Speaker Bios 

  EDAC 2018 Conference 

Fredericton, NB           

  

 Sunday, September 9, 2018

9:00am - Eddy Campbell

9:30am - ISED Panel (speakers TBA)

10:30am - Stephen Lund

- Tyson Johnson

- David Shipley

11:15am Breakout Presentations

- Jennifer Schnier (Governor’s Ballroom A)

- Dhirendra Shukla (Grand Ballroom D)

- Aileen Murray (Governor’s Ballroom B)

1:00pm - Robyn Webb

1:30pm - Andrew Dixon

2:00pm - Don Darling

2:30pm - Beth Kelly Hatt

3:30pm Breakout Presentation

- Sheri Somerville (Governor’s Ballroom B)

- Ryan MacNeil (Grand Ballroom D)

- Jennifer Ladouceur (Governor’s Ballroom A)

- Jim Anderson (Grand Ballroom E)

4:15pm Breakout Presentations

- Ian Wood (Grand Ballroom D)

- Laurie Guthrie (Governor’s Ballroom B)

- Gillian Hatton (Grand Ballroom E)

- Larry Horncastle (Governor’s Ballroom A)

             

 Eddy Campbell President & Vice Chancellor, University of New Brunswick  H.E.A. (Eddy) Campbell is the 18th president and vice-chancellor of the University of New Brunswick,

Canada's oldest English-language university. During his tenure, the university has been recognized by

Startup Canada as Canada’s Most Entrepreneurial Post-Secondary Institution. It also established the

Tucker Park Collaborative on its Saint John campus (home to the new Dalhousie Medicine Education

Centre and the Saint John Regional Hospital), built state-of-the-art student and research facilities

such as The Richard J. CURRIE CENTER and the Hans W. Klohn Commons, and has been named one of

Canada’s Top 100 Employers in 2013, 2014 and 2016. His work at the university and with the

province is helping build a stronger, more prosperous society for the people of New Brunswick and

Atlantic Canada.

Dr. Campbell remains active with many associations, including the Association of Atlantic

Universities (AAU), Atlantic University Sport (AUS), CANARIE and the New Brunswick Business

Council, where he advocates for a “Smart(er) NB.” In 2013, Dr. Campbell received the Graham P.

Wright Award for Distinguished Service from the Canadian Mathematical Society. He was named

among the top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Stephen Lund CEO, Opportunities New Brunswick

Stephen Lund is a dynamic leader and expert in economic development with over 30 years’

experience in business development, venture capital and international finance. Since 2015, Stephen

has been the CEO of Opportunities NB (ONB) the provincial crown corporation where he leads a

team of experienced professionals to deliver a broad mandate to grow the economy. ONB is

bringing new money and new jobs to every corner of New Brunswick and generating a positive

return on investment for all New Brunswickers. With Stephen’s leadership, ONB has consistently

exceeded results, outperforming every other Canadian economic development agency jurisdiction

on a per capita basis and has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers for two years in a

row.

Stephen has a track record of success. As CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. for over a decade, he

consistently surpassed targets, assisted in the revitalization of Halifax’s downtown core, and played a

key role in the province being dubbed the best-performing region in North America in attracting

inward investment. Under Stephen’s leadership, ONB has created approximately 10,000 jobs in its

first three years of operation on a target of 5,500.

Stephen’s hard work and commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed. Stephen has been

recognized by Atlantic Business Magazine as one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada five times in

a row, was added to the list of the top 500 most influential people in Financial Centre worldwide,

and has been inducted into Atlantic Business Magazine’s CEO Hall of Fame.

When he’s not working to close deals, you’ll likely find Stephen supporting his community or on the

ice. He is currently on the Board for the Conference Board of Canada and has served on boards for

the IWK Health Centre and the QE2 Hospital Foundation, champions Junior Achievement, and was

the inaugural Chair of the Heart & Stroke Hockey Heroes Fundraiser. Stephen has also participated

in the World Triathlon Championships, the Boston Marathon, and the Canadian University Hockey

Championships.

Stephen earned a prestigious X ring from St. Francis Xavier University, holds an MBA from Queen’s

University, obtained an ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and completed executive

level studies at Harvard. Stephen is proud to be back in his home province, with his wife Sandy and

their pug Humphrey. They have two sons, Connor and Shaun at university.

 

 Tyson Johnson COO, CyberNB Tyson has worked in both the public and private sectors over the course of his career. Starting in the

Federal civil service, Tyson developed hands-on experience across the entire spectrum of issues

facing Canada’s foreign and domestic threats. He worked closely with government agencies in

Canada and abroad to collaborate and achieve successful outcomes.

After departing the Government of Canada, Tyson spent the next number of years building and

supporting enterprise risk management programs for multinational organizations in both financial

services and electronics manufacturing. During this time, Tyson worked globally to understand and

integrate regional nuances into a corporate framework to support business success. It was during

this period that Tyson obtained his Global Masters of Arts Program designation from The Fletcher

School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University. His thesis explored the contributing decision support

factors for comparative country selection by corporations.

Most recently, Tyson led BrightPlanet, a US-based ‘big data’ pioneer, as its VP Business Development

& Strategy. In this role, Tyson helped shape BrightPlanet into a successful member of the data &

analytics ecosystem to support risk management across government and industry. This included a

key focus on threat identification and cybersecurity initiatives.

David Shipley, BA, MBA, CISM Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Beauceron Security David is a recognized Canadian leader in cybersecurity, frequently appearing in local, regional and national media and speaking at public and private events across North America. David is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Information and Communications Studies as well as a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick. Between July 2012 and May 2017 David helped lead the multi-year effort to transform UNB's approach to cybersecurity. David led UNB's threat intelligence, cybersecurity awareness and incident response practices before founding Beauceron Security. His experience in managing awareness programs, risk management and incident response helped shape the vision for the Beauceron platform.

Jennifer Schnier, Ec.D.(F) Communications and Economics Officer, Township of Georgian Bay Are you a municipal Economic Development employee that is struggling with work/life balance? Do

you feel the stress of being at work at 8am even though you had an evening meeting the night

before? Have you given up countless hours of overtime, yet you still love what you do? This session

might be for you!

Jennifer is passionate about workplace fairness. This presentation will help Economic Developers

acquire levels of autonomy needed to be effective in the municipal setting by understanding how

and why Economic Developers must respond to the economic climate around them.

Jennifer approaches the struggles Economic Developers have in the workplace from the perspective

of both the work required and the CAO who manages them. By providing clear data, Jennifer

identifies solutions that can help EDOs across the country better communicate with their teams

about how traditional municipal work hours cannot work in the business communities that exist

today.

