Directions 2010 Biographies
Seri Blatt
Two Blonds & a Brunette Gift Co.
BIOGRAPHY
Seri Blatt has a degree in nutrition from the University of Manitoba and was previously the regional manager of operations for The Body Shop 10 years. Seri is also a proud mother of two beautiful girls.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Flying By the Seat of Our Pants!
How the nutritionist, pig broker, and actress turned a small, home-based business idea into a successful franchise.
Don Boitson
Vice President and General Manager,
Bristol Aerospace Ltd
BIOGRAPHY
Don Boitson has been with Bristol since 1988. He is a Professional Engineer and member of the A.P.E.G.M., having graduated with a B.SC. in Eng. (Mech.) in 1985. Don is currently the Past President and member of the Board of Directors, Manitoba Aerospace Association, a member of Board of Directors of the Composites Innovation Centre, and of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Leadership – People and Passion
After many years in leadership roles, Don knows that the keys to success are people and passion. This session will surprise you with the leadership doors that you, too, can open.
Greg Dandewich
Vice-President and Director of Economic Development,
Destination Winnipeg
BIOGRAPHY:
Greg Dandewich has worked in economic development for over 17 years in urban and rural contexts. With a master’s degree in City Planning from the U of M and a diploma in economic development from the University of Waterloo, Greg facilitates strategic planning and partnerships; coordinates industry clusters; and liaises between government and industry. Greg has also managed north/south trade activities related to the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor for 11 years.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
An All-Inclusive City: Winnipeg’s Economic Outlook and Career Opportunities
Winnipeg has an exciting future! In this presentation, you will hear about Winnipeg’s unique development projects. Greg will identify the key economic sectors driving our economy into the future.
BIOGRAPHY
Kyle Geske is a 10-year veteran of the software/hardware design industry and an IT educator. In 2009, he helped develop and launch Babylolly.com, an online baby book and social network for parents. Kyle is currently employed by Red River College as a web programming instructor. Prior to this he worked as a hardware design engineer for the telecommunications firm, Norscan Instruments. Kyle has been blogging at Stungeye.com since 2002 where he explores his passion for programming, visual art, prose and music.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Launching Your First Web Start-Up
So you want to create the next Facebook? Twitter? Come and explore the web start-up process from conception through to launch. You’ll hear about brainstorming a killer idea, developing your website, keeping costs low, finding an audience, engaging your users, and dealing with competition. As a case study, we’ll look at Babylolly.com – an online baby book and social network.
Kristine Hayward and Deanna Betteridge
Winnipeg in Motion
BIOGRAPHY
Kristine Hayward and Deanna Betteridge are the in motion team. They work for Physical Activity Promotion with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Kristine and Deanna personally share Winnipeg in Motion’s goal to use multi-sector collaboration to address health inequities and develop supportive communities where residents include physical activity in their daily lives for health, well-being and enjoyment.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Get Of the Couch and Get in Motion!
Juggling school, work, friends, family, and physical activity? You can live an active, healthy, and well-balanced lifestyle. Learn ways to overcome barriers and add physical activity to your day. Pick up some basic stretches and strength exercises that you can do anywhere, with or without equipment.
BIOGRAPHY
Jason Wortzman is rich in culinary expertise and food development - an internationally-trained chef with over 15 years’ experience running a range of kitchens from small bistros to five-star hotels worldwide.
At Bothwell Cheese, he brought this global experience to the table by creating many of the company’s award-winning specialty cheeses using exotic ingredients, and he continues his culinary calling in his new position as director of marketing and new product development at Granny’s Poultry.
Jason Wortzman leads spirited demonstrations about his craft and brings an insider’s knowledge and love of cooking to everything he does, from customizing products for chefs to advising clients on a variety of food-related subjects.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Making and Marketing Manitoba Classics: Bothwell and Granny’s
Jason Wortzman brings his global experience to the table using exotic ingredients he’s found around the world. Wortzman, an RRC grad, will talk about creating and marketing Bothwell’s award-winning specialty cheeses and his recent appointment to Marketing and New-Product Development Director at Granny’s Poultry.
John Frejuk
Vice-president,
Consulting Services
Online Business Systems
BIOGRAPHY
John Frejuk has been working as a consultant in the Winnipeg marketplace for over 17 years. He holds a B.P.E, MSc. and MBA from the University of Manitoba. Online Business Systems is one of the premier IT consulting companies in Manitoba. John has been a management consultant, business development lead, and senior manager within the consulting industry; he has a wealth of experience and knowledge about succeeding in this dynamic marketplace.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
What Makes a Successful Consultant
What are the skills that make a successful consultant? In this session, John will profile the changing landscape of skills required in today’s business and technology projects. Learn about the attributes and philosophies you need to truly stand out in the field of consulting in today’s marketplace.
