Business Report

> Also:

An exclusive feature publication of The Daily News

Hotelier Ron Mundi bets millions on success of new Coast

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

$4.25

Reaching

IN TOURNAMENT CAPITAL, GIVING IS PART of THE CORPORATE CULTURE

out

INSIDE CHAMBER NEWS: tapping social media to improve member engagement

ONE OF THE BEST Voted One of the Best Pharmicies in Kamloops.

"At Glover's Medicine Centre Pharmacy, we believe in giving back to the community. We recognize that these type of actions help build a stronger community in Kamloops and allow us to get involved to make impact! Some of the organizations we support are..."

• RIH Foundation • Kamloops Brain Injury Association • TRU Sports Task Force • Pink Ribbon Charity Ball • Kamloops Wildlife Park • Kamloops SPCA • Local Variety Kids Telethon • Kamloops Youth Sports Programs • Vagina Monologues supporting local women's groups

2 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Also specializing in veterinary compounding.

INSIDE Jim Hutchinson, receiver at Save On Foods in Kamloops, prepares items for pick up by a Food Share truck, part of the company’s commitment to the community.

Kamloops Business is published six times a year by The Kamloops Daily News advertising department, 393 Seymour St., Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written permission.

Unsolicited material will not be returned.

Publisher assumes no responsibility.

For editorial information, contact Kamloops Business editor Danna Bach.

murray mitchell/kamloops business

COVER STORY

Reaching Out Donations are thoughtful things, and most often the choice to give is a personal one. Where do businesses and corporations choose to spend their charity money? As it turns out, those decisions rarely start in the corner office. /page 8

Publisher TIM SHOULTS

Supervising Editor Editor MEL DANNA ROTHENBURGER BACH

Advertising Director JOHN MORASH

Manager, Special Advertising Publications Sales KEVIN DERGEZ keshaV sharma

FEATURES

New Era, New Coast An old meeting place gets a brand new look — and a new name, too /28

Seven Things To Watch In 2012 Social media, online marketing vital to the success of your business /33

Edible Arrangements Help Business Bloom Making colourful bouquets almost as fun as eating them /23

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Message, 6

NSBIA Report, 36

Q&A, 38

New Business Licences, 37

Chamber News, 24-27

KCBIA Report, 35

New In Town, 22

Solid Advice, 33

The Daily News is a member of the B.C. Press Council. It is published daily except Sundays and most holidays at 393 Seymour St., Kamloops, B.C. V2C 6P6.

Phone 250-372-2331

A division of Glacier Media Group.

Publications Mail Registration No. 0681.

Contributing writers Kara Evans Paula Kully

LOGO FINAL TEMP GLACIER VENTURES

DECEMBER 2007

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

3

4 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

We are committed to raising funds for crucial patient care equipment. Donors of the Foundation come together with one goal in mind - To improve the health and the lives of those who enter our health system in the interior each day.

Growing Up Great

Together the community has raised: $1.5 million towards the CT Scanner $3.5 million towards a new cancer clinic and is helping raise $3 million for the new ICU

Help us reach our goal support the ICU Campaign

Poverty to Possibility Strong Communities

Thank you to Teck Resources and it’s Highland Valley Copper Operation for supporting the Foundation with a recent donation of $200,000 towards the ICU campaign

An enormous thank you to Highland Valley Copper, their employees and USW 7619 for the $633,000 they contributed to the 2011 United Way campaign!

www.rihfoundation.ca

www.unitedwaytnc.ca

Highland Valley Copper Partners in the Community

This is our Home At Highland Valley Cooper, we consider people, the environment and our communities of interest with every decision we make.

We are passionate about social engagement and community improvement in the places where we live and work.

For the past 26 years Highland Valley Copper has played a major role in the local economy and the mine employs over 1,250 people, with over half of them residing in Kamloops.

To learn more about our commitment to sustainability at: www.teck.com/sustainability

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

5

> Editor’s Message

Shine Spotlight on Generosity Kamloops companies step up despite economic uncertainty

A

t the start of each year, Kamloops Business focuses on corporate social responsibility, shining a light on companies that consistently find ways to contribute to the health and betterment of the community they call home.

When I wrote this story a year ago, many charitable organizations were coming off their best year ever, despite an economic downturn. But they were still on edge. Surely, the community’s generosity had reached its limit. Surely, 2011 couldn’t possibly top the year that went before.

They were wrong.

Not only did 2011 prove to be a winner, it was the best year by a landslide. Budgets were shattered, targets surpassed. There may have been other communities battered by tough times, but Kamloops skated through.

It’s easy to see some of the large office buildings in town — and some of the big industrial operations on the outskirts — as anonymous corporations, but in this issue it becomes clear that the people who walk through the door each day bring these businesses to life.

The businesses and corporations profiled within this issue — Domtar, NRI Distribution, BCLC and Save On Foods — attribute their success to their employees. These people live in Kamloops, raise their families here and are doing whatever they can to make the community a healthy and vibrant place.

And all that work is paying off with the success experienced year after year by the multitude of non-profit associations that exist within the city.

Business is doing well. People feel fortunate and they’re giving back. The first edition of 2012 is always a great place to focus on generosity, specifically, the generosity that isn’t touted from billboards and done for recognition. In a way, it’s the magazine’s way of giving back to those companies that see the value in maintaining a healthy community in which their business will no doubt continue to prosper for years to come.

Meanwhile, major renovations are taking place up the hill at the new Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre, formerly Kamloops Towne Lodge. Freelancer Paula Kully takes a sneak peek inside the renovation, and looks at the history of the Coast franchise in Kamloops, which is long and storied.

Danna Bach is editor of Kamloops Business. You can reach her at dbach@kamloopsnews.ca. KB 6 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

We Kamloops!

Kamloops is an energetic and vibrant city filled with warm, welcoming people. Fountain Tire is proud to be a member of this incredible community since 1993.

Fountain Tire works hard to give back to the community through our involvement with great local organizations such as the Kamloops Food bank and the Food Bank’s Basics for Babies program. We also support the Junior Broncos Football team as well as many other local organizations and groups serving Kamloops and surrounding area.

9%,,/7(%!$ (79 s +!-,//03

(250) 851-7600 ,!.$3$/7.% 342%%4 s +!-,//03

(250) 374-4224

Experience a breathtaking transformation in your community.

With a fresh design and an impressive multi-million dollar refurbishment, we are proud to offer Coast Hotels & Resorts newest property in the chain.

Exceptional local craftsmanship teamed with a lively design allows us to present Kamloops an outstanding quality hotel to share with your out of town guests. We offer the largest accommodation and meeting facilities with the services guests' desire under one roof.

Guide your out of town guests to stay with us to ensure they enjoy a comfortable visit with the amenities they deserve, without leaving the building.

www.coastkamloopshotel.com 1250 Rogers Way, Kamloops BC V1S 1N5 250.828.6660 Toll Free 1.800.663.1144

real people.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

7

> cover story

8 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

“Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we’d want to get involved.”

Reaching W ­­­­­— Bill Gates

e give because it feels good and because we know that it’s just the right thing to do.

out

Donations are thoughtful things, and while certainly many donations come with incentives — publicity or a tax credit for example — most often the choice to give is a personal one.

There are hundreds of non-profit organizations within Kamloops, so where do businesses and corporations choose to spend their charity money? As it turns out, those decisions rarely start in the corner office.

While management plays a key role in creating an atmosphere of generosity and community involvement, it is clear from the companies profiled within these pages that employees are the driving force when it comes to giving back. And give back they have. Despite economic uncertainty and tough competition for grant dollars and donations, Kamloops non-profits are coming off their best year ever.

BY DANNA BACH >> EDITOR, KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

9

A

decade ago, the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home existed only in the imagination of a dedicated group of volunteers and community supporters.

The Kamloops Hospice Association was founded in 1981 with a single goal: To enhance the quality of life and death of persons facing death and bereavement through skilled and compassionate physical, emotional, and spiritual care in the setting of the individual’s choice.

For some, this means being able to die in a home setting, for others, something different. The vision of creating a palliative care home, separate from the hospital or nearby care facilities, was born just months after the association was formed.

In 1998, the association commissioned a feasibility study to determine if such a facility would make sense, and, thanks to an outpouring of support, on Feb. 16, 2004, the doors to the Marjorie Willoughby Hospice Home opened on Whiteshield Crescent.

A major fundraising campaign saw the six-bed facility expand to 12 beds in 2008. Another fundraising campaign is Kamloops now on to replace the Food Bank first six beds, which executive cost about $6,000 director each.

Bernadette While the Interior Siracky: “We Health Authority has have been a contract with the touched by hospice association so many to provide palliative businesses.” care, that contract by no means covers the entire cost of running the facility, which is why the society relies so heavily, and is so grateful for, the support it receives from donors.

As time goes on and more and more people become familiar with the hospice and the care it provides, fundraising has become less of a challenge, says executive director Tina Whyte, who took over as executive director three years ago after first working as a registered nurse at the facility.

“A lot of people now know who we are and what we do. There are still some who think we’re a hostel or a hospital, and that’s OK with us because until you really need us, you don’t need to know about us.”

The hospice is much more than a hospital. At hospice, says Whyte, visiting hours never end and staff will do whatever it takes to meet a family’s needs.

“We’ve done Christmas in the summer, and weddings. We’re able to do that.

Hospitals are not supposed to be comfortable, but here it is comfortable.”

That comfort is maintained by staff and dozens of volunteers, many of whom arrive daily to cook.

To make this possible, however, onethird of the funding to operate hospice, approximately $30,000 to $40,000 a month, must come from donations.

While many of those donations come in the form of bequests, much also comes from fundraising drives, and from the help of the business community.

Corporate donations are relatively new for hospice, says Whyte, with 2011 being the best year ever.

Sun Rivers, Dawson Construction and Kamloops Harley-Davidson have all contributed in the past year, as have many others, including Kamloops Ford Lincoln.

Dealer principal Steve Davidson is in the process of constructing a new dealership at the end of the Halston Bridge and wanted to do something special for his spring grand opening.

10 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Top, one of many notes posted on the Tree of Hope, a Kamloops Hospice Association fundraiser. Above, a 2011 Ford Fiesta donated by Kamloops Ford Lincoln raises money for Kamloops Hospice Association.

