Today we’re joined by Colin Cyr, Senior Manager, Business Services (Small Business), at FirstOntario Credit Union, to talk about what makes credit unions different from traditional banks, why they matter for local businesses, and the trends every entrepreneur should be paying attention to. We also dive into common misconceptions about business financing, practical tips for managing day-to-day finances, and how credit unions can help business owners access capital and grow. Plus, Colin shares a success story and how you can connect with FirstOntario Credit Union. Let’s get into it.

Today we’re joined by Anne Cesak, Senior Consultant at Great Place to Work Canada, to talk about why workplace culture matters, what makes a company truly great, and how leaders can find out how their teams really feel. Anne also shares simple ways to improve culture, the benefits of Great Place to Work certification, and how to get started. Let’s get into it. 

Learn more about Great Place to Work Canada: https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en

It's BDC Small Business Week! To kick off Season 5 and celebrate this incredible week, we’re joined by Navjot Chhinzer, Small Business Advisor at the Halton Region Small Business Centre. On this episode we’re discussing the various services the Small Business Centre provides, emerging trends, success stories, and more.

Learn more about the Halton Region Small Business Centre: https://www.halton.ca/For-Business/Halton-Region-Small-Business-Centre

We have a very special episode today, as we are joined by Connor McKiggan, Business Development Manager of the Rainbow Registered Program at Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, or CGLCC. Today we are talking about the Rainbow Registered Accreditation Program — what it is, why it exists, and why it may be a great initiative for your organization to be a part of.

April 15 – 19 is National Tourism Week! To celebrate, Visit Oakville is here to discuss how businesses, residents, and visitors can participate in the week, how businesses of all sizes can leverage the resources that Visit Oakville provides, trends they’re seeing in the tourism industry, and more.

Join us in welcoming Rebecca Edgar, Executive Director, and Councillor Sean O’Meara, Chair of the Board of Directors of Visit Oakville.

Learn more about Visit Oakville: www.visitoakville.com

Today we have a very special episode brought to you in partnership with the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. 

We are so excited to welcome Melissa Davis, Owner & President of Ugly Dukling and Ugly Dukling Beauty to the podcast today. Beginning with a pop-up sneaker boutique in 2009, to working with massive industry names like Barbie, DC Comics, and Space Jam, Melissa is an entrepreneurial powerhouse. Listen in to hear how she got started, the vital lessons she’s learned along the way, and how she landed the same publicist as Beyonce (!!!)

Learn more about Ugly Duking and Ugly Dukling Beauty.

On our final episode of the season, we’re joined by George Anastasopoulos of Leadership Fundamentals. Today’s discussion is all about taking yourself from associate to leader, strategies and techniques to help you once you’re there, and tactics that you can start implementing right away. If you’re ready to level up your career and make that move into a leadership position, or if you’re already there and just want to improve, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Leadership Fundamentals: https://www.leadershipfundamentals.com/

Members of the Chamber core season continues! On this episode we’re joined by Tyril Froese, Business Advisor & Partner at MNP, and Soumya Ghosh, Director at MNP Digital. Today we’re talking about Accounting 101 for entrepreneurs and business owners, including terms & concepts to be familiar with, best practices for staying organized, key tax considerations, and more. We also discuss the Canada Digital Adoption Program, or CDAP, as MNP is an approved CDAP advisor. If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you will definitely want to take notes for this one!

Learn more about MNP: https://www.mnp.ca/

Learn more about MNP Digital: https://mnpdigital.ca/

Welcome to the final episode of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Danial Hadizadeh, CEO of Mitrex. Mitrex envisions a world where solar energy is generated by any surface touched by the sun. Their revolutionary building-integrated photovoltaic, or BIPV, systems offer architects, engineers, building owners, and investors the opportunity to embrace and profit from solar energy without compromising beauty.

Today’s discussion focuses on the difference between BIPV and traditional solar panels, challenges and how Mitrex is addressing them, how Oakville businesses can benefit from this kind of technology, examples of projects here in the GTA, future outlook, and more.

Learn more about Mitrex: www.mitrex.com

Learn more about Bennett Jones: www.bennettjones.com⁠

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: www.futureenergyoakville.ca⁠

Welcome to Episode 6 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Sam McDermott, Technical Manager of Renewable Hydrogen at Enbridge. Sam is part of the Business Development team at Enbridge Gas Inc., helping in the development of its hydrogen framework.

