businessNOW™ is our round-up of business and organizational news from Peterborough and across the greater Kawarthas region.
This week, we’re featuring new faces at local organizations, including Hillary Flood becoming the new communications manager of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area. She’s replacing Joel Wiebe, who will be the new government relations coordinator for the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. In the local arts community, Hannah Keating has left Artspace in Peterborough and Sarah Cullingham, Sarah McNeilly, and Beau Dixon are joining the board of Electric City Culture Council (EC3) in Peterborough.
Other staff changes include Michael Tamane and Hillary Manion joining Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre and Jay MacJanet becoming the new superintendent of learning with Trillium Lakelands District School Board.
In business-related news, applications are now open for the winter intake of the Starter Company Plus program in Peterborough, Peterborough-based health food startup Chimp Treats has launched a new oatmeal product line, and Stone Fountain Motel in Fenelon Falls is under new ownership.
New business events added this week include Selwyn Township and the Kawartha Chamber presenting “Greening Your Business” sessions on January 13th and 19th, CryptoChicks presenting a business financing webinar on January 19th, and the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development presenting a food business bootcamp every Wednesday evening from January 27th to March 31th.
Hillary Flood is the new communications manager of Peterborough DBIA
Hillary Flood is the new communications manager of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
Flood, who begins her new role on Wednesday (January 6), will be responsible for directing communication strategies for the DBIA, including digital marketing, media relations, as well as The Boro gift card program.
Flood has more than 10 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event coordination. She has a postgraduate certificate for event management from Algonquin College as well as a diploma in business administration marketing from Fleming College.
Flood, who is currently employed on a contract basis with the DBIA for their Digital Mainstreet team that supports main street businesses with digital tools and technology training, has worked on a host of projects for the DBIA over the years. She coordinated the award-winning event Pulse open streets festival that takes place in downtown Peterborough, worked with Peterborough Kawartha Economic Development as the program coordinator for Startup Peterborough, and worked with Peterborough GreenUP as their transportation programs coordinator.
In 2019, she and her partner Pete Rellinger launched PedalBoro, a 15-passenger party bike that offered tours in downtown Peterborough in partnership with local pubs and eateries.
“Hillary already comes to us with a vast knowledge of our downtown members and their needs,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “She has worked with most of our businesses and many organizations over the years in many capacities, not to mention she is already deeply ingrained as part of our DBIA team.”
She replaces Joel Wiebe, who is the new government relations coordinator for the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. Guiel also praises Wiebe’s contributions to the DBIA.
“I can honestly say nobody worked harder and implemented more unique programs to support downtown businesses in the entire province than Joel did,” Guiel says. “I wish him well in his new role with the chamber and look forward to working with him in his new capacity.”
Joel Wiebe is the new government relations coordinator for the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
Joel Wiebe has left his role as communications manager of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) to take on the job of government relations coordinator for the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.
Wiebe will be responsible for working with elected leaders and public servants on government policy and legislation at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
In addition, he will help the chamber develop its knowledge channel, keeping members informed about changes to policy and legislation, providing training opportunities on business fundamentals, and helping to profile the knowledge and expertise of our members.
Weibe, who has 13 years of experience in journalism, marketing, communications, and project management, begins in his new role on Monday, January 25th.
Hannah Keating has left Artspace in Peterborough
After three years, Hannah Keating has left her job as assistant curator with Artspace, the non-profit artist-run centre in downtown Peterborough.
She has taken on a full-time role as associate curator for public programs at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa.
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work and grow in the supportive environment at Artspace and, more widely, in my Peterborough community,” Keating says.
“I feel so privileged to have collaborated with the staff and board and the artists who have come through the centre over the past three years.”
This is the second recent departure from Artspace. In December, the organization’s board of directors announced director and curator John Lockyer was leaving after six years.
Sarah Cullingham, Sarah McNeilly, and Beau Dixon join board of Electric City Culture Council in Peterborough
At its annual general meeting in December, the board of the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) announced three three new community volunteers have joined the board: planner and community worker Sarah Cullingham; performance artist, scholar, and kawarthaNOW arts and culture writer Sarah McNeilly; and actor, director, and playwright Beau Dixon.
The new board members “all bring a wealth of skills, knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to the work of this local not-for-profit organization that serves the arts and culture sector in Peterborough and the surrounding region”, the board announced.
EC3 also thanked outgoing members Alex Bierk and Kate Story for their service.
Cullingham, McNeilly, and Dixon join EC3’s returning board members: president and chair Bill Kimball (Public Energy), secretary Nadine Changfoot (Trent University), vice-chair Peg McCraken (Peterborough Singers), treasurer Chad Hogan (Market Hall), and Elisha Rubacha (bird, buried press).
Michael Tamane and Hillary Manion join Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre
Michael Tamane and Hillary Manion are the latest employees of the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre.
Tamane joins the Business Advisory Centre in the new position of virtual services advisor until September 2021. He will be working remotely on a part-time basis, providing information to entrepreneurs in the region through a virtual platform. His focus will be on connecting start-ups with assistance and resources to launch their business. He will serve as the first point of contact for the Business Advisory Centre, providing extended hours and offering completely virtual services through channels like online chat, email, and phone.
Tamane graduated from Brock University’s Goodman School of Business with an MBA and BBA while also completing an International Business Exchange at the Surrey School of Business in the United Kingdom. Most recently, he has been a teaching assistant in the entrepreneurship program at Brock University, where he has worked with local business and supported the creation and implementation of online content during the pandemic.