NHL great and Kamloops Blazers’ graduate Mark Recchi shares the Stanley Cup with Linda Marchio during a visit to Royal Inland Hospital. Recchi was integral to a campaign by the RIH Foundation to raise money for the intensive-care unit. At left, Justina Bergen bakes up a storm at the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Memorial Hospice Home.

That’s when he approached the hospice and pitched a car raffle, with proceeds to the ongoing bed campaign.

“I thought, ‘Why don’t we find a way to raise some money for charity and give a prize away at the same time.’ ” Immediately, Davidson thought of hospice.

“I have a bit of a personal connection.

I had a grandmother who passed away there, and a lot of the staff are clients of ours. Other places get tons of exposure but the hospice really doesn’t.”

Kamloops Ford Lincoln donated a 2011 Ford Fiesta, got a lottery licence and is selling tickets. The goal, says Davidson, is to raise about $20,000, awarding the cash to the hospice at the same time the vehicle is awarded to the raffle winner.

Tickets started selling in October and by mid-December about $6,000 had been raised. The draw is scheduled for early May. p p p When people and companies give to the Kamloops Food Bank, they’re not thinking about getting recognized for their generosity.

They give, says executive director Bernadette Siracky, because they can see the positive work being done by the

organization and they know that the gifts they bestow help families in need immediately.

In fact, says Siracky, when it comes to corporate donations, most are made under the radar, and gifts consist of more than food and money. People are giving their time, energy and expertise, which is often just as valuable.

“We have been touched by so many businesses,” she says, noting how astounded she was through the holiday season with offers of help piling up, and huge donations coming in each day.

Donations arrive “by no effort on our part,” she says, freeing up staff to manage the food bank and its volunteers instead of having to hunt for funds and food. Whenever the food bank is in need — often even before a specific need occurs — business owners are making offers, not only of their time, but also of their services.

Northern Trailer, for example, has left a trailer on site that serves as a client services location. Meanwhile, the Mount Paul location of Fountain Tire provides all the oil changes on the food bank’s large, refrigerated Food Share truck free of charge. The shop has even installed new tires at cost. Interior Vault hops on board year after year, donating its space for annual food drives, and that’s just the start, says Siracky.

Currently, the food bank is undertaking a campaign to raise money to expand the bursting and seriously outdated Wilson Street location. The expansion plans came into focus following the

death of a longtime volunteer who left a bequest of $85,000 to the charity. Those funds were set aside and other bequests have been added to it.

A&T Project Development’s Jeff Arnold is lending his expertise to the redevelopment, as is Stantec Architectural and Underhill & Underhill Geometrics. The companies involved have provided their services, including a survey, drawings and a budget plan, for no cost.

“We’ve started a building committee and we’re trying to attract capital grant funding. We’ve reviewed plans and offered some changes. We’re very excited about the possibility.”

Perhaps, in the early days of the food bank’s existence, there was a reluctance to contribute, but that’s not the case any longer, says Siracky.

“It could be any one of us in this line.

It’s easy to marginalize people and say that we’re enablers, but it’s not always the same people using our food bank.

When Pollard Banknote and Convergys closed down, some of them had to use us. Then you have people working for minimum wage — and that is their skill level — and they’re trying to make things work, but the car breaks down.”

Now more than ever, those who are fortunate recognize the benefit of giving back and of lending a helping hand.

“Whatever we’re doing, wherever we go we always get a deal, there is always generosity,” says Siracky, who is consistently impressed by the charitable nature of the community.

“It always amazes me when people fol-

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

11

Kerry Nichiporik, left, and Shanna Garrioch, members of the B.C. Lottery Corp. gift-wrapping committee, admire some of the presents destined for BCLC’s adopted families during the holiday season. BCLC staffers always step up for a good cause. low through with action.” p p p A year ago, Veronica Carroll was convinced she had a tough job ahead of her.

The executive officer of the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation was a year and $1-million into a $3-million fundraising campaign to support the RIH’s new intensive-care unit.

While the campaign was going well, she expected it to become more challenging simply because of its nature. For starters, the ICU was nearly complete.

Usually, when fundraising campaigns launch, the money is raised before the building begins, but that wasn’t the case this time. Her fear, one year ago, was that when the ICU opened its doors, donations would fall off.

Her other concern surrounded gauging the community’s support for such a project. The ICU, after all, is not a cancer centre that would serve thousands, or a new emergency room that would serve tens of thousands.

Her final concern was the economy.

When 2010 drew to a close, the economy wasn’t in a great place and many were concerned what this would mean for non-profit associations.

But the community came through.

“People got it, and they responded to it.”

So much so that a year ahead of schedule, the ICU campaign is a mere $250,000 short of its $3-million goal.

Carroll credits much of the success to the association of Kamloops’s very own NHL star and Stanley Cup champion, Mark Recchi, who became the ambassador of the project in March 2011.

“Right out of the gate was the Telus

donation of $100 for every sign-up for Optic TV or cellphone,” says Carroll.

The 365-day challenge promoted by Recchi meant drawing on a corporate sponsor for every month. Telus’ gift was the largest. Aberdeen Mall came on as a sponsor, donating $30,000 to the cause, while Zimmer Autosport also joined the campaign, donating $100 for every new vehicle sold in May and June. Al Patel, owner of Scott’s Inn, organized the members of the Kamloops Accommodation Association through the Iccha/Wish Fund to donate $5 per room night during the August long weekend, which ended up totalling $9,500 toward their $50,000-goal. The south central trucking industry has also been a great supporter, raising $1.3 million for the RIH Foundation over the past 14 years. This year, the truckers embarked on a campaign entitled “The Drive to $1.5,” with this year’s funds directed to the ICU. Finally, as 2011 wound to a close, the foundation received a surprise donation from Teck Highland Valley Copper’s corporate office in the form of a $200,000 gift.

“My worries were not founded,” admits Carroll. “The community completely supported us.”

That support, combined with the publicity Recchi brought the campaign, made it an absolute success.

“We were trying to think of how we could simplify something very complicated,” recalls Carroll, and Recchi’s participation worked. It didn’t hurt that the Vancouver Canucks faced his Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final — something Carroll could never have predicted

12 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

when they approached Recchi with the partnership idea.

“We got so much media coverage from that, and when he brought the Stanley Cup through the hospital, that was just perfect. We had no way of knowing what would transpire.” p p p “It’s been our best year ever.”

It’s a phrase Brenda Aynsley is getting accustomed to uttering.

For the past several years, the executive director of the Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way has been saying the same thing, and it never gets dull.

This year the campaign, which takes place from September through December, surpassed its target of $1.9 million, closing at the $1.97-million mark — significantly higher than last year’s record-breaking year of $1.8

Mike Helliwell from the Kamloops Food Bank helps unload food that will be distributed to people in need. The food bank is currently trying to raise money to expand its Wilson Street location.

million raised.

What made the 2011 campaign even more special, says Aynsley, is how many new faces and new companies came on board to contribute.

“They’ve come forward in inventive and wonderful ways,” she says, and many have stepped up with sponsorships, putting a commitment behind specific United Way programs and services.

BCLC, for example, announced it would sponsor the United Way Days of Caring program, giving $20,000 over two years to the program, providing funds that are always desperately needed.

Days of Caring involve groups of employees going out on a work day to undertake a project at a local non-profit organization. While more and more groups are stepping up to volunteer, so often, says Aynsley, the non-profits lack

the funds needed for the basic equipment and supplies, which is where the BCLC donation will come in handy.

Highland Valley Copper, which has always been a major supporter of the United Way, came forward with an additional $50,000 that will go directly into the Homelessness Action Plan (HAP), providing people with the life skills they need to get back into the workplace.

TD Bank stepped forward to sponsor the Birthday Blessings program, which supplies everything a child aged three to six needs for a happy birthday.

“This is all new this year, and it’s new money coming in and given specifically to specific projects. We see this as a really good sign that (businesses) want to be directly linked with programs.”

Aynsley has been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity. This year,

Highland Valley Copper staff, employees and the United Steel Workers Local 7619, combined with the company’s matching donation, brought in an astounding $633,000 for the United Way campaign — an increase of $40,000 over the previous year.

The local RCMP detachment came on board and organized the first annual Jail and Bail event, bringing in $47,000, most of which came from new donors.

Despite a smaller population base, the Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way comes in third provincewide, next to Vancouver and Victoria, when it comes to fundraising.

Aynsley can’t say why Kamloops is so generous, but she doesn’t see that generosity waning.

“When it comes to fundraising, we’re hitting our stride.” KB

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

13

GIVING ba

WATCH OUT, KAMLOOPS, THESE FOL

14 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

ack FOLKS ARE . . .

The NRI Distribution team takes part in the 2011 MS Walk.

This year’s event takes place May 6 at Riverside Park.

From left to right are Carly Gordon, Louann Guerin, Terry Lynds, Dean Stainton and Tamara Carson. At right, B.C. Lottery Corp.

United Way campaign chair Carmen Minger presents a cheque to Janey Hellman, left, and Danalee Baker of the United Way.

T

heirs is a story of rapid success and remarkable growth. And as a result of the success they’ve had in the city they call home, Peter McKenna and Bruce Churchill — founding partners of NRI Distribution — have made considerable effort to give back.

They founded NRI in 1995 with three partners and two employees in a 9,000-square-foot building in Campbell Creek. Due to growth, they purchased land east of town, in the industrial area across from what is now the Gateway Travel Centre, and began building.

Now NRI, which provides logistics and fulfillment services, employs more than 300 people in a total of 340,000 square feet, and there are plans for major expansion outside of Kamloops throughout the year.

“We’ve grown in waves,” says Churchill, mentioning that within the first four years the company doubled in size annually. Now, however, “we’re on a controlled growth pattern.”

While much of the company has changed through the years, and there are plenty of new faces on board, the fundamentals remain the same.

BY DANNA BACH “We founded the company on >> EDITOR, three core values: Fairness in all relationships, quality in all actions KAMLOOPS and a balance of lifestyle and sucBUSINESS cess,” says McKenna. Since then, they’ve added to the corporate philosophy to include respect for community and the environment and to encourage a focus on corporate social responsibility.

Part of those core values include giving back whenever possible. From Day 1, the Kamloops Food Bank has been NRI’s charity of choice. As important

FOR MOST BUSINESSES, RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY HAS BECOME A KEY PART OF CORPORATE CULTURE

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

15

as donating funds and goods to these charities is, donating expertise and volunteers is equally vital, says McKenna.