Walter Kleinschmit
R2E Consultants Inc.
BIOGRAPHY
Walter Kleinschmit has had over 25 years of retail and development experience in the Middle East. He is currently working on assignments in Amman, Damascus, Jeddah, and Dubai.
Until 2005, Walter was General Manager of the Kingdom Centre, a Mixed-use high-rise development in Riyadh. He is a founder and director of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers, and a member of the International Faculty of the ICSC School of Professional Development. Walter graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the U of M and worked for 20 years Canada’s retail industry before moving to the Middle East.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Taking Your Passion and Skills Overseas – and making it home again!
Your skills are portable! Hear about the fun, career opportunities, and legal issues in the retail and real estate fields overseas. Walter will share his personal stories about working for others and himself, and learning from going through bankruptcy.
Greg Kuzminski
GMK Management Consultants
BIOGRAPHY
Greg Kuzminski graduated with honors from the Faculty of Management (UM, 1979), achieved his CGA in 1990, and FCGA Fellowship in 2002. He provides management, shareholder, and lender advisory services through GMK, which specializes in restructuring growth-oriented businesses..
Greg is a board member of CGA Canada, past-president of CGA Manitoba, and a member of the Turnaround Management Association. He speaks regularly on topics related to business performance and restructuring issues; most recently: Weathering the Storm, Recessionary Insights & Strategies; Key Performance Indicators: A Framework for Business; Business Valuation for Entrepreneurs; and Speaking Your Lenders’ Language.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Weathering the Financial Storm
When will the recession end? Has the worst passed? How do we deal with the fallout? Financial advisors play a crucial role in times of economic turbulence. Greg will discuss recessionary impacts on business and a wide range of strategies and tools that can help.
Jennifer Spier
Director,
Aboriginal Human Resources,
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
BIOGRAPHY
Jennifer Spier has been with the WRHA since 1996, the last seven years in HR.
Kimberley Puhach
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
BIOGRAPHY
Kimberley Puhach brings experience in Aboriginal employment strategies and initiatives through her former work with the Manitoba Customer Contact Association, Bank of America, and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. Kimberley is a member of the Sandy Bay First Nation with roots in Peguis First Nation. Her passion for her community is demonstrated by her involvement as a volunteer: board member for Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc., “Those Who Lead”, and past chair of Manitobans For Healing and Reconciliation.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
A Dynamic Approach to Building a Culturally-Representative Workforce
Winnipeg is home to the largest Aboriginal population of any urban centre in Canada, and Manitoba businesses need new employees. Come and hear how the WRHA has put those two realities together and is building a representative workforce. Learn about the needs, strategies, approaches, challenges that the WRHA is working through.
Rachel Shane
Executive Vice-President (Production), Red Wagon Entertainment
BIOGRAPHY
At Red Wagon Entertainment, Rachel Shane oversees visual effects movies, and titles for Sony franchises, She was Associate Producer on Stuart Little 2 and Executive Producer on Stuart Little 3 and Hollow Man 2. Ms. Shane was also involved in development and production on Jarhead, Memoirs of a Geisha, RV, Spy Game and Peter Pan, Nailed, The Wettest County in the World, Death of a Dissident, and The Nanny.
Prior to joining Red Wagon, Ms. Shane worked at Tall Tree Productions, and Imagine Entertainment.
After graduating on the Dean’s Honor List from the U of M, and completing a year of law school at UBC, Ms. Shane began her entertainment career on the production of ZORRO in Mexico City.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
From Portage and Main to Hollywood and Vine
How do you make it from U of M lark to Hollywood shark? Rachel Shane knows, and she’ll tell us in this session on her path from “an easy A” in an intro film class, through law classes, television internships, writing, acting, and a steady climb earning credits on a wide variety of films.
Danny Bubis, CFA, HBA
President and Chief Investment Officer,
Tetrem
BIOGRAPHY
Danny Bubis’ experience includes 15 years with Assante Asset Management Ltd. As portfolio manager for Optima Strategy Canadian Equity Value Pool since 1993. He was appointed Chief Investment Officer in 1997. While Danny was with Assante, assets under management grew from $100 million to more than $7 billion. Daniel Bubis has an Honours Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Off the Beaten Path: Investment Management in Winnipeg
Successful investing requires the ability to think and act rationally; in Winnipeg, being “away from the action” provides the advantage of detached perspective. For its size, Winnipeg is home to a disproportionate number of successful investment-management firms. Danny Bubis will tell us why this works!
