Ottawa Business Journal May 7, 2018 by Great River Media inc.

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INFLUENCERS

Inside Ottawa’s galas, fundraisers and networking events

Veteran entrepreneur Eli Fathi believes Ottawa has the right stuff to be an AI leader > PAGE 26 May 7, 2018 Vol. 21, NO. 14

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Mitel’s M&A past

With news of the Kanata telecom giant’s pending acquisition by a U.S. investor group, OBJ takes stock of the firm’s own M&A record under CEO Rich McBee. > PAGES 10-11

Secure leadership ADGA chief executive Francoise Gagnon has taken the Ottawa defence and security firm to new heights despite not being a ‘natural fit’ for the role. > PAGE 15

M.P. Lundy Construction CEO Sean Lundy has led the Ottawa-based company to three-year revenue growth of nearly 800 per cent. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

Lundy builds on impressive legacy High-profile projects land local construction firm on OBJ’s fastest-growing companies list Eclectic top 10 group of Ottawa business juggernauts includes eight newcomers in fields from consulting to house-cleaning > PAGES 3-8

Separating love from business Legal tips on how to manage your assets alongside family life

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Separating love from business Legal tips on how to manage your assets alongside family life

he balance between life and work has long been a struggle for professionals. And things tend to become all the more complicated when assets – whether in the form of company shares, investments, real estate or otherwise – are brought into the equation. While most people don’t enter into a romantic partnership planning for it to end, breakups nevertheless do happen. And when not managed properly, they can be financially devastating. Pam MacEachern is a partner at Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP and the leader of the firm’s family law group. Though it may seem counterintuitive, part of MacEachern’s work as a lawyer revolves around helping clients avoid legal disputes. She recommends the following to protect your business and assets in the event of separation or divorce.

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COMMON-LAW VS. MARRIAGE

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Canadian couples are increasingly choosing to forego marriage in favour of common-law relationships. While this may not affect the day-to-day lives of a family, it can have a considerable impact on an individual’s private and business assets in the event of separation. As MacEachern explains, it’s a popular misconception that commonlaw couples inherit the same rights as their married counterparts. For married partners who decide to separate, an equalization payment is calculated to ensure both parties leave the marriage with an equal share of pertinent assets. The value of each spouse’s property is tallied, and normally includes all forms of property, including vehicles, real estate, stocks, RRSPs and pensions, among other assets. The person with the higher net family property must then pay half the difference between their respective values in the form of an equalization payment. For business owners, this process can be detrimental should they be forced to sell their shares in the company to make such a payment. For common-law couples, it can become even more complicated. In the event of separation, both simply leave with whatever property is in their name, unless they are able to

How can I avoid legal disputes with my ex? While a divorce is typically a stressful process, there are some ways to mitigate its effects.

prove unjust enrichment – where one partner gained at the expense of the other’s contribution – or a resulting trust – where one party can show they contributed money to the purchase of the asset. MacEachern explains that this can come about in a variety of ways.

“Make the decision and put it in writing.” For example, if one partner stayed home and raised the family’s children while the other founded and grew their own business, a case may be made for unjust enrichment. The stay-at-home parent did not have a chance to pursue a career and accumulate assets, while the other did. This process can be laborious and long, with the spouse making the claim having to prove how they were impacted by the relationship. “It’s a huge analysis of who gave what to whom during the relationship,” says MacEachern. “The results are very discretionary.”

OWNERSHIP MATTERS For both married and commonlaw couples, many of these issues boil down to who owns what at the time

of separation. As MacEachern puts it, “ownership matters.” Since common-law couples are presumptively entitled to whatever is in their name at the time of separation, it’s important to be careful about joint investments. For example, if one spouse owns a home and the other spends $100,000 renovating it, unless they can prove unjust enrichment, the latter will still end up with no entitlement to the home since their name is not attached to it. In order to manage this, commonlaw couples have the option to sign onto a cohabitation agreement. These can be a major help in dictating what property each spouse is entitled to in the event of separation. The equivalent for married couples is a marriage contract. Still, MacEachern cautions couples against leaning too heavily on both cohabitation and marriage contracts; they’re signed onto when a couple is happy and confident in their relationship, and often go unaltered until the union falls apart. “It’s not enough to sign a contract and then throw it in a drawer to be forgotten. You need to continue to make decisions that reflect the terms of the contract – you need to live the agreement,” says MacEachern. Similarly, there are risks associated with going into business with your spouse. MacEachern recommends

Pam MacEachern, a partner at Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP and the leader of the firm’s family law group, recommends that couples plan ahead as much as possible. As uncomfortable as the conversation may be, it saves a huge amount of time, pain and money to have a contingency plan in case you and your spouse choose to separate. “Make the decision and put it in writing,” says MacEachern. In addition to drafting and regularly updating relevant contracts – such as cohabitation or shareholder agreements – she often advises her clients to open lines of communication between their family and business lawyers.

couples who own a business together sign onto a shareholder’s agreement. This way, in the event of separation, it’s clear what is to be done with both individual’s shares. “Ultimately, you want to avoid having these arguments in the first place,” says MacEachern. What can Nelligan O’Brien Payne do for you? Do you and your partner have a contingency plan? Learn more at nelligan.ca. You can reach Pam MacEachern at pam.maceachern@nelligan.ca or 613-231-8276..

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Fastest-growing champ Keynote Group’s unique recruiting and HR model working for clients Each year, OBJ ranks Ottawa’s fastest-growing companies based on revenue totals from the previous three fiscal years. The following profiles showcase the 2018 top 10:

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Like a young, expanding family, Ottawa HR and recruiting firm Keynote Group considers moving into a new home to be one of its defining moments. Three years after married HR executives James and Donna Baker launched their own startup with the goal of offering a better way to help match employers with the right talent, Keynote Group recently relocated to an office of its own. The firm’s incredible growth curve has landed it at the top of OBJ’s list of fastest-growing companies for 2018. “For us, we thought there was a better way of working in the recruitment business,” says James, the agency’s CEO. “So we decided to create our own unique business model and see whether it can work or not.” The answer seems pretty clear – and nothing illustrates Keynote’s dramatic rise better than the jam-packed awards shelf at its spiffy new digs near the Rideau Canal on Lisgar Street. Now, all that hardware – including a 2016 trophy for Best New Business in Ottawa at the Best Ottawa Business Awards and similar honours last year from the West Ottawa Board of Trade – will have to make way for more. Keynote Group is celebrating Donna’s recent recognition as one of OBJ’s Forty Under 40 recipients for 2018. She joins her husband and managing partner Heidi Hauver in the company’s Forty Under 40 alumni club. James and Donna’s journey to Lisgar Street actually began across the Atlantic in England, where the couple first met while working for the same company, Hays recruiting. They moved to Canada in 2006 to help the organization open a new office in Ottawa. A few years later, James joined national recruiting firm David Aplin Group, while Donna launched her own consulting company. Eventually, both decided it was time for a change, and Keynote YEAR FOUNDED: 2015 Group was born. LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 18 Using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and analytics software PRODUCT OR SERVICE: to help target talent, the fledgling Recruitment and HR services startup quickly gained notice for its headhunting prowess. The firm’s THREE-YEAR REVENUE ascent steepened further when it GROWTH: 968.03% brought Hauver, an HR specialist who’d previously worked for data storage company Pythian and the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, on board a year ago. Since then, Keynote’s revenues have increased fivefold and its headcount has risen to 18. The company now has more than 120 customers that run the gamut from tech firms and non-profits to major sports organizations and family-owned businesses. Rare for an Ottawa HR firm, that list does not include the federal government. Hauver says unlike many competitors, Keynote doesn’t stop working with clients once it’s filled a job opening. That’s when her team takes over, helping customers make sure their new hires feel at home. The firm is so sure of its formula that if its recruits aren’t fitting in with their new employers after a year, it will relaunch the whole search process for free. “That for us is a huge business risk,” James says. “We get to work with some of Ottawa’s most prominent, fastest-growing and influential businesses. So when they trust us, we have to take full accountability.” Keynote relies on networking and word-of-mouth to attract clients, a strategy that’s paid off handsomely so far and has allowed its team to focus on what it does best: Finding talented workers and helping customers retain them. “We’ve scaled off the back of earning the trust of influential people and doing everything that we said we were going to do for them,” James explains. Keynote’s reputation is also starting to spread beyond Ottawa, and the firm’s rapidly growing client list includes companies in Toronto, Montreal and western Canada. Now that it has a home of its own, James says, his company’s next “big ambition” is to open more offices in other Canadian cities. “This is home, but we knew if we could get a good proof of concept … we can then take this business and scale it,” he says. – David Sali Keynote Group’s Donna Baker (left), Heidi Hauver and James Baker. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Lundy Construction builds lasting reputation among loyal clients When Sean Lundy’s dad Michael launched the construction firm that bears his name a half-century ago, he embraced a simple philosophy that had profound consequences for the company: Great buildings are erected on a foundation of mutual respect between contractor and client. “My father was always a relationships person,” says the younger Lundy during an interview with OBJ at the company’s downtown headquarters on Metcalfe Street. “Solid relationships built on confidence and trust – that’s what came naturally to him, and that’s really what fuelled his success over the years. That’s what I learned from him, was how important relationships are.” Over the years, that mantra of “relationships over bricks” has served M.P. Lundy Construction well. From its humble beginnings as a small three-person operation in 1967, the company has evolved into a major player in the Ottawa construction scene. Thanks to a series of marquee project wins over the past few years, the firm is making its first appearance on OBJ’s list of fastest-growing companies at No. 2. It’s a rare honour in an industry that’s generally characterized by slower, steadier growth. But Lundy points to one of his firm’s

Sean Lundy. MARK HOLLERON PHOTO biggest recent jobs – the construction of Giant Tiger’s 550,000-square-foot distribution centre in Johnstown, south of Ottawa – as an example of how the company he now leads has forged lasting and fruitful partnerships with its clients. After initially hiring Lundy Construction for a “small renovation project” in 1997, the Canadian retail giant later turned to the Ottawa firm for a number of other jobs, culminating in the massive Johnstown warehouse undertaking in 2015. “They needed a facility that was state-of-the-

art and they came to us for it,” says Lundy. “As our clients’ companies have grown, we’ve grown with them.” A graduate of the University of Western Ontario who earned a bachelor of arts degree in English, Lundy joined the firm full-time in 1990 and took over from his father as CEO in 2003. A B.A. in English might not seem like the most natural path into the business, but Lundy says too many people in the industry overlook the importance of being a good communicator. “We are humans dealing with humans,” he says. “And 95 per cent of the problems that we encounter on construction sites are problems that are based in communication breakdown.” Making sure he fully understands clients’ needs – as well as his penchant for meticulous planning – has allowed Lundy and his team to consistently deliver on challenging projects. He proudly notes the company recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Lord Elgin Hotel – which required it to essentially rebuild every one of the historic downtown lodging’s 355 rooms while the hotel remained open to guests – three months ahead of schedule. A few years ago, he adds, the firm began to rethink the way it did business in an effort to land larger contracts. Instead of relying on individual project

YEAR FOUNDED: 1967 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 45 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Design/build projects, construction management and general contracting THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 794.41% managers to steer jobs to completion, Lundy Construction began taking a more “teamoriented” approach to its work, calling on resources from multiple job sites when necessary to solve particular problems. Since then, the company’s headcount has more than doubled to 45 and its revenues have risen exponentially. Among its other high-profile projects are renovations at the Global Centre for Pluralism on Sussex Drive and Telesat’s new headquarters at 160 Elgin St. “We had an appetite for bigger jobs, and we took a very strategic approach to how are we going to be able to fulfil these jobs,” Lundy explains. “We’ve got all kinds of smart people around the table that are all working together to fulfil the goal of success for our clients’ projects.” – David Sali

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Cloud paves way to sunny future for BriteSky

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When you break it down, BriteSky owes its success to being something of a Goldilocks-esque solution to data storage: It’s not a dedicated, on-premise data service company, nor does it subscribe to the belief, seemingly common in the data world, that the best way to do anything is to do it in the cloud. Instead, its approach is to play it down the middle – making it part cloud company, part onpremise data company. “Whereas cloud-only vendors can only talk about cloud, on-premise guys can only talk about on-premise, we’re in this little sweet spot right in the middle,” says BriteSky CEO Joey Harrison. The premise behind BriteSky is fairly simple: When it comes to data, most companies want services that are geared towards the unique aspects of their business – not to make their business model fit either a cloud or on-premise model. To that end, BriteSky offers a wide range of customizable enterprise data solutions. “We started listening to our clients,” Mike Smith, BriteSky’s VP of sales, told OBJ last year. “Our customers were asking for cloud solutions, hybrid cloud solutions, on-premises, private clouds.” Harrison says it’s highly unusual for a provider to be able to offer clients that kind of customization. “The other resellers, nobody has their own. They have to sell Amazon (Web Services), they have to sell (Microsoft) Azure.”

YEAR FOUNDED: 2013 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 40, most shared with Decisive (10 are exclusive to BriteSky) PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Enterprise cloud services THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 713.74% So far, there appears to be a serious appetite for this kind of solution. Over the past year, BriteSky has grown by more than 700 per cent, landing it third on this year’s list of fastest-growing companies. BriteSky grew out of its sister company Decisive, which bills itself as “a specialist in largescale platform and mission-critical architecture,” in 2013. Originally, BriteSky was born as a solution for Decisive customers. The two companies are still tightly intertwined, but the younger firm has more recently begun to branch out.

BriteSky’s Joey Harrison and Mike Smith. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON “It’s only in the last year and a half that we’re getting BriteSky customers that weren’t Decisive customers,” says Harrison. “Because of our new Toronto data centre, we’re starting to see a lot more activity there. We’ve had some pretty interesting meetings down in Toronto.” Offering a middle-ground solution might sound complicated. Harrison sympathizes with anyone who gets a bit bogged down in the technicalities, adding he’s not a technical guy himself, but he says it’s more about the way you think about the big picture. “We came up with something unique, but it looks fairly simplistic at the same time,” he says. “It’s not the gear that’s the difficult part, it’s how you orchestrate it.” The real advantage of BriteSky’s services, says Harrison, is not necessarily in cost savings, but in simplicity. “I think early on, everyone thought cloud was going to save (users money),” he says. “I don’t know that it necessarily saves on dollars; what it does save on is time. If you come on to a BriteSky-type

infrastructure, you’re up and running in hours or days. The savings are in automation.” Another of BriteSky’s main selling points is data security, and the ability to keep all of a company’s data within Canada’s borders. “Customers are now starting to realize that it’s not such a good idea for us to be on the Amazons of the world. There’s no guarantee that their data stays in Canada,” says Harrison. “The policies and procedures we follow are the best security practices. We’ve hit all the checkboxes on that.” The company is now looking at growing beyond its base in Ottawa. Currently, BriteSky has data centres in Calgary and Toronto as well as Ottawa, and it’s looking at expanding into Montreal. The firm is also hoping that increasing interest for its services in Toronto could spark more growth. Once a big firm in the city moves to its system, others will follow suit, its founders say. “Even in the centre of the universe – Toronto – nobody is doing what we’re doing,” says Harrison. – Kieran Delamont

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES Experience, focus on clients the ‘IT’ factors behind GCstrategies’ success When Darren Anthony, Kristian Firth and Caleb White met up for beers after work one day in the spring of 2015, it was more than just a casual get-together for the former colleagues in the IT consulting industry. It was the beginning of what’s turned into one of Ottawa’s most dramatic business growth stories of the past three years. The three friends got to talking about how IT consultancies tended to fit into certain boxes. Some were good at staffing projects quickly and cost-effectively. Others were boutique-style firms focused on specific areas of expertise. None, the veteran IT consultants felt, were meeting all the needs of clients as effectively as they could. Today, Anthony, Firth and White are trying to do just that as partners in one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing companies, GCstrategies. “We listened to what the market was saying and what our clients were saying about what would help them be more successful,” Firth says. “We decided to take a risk and leave our jobs and build this company to help our clients.” The three founders have tapped into their wide networks to forge key partnerships with firms such as Ottawa-based Lixar, which builds platforms for mobile devices and has expertise in such emerging tech fields as artificial intelligence and data science.