Today’s discussion focuses on renewable hydrogen and it’s role in the energy landscape, challenges and opportunities for expansion throughout Canada, the future outlook for renewable hydrogen, what power to gas is, what combined heat and power is, and more.

Learn more about Enbridge: www.enbridge.com/

Learn more about Bennett Jones: www.bennettjones.com⁠

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: www.futureenergyoakville.ca⁠

Welcome to Episode 5 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Diego Mandelbaum, Senior Vice President of Development at Creative Energy, and Carl Pawlowski, Senior Manager of Sustainability at Minto.

Creative Energy designs, builds, owns, operates, and maintains district energy systems for the 21st century. They turn ideas into reality by delivering low-carbon district energy systems that create tangible value for partners, buildings, and the community at large.

Minto is a fully integrated real estate company offering new homes and condos, rentals, furnished suites, and property and investment management. With almost 70 years in operation, they’ve built over 100,000 homes across Canada and the Southern US.

Today’s discussion will focus on how these two companies are working collaboratively, what it means to approach sustainability holistically, unique challenges for Oakville & the GTA, upcoming projects, resources, and more.

Learn more about Creative Energy: https://creative.energy

Learn more about Minto: https://www.minto.com

Learn more about Bennett Jones: www.bennettjones.com⁠

⁠Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: www.futureenergyoakville.ca⁠

Welcome to Episode 4 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Marshall Eidinger, Partner at Bennett Jones. Marshall advises publicly listed companies, institutional investors, venture capital funds and private enterprises on matters relating to corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital.

Today’s discussion will focus on electric vehicles, or EV’s, touching on topics such as the current EV sales targets for Canada and the factors influencing those targets, Ontario’s EV charging infrastructure and the challenges for expansion, solutions being explored in regards to battery range, recommendations for employers & consumers in adapting to the evolving EV landscape, and more.

Learn more about Bennett Jones: https://www.bennettjones.com/

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: https://futureenergyoakville.ca/

On this episode we’re joined by Peter Paz, Director of Local Government and Community Partnerships at ALTO – a high-speed rail project that will be connecting Toronto and Quebec City. 

Today, Peter will be discussing what makes ALTO one of the most transformational infrastructure projects in Canada since the 1950s—from its economic and environmental benefits to its values-driven approach to community and Indigenous engagement. We’ll explore how ALTO is building partnerships across regions, what this means for local economies and small businesses, and what’s next as the project moves forward. 

Learn more about Alto: www.altotrain.ca

Welcome to Episode 3 of our Moving Energy Forward series! A series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Kareem Mirza, Chief Revenue Officer at Subterra Renewables, a full-service geothermal drilling provider operating North America’s largest fleet. Over 500 projects completed in multi-res, single family and commercial sectors across Canada and the United States.

Today’s discussion will cover topics such as what geothermal exchange is, the difference between individual and district energy systems, the difference in demand between Canada and the United States, why Oakville’s geographic location makes it a prime spot for implementing geothermal solutions, notable examples, and key barriers to implementation.

Learn more about Subterra Renewables: https://www.subterrarenewables.com/

Learn more about Bennett Jones: https://www.bennettjones.com/

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: https://futureenergyoakville.ca/

Welcome to Episode 2 of our Moving Energy Forward series – a series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

Today our series host, Wayne Steffler of Future Energy Oakville, is back and is joined by Andrew McLean, Global Solar Technical Lead at Hatch, a global network of 10,000 professionals who are experts in both engineering and business, working in partnership with their clients to develop market strategies, manage and optimize production, develop new game-changing technologies, and design and deliver complex capital projects.

Today’s discussion will cover topics such as recent solar energy developments, geographic and climactic factors to consider when installing solar panels, what net metering is and how it works here in Oakville, how solar panels effect property value, and the business case for homeowners and businesses.

Learn more about Hatch: https://www.hatch.com/

Learn more about Bennett Jones: https://www.bennettjones.com/

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: https://futureenergyoakville.ca/

Welcome to Episode 1 of our Moving Energy Forward series – a series of special edition episodes where we sit down with esteemed professionals from all facets of the energy sector, in an effort to gain expert knowledge, share that knowledge with all of you, and to join the important discussion on the future of energy.