Jennifer is married to her husband Alec and is a mother of 5 boys aged 18-23. She lives and works in

Muskoka Ontario and in particular the community of Port Severn. Jennifer recently started an

Airbnb in Georgian Bay and has enjoyed learning about her community from the perspective of

those who come to visit. You can find Jennifer on the golf course, in her garden or hiking the trails

and kayaking the shoreline of Georgian Bay with her two Labernese puppies Maggie and Mille.

Dhirendra Shukla Director, J. Herbert Smith Centre for Technology, Management and Entrepreneurship Dr. Dhirendra Shukla has been the Dr. J. Herbert Smith ACOA Chair since September 2009. He did his BEng and MSc in Chemical Engineering and Computing and Performance Engineering from the University of Bradford (UK). Dhirendra worked for several years in the Telecom Sector for Nortel Networks (Canada) in various roles and prior to joining Nortel Networks he worked for Croda International (UK). Dhirendra obtained his MBA from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa (Canada) and completed his PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance from the University of London in the UK (King's College London). His current research interests are in Venture Capital, Syndication, Entrepreneurship, Corporate Finance, Performance and Governance, and Boards of Directors. Dhirendra currently teaches Entrepreneurial Finance, Business Planning and Strategy in an Entrepreneurial Environment, Global Engineering, Managing in the Creative Economy, Experiential Learning in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, Product Design and Development as well as Leadership in an Era of Deep Change.

Aileen Murray, Ec.D.(F) Mellor Murray Consulting A trusted advisor and coach, Aileen Murray has worked with municipalities and economic

development organizations across Ontario combining her hands-on experience in municipal

government, strategic and business planning to develop practical, achievable strategies and

programs.

Aileen is a Director of the Economic Developers Association of Canada and a Past President of the

Economic Developers Council of Ontario. Aileen is a Certified Economic Development Professional

(Ec.D) and Fellow with the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

Robyn Webb Executive Director, National Connector Program As the Executive Director, National Connector Program (NCP), Robyn promotes the Connector

program across Canada - recruiting new communities to launch their own Connector Programs. The

NCP provides both on-site and remote training, resources and shares best practices with 35

Connector Communities. NCP communities are encouraged to participate in our National Pre-Arrival

Connector Program which enables immigrants to start making connections before they arrive in their

destination city.

Robyn also leads the Halifax Partnership's talent attraction and retention initiatives, including the

Halifax Connector Program, Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program and the Experiential Learning

Initiative.

With a strong business acumen and considerable sales experience, Robyn has advanced

communication skills that allow her to actively engage all levels of decision makers and build

productive relationships with a diverse client base. Robyn has a solid background in Human

Resources and Recruitment.

Robyn is part of the Advisory Team for the Halifax Local Immigration Partnerships and chairs the

Economic Integration and Growth Committee. Over the past 14 years, Robyn has build solid,

collaborative relationships with immigrant servicing organizations, economic development

organizations, Immigrant Employment Councils, and Chambers of Commerce both locally and

internationally.

Robyn has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University.

Andrew Dixon

Senior VP, Trade and Business Development, Port Saint John

Andrew Dixon is a native of Saint John, New Brunswick. He graduated with a degree in Business

Administration from the University of New Brunswick in 1983, joining Sunbury Transport in

Fredericton, N.B., and becoming General Sales and Traffic Manager in 1986. In 1991, he went to

work for EMCO Distribution in the position of District Branch Manager.

In February of 1997, he joined Logistec Stevedoring as Commercial Manager of the forest products

and break bulk terminal in Saint John. This initial assignment was expanded to include Logistec

operations throughout the Atlantic Region, focusing on Business Development and Customer Service

in all marine transportation sectors.

In June of 2004, Andrew joined the management team at the Saint John Port Authority, assuming

responsibility for all Marketing and Operational activities. He currently holds the position of Senior

Vice President, Trade and Business Development, and his current responsibilities include Cargo,

Cruise, and Venues Business Development, as well as Property Management and Strategic Port

initiatives.

Andrew completed the requirements to receive the CITT Certified Logistics Professional (CCLP)

designation in 1989, and completed the Executive Marketing Management course at Western

University in 1991. He has been an instructor for “Integrated Logistics” at the local college as well as

serving on the National CITT Board of Directors for several years, including a term as Board Chair. In

2015 he was honoured to receive the CITT Award of Excellence for lifetime achievement in the field

of Logistics and contribution to CITT. Andrew was successful in completing Strategic Negotiations at

Harvard Business School in 2017. He is actively engaged with local and provincial economic

development agencies, and he also serves as Vice Chair of the Fort LaTour Development Authority.

Mayor Don Darling

City of Saint John

Don Darling was elected on May 9, 2016 as the 59th Mayor of the City of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Most of his growing up years were spent in Saint John. He and his wife Patti have raised three grown

children in the city.

Mayor Don Darling is committed to growing the Saint John population and economy, and enhancing

opportunities for all of its citizens. He brings his business senior executive leadership in the

residential construction industry, along with his strong commitment and devotion to serving in

public office, to fuel economic momentum and optimism.

Mayor Darling believes in giving back to the community through volunteerism. He and his family are

active in the community through volunteerism with sport, and his faith community. He supports

many of the city’s non-profit organizations and encourages others to do the same.

He has a deep understanding and appreciation for good governance, risk management and

accountability when tackling big issues. Mayor Darling is committed to bringing his leadership,

development know-how and collaborative approach to the table, to focus on our city’s growth,

prosperity, and putting citizens first.

Beth Kelly Hatt Founder, Aquila Tours and Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence

Beth Kelly Hatt moved to Saint John, New Brunswick in 1981 and founded Aquila Tours the following

year. A passionate Acadian from Northern New Brunswick, she has been affectionately nicknamed

by her team as their “Fearless Leader”. Mentoring and leading her team to become leaders

themselves has been a life purpose.

Today Beth is deeply involved in coaching and mentoring partners Danielle and Melanie into their

managing roles – and her succession – so she can spend time with passions such as new Aquila

projects, as well as going kayaking with her husband Russ and playing with all their grandchildren.

With the encouragement of top executives at major cruise lines, the Aquila Center for Cruise

Excellence was established in 2007, offering workshops and customized training programs for Tour

Operators, Tour Guides and Destinations. Beth spends much of her time in the Caribbean and

Central America coaching other Tour Operators and training Tour Guides into the Best Practices of

the cruise industry.

A visionary not just for her business, but for her industry and her community, Beth is also a leader in

the tourism industry. She has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including being

named one of 25 People to Watch in Atlantic Canada, and one of the Top 100 Most Powerful

Women in Canada. Aquila celebrated 35 years in business this past year.

