At WBE Canada, corporate members are buyers who are committed to diversifying their supply chains by engaging more Canadian women-owned businesses in their supply chains. Its members include both private and public organizations including those in technology and telecommunications, manufacturing, construction, financial, education, municipal and regional government, pharmaceutical and energy amongst others.

“We’ve developed quite a robust events schedule for 2025 to support our [communities] with an increasing number of networking opportunities,” says Jennifer Popowycz, Director of Certification & Community at WBE Canada. As such, several Matchmaker events alongside supplier diversity days are organized throughout the country. And interest is growing; with its matchmaker events showing 100 percent growth recently, Canadian women business leaders are joining the mission to make their voices heard and support each other.

“These are all opportunities for our certified WBEs to have continuous meetings with corporate members and each other to supply them with services and products,” Popowycz continues.

As well as a growing emphasis on supporting its corporate members through programs such as its highly successful Accelerator Program and Supplier Diversity Toolkit, WBE Canada works tirelessly with its certified WBEs to grow and scale their businesses to successfully compete for procurement opportunities. Through its series of Matchmaker events, bringing knowledgeable suppliers together with buyers looking to diversify their supply chains results in powerful collaboration and lucrative contracts.

This educational process runs deeply through its offering, providing information and an opportunity to evolve for all concerned. In this way, WBE Canada is driving meaningful change in the country’s business landscape, giving women places at tables they may not have known existed. “We’re opening our education so that everybody can be successful at the events. Because in the past, we thought our corporate partners know what to do,” says Charli Law Jury, WBE Canada’s Interim Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance & Operations.

WBE Canada’s current six-week mentorship program in collaboration with the Centre for Women in Business in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, serving 10 women-owned businesses on Canada’s East Coast, offers layered mentorship whereby participants benefit from six training sessions and one-on-one meetings with their certified WBE mentor and a corporate mentor. A comprehensive syllabus ensures that future industry leaders receive solid training in how to market their businesses, how to establish and maintain a capability statement, how to trade with large firms, and a lot more. The council’s goal is to have the program presented across the country in the future.

The organization recently developed a WBE Toolbox—a comprehensive online resource library where thorough market research and solid expertise combine to provide members with deep insights into how supplier diversity works. In addition, its Pathfinder program supports qualifying businesses in achieving a position whence they can become certified with WBE Canada if they choose so.

Beyond coaching women-owned business leaders, the team is also well-versed in assisting its corporate members in establishing and developing supplier diversity programs that suit their business structures and organizational needs. Continued mentorship through WBE Canada and members familiar with the processes alongside a wide range of options mean that participants are supported every step of the way.

Corporate members, women-owned businesses, partners, and supporters attending WBE Canada events also benefit from the council’s clear goals, outlining areas of focus that give structure to these gatherings, driving even more positive outcomes in the long run. This collective archer’s aim has helped it establish a reputation of excellence in this field. “We currently have the largest database of women-owned businesses in Canada,” says Alexandra Roy, Marketing Manager.

While Law Jury is clear about the fact that certification does not mean automatically garnering new business, she underscores the importance of certification in significantly deepening educational opportunities and providing networking and other opportunities. Beyond these events, WBE Meetups also provide opportunities for women-owned enterprises to learn from one another.

Such gatherings can take various forms, like lunch-and-learns or webinars where information is gathered and shared amongst members. To keep things well-aimed and organized, every year WBE Canada presents its Supplier Advisory Committee, made up entirely of WBEs, with a fresh theme around which all meetups are focused. This year, looking at the health and wellness of their businesses and implementing best-in-class practices to safeguard against economic fluctuations while future-proofing their enterprises are all part of the mission.

Ensuring that each event delivers maximum benefit to corporate partners and certified WBEs alike takes careful planning. Naturally, designing each of these to ensure relevance and provide purpose and applicable takeaways within the greater umbrella of an entire year’s theme and schedule is a fun yet challenging task. To achieve this, WBE Canada’s motivation to be singular in its mission while offering relevant programming informs its efforts as a creative force to be reckoned with.

This acute awareness of maintaining relevance underscores everything WBE Canada touches. “We need to remember why we are here… and then build from that,” Law Jury points out. As a result, continuously evolving how it engages with its corporate members, keeping in step with the business world, and being mindful of how small and medium sized women-owned businesses are faring in a volatile economic climate provide the team with a perpetual invitation to do better, be better, and engage more meaningfully.

Making innovation the organization’s mainstay for developing annual themes means involving the entire team, keeping its ear on the ground, and staying closely in touch with and listening deeply to its communities, partners, and champions through committees, formal, and informal conversations, and walking the talk on feedback and surveys. The results are particularly rewarding.

One example of following feedback received from such engagement is the new possibility of trading from and sharing booths at the 15th annual WBE Canada National Conference & Expo on November 13-14 at the Delta Hotels Toronto Airport & Conference Centre. Hosted in collaboration with several national and international giants, the event, celebrating “15 Years of Inspiring Diversity & Inclusion in Supply Chains,” promises to be another roaring success where like-minded women gather to uplift and celebrate one another and their achievements while getting up to date with all the council’s latest news.

By providing all attendees with the best possible value for their money alongside unparalleled knowledge and learning opportunities from experts and peers, as well as invaluable networking connections to help them evolve their businesses, WBE Canada has forged a name for itself as a trusted supporter and partner in supply chain diversity. “It’s making sure that your business is financially well—making sure that the individual [who] runs the business understands the financial wellness of the business,” says Popowycz. The health and wellness theme is extended to cover personal business readiness, how to gauge when a business is ready to hire new employees, and much more.

With its own team also growing at a steady yet generous pace, WBE Canada is happy to have recently developed its new business development team that will help expand its corporate and government membership. As a passionate group full of the joys of its mission, WBE Canada employs people who share these values. To this end, team members are also growing and evolving personally and professionally, giving the organization an edge strong enough to propel its reach and presence to a future global level.

In establishing a strong tradition of collaboration, the council’s leadership has built a culture of lateral thinking and problem-solving. This has given team members the solid foundation they need to offer a warm welcome to communities of women-owned businesses around the country. Its in-house diversity also brings a lovely sense of character and depth to WBE’s culture and provides real warmth to its projects. “We bring together new perspectives, various backgrounds, and many years of unique experience. That’s what sets us apart,” Roy says.

WBE Canada is sincere in its heartfelt invitation to women-owned businesses and potential corporate members and partners to discover what the organization can offer them. “Come and join us [at the conference]. It is the place to be,” Law Jury says.