Thank you to our partner Bennett Jones for making this series possible.

We are excited to announce that this series will be hosted by Wayne Steffler, Interim Executive Director of Future Energy Oakville, an independent not-for-profit organization that is driving energy transformation in our community and forging a path for other municipalities to follow.

Today we are joined by Bryan Flannigan, Executive Director of the Building Decarbonization Alliance, a non-partisan cross-sector coalition working to inspire and inform industry and government leaders, giving them the tools they need to accelerate the electrification of Canada’s buildings.

Today’s discussion will cover topics such as the purpose of net-zero goals, the fundamentals and challenges of building and retrofitting net-zero and low carbon buildings, case studies, resources, and more.

Learn more about Bennett Jones: https://www.bennettjones.com/

Learn more about Future Energy Oakville: https://futureenergyoakville.ca/

Learn more about Building Decarbonization Alliance: https://buildingdecarbonization.ca/about-us/

BDC Small Business Week 2023 continues! In honour of the occasion, we are excited to share this special edition episode all about Strategic Communications for Small Businesses. 

Thank you to our partner Scotiabank for making this Small Business Week episode possible.

Jim Gray, Strategic Communications Advisor, Coach, and Writer is here to explain what strategic communications is, why it’s crucial for the success of small businesses, key elements of a successful communications strategy, and how to make your message stand out.

Thank you to our partner, Scotiabank, for making this Small Business Week episode possible.

Learn more about Jim Gray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimgrayspeaks/

Learn more about Scotiabank: https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/personal.html

Happy BDC Small Business Week 2023! Small businesses come in many different shapes and sizes. One group that can often be left out of the small business conversation is incorporated and self-employed physicians, specifically when it comes to pension plans.

Scotiabank and MD Financial Management are tackling this problem through their newly launched Medicus Pension Plan. Medicus gives incorporated physicians a unique opportunity to access all the benefits of a multi-employer pension plan — including predictable lifetime retirement income and financial protection for their families — along with an expert focus on the unique needs of Canada’s physicians.

Tune in to this special edition podcast to learn more about the Medicus Pension Plan, the doors it opens from a portfolio construction and investment management perspective, and how it fits into the overall financial planning picture for Canadian physicians.

Learn more about Medicus: https://www.medicuspensionplan.com/en/home.html?cid=ps_Medicus-AO-Physician-EN&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhL6pBhDjARIsAGx8D5_P5NzIDvGcvNVfQrJk036hwtfVAeO7ycQ-y6sILpPZGK18_ug3plgaApQrEALw_wcB

Learn more about Scotiabank: https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/personal.html

Learn more about MD Financial Management: https://mdm.ca/md-financial-management?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhL6pBhDjARIsAGx8D5_L5PO3CgT190HjlRObhXS_Xi4zDmni3EUOFrVPDVZejB14_MlXgTQaAkjwEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

On this episode, we’re talking all things cybersecurity! Joe Apps, from Joe Apps Technology Support, is here to break down what cybersecurity is and what parts of your business it effects, how to enhance it on your own and what to expect if you outsource, key red flags to look for, and the latest cyber attack trends.

 
So if you haven’t already, go initiate your software updates, and then let’s get into it.

Learn more about Joe Apps Technology Support: https://www.joeapps.ca/

On this episode, we’re diving into the digital world of social media marketing. Benoit Mercier from Bloomtools is here to tell us the basics that every business should have on social media, how to have a more impactful presence without using up all of your time and resources, what to expect when you outsource your social media efforts, and if paid social media advertising is really worth it.

Learn more about Bloomtools: https://www.bloomtoolsmississauga.ca/

On this episode we’re talking all about how entrepreneurs and business owners can get their business involved in their community, and how to create a community of their own. Nancy Fornasiero of ACE Coworking is here to share how she’s created a dynamic and involved community of coworkers, her experience with external partnerships such as local artists, co-op programs, and event sponsorships, and how coworking is paving the way forward with reduced carbon emissions, a strong digital presence, and even virtual Canadian citizenship ceremonies.

Welcome back to Members of the Chamber Season 4! This season we’re shaking things up a bit with a brand new topic every week, and expert guests to accompany them. 