Sheri Somerville

CEO, Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce

Sheri Somerville is CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 16,000

businesses through its network of 93 chambers and boards of trade and 25 corporate partners

Atlantic Canada. A globally certified communications professional with more than 21-years of

experience, Sheri partners with members to influence an environment in Atlantic Canada where

business succeeds.

Prior to ACC, Sheri founded Pure Symmetry Public Relations Inc., a consulting firm where, as

Principal & Chief Counsel, she served here Eastern Canadian clients in small business, municipal

economic development, natural resources, energy, post-secondary education and consumer goods.

She also served as part-time association Executive Director for her client the Association of

Consulting Engineering Companies of NB.

Sheri’s multisector career has seen her serve as Natural Gas Advisor to the Canadian Association of

Petroleum Producers where she oversaw the activities of the NB Petroleum Alliance, and in

leadership roles as the Director at MT&L Public Relations, Director of Communications–Canada for

Michelin North America (Canada) and Communications Manager at the Ontario Centres of

Excellence.

An active community member, Sheri is communications chair of the Business Community

Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) and has served as executive advisor to the Saint John Learning

Exchange and on the boards of Canadian Women in Communications (NB), Halifax Discovery Centre,

New Glasgow Dragon Boat Race on the River, and the board of governors of JA Nova Scotia Business

Hall of Fame.

Sheri holds the global credential of Strategic Communications Management Professional (SCMP)

from International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) Global Communications

Certification Council (GCCC), an International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) certification,

as well as her Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University and Bachelor

of Business Administration from UNB Saint John.

Ryan MacNeil, Ec.D. Rath Professor of Entrepreneurship, Acadia University Ryan MacNeil is the Rath Professor of Entrepreneurship at Acadia University where he studies and

teaches “post-industrial” entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development. Ryan holds a

Masters degree in Local Economic Development from the University of Waterloo and a PhD in

Management from the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University. He maintains a

professional designation (EcD) with the Economic Developers’ Association of Canada following an

earlier career working in two Nova Scotian economic development organizations and consulting for

other local economic development organizations across Canada and in parts of Western China.

Jennifer Ladouceur, MBA, EcD President and Co-Founder, Women Leadership Nation, A Pozentivity Inc. Company

Jennifer is an economic developer committed to helping women leaders, businesses & local

economies grow, thrive and prosper through the creation of Unified Workplaces™ and Unified

Business Communities™.

Recognizing the need for a new approach to closing the Gender Gap and increasing innovation

Jennifer co-founded Women Leadership Nation™ a leadership & unity training company posed to

disrupt how businesses and governments increase diversity, inclusion and collaboration in

traditionally male dominated industries. She is also a founding SheEO Inc. Activator, passionate

about supporting women-led ventures worldwide.

Jennifer has extensive experience at a leadership level in municipal government, most recently

holding the position of Director of Economic Development and Cultural Services at the City of

Vaughan and at the executive level in the private sector. As an entrepreneur Jennifer, co-founded

Ideacia ONE Inc. a national consulting firm with offices from coast-to-coast across Canada and

successfully sold the consulting firm to a global tax firm “Ryan ULC” with head offices in Texas, USA

and Mississauga, Canada.

Jennifer holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Athabasca University, a Masters

Certificate in Municipal Leadership from Schulich School of Business, a Certificate in Economic

Development from the University of Waterloo and Certificate from Harvard Business School

ManageMentor Program. Jennifer holds an economic development designation from the Economic

Development Association of Canada (Ec.D.).

Committed to constantly challenging the status quo, Jennifer is dedicated to disrupting how we

support women leaders, unify workplaces, innovate communities and find new solutions for a better

world. Jennifer is happily married and the mother of seven children.

 Jim Anderson Executive Director, Venture Kamloops  Jim Anderson has been the Executive Director of Venture Kamloops since 2013. During this time, Jim

has worked to make the organization a leader in economic development through innovative BR&E

programs and strong partnerships. As Executive Director, Jim is responsible for developing, fostering

and maintaining excellent working relationships with all levels of government, community and

business groups. He maintains a strategic involvement with senior staff of key Venture Kamloops

partners to develop and foster economic development in Kamloops. Jim is also responsible for the

financial and administrative service delivery and provides support to the Venture Kamloops staff in

order to achieve organizational goals and objectives.

Jim, his wife Tanja and kids Ben & Raili chose Kamloops as the place they wanted to call home in

2004. Jim is committed to the community, serving with Rotary, the United way and local youth

sports. He believes in working everyday to make his city the best it can be.

                

Ian Wood Director of Economic Development, Greater Sudbury Ian Wood has served as Director of Economic Development and General Manager of the Greater

Sudbury Development Corporation since July 2011. Ian’s municipal government experience began in

1998 with his appointment as Economic Development Officer for the Town of Walden. With the City

of Greater Sudbury, Ian has served as Tourism Coordinator as well as Chief of Staff to the Mayor

from 2007-02. In the 1990s, Ian served as Special Assistant in the Office of the Deputy Premier of

Ontario.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. He is active in many

regional initiatives in Northern Ontario and is Chair of Ontario’s North Economic Development

Corporation (ONEDC), and a Director on the Board of Tourism Northern Ontario. Ian has served as a

member of the Laurentian University Board of Governors since 2009 and lives in the Walden area of

Greater Sudbury.

Laurie Guthrie, Ec.D. Smart Cities Project Manager, City of Fredericton As a 25 year employee of the City of Fredericton, Laurie Guthrie has worked primarily in the field of

economic development - spearheading various strategic initiatives to cultivate economic growth, and

to earn Fredericton’s brand equity as a ‘smart city’ and ‘Startup Capital of Canada’.

As a devout Frederictonian, Laurie is passionate about seeing her community grow and prosper. She

founded the Fredericton Business Ambassador Program in 2002 to attract economic opportunities to

the City, growing the team to 720 people. She also championed Fredericton’s Immigration

Coordinator position to enable the attraction and retention of newcomers to the city, thus enriching

Fredericton’s cultural diversity and talent base.

As Vision 2020 Project Manager, Laurie steered the consultant and 250 stakeholders in the

development of the community’s economic development strategy - resulting in her secondment to

Ignite Fredericton to help facilitate implementation of Vision 2020. She led the rebranding of Ignite

Fredericton, the community’s economic development agency; creation of task forces to drive sector

growth; and development of the region’s investment attraction strategy and tool-kit. Laurie also

manages the Marketing & Communications Division of Ignite Fredericton, Planet Hatch and

Knowledge Park.

Laurie earned her national certified economic developer designation, EcD, in 2005 awarded by the

University of Waterloo and Economic Developers Association of Canada, as well as her international

designation, CEcD, through the International Economic Development Council. Laurie also holds a

Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree from the University of New Brunswick.