Larry Dyck
President,
Décor Cabinet Company
BIOGRAPHY
For over 30 years, Larry Dyck has seen Décor grow from a garage in Portage La Prairie to one of Manitoba’s 50 fastest growing companies with two production facilities and state-of-the-art showroom based in Morden, with an expanding dealer network spreading throughout the US and Canada. Along with a focus on exceptional customer experience, Décor is committed to improving the local and global community by lending a hand to those in trouble, and teaching values that remind us to show compassion to our neighbor.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Strategy With a Purpose
Strategic planning and clear purpose can drive a business to realize its greater potential. Learn how to create a work environment that offers enjoyment, significance, and growth. Larry Dyck will give listeners a unique look at growing a business in a rural setting. Décor strives towards a deeply defined and undeniably different purpose. Come and learn what’s really happening behind that custom-crafted cabinetry!
Jordan Farber
Senior Financial Analyst,
Qualico Developments Canada
BIOGRAPHY
A native of Winnipeg, Jordan completed his undergraduate degree in economics at the U of M in 2001. Upon graduation, he worked with Bank of Montreal until 2004, when he joined the MBA program at University of Manitoba and completed his second degree one year later. Jordan then joined Qualico, one of the largest real estate developers in Western Canada. Jordan is often a guest speaker at the Asper School of Business. He is one of the founding members of the Future Leaders of Manitoba Council.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
You’re Not in Kansas Anymore: What Life is Really Like in the Business World
Do you expect to graduate into a fancy job title, corner office, and huge paycheque. All this work at school should be worth something, right? Jordan Farber will tell you the inside story on his experience in the working world of banking and real estate. Learn which employers to look for and which to avoid. As he has climbed the corporate ladder, Jordan has learned that mentorship is important, that there is no finish line in education, and there are many benefits to moving sideways before moving up. Life in the real world isn’t like life in the classroom.
BIOGRAPHY
David Newman practices in the areas of labour and employment, aboriginal and environmental law as a litigator, mediator, and arbitrator.
He has experience representing clients at all court levels including the Supreme Court of Canada as well as before numerous labour and other administrative tribunals.
David provides assistance to clients in the development of proactive policy, practices and relationships.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
The World Peace Partners Project, Rotary, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Marketing the World Peace Partners Project is a world-wide challenge. David Newman will tell us how the project will achieve the support of 33,000 Rotary Clubs in over 160 countries. How do you create a place for transformational learning experiences about human rights for high school students from around the world? Come and find out!
BIOGRAPHY
Kyle Romaniuk is a brand advocate who put his own business through the process he applies to the brands he works with today. Kyle transformed Gator Designs into Cocoon, which provides insights into research, strategy, and creative development services. Kyle’s focus is to discover better ways to strengthen brands, grow companies, and develop memorable ideas.
BIOGRAPHY
After many sleepless nights spent wondering how he might change the world, Chuck has come to one infallible conclusion: there is always a better way. Chuck lives by this mantra in the work he completes at Cocoon, whether overseeing the creation of a new brand Identity, brainstorming the latest creative campaign concept, or keeping tabs on the world of branding.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Don’t Fear Change
Stay in the lead by remaining relevant and different and delivering on your brand promise! Learn how Cocoon helps brands successfully make their way through change.
Max Johnson
The Great Canadian Travel Company
BIOGRAPHY
I have lived in Canada since 1976, and worked in the travel industry for thirty-three years. My involvement started with the student travel organizations, and since 1981 have run my own businesses. The primary business is The Great Canadian Travel Company, and its subsidiaries Points North and Market Air. Additionally I have operated businesses in Scotland and the USA.
In addition to the business side of the industry, I have spent ten years working with the government in the redesign of Travel Manitoba, and have been an active participant in a variety of national travel industry organizations.
An inveterate traveler, I have visited over 120 countries, and don’t plan on stopping the count any time soon.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Change; a small business in a globalizing environment
The session will look at the rapidly changing commercial environment driven by the accelerating speed of change, and the issues facing small businesses. Communication drives uncertainty as we see on a daily basis in stock markets, foreign exchange markets, distribution channels and the relative valuation of skills. How can we try to prepare ourselves?
Roger Wilton
Centreplate,
MTS Centre
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Montreal in 1960, Roger Wilton’s first job at age 15, was at the A & W drive-through. He has widen his cuilinary horizons since then, working with the Chateau Champlain in Montreal, the Four Seasons in Edmonton, the International Inn in Winnipeg, and the Westin Hotels in Calgary. Roger worked for 12 years in Banff and six years in the Yukon. In 2004, Mr. Wilton was hired at CentrePlate to open the new MTS Center.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Backstage Recipes – Culinary Tales of an Arena Chef
The MTS Centre hosts everything from big-name singers, to sporting events, to small Winnipeg gatherings. Centreplate prepares food for them all! This is the culinary tale of what it takes to manage all the food facilities in the MTS Centre.