As WBE Canada continues spreading awareness and providing important programming and resources to industry leaders as they develop and grow their supplier diversity initiatives, its drive for evolution springs eternal. And so does the need for supply chain diversity.

The post 15 Years of Empowering Women-Owned Businesses<p class="company">WBE Canada</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

From a foundation of caring, powered by its people and supported by a network of qualified professionals and an understanding of a client’s needs, AGS has devised a system and approach that protects people and businesses by getting people back to health, back to work, and back to optimal productivity.

25 years
Since 1999, AGS Rehab Solutions has provided clients with customized workplace solutions that enhance lives and maximize potential. From a single contract to a national reputation in 25 years, the company has come a long way.

Asked to reflect on the company’s 25-year milestone, President and Founder Addie Greco-Sanchez explains, “When I thought about this company, I never imagined that it would stand for anything more than just my name, so it really is exciting to be here. I started the business myself, in my home, in my basement, with one customer and one assignment,” she says, crediting her perseverance and determination as the catalyst for the company’s growth and success from that point onwards.

In no time, Greco-Sanchez was hiring an administrator and independent consultants, and in 2010, secured the company’s first major contract. This necessitated hiring on a more serious scale.

“Our growth has been really organic in terms of the evolution, but we’ve also taken some long shots and have won some large contracts, which has really helped with our growth,” she says. This is largely due to AGS’s unique structure and approach, but also the company’s culture and founding ethos, which continue to serve it well as it expands its services to clients across the country.

Needs and solutions
AGS is different from many others in the market in offering a multitude of services under one umbrella, which enables it to customize solutions to the needs of its clients, as no two problems are the same. From the prevention of—and the response to—mental health claims, to assessments of its clients’ potential psychological health and safety risks by accepted standards, AGS helps clients navigate complex regulatory environments with ease and efficiency, protecting employees and the bottom line.

AGS can develop, or review and revise, policies and procedures to integrate psychological health and safety, while also raising awareness through internal training in line with the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. Drawing on its network of certified professionals, AGS offers expertise, resources, and support to facilitate case management services, return-to-work coordination, disability management services, and the provision of clinical and medical assessments.

“We have a network of about 600 assessors across the country and they can be anything from a psychiatrist to a kinesiologist—whatever it takes to look at making a medical opinion in the case if that’s what we need to determine a fit for work or looking at case management,” says Greco-Sanchez, which enables more efficient case resolution.

One of the things that makes AGS different in a highly competitive market is its managed care approach. Its full suite of services offers comprehensive support to its clients through what is often a challenging time for all stakeholders involved.

“The most important piece that differentiates us is the way we manage that claim, in that we’re not just very aggressively stating that people have to go back to work and that’s it. We work to support that individual so that the return to work is successful and they’re not coming back on claim in two months,” Greco-Sanchez explains. “People want to work with a company that’s not only looking at what we can do to get people back to work as quickly as is possible for them but to use a kid-glove approach,” which, she points out, requires a careful balance of care and safety but also speed and timeliness.

From the managed care approach AGS takes with its clients to its own company culture, its mission is to help others, and this continues to motivate the work of the company today, permeating all that it does.

“Our philosophy is that work is healthy, work is good,” Greco-Sanchez says. “My background is in social services and for me it was always about helping people, and with that in mind, growing the business. But always with a passion for ‘How we can help people?’ AGS asks, ‘What do we need to do to get them back into work?’ And of course, we’re always remembering that we’re working with customers who are employers, insurers, and looking at how we can help mitigate their costs when there are absences, so people can get back to work safely and on time.”

Supporting mental health
A big part of the company culture that is mirrored in the work AGS does is maintaining an emphasis on mental health in the workplace, which is especially important as can be seen by the rate of mental health claims through Sun Life, which have grown by almost 70 percent between 2019 and 2022. This was especially prevalent during and after the COVID pandemic as isolation, uncertainty, and challenging economic conditions proved to be corrosive to the mental health and well-being of many.

Whether mental health was getting worse, or the work done around destigmatization led to greater reporting, it has become endemic and something that employers have no choice but to address head-on.

Sun Life found that 40 percent of long-term disability claims are for women versus 30 percent for men, trends that were found based on paramedical and drug claims from over three million Canadians. This rate of disability claims, and the related sick leave impact, can be very costly for employers through lost productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism, disability, and medical and insurance costs. As AGS’ website notes, “Given that one in five Canadians will develop a mental illness in their lifetime, the likelihood of an individual facing a mental health issue in the workplace is real.”

AGS offers its clients ways to mitigate the impact of mental health issues in the workplace and is living proof that this approach works, being the recipient of the 2017 Canada Awards for Excellence Gold for its work in the Mental Health at Work® category and shares its best practices in the implementation of the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace.

“People want to work for a company that is going to look after them, and work-life balance is huge. Psychological balance and safety are huge, and we recognize that. We were one of the first 40 organizations in Canada to implement a National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace in Canada,” says Greco-Sanchez, who authored The 5-Minute Recharge—a book and a mindset that continues to prioritize mental health and wellness as part of AGS’s strategic plan moving forward.

“My philosophy is if you treat people well, they will give you 200 percent back,” she says. “That’s always been my experience and that’s how it’s worked for us.”

Collaborative effort
People are at the heart of AGS’s operations and success. Its experts range from certified disability management professionals to vocational rehabilitation consultants, psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, and other specialists who can offer responsive and accountable assessments to expedite claims and support the return-to-work process.

As Greco-Sanchez notes, “Every day that a person is off work is a day that’s costing an employer or an insurer money, so we want to get that person back as quickly as we possibly can.”

Further to speed and efficiency, AGS takes great care to ensure the confidentiality and information security of its clients and utilizes state-of-the-art technology to uphold standards of communication. “We work with personal health information, so data security is paramount. Creating efficiencies, utilizing technology, and increasing our data reporting capabilities is also a major goal, and then always working with that end goal of ensuring that we have excellent data. AI is changing things and we’re looking at how we can interface in a way that will help us to continue to expand the business,” says Greco-Sanchez.

This is only possible because of the team AGS has assembled. For Greco-Sanchez, people are its number one resource, and she credits her team with being “really gifted, dedicated professionals who move our business forward every single day. We have done an amazing job of expanding our footprint and recruiting.”

Although it has scaled to accommodate the company’s growth, AGS’s 25-strong team is still relatively small considering the effect it has on behalf of clients nationwide.

“Small team, big impact—it’s very much our motto,” says Greco-Sanchez. Nevertheless, she continues to look for growth for the team and its capabilities—and of course, its ability to get people back to work so that clients everywhere rejoice in a state of optimal productivity.