On this episode we are diving into the world of networking. If you’ve been to any of our networking events such as Business After Hours or Good Morning Oakville, there’s a pretty good chance you know today’s guest, Brent Stevens of Global Citizen Uniform and Promotional Products. Brent is here to walk us through every step of the networking process, from finding a networking event to attend, how to initiate & participate in effective conversations, how to build an established network, and some tips & tricks to keep in your back pocket.

So grab your business cards, and lets get into it.

Season 4 is here! 

This season we’re shaking things up a bit with a brand new topic every week, and expert guests to accompany them.

On this episode we’re diving into the many ways that you can use food & wellness to regulate your energy throughout the work day, how to defeat that 2PM crash, why we crave carbs and sugary foods, and how caffeine actually works. Bonnie Flemington, Certified Nutritionist, is here today with some easy tips & tricks to work into your routines, and a simplified approach to the world of nutrition.

This episode is quite literally packed with nutrients.

Today’s episode features Duncan Harvey and Marle Santos from Every Avenue Real Estate, here to share the story behind their recent event, Summer in the Square. 

This community-focused event wasn’t just a summer celebration. It also raised funds for a local charity and brought together a network of meaningful, strategic partnerships that reflect Every Avenue’s values and business goals. 

In this case study episode we unpack their approach. What went well, what they learned, and how other businesses can use the same playbook to create impact and value. 

Learn more about Every Avenue Real Estate: https://everyavenue.ca/

Happy International Women's Day!

On this special episode of Members of the Chamber we're sitting down with Chris McMartin of The Scotiabank Women Initiative® – a program that breaks down barriers to help increase economic and professional opportunities for women to be successful now, and in the future.

Keep listening to hear more about the tools and resources that are available to businesswomen across all industries and career stages, how Scotiabank is building an empowering and impactful community, and how you can get started.

Learn more about The Scotiabank Women Initiative®:
https://www.scotiabank.com/women-initiative/ca/en.html

Learn more about the Oakville Chamber of Commerce:
https://oakvillechamber.com

The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is excited to present this special episode of our Members of the Chamber podcast!

In this episode, we're joined by Donald Guse Salah, Program Manager at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, to chat about the Discover Ability Network - a free online portal that helps employers connect directly with job seekers with disabilities.

Listen in to hear Donald debunk some myths about hiring people with disabilities, tips for employers at every stage of the process, and why you should get started!

LEARN MORE:
Oakville Chamber of Commerce: www.oakvillechamber.com
Discover Ability Network: www.discoverability.network

 On this episode we’re joined by Tim and Jon Root, the father-son duo behind two local business: Look Local and Treehouse Creative. Listen in to hear how they used their backgrounds and skillsets to dive into business as a team, and how they hustled to develop the new skills necessary to scale the business. 

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Kristin Courtney, and her children Melody & Aaron. Together, their family business is Access Abilities, a medical devices establishment with locations in Toronto and Oakville. Listen in to hear how their strong family bond, and sense of family values, have established Access Abilities as a staple in their community. 

On today’s episode we’re joined by mother-daughter duo Bianca Tino and Melissa Gaetani of Tino, Gaetani & Carusi Chartered Professional Accountants. Bianca started the firm 28 years ago, and Melissa joined the business 17 years later. As accountants, Bianca and Melissa help entrepreneurs with intergenerational transfers of business & wealth everyday. Carry on listening to hear their best advice, as well as their own experience working in a family business.

Today we’re joined by Nancy Robertson and her children Andrew & Joanna Kadwell. Together, they make up Robertson Kadwell, a Real Estate business serving Oakville, Halton, Hamilton, Cambridge & Toronto.

On this episode we cover a few different perspectives of a family business, including starting your own business & bringing in your family, joining a business that was started by your parent, and achieving career goals while working in the family business.

This season we're focusing on family business, and today's episode offers a pretty unique perspective, as we sit down with Neil Cawse who is the Founder & CEO of Geotab Inc. Geotab is the largest telematics company in the world, with over 2000 employees, and it all began in the family's basement at the start of the millenium. Keep listening for some great advice from Neil about how to successfully work with family as the business starts to scale.