Kristian Firth, Darren Anthony and Caleb White. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON YEAR FOUNDED: 2015 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 4 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: IT consulting, solutions THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 676.39% GCstrategies works with partners including Lixar and others to help clients deliver IT solutions to a range of customers, mostly in the federal government. Firth says those projects can encompass everything from artificial intelligence to cybersecurity. “We have the ability to pivot quickly and engage three or four of our partners to deliver a turnkey solution,” Firth explains. “Ottawa’s leading the market (in tech development) in so many ways, but the

companies don’t know how to break into the federal government because there’s contracting and procurement minefields that just put everybody off immediately. We kind of come in to show the way.” In just three short years, that approach has helped the bootstrapped venture land clients such as Adobe, the Beer Store, the LCBO and TD Bank. The firm is currently in talks with several Middle Eastern airlines to help them deliver contracts at a number of airports in that part of the world. “We’re not bringing forward a solution and hoping there’s a problem,” says Firth, a native of southern England who graduated with an architecture degree from the University of Plymouth and was coaching rugby in Barbados when visiting players from Canada convinced him to move to the Great White North. “We listen to the problem and bring forward a solution, which is what people aren’t used to. And it’s resonating very well. We’re now at the

stage where companies are coming to us because they’re hearing about how we’ve expanded one of our partners’ sales. We’re getting a lot of great feedback, cold calls coming in from companies saying, ‘We hear what you’re doing for these guys. Would you be interested in bringing us on?’” GCstrategies has just added a new person to its team and is looking to hire more, but Firth says he and his partners aren’t aiming to create a massive firm with hundreds of workers. “I’m not going to say that (profit) margin isn’t important, but primarily for us, we want to build a reputation on having 100 per cent delivery,” he says. “To me, success is a successful project and a happy client – not a 500 headcount with a million dollars gross margin a month.” Three years after their fortuitous meeting, the partners haven’t regretted their decision. “We’re just having a lot of fun,” Firth says. “We’re making a difference and we’re helping our clients.” – David Sali

Solink showing the way in video surveillance software YEAR FOUNDED: 2009 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 42 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Data analytics software focused on security applications

Solink’s Cory Michalyshyn and Mike Matta. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON Solink’s CEO says the technology could also provide a valuable window into consumer spending patterns to help its customers identify up-selling opportunities. For instance, if surveillance footage consistently shows a customer in a particular vehicle ordering a doughnut with his doubledouble, a cashier can be alerted to that preference and remind him to purchase a sweet treat to go along with his morning java. While the vast majority of spending in the video surveillance industry is on fancy hardware, Matta says the real opportunity lies in the footage itself.

“People get so much (video) information, and there’s no way for them to bubble up what’s most important,” he says. “How do we take some of the more innovative ideas and things that we’re doing and scale them?” Down the road, he sees Solink expanding its customer base to include airports, casinos and other markets. Last year, Matta told OBJ the company is aiming to hit the $100-million mark in annual revenues within five years. “We’re trying to build a company that is going to be here for the long haul,” he said. – David Sali

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increased nearly 675 per cent in three years. But Matta and his team say they’ve only scratched the surface of their product’s potential. Last year, Solink closed a $5-million funding round that featured heavy-hitting venture capital firms from Canada and south of the border. Much of that VC haul is being poured into R&D aimed at expanding the software’s capabilities. Matta says the technology could help employers track workers’ movements via video, for example, and use that data to find ways of making employees more efficient. The software could also be used to quickly determine which car ordered first in a two-lane drive-through.

THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 673.53%

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His firm’s cutting-edge video surveillance software has captured the attention of high-profile investors and an expanding base of customers, but Solink CEO Mike Matta is not about to rest on his laurels. “The business itself is healthy,” he says. “It’s really just how can we light a fire to take advantage of the opportunity that’s ahead of us.” Kanata-based Solink makes software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze security footage at restaurants, retail outlets and banks in an effort to detect fraud and theft. The company’s solution works by segmenting videos to help users pinpoint where suspicious behaviours occur. The software taps directly into point-of-sale platforms, keeping a second-bysecond account of all sales activity that can be instantly synched with accompanying security footage. When a cashier rings through a returned pair of jeans, for example, video can identify the clothing sliding back across the counter at the time of the transaction. But if that pattern was disrupted – for instance, the transaction is logged but no jeans were seen – then a store owner would be alerted to potential fraud. Customers have been eager to jump on board – Solink is now working with more than 30 major brands that have installed its technology in thousands of stores. The firm employs 42 people, up from 27 a year ago, and its revenues have

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Numbers add up to impressive growth for accounting firm Envolta When it comes to his thriving business career, David DiNardo credits much of his success to his former life as a competitive soccer player. DiNardo, the owner of local accounting firm Envolta, earned his bachelor’s degree in business and his MBA at St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York, which he attended on a soccer scholarship. “Being on a sports team and being around soccer has instilled teamwork, team support, team everything. Growing up, being a sports player, that’s helped my team grow,” he says. The business, which started in 2014 as a personal tax company with an office on Richmond Road, has been on a winning run. The firm has expanded to four locations in the Ottawa area and has landed on this year’s list of OBJ’s fastest-growing companies with impressive three-year revenue growth of nearly 620 per cent. Envolta will be opening a downtown office at the corner of Bank and Lisgar streets in June. The company now has 20 employees and is looking to hire another five over the next month. DiNardo says once he’s got the Ottawa market covered, he plans to branch out to other cities. “Eventually when we’ve reached out to

David DiNardo. MARK HOLLERON PHOTO Barrhaven and Kanata and Orleans, my next step would be to go to Toronto,” he explains. After opening, the business quickly transformed into a full-fledged accounting company, offering a full suite of services to help clients keep their ledgers and payroll systems in order. Because doing personal taxes is a very seasonal business, DiNardo says, he expanded his company’s offerings by adding more online tools and resources aimed at businesses. “We’re building a culture full of people that

want to be there and help small businesses out,” he says. “That’s paying dividends. Our processes in technology enhance the customers’ experience. And it’s fun.” Small businesses now account for about 70 per cent of his clientele, DiNardo says. Most of his clients simply don’t have the resources to employ a full-time onsite bookkeeper, he says, and he caters to companies that might not be able to afford the services of big-name national firms. “I knew there was a need in the market. I love small businesses and helping small businesses. I believe all good decision-making is based on the numbers in front of you to determine the next steps. That’s how I’ve been successful.” Envolta uses cloud-based software to help small businesses streamline their accounting systems and understand their expense and revenue numbers. Down the road, the company’s plan is to have small branches all over the city so as to be more easily accessible to clients. But because most accounting services can be done online now, DiNardo says his team is working on tapping into already-existing software and enhancing it to make the process more efficient and less pricey for the customers its serves.

YEAR FOUNDED: 2014 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 20 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Professional and personal accounting services THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 619.73%

Envolta also hopes to create a subscription model to allow clients to pay for their services on a monthly basis instead of being slapped with a whopping bill every once in a while. This will help companies keep a better handle on their budgets, DiNardo says. Embracing new technology has been a key to Envolta’s growth, adds DiNardo, who previously worked as an IT consultant. “Tech is moving so quickly that you have to be on top of it,” he says. “If you’re not, it’s scary.” But at the end of the day, DiNardo says, success in business comes down to building relationships and trust with clients. “I don’t think there’s another company in Ottawa that is growing from an accounting perspective as quickly as us and building relationships with people like us.” – Rebecca Atkinson

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Mopify cleaning up with on-demand housekeeping services

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When Alex Hebert and Ian O’Halloran were looking to start a business in 2013, they were in search of a traditional brick-and-mortar sector they could bring to the web and scale up. At the same time, Hebert and his wife welcomed their first child. The many messes that accompany parenthood led the pair to find help with the housekeeping. Hebert’s frustration with getting a quote, co-ordinating a reliable, independent cleaner and maintaining a standard of quality was enough to convince him there was an opportunity in the field. A year later, Mopify was born. The platform connects a team of housekeepers in cities across Canada with homeowners in need. Scheduling and online billing are built right in, and homeowners can usually arrange to have the same cleaner come to their homes on a regular basis, maintaining a consistent relationship. After just four years in the business, the team of 12 full-time staff has expanded to six cities and assembled a crew of roughly 400 people that has cleaned more than 13,000 homes. Over the last three years, Mopify has grown its revenues by 538.56 per cent. It’s a big market, Hebert says. According to his research, more than 10 per cent of Canadian

Mopify founders Alex Hebert and Ian O’Halloran. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON

YEAR FOUNDED: 2014 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 12 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: On-demand house-cleaning platform THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 538.56% families employ outside help to keep their homes in order. Though it’s a new solution, Mopify has an edge in that its fundamental service – house cleaning – has been around since the dawn of time. “It’s not like we have to educate a market,

saying, ‘Hey, there’s this new thing called house cleaning, you should try it!’” Hebert says. Cleaners in the firm’s service require two years of professional experience to work on the platform. Hebert says quality and customer service are what fuel Mopify’s primary marketing campaign: word of mouth. He admits that attention to these details drives up the costs of customer acquisition and growing the team of cleaners, but those expenses drop as kind words spread. That, combined with an easy no-stringsattached opt-in, has helped the firm find its footing. “Once they try it, they love it, and that’s what’s really been fuelling our growth.” By the end of the year, Mopify hopes to expand to the United States, eyeing mid-sized cities such as Denver and Minneapolis as footholds in the American market. Hebert says metropolises such as New York City and Los

Angeles, while ripe with opportunity, create demands that don’t suit Mopify at the moment. “We do better in more suburban areas where it’s bigger houses and longer jobs,” he says. The Mopify model might sound like an Uber or an Airbnb – the type of sharing economy disruption that venture capitalists would flock to – but Hebert says the firm has little interest in taking VC money right now. The firm has a bit of debt financing to fund its U.S. expansion plans but Hebert says Mopify’s focus on quality isn’t suited to the kind of rapid scale-up that Silicon Valley investors are after. Mopify is growing quickly and sustainably by ensuring that in every new city it lands in, the firm is able to find suitable cleaners to maintain its high standard of service. Taking VC money, he says, could push Mopify to tarnish that record. “They have to be good at what they do, or obviously our model just doesn’t work,” he says. – Craig Lord

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Giatec bringing Internet of Things to ‘old-school’ concrete industry An Ottawa tech firm has shaken the foundations of the concrete and construction industries, bringing an age-old sector into the modern era with the latest developments in the Internet of Things. Giatec Scientific develops wireless sensors for concrete testing. The company was founded in Ottawa in 2010 by Aali Alizadeh and Pouria Ghods, both of whom hold PhDs from Ottawa universities as well as being recipients of the OBJ and Ottawa Chamber of Commerce’s Forty Under 40 awards. The founders sought to bring the advanced sciences of their academic backgrounds to the concrete industry. Back then, they started by offering high-end concrete quality tests in a lab setting, but they soon realized they’d have to bring their devices straight to the source. “If we’re going to have a bigger impact in the construction industry, we need to touch more of the construction part,” says Ghods. Around 2014 Giatec began embedding its sensors into concrete as it was being poured. With a device inside structures such as bridges and buildings themselves, contractors and other stakeholders could check the concrete’s stress levels, temperature, humidity and more in real time through a mobile app. “That was kind of game-changing for us,” Ghods says. The firm hasn’t looked back. In the past three years, Giatec has seen revenue growth of more

LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 30 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Wireless sensors for concrete testing THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 456.52%

Aali Alizadeh, Mustafa Salehi and Pouria Ghods. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON than 450 per cent. The headcount at its Nepean headquarters stands around 30, though that’s expected to reach up to 50 by the end of the year. Giatec has seen a few minor investments over its lifetime, but Ghods says the firm has no major external investor. Instead, it has taken advantage of a series of federal and provincial government grants to fund the R&D and commercialization of its tech-intensive product portfolio. But that focus on innovation has forced Giatec to overcome barriers. Ghods says that when the firm first started working with sensors, it faced pushback from “old-school” concrete veterans.

Assent’s ascent: Firm sees ‘global opportunity’ in compliance software

YEAR FOUNDED: 2005 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: About 240, with about 80 more outside Canada PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Enterprise software that helps companies comply with government regulations THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 280%

companies among its customers. Collecting data on regulatory compliance is a daunting task, he notes, and once potential clients see what Assent can offer, they’re usually eager to jump on board – Waitman says the firm wins about 80 per cent of the contracts it bids on. “A lot of what we do has been done manually in companies for years,” he explains. “We are in the business of automating the arduous.” The key for Assent is finding its way in the door of more multinational firms for a chance to make its pitch. Investors are clearly betting it will – the company has landed $60 million in venture capital in the past few years, funding it is plowing into R&D and sales and marketing to improve its products and expand its reach. Assent now has sales teams in the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia and Kenya as well as a couple of eastern European countries. “We are still in what I call the pursuit business,” Waitman says. “You can’t just overcome how people are doing things overnight. We’re growing decently, but we’re still below a large number of companies’ radar.” Most of the firm’s growth has been organic as Assent adds more features to its products and customers subscribe to more of its services. Waitman won’t rule out pursuing acquisitions in the future, but for now, he says, the company already has enough on its plate to keep it in growth mode for some time to come. “There’s a lot of growth just from expansion of existing customers as they consume more and more of the platform,” he says.

Andrew Waitman. PHOT0 BY MARK HOLLERON Bolstered by a $40-million funding round just last year, the firm isn’t worried about seeking more capital at the moment, its CEO adds. Another round could make sense, Waitman says, but for now it’s full speed ahead with building its products and acquiring more customers. “That could happen in six months or it could happen in 12 months,” he says of launching a bid for more VC cash. “It just depends on a lot of factors. Right now, it’s not something that has the leadership team’s attention. We’re totally focused on execution.” – David Sali

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think that we have to continue to execute extremely well to go get that real opportunity that will be ours in the (2019-21) time frame.” Although Waitman won’t divulge how many clients the firm has or who they are, he does say Assent already counts a number of Fortune 1000

Today, that’s changing. A new generation accustomed to tablets and smartphones is demanding to work in industries that embrace these technologies. Ghods says it’s gotten to the point where contractors hoping to attract younger talent are seeking to work with Giatec because of its hightech reputation. The demographic shift in the construction business gives Ghods confidence that the industry will accelerate its adoption of new technology. He says he and Alizadeh would feel proud to have played a part in building the new school of construction.