The post The Compassionate Way to Productivity – It Works<p class="company">AGS Rehab Solutions</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

For nearly 50 years, Galco has focused on accountability, innovation, and unparalleled service. “Any distributor can respond to a phone call or email when customers look for parts online, but few can provide the in-depth support and expertise that we do,” says Allison Sabia, President and CEO of Galco. “That’s what sets us apart.”

Leadership and culture
Under Sabia’s leadership, Galco has fostered an inclusive company culture where employees feel valued for who they are, not just for their output. “Diversity and inclusion are critical to our success, and we prioritize the health and well-being of our team as much as we celebrate their individual progress,” Sabia notes. Her experience as a female leader in a traditionally male-dominated industry drives her commitment to diversity, and she actively promotes this through her involvement with advisory boards such as Women in Electronics.

Sabia joined Galco four years ago, bringing three decades of experience in the electronics distribution sector. Her fresh perspective has positioned Galco at the forefront of innovation in industrial automation distribution. “Our mission is to lead the industry by putting the customer first, always,” she says. Sabia’s vision extends beyond operational success—she believes in building long-term, meaningful relationships with customers and suppliers, ensuring Galco’s continuous growth.

Mutually beneficial relationships with manufacturer partners
A key to Galco’s success is its strong, mutually beneficial relationships with manufacturer partners. Galco works closely with more than 450 suppliers, ensuring that customers have access to premium products that deliver top-tier results. These partnerships allow Galco to stock cutting-edge tools and components that meet the highest industry standards, and, in turn, provide manufacturers with a reliable distribution channel.

“By fostering long-term relationships with our manufacturing partners, we’re able to bring the best solutions to the market faster,” explains Sabia. “This collaboration ensures that both parties succeed, as we’re able to quickly respond to customer needs while offering manufacturers a trusted outlet for their products.”

Galco’s ability to keep in stock the right products customers need at the right time, along with its extensive technical support capabilities, further strengthens these partnerships. The result is a win-win situation where both Galco and its partners thrive, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation and efficiency.

Repair services and technical expertise
Galco’s skilled technicians and technical services are the cornerstones of its success, offering customers comprehensive solutions that go beyond product sales. Whether servicing the latest cutting-edge technologies or restoring older, hard-to-replace equipment, Galco’s skilled technicians are what truly set the company apart.

“Our customers can send in any product for a free evaluation, and we pride ourselves on going the extra mile to get their systems back up and running,” says Bob Marshall, Vice President of Engineering.

This broad expertise allows Galco to handle a wide variety of systems, from modern industrial electronics to more specialized legacy components. Galco’s team is equipped to repair advanced drives, PLCs, HMIs, and other automation components, ensuring that customers experience minimal downtime and maximum operational efficiency. The company backs all complete refurbishments with 18-month warranties, demonstrating its commitment to quality and reliability.

Galco’s Field Service team adds another layer of value, offering expert on-site support that helps customers reduce downtime and improve system performance. “Our skilled technicians provide hands-on expertise that’s critical for troubleshooting, drive startups, and system optimization,” Marshall explains. These services are offered to a wide array of industrial automation settings, thus differentiating Galco by delivering results its customers can depend on. Marshall highlights the importance of these services: “Our field team’s hands-on expertise helps customers reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency, which gives us a competitive edge.”

Strategic innovation and growth
Galco’s operational soundness is further demonstrated through its strategic planning and innovation. Under Sabia’s guidance, the company has implemented a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, upgraded its website, and expanded its distribution center in early 2022. These improvements, along with Galco’s powerful digital marketing strategy, have ensured the company remains at the forefront of industrial automation.

The company’s online presence, which includes a YouTube channel with over 125,000 subscribers, is a key part of this strategy. The company shares technical knowledge and resources that help customers solve challenges, offering everything from product demonstrations to detailed technical support. Galco’s partnerships with suppliers are equally important, as the company often helps manage excess inventory, further strengthening its relationships with over 450 trusted partners.

Event leadership and industry engagement
Galco recently hosted its largest show to date, the 2024 Galco Electronics and Automation Show, featuring 45 manufacturer exhibitors and attracting nearly 200 customers. The event was a resounding success, serving as an exciting kick-off to Galco’s upcoming 50^th anniversary in 2025. With live product demonstrations, hands-on drive training, and valuable networking opportunities, the show showcased Galco’s commitment to industry leadership.

“It was an incredible opportunity for our customers to engage with experts, learn more about the latest technologies, and experience firsthand what Galco and our partners have to offer,” says Andrea Stapleton, Marketing and Communications Manager. Next year’s show promises to be even bigger as the company looks forward to celebrating its upcoming major milestone.

Beyond its own events, Galco actively participates in key industry trade show events. For example, at the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Galco collaborated with Kübler Group to showcase its services to a wide audience, further establishing its reputation for technical expertise and customer-centric solutions. Additionally, Galco joined Schaltbau at the Battery Show North America 2024 in Detroit, Michigan, further reinforcing its presence in the energy storage and battery sectors. These industry events allow Galco to engage with diverse audiences, showcase its expertise, and strengthen relationships with its partners.

Expanding through acquisitions
Galco’s growth isn’t limited to organic strategies. The company has also expanded through strategic acquisitions, enhancing its capabilities and reach across the United States. Recent acquisitions include State Motor and Control Solutions, which specializes in motor repair and power transmission, and Zesco, known for its expertise in engineering panels. These companies have integrated seamlessly into the Galco family, bringing additional vertical offerings that complement Galco’s core services.

Looking to the future
The company’s roots date back to 1975, when founder Dan Galasso started Galco from the back of his car. His vision was simple: to provide unparalleled service in the growing electronics distribution industry. Today, as the company approaches its 50^th anniversary, that vision remains strong, with a focus on efficiency, long-term customer relationships, and operational excellence.

“Our focus on giving more than expected and building authentic customer relationships positions us to become one of the world’s best-known service providers in industrial automation,” Sabia says. As Galco looks ahead to the next 50 years, Sabia is confident that the company’s future will be marked by continued innovation and growth. “The next 50 years will be something for the record books.”

The post Enabling the World Today for a Better Tomorrow<p class="company">Galco Industrial Electronics</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Founded in 2010 as a partner to its parent company, The Hudson Companies, Broadway Builders has developed a diverse team of professionals to serve its mixed-use clients. The company is a certified Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) made up of highly motivated and dedicated professionals who consistently deliver high-quality projects on schedule, in a safe and compliant work environment.