On this episode we sit down with Jennifer Watson, of Watson Investments to hear about her experience growing up around the family business, and how she decided that joining it was the right choice for her.

If you're thinking about joining the family business, you definitely don't want to miss this episode!

On this episode we are joined by Mike White and Jamie Mowat, a father-son duo from WINMAR Mississauga/Oakville. They have some great advice to share on addressing conflicts, succession planning, and they also discuss how the process of succession has been a really important milestone in both of their lives. 

Welcome back to Members of the Chamber! We have a brand new season ready for you, all about family business. On this episode,  we’re sitting down with Rob May from Sounds Good Smart Homes to learn more about his journey of starting a family business, and the process of getting it ready to pass down to his children one day. There is a LOT of good advice packed into this episode, so be sure to listen!

Season 6 starts now! Today we're joined by Preeti Kapoor of HealinWithin, exploring how leaders can find inner calm in the middle of outer chaos. We'll talk about emotional resilience, how to lead from clarity instead of stress, and the power of grounding practices that help you respond instead of react. 

If you're constantly in a state of go-go-go, this episode is your reminder to pause, clear the mental clutter, and reconnect with what really matters. Plus we'll share tools that you can use on the daily and a special look at the Thrive Within Emotional Detox Retreat coming up soon.

Learn more about HealinWithin: https://www.healinwithin.com/

On this special episode of Members of the Chamber, we are celebrating International Women’s Day! What better way to celebrate than to sit down with two influential women-in-business here in Oakville: Mary McPherson, CEO of Oakville Hospital Foundation and Trish Knox, Owner & President of TK Events. 

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fueled by McCafé.

Stay tuned for Season 3 coming this Spring 2022!

On season two, episode ten of Members of the Chamber, producer Kristen Curry re-caps the best advice heard from the guests this season with Thiara, the Oakville Chamber's co-op student. 

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! 

The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by Staples Studio Oakville.

More Members of the Chamber is coming your way! Stay tuned for season three.

 Follow @MembersoftheChamber on Instagram for podcast updates!

On episode nine of season two, we are joined by Maria Robertson, renowned newborn consultant.

Maria is the founder of The New Mummy Company, a leading Canadian business in services and products designed to meet the needs of mothers and their babies.

On the podcast we discuss how she started her business, how she got connected to some VIP clients (hint: Game of Thrones), and what it meant to receive an Oakville Award for Business Excellence last year!

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! 

The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by Staples Studio Oakville.

On episode eight of season two, we are joined by Aby Alameddine, Co-Founder of Core Online Marketing and Past Chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

With a background in corporate finance, Aby is an entrepreneur that has continued to give back to Oakville through time on community-based boards and by offering mentorship to budding entrepreneurs.

On the podcast we discuss Aby's entrepreneurial journey, managing the business during COVID-19, and how he became the Chamber's "go-to" debate moderator.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! 

The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the the Magnet Student Work Placement Program.

On episode seven of season two, we are joined by Jennifer Kazmaier, who has retired by age 35.

Jennifer is a Registered Nurse turned entrepreneur, the founder of CalaCare, which provided innovative home health care services that made staying in the comfort of your own home a realistic and sustainable solution.

Jennifer just reached another career milestone by being able to retire at 35 years of age.

On the podcast, we discuss her entrepreneurial journey, how she was able to retire at 35 years of age, and what's next.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the Discover Ability Network.

On episode six of season two, we are joined by Dave Oswald, Investigations Specialist at Forensic Restitution.

Dave is a trained Chartered Accountant with a passion for uncovering fraud or error.

His global, multi-national experience spans over 20 years, having led investigations in high-level C-Suite executive cases with success. Dave has extensive experience in Data Preservation and Review, Computer Forensics, Data Analytics and General Fraud Reviews.

On the podcast we discuss fraud, Dave's experience testifying in Federal Court as an expert witness, and interviewing fraud suspects and witnesses.  

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the Discover Ability Network.

On episode five of season two, we are joined by Wendy Donnan, Co-Founder of the Oakville Festivals of Film & Art (OFFA).
 
Wendy worked in broadcasting and television for 25 + years (TVOntario, TWN, OUTtv) in various management and programming positions before venturing out for her own productions. Wendy is also a part-time professor, currently teaching at Sheridan College and York University.