This is where NRI leads the charge, with employees volunteering to sort food during annual food drives, participate in United Way Days of Caring, create teams for a myriad of events that support non-profit associations, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the MS Society, and much more.

“The volunteer hours are probably our biggest impact,” says McKenna.

“Companies and employees don’t always have the extra money to give, but everyone has a couple of hours to spare.

Giving money is a passive donation and it’s often the least fulfilling because most

Williamson was one of the original 200 people hired to work at Kamloops office when it opened on April 1,1985, and from the beginning, he says, there was a desire on part of most employees to contribute to the community as much as possible.

“Most of us were pretty young and had young families. Ninety-five per cent of us were from here, and we were in Kamloops because we wanted to be here,” he says.

These days, despite growth, the atmosphere within the large building remains the same. The workforce is still relatively young, and “the people really care about the community.”

“It’s the type of people Kamloops

TD Canada Trust employees Chris Mowat and Bev Carlgren stain a gazebo at Bedford Manor as part of the organization’s United Way Day of Caring event.

Amy Berard, left, and Kaitlin O’Leary pose at the United Way touchdown, an annual event that marks the end of the fundraising campaign period.

of us can’t give enough to see an impact as individuals.”

NRI’s strength, says McKenna, is its people. “There’s a lot of product that moves through here, but we don’t sell it.

Our product is people and service, so we need to find ways other than just cash, and we have strength in numbers.

“Our strength is in our ability to have an impact as a volunteer group.”

attracts. If you come here and decide to stay here you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to buy your $800,000 house and raise a family.”

Employees, says Williamson, are happy to give back and it shows, as year after year the donations, as well as the volunteer hours, keep climbing.

Carmen Minger, BCLC’s United Way campaign chairwoman, has been participating in the campaign since she joined the corporation six years ago.

“There was information about (the United Way) on our intranet site and it just spoke to me. I felt I wanted to get involved,” she says.

Because BCLC is a Crown corporation, it’s unable to provide incentives such as matching donations to encourage par-

B.C. Lottery Corp.

I

t’s in their DNA, says a smiling Tom Williamson, chief financial officer and vice-president of finance and corporate services for BCLC when asked why the 430 people who work out of the Kamloops office give so much, and so often.

16 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

ticipation, so everything BCLC raises is done through employee contributions.

There has been a United Way campaign for 17 years and in that time employees have generated more than $270,000. In 2011, BCLC marked a record year, raising $35,802.

“We’ve gotten more creative,” Minger says of the fundraising effort. Each year there’s an annual turkey lunch, with proceeds to the campaign, a variety of raffles, 50-50 draws and a large silent auction. There’s an employee recognition program whereby employees send carnations or “man-flowers” (a beer) to other employees and the employee on the receiving end has to make a donation in order to see an attached message.

Especially popular this year was the Build A Wine Cellar contest, during which each participant made a cash donation and donated a bottle of wine.

All the money was put into the United Way pot, while the raffle winner walked away with about 100 bottles.

The only way Minger and the other committees are able to find time to organize the various events is through the support of management.

“I think the corporation really encourages employees to participate, to volunteer and to be part of the community. My boss allows me to spend more time working on the campaign, that way I can catch up on my other work in the evenings.”

While Minger and her team worked feverishly on the United Way campaign, a 21-member group worked on the BCLC Christmas Charities Committee, with Allyson Herman as the fundraising campaign chairwoman.

The committee raised $13,716 for local charities throughout the campaign, which included raffles, an auction and even a chili cook-off. The funds were split between the Kamloops Food Bank, the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter and Christmas Amalgamated.

Along with collecting money, BCLC staff adopted six families through the emergency shelter and Christmas Amalgamated, buying gifts for a total of 31 people, including 24 children.

The gifts included clothes, shoes, books, crafts, toys and household items, while some of the money raised was set aside to help pay for food hampers and gift cards.

“We usually ask to adopt larger families,” says Herman, who contacts each family to find out what is on the wish lists. The wish tags are posted on a bulletin board and employees take those tags and purchase the appropriate gifts.

“We have some standard items. Every kid gets new pajamas and toques and

gloves, but we’ll do everything, right to the stocking items.”

Because BCLC has done this for several years, it has become a tradition among several families. Herman says many use it as an opportunity to teach their children about the true meaning of Christmas.

Domtar Nearly $100,000 — that’s how much the Domtar pulp mill in Kamloops managed to raise for the 2011 United Way campaign.

Tony Ryan, operations planning superintendent and the mill’s United Way coordinator, says that about four years ago there was a huge jump in the number of people choosing to donate. Since then the numbers have remained fairly consistent.

Of 427 employees at the pulp mill, 156, or just shy of 40 per cent, donated to the United Way during the campaign.

“For the people who give, it’s easy to keep them giving. Our challenge is to encourage new donations,” says Ryan.

In total, employees contributed $62,631, with Domtar kicking in an additional 50-cents for every dollar donated by employees to bring the total to $93,946.

The start of the campaign is marked by a kickoff meal where food is provided to the crews and guest speakers come in and do short presentations about the United Way and the programs it supports.

Because the mill is a 24-hour operation, there’s a barbecue later on and an effort made to include as many employees as possible.

“We do a lot of communication on-site with posters and webmail, and we encourage people to participate by doing some draws and offering up prizes.”

The union also gets in on the

fun, donating prizes and encouraging members to donate.

Having nearly 40 per cent of mill staff contribute is a huge success, says regional public affairs manager Bonny Skene, who noted the Kamloops mill employees are among the most engaged in the annual United Way campaign when compared with other facilities across the company.

Matching donations 50-cents on the dollar is a big incentive for employees, says Ryan.

“If you’re going to donate $100 to the Boys and Girls Club, or to the Brain Injury Association anyway, if you do it through the United Way campaign you’re leveraging that generosity, and those actions trigger additional support through Domtar.”

As far as Ryan is concerned, Domtar employees give because they can, and because they want to improve the community in which they live.

“With our people, the vast majority live in this community and we see what the community needs. When you bring in representatives from the United Way they really stress that the money stays in the community in which it’s raised.”

“That really does resonate with our employees … we’re very fortunate here.

We’re paid relatively well and people react and want to share some of that with the community.”

Save On Foods

A

decade ago, when milk got close to its expiration date, bread aged and produce began to wilt, it was all thrown into the trash and into the landfill.

Five years ago, all that changed. The Food Share program was born and it’s one of those programs that, upon hearing it described, makes complete sense.

The staff at Save On Foods were the first to come on

board the program, which sees all closedated perishable products and produce loaded onto a refrigerated truck each day and taken away to the Kamloops Food Bank for sorting and donating.

Now, there are 20 major grocery stores, bakeries and other food outlets that donate close-dated, perishable food to the program. The food is picked up seven days a week in the food bank’s three-ton refrigerated truck.

Food Share allows food bank clients to access produce, breads, dairy and baked goods twice a week and it also supports 38 local agencies and schools in Kamloops that run meal programs.

All the food that isn’t deemed fit for human consumption (about 30 per cent) is picked up by area farmers and used as animal feed.

Since the program launched, millions of pounds of food has been diverted from the landfill and needy families benefit by having access to nutritious food.

“There’s two things we needed to make this work — commitment and organization,” says Churchill, who can’t say enough about the staff of the food bank who work to make the program run “seamlessly.”

“I am so impressed with the food bank. They believe in what they do, and I love it. They’re so passionate.”

The other big barrier to launching the program involved a legal issue. The enactment of Bill 10: Food Donor Encouragement Act, protects donors from damages. This opened the doors for major grocery chains such as Save On Foods to come on board and give.

While reducing waste is a plus, Churchill says the main reason for participating in the program is “to put as much food as possible into people’s bellies.

“People have to eat,” he says, and Save On Foods takes particular joy in making sure the folks who need wholesome food are getting it on a regular basis.

And the generosity doesn’t end at Food Share. When the Food Share program launched, the food was being picked up in a regular truck with coolers. Save On stepped up and helped the food bank fundraise for the refrigerated truck which guarantees the food stays at ideal temperature until it can be sorted for donation.

“Any time the food bank asks us to help out we help out.” KB United Way board president Tony Ryan, who is also operations planning superintendent at Domtar, presided over a Jail and Bail fundraiser for the United Way.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

17

W

alk through the doors of virtually any large non-profit association in Kamloops, and one name is likely to make its way into the conversation.

The Stollery Charitable Foundation.

The foundation has a significant impact in Kamloops, with very little fanfare.

According to executive director Scott Graham, approximately $400,000 from the Edmonton-based charitable foundation made its way to Kamloops in 2011.

Stollery is a private family foundation that was established in 1994 by Edmontonian Bob Stollery, who, until his death in 2007, was president and CEO of PCL Construction.

“In making his fortune he wanted to give back, so he cofounded the Edmonton Community Foundation in 1988 and in 1994 set aside a chunk of money for his own private philanthropy,” says Graham.

While the city of Edmonton sees the bulk of that philanthropy, because Stollery’s daughter lives in Kamloops, some of it finds its way here.

The Stollery Charitable Foundation has contributed to the Royal Inland Hospital

EDMONTON FOUNDATION SHARES THE LOVE WITH GOOD CAUSES IN TOURNAMENT CAPITAL Foundation on a variety of campaigns, including the ICU campaign, and has worked closely with Thompson Rivers University scholarship programs as well as the building of the new House of Learning, the Kamloops Food Bank, the Seniors Centre for Information, The Family Tree Society, ASK Wellness and the Kamloops Foundation,

to name a few.

“Our areas of focus tend to be around poverty alleviation, health and education.

We don’t have an amount (of funds) set aside for Kamloops, but the amount of applications we get every year is way more than we could ever fund,” explains Graham. KB

KGHM GHM Ajax is committed to the community of Kamloops. We believe health, education, orts and the arts are vital parts of any thriving sports mmunity and we actively contributed to these community eas in 2011. We want to make a positive areas mpact in the community and will continue to impact pport Kamloops’ vibrancy in 2012 and beyond. support e encourage others to join us.

We To learn more about the Ajax Copper-Gold Project: www.ajaxmine.ca info@ajaxmine.ca 250-374-KGHM (5446)

757820

0 Seymour Street 330 amloops, BC Kamloops, m - 5pm 9am

18 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

DON'T KNOW...