Broadway Builders also prides itself on its high proportion of women in the company compared to other construction firms. Fostering a diverse environment that is welcoming to women creates a unique dynamic that celebrates different working styles. Each one of its construction teams in the field has at least one woman, and Broadway Builders aims to continue on this path of diversity in seeking out diverse employee skill sets, backgrounds, and specialties.

Bernard Ruf, President of Broadway Builders, describes a unified bond among the staff. The family atmosphere in the company culture results in efficient and effective operations while also establishing a synergistic working environment. Since the company hires subcontractors for its projects, its strong values on teamwork are just as important in these external relationships, and Broadways Builders is always focused on partnering with the most qualified and skilled subcontractors.

In the last six years, the team has grown from just a few employees to a staff of 55. Broadway Builders has also successfully assembled its own self-insurance program through a CCIP, a Contractor Controlled Insurance Program. This global insurance program protects the owner of the project, Broadway Builders itself as the general contractor, and all of its subcontractors under one giant insurance umbrella. Currently covering five different projects, the CCIP is a tool that allows the company to be more competitive in the New York City housing market. The company has also established its own bonding and surety program, impressive accomplishments for a company as young as Broadway Builders.

“You can’t build greatness without that team, and it even reaches out to who your subcontractors are, who your vendors are… certainly if you don’t have those people around you, you’re not going to be successful,” Ruf says proudly. “And I think we’ve done an amazing job at attracting the best people in New York City.”

Broadway Builders takes a great deal of care cultivating these relationships with its trade and vendor partners, beginning with a careful pre-qualification and selection process. In fact, these relationships have been so successful that they have led to various joint venture (JV) operations on major contracts, which is a true sign of the company’s ability to collaborate.

The leadership at Broadway Builders manages the team in a top-down chain of command structure, while avoiding any micro-management. “We’re one foot in the box and one foot out of the box,” explains Ruf. “You need the space to be able to be the professional that you are and have your own style a little bit, but you also need your foot in the box so that we’re all working within common rules and a common direction.”

The primary sector of business for this diverse construction firm is affordable housing and supportive housing programs, making up roughly 80 percent of its business model. “We maintain a ground-up new construction division while operating a separate business model to accommodate the renovation and occupied renovation of affordable NYC housing programs,” Ruf explains. “Our relationship with NYC agencies is a strong one and we maintain a commitment to excellence in our work and relationships to ensure a successful project.”

While Broadway Builders is proud of dedicating much of its time to creating affordable housing projects, the team sees no real difference in the construction process. Affordable housing to them is just housing, and it is important to maintain the same high level of quality construction. Depending on the final product, the only aspect of the project that may differ is the type of material used, but the approach, attitude, and quality are the exact same.

One notable affordable housing project for Broadway Builders is the Logan Fountain Project located in Brooklyn, New York. Ruf describes it as a ground-up new construction building that will feature 174 affordable rental units for families who receive government assistance, and 169 supportive shelter apartments dedicated for homeless families. The building is a 13-story concrete superstructure with 324,000 square feet that includes a common courtyard, interior amenity spaces, and roof amenities for tenants to enjoy. There are also commercial use spaces available on the ground level.

“There aren’t a tremendous number of buildings that serve families in New York City, especially new buildings. So this is pretty exciting to us, that our building will be actually serving this dual purpose and helping a group of people who… need a place to live,” says Sally Gilliland, Broadway Builders’ Founder and Chair (and Principal and COO of head company Hudson Companies Inc.).

Another project that simply must be highlighted is The Peninsula, located in the Bronx, New York. This project is in its second phase, and the first of its five planned buildings is already complete and occupied. Currently, it is the largest current residential construction project in the Bronx area.

The Peninsula is an important project for both Broadway Builders and the city of New York. It has become known as a neighborhood rebirth story. Once occupied as a juvenile detention facility and decommissioned years ago, the residents saw it as a blight in the neighborhood, and were relieved to see the building torn down to become something new. With the community in mind, the mixed-use plan for The Peninsula will feature light industrial space for manufacturing, 740 units of affordable housing for the Hunts Point neighborhood, and a live/work area for the tech and creative industries of the South Bronx. Due to its size and complexity, the entire project is expected to be complete in about two years, making it a three-year project in total.

Always community-minded, Broadway Builders has already established a solid charitable base in its young existence. The firm has taken a philanthropic position with veterans’ organizations, including Hope for the Warriors, and it goes the extra mile by expressing a desire to support military veterans through employment at Broadway Builders. It is a company that helps the homeless community through its affordable housing projects, and focuses on energy-efficient designs to stay ahead of the progressive Passive House or LEED standards in NYC.

Prepared for the changing construction market in the years to come, Broadway Builders knows how to adapt. “Every economic segment of time creates unique industry roadblocks that require strategy alteration,” Ruf explains. “That coupled with ever-evolving regulatory changes, particularly in NYC, requires an open mind to alter operational imperatives to meet the changing environment.” Changes to energy codes, for instance, have not only affected the way contractors build, but also the time required to build. New technology is constantly changing the industry, both within the building envelope and in management operations. Broadway Builders is not daunted by these challenges; rather, it finds itself inspired to find the best solutions possible.

As a partner to residential developer The Hudson Companies, Broadway Builders receives the majority of its work through its parent company; in the future, the team hopes to allocate approximately 20 percent of its business to its own separate ventures. Ruf expands on further plans for the company, saying, “Broadway wants to be a six to ten project at a time company, depending on the complexity and size of the projects we are engaged in. We believe we have approached our planned ‘sweet spot’ and will do our best to maintain an operation with around 55 to 60 employees and operate on between six to ten projects at a time, with delivery cycles of between 24 and 36 months per project.”

There are only a few WBE general contractors in NYC with all the capabilities of Broadway Builders. As the core of the business, the firm has built a diverse team that consistently delivers quality products, and always prioritizes the recruitment of high-level trade and vendor partners to meet that standard. With a mission of aiming for building excellence through leadership, teamwork, integrity, and quality, the company has set itself apart in the industry by developing this loyal, reliable staff and creating an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion.

Says Ruf, “Broadway is a strong and dependable, upcoming, fast-growing, and energetic company that can provide the top tier of professional management for developers to take note of.”

The post Developing First-rate Affordable Housing in NYC<p class="company">Broadway Builders</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“One thing that sets us apart is our sense of humor,” says Cathy. For the youthful and energetic President and majority owner of Flex-Line Automation, Inc., not taking herself too seriously has proven to be a benefit.