Through the years, Laurie has provided leadership and served on numerous committees and

collaborative initiatives earning her Canada’s Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award and the Fredericton

Chamber of Commerce’s President’s Award.

Laurie lives in Fredericton with her husband Darren, where they spend most of their spare time

enjoying outdoor pursuits, and driving their four children to sports and activities.

Gillian Hatton

Managing Consultant, Location Strategies Limited

Gillian Hatton is a specialist in economic development strategy, and trade and investment

development. With nearly 20 years as an economic development practitioner, she has a successful

track record in developing and implementing business retention, attraction and expansion strategies

with economic development agencies and communities in North America, the United Kingdom, and

overseas. Through her firm Location Strategies, which she founded in 2004, she has undertaken

numerous assignments to facilitate job creation, investment, and sustainable economies.

Gillian has extensive experience in the FDI and trade development programs. This experience

encompasses the development and implementation of FDI strategies and work on numerous

companies’ expansion strategies in foreign markets resulting in millions of dollars of added value in

investments and job creation. In this capacity, she has worked with economic development

organizations such as The Western REN, The Nova Scotia Government, Enterprise Florida, Business

Birmingham, The Welsh Government, The North of England Inward Investment Agency, Ontario East

Economic Development Commission, The Province of Ontario, and communities both large and small

across Canada.

Gillian has substantial hands-on economic development experience that has encompassed the whole

economic development cycle; from economic base analysis, strategic sector studies, value

proposition development, input to marketing collateral, and business development and lead

generation.

Gillian has a substantial track record in the compilation detailed and strategic sector studies

encompassing the value chain, location assets, investment attraction variables, supply chain gaps

and critical sector strengths to facilitate the development of value propositions and the targeting of

specific industry sectors, geographic areas and companies.

Her work has covered a diverse range of industries including advanced manufacturing, natural

resources, life sciences, logistics, aerospace, agri-food, renewable energy, cleantech, and

professional and technical services. Gillian holds a BSc. (Hons.) Management Sciences from the

University of Manchester, Institute of Science and Technology, United Kingdom, and a postgraduate

certificate in Internet Business and Technology from the University of Toronto. She is also a Masters

in Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) candidate at the University of Waterloo.

Larry Horncastle, Ec.D., HLM Keystone Strategies, Alberta Larry Horncastle is truly certifiable! Larry has more than 30 years’ experience in the economic development profession, both in rural

regional projects and small to mid-size urban municipalities throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta.

He has also garnered experience from serving as a volunteer on economic development committees

and boards.

Larry partnered with his son, Richard in creating Keystone Strategies Inc . Keystone Strategies is a

nimble, upstart economic development consultancy based on the premise that all our strategies are

built on one keystone – delivering the results that clients need to be successful. Larry and Richard

bring a unique approach to serving their clients, based on years of experience in a variety of

economic development settings. From a municipal perspective to regional collaborative

development, Keystone’s principals bring a diverse wealth of experience to bear on delivering

strategies that clients can use rather than just read.

Dedicated to professional development, Larry served on a panel to develop the Essentials of

Economic Development: Practices, Principles and Planning developed by the Economic Developers

Association of Canada (EDAC) to assist practitioners’ understanding of the core competencies

required in the economic development accreditation process.

Throughout his career, Larry has won numerous awards including the Economic Developer of the

Year from the Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association, and he has been awarded the

President’s Award from EDAC for his contributions to the economic development profession three

times. He is also the recipient of numerous provincial, national and international marketing awards.

Larry is also an EDAC Past President.

Monday, September 10, 2018

8:15 am - Alex Dedam

9:00 am - Brad Wasson

10:00 am - Detlef Engler

10:45 am - Schaun Goodeve

Greg Landry

Kevin Poole

11:30 am - Greg Borduas

Tracye McDaniel

12:45 am - Brock Dickinson

Jon Beale

Patrice Martineau

Alex Dedam

President, Joint Economic Development Initiative

Brad Wasson

Chief Digital Innovation Officer, Energie NB Power

Brad is the Chief Digital Innovation Officer for NB Power. After spending over 25 years in the private

sector in the information technology and management consulting sectors, Brad joined NB Power as a

Director of the corporate smart grid program in 2013. In February 2018 Brad was appointed to the

CDIO role to develop and deliver the organization's digital transformation strategy. The focus of the

strategy is to drive collaboration and innovation in all aspects of the business and to develop digital

solutions for internal and customer's use. Brad's responsibilities include converging and leading the

information and operational technology (IT/OT) groups, forming the Digital Technologies

organization. The digital transformation strategy is also focused on improving business performance

by formalizing and leveraging innovation processes and fostering research and development

relationships with external partners. Brad has an undergraduate engineering degree and a master's

degree in computer science.

Detlef Engler

Senior Investment Counsellor, Embassy of Canada, Germany

As Trade Commissioner and Senior Investment Counsellor at the Embassy of Canada to Germany,

Mr. Engler looks back at 21 years of advising German investment prospects on all aspects of site

selection in Canada, from providing value propositions, cost analyses, to counselling on financing

options and incentive packages.

Across the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, Mr. Engler is a well-known strategist combining

theoretical concepts of foreign direct investment attraction with the experience of counselling senior

executives of numerous German investors. Global Affairs Canada’s has been using him as a mentor,

coaching Trade Commissioners around the globe on how to convince senior company executives on

Canada’s investment advantages.

At the EDAC Annual Conference in Saskatoon in 2016, Mr. Engler was presented the EDAC

President’s Award in recognition of his good collaboration with Canada’s regions and municipalities.

Since 2009, Mr. Engler has held various teaching assignments in international management at the

Berlin University of Technology and Business Administration (HTW), specializing in foreign direct

investment and site selection management.

Mr. Engler was born in Germany and went to Canada in 1988. He graduated in Canadian Studies at

Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. He then obtained post-grad degrees in political science,

economic history, public law and EU business administration in Freiburg and Frankfurt, Germany.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Engler was Managing Director of the former Canadian-German

Business Institute in Lahr, Germany, a private-sector institution focusing on regional economic

development.

Schaun Goodeve

Economic Development Officer, City of Kimberley Schaun Goodeve is an economic developer and planner with over 15 years experience working with

communities and businesses within Canada and internationally. He is currently the Manager of

Planning & Economic Development for the Town of Morinville overseeing numerous projects and

day to day operations of planning functions and economic development initiatives.