“It’s our passion to see, in our lifetime, that we had significant impact in the industry.” Still, the industry is just a starting point for Ghods, who says there are also applications for Giatec’s sensors in the development of smart cities. The next generations of the company’s embedded technology will feature a better battery that could match the lifespan of a structure itself. That opens up a world of possibilities for city planners and officials. For example, Giatec’s sensors could project which bridges in a city are due for replacement or maintenance in the next five years. Not only does that allow planners to put better safety precautions in place, but staff can craft budgets that better anticipate needs rather than finding infrastructure funds at the last minute. “That’s our vision,” Ghods says. – Craig Lord

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

An ever-expanding web of government red tape isn’t usually thought of as a strong catalyst for business growth. But then again, Assent Compliance is no ordinary business. The east-end Ottawa firm that makes software to help ensure companies and their suppliers around the world are complying with an ever-growing list of government regulations is in expansion mode itself as it makes its first appearance on OBJ’s list of fastest-growing companies. A small outfit with just 25 employees four years ago, Assent Compliance now boasts a headcount that stands at a robust 320 and rising – about 240 of them at its head office on Coventry Road. But as far as CEO Andrew Waitman is concerned, the 13-year-old company is just beginning to hit its stride. “We’re at the end of the first inning,” he says, using a baseball analogy to emphasize his point. “Things only just now start to get really interesting. We’re in a business that has a global opportunity and literally has thousands to tens of thousands of companies that need what we do. I

YEAR FOUNDED: 2010

2018 FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES

Lightenco’s commitment to customers shines through The founders of Lightenco don’t want any of the credit for the company’s growth. That goes to their spouses, says Ray del Cojo. “Seriously, the ones that get the credit for all of what’s happening is our wives. They really take the hit,” the Ottawa-based firm’s CEO says. “They really are the reason why this is happening.” And since the company, which outfits buildings with LED lighting, officially launched in 2012, a lot has been happening indeed. There’s physical proof of that growth: Del Cojo has a picture of his e-bike in Montreal, with the company’s very first box of lights strapped on the back. Now, says co-founder Steve Hubbard, there are hundreds of bigger boxes in their new Ottawa office — physical evidence of the space between that first sale and the company as it exists today. For Hubbard, Lightenco’s growth is based on the simple idea that it provides a win-winwin service: It’s a win for the clients, who stand to save money by outfitting their buildings with state-of-the-art LED lighting; it’s a win for Lightenco, which boasts a growing list of large national clients; and it’s a win for the environment, since LED lights are so much more efficient than traditional fluorescent lights. “The main idea that motivated all of this was to save energy. A lot of people confuse us, (thinking) we are just the lighting guys,” says del Cojo.

YEAR FOUNDED: 2011 LOCAL HEADCOUNT: 16 PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Turnkey LED lighting services THREE-YEAR REVENUE GROWTH: 223.13%

Lighting, however, is just the specific expression of their larger, more ambitious goal of changing how people think about energy usage. “We’re always thinking how we can reduce the energy footprint,” he explains. “That’s the main motivation.” The past year has seen a lot of growth, says Hubbard, as the company keeps landing larger clients. “The size of the projects has gone up tenfold, if not more,” he says. Hubbard is a jump-in-feet-first kind of guy.

Ray del Cojo, Steve Hubbard and Eduardo Vargas. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON “I’m the kind of person who, if I feel that a lead is kind of warm, I just go for it,” he says. “The problem is we have to learn what happens when we have to implement the project.” Often, Lightenco is not only responsible for the installation of the lighting, but also gets involved at the design phase as well. “We don’t sell a widget. We tailor projects,” says del Cojo. “Every project is a different beast than the previous one. It’s really challenging. We go through surprises while on site, (and) we need to think really creatively — in a good way — where we can absorb the cost as much as we can without needing to pass it on to the customers.”

Lightenco has landed some big-name clients over the past couple years – Marriott and the University of Ottawa among them – which is helping the firm expand outside of the MontrealOttawa corridor. Del Cojo says that at one point recently, the company had eight projects on the go in five different cities across the country. “There’s been a lot of sacrifices – tears and sweat – in order to get this done,” he adds. Hubbard agrees, adding he and his partners have no plans of letting up. “I always go for it, go for it, go for it,” he says, laughing. “I’d rather burn myself for five years, and get to retire pretty early.” – Kieran Delamont

O T TA W A’ S FASTEST

growing C O M PA N I E S 2018

BACK L TO R: Alexandre Charlebois (Rockland), Nicholas Pagan (Ottawa), Michelle Farley (Embrun), Joel St-Denis (Ottawa) FRONT L TO R: Geneviève Chouinard (Ottawa) and Nicholas Rashotte (Ottawa)

Tickets are now available to salute this year’s top companies! Celebrate Ottawa’s Fastest Growing Companies and their business accomplishments at a special awards reception. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, network and learn about the amazing success stories behind these fastest growing companies. Thursday, May 24, 2018 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. You.i.TV 307 Legget Drive

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

BDO CONGRATULATES OUR SUCCESSFUL CFE WRITERS

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We are pleased to recognize Alexandre Charlebois, Nicholas Pagan, Michelle Farley, Joel St-Denis, Geneviève Chouinard, and Nicholas Rashotte who passed the 2017 Common Final Examination. This is a significant step towards becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant in Canada. We salute you for your hard work and determination, and look forward to your further achievements as valuable members of our team. People who know, know BDO.SM Assurance | Accounting | Tax | Advisory 1730 St-Laurent Blvd, Suite 100, Ottawa 613-739-8221 www.bdo.ca

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From left, Greenspon Granger Hill partners Tina Hill, Lawrence Greenspon and Eric Granger.

Marking a milestone, Greenspon Granger Hill names new partners Ottawa law firm, known for representing underdogs in criminal and civil cases, celebrates appointment of former partner Trevor Brown to the Ontario Court of Justice

Before becoming a judge, he’d worked with Mr. Greenspon ever since being called to the bar. “Trevor’s appointment to the bench is a most deserving recognition of his outstanding advocacy, integrity and character,” Mr. Greenspon says. “We wish him all the best and miss him too much.” Newly-minted partner Eric Granger, along with fellow new partner Tina Hill, agrees. “The office has always had a family feel to it among the various people we’ve worked with, and Trevor is no exception,” says Mr. Granger, himself a 14-year veteran of the firm. “Lawrence, Trevor and I have been constants since the day I started here. I miss having him around the firm on a daily basis.”

“Becoming a partner is a great opportunity for me to be even more involved in helping people who need help, which is one of the biggest things I like about working with Lawrence” Dual civil-criminal practice It was important the rebranding reflect the firm’s dual civil-criminal practice, which Mr. Greenspon says is more common in the U.S. but practically unheard of in Ottawa. The model, he says, makes sense: many cases requiring criminal defence work inevitably end up in civil litigation, naming the Mike Duffy case of 2014 as one such example. Senator Duffy, who is represented by Mr. Greenspon, is now suing the federal government for unfair treatment. “Having those names in the firm indicates that we do more than criminal law, and I think that’s important,” Mr. Greenspon says. “I think it’s unique. I’ve always done 50-50. The mindset (in criminal and civil law) is the same: it’s you against the system.”

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A soft spot for underdogs Mr. Granger, who deals strictly with criminal cases, also attended the University of Ottawa and remains a part-time professor at the school. He primarily focuses on defending individuals against the coercive power of the state, and has argued appeals cases all the way up to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Markham native articled at Mr. Greenspon’s firm following university and enjoyed the experience so much that he never left.

“Lawrence is fundamentally a very caring guy, both on a personal and professional level,” he says. “He was great to start out with in terms of mentorship.” Ms. Hill, who predominantly practices civil litigation and graduated from Queen’s University in 2001, also has a soft spot for the underdog in a fight. Having been with the firm nearly two years, she focuses on individuals fighting against large organizations such as police services, government and insurance companies. “(Becoming a partner) is a great opportunity for me to be even more involved in helping people who need help, which is one of the biggest things I like about working with Lawrence,” she says, adding that some of her specialties are serious personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, false arrest, false imprisonment, negligent investigation and excessive force cases. “Sometimes it just takes one second for your life to change: someone gets in a serious accident, and can’t do their job anymore. So around half of my job is being a social worker, because we do help people through some very difficult situations. We help them come to grips with their situation.”

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

f all the work that went into his firm’s rebranding, Lawrence Greenspon of Greenspon Granger Hill says picking a launch date was probably the easiest part. The 36th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was fast approaching, after all. And for a firm like Greenspon’s, which uniquely offers a combination of civil and criminal law and for years has made its name fighting David-and-Goliath-style battles, the symbolism was just too appropriate to pass up. “It’s what we’re all about – the little guy versus the system,” he says, adding that the rebranding launch party at Prohibition House gastropub drew around 100 family, friends, colleagues, judges, fellow lawyers and businesspeople. “So what better day to launch than the anniversary of the Charter?” Indeed, Mr. Greenspon’s renamed firm – formerly known as Greenspon, Brown & Associates – is now down a Brown: Trevor Brown, that is, after he was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice late last year. Justice Brown graduated from the University of Ottawa and had practiced criminal law since 2002, receiving the CCLA Regional Senior Justice Award for outstanding advocacy.

M&A

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Hunter becomes the hunted: Mitel’s turbulent M&A history With the tech giant making headlines after announcing it was being acquired in a US$2B deal, OBJ reporter Craig Lord takes a look back at the Kanata firm’s own history of shopping for competitors BY CRAIG LORD craig@obj.ca

he news late last month that Mitel would be acquired in a US$2billion deal may have come as a bit of a surprise, but the Kanata-based communications firm is no stranger to bigmoney M&A plays in the past half decade. Investor group Searchlight Capital Partners’ acquisition, which would see Mitel taken private once again, is not quite final, and the company’s track record with M&A shows that deals can always fall through. Below is a brief timeline of Mitel’s notable mergers and acquisitions from the past five years, a period in which it hoped to become a consolidator in the cloud communications market. 2013: PRAIRIEFYRE ACQUISITION In the first major push of CEO Rich McBee’s consolidation strategy, Mitel acquired contact centre supplier prairieFyre Software in a deal valued at $20 million. The Ottawa firm had been a supplier to Mitel before the acquisition. The acquired firm’s CEO, Chris Courneya, would remain with Mitel for a few years and currently serves as CEO at InitLive, a fellow Wesley Clover portfolio company. 2014: AASTRA MERGER Mitel’s annual revenues first crested $1.1 billion when it merged with Toronto firm Aastra Technologies in 2014.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 OBJ.CA

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Terry Tyo, 238-1818 ext. 268 • terry@greatriver.ca EDITOR, PRINT CONTENT David Sali, 238-1818 ext. 269 • david@greatriver.ca REPORTER Craig Lord, 238-1818 ext. 285 • craig@obj.ca HEAD OF CONTENT Peter Kovessy, 238-1818 ext. 251 • pkovessy@obj.ca CONTENT CREATOR & CAMPAIGN MANAGER Jacquie Surges, 238-1818 ext. 222 • jacquie@obj.ca ADVERTISING SALES General Inquiries, 238-1818 ext. 286 • sales@obj.ca

McBee said then that the $392-million deal was an amicable merger between two firms in a market ripe for consolidation. Mitel would grow its customer base from 10 million to 60 million with the deal. “I feel real good about it. It’s a madein-Canada deal. It’s two great Canadian technology companies, bringing them together and making a really strong one that’s got a place on a global footprint that matters and is significant. I’m kind of proud of that,” McBee told OBJ at the time.

Wendy Baily, 238-1818 ext. 244 • wbaily@obj.ca

2014: SHORETEL TAKEOVER BID Mitel’s second acquisition play in 2014 was decidedly less friendly than with Aastra. Mitel offered to purchase California-based ShoreTel at a price of $540 million, but the U.S. company’s board rejected the play. McBee expressed disappointment at the board’s refusal, with Mitel indicating at the time that the takeover offer was “far superior” to what the U.S.-based firm could achieve independently. A month later, Mitel would sweeten the deal to roughly $574 million, but that money would ultimately be left on the table – for a time.

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2015: MAVENIR ADDS MOBILE Mitel made a move at the emerging mobile market with its $560-million acquisition of Texas-based Mavenir in 2015. The firm believed at the time that the convergence of enterprise and mobile networks would present a total addressable market of $14 billion by 2018. “We can all see the world is going

Carlo Lombard, 238-1818 ext. 230 • carlo@obj.ca Victoria Stewart, 238-1818 ext. 226 • victoria@obj.ca CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes, 238-1818 ext. 253 creative@greatriver.ca ART DEPARTMENT Regan Van Dusen, 238-1818 ext. 254 • regan@greatriver.ca Celine Paquette, 238-1818 ext. 252 • celine@greatriver.ca FINANCE Jackie Whalen, 238-1818 ext. 250 • jackie@greatriver.ca

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Mitel CEO Rich McBee. FILE PHOTO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe

mobile and ultimately people want their mobile device, they want to be able to do everything on it,” said Mitel CFO Steve Spooner at the time. “They want businesstype services on a mobile device, and that’s very much the kind of products and services that Mavenir is offering.”

Let’s Talk Technology

PUBLISHER Michael Curran, 238-1818 ext. 228 • publisher@obj.ca

Sean Murphy knows first hand what it means to grow a business from the ground up. He brings 20 years’ experience developing and delivering technology solutions that transform how private and public sector clients operate and innovate. An entrepreneur and founder of A Hundred Answers, which merged with MNP in 2016, Sean delivers a comprehensive suite of data analytics, technology advisory and digital expertise. To learn how a digital transformation can make you future ready, talk to Sean Murphy, CPA, CMA, FCMC, PMP, Regional Managing Partner and National Leader, Digital Services, at 613.271.3700 ext. 500 or email sean.murphy@mnp.ca

PRESIDENT Michael Curran All content of Ottawa Business Journal is copyright 2018. Great River Media Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Publisher’s Liability for error: The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of monies paid for the advertisement. A guaranteed minimum of 10,000 copies are printed and distributed.

and

present:

and

present:

Breakfast Series Breakfast Series Mayor’s Mayor’s 2016: POLYCOM AND COMPETITION Things looked good for Mitel M&A in the spring of 2016: The firm had announced plans to acquire California video technologies firm Polycom – a larger player than the Kanata-based company – in a deal valued at roughly $1.96 billion. Analysts applauded the deal at the time, crediting McBee and a strong management team with delivering on its consolidation drive. The good tidings would not last. A competing offer from private equity firm Siris Capital, deemed a superior offer by Polycom management, would overtake Mitel’s bid. On the bright side, Mitel would receive a $60-million cancellation fee for its trouble. 2017: SELLING OFF MAVENIR Mitel decided in early 2017 that its investment in mobile wouldn’t pay off as hoped. The firm divested its mobile division – acquired with its $560-million purchase of Mavenir two years earlier – to Sierra Private Investments at a loss of $385 million plus equity. McBee insisted that the mobile sell-off refocused Mitel, and analysts approved of the decision, “bad optics aside.” 2017: SHORETEL ROUND TWO Three years after its offers were

rebuffed, Mitel sealed the deal on A unique opportunity to enjoy breakfast His Worship Jim Watson A unique opportunity to enjoywith breakfast with HisMayor Worship Mayor Jim Watson acquiring longtime target ShoreTel. The and community leaders about issues critical to Ottawa. and business hear from business and community leaders about issues critical to Ottawa. firm made the acquisition at a price ofand hear from $430 million, $110 million less than it Guest Speaker: Guest Speaker:Guest Speaker: had offered in 2014. Andrew Scheer, Leader of the Honourable Catherine MarcMcKenna Seaman, Chairperson Analysts applauded the move, which Conservative Party Minister of Environment and Climate Change National Capital Commission grew Mitel by 30 per cent overnight. Tuesday, May 22, 2018 The firm said at the time that the Thursday, April Location: 27, 2017Ottawa Monday, December 11, 2017 City Hall move positions it as the No. 2 cloudLocation: OttawaRegistration: City Hall Ottawa Location: 7:00amCity Hall Registration: 7:00 a.m. communications service provider in Registration: 7:00 a.m. Buffet Breakfast: 7:30am Buffet Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. the world with $1.3 billion in annual Presentation: 8:00am Presentation: 8:00 a.m. Presentation: 8:00 a.m. revenues. 2018: THE HUNTER BECOMES THE INDIVIDUALINDIVIDUAL TICKETS: TICKETS: HUNTED $35.00 + HST (Ottawa Chamber Members) $35.00 + HST (Ottawa Chamber Members) McBee announced in February that, $50.00 + HST (Non-Members) $50.00 + HST (Non-Members) after the heavy lifting of absorbing ShoreTel had finished, Mitel would put CORPORATE TABLES OFTABLES 8 WITH SIGNAGE: CORPORATE OF 8 WITH SIGNAGE: $245 + HST $245 (Ottawa Chamber Members) + HST (Ottawa Chamber Members) a pause on its consolidation push. Two $350 + HST $350 (Non-Members) + HST (Non-Members) months later, the firm announced it had been acquired. If the deal is approved by shareholders Register online www.ottawachamber.ca Register online www.ottawachamber.ca and regulators, Mitel will return to being Event Sponsors:Event Sponsors: a privately held firm. McBee told OBJ that will allow the company to carry out its long-term vision without having to worry about the scrutiny of public markets. Mitel’s co-founder Terry Matthews, who holds a 2.5 per cent stake in Mitel, also approved of the acquisition plan, Powered by Ottawa Business PoweredEvents by Ottawa Business Events to receive weekly updates on all our events. alongside the firm’s board of directors. E-mail info@ottawabusinessevents.ca E-mail info@ottawabusinessevents.ca to receive weekly updates on all our events.