Continuing to innovate, the company is especially proud of its patent-pending boxEZ cobot case erector, seen at https://youtu.be/6TJAZI6HKz8. Automated, flexible, and compact, the boxEZ uses a customizable vacuum end effector and forming table to fold and seal multiple box sizes and types. The product is robot-agnostic, able to be used with any robot, and allows those with slower cycle times to case pack or palletize with the same robot.

To date, Cathy Rinne and the company have been featured on programs including Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid and World’s Greatest Television. “I think we are just quirky enough that these TV producers saw us as being an interesting company to focus on, because we are different and doing things differently,” she says. “At this point in my career, I feel entitled to enjoy it, and fortunately I do. If you look at our videos, they are not the polished executive videos—we are out there showing off flame-retardant chain with a flamethrower—because we are genuine rednecks,” she laughs. “We are very Midwestern in how we approach things, and just real people off the farm. We have a high-stress job, and it needs to be fun.”

Family values and farm life
Seamlessly integrating electronic and mechanical systems, controls, sensors, and other advanced technologies like robotic arms, actuators, and conveyor belts. Flex-Line Automation, Inc. designs and builds automation systems that are used in virtually every industry today, from automotive, to pharmaceutical, and food and beverage. Fast and efficient, today’s automation systems enable companies to boost profits, increase quality and productivity, and enhance safety.

With a population under 8,000, the Midwestern city of Chester, Illinois, seems like an unlikely place for one of America’s leading automation companies. But for Cathy Rinne and her family, it is not only Flex-Line’s base, but also home.

Started in December 1984, the business was co-founded by Cathy, her husband Rhett, and his parents. The roots of the company, however, go much deeper. Cathy’s father-in-law Orville Rinne was a salesman for Henry Filters. A chance meeting with an engineer at SKF Bearings led to a discussion about a new conveyor system “that was going to revolutionize the industry.” With no one in the United States to market, distribute, or sell the system, Orville and Rhett jumped on the opportunity.

“Orville thought it would be a great idea if we could set up a distributorship with that engineer,” says Cathy. They did, and the engineer went on to establish Kentucky-based SpanTech, a conveyor manufacturer operated today by the engineer’s daughters. The family worked with SpanTech to bring FlexLink’s plastic chain conveyors into the U.S., and when SpanTech developed its own conveyor line, Flex-Line became the distributor of FlexLink, a role it has proudly held since 1987.

Incorporated in 1991, Flex-Line built its main facility the same year. Growing steadily, the company now has three facilities, and no longer just integrates conveyors but also robotics and various kinds of ancillary equipment.

Running a farm while operating Flex-Line has meant many sacrifices for the family. Cathy was travelling for business and missed Lauren’s first steps. Today, Lauren (Rinne) Van De Mark works alongside her mom in her Sales and Marketing role. A woman-owned and women-operated company, Flex-Line is certified as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the SBA, another point of distinction for the company.

Being based in farm country has its advantages. “It was a fun way to grow up,” says Lauren, remembering the early days of the company when it started on the family farm. And from a staffing perspective, the company can bring on workers depending on the job. The main business in town is a prison system where many people retire at age 50, and when Flex-Line has a big project, many retirees will come in part-time on a project basis. “We are very lucky that we have that resource here,” comments Cathy.

The company has also been actively promoting itself—and building opportunities in automation and robotics—to high school students. Following the pandemic, the business began working with high schools, showcasing robotics programming and career opportunities in automation and manufacturing.

“There’s a big misconception that to work in automation or with robots and conveyors, you have to be an engineer, and that is just not the case,” explains Lauren. “We’ve been exposing kids to the idea that if they want to be a robot programmer, they don’t have to get a mechatronics degree. And even if they just want to work with automation, there are different jobs out there besides just programmer and engineer. People in this industry are more than happy to take you and train you and get you where you want to go.”

The company is also working with several trade groups, and has begun promoting robotics clubs in schools, which can lead to a great career path.

“Farm kids have that ingenuity, and part of what we do with automation and integration requires ingenuity. It’s never the same thing twice,” says Cathy. “We are solving problems for customers. Having the ability to look at what you have on hand, and make something work, is something farm kids are very familiar with doing. Having that background really lends itself to our industry.”

Superior service
The company generally works with customers producing individual products under 50 pounds (22.6 kg). Flex-Line’s clients are involved in pharmaceutical, medical devices, personal care products, food and beverage, automotive, paper products (such as paper towels), and even checkbook folios. “We have experience in a wide number of industries, and have done a lot of different things for different types of customers,” says Cathy.

Highly customer-driven, the company provides as much or as little as a customer requires from engineering or engineered parts to turnkey systems, spare parts, and more. This can include complete projects incorporating many different elements, a tremendous advantage today with so many companies struggling to find their own engineers or resorting to working with numerous suppliers to handle discrete project elements. Integrators like Flex-Line provide peace of mind with single-source responsibility.

That means that the team seamlessly brings everything together. For customers, this also means just one point of contact. “And that’s what we like to do, be that single source,” states Lauren. “We work in whatever capacity our customers need us to work in. We are 100 percent customer-driven, and want every customer to feel like they are our only customer. So, we want to be very attentive to what their wants and needs are.”

Another of Flex-Line’s greatest strengths is its openness to partnering with other integrators as collaborators, rather than competitors. If a client needs a certain type of welding, Flex-Line has expert welding partners who will step in to handle that part of the project. Knowing who your resources are and being able to bring those resources to a project is a tremendous value.

Forming many strong relationships over the decades, Flex-Line’s strengths include knowing which companies excel at which services and being able to pull everything together in one perfect package. “It isn’t as much about knowing everything or doing everything, but knowing who your resources are and how to use them,” says Cathy. “Single-source responsibility is a big one for customers. We have been in business for so long, and in so many industries, that it means we have a very large pool of experience in different material handling applications. So, we come up with some pretty creative solutions that engineers and companies that don’t have that breadth of experience don’t necessarily see. We are like a solution superstore.”

Indeed, Flex-Line handles virtually everything under one roof. This includes stocking almost a million dollars in conveyor components along with replacement parts, performing repairs, and other services. A short conveyor can be turned around in as little as 24 hours, and conveyor and robotics systems are tested in-house to ensure everything works before shipment and installation. The company can also perform rebuilds, repairs, and programming in the field, a level of personalized service not always available from larger automation businesses.