Since 2002 he has been the Principal of Green Dimensions Consulting, a boutique consultancy

providing businesses and Government economic development and planning services. He possesses a

Masters in Environmental Studies in sustainable development and planning (York U) and has

volunteered on numerous boards and associations (including as president of a chamber of

commerce, founding chair of downtown business association and Chair of the Greater Edmonton

Economic Development Team to name a few). Recently he was recognized for his contributions to

the profession with 2017 Economic Developer of the Year award from the Economic Developers of

Alberta. In his free time Schaun enjoys whitewater paddling, mountain biking and skiing.

Greg Landry Ec.D (F) Senior Advisor, Regional Planning and Economic Development - Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs Greg has worked as both an economic developer and a planner. He has been a member of EDAC

since 1998, obtained his Ec.D. in 2001, and awarded his fellowship in 2014. He is also a member of

the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and a Charter Licensed Member of the Professional Planners

Association of Nova Scotia. He has two Masters degrees, one in Planning and one in Development

Economics. For the past 17 years, he has worked in economic development for the Province of Nova

Scotia and has shaped many of the provincial economic development strategies during that time. He

is currently on special assignment with the Department of Municipal Affairs working on updating

land use planning legislation with an economic development lens.

Kevin Poole

Manager of Economic Development & Tourism, City of Vernon

Kevin Poole is the Manager of Economic Development & Tourism for the City of Vernon, British

Columbia. Kevin began his career in Economic Development in 1998 in Kamloops. In 2003, he moved

to Mission to become the communities first Economic Development Officer. In 2009, Kevin relocated

his family to the sunny Okanagan Valley to take on a newly created Economic Development function

with the City of Vernon.

Kevin holds a Bachelor of Business Degree from Thompson Rivers University where he received a

major in marketing. He is a past Chair of the British Columbia Economic Development Association,

the Chair of the Okanagan Valley Economic Development Society and is currently the Secretary on

the board of the Economic Development Association of Canada.

He is a past recipient of the BC Economic Developer of the Year award and in 2015 received the

Chairman’s award from the BC Economic Development Association for his significant contribution to

the association, the profession and Economic Development throughout British Columbia.

Kevin and his wife Angie have four children and enjoy downhill skiing, camping, hiking, mountain

biking and cheering on the Calgary Flames. Kevin strongly believes in giving back to the community

wherever possible and has volunteered for many initiatives including the Economic Disaster

Recovery Project in Alberta and three years ago he began a new adventure joining the Vernon

Volunteer Firefighters Association.

G. J. (Greg) Borduas, Ec.D. (F)

CMO, Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands

Greg has a B.A., Political Science, University of Western Ontario and completed his economic

development professional designation (Ec.D.), Certificate, Diploma and Fellowship at the University

of Waterloo. Greg completed his Certified Municipal Officer (CMO) designation with the Association

of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario.

Greg currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Township of Leeds and the

Thousand Islands in eastern Ontario. Greg has also served in senior positions in economic

development at the municipal and provincial government levels as well as in the private sector for

the past 25 years. Greg is a Past President (1997) of the Economic Development Council of Ontario

(EDCO) and currently serves as Past President of the Economic Developers Association of Canada

(EDAC).

       

  

  

Tracye McDaniel - IEDC TRACYE MCDANIEL is founder and CEO of McDaniel Strategy Ecosystems, A strategic business management firm laser-focused on innovative, customized solutions that deliver results. The firm leverages a vast ecosystem of organizations and professionals that position our clients to win. Throughout her thirty-year career, McDaniel has advised and supported five governors (Governor Ann Richards, Governor George Bush, Governor Rick Perry and Governor Greg Abbott in Texas and Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey) in all facets of public and private sector management, policy, international trade, marketing and economic development. She has led economic development efforts in over 51 countries. McDaniel is a trusted advisor to CEOs, nonprofits, economic development organizations, public

organizations and private enterprises. McDaniel served as president and chief executive officer of the Texas Economic Development Corporation and TexasOne, an independently funded and operated 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to marketing the state globally for business attraction, retention, and foreign direct investment leading to job creation and investment. Before that, she was founding CEO of Choose New Jersey, one of a few economic development organizations in the country wholly funded using private funds. While there, McDaniel defined the economic development marketing brand, and business retention and recruitment strategies for the state. Before New Jersey, McDaniel served as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Greater Houston Partnership where she directed the execution of the organization's 10-year Strategic Plan focus on membership, economic development, international trade and public policy advocacy. McDaniel has supported post-recovery programs with Hurricane Ike (Houston, Texas), and Superstorm Sandy (New Jersey). McDaniel has consistently been called upon by clients to provide strategic advice, find solutions to what seem to be intractable problems, and identify and assemble a team of professionals that have the right blend of expertise. She was elected Vice Chair of International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world’s top organization for economic development professionals. McDaniel will serve as Chair of IEDC in 2019. McDaniel was appointed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to both the Council on Innovation and the New Jersey Military Installation Growth and Development Task Force and was selected by Texas Governor Rick Perry to serve on Texas Southern University Board of Regents and the Texas Economic Development Corporation, Board of Directors. In recognition of her accomplishments in business and community, NJBIZ named McDaniel among New Jersey’s 2014 Best 50 Women in Business, as well as listed on the 100 Most Powerful People in New Jersey Business. Consultant Connect recognized her with North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers Award 2016 and the Excellence in Economic Development Award by the Site Selectors Guild. McDaniel is a widely recognized strategist with C-Suite level experience in all facets of the management, economic development, policy, and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Texas–Austin. McDaniel is also a Ford Foundation Regional

Sustainable Development (RSD) Fellow, a program of American Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Brock Dickinson Ec.D.(F) Adjunct Professor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence, U of W Brock Dickinson is Adjunct Professor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence with the University of Waterloo.

In this role, Brock works with students and faculty to help launch new entrepreneurial ventures and

commercialize emerging research, to support the development of new incubation and business

acceleration facilities, and to coordinate the University’s links with the United Nations on

development issues.

Brock also serves as an Executive-in-Residence with Innovate Niagara, which operates digital media

and biotech incubators in the Niagara Region of Ontario.

Brock was previously the Chief Executive Officer of MDB Insight, Canada’s largest specialist economic

development consultancy, where he worked with some 300 communities across North America to

identify and pursue economic development, investment attraction, and job creation opportunities.

In September of 2010, the company was named to Profit Magazine’s “Hot 50” list of Canada’s fastest

growing young companies.

Before entering the private sector, Brock served as Director of ICT & Advanced Manufacturing for

the Toronto Region Research Alliance, as Director of Economic Development & Tourism Services for

the City of St. Catharines, and as Executive Director of the Western Valley Development Authority in

rural Nova Scotia. In these roles, he has helped to leverage more than a billion dollars in new

investment, and the creation of 5,000 new jobs.

Before entering the field of local economic development, Brock spent six years as a consultant with

the United Nations, coordinating development projects in more than 30 countries. In 1995, he was

appointed Secretary-General of a UN development conference, the youngest Secretary-General in

UN history.