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AWARDS Meet Ottawa’s 2018 Forty Under 40 T

he co-founder of one of the city’s most popular craft breweries, a tech exec whose firm has twice topped OBJ’s list of fastest-growing companies and a key member of an iconic Ottawa retail chain are among the recipients of the 2018 Forty Under 40 awards. Nearly 300 applications were submitted for the 21st edition of the awards and, for the first time ever, the majority of those who made the coveted final cut – 22 out of 40 – are women. “It’s great to see so many welldeserving young business leaders, particularly women, being recognized for their outstanding achievements,” said OBJ print editor David Sali, one of the judges of this year’s competition. “It shows Ottawa’s business community is clearly in good hands heading into the future.” This year’s winners have excelled in many fields of commerce, from the

boardroom to the brewhouse. Among the new crop of recipients is Shane Clark, the co-founder of Beyond the Pale Brewing Co. Since its launch six years ago, the Ottawa brewery has grown into one of the largest and best-known labels in eastern Ontario, selling more than 50,000 litres a month of products such as its Pink Fuzz grapefruit-infused wheat beer. Other recipients include Taylor Fantin, chief administrative officer and vice-president of finance at downtown tech firm Fullscript. Since Fantin joined the online system for prescribing and delivering natural health products in 2012, its headcount has grown from five to 85, and the firm topped OBJ’s list of fastest-growing companies in both 2016 and 2017. The historic female cohort features Giant Tiger senior vice-president Julia Knox, who joined the retail chain in 2010 and has overseen an extensive

renovation campaign across more than 200 stores as well as the relaunch and rebranding of its men’s and women’s apparel business. Also on the list is the Kanata North Business Association’s new executive director, Jamie Petten, who is known for her work with SaaS accelerator L-Spark and the SaaS North conference. ‘ENORMOUS TALENT’ Forty Under 40 recognizes accomplished business leaders who are under the age of 40 and give back to their community. The awards are presented by OBJ and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. “It’s fantastic to see the recipients hailing from different industries and backgrounds,” said chamber president and CEO Ian Faris, who also served as one of the judges. “These young business leaders demonstrate the enormous amount of talent we have in this city.

Their pioneering nature and visionary thinking will generate economic benefits in the years ahead as Ottawa is fast becoming the centre of talent attraction and innovation.” Other judges on this year’s panel included OBJ publisher Michael Curran as well as past recipients Iwona Albrecht of law firm Soloway Wright, Patrick Dion of Greenbridge Consulting Group and Robert Rheaume of BDO Canada. Recipients were assessed on a 40-point system, with a maximum of 20 points for business accomplishments, 10 points for professional expertise and 10 points for community involvement. The recipients will meet in late May at the Telfer Executive MBA facility for an afternoon of introductions and sharing their stories. OBJ will profile each recipient in its June 4 issue, and the group will be celebrated at a gala at the Hilton Lac-Leamy on June 15. – OBJ staff

2018 FORTY UNDER 40 RECIPIENTS:

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

CONGRATULATIONS

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We would like to congratulate Annik Blanchard from the Ottawa Office for having been awarded with the Ottawa Forty Under 40 award. Annik’s knowledge, expertise and innovative thinking has set her apart as one of Ottawa’s brightest. We look forward to her further contributions to our clients, colleagues and community. People who know, know BDO.SM Assurance | Accounting | Tax | Advisory 1730 St-Laurent Blvd, Suite 100, Ottawa ON 613-739-8221 www.bdo.ca

Donna Baker, Keynote Group Andrew Balfour, Navigator Ltd. Priya Bhaloo, TAG HR Annik Blanchard, BDO LLP Jean-Michel Carrière, Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited Pierre-Olivier Charlebois, reDock Inc. Shane Clark, Beyond the Pale Brewing Company Brian Creech, The Dymon Group of Companies Derek Dedman, Watson Di Primio Steel (WDS) Investment Management Ray del Cojo, Lightenco Tyler Dren, Custom Homes/Commercial Interiors Liz Ellwood, Fertility Match Canada Inc. Taylor Fantin, Fullscript Marlene Floyd, Microsoft Canada Serina Fraser, Clear Designs Pouria Ghods, Giatec Scientific Inc. Kimberley Hall, Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa Sasha Hamid, Byward Chiropractic Clinic + Massage Therapy Centre Samantha Iturregui, Kelly Santini LLP Chris Jerome, EY Sarah Kaplan, Rainbow Natural Foods Inc Stayci Keetch, Eyes on Ottawa Julia Knox, Giant Tiger Stores Limited Anna Lambert, Shopify Nadine Leblanc, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Karen LeValliant, Motion Works Physiotherapy Inc. Scott MacKay, Facilities Commercial Management / Facilities Commercial Realty Inc. Shawn Malhotra, Claridge Homes Scott McLaren, Festival Promotions Kris Norris, NCM Services Sarah Oakley, Parallel 45 Design Group Ltd. Jamie Petten, L-Spark Amy Porteous, Bruyere Continuing Care Sandra Sbrocchi, McMillan LLP Caroline Sullivan, The Child, Adolescent and Family Centre of Ottawa Laura Sweet, Assent Compliance Saleh Taebi, CanadaWheels Inc. Kyle Turk, Welch LLP Michael Williams, Odgers Berndtson Tanya Woods, The Kind Village Inc.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

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SPOTLIGHT ON RECRUITMENT

How to ace a job interview Ottawa recruiting firm Stevenson & White weighs in on how candidates can stand out when meeting a prospective employer

nterviews are the most critical – and stressful parts – of the job-hunting process. You’ve piqued a potential employer’s interest with your CV, but now it’s time to wow them in person. As a recruitment firm, Stevenson & White helps its candidates not only land, but also prepare for, job interviews. The firm recently offered some suggestions on how to nail your next sit-down with a prospective employer.

PREPARE YOURSELF

When you learn you’ve landed an interview, do some research into the hiring company and, when possible, the individual who will be conducting the interview. This includes taking time to review the job posting. “It’s important to understand the business, including its past and the direction it’s moving in,” says Matt Stevenson, a partner and recruiter at Stevenson & White. Based on your research, prepare questions to ask. Matt suggests having more than one; this way you’re prepared should the interviewer inadvertently answer one of your questions before you have the chance to ask it.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

INTERVIEW DAY

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There are several important steps to take before leaving home. Many coaches still recommend abiding by the adage to dress for the job you want. “You can never be overdressed,” says Anne Stevenson, the co-founder and managing partner of Stevenson & White. “But you can be underdressed.” In addition to wearing appropriate business attire, there are certain best practices around what to bring to an interview. Never show up empty handed, says Matt. Candidates should bring a paper copy of their resume, even if the hiring manager already has an electronic version. Conversely, however, there are certain things better left at home. Rather than carrying an oversized purse or briefcase, opt for something smaller, and don’t show up with a coffee in hand. This keeps you looking organized and leaves your hands free for handshakes. Punctuality also bodes well for job candidates. Anne recommends showing up ten minutes early, allowing time to observe some activity at the hiring company in the lobby or waiting area.

Anne and Matt Stevenson

HOW CAN A RECRUITER HELP? THE INTERVIEW

While this may sound far-fetched, your interview truly starts the moment you walk onto the premises. Each person you encounter – whether in the parking lot or the elevator – could be a key decision maker in the hiring company. Similarly, body language can be a major deciding factor in whether a candidate is hired or not. Be sure to give a firm, professional handshake and make eye contact when greeting your interviewer. During the interview, sit up straight and be conscious of any habits you may have, such as touching your hair or fidgeting with your hands. Maintain a healthy amount of eye contact – enough to show you’re paying attention, but not so much as to make the interviewer uncomfortable. Once you’re sitting down, try to relax. “Give genuine answers, not canned ones,” says Anne. “You want the person to hire the real you.” She also advises candidates to listen closely to questions in order to keep answers direct. Long, rambling answers can make it seem like you haven’t been paying attention. Within 24 hours of your interview, it’s common to send a short follow-up email to thank the hiring manager for their time and express enthusiasm in awaiting next steps. Matt stresses that if you are using a recruiter you should send any communication through them so they can assist you with tone and proofreading.

Finance. Accounting. Payroll.

Though many choose to go it alone, there are major benefits for candidates in working with a recruiter to find your next job. Save time. Good recruiters take the time to get to know you, then contact you only when the right opportunity comes along. Avoid taking time off for job interviews you’re not right for. Expert career guidance. As a neutral third party, recruiters often act as a sounding board for candidates, enabling them to ask questions they may not be able to in a job interview. Hiring expertise. As full-time hiring experts, recruiters know the many do’s and don’ts of the hiring process and pass that knowledge onto candidates. Extensive network. As a firm that’s been placing candidates in and around Ottawa for close to 20 years now, the Stevenson & White team has a vast network in the region. Personal champion. When a recruiter recommends you for a role, it’s because they know you’d be a great fit with the hiring company. As such, recruiters tend to champion their candidates to the fullest degree – both before and after an interview.

Stevenson & White can help. Head to stevensonandwhite.com for more information or call 613-225-5417. SPONSORED CONTENT

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PROFILE ‘I had a strong sense of duty to carry on this company’ ADGA chief executive Francoise Gagnon has achieved great success as a rare entity – a female leader in the defence and security industry FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FRANÇOISE GAGNON

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She’s an introvert. “If Uber Eats delivered to my bedroom, I would be a happy, happy girl.” Gagnon considers herself a mother first, followed by a wife and CEO. She and Jarvis have a combined seven children – six sons and one daughter. They also have two pooches who accompany them to the office: an old English sheepdog and a Newfoundlander.

Gagnon has set a goal to lead the first defence security company in Canada with an equal number of women and men in influential roles at the executive and senior management levels.

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Gagnon and her husband love travelling, cooking and spending time outdoors skiing, cycling and boating. She is Ottawa-born and raised and graduated from Carleton University with a degree in Soviet and East European Studies.

BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS caroline@obj.ca

ost people approaching their 50s start thinking of retirement. Embarking on a new career in a new domain was not part of the master plan for Françoise Gagnon. All that changed when she took over the reins at ADGA, a professional services and consulting firm specializing in defence, security and enterprise computing. The company was founded in 1967 by Denis Gagnon, her father. “My background in public affairs and communications didn’t seem to me to be the natural fit in what was then a traditional engineering company,” said Françoise, who is now CEO of the ADGA Group. “But I had a strong sense of duty to carry on this company, which my father had built from the ground up. Carrying that legacy forward was important to me.” During a recent interview at the company’s headquarters on Argyle

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John Jarvis managed the Westin Ottawa for 15 years and worked for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, a Fortune 500 company, for 30 years. Continued on page 28

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Avenue, Gagnon spoke of a poignant family transition. “Not only did I leave my career, but I convinced my husband to do so,” she said.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

treasures of the sea menu at Arôme restaurant!

Francoise Gagnon is chief executive of the ADGA Group. PHOTO BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

WOMEN IN BUSINESS WBN award finalists ORGANIZATION CATEGORY Linda Eagan President and CEO Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation Over the past 13 years, Eagan and her team have raised $60 million for cancer care and research in eastern Ontario. She is the founder of Cancer Coaching, an innovative community-based health and social care service for cancer patients. A mother of two, Eagan is an active volunteer with the Life Saving Therapies Network, BioCanRx and Arvizio Health Technologies.

Ottawa business stars shine at BYAs

Tina Sarellas Regional president, Ontario North and East RBC An RBC employee since 1987, Sarellas is the first woman to head the bank’s Ontario North and East region. Before coming to Ottawa, she was RBC’s regional vice-president for the Greater Toronto commercial banking group and also spent time at RBC’s commercial banking division in Vancouver. The mother of two sits on the board of the Ottawa Hospital Foundation and enjoys travelling.

More than 350 turn out to honour city’s top women entrepreneurs at awards gala BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS caroline@obj.ca

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

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he WBN Businesswoman of the Year Awards Gala was full of hugs, tears of joy and expressed gratitude as it honoured 12 Ottawa women for their entrepreneurial and professional achievements. The glitzy black-tie dinner and awards ceremony, presented by BMO, was held in late April at the Infinity Convention Centre. It attracted more than 350 attendees – the largest crowd ever for the BYAs. By the end of the night, four of the dozen finalists – an employee recruitment specialist, a lawyer, a cancer care fundraiser and an interior designer – came away with a coveted Businesswoman of the Year Award. “It’s just amazing to see how many more women are involved in business today,” Shirley Westeinde, who won the award 21 years ago, told OBJ.social during the cocktail reception. The award winners were: Donna Baker (Keynote Group) in the emerging entrepreneur category; Cathy Hay (Hay Design) in the established entrepreneur category; Linda Eagen (Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation) in the organization category; and Karen Hennessey (Gowling WLG) in the professional category. “Wow!” uttered Hay, president and founder of commercial interior design firm Hay Design, in amazement as she accepted her award on stage. “As

entrepreneurs, we don’t need much recognition, but, man, it feels good.” She and her fellow recipients thanked everyone and acknowledged their supportive spouses for not ever holding them back. “You believe in me when I don’t; you pick me up when I’m down,” Baker said to her husband and business partner, James Baker, with whom she runs the fast-growing and multiple-awardwinning executive search and recruitment firm Keynote Group. “Your drive, your enthusiasm is intoxicating, and you’re a big part of why we have a successful business today.” The finalists and recipients weren’t just plucked out of thin air. Applications had to be completed and filed before being vetted by selection committees. It was time-consuming and challenging but, in the end, proved “extremely rewarding,” said Hennessey of a process that forced her to take time out of her busy life to reflect on her career and appreciate what she has thus far accomplished. Hennessey, who is a partner at Gowling WLG and leader of the law firm’s corporate commercial group, was the first member of her family to go to university. Not much was expected of her, career-wise, the room heard. “In fact, my Grade 8 teacher told me not to bother taking advanced-level classes in high school because I didn’t have the work ethic to do well in university,” she said. “Thank God I proved him wrong.” Now, Hennessey is encouraging her own children to aim high.