“With big companies, you get a lot of layers,” says Cathy. “Flex-Line is like a sheet cake, the kind your mother used to bake. We are a single layer, and very responsive. We can make things happen in the amount of time it takes you to figure out who to speak to at a larger company. Flex-Line is a ‘turn on a dime’ integration company known for customer service—we can even find a courier if need be.” A real business in the traditional sense, customers can call Flex-Line and get a real person, not a machine.

Friendly and attentive, the company likes things the way they are. This includes some main competitors also being among Flex-Line’s vendors, such as FlexLink. “They are both a competitor and a supplier for us,” Cathy shares. “What makes us stand out is, if you need something on a weekend and you call our office, it goes to our cell phones. Someone’s going to drive in, get a courier, check something, or get information for you. If you call a large company, you’re going to get an automated phone system saying, ‘Sorry, call us back on Monday,’” she says.

“Being small, and a family business, makes us able to respond, and that’s a significant advantage. You don’t do business for 40 years without figuring some things out.”

The post Rural Roots, Global Reach: Ingenuity & Innovation in Integration<p class="company">Flex-Line Automation</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

WBE Canada connects women-owned businesses to procurement opportunities through advocacy, certification, development, and promotion while helping corporations and governments deliver on their supplier diversity commitments. By working to remove existing barriers that have traditionally prevented women entrepreneurs from equal access within supply chains and by empowering and facilitating the success of women-owned businesses, WBE Canada is driving innovation, social value, and economic growth in communities across Canada.

Founded in 2009, by 2018 there were 220 certified WBEs in Canada, with 25 corporations supporting supplier diversity and one government organization—the City of Toronto.

“Since 2018, especially during the pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in implementation of supplier diversity,” says Silvia Pencak, President of WBE Canada. “Today we have 78 corporate members committed to buying from Canadian women-owned businesses and growing, and they’re coming quickly, with 11 of them government or Crown corporations, which is huge… it’s really nice to see women-owned businesses giving back and becoming corporate members and buying from other women.”

As WBE Canada corporate and government membership rises, so do the number of women-owned businesses looking to WBE Canada certification. Currently there are more than 600 certified WBEs (women business enterprises), with 40 percent located outside of Ontario.

“We’re now seeing a larger implementation of supplier diversity across the provinces, so Canada is taking notice and moving in the right direction,” says Pencak.

When asked whether the industry at large—particularly when it comes to women-owned businesses—is changing for the better, Bobbylynn Stewart, CEO of Breck Construction, a WBE Canada Certified company, responds.

“I’d say we still have a long way to go, but in the last five years, I’ve definitely seen a shift,” she says. “We’re seeing more commitment from large corporate buyers to expand their supply chain to be more diverse, including women-owned businesses. In the construction world, there aren’t a lot of us, but I am seeing more and more. Generally, if you’re going to start a business, it’s something you know something about.”

Encouraging women to enter the trades is challenging, however, and an idea that needs to be introduced early on to help young girls understand there’s a path forward for them in an industry that’s lucrative and rewarding, particularly on the business side. And challenges for women are different, especially if they have children, as they’re usually the primary caregivers. Often construction hours aren’t conducive to a child-rearing schedule, so examining that and finding creative ways to support women in the industry is vital and ongoing.

Attitudes are changing, though.

“I think we’ve gained respect in the industry,” says Stewart. “As a woman in business, it doesn’t matter what you do, you still have to do your job well, you have to do what you say you’re going to do. You have to prove yourself no matter who you are.”

Support is available, she adds. “We just need to get our foot in the door and get those opportunities,” Stewart says. “A lot of these business connections are made on the golf course in male-dominated activities. I’m not often invited to the golf games, and there’s a small group of women in construction. We have to be creative. I’m not saying it’s always easy, but it is very different than it was a decade ago.”

And WBE Canada is playing a vital role in supporting those changes. In 2023, WBE Canada received funding from the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund at ISED (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) to address barriers faced by women-owned businesses. Conducted in partnership with the University of Manitoba and the University of Calgary, the “Fast-Track to Supply Chains” project addresses practical gaps identified by previous research.

“We’re actually looking at the barriers women face to access supply chains,” says Pencak, referencing a series of discussions across the country in different provinces, including territories up north, asking women-owned businesses, corporations, and governments what they feel is lacking in Canada. Subsequently, WBE Canada is looking at how to improve its WBE database to make it easier for buyers to find the right suppliers for their procurement opportunities. At the heart of this improvement is WBE Canada Toolbox, which includes information and resources for corporations and governments on how to develop supplier diversity programs, improve them, and embed them into existing structures. It also includes programming for women-owned businesses who want to do business with corporations and governments, teaching them how to scale up and grow their business, how to export, collaborate, and partner, and how to respond to RFPs.

“Toolbox is constantly being updated and upgraded with new content being added,” says Pencak. “We’re super excited about the revamp. It’s going to be a very exciting and invaluable library of content for buyers as well as suppliers.”

Additionally, in honour of WBE Canada’s 15-year anniversary, a cross-Canada tour is planned with stops in Toronto, Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Regina, Calgary, and Vancouver, finishing with its 15^th Anniversary National Conference in Toronto in November.

“Our national conference traditionally features a tradeshow where women-owned businesses as well as corporations can exhibit,” Pencak says. “They can mingle and interact with each other. We have businesswomen and corporations coming from all across Canada and from the U.S. This year we are even talking about some international delegations joining us.”

Conferences are invaluable for a number of reasons, adds Stewart, whose company recently won the 2023 Top WBE Supplier award.

“We worked hard, and to get that recognition for our entire team was pretty special, that’s for sure,” she says. “The conference was great; it’s hard to put into words. What’s come out of it has been pretty spectacular for us. We’re able to have access to a lot of buyers that we’ve been trying to connect with for years. To be at a conference where you get that face time with them and have these discussions is so valuable.”

While it is about business, it’s also about relationships, she adds, and meeting and having discussions so they understand what services you provide and how you can benefit them and work together is invaluable.

“Within a month of that conference we were invited for a meeting with one fairly major supplier in Ontario, to sit down and see how we could start working together,” Stewart says, adding they were issued their first RFP several weeks ago. “It’s very exciting. We’re really focusing on Ontario this year. It was great, and the support from WBE was pretty outstanding. They’re finding people for me and helping us come together and make that connection. They truly do care and want the best for us. It was a fantastic conference and just a great opportunity that everybody should take part in.”

The 2023 conference pulled in a 50/50 representation of buyers and suppliers—unheard of, says Pencak—with some of the top corporations across sectors including automotive, finance, tech, telecom, energy, government, and other.

“Every buyer who comes is actually looking for woman-owned businesses, and that makes our conference very different,” she says. “We have buyers and we’re connecting them to women-owned businesses coming from all across Canada.”