A widely published writer and popular public speaker, Brock has been the Assistant Director of the

University of Waterloo’s Economic Development Program since 2006. Brock has a BA from the

University of North Carolina and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Brock University,

where his research focused on global economic development best practices. He has also studied at

Queen’s University and the French-language Université Sainte-Anne.

Jon Beale

Manager, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Canada

Jon Beale is the Manager of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) of Canada,

hosted at the University of Waterloo. SDSN Canada is part of a global SDSN movement to build a

network of universities, colleges, research centers, and knowledge institutions to promote practical

solutions for sustainable development. With over 800 participating institutions worldwide, SDSN

members work together to support action-oriented research to address some of the world’s most

pressing problems, including the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement.

Prior to joining SDSN Canada, Jon worked with the national consulting firm, MDB Insight, to identify

and highlight community and economic development opportunities and to create clear paths of

action in realizing those opportunities.

Patrice Martineau

Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat, Statistics Canada

Patrice Martineau is currently the Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat at

Statistics Canada. He has more than 15 years of experience at Statistics Canada where he developed

his expertise in business statistics and the measurement of progress towards the Sustainable

Development Goals. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a graduate diploma in

finance.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

8:45 am - Herb Emery

9:45am - Kim Nash McKinley

10:45am - Stephen Lund

- Sara Dubinsky

- James Cox

11:30am Breakout Presentations

- Michael Pealow

- Rivers Corbett

- Paul Blais, Chris Bandak, Trudy Parsons

- Margot Begin

1:15pm - Joy Romero

1:45pm - David Seabrook

- Victoria Clarke

- Cathy Pugh

- Kevin Cormier

3:00pm - Breakout Presentations

- Bill Thompson

- Mary Butler

- Chris Hokansson

3:45pm - Francis McGuire

Dr. Herb Emery

Professor of Economics & Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics, UNB

Herb Emery (PhD University of British Columbia) is Professor of Economics and the Vaughan Chair in

Regional Economics at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. Formerly the Research

Director and Program Director, Health Policy at The School of Public Policy at the University of

Calgary, he has been the Svare Professor in Health Economics, a joint appointment with the

Department of Economics and the Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at the

University of Calgary. From 2010 to 2015, Dr. Emery was the Editor of Canadian Public Policy,

Canada’s foremost journal examining economic and social policy. His research interests and

publications are focused on regional economic development, Canadian economic history, labour

economics and health economics.

Kim Nash-McKinley

Saint Mary’s First Nation Economic Development Officer

Kim Nash-McKinley, B.A. is a Wolastoqewiyik woman, a Former Chief and recipient of the Queen

Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which she received for her commitment and dedication of over

twenty years to issues that affect the off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples; provincially in New Brunswick,

regionally in the Maritimes and nationally in Canada through participation in the Congress of

Aboriginal Peoples.

Nash-McKinley has twenty-four years and running, of serving on a variety of Boards and

Commissions at the local, provincial, regional and national levels; and has served as the inaugural

Anglophone Co-chair for the Voices of Women’s Forum.

Nash-McKinley is also dedicated to the cause of Violence Against Aboriginal Women and is an

advocate for Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls.

Nash-McKinley is currently serving a second term a a member of the New Brunswick Health Council,

and commencing a two term on the board of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. Nash-McKinley

has shared her skills and knowledge with her communities in a variety of sectors and is currently

employed as the Director of Economic Development for her community, Saint Mary’s First Nation.

Stephen Lund CEO, Opportunities New Brunswick

Stephen Lund is a dynamic leader and expert in economic development with over 30 years’

experience in business development, venture capital and international finance. Since 2015, Stephen

has been the CEO of Opportunities NB (ONB) the provincial crown corporation where he leads a

team of experienced professionals to deliver a broad mandate to grow the economy. ONB is

bringing new money and new jobs to every corner of New Brunswick and generating a positive

return on investment for all New Brunswickers. With Stephen’s leadership, ONB has consistently

exceeded results, outperforming every other Canadian economic development agency jurisdiction

on a per capita basis and has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers for two years in a

row.

Stephen has a track record of success. As CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. for over a decade, he

consistently surpassed targets, assisted in the revitalization of Halifax’s downtown core, and played a

key role in the province being dubbed the best-performing region in North America in attracting

inward investment. Under Stephen’s leadership, ONB has created approximately 10,000 jobs in its

first three years of operation on a target of 5,500.

Stephen’s hard work and commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed. Stephen has been

recognized by Atlantic Business Magazine as one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada five times in

a row, was added to the list of the top 500 most influential people in Financial Centre worldwide,

and has been inducted into Atlantic Business Magazine’s CEO Hall of Fame.

When he’s not working to close deals, you’ll likely find Stephen supporting his community or on the

ice. He is currently on the Board for the Conference Board of Canada and has served on boards for

the IWK Health Centre and the QE2 Hospital Foundation, champions Junior Achievement, and was

the inaugural Chair of the Heart & Stroke Hockey Heroes Fundraiser. Stephen has also participated

in the World Triathlon Championships, the Boston Marathon, and the Canadian University Hockey

Championships.

Stephen earned a prestigious X ring from St. Francis Xavier University, holds an MBA from Queen’s

University, obtained an ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and completed executive

level studies at Harvard. Stephen is proud to be back in his home province, with his wife Sandy and

their pug Humphrey. They have two sons, Connor and Shaun at university.

Sara Dubinsky

Lidstone & Company, Vancouver, BC Sara is a litigation lawyer who provides legal opinions on a wide variety of issues, with a particular

emphasis on cannabis, bylaw enforcement, conflicts of interest and freedom of information. Sara

has provided legal advice on cannabis issues to almost 50 local governments and agencies in British

Columbia. She is counsel of record in more than a dozen cannabis cases for the cities of Abbotsford,

Campbell River, Chilliwack, Delta, Richmond, and the District of Kent.

James Cox

Manager, Economic Development, Tourism and Special Events, Leamington James Cox has been the Manager of Economic Development, Tourism, and Special Events for the

Municipality of Leamington since 2017. Originally from southwestern Ontario, James has previously

worked in economic development and strategic planning roles for the Town of Goderich, the

Chatham-Kent Police Service, the Town of Richmond Hill, and the Municipality of Markstay-Warren.

He holds a Master’s of Public Administration degree from the University of Ottawa and an Honours

Bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University.

Michael Pealow, Ec.D (F)

PAED

Michael Pealow cut his teeth as an Economic Developer in Fort Liard, Trout Lake, and Nahanni Butte,

Northwest Territories before moving to the Yukon. After a short stint with the territorial

government, he spent 12 years as a business and economic development consultant specializing in

northern and remote communities. Today, Michael’s practice has shifted toward facilitation and

social innovation consulting.

