
PHONE
905.684.3333
ADDRESS
109 Martindale Rd.,
St. Catharines, ON, L2S 2Y7
47
48
Bob Allen, Co-owner of Nevada Bob’s Golf.
Nevada Bob’s Golf
Your game. Your store.
Bob Allan knows his
golf. As the co-owner
of Nevada Bob’s Golf
in St. Catharines, he and his
business partner Tony Haney have
been running one of the longest
established golf retail outlets in the
Niagara Region. Since 1989, their
professional staff has dedicated
themselves to improving their
customers’ golf games—one swing
at a time.
“We’ve been an active member
of the Niagara business community
for almost 20 years,” Bob says,
“And there’s been a lot of changes
in the game over the years. But
one thing that never changes is our
commitment to our customers.”
Nevada Bob’s Golf is part of the
Forzani Group Limited—Canada’s
largest retailer of sports equipment,
footwear and apparel. As a result,
the Nevada Bob’s Golf team is able
to offer their customers outstanding
pricing and selection on a wide
range of brand name golf clubs,
bags and carts, golf balls, clothing
and accessories.
One of the biggest advantages
customers will find at Nevada
Bob’s Golf is the knowledgeable
sales staff. All of Nevada Bob’s
employees are avid golfers
themselves, having spent years
honing their skills on the golf
course. By keeping up-to-date with
the latest industry trends and
equipment, their employees are
able to give customers special
recommendations and help them
find that putter or driver that’s just
right for them.
“We pride ourselves on being
around the game,” Bob says.
“Many of our employees are former
club champions. We also attend
over 40 tournaments and golf
courses a year to demonstrate our
equipment—so being active in the
golf community gives our employees
that extra edge.”
With all the developments in
the game, it’s always critical for
golfers to update their equipment.
That’s why Nevada Bob’s Golf
offers customers a trade-in
program for their old clubs as well
as a ser vice shop so they can have
them repaired or refurbished while
they wait.
Satisfaction is always important
at Nevada Bob’s Golf. If they
provide a deposit, their customers
can test their equipment out on
the course before they make a
purchase. Nevada Bob’s Golf also
features an in-store putting green
and a golf simulator so customers
can try out their merchandise.
At Nevada Bob’s Golf, it all
comes down to helping golfers be
their very best.
“We want our customers to see
it fly before they buy,” Bob explains,
“We’re never satisfied unless our
customers are.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
8
YEAR FOUNDED
1989
WEBSITE
www.nevadabobsgolf.ca
PHONE
905.984.6306
ADDRESS
350 Ontario St.
St. Catharines, ON. L2R 5L8
From left to right: Back row: Nicole Cowdrey, Krysta LeBlanc, Doug Bruce, Adam Shields, Jerry Johansen, Scott Leslie, Christine Mantej and Jeremy Shand.
Front row: Adrian Vicentini, Wendy Smith, Jim Shields, Donna Sexton and Anna LaVigna-Miotto. Absent: Lisa Bianchi, Dave Hicks and Julie Shields.
The Business Link Niagara Ltd.
Specializing in business-to-business newspapers and magazines.
The Business Link is
a publishing company
specializing in monthly
and annual business-to-business
newspapers and magazines covering
Southern and Southwestern Ontario.
The Business Link was founded
in 2003 by father and son team,
Jim and Adam Shields. It was at
this time, they conceived of an
idea to produce a free business-tobusiness publication designed to
help Niagarans grow and develop
their businesses. The success of the
Niagara edition was the launching
pad for the other markets which The
Business Link is now published—
Hamilton/Halton, Brant, Haldimand/
Norfolk and Oxford.
The goal of the paper is to find the
advertising needs in the marketplace
and to fill them. To that end, The
Business Link serves to educate,
inform and profile businesses and
has been adopted by many as a
valuable resource tool. Since issuing
its first edition in Niagara in February
of 2003, the paper has experienced
explosive growth. In just 5 years,
The Business Link has grown to
publish nine business-to-business
publications throughout Southern and
Southwestern Ontario.
The Business Link’s publications
include: flying hi, the official newspaper
of the John C. Munro Hamilton
International Airport, The Business
Link Niagara, The Business Link
Brantford, The Business Link
Hamilton/Halton, Profiles in Business
Niagara, Profiles in Business
Hamilton/Halton, The Niagara Health
& Wellness Directory, Luxury Living
and Travellers Notebook.
Together, The Business Link
staff is working to expand the
readership of the paper, as well as
the company’s contribution to the
community. The Business Link is a
proud sponsor of many fundraising
initiatives and is very generous
with their contributions to the local
business community and various
charitable causes. The Business Link
also recognizes the importance of
education and has established The
Business Link Bursaries at Brock
University and Niagara College. To
date they have donated $22,000
to those bursaries to help keep the
entrepreneurial spirit alive in Niagara.
The key to The Business Link’s
success lies in the old adage: 90%
perspiration, and 10% inspiration.
The entire Business Link family takes
pride in providing the communities
of Southern Ontario with a quality
product that assists businesses with
growth and provides an effective
advertising medium to promote their
products and services.
If you are ready to promote your
company to the affluent business
community, call one of our marketing
experts today.