Once a year, she adds, members all meet and embrace the many networking opportunities. “Women-owned businesses are able to do business together, and that network is just exploding right now,” says Stewart. “We have great people. When I stand on the stage, I tell people, ‘It’s not me, it’s not us. It’s the community that we have.’ People want to work together; they want to do business together. You can feel it the moment you walk into the room.”

Recent challenges have most certainly pertained to barriers in supply chains, says Pencak.

“In 2018 when I came to this space, one of the challenges in supplier diversity was that supplier diversity was almost just a marketing stamp. That was the one thing I decided needed to change in supplier diversity, which is why we introduced training for corporations and governments, so they actually know what supplier diversity is and how to implement it. We decided supplier diversity needs to actually transform how we buy and how women get into the supply chain.”

That was a significant transformation inside Canada, but also externally for women in businesses and supply chains. But simply hearing the stories about all the backing behind supplier diversity wasn’t enough, so WBE Canada began advocating within its corporate and government community to institute tracking and reporting to measure the effectiveness and impact of supplier diversity programs.

“If we don’t measure it, we can’t improve it,” says Pencak. “If we don’t know what the starting point is, we will never be able to move the dial. Tracking and reporting needs to happen, and we need advocates, we need people to speak about it.

Stewart agrees. “A lot of these larger organizations definitely do walk the talk, but sometimes we do see that it’s plastered all over their website and in their promotional materials, but it doesn’t happen in reality,” she says. “It would be great to move toward that type of model.”

As for Pencak’s vision for the organization’s future, it’s bold, transparent, and, of course, honest.

“I would really like to see women just being in supply chains, and not even being a discussion or a question. That is why we exist at WBE Canada—to actually change how Canada buys,” she says. “It’s not easy because we’re talking about massive changes to operations, how companies operate. We’re talking about pushing against biases, we’re talking about pushing against barriers that exist for women, and we’re talking about transparency in all of that, so that the business doesn’t happen around beers or at the golf course, but it happens with transparency, and women are included.”

The post Leadership, Innovation, Integrity – Opening Doors for Women in Business<p class="company">WBE Canada</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

With project experience ranging from mining sites to fertilizer and composting operations, warehouse and manufacturing facilities, retail stores, temporary housing, salt sheds, and more, Calhoun delivers engineered tension fabric structures solutions that meet the varied needs of businesses, public works professionals, and wholesalers across North America.

The company’s top-tier engineered fabric structures work for a host of industrial applications for more effective storage areas and production facilities while providing a stronger, longer-lasting structure that’s durable, energy-efficient, and easy to install. Additionally, because of the fabric’s natural light, clients immediately save on electricity bills compared to conventional steel or wood buildings.

Currently in its second generation of ownership, Calhoun Super Structure is a family-operated enterprise founded in 1992 and based in Canada under the direction of Jeremy Calhoun, the company’s President and CEO.

“Calhoun Super Structure began as Calhoun Agri Service Ltd. in Chesley, Ontario, founded by my father, Leonard Calhoun,” says Jeremy Calhoun. “The fabric structures were sold as hay covers to local farmers. As local farmers aged, they ran into difficulty pulling hay covers over the hay. Calhoun began building small, year-round structures up to 32 feet wide by 70 feet long and grew from there.”

After repeated requests for larger structures, Calhoun “really took off” in 2001 when it re-positioned itself as a manufacturing company that engineered custom fabric structures.

Calhoun Super Structure’s customer service is a vital part of its business and project execution. Through its customer-centric approach, the company is devoted to upholding its responsibilities and commitments in everything it does, and collaborates with all stakeholders to bring greater value to customers. Dedicated to providing satisfaction and peace of mind, Calhoun Super Structure challenges conventional thinking and takes pride in providing high-quality products and services to each client. This is particularly evident in the company’s approach to how the structures are designed and engineered.

The company’s engineers employ a rigorous, site-specific review process for every fabric structure Calhoun produces. Calhoun has demonstrated that a site-specific review is the only method to design an efficient and reliable fabric structure, so Calhoun engineers evaluate site pictures, satellite imagery, and terrain topography in relation to the orientation and location of each building to ensure that the correct building code parameters are applied. Calhoun goes well beyond the standard generally followed in tension fabric structures by using the most comprehensive analysis procedures in the industry.

Calhoun utilizes proprietary 3D Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis to simulate the behaviour of its structures. A nonlinear analysis is required to simulate the behaviour of tension-only bracing and deflections of the fabric membrane. Calhoun uses this advanced simulation to validate compliance with the relevant building code for each structure. Calhoun also uses the output of the simulation to provide accurate, detailed base reactions for the foundation designer.

Calhoun has developed its procedures over decades, in partnership with a team of industry expert designers and engineers. Finally, every Calhoun structure is reviewed by an independent, third-party engineer to ensure the impartiality of the design work.

“Calhoun’s own proprietary engineering methods set us apart from the competition and are our key competitive advantage,” says Dan Dalzell, Director of Sales & Operations. “We model the true behaviour of fabric relative to environmental factors using our unique 3D Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis. And our method produces the most reliable fabric structures to meet customers’ precise location requirements, resulting in a quicker return on investment and the longest-standing structure in the industry.”

Determined to maintain its position at the cutting edge of development and customer satisfaction, Calhoun’s new Compression Coupler Plus (CC+) Series was recently developed to provide even more cost-effective building solutions.

“Calhoun’s new Compression Coupler Plus (CC+) Series was built on similar principals to Calhoun’s popular Compression Coupler (CC) Series but engineered to take on larger widths and heavier loads in an economical manner,” says Dalzell.

Consisting of three profiles ranging from 80 to 100 feet wide and with different leg heights for applications where the adaptability of Calhoun’s VP Series isn’t required, this new line comes standard with 4-foot-deep trusses, 4-inch round chords, a classic rounded arch, hot-dipped galvanized steel frames, and 12 oz. high-density polyethylene keder-panel fabric cover.

“Optional 2- to 5-foot eave bunker covers and roof vent support systems can be added to the structure, and installed on I-beam legs, helical anchors, or various concrete mounts,” Dalzell adds. “The CC+ line is most suitable for customers looking for a robust yet cost-efficient option.”

In keeping with its commitment to ongoing expansion and innovation in the industry, Calhoun is also excited about the completion of sister company, Blue Mountain Covers’, new production facility in Dundalk, Ontario earlier this year.