“I want them to know the sky’s the limit,” she said. Hennessey wasn’t the only winner who wiped away tears that night. So did Eagen, president and CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, when she headed toward the stage to accept her award. “I am so full of pride right now, for the people who stand with me at the Cancer Foundation: the team, the staff, the board members and the amazing volunteers,” said an emotional Eagen. “Together we rock!” Several of the recipients shared words of inspiration. “If you don’t love what you’re doing, change it,” Hay told the crowd. The audience also heard from one of last year’s winners, Candace Enman, who lauded the BYAs for supporting, recognizing and celebrating female leadership. “I used to always say, ‘I’m very proud of all my accomplishments and of the work that I do’ and thought that my work really spoke for itself and that I didn’t need external validation,” said Enman, president of sponsor Welch Consulting. “But I’ll tell you a secret: This award that I won was pretty incredible, and I really enjoyed the recognition.”

Kelly Stone Executive director Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs Stone heads a national group that provides front-line worker training and program resources to half a million families in 2,300 communities across Canada. Before joining FRP, Stone was a senior director in the Public Health Agency of Canada and was responsible for research and public policy on child and youth issues. She has worked extensively with Indigenous communities and families. EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR Donna Baker Co-founder Keynote Group Baker leads Keynote Group’s recruitment business, helping guide the firm she launched with her husband James in 2015 to three-year revenue growth of nearly 1,000 per cent. In her impressive career, she has personally delivered more than $4 million worth of placements. The mother of two is a 2018 Forty Under 40 recipient and is active in various local community groups such as Women in Communications and Technology.

Lindy Ledohowski Co-founder EssayJack An award-winning academic, educator and entrepreneur, Ledohowski helped launch online writing tool EssayJack two-and-a-half years ago and is the firm’s CEO. An alumna of Kanata’s L-Spark accelerator, Ledohowski was recognized as a Silver Stevie Award winner for female entrepreneur of the year in Canada in 2016. The Manitoba native also serves on the board of trustees for the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Ilona Garson Co-owner Jet Black Hair & Studio Garson opened Jet Black with her husband Brian in 2013. A hairstylist since age 21, she was the 2015 gold medallist for Canada in Wella Professionals’ TrendVision Awards. An active community volunteer, Garson has been a stylist for several charity fashion shows and holds an annual fundraiser for the Children’s Aid Society at the salon.

ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEUR Anna Belanger Founder Anna Belanger and Associates Belanger moved to Ottawa with her husband Mark and their four children in 2008. The next year, she opened the city’s first massage therapy clinic dedicated to women. Since then, she has opened three more clinics in Orleans, Barrhaven and at Shopify’s downtown headquarters. A decided community volunteer, Belanger is also an accomplished marathon runner and a 2016 world karate champion in sparring.

Cathy Hay President and founder Hay Design After a 16-year career with various Ottawa design firms and the federal government, Hay launched her own interior design company, Hay Design, in 2004. Today, her team boasts more than a dozen designers and is known for its work with commercial and industrial clients ranging from restaurants and retail stores to health clinics and condominiums. In 2015, she started a second business, a retail home furnishings and decor boutique in downtown Perth. PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY

Carley Schelck Partner and CEO The Urban Element A commerce graduate of the University of Guelph, Schelck opened Hintonburg culinary event space Urban Element with her husband Oliver in 2005. Last year, she launched Cultivating Cooks, a food literacy program for youth. Schelck also teaches part-time at Algonquin College’s School of Business and is an active fundraiser for the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.

Dr. Renata Frankovich Founder Medsport Ottawa A native of what is now Croatia (then Yugoslavia), Frankovich launched sports medicine clinic Medsport Ottawa in 2015. After leaving a well-paying IT job to go back to medical school at age 28, Frankovich has enjoyed a successful career in sports medicine, serving as a doctor for Canadian teams at four Olympic Games and being named assistant chief medical officer of the 45-member Canadian medical team at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp Owner Sante Chiropractic and Wellness Centre A chiropractor for more than two decades, Beauchamp opened her own clinic in Orleans 16 years ago. Beauchamp, who is also a certified fitness trainer and former professional bodybuilder, founded the annual Ottawa Health and Wellness Expo and has authored two books on health and fitness. Karen Hennessey Partner Gowling WLG The national leader of Gowlings’ corporate commercial practice, Hennessey earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Carleton University before studying law at the University of Windsor. Since joining the firm in 2005, Hennessey has worked with clients in a wide range of industries and sizes from startups to multinational corporations. A Forty Under 40 recipient in 2014, the mother of two is a board member of the Ottawa Ronald McDonald House and the Hnatyshyn Foundation.

CONGRATULATIONS, Cathy Hay! Congratulations to Cathy Hay, for being a ﬁnalist in the Established Entrepreneur category for the 2018 Business Woman of the Year Awards (BYAs).

Expressing gratitude, Cathy says she’s “grateful to do what (she) loves” and “to have such an incredible amount of care and support from the people around (her).” Best of luck to Cathy and all of the other fabulous women whose accomplishments will be recognized on April 19th, 2018 at the BYAs!

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As the Owner of Hay Design Inc., Cathy has become a highly-respected go-to for all matters relating to commercial and residential interior design in the Greater Ottawa Area. Cathy is a veritable pro with everything from design renderings and space analyses to move coordination and construction administration. Her clientele ranges from restaurants and educational facilities to ofﬁces and healthcare environments.

REAL ESTATE Ottawa home to better deals for millennials than other major Canadian centres, Royal LePage study says

illennials entering the Ottawa housing market are better positioned than their peers in most other major Canadian cities, according to a study released recently by Royal LePage. The report, which looked at the relative purchasing powers of “peak millennials” – those aged 25 years or older – in cities across Canada, showed that the National Capital Region is well-suited for the younger generation’s first buys. Making calculations on a median salary, Royal LePage’s research pegged the typical peak millennial’s budget for a first home at around $200,000, a figure that’s often pooled with a partner or supplemented by contributions from parents. That puts a house well within reach in Ottawa, where the median aggregate home price in the first quarter of the year was $437,243. The aggregate price in the rest of Canada is close to $600,000. Within a range of $325,000 to $425,000, buyers in Ottawa are getting, on aggregate, about 1,495 square feet of space in an attached, single-family home with three beds and two baths. Peak millennials are getting much less in the greater Toronto and greater Vancouver areas, but can afford slightly more space in Halifax. Royal LePage also notes that Ottawa’s millennial cohort is increasingly looking downtown for property, a trend the real estate firm attributes to the city’s tech scene. That’s backed up anecdotally by firms such as Telesat, with CEO Dan Goldberg telling OBJ earlier this year that the firm’s move to a new Elgin Street location is partially driven by a desire to attract millennial talent.

THE AGGREGATE PRICE IN THE REST OF CANADA IS CLOSE TO “A lot of the prospective hires would prefer to be downtown,” he said in a March interview. Real estate agents agree. “Despite the availability of larger, detached homes in the rural areas just outside of Ottawa, many younger prospective homebuyers simply remain uninterested in sacrificing commute time and proximity to amenities for more space at the end of the day,” said Adam Mills, Royal LePage broker of record, in a statement. – OBJ staff

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The Ottawa Real Estate Show is a new online broadcast dedicated to commercial property in Canada’s capital. Watch the show at http://bit.ly/OttawaRealEstateShow. The Ottawa Real Estate Show is sponsored by Mann Lawyers and CBRE Ottawa.

First Zibi residents to start moving in this fall BY PETER KOVESSY pkovessy@obj.ca

ith three massive mixed-use real estate projects poised to transform the western edge of downtown Ottawa – and compete for residents and business tenants – the lead developer behind Zibi says his firm has secured its first commercial space users. Jeff Westeinde concedes he’s happy that Zibi, which is transforming some 37 acres of former industrial land on the Ottawa River into a new community, was “first out of the gate” and is several years ahead of the neighbouring LeBreton Flats redevelopment and planned trio of skyscrapers at Bayview Station. However, he argues that the three projects will collectively help attract new skilled workers and companies to the region. “The west side of downtown is going to redefine our city,” Westeinde said on the Ottawa Real Estate Show. “It’s an exciting time to be in this part of the world.”

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p98XbD_0V6I

A rendering of the planned Zibi redevelopment on the shoreline of the Ottawa River.

Westeinde says he has signed “a couple” of tenants for the commercial component of the project, which has generated “a lot of interest” from companies that are currently

located downtown as well as outside the Greenbelt. On the residential side, the first homeowners will move into units on the Quebec side of the project in September,

Westeinde added. By contrast, the Ottawa Senators-backed RendezVous LeBreton – which is looking to construct an NHL arena, condos and shops on LeBreton Flats – is still in negotiations with the National Capital Commission. Slightly to the west, Trinity Development Group spent the winter rerouting underground water pipes to enable to construction of three towers of between 50 and 59 storeys. While Ottawa Senators owner and CEO Eugene Melnyk recently appeared to question whether the local residential market could support all the new condos and townhomes planned for central Ottawa, some real estate experts say there is sufficient demand for the commercial components. “Both on (the) tech front and on (the) government front, we’re seeing growth,” said Shawn Hamilton, managing director of real estate services firm CBRE, a sponsor of the Ottawa Real Estate Show. “There will be enough demand … (and these projects) are well-positioned to take advantage of that growth.”

DOES YOUR BUSINESS OWN PROPERTY? An important deadline affecting Ontario corporations is coming up in December.

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Hear from Daniella in the latest episode of the Ottawa Real Estate Show: http://bit.ly/OttawaRealEstateShow

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Mann Lawyers partner Daniella Sicoli-Zupo explains what you need to know.

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MOTORS

GALA

Brenda Firestone, eldest child of art connoisseurs O.J. Firestone and Isobel Firestone, with Dr. J. Lawrence Gitterman.

Patrons Glenn McInnes and Barbara McInnes at the opening gala for the new Ottawa Art Gallery.

Work of art: New ‘world-class’ Ottawa Gallery draws plenty of praise The scene at the Ottawa Art Gallery opening night gala felt like a Renoir – swarming with happy people – and all were mutually thrilled to be enjoying one of most anticipated celebrations of the year. After many years of envisioning a bigger and better building to show off our region’s artwork, along with the Firestone Collection of Art, the municipal art gallery now has a magnificent new home at 50 Mackenzie King Bridge. It’s modern, welcoming and has five times more space than its former digs in the old Daly Avenue courthouse next door. “We did it!” OAG chief executive and

director Alexandra Badzak shouted, earning loud cheers from the audience. And they did it, the crowd heard, on time, on budget, with unanimous approval from city council, support from all governments, and through a successful public-private partnership. The gallery also propelled past its campaign goal, raising more than $5 million. “It’s very gratifying to finally see it come to fruition,” said OAG board chair Lawson Hunter, who was, along with Badzak, one of the driving forces behind it all. Hunter previously donated $100,000

of his own money to the capital campaign and has been a member of the OAG board for a total of 18 years. In his varied career, he’s been head of the Competition Bureau and an executive with telecommunications giant Bell, and is currently senior counsel at Stikeman Elliott LLP. The gallery had at one time looked at moving elsewhere, including Lansdowne Park. That didn’t work out, but the OAG did get a generous donation of $1.5 million from Lansdowne redevelopment partner John Ruddy from Trinity Development Group. In the end, the OAG stayed downtown, where Mayor Jim

Watson opined it should be. “Jim, you were right,” Lawson said on stage. You could hear the pride in the mildmannered mayor’s voice as he made his brief remarks. Getting the municipal gallery a new building had been one of his goals since he was elected to lead the city in 2010. Watson called the official opening of the OAG the pièce de résistance in a week that also saw the light-rail transit system undergo testing for the first time and the prime minister pay a visit to the Innovation Centre at Bayview Yards. Continued on page 32

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CELEBRATION

NIFTY, NIFTY, LOOK WHO’S 50: ALEX MUNTER

Alex Munter and his partner, Dennis Recto, at the Alex @ 50 party held at the Canadian Museum of Nature on April 28.

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Perhaps it was Ottawa musician Glenn Nuotio who best summed up what any ordinary person might have felt on the eve of Alex Munter’s birthday: grossly inadequate. “Did anyone else, in realizing Alex Munter is 50, wake up and say, ‘I really haven’t done anything with my life?’ Is it just me?” he joked while warming up his keyboard for his light-hearted tribute performance to Munter. It does seem as though the former whiz kid has done it all, from his auspicious start as Young Entrepreneur of the Year to his present-day role as Ottawa’s children’s health leader. At age 14, Munter started his own newspaper. He was a city councillor by his early 20s. He managed to accumulate years of experience in leadership roles in health and social services by the time he hit his early 40s and became president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. He’s also head of the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre. CHEO is an “inspiring place,” he told his friends and family who helped him ring in another birthday decade at the Canadian Museum of Nature on April 28. “It is a joy to work for such amazing people who are committed to such an important mission in our community. I learn every day, and I feel enormously privileged to be part of that team.” It was nice to see that the head of the hospital doesn’t take himself too seriously: He was serenaded by Ottawa’s famous karaoke drag impresario, China Doll, who belted out There Are Worse Things I Could Do from the musical Grease. China Doll, aka Ed Kwan, also teased Munter about the whole age thing. “I have underwear older than he is.”

Among those from the hospital were its chief of staff, Dr. Lindy Samson, and Dr. Martin Osmond, CEO and scientific director of CHEO’s Research Institute, as well as Jennifer Walker and Cathy Curry, who are members of the hospital’s board of directors. Also seen was Jacqueline Belsito, vicepresident of philanthropy and community engagement for the CHEO Foundation. George Weber, outgoing president and CEO of the Royal Ottawa Heart Care Group, and his wife, CBC journalist Julie Van Dusen, attended. Liberal Ottawa MPP Yasir Naqvi, Mayor Jim Watson and Coun. Diane Deans were also seen dropping in. Patrick Dion, who was one of the judges for the upcoming Forty Under 40 awards, was also at the party. Munter was joined by his family – including his parents, both of whom immigrated to Canada – and his longtime partner, Dennis Recto. He was the main organizer. For Munter, the evening was about bookmarking a special moment of his life. “I am younger today than I will ever be and, at some point, I’m going to look back at 50 and think, ‘Wow, I was only a mere 50 years old.’ It’s how I feel about 40 and 30 at the moment, by the way. That’s what this party is about. This party is about creating a memory; it’s about enjoying this evening, but it’s about creating a moment. I want to thank all of you for being here and for being part of this moment for me.” He ended his remarks with a quote: Happiness is only real when shared. It was poignantly penned by Christopher McCandless, the young solo traveller who turned his back on family and friends, only to end up dying alone in the Alaskan wilderness. “I want to thank you for sharing this moment of happiness with me. I’m truly grateful. I feel enormously blessed to be part of a community with all of you,” he added, before urging everyone to “party on.” During the celebrations, the whole room raised their glass and sang Happy Birthday to Munter.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

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MOTORS

FUNDRAISER

Cheryl Boughton, head of Elmwood School, with her husband, David Boughton, director of capital projects at The Ottawa Hospital, at the “Dare to Dream” Elmwood Gala held at the all-girls private school in Rockcliffe Park on April 21.

Elmwood Gala patron Jamilah Taib Murray, chair of Sakto Corporation, with her husband, Sean Murray, president and CEO of Sakto.