Michael is the founding President of the Council of Northern Economic Developers, past-Chair of the

Yukon Chamber of Commerce, and current Chair of the Yukon Foundation.

And he plays the tuba.

Rivers Corbett Director, Partnerships, GoForth Institute Rivers Corbett, MBA, is an award winning entrepreneur, TedX speaker, entrepreneur in residence, video author of 13 Fears of Entrepreneurs and the host of the popular national Startup Canada Podcast. He has received numerous business awards including: Business Person of the Year and most recently

the StartUP Canada Champion Award. Rivers has also landed on Canada's Hottest Start-ups List and

Canada's Fastest Growing Companies list through Profit magazine and he is recognized as one of

Canada’s 10 RockStar mentors in the country.

Much of Rivers' focus these days is proudly fulfilling his role as Entrepreneur in Residence with

Opportunities New Brunswick where he continues to move the needle on the spirit and actions of

entrepreneurship throughout the province.

While the journey of entrepreneurship is his passion as a serial entrepreneur so is helping other

entrepreneurs master the growth of their own business. Two such companies are The Best

Deodorant in the World and GoForth Institute, Canada's #1 online learning platform for

entrepreneurs.

Paul Blais, MA, Ec.D., CEcD Executive Vice-President, MDB Insight Paul is Executive Vice-President and co-founder of MDB Insight, one of North America’s largest

economic development specialist consultancies. From the start, MDB Insight has been actively

recruiting people who strive to be economic development thought leaders – those who aspire to

save the world – even if it’s just one place at a time. For 10 years he held positions of increasing

influence in three rural and urban communities. During this time, he attracted and retained over

$300 million in new investment that created 600 direct jobs in warehouse/distribution, advanced

manufacturing, food processing, tourism, and information technology. Since turning to consulting in

2005, Paul has been involved in assessing business demand and competitiveness for municipalities

across the country including many economic development action plans, industrial/employment

lands studies, and marketing programs across Canada.

MDB Insight has been consistently at the forefront of what it means to be economic development

practice leaders. Our people have always shown their abilities to develop aggressive but achievable

action plans based on defendable recommendations. This is where ideas for innovative practices

such as Triage BR+E are conceived and brought to the market for all to use.

Chris Bandak, BSc

Executive Vice-President Market Research & Analytics, MDB Insight

Chris Bandak recently joined MDB Insight as a partner and is a recognized and longstanding industry

leader who has dedicated his practice to municipal research and more specifically citizen

satisfaction. Over the past twenty years, Chris has conducted more than 500 research studies and is

considered a thought-leader in the area of design and analysis. Chris holds a North American Patent

for a methodology he designed to produce a scientific online panel. In addition, Chris has designed

and consulted on large market research pricing, branding, advertising and media projects across

North America. Chris’ recent projects have included work for clients in Tacoma (WA), Whistler (BC),

Newmarket (ON) and Wetaskiwin (AB).

Trudy Parsons, MBA, C.I.M., P.Mgr., Executive Vice-President, MDB Insight Trudy heads up the National Workforce Development Division at MDB Insight. The firm’s first

non-founding partner, she is a proponent of the interconnectedness between workforce and

economic development and focuses her work on supporting local communities, regions, and

provinces to establish policy and practices that promote talent alignment, attraction and retention.

Trudy has more than 25 years of expertise in sectoral, industry-specific, and local, regional, provincial

and national workforce development. She has dedicated her career to creating workforce

development strategies and solutions that position communities for prosperity and is recognized for

her community engagement skills and her ability to foster collaboration. Trudy’s background

includes working as a faculty member in the post-secondary sector, a post-secondary program

development consultant, and as the lead director overseeing a robust corporate continuing

education division. Trudy has authored numerous publications related to workforce development,

including case studies, research reports, and comprehensive strategies.

Margot Bégin, Ec.D.(F)

Vice President, Employee and Client Experience, ROI Research on Investment

Margot holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Acadia University and is a Certified Economic

Development Fellow of the Economic Developer’s Association of Canada. Margot is also a PRINCE 2

Certified Project Management Professional through APMG International.

A former successful business owner, she began her career in Economic Development in 2000 with

the Colchester Regional Development Agency of Nova Scotia. Margot’s work in recruiting

international talent and investment to small and rural communities received Provincial and National

recognition. Margot also has experience working with emerging economies in South America and

the Caribbean as a consultant to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. As a leader in the

Economic Development field, she has served as a Director of both the provincial and national

professional associations.

Margot joined ROI in 2017 as Executive Director, Client Services and was subsequently named Vice

President, Employee and Client Experience. In that role she manages strategic research and lead

generation programs on behalf of ROI’s global clients. Together with ROI’s Vice President of

Analytics, Dr. Nadine Jeserich, Margot also leads a growing Analytics and Consulting practice within

ROI; working with diverse communities to support the development of highly effective and

responsive Economic Development and FDI Attraction Strategies.

Joy Romero, P.Eng, MBA PM, ICD.D, FCAE

Vice President Technology & Innovation, Canadian Natural Resources Limited Joy has worked in steel, iron ore, coal and oil and gas. She has served as a School Trustee, Chair of

the Governing Council of Athabasca University, and advisor to several NSERC chairs. Joy is currently

chair of the Clean Resource Innovation Network, Board Chair of Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation

Alliance, and a board member of the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada. She is Vice-Chair of

the Business Leaders Advisory Council for Athabasca University and a member of the Faculty of

Science Dean’s Circle for the University of Calgary. Joy is a past member of the Science, Technology

& Innovation Council for Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineers.

David Seabrook

Manager, Fredericton Tourism and the Assistant Director of the Growth and Community

Services Department at the City of Fredericton

As leader of the City’s destination management organization, David oversees development of

marketing, programs, product and experience development initiatives for the City as a key

destination in Atlantic Canada. He is the former President of the Destination Marketing Association

of Canada and a former board member of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick. For

many years, he was the industry representative for New Brunswick on the marketing committee of

the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership.

David is the lead on the $8.9 million Officers’ Square redevelopment project in Fredericton’s Historic

Garrison District. In addition, he is a key member of development teams of the masterplan for the

Historic Garrison District and Fredericton’s new tourism-friendly City Centre Plan.

In his volunteer life, David is a co-founder of the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, Atlantic Canada’s

largest international music festival. For 28 years, he has sat on the festival’s board of directors,

holding positions such as Music Director, Marketing Director, and Communications Director. He is on

the executive of Festival and Major Events Canada (FAME), an association of the country’s largest

festivals.