DON'T GO! THE SYMBOL OF WINTER

Check Before You Go...

TIRES “You’ll find it on the sidewall of WINTER rated for severe snow conditions.”

mbia can be Driving on winter roads in British Colu ers. Rapid driv challenging even for experienced make the changes in elevation and weather can le. A driver province’s highway conditions unpredictab stretches of who starts a trip in sunshine may face slush, ice, heavy snowfalll or compact snow before WINTER TIRES reaching his or her . destination - STUDDED TIRES Check with your tire dealer to find out what’s best for your vehicle.

www.DriveBC.ca

www.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc/icbctravelalert/dtables_e.html

Please drive according to road and weather conditions this winter...the responsibility is yours. Your life and your passengers’ lives depend on your good judgement.

✔ SLOW DOWN - SPEED KILLS ✔ GIVE BIG RIGS EXTRA ROOM E ✔ RESPECT HIGHWAY MAINTENANC VEHICLES AND WORKERS ✔ BE AWARE - DRIVE DEFENSIVELY ✔ DRIVE TO HIGHWAY CONDITIONS NS ✔ PLAN AHEAD - AVOID DISTRACTIO ✔ SPEED KILLS - SLOW DOWN

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

19

- ADVERTISING FEATURE -

What is a fair award for an ICBC injury claim?

Most people realize that if they are injured in a motor vehicle accident and someone else is at fault, they are entitled to be compensated for their losses. The losses are paid from the insurance policy of the person who is at fault for the accident. Prior to concluding an injury claim with ICBC, it is important to understand the compensation you may be entitled to. The heads of damage may include:

by David B. McDougall

• Pain and Suffering - An injured party is entitled to be compensated for their pain and loss of t enjoyment resulting from their injuries. Money is a poor substitute for good health, however, the award is intended to be used by the injured party to assist in making his or her life more bearable, and provide some solace for the injuries. The method for measuring damages for pain and suffering can be difficult, and there is no simple chart to which to refer. A fair award will take into account not only the severity of the injuries, but also the length of time it takes the injured party to recover and the extent to which their life is affected. There are many factors which can play a role in calculating damages. For example, a person may receive additional damages if the injuries impact upon planned holidays, special events, or the pursuit of important recreational activities. Most of us would appreciate that specific injuries will impact different individuals in different ways. The assessment of damages must not only include the severity and duration of the pain, but also how the injuries impair family, marital and social relationships, as well as the loss of lifestyle. An appropriate award is based on a careful review of court ordered awards in cases involving individuals with similar injuries and having similar circumstances.

• Loss of Income - An injured party is entitled to recover not only their loss of income to the date the individual returns to work, but may also recover a reasonable award if there is a real or substantial possibility that the injured party may suffer a loss of income-earning capacity in the future. It may be that an injured party is able to return to work and carry on

20 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

with their normal duties, but there may be a possibility or likelihood that the injuries will limit their ability to work until retirement, or it may impact on their ability to pursue other careers. In this case, the injured party may be entitled to an award for loss of future incomeearning capacity.

• Out of Pocket Expenses - An injured party is entitled to recover any reasonable medical or prescription expenses. In addition, the person is entitled to reimbursement for reasonable transportation expenses, and expenses incidental to the injuries. For example, if an injured party needs assistance with home or yard care, those expenses may be reimbursed.

• Costs of Future Care - Particularly in cases of severe injury, there may be expenses involved in modifying the person’s accommodation, providing adaptive aids, as well as ongoing assistance for housekeepers, care aides, and the like. Where there is a permanent impairment, the award for cost of future care may be the most significant head of damage.

• In-Trust Claims - An award may be granted to injured party’s family members, to provide some compensation for the housework, nursing and domestic assistance provided to an injured party.

In situations where the injured party fully recovers and there is little or no income loss, the calculation of damages may be relatively straight forward. However, it is important to seek legal advice to ensure that the injured party is fully and properly compensated. The assessment of an injured party’s claim can be fairly complex and frequently involves the use of outside experts including economists, occupational therapists, vocational experts, and medical specialists. Most lawyers will provide an initial consultation at no cost, and can provide some direction as to what services they can provide in a given situation. It is important to be aware that with any claim there are limitation periods that apply. As a general rule, it is best to seek legal advice early, to avoid problems down the road.

R

4LL[ @V\Y ;LHT

9icOarK Jensen RichardQ.C. Jensen QC

Barry *ar[er Barry Carter

+ennis *oa[es Dennis Q.C. Coates QC

9ob Rob (KRin Adkin

Da]e DaveMcDouNall McDougall

Jim JimMc*reiNO[ McCreight

Marlene Marlene Harrison Harrison

Darren Darren Paulsen Paulsen

MicOael Michael Sutherland :u[OerlanK

Murray Weeres Murray Weeres

Terry Bepple Terry Bepple

Joaquin Mariona Joaquin Mariona

Tamara Tamara McKinnon McKinnon

Hea[Oer Mass Luke Bergerman

6\Y HYLHZ VM WYHJ[PJL PUJS\KL!

Wersonal inj\ry icbc claims es[a[e li[iNa[ion corWora[e commercial law Mamily law es[a[e WlanninN [r\s[s wills es[a[es real es[a[e

Mair Jensen Blair LLP - Lawyers 700 - 275 Lansdowne Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 6H6 t Ph: 250-374-3161 t Fax: 250-374-6992 t Toll Free: 1-888-374-3161 t Email: info@mjblaw.com

mjblaw.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS 21

> NEW IN TOWN

Boarders, BMX Riders Tear it Up All Year Round Indoor facility already gaining customers thanks to power of social media, Facebook Faction Skate & BMX Inc. 1314 Dalhousie Dr. 250-374-2224 www.factionskatepark.com

W

here do skateboarders ride in the winter? Up until December, their options were pretty limited, but since Wayne Parsons opened Faction Skate & BMX, boarders now have a place to go.

Parsons, who prior to opening Faction was a stay-at-home dad, had talked about opening an indoor skate and BMX park for years. Back in August, he finally decided to do it and began scouting locations.

“The first place I looked at was the place I took,” he says of the 4,500square-foot building on Dalhousie Drive that houses the skatepark in back and

retail shop in front.

He spent the fall building ramps and wooden structures for the park, and then it was time to get the word out.

Because of the age of his clientele, Parsons employs Facebook to get the word out, and so far it’s working, with nearly 300 followers.

“I saw a need for this. There’s nothing like this in the Interior, and I can count on one hand how many there are in the province.”

Faction will operate year round.

During the summer, when most skateboarders and BMX riders are working up a sweat outdoors, Parsons will offer summer camps and clinics, as well as hosting private parties.

“Retail sales will be good in summer. I do have lots of stock and I plan on keeping it that way.” KB

keith anderson/kamloops business

Anita Abate and Melodie Vandale have their sights set on an all-male clientele.

Refuge for Men Jagged Edge ‘cozy man’s salon’ The Jagged Edge 2020 Falcon Rd. 250-377-0022

M

murray mitchell/kamloops business

Wayne Parsons. owner-operator of Faction Skate & BMX Inc., was a stay-at-home dad before opening the doors on an indoor skateboard park on Dalhousie Drive in Kamloops.

22 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

elodie Vandale and Anita Abate had known each other for 15 years before they opened Jagged Edge Haircuts for Men in Valleyview.

The doors opened Nov. 1 and already the pair can tell their business plan will be a success. They searched for a year before finding the perfect location, but when they spotted it, they knew.

“It’s a nice little area and there’s a lot of businesses around. It’s a good industrial area and there is a huge parking lot,” says Vandale.

While Jagged Edge operates much like a barber shop, in that it caters to men, Vandale says it’s so much more.

“We didn’t want it to be known as a barber-shop. We want to bring in different clientele — for all ages.”

And it doesn’t look like a bare-bones barber shop, either, what with the funky décor and big-screen television.

“It’s a nice comfortable shop. It’s a cozy man’s salon.” KB

Derek Johnston, owner of Fresh Healthy Cafe and Blossoms Edible Arrangements, shows off some of the food arrangements his clients have ordered during the holiday.

HUGO YUEN/KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

Edible Arrangements Helping Business Bloom Making the colourful bouquets is almost as much fun as eating them, staffers find Blossoms Fresh Fruit Arrangements 324 Victoria St. 250-377-0771 www.kamloopsblossoms.com

I

t’s a business within a business.

Derek Johnston, owner of Fresh Healthy Café on Victoria Street, officially launched Blossoms in November, incorporating it into his already bustling business.

“It made sense. We wanted something really different. We serve nothing but healthy food and drinks, and these are fruit arrangements and they’re all fresh and healthy,” he says.

The arrangements aren’t only pleasing to the taste buds, complete with pineapple, mango, and chocolate dipped straw-

berries, but they’re also a beauty to behold.

Blending Blossoms into Fresh Café has worked perfectly, says Johnston.

“We’ve already got a high clientele for Fresh, so the takeoff has been really strong, just from our regular customer base.”

Ordering an edible arrangement is similar to ordering a flower arrangement, says Johnston, except in this case, because the website showcases all the different options, it’s easy to see exactly what you’re getting.

The website is simple and provides 40 different options from which to choose.

Fresh staff were trained and are now excited every time orders come in, because making the bouquets is almost

as fun as eating them.

“Here, they’re making a wrap or a panini or a smoothy and all the same ingredients go into them, and you go through the same process. With the bouquets, each one is different and they can be artistic when making them.”

The timing of the launch of Blossoms was perfect, he says, noting how the products they created were especially popular over the holiday season.

“A lot of businesses were having catered lunches where people just wanted something different. Instead of a fruit plate, they’d have someone bring in an edible arrangement and everyone would have fun with it.”

Johnston is also seeing plenty of orders placed for delivery to Royal Inland Hospital and he suggests that’s partly because many of the wards don’t allow flowers in the rooms.

The arrangements are also great for men who want to give something to other men — as often flowers don’t suit — and they’re excellent for dinner parties as a conversation piece. Johnston also expects to see orders pick up through the spring and summer when brides add them to weddings, or have them at wedding showers. KB

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

23

Chamber NEWS Tapping Social Media to Improve Engagement Chamber of Commerce concentrates on collecting feedback from members

L

ast year was a year of transition for the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce. After welcoming Maurice Hindle as its new president in October, the chamber is gearing up for the next phase in planning.