Gala committee member and parent Clara Nehme and her husband, angel investor Simon Nehme, were entertainment sponsors.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Elmwood Gala raises record-breaking $325K for all-girls private school

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The school gymnasium at Elmwood was transformed into a dazzling delight as parents and supporters came together in late April for the 29th annual “Dare to Dream” Elmwood Gala. Strands of Edison bulbs and fairy lights covered the walls and hung from the ceiling, illuminating the venue like brilliant stars. While it took two days to put them all up, as well as the use of a vertical-moving scissor lift, the end result was beyond stunning. It was in this dreamy atmosphere that a black-tie crowd of nearly 300 guests dined and later danced in support of the 365-student school, founded in 1915 and located in upscale Rockcliffe Park. The $300-a-ticket event raised funds for the school’s scholarship and bursary program and for the refurbishment of the school’s science labs. The gala netted $325,000, which is the most it’s ever raised. Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson and his wife, Melinda – who seemed in good spirits following their personal tragedy of a month earlier – were there as guests of Craig Betts, founder and executive chairman of Solace Systems. The who’s who of attendees also included Mayor Jim Watson, Redblacks president Jeff Hunt and Sakto Corp. chair

Jamilah Taib Murray, who served as gala patron. The former Elmwood parent and student was featured, along with some of the girls from the school, in a sweet and inspiring video played for the room before dinner. Enjoying a night out with their spouses were former Cognos CEO and current Sussex Capital president Michael Potter; former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson; Shopify chief operating officer Harley Finkelstein; retailer David Segal, co-founder of DavidsTea and founder of the Mad Radish salad eatery; and Marilyn Wilson, who sells multimillion-dollar homes. On hand to welcome everyone was the head of Elmwood, Cheryl Boughton. This year’s gala was co-chaired by Elmwood parents Aileen Conway, angel investor Denise Carruthers and Whitney Fox, who lauded the “amazing talent” of volunteers who helped out on the organizing committee. Fox and her husband, Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg, along with HGT Sports Services founder and CEO Peter Hudson and his wife, Kelly, offered to match all $500 donations made by guests, who pledged their support that night by raising their bid paddles in the air. The pledges added up to $54,500 — which was then matched.

From right, Marilyn Wilson of platinum sponsor Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, Christie’s International Real Estate, and her husband, Dr. Allan Wilson, with their daughter, Reba, and her boyfriend, Dean Solloway, who works in corporate finance for Apple.

From left, Aileen Conway, Denise Carruthers and Whitney Fox co-chaired the organizing committee for this year’s Elmwood Gala held at the all-girls private school in Rockcliffe Park.

OFFICE OPENING

From left, Klipfolio CEO and co-founder Allan Wille with co-founder and chief experience officer Peter Matthews at a party to celebrate the company’s new office space, formerly home to Landmark Cinemas, in the World Exchange Plaza.

From left, architect Reggie MacIntosh with Linebox Studio principal partner and senior architect Andrew Reeves, designer and project manager Melanie Neault and partner and senior technologist Marc-André Richer.

FEATURE PRESENTATION: KLIPFOLIO CELEBRATES NEW OFFICE IN FORMER WORLD EXCHANGE THEATRE It seems like only yesterday I was watching the screening of Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell at the World Exchange Plaza movie theatre while dipping into a bag of licorice. Gone now are the venue’s cinematic glory days; the theatre closed in 2013 and sat empty for years until Ottawa-based software company Klipfolio came along. The space is now home to the rapidly expanding leader in cloud-based business intelligence dashboards, and Klipfolio held an open house party late last month to show off its bright, airy and spacious new digs. Nobody worked the room better than Snickers, a beautiful Bernese mountain dog that was at the pooch-friendly office that day.

Guests included members of the tech community, neighbouring businesses and professionals who helped Klipfolio relocate to 111 Albert St. as well as transform the space into a workplace that is fun and productive. The company had outgrown its former address on Gloucester Street. The new open-office design means there are no cramped cubicles or managerial offices to hole up in. There are still quiet areas available as well as private phone and meeting rooms. Other observations: Many of the walls double as dry erase boards, the space is full of plants and potted trees, there’s a private video gaming room and space

once devoted to movie concession stands is now a kitchen and eating area. As well, one of the large walls is covered with original artwork by Torontobased graffiti artist and muralist Peru Dyer Jalea. The new office space, with its lack of physical barriers that isolate team members, is seen as a better fit with the way the folks at Klipfolio work together to drive innovation and decision-making. “We are such a collaborative interdisciplinary company,” CEO Allan Wille told OBJ.social. “We really wanted this to be a space where we could grow and add more people.” Klipfolio, which is on a hiring binge,

currently employs 90 people in Ottawa and another five in Pune, India. As for the former theatre, there are a few old movie reels the company has held on to. As well, you can see from permanent markings left on the floor where the popcorn machines had once been. Guests included Mayor Jim Watson, who got a personal tour from Wille. Other attendees included sisters Angela and Monica Singhal from family-owned Richcraft Homes. They were interested in seeing the finished work because they have hired the same Ottawa-based architectural firm, Linebox Studio, to redesign their company’s headquarters in the St. Laurent Business Park.

Short but sweet:

Read Jake’s blog at http://bit.ly/pop-up-lease Jake Ruddy

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associate lawyer, Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

How to negotiate a pop-up store lease

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Architectural lessons from an Ottawa Valley laboratory

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Ottawa’s Architects DCA designs new R&D building for Chalk River complex

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By Toon Dreessen Travel two hours northeast of Ottawa to Chalk River, and you’re likely to see the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) – a complex established after the Second World War to provide nuclear research lab space for Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. While much of the core research and development kept pace with the times, the aging infrastructure had not, affecting the ability of scientists to engage in cutting-edge research in safe buildings that met their needs. Ottawa-based Architects DCA, an architectural firm specializing in commercial, retail, industrial and institutional projects, had the unique pleasure of designing Building 350, Harriet Brooks Laboratory. Building 350 is a 137,000-square-foot facility, designed to bring a new level of R&D to this world-renowned site. The building was completed in 2016, with ongoing work to fit out lab space with specialized equipment and provide a crucial first step for phasing in office space for future developments on the campus. Building 350 has unique features including state-of-the-art laboratories and compliance with Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Silver standards. Working with a consultant team, including some of the world’s leading laboratory specialists, the design provides flexible lab space with integrated systems for a

variety of research functions to provide essential infrastructure for the scientific community. The building was also designed with a 50-year life cycle in mind. This allows for the building investment to ensure longevity rather than a quick fix or short term gain. Critical to this is ensuring that the building is maintained during its lifecycle. Carefully detailed operation manuals, combined with a durable design, provide a foundation for how the building can be easily maintained. High-quality masonry and metal cladding, UV-reflective roofing, and epoxy coated masonry and flooring provide long-term durability inside and out.

Collaboration is a key aspect of the design and building program. Easily replaceable and repairable interior finishes maximize recyclable materials and the ability to reconfigure work stations. Lab spaces are designed to be modular and flexible, providing core lab services both from below, and above, in dedicated mechanical service spaces. Collaboration is a key aspect of the design and building program. During design, the project team collaborated on detailing and design elements to provide on-time deliverables, resulting in an on-time and on-budget construction project.

Anyone familiar with complex construction, especially on a remote site, knows that this is always a challenge. A good collaborative relationship between CNL, the contractor and the design team meant all worked together to resolve issues, stay on schedule, and be proactive. Key to this project’s success was having an excellent client. CNL staff inspired the project team to excellence. Researchers need to collaborate too. Architects DCA created new office spaces that resulted in more open offices and plentiful meeting spaces, with fewer closed and isolated office functions. Collaborative spaces for formal meetings, as well as informal gathering spaces promote the idea that researchers can work together, learning from each other, and benefiting society as a whole. Architects DCA recognizes that programming is a critical part of the design process. The firm enjoys figuring out what the client needs, and creating innovative solutions to meet the objectives of a sustainable, durable, beautiful building. The architecture firm’s expertise in project delivery extends through critical stages of a project, delivering value from inception to decades after construction is complete. High-quality built form takes time, takes effort and takes a talented team of consultants, clients and contractors. Toon Dreessen is president of Ottawa-based Architects DCA and past-president of the Ontario Association of Architects. For a sample of Architects DCA’s projects, check out the firm’s portfolio at http://bit.ly/DCA-portfolio. Follow @ArchitectsDCA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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From left, Ted Carty, Grade A’s vice-president of business development, with Aaaron Rubinoff, a partner and co-chair of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l.

Ottawa’s Grade A launches offshoot startups Local law firm Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall aids growing IT firm with IP strategy, employment contracts

“People who are skilled in service desk are not just skilled in technology, they’re also skilled in supporting people” Ted Carty, Grade A’s vice-president of business development

For Grade A Digital and its parent company, PerleyRobertson conducted a full review of their HR documentation. This enabled the firm’s employment law group to identify several areas of opportunity and – as Ted Carty, Grade A’s vice-president of business development, puts it – “plug a few holes” in the firm’s employment documents. To empower Grade A’s administrative and finance teams to hire with confidence, Perley-Robertson

also coached them on ways to limit liability with new staff without making the onboarding process cumbersome and slow. LEGAL MODERNIZATION But just as PerleyRobertson was helping Grade A’s offshoots navigate the twists and turns in the life of a startup, the IT support was helping the nearly 50-yearold law firm modernize and prepare for the next stage of its own growth. “The technology needed to run a law firm now is very sophisticated,” says Rubinoff. Typically, when an employee needs to call their IT support, it’s because something has gone wrong. Anyone who’s been there knows it can be a frustrating experience, especially in a high-stakes environment like a law firm. Grade A hires not only the most technologically-capable staff, but also those who appreciate the grievances caused by technological hiccups. “People who are skilled in service desk are not just skilled in technology, they’re

also skilled in supporting people,” says Carty. “They have to be a certain type of person.” Grade A clients such as Perley-Robertson gain access to a team of 125 highly skilled IT staff, including technicians who are constantly monitoring their clients’ networks in order to mitigate any potential crises and can respond quickly in the unlikely event that data loss should occur. The firm has a highsecurity data centre in its Ottawa facility. These resources give Perley-Robertson the ability to grow quickly, without the need to make cumbersome investments in its in-house IT infrastructure, as it adds new local, national and international clients to its roster. “Now, if we scale up, we don’t have to do anything. The service we get from Grade A scales up with us,” says Rubinoff. Learn more about how Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l. can help grow your business at www.perlaw.ca.

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Robertson has helped facilitate Grade A’s growth. It’s been a particularly dynamic 12 months for the IT services provider, which has founded two offshoot companies: Grade A Digital and Grade A Labs. Grade A Digital is a social media management agency, while Grade A Labs is a custom software development firm. Though they both operate under the Grade A name and out of the Grade A offices, the two fledgling companies have their own unique sets of challenges and priorities. Perley-Robertson has been on hand for the founding of both. Despite being born out of the well-established Grade A family, Grade A Labs is nevertheless in the startup stage of its business. As a result, fundraising is a key focus. Perley-Robertson has helped the software development firm create a high-level strategy around proactive fundraising. The law firm also helped Grade A Labs come up with an IP strategy as a means to safeguard the firm’s designs.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

ith client confidentiality a core tenet at law firms, the term “outsourcing” can understandably leave some in the legal profession uneasy. While being highly sensitive to concerns around data security, the Ottawa law firm of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l. also knew that outsourcing its IT department would help it serve clients more efficiently and ensure its technical infrastructure remained current and secure. The law firm understood the potential of outsourced IT better than many companies, given it had a front-row seat to the rising success of one of Ottawa’s leaders in the field: Grade A. “I needed to have that trust, because we are a legacy law firm,” says Aaron Rubinoff, partner and cochair at Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP/s.r.l. “For us to go down this path which was a little bit different, I had to have that trust in who we were going to work with.” For the past year, Perley-

$6.1-million seed round. These numbers still pale in comparison to record-breaking raises from firms such as Montreal’s Element AI, which took in $102 million last year. But Fathi insists that Ottawa has a few unfair advantages that make it perfectly suited to become a machine learning hub. For one, Ottawa is a very smart city. Not necessarily in terms of Internet of Things connectivity (yet), but that 61 per cent of the city’s workers have a postsecondary degree, according to Statistics Canada figures. That, combined with two universities, two colleges and research labs such as the National Research Council of Canada, makes the capital a force to be reckoned with in intelligence – artificial or otherwise. “It is an incubator, as a city, for talent and for companies,” Fathi says.

CONNECTING TECH IN OTTAWA

Federal priorities

MindBridge AI CEO Eli Fathi believes a new conference focused on machine learning will unite Ottawa’s AI players. Photo by Mark Holleron

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Impact AI hopes to put Ottawa on the machine learning map

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High-tech talent, innovative companies and public sector interest could turn Canada’s capital into an AI hub by Craig Lord

hen considering the impact of AI, Eli Fathi turns to an unexpected source. He quotes Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said in September of last year that “whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will

become the ruler of the world.” World domination aside, there’s a clear market in machine learning – advanced algorithms trained to perform complicated tasks, such as human-like conversation or fraud detection. PwC noted in a recent

report that the AI market is expected to reach US$70 billion by 2020. That’s driven investors towards the sector in droves. Hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital flow through Montreal and Toronto as investors swarm to capture a slice of the burgeoning market. Somewhere in the middle of that corridor lies Ottawa, and a new conference is hoping to shine a spotlight on the capital’s AI potential. “I feel that Ottawa is left out,” says Eli Fathi, CEO of MindBridge AI, the firm putting on the inaugural Impact AI conference at Algonquin College later this month. “It’s important for us to put Ottawa on the map.” MindBridge, which uses machine learning algorithms to spot potential cases of internal fraud, has done a fair bit to raise Ottawa’s profile already. The firm announced last week that it had landed $8.4 million in series-A funding, bringing its total financing up to roughly $15 million. It’s not alone in Ottawa, either. AI firm Raven Telemetry also announced in the first week of May that it had raised a

The other advantage comes in the form of the federal government, a wellspring of opportunity for Ottawa startups, depending on where the government’s priorities lie. According to Michael Karlin, senior adviser at the Treasury Board of Canada, the feds’ eyes are firmly fixed on AI. “We’re trying to think through what the rules should be for AI in government,” Karlin says. “That’s a big challenge that’s coming up ahead, but I think it’s a really important one.” Karlin’s background in privacy and ethics serves the current landscape of AI in the public sector well. One of the chief concerns around machine learning today is in how applications are trained, and how historical flaws in how we collect data could bias AI. PwC notes that opening AI’s “black box,” increasing the algorithms’ transparency, will be a priority for the sector’s development. Karlin says there’s a culture change underway across federal departments to convince the average public servant that AI is the way of the future. “You need to convince people that new, data analytics-driven decision-making is potentially more effective if done right.” Machine learning applications are already underway: Health Canada has a tool to scan social media for complaints about children’s toys that are breaking or overheating. Getting this information without parents needing to file an official complaint saves processing time and gets results from regulated manufacturers sooner. Karlin would like to see AI brought to departments such as the Canada Revenue Agency. Other countries have introduced chatbots that can respond to simple queries about filing taxes, a move that could give Canadians answers to questions after hours and free up employees’ time to focus on complex problems. After Impact AI, where Karlin will be part of a panel on AI in government, he says he’s hoping to see more, smaller events where public servants can work with Ottawa companies to discuss partnerships and vendor opportunities. He and Fathi believe these kinds of events will breed a culture of knowledge-sharing that can see all stakeholders benefit from integrating AI into the public sector. “In Ottawa, our ability to improve government services is an enormous opportunity,” Fathi says. Continued on next page

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Techopia Live brings Ottawa’s hottest startups and coolest tech execs to your screen every week. The live tech show airs at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays on Techopia’s Facebook and Twitter channels. Check out our ever-growing video archive of 80+ Ottawa tech interviews at http://bit.ly/TechopiaLive, and if you’re reading our digital edition, click play below.