In his personal life, David is the Volunteer Director of the Fredericton Shambhala Centre, a

meditation centre in Fredericton. He teaches meditation throughout New Brunswick and offers free

weekly programs at the Fredericton Public Library.

Victoria Clarke Executive Director, Discover Saint John A well-known figure in the Saint John community, Victoria Clarke is an extraordinary communicator

who loves #SaintAwesome and the people who live there. In her current role as Executive Director of

Discover Saint John, she specializes in strategic relationships, marketing, business development and

government relations. Her past experiences include working with the excellent team at the Saint

John Regional Hospital Foundation, running her own e-marketing business and co-hosting a popular

morning radio show.

Victoria volunteers a great deal of her time raising funds and support for various charities and

organizations, while also sitting on various charity and business boards and committees. She is

presently President of the Destination Marketing Association of Canada, a Director of the Arts Board

of New Brunswick, and Director on the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association board. She has served on

the national cabinet for the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, as well as having Chaired the

United Way of Greater Saint John 2017 Annual Campaign.

Cathy Pugh General Manager, Fredericton Convention Centre Cathy has worked in Canada’s Business Events industry for 25 years. Her initial involvement with the Fredericton Convention Centre began in 2009 when she developed and executed marketing strategies to increase new event demand to the city of Fredericton. In 2010, she was appointed General Manager by the Board of Directors and has since guided the successful evolution of the centre from pre-opening to a respected, professional and competitive convention centre. Cathy is noted for understanding the need to design business practices which are flexible and can respond to client and market demand, and, to build collaborative and productive relationships with her all-star team, guests and community. All of which have contributed to its success. Cathy serves as Chair of the Convention Centres of Canada and is a board member of the Fredericton International Airport Authority, Meetings Mean Business Canada and SKAL NB. She is active in her memberships with Meeting Professionals International, International Association of Venue Managers, and the Tourism Industry Associations of Canada and New Brunswick.

Kevin Cormier CEO – Kings Landing Corporation Kevin has spent the last 7 years at the helm of one of Canada’s best and largest outdoor living history museums. He is a career marketer, having spent the last 20 years creating compelling and engaging stories for audiences to connect with in Tourism, Aviation and Advertising sectors. A recognized change agent, Kevin is passionate about leading dynamic teams who are almost obsessive on creating awesome guest experiences. He is a strategic thinker, always seeking innovative ways and platforms to tell stories that move people to react positively with brands. His simple philosophy on building successful brands has always been: Tell compelling stories - do it honestly and by being real – and always communicate simply. A hard-core music lover, Kevin is proud to call Fredericton, New Brunswick home along with his partner Jill and two boys Hayden and Jaxon.

Bill Thompson Thompson & Associates Strategic Consultants Inc. An innovative and results-oriented executive with extensive experience in multi-dimensional

organizations in both the private and public sectors with a proven record of strategic planning for

organizations facing significant challenges in a changing economic environment

William has used his legal background to drive his innovative approach to economic development at

a regional level with municipalities, as the head of a rapidly growing aquaculture sector, as a

provincial Deputy Minister and as a consultant focused on strategic planning.

Mary Butler Vice-President of Academic Development, NBCC Mary joined NBCC in 2011 bringing a unique blend of senior management, education and business

experience to the College. Responsible for Academic Development and Research, Mary is conscience

of the College’s place in the economic and social fabric of New Brunswick. She works with a strong,

award winning team of creative thinkers and educators to provide exceptional learning and training

opportunities for students, as well as the public and private sectors, and to build the research

capacity of the College. As part of the larger NBCC team, Mary is committed to developing a culture

of leadership and innovation at the College and throughout New Brunswick.

Mary is an active volunteer with the Saint John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. She is also a

representative on the following Boards and committees: New Brunswick Health Research

Foundation, Springboard Atlantic Network, Stan Cassidy Foundation, and the NSERC Atlantic

Regional Advisory Committee.

Chris Hokansson Partner, CQNS A seasoned marketer, Chris’ 20 year marketing career has included stints with a global marketing agency, an award winning digital agency and as a partner in CQNS, a marketing agency specializing in marketing for economic development organizations.

He is a frequent speaker on the intersection of technology, data and marketing and with storytelling as his core skill he has built and executed thought leadership and demand generation programs for municipalities like The Region of Durham, The County of Wellington, and global brands like FedEx and Lenovo.

Francis McGuire President, ACOA

Francis P. McGuire assumed the position of President (Deputy Minister) of the Atlantic Canada

Opportunities Agency on June 12, 2017. Mr. McGuire has served both in government and in the

private sector. Having been educated in the French and English systems, and being a resident of New

Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, Mr. McGuire is completely at ease in working

in either official language.

After stepping aside as President and CEO of Major Drilling Group International Inc., where he served

from 2000 to 2015, Francis McGuire provided advice to companies and individuals on strategy,

leadership and organizational design. Mr. McGuire also served on the Board of Directors of Major

Drilling. Second largest mineral drilling company in the world, Major Drilling operates in over 20

countries and is listed on the TSX. In 2008, Atlantic Business Magazine named Mr. McGuire Atlantic

Canada’s CEO of the Year. In 2012, Mr. McGuire was inducted into the New Brunswick Business Hall

of Fame. Ernst & Young named him Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.

Mr. McGuire served on the Board of Directors of Industrial Alliance from 2001 to 2007.

Headquartered in Québec, Que, Industrial Alliance is Canada’s 4th largest insurance company. Mr.

McGuire also served as Chairman of the Board of NB Power from 2007 to 2010.

Francis McGuire was the Chair of the Wallace McCain Institute for Business Leadership at the

University of New Brunswick, and is an emeritus member of the New Brunswick Business Council.

From 1985 to 1997, Mr. McGuire worked in Premier Frank McKenna’s administration, including as

Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, and as the Leader of the Province’s

Information Highway Secretariat. As Deputy Minister, he was responsible for attracting industry to

the province, for assisting local companies in their growth, for establishing the IT industry in the

province, and for growing its tourism industry. Mr. McGuire served as Vice‑President of Marketing

and Business Development of MITI Information Technology Inc. from 1998 to 2000. In 1999, MITI

was recognized as Atlantic Canada’s fastest growing company.

Francis McGuire holds a Master’s degree from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns

Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., (1974 – 1976), a Diploma in European Politics from the

Institut d’études politiques de Paris, France, (1973 – 1974), and a Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie

University (1970 – 1973). Mr. McGuire also completed the Management Training program at the

University of Western Ontario’s School of Business Administration (1984) and the Marketing

Management program at Queen’s University (1991).

Mr. McGuire was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He has two sons, Brendan and Dylan, and lives with

his long-term partner, Elizabeth Webster.