Armed with a three-year plan, Hindle looks to build on past successes and strengths and focus on enhancing the perception of business in the Kamloops region.

“We’ve done this through the continuation of our advocacy efforts and also through the offering of innovative services for our members that enhances their competitiveness,” he said. “We really strive to be a chamber in which the members find value. That’s again something that’s really important to us.”

Over time, Hindle hopes to increase Kamloops’ presence at the table with key political groups that influence business, from City Hall to the provincial and federal levels.

“We’re really going to be focusing on and maintaining influence and being a strong voice of business in Kamloops,”

he explains. “There’s a lot of underlying effort that going to go into this.”

The chamber wants to maintain that advocacy position because by being the voice of Kamloops, they have to put together positions and policies that reflect the needs of members. They hope to improve engagement and communication as it is something that is key to having a successful business.

“We’re talking about improving our communication practices and tools with members and the application of current technology,” Hildle explains. “We have social media and other ways of collecting feedback. We certainly want to stay state of the art in that area.”

Another area Hindle hopes to focus on is increasing membership and the value of a chamber membership. He hopes to be able to get feedback from members so they can better act as a voice for businesses in Kamloops.

“We’re all about the continuous improvement on focus to what member’s needs are so we can be prepared, whether it’s certain communication or

MAURICE HINDLE staff support to move forward on membership needs.”

As one of the B.C.’s most recognised chambers, Hindle hopes that by 2014 membership will rise to more than 1,000.

“I am personally trying to grow membership because to be the voice of business you have to have a membership base that represents the majority of businesses here in the community,” he says. “We’re going to be seeing a lot of those efforts in the next three years.” KB

Better Benefits Equals Happier Employees A custom benefit plan that makes sure the health of your employees is looked after is vital in today’s workplace.

For more than three decades, the Corrigan Financial Group has been helping companies just like yours find the most cost-effective and comprehensive employee benefits plans possible.

Contact us today for more information on benefits consulting or to learn more about our investment, insurance and retirement planning services.

Tel. 250-314-0233 • Toll Free: 1-866-314-0233 bob@corriganfinancial.com www.corriganfinancial.com Fax: 250-374-4620 Corrigan Financial Group Inc. • 103 - 418 St. Paul Street • Kamloops, BC V2C 2J6

24 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

> chamber news i chamber views

Spreading the Word With Style Designers keep message in mind Graphic Depictions 310-546 St. Paul. St. 250-318-6786 www.graphicdepictions.ca

W

hen it comes to turning heads, logos can make or break a company. Without a good graphic design, potential clients may pass by the opportunity to work with you based on looks alone.

At Graphic Depictions, Jeff Kilduff and his team of creative and talented graphic design artists are ready to get your business noticed.

“One of my philosophies is that every company, from the small mom and pop business to the big corporation, should have the same access to great graphic design,” explains Kilduff, who is owner as well as creative director. “(Small companies) should have as good a graphic design as a big company.”

Working in the visual art field was something Kilduff had always wanted to do. Starting out in the fine arts field, he realized that he wanted to do something that he loved, but still make a decent living. That’s when the Digital Art and Design program at UCC (now Thompson Rivers University) called to him.

Great People. Exceptional Companies.

Temporary, Permanent & Executive Search Services in Western Canada since 1992

MURRAY MITCHELL/KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

From left, Graphic Depictions owner Jeff Kilduff, Pamela Sankey-Kilduff and Jeff Porter go over the finer points of intelligent design. Says Kilduff: “When you deal with us, you get to talk directly to the graphic designer. There’s no chance of the message getting lost.”

“My goal was to finish at the top of the class and get a job as soon as I could, and I did both,” Kilduff said. “I finished everything three weeks ahead and at the top of the class and the day after I got out of there I got a job.”

From there, he worked for seven years at an ad agency before starting up Graphic Depictions five years ago. He and his team create websites and print designs such as logos, ads, mailers, postcards, newspaper ads and multimedia.

They are able to work one-on-one with clients to provide the best service possible.

“If they went to an ad agency they have to deal with an account representa-

tive and have to go through channels to get to the graphic designer, but once you get to the graphic designer the message might be lost,” Kilduff says. “When you deal with us, you get to talk directly to the graphic designer. There’s no chance of the message getting lost along the way.”

He credits the chamber for helping him network and gain business.

“You just have to ask and you’ll get a ton of information about how you can get the word out and better your company,” he notes. “The networking is amazing. You’re getting your name out there and it keeps you top of mind with people.” KB

Our recruiters are standing by to work with you in Kamloops, Kelowna and our Prince George offices: 250-374-3853 Visit: www.excel.bc.ca

Toll Free: 1-877-374-3853 l www.excel.bc.ca FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

25

> chamber news i chamber views

MURRAY MITCHELL/KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

Kamloops Auto Service owner Doug Baird, left, and technician John Tolley work on a customer’s classic 1966 Chevy II station wagon.

Top Mechanic Likes to Keep Hands on Wheel Technicians at Kamloops Auto Service consider their customers their friends Kamloops Auto Service 1321 Battle St. 250-374-8321

F

or some, the dream of owning a business arises after completing university. Others choose to open a business because they want to try something new and be their own boss. Doug Baird did it because he was born to fix cars.

The owner of Kamloops Auto Service has been tinkering on vehicles for as long as he can remember. When he was a kid, Baird worked on vehicles with his father and now he owns one of the most customer-oriented car shops in Kamloops.

“We’re not the biggest, flashiest shop

in town, but I can say with 99-per-cent certainty that we’re probably one of the most honest in town and that goes a long way with people,” he says. “People don’t come to see us because their car is broken and they want to spend $1,000 to make it right again. People come to see us because they have to.”

Baird and the team of technicians at Kamloops Auto Service work on every make, model and year of vehicle, both foreign and domestic, while specializing in drive train and four-by-four trucks.

“We do everything that you can possibly imagine,” says Baird. “Everything from regular routine maintenance on brand new vehicles to major overhauls and full custom and performance jobs as well.”

26 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

For Baird, working with people has been a pleasure. He considers many of his customers friends, one of the many aspects of his business that he believes sets him apart from the competition.

“We don’t put ourselves above our customers, we like to put ourselves in the seat beside them,” Baird says. “I’m not the owner who signs cheques once a month and yells at everybody when the numbers aren’t right. I’m on the floor, I’m at the counter, and my wife and I do the book work.”

For Baird, becoming a member of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce was something that was always in the back of his mind. While he just recently joined the chamber this past November, he looks forward to what the being part of the network can bring to the table in helping him become a better business owner.

“I’m more of a technician running a business than an businessman running technicians,” he explained. “I think the chamber of commerce is going to help educate me with the courses they have and the trade shows to get to know some of the other businesses in town.” KB

> chamber news i chamber views

Tee it Up Inside Ultimate ‘Man Cave’ Indoor golfers get a chance to keep their swings in groove Legends Indoor Golf 205-450 Lansdowne St. 250-377-4653

J

ust when you thought the golf season was over and the hockey beards would start to appear, a new business in town aims to keep duffers and pros alike on the course through the winter.

Legends Indoor Golf brings 22 championship golf courses to Kamloops through realistic virtual simulators. Owner Dave Burrows searched out the best virtual golf simulators available and opened up the centre in October last year after dreaming of owning the ultimate “man cave.”

“I’ve always wished there was a place like this where I could go and work on my golf game and improve,” he says. “I was looking into putting a man cave into my base‘Each of the ment. My wife wasn’t too happy about me having a theatre room in simulators is the basement where she’d probably never see me.” also a launch However, after suffering a back monitor, so you injury Burrows decided to look into making his man cave dream into a have access viable business.

“I basically went about and tried to to all the find the best simulators in the industry and researched different ideas information you and came up with an idea of what I’d like to build and went about finding a need when way to do it.” you’re working With that, Legends Indoor Golf came to be, offering everything on your game.’ from lessons from local golf pros to entertaining corporate events and parties in private rooms, all with catering. What Burrows says sets him apart from similar businesses in Kamloops is the state of the art technology he’s acquired, with the capability to help turn novice golfers into seasoned players.

“Each of the simulators is also a launch monitor, so you have access to all the information you need when you’re working on your game,” he explains.

“We also have the video swing analysis, which is really helpful for helping to build a swing.”

Being a Chamber of Commerce member has helped Burrows get the word out about his business quicker than he anticipated. He credits the valuable networking and connections for helping create business.

“We have met some very creative people from the advertis-

KEITH ANDERSON/KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

Legends Indoor Golf owner Dave Burrows demonstrates the realism of the Interactive Sports high-definition golf simulator. ing world that have been extremely helpful in getting us set on a path to getting the word out.”

In the end, Legends isn’t just a man cave. While Wednesday evening is Men’s Night, Tuesday is Ladies Night, Tuesday mornings are dedicated to seniors, Friday evening is date night for couples, and there’s even a Wii for the little ones. KB

ng...

Your FloRoIGriHT NOW.

RIGHT HERE.

E. RIGHT PRIC Kamloops

962A Laval Crescent 250.372.1008 or 1.866.372.1008 Monday–Friday: 9–6, Saturday: 9–5 endoftheroll.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

27

> HOSPITALITY

28 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

NEW ERA NEW COAST

an old meeting place gets a brand new look NOT TO MENTION A NEW NAME

STORY BY PAULA KULLY PHOTOS BY MURRAY MITCHELL

I

f you haven’t been by the former Kamloops Towne Lodge recently, you may be surprised to see some impressive changes to the hotel on Rogers Way. Most immediately noticeable is the name change to “Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre” and the colour, which is no longer brick red but an elegant, two-tone taupe with rich brown trim.

But that’s just the start of it. Upon entering the hotel lobby, it’s difficult to imagine what it once looked like. The floors have been completely retiled and the ceiling appears higher, although hotel owner Ron Mundi insists it is an illusion created by the three walls of back-lit lattice screens. The heavy enclosed front desk has been replaced with a freestanding, marble-top counter, which also adds to the openness of the space.

Topping off the luxury of the lobby will be a $3,500 chandelier, due to be installed in February.

A new addition is a gift

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

29

shop that will provide newspapers, snacks and Kamloops souvenirs.

Mundi, a successful hotelier, purchased the property in May 2011 and has big plans to inject new life into the hotel and conference centre by investing between $7 million and $8 million in a three-phase makeover. With the addition of the Coast Hotels and Resorts flag, Mundi is confident of the hotel’s future success in Kamloops.

