“ I even got a piece of jewellery on an NBC news anchor on the Oscars Red Carpet, so I was really excited about that” marketing. Mielke says her jewellery-making skills are self-taught, but she did take marketing classes at university, and says she has “a passion for learning about and applying marketing techniques.” Lately, Mielke spends much of her time working in order to take advantage of the recent success of the company. The first major entertainment event in which she was asked to participate was the Gemini Awards held in Regina in fall 2007. Mielke was commissioned to make jewellery for all presenters, including George Stroumboulopoulos (CBC’s The Hour), actress Anne Heche, Tara Spencer-Nairn (Corner Gas) and actor Jason Priestly. Mielke says the event itself “was really cool,” especially as she “got some feedback from celebrities right away about the pieces.” After the Geminis, Hillberg & Berk was invited to participate in the pre-awards show at the Oscars. Mielke notes several “big stars” she gave pieces to, including Katie Couric and Spike Lee. “I even got a piece of jewellery on an NBC news anchor on the Oscars Red Carpet, so I was really excited about that” she says. Mielke describes the piece, a green Chalcedony bracelet with Swarovski crystals worn by NBC news anchor Jina Kim, as one of her favourites. When asked how the Oscars show affected business, she notes that “being invited to the pre-Oscars gifting lounge generated international media exposure” for Hillberg & Berk. In addition, she has been “featured on television in Canada and the US and in several fashion publications since then.” In the short term, Mielke has noticed that being involved in the Oscars gifting lounge “has really increased awareness and credibility for Hillberg & Berk across Canada and increased sales.” In the long term, the success generated by the Oscars has prompted Mielke to seek international markets with wholesale expansion to the United States and even Europe over the next two years. “Giving back” is a fundamental part of Hillberg & Berk’s, and Mielke’s, philosophy that well-roundedness is crucial for success. These days, Mielke enjoys sharing her skills. “I volunteer my time to speak at local high school and university business classes about my experience in business” she says. “I’ve recently started speaking professionally on branding and networking your business to the top as well.” Mielke says that “being a successful person means that you pay attention to and achieve a level of personal satisfaction in all aspects of your life. So to me it is important to nurture the spiritual side of my life as well. That is part of the reason that Luther College was the right choice for me for high school.” What she remembers most from her time at Luther was her involvement in cheerleading, choir and the annual musical. “This experience really allowed me to develop strong leadership skills and work ethic” she says. Work ethic, indeed! Not just anyone gets invited to major awards shows. As Mielke puts it, “You don’t just get invited to the Oscars out of the blue. But as it turns out… sometimes you do.”
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For Randy Beattie,
“it’s all about balance”
A sampling of some of the pieces crafted by Hillberg & Berk.
Rachel Mielke hard at work at her new shop in downtown Regina.
By Allan Pulga (U’02) • Greeting his eldest son on the Luther graduation stage is symbolic of how a father’s contributions have indeed come full circle. Randy Beattie (U’82) sits on the Luther College Board of Regents, and this past May he participated in the Luther College high school graduation ceremonies. One of those graduates was his son, Taylor. “That was a special moment for our family,” recalls Randy. “Not only was I on the stage but I was able to present Taylor with his diploma. A perk of sitting on the Board, I suppose.” Truly, this gesture was more than just a perk. To Randy, it was the culmination of a long-time commitment to serve his family, his community, his alma mater, and, in a greater sense, the economic development of his home province. Randy, 49, is a man of remarkable vision. He is the president and CEO of PFM Capital Inc. The company was established in 1989 and quickly found a niche in corporate finance. As Randy became interested in Saskatchewan companies, their business plans and their growth strategies, PFM sought to help companies find the capital necessary to grow. Over time, the firm enjoyed great success in raising local capital to simultaneously support local companies and build local industry. PFM soon moved out of the intermediary business and became an investment management company. Today, as a private equity and venture capital management firm, its focus remains primarily on investing in Saskatchewan businesses, “keeping the money” in Saskatchewan. The company now offers a broad spectrum of venture capital funds, thereby helping companies of all sizes obtain capital. PFM now manages over $250 million in investments. “At the end of the day, it’s about staying in Saskatchewan and investing in people. They’re making the product and we’re providing much-needed capital and value-added services, but because we’re an equity investor, we’re really investing in the management teams and the owners of these companies.” However, Randy’s sense of giving back to his community, and to Saskatchewan, was not built in the boardroom. Born and raised in Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, Randy remembers seeing his mother and father volunteer with numerous community organisations. His dad also put in time as an rural municipality councillor, hockey and baseball coach, and local infrastructure planner. “Our parents were very active,” he says. “They urged my older brother and me to stay busy, stay committed and stay involved. They led by example in that regard — they gave back to their community.” But Randy credits his experience as a Luther College university student for shaping his ideas of “belonging” to a community and valuing people. As a young business administration student, his first exposure to Luther culture was through residence life. “Coming in from a small town, I felt welcomed into a new community. Luther creates a community. I think a lot of students feel alone at first. For some, it’s their first time away from home. I really enjoyed the residence because it offered a community to belong to, to participate in.”
Whether it was by participating in intramural sports teams, doing homework in the library, or getting involved in all sorts of residence and LUSA activities, Randy embraced his identity as a Luther College student, eventually serving as LUSA president for two years. “As you move through your career and life, you meet all kinds of people, but the lifelong friends I’ve had and still have are from my time at Luther College. At Luther, the priority is on people, and I think that’s why you develop such good friendships there.” Despite his busy schedule, for Randy, family comes first. He and his wife Janice have worked to ensure their sons Taylor (17), Adam (10), and Eric (7) appreciate the values of family and community. In his spare time, Randy has volunteered with the Tourism Industry Association of Saskatchewan, the Big Brothers Association, the Canadian Progress Club and the Regina Entrepreneurial Foundation. “Balance is important,” he says. “It’s easy to become too focused on your job. Among other things, Luther helped me value the people aspect of school and work. You shouldn’t forget about your family, your friends and even about taking care of yourself. So it’s important to think about balance and about giving back to your community.”
Randy is CEO of PFM Capital Inc, which calls Regina’s historic Assiniboia Club building home.
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