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
16
YEAR FOUNDED
2003
WEBSITE
www.businesslinknewspaper.com
PHONE
905.646.9366
Toll Free 877.446.9366
ADDRESS
13 Secord Dr., Suite #3
St. Catharines, ON, L2N 1K9
49
50
NIAGARA REGION
Left to Right: Front Row: Brad Dixon and Dan Sacilot. Back Row: Chris Allen, Rich Kolbuc, Matt Harris and Dan Chrastina.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Sundawn Integrated Services
“Sundawn has over 51 years of experience in National HVAC Service solutions.”
Sundawn Integrated
Services is an HVAC
Service and Contracting
Company with a vision to
outperform the typical HVAC
service provider in Canada.
Sundawn has over 51 years of
experience in National HVAC
Service solutions. Since setting
up shop in his parents’ garage
in 1957, Stan W. Parzygnat
has witnessed many changes
to the HVAC industry. However,
Stan’s relentless commitment
to service endures through the
entire Sundawn Service team.
In response to deregulation
and consolidation movements
in the North American HVAC
industry, Sundawn has
responded through the building
of a national service alliance
that is comprised of a network of
independent, privately held HVAC
Contractors that abide by the
same common standards and
exceptional business practices
as Sundawn’s. The Sundawn
Service Alliance™ continues to
grow by helping its customers
achieve a competitive advantage
through the value attained in the
provision of superior integrated
HVAC Service solutions. As
Some of the many services
Sundawn provides include
Nationwide HVAC–R services,
packaged preventative
maintenance agreements,
24/7 Emergency Dispatch with
unparalleled response times,
coordination and monitoring of
multiple location maintenance,
all delivered with approachability
“best provider of fully integrated HVAC service solutions to the commercial, industrial, and institutional markets of Canada.”
veterans in the Canadian HVAC
industry and founding members
of this groundbreaking service
alliance, Sundawn Integrated
has but one priority: that is
to be the “best provider of
fully integrated HVAC service
solutions to the commercial,
industrial, and institutional
markets of Canada.”
and professionalism.
Sundawn prides itself in
being business oriented, fast,
and flexible. Today the integrity,
professionalism, and expert
service that Sundawn customers
experience is a brilliant reflection
of the man who has devoted
his life to improving the industry
standard for customer service.
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
65
YEAR FOUNDED
1957
WEBSITE
www.sundawn.com
PHONE
Matt Harris
905.680.4822
Toll Free 1.877.250.HVAC
For all your heating, air conditioning,
refrigeration, sales, service,
maintenance and contracting for
24 hour service.
51
Clockwise from Left (Inside Wall): Paul Morgan, Larry Bitner, Charles Curley, Bruce Sinclair, Steve Stunt, Erica Jurus, Fiona Allan, Mary Ann Martin and Karen Martin.
Niagara College Business Development Centre
Helping Niagara’s entrepreneurs succeed.
For more than 15 years, the
Niagara College Business
Development Centre (BDC)
has been helping thousands of new
and experienced entrepreneurs
successfully grow their businesses.
The BDC was established back in
1991 as part of the Workforce and
Business Development Division of
Niagara College to foster the growth
of enterprise across Niagara. Over the
years, it has helped approximately
1,600 entrepreneurs launch new
business ventures, earn millions
of dollars in revenue, and build a
renewed sense of purpose and
accomplishment. In fact, 80% of
the BDC’s clients have continued to
operate successful businesses three
years after the completion of their
BDC training—one of the highest
success rates in Canada.
“The BDC staff and advisors
have the skills and expertise to meet
the evolving needs of the diverse
business growth in Niagara,” says
Fiona Allan, Director of the Workforce
& Business Development Division.
“Their entrepreneurial backgrounds
and commitment to client success
continue to help new businesses in
Niagara thrive.”
As the service coordinator for
the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit
Program, the BDC serves the
communities of Beamsville, Grimsby,
Jordan, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-theLake, St. Catharines, Thorold,
St. Anns and Vineland.
The BDC team offers a wide
range of programs and workshops
designed to assist entrepreneurs
both locally and worldwide. These
include everything from Business
Income Tax (a workshop aimed to
help entrepreneurs maximize their tax
returns) to Business Basics Online
(a distance learning course providing
business fundamentals). This January,
the BDC also launched its new
Networking Café—a monthly session
that allows past clients to reconnect
with BDC staff and one another.
But the BDC’s services don’t stop
there. Their team of business advisors
also provides contract training
on small business development,
mentoring a variety of operations
across the Niagara Region and as far
away as South Africa. Rena Posteraro,
the BDC’s Business Development
Officer and Acting Manager, is currently
delivering a series of mentoring
workshops at the King Faisal Specialist
Hospital and Research Centre in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A proud sponsor of the Niagara
Entrepreneur of the Year Awards,
the BDC team is working hard to
help today’s individuals become
tomorrow’s successful entrepreneurs.
It’s a philosophy that fits perfectly
with the College’s mission to provide
“outstanding applied education and
training for a changing world.”
“Niagara College is committed
to providing the education, training
and services our region needs to
facilitate innovative solutions to
our regional economic development
challenges,” says Fiona. “The
Business Development Centre is a
prime example of Niagara College’s
responsiveness to building a strong
and diverse economy.”
COMPANY INFORMATION
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
12
YEAR FOUNDED
1991
WEBSITE
www.mybdc.biz
PHONE
905.641.2252 Ext #4456
ADDRESS
NOTL Campus, Rm. W115
135 Taylor Road, S.S.#4
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON., L0S 1J0

profiles in business - The Business Link Niagara

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