Coast Hotels has a 30-year history in Kamloops, beginning in 1982 when the Canadian Inn on St. Paul Street became the Coast Canadian Inn. Sherry Baumgardner, director of marketing for Coast Hotels & Resorts, confirmed the reason for the move to the new location; “Coast Hotels & Resorts base our decision on needs for success and what our customers want. Our product offering needs to match with the partner hotel. When the franchise agreement came up for renewal with Canadian Inn, we sat down Feel like a little with the hotel you time? You’ll have owners — to check out the new whom we have jetted tub area inside an excellent the Coast’s honeyrelationship moon suite. with — and everyone agreed it was not in anyone’s best interest to renew.”

When Coast Hotels started to look for another location that would best suit the market, they were looking for something with more property and amenities. This led them to Mundi, who has worked with Coast Hotels in the past, investing $5.5 million in the Coast Lethbridge Hotel & Conference Centre in Alberta.

“We are looking forward to another long-standing relationship with the new owner and new hotel in Kamloops,” said Baumgardner.

Mundi, who came to Kamloops in 1999, has a definite vision for the hotel that includes ensuring everything is top of the line.

“Once the renovations are complete we will be a four-star hotel,” Mundi 30 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

Ron Mundi stands next to the new covered lobby entrance at the Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre, which is undergoing an extensive renovation. Far left, a new two-queen comfort room awaits guests inside the Coast. Need more room to stretch out? Try out the king room, left. says. He has not cut corners in any aspect of the renovations. This is evident from the quality of the sheets on the beds, the $950 drapes on the windows and the locally-crafted, custom cabinetry in each room. In fact, Mundi has insisted that wherever possible, local contractors and suppliers are used. Of the 40 companies involved, most are from Kamloops. Those that aren’t are at least from within B.C. Although he was encouraged to buy from China to cut costs, Mundi refused.

He has a community-minded philosophy FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

31

The spacious honeymoon suite at the newly renovated Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre. Owner Ron Mundi is eyeing a larger piece of the meetings and conventions market in Kamloops. that he believes has contributed to his success as a hotelier; that buying from local suppliers and using local contractors ensures the best quality, saves money in the long run and contributes to strengthening the local economy.

The first phase of renovations began in October 2011 and focused on the exterior.

New turf and stonework were laid and 40 new trees planted around the perimeter of the hotel. In addition to a fresh paint job and outdoor coloured lighting, the front entry has been expanded to three lanes and a grand six-metre-high Porte Cochere entrance installed.

“If all goes well with the City permits, the plan is to install a lighted waterfall between the two pillars of the entrance,” Mundi says with obvious excitement.

In the newly renovated south tower, which Mundi expected to open earlier this month, housekeeping staff were rushing around opening boxes, making beds, setting out brightly coloured throw pillows and putting on final touches.

“They are excited,” Mundi says.

The 105 rooms have been completely made-over with smart and stylish design, updated décor and neutral earth tones at an average cost of $18,000 per unit.

Phase two will get underway early this year and will include extensive enhancements to the pool, courtyard and convention centre. Details of the convention centre renovations are currently being negotiated with the convention centre and Ora Restaurant owner.

The final phase — upgrading the remaining 98 guest rooms in the north tower — is scheduled for completion for the fall and winter of 2012/2013.

The hotel on the hill has been a fixture in Kamloops since it was first constructed in 1989 as a 62-room Best Western. It saw the addition of 60-rooms, the courtyard and the restaurant in 1992. The 30,000-squarefoot convention centre, which can accommodate up to 800 people and includes a 475-seat theatre, was added in 2001. Since then, the hotel has been a hub for meetings and conventions.

Now, with the impressive makeover the hotel is receiving, Mundi’s and Coast’s vision for the hotel is to build on that success and attract an even greater piece of the meetings and conventions market to the city, which in turn is a benefit for surrounding hotels and the community overall. KB

HOTEL INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE Total number of rooms in the city — 3,263.

Average daily room rate — $100.08.

Average annual occupancy rate — 58.1 per cent Total annual room revenue (2010) — $44 million, up 18 per cent.

(Source: Tourism BC, based on most recent data available.)

NEW PROJECTS Sandman Signature u Located downtown across from Interior Savings Centre u Estimated $20-million to $30-million project. u 4.5 Star u Six stories, 150 rooms, featuring a Cucumber Cafe & Shark Club - Sports, Bar & Grill u Scheduled to open in 2012 North Shore Holiday Inn & Suites u Opened February 2010 u Eighty-nine rooms, featuring indoor pool, hot tub, fitness room and high-speed Internet.

Hotel 540 u $12 million renovation u Energy efficient, featuring casino, banquet facilities, lounge, restaurant, hallways u Meeting space completed in 2010 u Hotel entrance currently under renovation, re-opens in March 2012 Plaza Hotel u $1 million renovation u 83-year-old heritage hotel u Sixty-nine rooms to receive updates u Hotel to re-open in April 2012

Do you need help with a business start-up, expansion or purchase of a business?

We may be able to help with one or more of our services.

• Loans for Business • Business Training Services

Growing communities one idea at a time since 1987.

101–286 St. Paul St. Kamloops, BC V2C 6G4 T 250 828 8772 F 250 828 6861 info@communityfutures.net www.communityfutures.net

Flexible and siness fo Af rdable Bu ions at ic Commun

• Business Consulting Services • Business Plan Development Workshops • Self Employment Program

Community Futures Thompson Country (CFTC) is pleased to provide new business services for the Kamloops region.

CFTC state-or-the-art business training lab • 12 Lap top computers complete with Windows 7 Professional • Wireless internet connection • Built in webcam • DVD-RW • LCD/overhead projector with screen

Connect with the world via video conference • Video conference applications are limitless and may include training, meetings, announcements, staff recruitments, all at a fraction of time and expense.

Supported by

32 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

> solid advice

Seven Things to Watch as New Year Gets Started Social media, online marketing are vital to the ongoing success of your business

BY SHANE JENSEN >> NEW QUEST COACHING & CONSULTING

T

he new year will be an interesting one for Kamloops businesses, both large and small. There is so much change going on and a lot of it will continue to impact the way we do business.

Here is a list that I think all business will need to consider in 2012.

Social Media Social media is not a fad and will continue to be a potentially great marketing medium if done correctly.

Through 2011, I did a series of columns that focused on social media and the impact on businesses. It was a very popular topic and after each column, my inbox was flooded from business owners with questions and requests for help when it came to using social media to market and grow their business.

We are still in the early days of social media and the curiosity and the need to understand how to use it for businesses will only grow over the next year.

Online Marketing Watch for a continued and growing trend by businesses to shift their marketing dollars to online content.

The unfortunate impact of this is that radio, television and print media will see a reduction in demand for their mediums. On the flip side, businesses will be looking at how to get the best return on investment as they continue to embrace the Internet as a potentially great marketing tool.

Online Video Online video is fast becoming one of the most popular ways people (your customers) like to take in content and learn. Because of this, businesses will continue to look at how they can use

video to help them grow.

Online video is very effective at building brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, an excellent educational medium to show your product or service and a great way to get your message out to new online clients.

Smartphones Instant feedback via mobile smartphones will be on the rise. I just upgraded my “old smart phone” to the latest and the greatest. There is virtually nothing that I cannot do from my smartphone that I cannot do from a desk or laptop.

Even better, as a consumer I can comment about your brand, product or service the moment I experience it. No matter where your customers go, they will now have the ability to connect with your business and will not hesitate to instantly share with their “friends” (or even the business) what they think, for better or worse. For 2012 this will make or break some businesses.

Digital Footprint There is a need to control and maintain your digital footprint on the web.

For 2012, don’t stick your head in the sand and hope that this Internet, social media, and mobile world eventually goes away. It is not going to happen. If anything, it will only get bigger and more popular.

All businesses, regardless of their size, will need to start taking control of their digital footprint (online presence).

Simply put, if I Googled your business, what would I find?

Talent Wars Competition for skilled labour and talent will start to once again heat up. Be

SHANE JENSEN ready for a skilled labour shortage. We have heard this before, but now we will really start to notice it.

In 2012, for every two baby boomers who retire in Canada there will be less than one person to take their place. Over the next year, you would be wise to begin looking at how you plan to keep your top talent and how you might attract other talented employees as well.

Aging Workforce Watch for a growing multigenerational workforce. How many of you with multiple staff have 50- to 60-year-olds working side-by-side with 20-year-olds? It can make an interesting and challenging scenario for business owners and leaders.

The future will be all about businesses that are able to get these diverse demographic age groups to work together effectively.

The classic line, “change is the only constant” resonates more so then ever before. No doubt it is going to be an exciting year.

I would love to hear your own perspectives on how 2012 will impact your business. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts and ideas.

My thanks to all of you who continue to read my column and I wish all of you the best of luck in 2012.

Shane Jensen, MA, ACC, CEC, is a successful entrepreneur, consultant and speaker who has built a variety of successful companies. To learn more please see www.shanejensen.ca. KB

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

33

Getting Down to Business Attention: Business Owners/Managers Take advantage of this special newspaper subscription offer now available to all BUSINESSES in Kamloops...

❒ OPTION 1: Receive one copy delivered to the office and a second copy to your home. 12 months only $256.50 (+HST) (= 42 cents per copy)

❒ OPTION 2: Receive 2 copies delivered to the office. 12 months only $213.50 (+HST) (= 35 cents per copy)

❒ OPTION 3: Receive 3 copies delivered to the office. 12 months only $289.75 (+HST) (= 32 cents per copy)

Here's a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to provide your employees and customers with a great value added benefit 6 days a week while you stay informed with Kamloops' number one daily news source!

❑ VISA ❑ MASTERCARD #

EXPIRY DATE:

NAME:

BUSINESS

NAME: ADDRESS:

BUSINESS ADDRESS:

PHONE:

BUSINESS PHONE:

POSTAL CODE:

BUSINESS POSTAL CODE:

DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS: EMAIL: YourNewsNow.ca

FREE DIGITAL ISSUE!

All print subscribers receive a full Digital Edition of each printed copy of The Daily News emailed each morning in the same easy-to-read format as the print edition, optimized for your desktop, notebook or mobile device!