New ED Jamie Petten looking to raise Kanata North’s global profile

NEWS FROM CANADA’S LARGEST TECHNOLOGY PARK - KANATA NORTH FROM TWO-MAN STARTUP TO R&D POWERHOUSE FOR IOT

by Craig Lord

efore Jamie Petten officially takes the reins of the Kanata North Business Association on May 22, Techopia Live got an early peek at the new executive director’s priorities. Petten, currently the director of marketing at L-Spark, told Techopia Live that her goals are to grow the tech park’s national and international brand and attract diverse talent to the area’s firms. Petten – who was recently named one of the OBJ-Ottawa Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Forty Under 40 recipients — said that when she first joined the Kanatabased SaaS accelerator L-Spark four years ago, her non-tech background left her “kind of blind.” But coming from building her own business in Jamaica, she found her true calling was in helping others do the same. “What attracted me most to that role, and it’s very similar here in Kanata North, was the opportunity to work with other entrepreneurs and business owners and support them and enable them … to take their businesses to the next level,” she said. During her tenure, the accelerator’s portfolio grew to 36 firms. Now, with Kanata North’s 500-plus companies in front of her, Petten says she’s looking forward to understanding their needs and building a bigger community. One of her proudest accomplishments at L-Spark was founding the annual SaaS North conference and building a national

Continued from previous page

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tech community around the accelerator. Petten’s hoping to do similar work at Kanata North by expanding the tech park’s brand around the world. “I’d really like to see our national and international tech community build a further awareness of the incredible companies that are here and the critical mass of talent that we have here,” she said. That mission includes attracting international talent, and not just of the tech variety. Petten said she’d like to promote the message that Kanata North holds opportunities for women and employees who work in other fields as well. “I did not come from a technical background, nor did I even come from tech going into L-Spark, but I took the leap of faith and I’m so glad that I did,” she said.

“competition agnostic,” with major players such as IBM, Microsoft and Amazon all coming together to discuss what they’re seeing in the sector. Most other AI conferences are heavily academic or focused around a single vertical, Fathi says, but the goal with Impact AI is to answer the questions about how the black box of artificial intelligence will affect everyone: businesses, scholars, citizens and government. “We are pushing all of this together and looking at the impact,” he says. “We want to open the box.”

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SECURING How Kanata North companies are protecting an increasingly connected world from emerging threats. Stephan Jou is the chief technology officer of Interset. PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

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Fathi says his ambitions for hosting Ottawa’s first artificial intelligence conference aren’t centred on MindBridge. He says that hosting a conference to advance Ottawa and the rest of the country’s place in AI will, as the saying goes, cause all boats to rise. “In this case, MindBridge is looking at it from the perspective of, ‘Let’s be good citizens,’” he says. The conference itself will be

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“There had never been a woman in an executive role at ADGA. The leadership style I brought as a woman was, in fact, my strongest asset. Companies with gender diversity perform better.” – ADGA CHIEF EXECUTIVE FRANCOISE GAGNON

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COURT BATTLE Gagnon remembers with vivid detail the day the news broke that her father was taking her and her husband to court to regain control of the company. The story hit the front page of the Ottawa Citizen on Oct. 4, 2016. “It was, hands down, the worst day of my life,” she said. “To have a private matter exposed in such a public way was heartbreaking.” Early-morning messages of support from friends and co-workers immediately came flooding in, but it was the advice from fellow businesswoman Barbara Farber, president of Leikin Group, that stuck with her. Farber was familiar with the pitfalls of family business. “Oy,” began Farber’s message, using the Yiddish phrase to express dismay. “There is probably no one better to empathize with your situation than me. This kind of situation happens more often than we ever thought. Just keep putting one foot ahead of the other with your head held high.” And so Gagnon did, although the experience was difficult. She got through that period with the support of family, friends and no shortage of discipline, hard work and perseverance. The parties reached a confidential settlement in the spring of 2017. Gagnon takes pride in the fact that ADGA is strong, growing and diversifying in new and innovative directions. The company has grown from 500 employees to 700 under her leadership. MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY When Gagnon joined ADGA, she found herself in an industry that was largely male-dominated. “Being a newcomer to the industry and being a woman probably led to my being discounted by some,” she said with a wry smile. “There had never

been a woman in an executive role at ADGA. The leadership style I brought as a woman was, in fact, my strongest asset. Companies with gender diversity perform better.” Among her organizational objectives is her commitment to empowering and developing women at ADGA. When reflecting on the past few years, Gagnon credits working with her husband as the secret to her success. “We had never worked together before, so it was the great unknown,” she said. “John holds expertise in areas where I don’t, so we complement each other very well. “Running a business this size is all-consuming,” she added. “We both understand the demands of the role and the hours required. Most importantly, the person that you trust the most is literally two office doors down and always has your back.” About half of ADGA’s business is derived from the defence sector, where it provides expertise and technology solutions to clients. Among its major customers is the Canadian Armed Forces. Former chief of the defence staff retired Gen. Ray Henault leads the company’s strategic advisory council and has been a mentor for Gagnon. “The learning curve for me coming into ADGA was significant,” she said. “Surrounding myself with trusted experts was key to ramping up.” Another area of expertise for ADGA is security. The company has made two acquisitions to address the rapid growth in this market: Extravision specializes in developing and designing security technologies, while Presidia focuses on areas such as executive protection, risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, investigations and security program management. “Every day we hear news of cyberattacks and breaches in security. Protecting and securing our assets and infrastructure is critical,” said Gagnon. ADGA also provides professional services across the public sector in Ottawa and Toronto.

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2018 EARN Conference to focus on inclusion and mental health in the workplace Keynote speaker is Invictus Games athlete and gold medalist Natacha Dupuis

s society’s perception of mental health continues to evolve, it’s important for employers to keep pace. Now, more than ever, employees suffering from mental illness are entitled to support and, if necessary, special accommodations in the workplace. Though most employers are aware of this need, many still have gaps in their knowledge of best practices around inclusion. With this in mind, the Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN) is preparing to host its sixth annual EARN Conference, titled Opening Doors to Inclusion – Workplace Strategies for Mental Health. EARN is an initiative of United Way Ottawa, and focuses on increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities and promoting inclusive and accessible workplaces. This year’s event is being held on Wednesday, June 6 at Ottawa City Hall, and will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

disabilities face both in finding work and maintaining a job. The 2018 EARN Conference will also feature a panel of speakers with experience handling mental health and disability in the workplace. The day’s events will wrap up with the keynote speech from Dupuis. EARN Though the 2018 EARN Conference will focus on mental health in the workplace, the

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Opening Doors to Inclusion Mental Health - Workplace Strategies for nt Accessibility presented by the Employme Resource Network Wednesday, June 6, 2018 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ottawa City Hall earn-2018 More info & tickets at: bit.ly/

Employment Accessibility Resource Network has a broader focus. Its member’s clients include those with both physical and mental disabilities. As a community initiative focused on improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, EARN has a formidable task at hand. While 76 per cent of the general population in Ottawa is employed or looking for work, approximately 45 per cent of locals with disabilities are active in the labour force. Additionally, one in six people with disabilities lives below the poverty line. With this in mind, the focus of EARN’s work is two-fold. First, the network hopes to make the city more inclusive by educating employers and connecting them with prospective employees. Second, EARN is focused on lowering the poverty rate among Ottawa residents with disabilities by enabling them to find employment opportunities.

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Valuable lessons Attendees of the EARN Conference can expect to leave with a better understanding of how to help employees with mental health afflictions feel included at work. The day will feature a host of speakers, including Michael Allen, United Way Ottawa’s president and CEO. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce will present numbers describing workplace

mental health in the province and Ottawa Public Health will provide employers with tools and resources to support them in creating a mentally healthy workplace. The agenda for the day also includes networking time. During breakout sessions, attendees will have the chance to meet with Ottawa residents with disabilities who are currently looking for work. This session is intended to offer first-hand accounts of the challenges many Ottawans with

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

A keynote worth hearing The 2018 EARN Conference keynote speaker will be Natacha Dupuis, a Canadian Forces veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder. While deployed in Afghanistan, Dupuis witnessed the deaths of two of her fellow soldiers after an improvised explosive device detonated under their armoured vehicle. Dupuis was travelling in another vehicle and was among the first people to arrive on scene. “That was the end, pretty much, of my career,” says Dupuis. Upon returning to Canada, she was diagnosed with PTSD, a common mental health condition among veterans. Since then, Dupuis has dedicated immense time and effort to her recovery. In 2016, she attended her first Invictus Games in Orlando and came home with two gold medals in track and field as well as a bronze in powerlifting.

At last year’s games in Toronto, Dupuis attended as Team Canada’s co-captain, and earned three gold medals in track and field alongside a silver in indoor rowing. In addition to her athletic career, Dupuis is also forging ahead with a new career path as a public servant with Veterans Affairs Canada. A large part of her success in returning to work has been the support she receives, both from her colleagues and supervisors. “The most important thing for me is not to feel judged. Judgment is the worst,” says Dupuis. “It’s very destructive.” In honour of her fallen friends and in the hopes of helping other Canadians suffering from mental health conditions, Natacha has chosen to share her story.

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CARE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION:

City gears up to support The Ottawa Hospital

The annual RIDE charity cycling event is coming up on Sept. 9

or Deloitte’s Ottawa team, the annual RIDE, powered by Mattamy Homes, is the ultimate employee engagement event.

This year, the professional services firm will be sending a team of more than 30 staff to participate in the cycling event on Sept. 9. “This is the type of event that we can really rally a team around,” says Michael Runia, a managing partner at Deloitte and an avid cyclist himself. The RIDE is an annual fundraiser for The Ottawa Hospital, and typically attracts corporate teams from a wide cross-section of the local business community.

“We all have choices to make around community events and donations. This is an occasion where it hits the mark on many levels.”

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Michael Runia, managing partner, Deloitte

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For corporate teams, the event serves both as a great team building exercise and a proven way to give back to the Ottawa community. “The Ottawa Hospital impacts almost everyone in our business, in one way or another,” says Runia. Whether through personal experience or that of a loved one, most Ottawa residents have only a short degree of separation from the healthcare and research facility. For Runia, the RIDE serves

as a way for his firm to show its appreciation for the nation’s capital. “Our business relies on the Ottawa economy,” says Runia, who also serves on the foundation’s board of directors. “As a result, I think it’s important for us to give back to the city and be able to participate in events in the community.” In addition to supporting innovative research at The Ottawa Hospital, corporate teams also benefit from the employee engagement aspect of the RIDE. Individual riders or teams can register, and have the option to take part in the 117-kilometre or 50-kilometre routes. In advance of the fall event, many companies conduct fundraising drives and assist riders in training for the longdistance bike ride. “It’s a unique event that allows many different folks to participate,” says Runia. For those who choose not to take part in the cycling component – whether for scheduling or health reasons – there is a virtual ride option. It gives participants the ability to fundraise as part of a team and earns them the perks reserved for riders, including a finishing medal and invitations to exclusive events. Virtual riders will be able to track their progress leading up to the event through the RIDE mobile app, a great alternative for those who want to participate, but have a scheduling conflict. “We all have choices to make around community events and donations,” says Runia. “This is an occasion where it hits the mark on many levels – it has a massive impact on the city of Ottawa. Because of that, I’m thrilled to participate and I would encourage others to take part as well.”

For more information on how your business can get involved, head to DoTheRide.ca.

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Partnering with Habitat GO: Good for business and the community Ottawa residents and corporate teams increase engagement, develop fresh skills, and strengthen community connections connection to their community and meet new people. The return on investment for corporations is substantial as well, as corporate teams band together with local volunteers to achieve a common goal.

The Harris Poll study also found that: • 84 per cent of Canadian consumers would switch brands to one associated with a good cause if price and quality were the same; • 95 per cent of people agree that companies should support good causes; • 80 per cent of employersupported volunteers believe that group volunteering strengthens their relationships with colleagues and clients, and that hands-on, employer supported volunteer programs result in higher productivity and engagement scores. At Habitat GO, teams leave the build site refreshed and engaged with their community,

and get to meet some of the dedicated volunteers who give hundreds of hours each year. TANGIBLE IMPACT FOR VOLUNTEERS Linda and Jacques LeBlanc are retirees who volunteer with Habitat GO, though their first experience with Habitat for Humanity was in Winnipeg. Upon moving to Ottawa five years ago, the couple decided to continue volunteering with the organization and engaged with Habitat GO. “Sure enough, it was a very vibrant organization in Ottawa,” says Linda. The pair help out on Build Days, with Jacques acting as a crew lead and Linda working as a site liaison. They help teams of corporate volunteers – many of whom have never set foot on a construction site – to understand the work and stay safe. For the LeBlancs, volunteering with Habitat GO is a way to fill their time with meaningful activities while having a permanent, positive impact on the community. The families that become Habitat homeowners are required to contribute 500

hours of their own labour (350 for single-parent families) to the organization. It can be spent either working in one of the ReStore locations, which sells donated home renovation supplies and furniture, in the office assisting with administrative tasks or on the build site of their home. This means that volunteers often get to meet the families they’re helping build homes for and learn their stories. Jacques also explains that Habitat GO is the perfect volunteer opportunity for weekend DIY’ers who want to learn more about construction and renovation. One need only show up, and Habitat GO’s extensive team of volunteer contractors and builders will teach you what to do. His one word of caution? “Habititis.” Jacques defines this condition as signing up for one day of volunteering with Habitat GO and winding up there again and again because you can’t stay away. Want to get involved or set up a Build Day for your team? http://Habitatgo.com Head to HabitatGO.com to learn more.

31 OBJ.CA

BUILDING TEAMS WHILE BUILDING HOMES The benefits for companies in partnering with Habitat GO are myriad. Not only is it a great way to help local families and communities, it’s also good for business. The Harris Poll 2016 Equitrend Equity Score, which scores companies based on brand health among consumers, ranked Habitat for Humanity as one of the world’s most recognizable brands. Habitat brand perception quality scored within the top 10 per cent of all brands tested, and was scored as one of the top five brands considered when choosing a charity to engage with. Additionally, the international non-profit received top scores for emotional connection and social impact. “Both individuals and corporations have been tremendously supportive of what we’re doing in the community,”

says Alexis Ashworth Habitat GO’s CEO. “Habitat for Humanity provides a unique opportunity for businesses to engage their team members in a meaningful experience that offers visible and tangible results. There’s nothing quite like seeing walls go up and knowing that your team is helping a family in need build their safe and affordable home.”