Hillary Manion will be joining the Business Advisory Centre in January as entrepreneurship officer while Madeleine Hurrell takes a parental leave.
Manion is a founding member of the Peterborough Tool Library and served as treasurer and board member for the Peterborough Folk Festival. On a personal level, she is very familiar with the demands of small business and life as an entrepreneur.
Jay MacJanet is the new superintendent of learning with Trillium Lakelands District School Board
Trustees with the Trillium Lakelands District School Board have trustees approved the appointment of Jay MacJanet as the board’s new superintendent of learning.
MacJanet, who replaces the retiring Dave Golden, will be supporting schools and working with administrators and teachers to further develop their instructional knowledge.
MacJanet comes from the District School Board of Niagara, where he has been a school administrator for over 15 years.
He began his new position on Monday (January 4), and plans to move from Niagara to Muskoka with his family.
Applications now open for winter intake of Starter Company Plus program in Peterborough
Applications are now open for the winter intake of the Starter Company Plus program, offered through the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Government of Ontario.
The program is designed to provide business training for aspiring to experienced entrepreneurs aged 18 and over in the City and County of Peterborough, who are launching a new business or expanding an existing business that has been operating for five years or less.
Applications close at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13th.
For more information and to apply, visit peterboroughed.ca/business-support/starter-company-plus/.
Peterborough-based health food startup Chimp Treats launches new oatmeal product line
Peterborough-based health food startup Chimp Treats launched a new oatmeal product line in December.
Fruitful Oatmeal is a healthy, sustainably packaged oatmeal sold exclusively online and delivered directly to the consumer. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Chimp Treats has been offering contactless delivery on their products throughout the year, including free delivery within 20 kilometres of the Peterborough area.
Chimp Treats flagship product is Nicecream, a dessert made entirely from fruit. The company then expanded with its Fruitful Smoothies product in April 2020, followed by their Sip product.
The company’s fourth product line, Fruitful Oatmeal is currently available in two flavours with more to come: Cranberry Pistachio (quick oats, rolled oats, dried cranberries, cane sugar, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and Himalayan pink salt), and Coconut Almond Goji (quick oats, rolled oats, dried coconut, coconut sugar, almonds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and Himalayan pink salt).
For more information and to order online, visit chimptreats.com.
Stone Fountain Motel in Fenelon Falls is under new ownership
After nearly 25 years, the Stone Fountain Motel at 5876 Highway 35 in Fenelon Falls is under new ownership.
In October, Tome Arsovski purchased the family-run motel from Sue and Bob Edwardson.
“I want to expand on the plans that were already in place”, he tells the Fenelon Falls & District Chamber of Commerce. “I would like to build up a family park, set up a tenting campground, and add more hydro sites for trailers. I want to create a nice place for all families to visit.”
For more information, visit www.stonefountainmotel.ca.
Selwyn Township and Kawartha Chamber present “Greening Your Business” sessions on January 13 and 19
Selwyn Township and Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism are presenting “Greening Your Business: Cost Conscious & Sustainable Practices for 2021”, a two-part webinar series with the first session from 4 – 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 13th and the second session from 4 – 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19th.
The series offers tips and tricks for your business related to waste management and diversion, transportation, and energy saving.
Session 1, “Waste Management & Diversion + Future Planning”, will explore ways of saving costs through minimizing waste and sustainably diverting recyclable materials for the betterment of your business and the environment, with presentations from Beachwood Resort and Summer Roads Flower Company.
Session 2, “Transportation & Energy Saving + Future Planning”, will explore ways of saving costs and helping the environment through active, public, and electric modes of transportation and leveraging energy conservation strategies and funding opportunities, with presentations from Sunblockers and The Nutty Bean.
Both sessions will also discuss the proposed federal single-use plastics ban and provincial blue box recycling transition to producer and consumer responsibility, and discuss COVID-19 challenges and opportunities.
The sessions, which take place on the Zoom video-conferencing platform, are free and open to all (you don’t have to be a chamber member). For more information and to register, visit business.kawarthachamber.ca/events.
CryptoChicks presents business financing webinar on January 19
CryptoChicks, a not-for-profit educational hub with a female focus, is presenting “Tools and Techniques to Finance Your Business” from 1 – 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19th.
The webinar will provide guidance and information on tools and sources of funding to finance your new business idea or to grow your established business. The guest speaker is Jonathan Irwin, director at Leyton Canada, who will be talking about Canadian grants for business and how and where to apply. After the workshop, CryptoChicks will schedule a practice session to build your pitch deck with you.
This free webinar is part of the “Hacking the Digital Curve: Empowering Women Entrepreneurship” webinar series from Northumberland CFDC and the DELIA program, with the support of FedDev Ontario.
For more information and to register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/125427403741?discount=DELIA.
City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development present food business bootcamp from January 27 to March 31
The City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development are presenting “10-Week Value-Added Food Business Bootcamp” from 6 – 8 p.m. from Wednesday, January 27th to Wednesday, March 31st.
The aim of this 10-class free program is to provide entrepreneurs who may also be small or medium-sized farmers and food product owners in the Kawartha Lakes or Peterborough area the knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities to turn their recipes into a retail-ready food product.
The program includes online facilitation of a dedicated program of live workshops delivered on the Zoom video-conferencing platform. The workshops are delivered as a sequential, laddering-up bootcamp, with classes held on Wednesday evenings.
The deadline to apply for this free bootcamp, funded in part by the Ontario government, is Wednesday, January 13th.
For more information and to register, visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/133794337465.