34 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

> KCbia report

Variety of Attractions Keep Core Hopping Support of downtown property owners, business community central to success

BY GAY POOLER >> MANAGER, KCBIA

T

Our new schedule, with Taste of Downtown on Thursday and Community Carnival on Friday, was hugely successful, seeing a record turnout for the Taste of Downtown.

Combining the street performers with the United Way’s well organized Community Carnival really added to the atmosphere.

Downtown Kamloops is a perfect venue for events, either on our streets or in our parks. We love to see so many people enjoy themselves in our neighbourhood.

Our business people and property owners are very involved and supportive. This support is central to the success of our downtown.

This year was renewal time for the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association.

Every five years we must renew our mandate with our property owners who pay a levy based on property Everyone wins when you make a gift value to enable the to the Kamloops Foundation.

KCBIA to promote the downtown and Whether you want to make a small advocate on their behalf. donation, start an endowment fund, We received a or leave a bequest in your will...we 90-per-cent are YOUR community foundation approval for our proposal with a and we work with you to modest budget make giving easy. increase.

One of the reasons we get owner support is because we leverage their investment, usually #2-219 Victoria Street / 250-434-6995 doubling our base info@kamloopsfoundation.com / www.kamloopsfoundation.com levy through

he year 2011 was an interesting time, full of activity and lively dialogue. Downtown Kamloops was host to many events throughout the year, attracting tens of thousands of people to enjoy our beautiful core area.

The Spring Festival in May was fabulous with two new components this year.

The Kamloops Arts Council hosted the Art in the Street Artisan Market on the Saturday alongside the Big Band Competition. This friendly competition attracted dozens of musicians and livened up the street all day.

The Downtown Merchants Market in July was full of action.

Make a Difference

GAY POOLER grants, sponsorships and in-kind partnerships. It is all about bringing people together to work for a common goal; maintaining a vibrant and livable downtown core!

One of the key components for a successful downtown is parking availability and management. This issue was in the spotlight this past year with the parkade on Lorne Street debate engaging the entire city.

The positive in all this was that it highlighted a problem we need to solve in order for our downtown to reach its full potential.

We need employee parking in order to fill vacant commercial space. If we create employee parking and get workers out of the on-street stalls, we will have sufficient consumer parking.

The KCBIA has created a Parking Solutions Group whose goal is to lead the way in identifying downtown parking solutions in both the short and long term. This includes looking at the management of current inventory as well as looking at creating mixed-use infill developments with shared parking facilities.

The end goal is to work together to fill vacant spaces with businesses that support our city through taxes and whose workers will become customers for our downtown businesses, all while ensuring a positive consumer experience in our city centre, adequate parking and friendly enforcement.

We are looking forward to 2012 being a year of growth! KB

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

35

> NSbia report

No Time Like Present to Invest in North Shore Developers spending millions of dollars in an effort to transform the community

BY PETER MUTRIE >> MANAGER, NSBIA

T

he future has truly begun to unfold on the North Shore of Kamloops as evidenced by the value and volume of recent development permits. A review of the permits on the City’s website shows the North Shore is experiencing strong activity, certainly more than we have had in the past.

We only need to catalogue a few ongoing projects to appreciate the magnitude of the investments taking place in our area.

New Projects Phase three of the Library Square project with underground parking, additional retail space and several floors of residential units is well underway. This project, along with the adjacent Holiday Inn, has been at the leading edge of transforming the local investment climate.

Another transformative project is the newly renovated Northbridge Hotel and Suites on the 300 block of Tranquille.

This project puts a fresh face on the street and is related to the decision for proceeding with the Carmel Medical Centre, a five-storey mixed use development across the street.

On nearby Vernon Avenue, Trophy Developments has initiated the site preparation for Silver Crest Suites, their new housing project. Meanwhile, on Halston Avenue, Kamloops Ford is investing nearly $4 million in a new dealership.

Enchanted Teas, Little Shore Store, Bruno’s Liquor Store, Corner Closet Thrift Store, the Production Habit and Grady’s Clothing.

Not all of the projects, new busi- PETER MUTRIE nesses and expansions have been noted here, but the combined value of these projects during 2011 exceeds $20 million.

The North Shore investment area is now positioned to reach a critical mass where we become recognized as the place to be. A bold new future of pride and investment energy has begun. KB

Get the mortgage info you didn't know you didn't know

Upgrades and Expansions

Your mortgage is too important not to.

Ord Road has attracted an $11-million re-fit of the B.C. Transit facilities while Mike’s Welding is making a substantial investment in their business even as an investment of nearly $1 million in a new mobile home park is taking place. There is also a $500,000 investment to expand the parking lot at Fulton Field. The airport expansion is a story in itself and has been steadily supporting business across the city and the region.

The Fortune Centre has experienced its share of investment activity with the new Subway, Nu-Leaf Produce, Desert Auto Parts, Stout House Restaurant and the current renovation at the Bank of Montreal.

The Northills Centre has a new Papa John’s Pizza outlet plus Shopper’s Drug Mart is busy with an upgrade while a new video store will open soon.

Brocklehurst Shopping Centre is seeing a new Tim Horton’s and upgrades to the Brock Pub, Yaki Joe’s, Gino’s Barber Shop and the newly located seniors centre while the Fun Factor at Tranquille and 10th has expanded their product line.

As a mobile Mortgage Specialist, I can give you the right advice for your biggest investment Home financing expertise – on call: BEV WASSEN-HUNTER Mobile Mortgage Specialist Tel: 250-828-8870 Cell: 250-572-6847 bev.wassenhunter@bmo.com SUE MAITLAND Mobile Mortgage Specialist Tel: 250-828-8841 Cell: 250-819-8811 sue.maitland@bmo.com Mortgage Expertise at Your Doorstep 24/7

New Businesses New businesses include the North Shore Pharmacy, a new Rexall Drug Store, Mel’s Hair Salon, Biggest Little Toy Store, 36 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

TM/®

Trade-marks/registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal.

> NEW BUSINESS LICENCES New business licences are listed according to the business trade name, mailing address and licencee. The initials HB indicate that it is a home-based business.

NOVEMBER, 2011 Van Houtte Coffee Services Inc. 101-1139 12th St. V2B 7Z2 K9 Designz 107-1295 12th St. V2B 3C8 Outrageous Impact Fashion 102-1295 Fourth Ave. V2C 3N3 RAP Environmental Services Ltd. 2437 Abbeyglen Way V1S 1Y7 (HB) Lotus Heart Centre 438 Alexander Ave. V2B 3R4 (HB) Tranah’s True Balance Massage 7990 Barnhartvale Rd. V2C 6V9 (HB) Prosign 439 Banks Rd. Kelowna V1X 6A2 Hard Hammer Construction 310-1755 West Broadway Vancouver V6J 4S5 Online North Curb & Gutter 34560-Fourth Ave. Abbotsford V2S 6R7 Veranova Properties Ltd. 812-505 Consumers Rd. North York, Ont. M2J 4V8 NAPP Enterprises Ltd. 12160 Beaverly Rd. E. Prince George V2N 6L5 Slip Tube Enterprises Ltd. 5-11502 132 A St. Surrey V3R 7S2

Lotus Pro 3498 Salmon River Bench Rd. Falkland V0E 1W0 Vivint Canada Inc. 49311-300 W Provo, Utah 84604 Dovic Holdings Janitorial 1254 Columbia St. V2C 2W5 (HB) Faction Skate & BMX Inc. 1314 Dalhousie Dr. V2C 5P7 Bright Lights BC Home Service 144 Don St. V2B 1B7 (HB) Stay Clear Systems 1945 Englemann Crt. V1S 1X9 (HB) The Jagged Edge Haircuts for Men F2020 Falcon Rd. V2C 4J3

Ekman Roofing 229 Larch Ave. V2B 1C8 (HB) Vibrational Body Massage Using Acutonics Sound Therapy 497 Laurier Dr. V2S 1C2 (HB)

Winged Hawk K Appaloosa Ranch 3515 Tranquille Rd. V2B 8B6 (HB)

Crystal Clear Energy Medicine 814 Lethbridge Ave. V2B 1X8 (HB)

Papa Tees 705 Victoria St. V2C 2B5

The Lunch Box 1021 McGill Rd. V2C 6H4 Pacific Pulse First Aid 1398 Pacific Way V2E 0A4 (HB) Starbucks Coffee #15686 401-1801 PrincetonKamloops Hwy. V2E 2J7

Solutions for Life Coaching & Consulting 670 Fleming Dr. V1S 1B3 (HB) Bizzy Butler Catering 865 Fleming Dr. V1S 1B6 (HB)

TD Canada Trust 501-1801 PrincetonKamloops Hwy. V2E 2J7

Sweet Home Café 2-1380 Hillside Dr. V2E 2N1

Changing Interior Painting 2003 Saddleback Dr. V2B 0A6 (HB)

Divine Events 110-1120 Hugh Allan Dr. V1S 1T4 (HB) Stikeen Construction 107-1185 Hugh Allan Dr. V1S 1T3 (HB) Interior Chemical Dependency Office Inc. 239 Lansdowne St. V2C 1X8

Corner Closet Thrift Shop 148 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3G1

Telemetriq Solutions Inc. F954 Laval Cres.

V2C 5P5

Five Guys Burgers and Fries 408-1801 PrincetonKamloops Hwy. V2E 2J7

Genesis Computers 2085 Holyrood Pl. V1S 1E7 (HB)

Caleb Mierau Occupation Health & Safety Consulting 970 Todd Rd. V2C 5B2 (HB)

Heather Allen Massage Therapy 790 Seymour St. V2C 2H3 Loops In Loops 1791 Springview Pl. V2E 1E3 (HB) AM Plowing 1050 Stardust St. V2B 5H9 (HB) Adaptive Glass 3185 Sullivan Pl. V2B 7X6 (HB) JM Design 151 Sunset Crt. V2C 6N1 (HB)

DECEMBER, 2011 Resolutions Personal Development Company 202-175, Fourth Ave. V2C 3N3 Scribbles and Glitter Scrapbooking 635 Alberni Ave. V2B 1T2 (HB) Jins Reno 102-261 Arrowstone Dr. V2C 1P8 (HB) Mirage Painting 1548 Assiniboine Rd. V2E 2R1 (HB) JAG Technical Services 2220 Barbara Ave. V2B 4J5 (HB) Hair By Michele 593 Braemar Dr. V1S 1H6 (HB) Building it Forward Renos & Contracting 89-130 Colebrook Rd. Tobiano V1S 0B4 Tremblay Bros.