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

In the same way that it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a host of dedicated hands to build a home. Here in the Ottawa area, an army of some 800 volunteers assists Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa (Habitat GO) in helping local families achieve homeownership. Corporate sponsors also lend a hand through sponsorship and team Build Days. These groups of corporate and traditional volunteers, who arrive with a wide array of skillsets, perform tasks that include raising walls on a construction site, working in a retail store and serving on committees, among other jobs. It’s all connected to a common purpose: Building a stronger community through affordable homeownership. Habitat homes are built with donated labour, resources and funds before being sold to a family through a geared-toincome, interest-free mortgage. The family contributes volunteer hours towards their home’s construction. For volunteers, their work with Habitat GO is a way to develop new skills, strengthen the

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MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Continued from page 20 There were many people who helped make the OAG expansion happen, the crowd heard, from politicians and city managers to the OAG board of directors and staff. Special mention was made to the visual artists who had pushed for a new building since the OAG was founded some 30 years ago. “It is absolutely a dream come true,” Ottawa artist Pat Durr said on stage in her Coca-Cola dress made of crushed pop cans (guests were asked to wear creative cocktail attire). She was speaking with CBC News anchor Adrian Harewood, who emceed the opening ceremonies. The $38.8-million OAG expansion and Arts Court redevelopment was part of a larger $100-million, privatepublic partnership that is expected to liven up the downtown Rideau Street neighbourhood and serve as a cultural community hub. The single city block also includes a newly constructed 23-storey tower that’s home to both Le Germain Hôtel and ArtHaus condos by DevMcGill. As well, there’s a new theatre facility for the University of Ottawa. The area is near the Rideau Centre and the university. “I think it’s turned out wonderfully,”

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PRESENTED BY

Stories and photos by Caroline Phillips

Lilly Koltun with fellow Ottawa Art Gallery board member Andrew Wright, who crafted with his daughter his creative mask for the opening of the OAG’s new building.

said founding OAG board chair Glenn McInnes, who previously donated $100,000 toward the campaign with his wife Barbara McInnes. “There’s such a sense of engagement and personal relationship here that you just don’t get in public institutions. “I also think it’s a world-class building with open spaces that look out to the rest of the city,” he told OBJ.social. “I think there’s going to be a huge demand

for the place (for special events).” The gala drew some 900 people, including Mitchell Hall, principal with Toronto-based architectural firm KPMB, and ByWard Market restaurateur Caroline Gosselin, co-creator of the OAG’s new Jackson café. Particularly excited to be there was Brenda Firestone, eldest child of the late O.J. Firestone and Isobel Firestone. The couple donated their priceless

MOTORS collection of more than 1,600 works of Canadian art that’s now in the care of the OAG. For Firestone, the opening gala was very personal. She felt both gratitude to all the parties behind the OAG expansion and overwhelming emotion. The main entrance to the OAG features the original staircase from her childhood home. As well, she was able to admire paintings from her parents’ collection that had been previously hidden away in storage due to lack of exhibition space. She was joined by Dr. J. Lawrence Gitterman. His father, Samuel Gitterman, was the architect who designed the Firestone home and the staircase which is now a focal point of the gallery. Firestone’s take on the evening was echoed by others that night: “It doesn’t feel like Ottawa.” The opening gala may have changed all that, proving that the nation’s capital is culturally vibrant enough to hold its own against larger cities. Guests flitted from floor to floor, checking out the space while mingling over drinks and food. Showcased was the OAG’s inaugural exhibit, We’ll All Become Stories, which explores the connection between historical and contemporary artworks.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2018 RECIPIENTS Donna Baker Keynote Group

Pouria Ghods Giatec Scientific Inc.

Sarah Oakley Parallel 45 Design Group Ltd.

Andrew Balfour Navigator

Kimberley Hall Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa

Jamie Petten Kanata North Business Association

Priya Bhaloo TAG HR

Dr. Sasha Hamid Byward Chiropractic Clinic + Massage Therapy Centre

Amy Porteous Bruyère Continuing Care

Annik Blanchard BDO Canada LLP Jean-Michel Carrière Adjeleian Allen Rubeli Limited Pierre-Olivier Charlebois reDock Shane Clark Beyond the Pale Brewing Company Brian Creech Dymon Storage Derek Dedman Watson Di Primio Steel (WDS) Investment Management Ray del Cojo Lightenco Tyler Dren Custom Home Interiors Liz Ellwood Fertility Match Canada Taylor Fantin Fullscript Marlene Floyd Microsoft Canada Serina Fraser Clear Interior Designs

Samantha Iturregui Kelly Santini LLP

Sandra Sbrocchi McMillan LLP

Chris Jerome EY

Dr. Caroline Sullivan The Child, Adolescent and Family Centre of Ottawa

Sarah Kaplan Rainbow Foods

Laura Sweet Assent Compliance

Stayci Keetch Eyes On Ottawa

Saleh Taebi CanadaWheels.ca

Julia Knox Giant Tiger Stores Limited

Kyle Turk Welch LLP

Anna Lambert Shopify

Michael Williams Odgers Berndtson

Nadine Leblanc Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Tanya Woods The Kind Village Inc.

FORTY UNDER

Karen LeValliant Motion Works Physiotherapy Inc. Scott MacKay Facilities Commercial Management / Facilities Commercial Realty Inc. Shawn Malhotra Claridge Homes Scott McLaren Festival Promotions Kris Norris NCM Services

#ott40

Network with the city’s rising business stars! Forty Under 40 Gala | Friday, June 15, 2018 @ Hilton Lac-Leamy.

2018 SPONSORS

MEDIA SPONSORS

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Individual Tickets: $190 Ottawa Chamber Members $210 Non-Members Corporate Tables of 10: $1800 Ottawa Chamber Members $2000 Non-Members

33 OBJ.CA

WND = Would not disclose. *Did not respond to 2017 survey – using data from previous years. Should your company be on this list? If so, please send details to research@obj.ca This list is current as of August 9, 2017. © 2017 by Ottawa Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced by any method in whole or in part without written permission by Ottawa Business Journal. While every attempt is made to ensure the thoroughness and accuracy of the list, omissions and errors sometimes occur. Please send any corrections or additions by e-mail to research@obj.ca. OBJ lists are primarily compiled using information provided voluntarily by the organizations named. Some firms that may qualify for the list are not included because the company either failed to respond to requests for information by press time, because the company declined to take part in the survey or because of space constraints. Categories are drawn up in attempt to gather information of relevance to the Ottawa market. Research by Patti Moran. Please send questions and comments to research@obj.ca.

THE LIST 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Company/Address/ Phone/Fax/Web Hill+Knowlton Strategies 1100-55 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5 613-238-4371 hkstrategies.ca

No. of local PR consultants/ No. of local registered lobbyists employees

LARGEST PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FIRMS (RANKED BY NUMBER OF PR CONSULTANTS AND REGISTERED LOBBYISTS) Year established in Ottawa

Key local executive(s) Jackie King senior vice-president and general manager

Major clients

Services offered Public affairs; government relations; advocacy; strategic communication; crisis communications; public relations; digital communications and content marketing; internal communications and change management; B2B communications; stakeholder engagement and relations; public engagement; research; analytics; opinion and market research; procurement; mergers and acquisitions

WND

1993

1995

1996

1997

Huw Williams president

Canadian Automobile Dealers Association; Insurance Brokers Association of Canada; Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science; Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health; Airbus Defence and Space

Government relations; public relations; strategic communications; event planning

Microsoft; General Motors; CIBC; Enbridge; Shaw; Deloitte; CAA; Red Cross; Thyssenkrup; Insurance Bureau of Canada; BC Lumber Trade Council; Ocean Wise; Innovative Medicines; Rheinmetall; Motorola; Armstrong Fluid Technologies; University of Victoria; Honeywell

Strategic advice; government relations counsel; crisis management; mergers and acquisitions; public opinion polling; market research; policy analysis; media and presentation training; strategic communications; procurement; C-suite services; speechwriting

WND

Government relations; strategic communications; event planning; media training

Global Public Affairs 901-50 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 613-782-2336 / 613-782-2428 globalpublicaffairs.ca High Road 1200-45 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 613-236-0909 / 613-238-9380 highroad.com Impact Public Affairs 300-66 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5C6 613-233-8906 / 613-230-2669 impactcanada.com Earnscliffe Strategy Group 200-46 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5K6 613-563-4455 / 613-563-1768 earnscliffe.ca Summa Strategies Canada 1000-100 Sparks St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5B7 613-235-1400 / 613-235-1444 summa.ca MediaStyle 131 Bank St., 3rd and 4th floor Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7 613-369-5006 mediastyle.ca CFN Consultants 1502-222 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5V9 613-232-1576 / 613-238-5519 cfnconsultants.com

Randy Pettipas CEO Genevieve Young president and chief operating officer Katherine Fletcher senior partner and managing director Natalie Sauvé senior vice-president

1989

Velma McColl Andre Albinati managing principal

1997

Tracey Hubley president

2009

1983

Conoco Phillips; BP; Imperial; Cenovus; Encana; Chevron; FedEx; Gilead; Bio Interprises; IGPS; Dow Agro Sciences; Red Bull; Strategic government relations and communications; advoRioTinto Minerals; Labbatts; Alliance Pipeline; GSK; Abbott; Astelcacy; government and media monitoring las; Bayer; Johnson & Johnson; Merek; Innovative Medicines of Canada; Sanofi; Global Containers Terminals; CN; Integrated strategic communications and marketing services 3M; Avaya; Samsung Developer Connections; Clarks; FedEx across earned, paid and owned channels; media and influCanada; Sobeys; Pfizer Canada; E+J Gallo Winery; Universal encer relations; creative strategy and execution; content Studios; Virgin Mobile; The Weather Network; Magna; Ontario marketing; social media; digital strategy and development; Centre of Excellence video production

Full-service agency specializing in communications audits, Ian Capstick; Caitlin Kealey; Canada’s Nurses; Egg Farmers of Canada; Canada’s Building Trade plans and strategy; media relations, graphic design, digital Unions; Downie Wenjack Fund; CBC’s Becoming Canadian; Truth strategies, social media management, communications workAllyson Chisnall and Reconciliation Commission of Canada partners shops and training, websites, message crafting and speech writing; video production. Bill Kelly managing senior partner

Government procurement, especially related to defence and Col Canada; GD OTS; Gastops; Heroux-Devtek; IMP/Cascade; Locksecurity, including cyber security. Strategic planning; federal heed Martin; Magellan Aerospace Corp.; Siemens Canada; Sierra government contract management; bid support; dispute resoSystems Group; Weatherhaven lution; industrial and technological benefits (offsets)

MASONRY REPAIRS WATERPROOFING CAULKING COATINGS CONCRETE REPAIRS

Creating value in any language

RON JONAS

• Masonry Repairs • Waterproofing 3717 ST. JOSEPH BLVD, ORLEANS, ON, K4A 0Z7 TEL: 613-837-0111 FAX: 613-837-6724 • Caulking • Coatings • Concrete Repairs

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Collins Barrow Ottawa is fluent in value creation. Proudly serving the National Capital Region in both official languages, our two locations are helping businesses achieve prosperity with expert audit, tax and advisory solutions.

www.jonasrestoration.com

RON JONAS

3717 St. Joseph Blvd, Orleans, ON, K1C 1T1 Contact us for advice from the experts Tel: 613-837-0111 Fax: 613-837-6724 www.jonasrestoration.com Collins Barrow Gatineau Inc. Collins Barrow Ottawa LLP Comptables professionnels agréés 290 blvd St. Joseph, Unité 105 Gatineau, Quebec J8Y 3Y3 Phone: 819-770-0009 Fax: 819-965-0152

Chartered Professional Accountants 301 Moodie Drive, Suite 400 Ottawa, Ontario K2H 9C4 Phone: 613-820-8010 Fax: 613-820-0465

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FOR THE RECORD People on the move Marketing agency McMillan has promoted Christine Mikhail to director of strategic services. Mikhail joined the agency in 2017 after working with Landor, Siegel+Gale and Fitch. The company also announced that Michael McDonaldBeraskow, who joined the firm in 2016, has been promoted to senior strategist. McDonald-Beraskow previously worked at Leo Burnett in Toronto. In addition, Ottawa native Sam Mabey has joined McMillan as a senior strategist. Mabey has almost a decade of experience in corporate marketing, most recently at Entrust Datacard. The newly created Cannabis Canada Council has elected two local executives to its board of directors: Jeff Ryan of Canopy Growth Corp. and Sebastien StLouis of Hydropothecary. The Cannabis Canada Association, Canadian Medical Cannabis Council and Canopy Growth Corp. joined together to create the new industry

Hats off Lee Valley president and CEO Robin Lee and company founders Leonard and Lorraine Lee are the recipients of the Retail Council of Canada’s Excellence in Retailing 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes a family or an individual in retail who has demonstrated outstanding business success and community service and has left an indelible mark on the industry through innovation and commitment to customers and employees. Walter McGinn and Simon Wood, owners of Allegra Marketing Print Mail, received a Sales Excellence Award from Alliance Franchise Brands network, recognizing excellence in the international network of marketing and print services providers. Allegra sales representative Jane Desrosiers was also recognized with

The following contains information about recent contracts, standing offers and supply arrangements awarded to local firms.

Ottawa entrepreneur Janice McDonald has been named an inaugural winner of the Inspiring Fifty Canada award. Inspiring Fifty is a Netherlands-based organization that highlights inspirational female role models in the tech and innovation sectors and advocates for increased diversity and gender parity in these fields. McDonald is the founder of The Beacon Agency and co-founder of This Space Works. The Council for Experiential Learning recognized eight Ottawa employers for their contributions to engaging students in experiential learning opportunities. Four local organizations received the Experiential Learning Employer Champion Award: Assured Concordia Collision West, Beacon Heights Retirement Residence, Tucker’s Marketplace and Lord Elgin Hotel. In addition, four Ottawa organizations received the Experiential Learning Employer Excellence Award: Montfort Hospital, Ottawa Police Service, Algonquin College and the City of Ottawa. Restaurateur and philanthropist Moe Atallah received the Key to the City in a ceremony in late April. Atallah, who opened Newport Restaurant in Westboro in 1988, has been recognized as a United Way Ottawa Community Builder, Ottawa Businessman of the Year, Restaurateur of the Year and a St. Joe’s Women’s Centre Champion. He has also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Order of Ottawa.

ADGA Group Consultants Inc. 110 Argyle Ave. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Citizenship and Immigration Canada $6,391,600 Randstad Interim Inc. 1600 Carling Ave. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Citizenship and Immigration Canada $3,467,093

Modis Canada Inc. 155 Queen St. Description: Informatics professional services Buyer: Citizenship and Immigration Canada $3,447,731 Honey Construction Ltd. 901 Carling Ave. Description: Building completion and finishing Buyer: PWGSC $2,675,000

Gain Valuable Insights into Ottawa’s Economic Trends and Growth Sectors • Hear from a panel of experts as they break down the results from the comprehensive survey of hundreds of local businesses and learn what it means for you • Be the first to receive a complimentary copy of the survey results

Listen to expert insights from:

David Coletto CEO, Abacus Data

Mary Anne Carter

Robin MacLachlan

Senior Consultant, the Earnscliffe Strategy Group

Vice President, Summa Strategies

Tim Powers Vice Chairman, Summa Strategies

Wednesday, June 6, 2018 Horticulture Building – Lansdowne

7:00 am: Registration and Networking 7:30 am: Breakfast 8:00 am: Presentation Individual Tickets: $60 + HST (Ottawa Chamber Members) $70 + HST (Non-Members) Corporate Tables of 10 with Signage: $540 + HST (Ottawa Chamber Members) $630 + HST (Non-Members) Register Now at OttawaChamber.ca Event Sponsors:

35 OBJ.CA

Colliers Project Leaders Inc. & Tiree Facility Solutions Inc., in joint venture 2720 Iris St. Description: Project management services Buyer: PWGSC $14,662,081

Hydro Ottawa has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, marking the seventh time the utility has won the award. Canada’s Greenest Employers is an editorial competition organized by the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project to recognize employers that lead the nation in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations.

MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018

Contracts

a Silver Milestone Award. The awards are presented annually to the top sales professionals in North America and are based on customer service and sales volume.

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