On the podcast, we discuss Wendy's experience in the broadcasting and TV industry, being a professor, and taking OFFA virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the Discover Ability Network.

On episode four of season two, we are joined by Andrew Esemezie, the Franchise Owner of Second Cup Coffee Company on Lakeshore Road in Downtown Oakville.
 
Andrew is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) with 16+ years of extensive global experience leading enterprise Customer experience strategies. Prior to delving to the entrepreneurial world, Andrew's last role was Director of Customer Experience in a Multinational Phone Company.

 On the podcast, we discuss Andrew's experience in the corporate world, as a franchise owner, and his experience as an entrepreneur and realtor.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by Staples Studio Oakville.

On episode three of season two, we are joined by Wendy Rinella, Chief Executive Officer of the Oakville Community Foundation.
 
The Foundation is Oakville’s largest charitable asset of +$100 million supporting local charities and community-wide programs through turnkey foundation infrastructure for business and family philanthropists. Wendy’s career is also marked by her passion for community building serving on the boards of 15 organizations including Chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

On the podcast, we discuss Wendy’s 25+ year career which has spanned the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. 

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by Staples Studio Oakville.

On the second episode of season two, we are joined by Don Pangman. Don is the Founder of ArtHouse, a Halton based charitable organization which provides FREE Arts programs for vulnerable children and youth.

Celebrating its 11th Anniversary in June 2020, ArtHouse has served over 9,000 young people with 634 programs at 90 safe and accessible locations throughout Halton. 

On the podcast, we discuss  Don’s professional career, which includes 30 years on Bay Street and over the last 20 years he has been involved in the charitable sector as a fundraiser and consultant.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the Hynek Financial Group and the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan.

We’re thrilled to welcome a very special guest to the podcast today: Jennifer Hosten, who made history as the first woman of colour to be crowned Miss World in 1970. Her victory took place during the height of the women’s liberation movement in the United Kingdom.

Jennifer’s remarkable journey is brought to life in the feature film Misbehaviour, which will be screened this month in celebration of Black History Month by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton.

In this episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Jennifer to discuss her groundbreaking win, her experience with the film, the incredible achievements she’s pursued since her time as Miss World, and much more. 

Members of the Chamber has returned for a second season! On the first episode of season two we are joined by Nancy Fornasiero, who is the Founder and Community Director at ACE Coworking in Downtown Oakville.

Nancy is an author, journalist, ghostwriter, and editor. She has worked as a self-employed publishing consultant for over 20 years. Prior to that, Nancy was a high-school teacher. 

On the podcast, we discuss Nancy's career path, her experience as an author and ghostwriter, and how she launched into entrepreneurship on a totally different scale, founding ACE Coworking.  

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! The podcast is recorded at Staples Studio Oakville located at 320 North Service Road West. This episode is presented by the Hynek Financial Group and the Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan.

On episode ten of Members of the Chamber, host Drew Redden and producer Kristen Curry re-cap the best advice heard from the guests on Season One. This episode was recorded virtually due to COVID-19. 

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! 

Stay tuned for Season Two! Follow @MembersoftheChamber on Instagram for podcast updates and a look behind the scenes!

On episode nine of Members of the Chamber we are joined by Graham Hill, who is the Executive Director of Food for Life, the leading food rescue and sharing charity serving Halton and Hamilton.  

With more than 20 years in the social profit sector, Graham has been a champion of positive change in society and has a strong passion for not letting good, fresh, healthy food go to waste.

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! Episode nine of the podcast is presented by The Chamber Plan and Hynek Financial Group.

On episode eight of Members of the Chamber we are joined by Kerry Colborne who is the Managing Director of Force 10 Capital Management Inc. She spent the first 20 years of her career working in ag related companies – a career that took her all over the world.  

Kerry later joined the Business Development Bank of Canada, which strongly positioned her to succeed with her venture in Force 10 Capital which began in 2010. She is no stranger to the Oakville Chamber, serving two terms as Chair of the Board from 2015 – 2017 and currently leads the judging panel for the prestigious Oakville Awards for Business Excellence. 

Members of the Chamber was created thanks to the strong support of Piper Foods and the podcast is fuelled by McCafé! Episode eight of the podcast is presented by Zarr Tech.