Roofing and Exteriors 3308 Powell Rd. Pinantan Lake V0E 3E1 Sawchuck Developments Co. Ltd. 486 Adams Rd. Kelowna V1X 7S1

Commercial Signs 852 Crowley Ave. Kelowna V1Y 7G7

Wedding Butlers 1-1540 Springhill Dr. V2E 2H1

Dr. Johannes Van Dyk Inc. 202-474 Columbia St. V2C 2T5

EBCO Energy Advising & Consulting 301-1780 Springview Pl. V2E 1J4 (HB)

Zimmer Wheaton Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd. 685 Notre Dame Dr. V2C 5N7 Kuhmo Contracting Ltd. 2389 Drummond Crt. V1S 1T8 (HB) True Grit Concrete Services 5674 Harper Pl. V2C 6X2 (HB) Jeremy Mitchell 300-350 Lansdowne St. V2C 1Y1 Ayla Salyn 300-350 Lansdowne St. V2C 1Y1 Angela’s Flower N’ Things 838 McBride St. V2B 5S3 (HB) Three Green Beans 5400 Morris Pl. V2C 5S3 (HB)

Watkinson Prosthetics and Orthotics 9-1315 Summit Dr. V2C 5R9 Aspen Medical Centre Dr. Ambreen Bushra 21-429 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3G9 Aspen Medical Centre Dr. Arshad Mahmood 21-429 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3G9 North Shore Pharmacy G18 Cactus Court V2B 8L7 Apex Creation Trading Ltd. 24-700 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3H9 Movie Mart 40-700 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3H9

Farmers Strata Service 110-1990 Pacific Way V1S 1W3 (HB)

Old Sole Orthotics Co. 692 Courtenay Cres.

V2B 1Z6

Pine Springs Hot Shot 950 Pine Springs Rd. V2B 8E8 (HB)

Egyptian Comfort 1425 Huckleberry Dr. V0E 2W1

Heather Mass 300-180 Seymour St. V2C 2E3

TYG Transport 1413 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3K7 (HB)

Ryan Scorgie 300-180 Seymour St. V2C 2E3

Dr. Julian Waller Inc. 204-1800 Tranquille Rd. V2B 3L9

Karla Dodds 300-180 Seymour St. V2C 2E3 Broken Is Beautiful — Colored Glass Window Designs 520 Singh St. V2B 5C2 (HB)

Karla Pearce Art Gallery 607 Victoria St. V2C 2B3 Travel Only 222 Waddington Dr. V2E 1M4 (HB)

Q&A /NOT YOUR AVERAGE GYM Continued from Page 38 Now we have seven trainers, a maintenance man, an accountant and a lawyer.

We were both really great trainers when we started, but we didn’t know how to run a business, so we asked for help!

Q. What is your biggest asset?

A. (Nettles) We have the best employ-

ees in town. It wasn’t enough for our trainers to be good personal trainers, they had to be able to connect with people. They’re all very good communicators.

Q. How long were the days when you launched the business?

A. (Nettles) It was a 12-hour day or

more, and we’d take work home and have our kids come and help out. We put our life and soul into it. At that point you wonder if it’s worth it, but we have a loyalty to our clients and we know we’re making a difference. (Sweeney) I can’t think of another job where you can make such a difference in people’s lives. KB

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

37

> Q&A

HUGO YUEN/KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

Mikkie Nettles, left, and Lorilee Sweeney, owners of Kamloops Fit Centre, give employees much of the credit for the gym’s success.

Not Your Average Gym At the Kamloops Fit Centre, customers offered nutritional plan, lifestyle coaching

K

amloops Fit Centre, owned and operated by Mikkie Nettles and Lorilee Sweeney, is so much more than a gym. This is a place people are supported throughout their journey toward achieving their weight loss and health goals. So far, after four years in operation, the business model has proved a resounding success.

Q. What sets you apart from other gyms?

A. (Nettles) We are all personal trainers, so we offer a complete nutritional program as well as general lifestyle coaching. We’re very family oriented.

Here, you get one-on-one or four to a group training.

Q. Why did you go with this model of focusing on training every client who walks through the door, as opposed to just offering a place for people to work out?

A. (Sweeney) We’re very good at blowing ourselves off, but if you make an appointment with us and you don’t show up, we’ll notice and we’ll call. People rarely fail to show up, and getting started is the hardest part.

Q. One of your biggest successes to date has been the Biggest Loser Weight Loss Challenge. Tell me about that.

A. (Nettles) We do it on a percentage of weight loss, so the person who loses the most weight doesn’t always win.

Last time we had someone lose

38 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

110 pounds in three months, but the girl who won only lost 42 pounds. It’s a 12-week program meant for rapid weight loss. Clients get a full nutritional program and all the support and guidance they need to get there. Every two weeks there’s a challenge. (Sweeney) It’s a competition, but it’s fun. Broadcast Centre (B100 and CFJC-TV) have been awesome supporters of us.

Q. Other than the benefit of the weight loss, what does the winner of the Biggest Loser Challenge receive?

A. (Sweeney) The winner wins back what they paid for the training. A lot of people who trained with us from the very first Biggest Loser are still training with us.

Q. What other types of programs do you offer?

A. (Sweeney) We have a team of competitive body builders. Nobody else does the competitive body building programs like we do, and both Mikki and I compete. I’m also an RN (registered nurse) so I do a lot of work with diabetic education and work with people postsurgery and injury. Mikki has her preand postnatal specialty as well. (Nettles) We do circuit and fitness classes, and we’re hoping to add more in the new year.

Q. From the business perspective, are you where you thought you’d be?

A. (Nettles) We started with a dozen clients and a great idea, and the business just took off.

Continued on Page 37

THE LUXURY OF A DECISION WELL MADE. NOW LEASE†† OR PURCHASE FINANCE AS LOW AS

0 ‡

% APR

FOR UP TO 48 MONTHS ON MOST NEW 2012 MODELS

PLUS GET AN ADDITIONAL

1,000

$

‡‡

FOR ELIGIBLE COSTCO MEMBERS

2012 LINCOLN MKX AWD 3.7L V6 with 305hp MyLincoln Touch™† Reverse Sensing System with Rearview Camera Push Button Start Adaptive HID Headlamps

Lease for only

$499@0%

PER MONTH FOR 48 MONTHS WITH ONLY $4,500 DOWN PAYMENT. OFFER EXCLUDES TAXES.

2012 LINCOLN MKZ FWD Includes Sport Appearance Package with: 18” Polished Aluminum Wheels Unique Grille Interior Aluminum Trim Package Heated & Cooled Seats

Lease for only

$499@0% PER MONTH FOR 48 MONTHS WITH ONLY $0 DOWN PAYMENT. OFFER EXCLUDES TAXES.

Stay in control with available intelligent AWD

2012 LINCOLN MKT AWD ECOBOOST™ 3.5L EcoBoost™ V6 with 355hp^ 7 Passenger Seating Lincoln Sync® Voice-Activated Connectivity System** Fixed-Glass Roof Available Active Park Assist

Lease for only

$499@0%

PER MONTH FOR 48 MONTHS WITH ONLY $9,500 DOWN PAYMENT. OFFER EXCLUDES TAXES.

Vehicles may be shown with optional features. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offers. Offers may be cancelled at any time without notice. See your Ford Dealer for complete details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. ‡ Receive 0% APR purchase financing on new 2012 Lincoln MKX models for a maximum of 48 months to qualified retail customers, on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit. Not all buyers will qualify for the lowest interest rate. Down payment on purchase financing offers may be required based on approved credit from Ford Credit. Taxes payable on full amount of purchase price. †† Lease a new 2012 Lincoln MKZ AWD / MKZ FWD / MKT AWD EcoBoost and get 0% APR for up to 48 months on approved credit (OAC) from Ford Credit. Not all buyers will qualify for the lowest APR payment. Lease a vehicle with a value of $46,456 / $39,338 / $52,216 at 0% APR for up to 48 months with $4,500 / $0 / $9,400 down or equivalent trade in monthly payment is $499 / $499 / $499 total lease obligation is $46,456 / $39,338 / $52,216 optional buyout is $18,056 / $15,694 / $18,819. Taxes payable on full amount of lease financing price after any price adjustment is deducted.

Additional payments required for PPSA, registration, security deposit, NSF fees (where applicable), excess wear and tear, and late fees. Some conditions and mileage restrictions of 64,000km / 64,000km / 80,000km / 80,000km over 48 months apply. A charge of 16 cents per km over mileage restrictions applies, plus applicable taxes. All prices are based on Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. ‡‡ Offer valid to resident Canadians with a Costco membership on or before November 30, 2011. Use this $1,000CDN Costco member offer towards the purchase or lease of a new 2011/2012 Ford/Lincoln vehicle (excluding Fiesta, Focus, Ranger, Raptor, GT 500, Mustang Boss 302, Transit Connect EV & Medium Truck) (each an "Eligible Vehicle"). The Eligible Vehicle must be delivered and/or factory-ordered from your participating Ford/Lincoln dealer within the Offer Period. Offer is only valid at participating dealers, is subject to vehicle availability, and may be cancelled or changed at any time without notice. Only one (1) offer may be applied towards the purchase or lease of one (1) Eligible Vehicle, up to a maximum of two (2) separate Eligible Vehicle sales per Costco Membership Number. Offer is transferable to persons domiciled with an eligible Costco member. This offer can be used in conjunction with most retail consumer offers made available by Ford Motor Company of Canada at either the time of factory order (if ordered within the Offer Period) or delivery, but not both. Offer is not combinable with any CPA/GPC or Daily Rental incentives, the Commercial Upfit Program or the Commercial Fleet Incentive Program (CFIP).

Applicable taxes calculated before $1,000CDN offer is deducted. Dealer may sell or lease for less. Limited time offer, see dealer for details or call the Ford Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673.

follow us

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 KAMLOOPS BUSINESS

39

Need a Cab?

Think Yellow.

BEST

TRANSPORTATION

WINNER 2011

24 Hour Service

250.374.3333 Out of Town / Call No Charge 1-877-894-TAXI (8294)

Wheelchair Cabs Available

Proudly serving Kamloops for 65 years

Thank you Kamloops!

For voting us the "Best Transportation" in town, once again.