“Blue Mountain Covers’ new facility has opened the doors to many possibilities,” says Sean Calhoun, owner of Blue Mountain Covers. “Our business has changed over recent years, with more covers being produced for larger-scale projects. Larger projects require larger covers which require more floor space.” The new facility allowed Blue Mountain Covers to increase its throughput by 25 percent in the first few months.

Blue Mountain Covers is also investing in a new cutting-edge machine that will support the company’s goal of producing covers three times faster while taking up less floor space, allowing the team to continue to produce standard and large covers simultaneously, improving throughput substantially.

“With the incredible gains in efficiency, the new machine will allow us to venture into different business sectors we might not have considered before,” Calhoun says. “We’re excited about how this will help grow the future of both Blue Mountain Covers and Calhoun Super Structure.”

This continued innovation and progression has been recognized within the industry as well. With impressive growth over the last three years, Calhoun continues to meet the demands of clients while serving a myriad of industries—from aviation to fertilizer.

“Since first being recognized in 2022 as one of Canada’s top growing companies, Calhoun has opened an additional 10,000-square-foot manufacturing plant to keep up with demand,” says Deanna Hope, Director of Marketing. “It’s an honour to be named as one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies by Report on Business magazine for the second year in a row. We’ve seen significant growth over the past few years, from our ever-growing dealer network to the expansion of our manufacturing plant. Calhoun earned its spot with three-year growth of 106 percent.”

To maintain this growth, the company is aiming to reach some other milestones shortly. “In the upcoming years, we aim to continue to improve the efficiency in our manufacturing, penetrate new industries, and expand our product base,” says Hope. The company also works hard to provide clients with additional value by offering flexible payment plans and a 25-year warranty on its elite fabric.

By listening to the needs of clients, establishing trust, offering superior customer service, and providing consistent quality in all products, Calhoun takes great pride in maintaining dedication to these principles.

The post Growth Driven by a Legacy of Quality and Service<p class="company">Calhoun Super Structure</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Having advanced a long way from its roots as a roofing company, this general contractor and project management firm has tradespeople who self-perform every job needed on most building projects in addition to providing specialty roofing. The company has a penchant for complex work and takes pride in successfully completing projects so challenging that other contractors typically avoid them.

“When you hire Mack Kirk, you hire a well-rounded general contractor. Mack Kirk is no longer a roofing company; we passed that years ago,” says Gino Laplante.

Beyond self-performing all trades and general contracting, the company also supplies customized sheet metal and all other roofing requirements. Laplante points out that, considering the complexities of seismic and safety codes, asbestos removal, and waterproofing installation, it is far more practical to have control over every process so that all aspects of the roofing project are done correctly and to industry standards to ensure the longevity of the buildings and roofs on which the company works. The company has also won several awards for Lower Mainland and all of BC.

Mack Kirk, based in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, has a track record of 115 years, having opened its doors in 1908. Although much has changed since then, the company’s current team of over 150 employees is as committed to delivering quality work as its predecessors, and customers have benefitted tremendously from Gino and Christina Laplante’s years of industry experience.

“We have achieved a great vision. We weren’t sure how to get there but just created our own path, and it became what Mack Kirk is today,” says Christina Laplante. The company now has multiple divisions including flat, sloped, parkade waterproofing replacement, metal roofing and wall cladding, coatings and PMMA, custom fabrication, new construction, and repairs and maintenance. Typical projects include hospitals, universities, multi-family complexes, parkades, commercial, and industrial buildings.

The company’s fleet includes pickups, flat decks, dump trucks, cranes, Genie lifts and manlifts, demolition machinery, specialized tools and equipment—plus everything else needed to complete projects. It even has a landscaping team. Its evolution was driven by necessity. Working alongside consultants, engineers, and architects to erect weather-resistant buildings meant taking control of all variables and adding to its services whatever trades were needed to complete a job. “We always learn from our last job. If you are not learning from your jobs, you are not evolving,” says Gino.

With thousands of projects under its belt, Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal offers a fully qualified team of tradespeople who fully grasp how each trade process fits into the other, leading to better orchestrated, quality projects where detail matters. “That makes the production, which is what we excel at, phenomenal. We’re a well-oiled production machine,” says Christina, quoting her husband, who is famous for reminding everyone that “In life you are only acknowledged for what you successfully complete.”

As well as giving the firm the ability to execute better quality control and tighter timelines, this self-performing system also makes it far easier to trace any issues back to their source and correct them. The emphasis placed on building healthy relationships between teams and with customers is of the utmost importance. Naturally, the team is also acutely aware of how its presence affects surrounding residents and stakeholders and goes out of its way to ease the process for everyone involved.

Owners of unique or older buildings turn to Mack Kirk’s team of experts to repair and waterproof older concrete-based buildings where cracks caused by rusty rebar can cause structural damage over time. Here, too, the company’s operational swiftness results in clients returning to business as usual much faster than when projects are undertaken with clumsy collaborations of teams unfamiliar with each other’s systems and processes. Another benefit is the cost savings from getting back to business faster. Since its implementation, the approach has served the firm well.

In 2020, of course, the pandemic happened. Following a brief moment of regrouping in the initial stages, and despite the uncertainty of what was to come ahead, the company demonstrated resilience and innovation to survive and thrive in the face of unprecedented challenges. As always, Christina put a team together and came up with solutions. The company made and provided everything it needed for its employees while ensuring production deadlines were met.

Mack Kirk once again demonstrated its long history of tenacity, and that tenacity is even more evident in its initiative to welcome unskilled and skilled workers from other parts of the world in the wake of Canada’s severe labour shortage. By further training these professionals in local practices and helping them hone their skills, the company has established a solid labour base in tune with its ethos.

The solution has enabled Mack Kirk to develop its footprint and capabilities. By making the effort to bridge language barriers and cultural differences, it has also proven that the risk is worth it. While having a great team is certainly a plus, for Christina and Gino, the gift is improving lives through meaningful, gainful employment, especially when families start reuniting.

After more than three decades in roofing and construction, Christina sees being a woman in construction “as an opportunity for a hardworking person who really enjoys and loves what they do and does it well. I am very grateful to be in it and truly enjoy it,” she says. “Of course, there is the gender difference, but I have always felt very respected within the industry. I believe women face obstacles at times that can be rectified by promoting a healthy culture of fairness and inclusivity. Women bring a unique perspective into the workplace and given the chance can make significant impacts and thrive in fields where they are underrepresented,” she continues, highlighting that for her, construction is a rewarding place of camaraderie and friendship.

Bursting with sincere enthusiasm for people and the industry, Christina’s contagious positivity could spark even the most jaded construction professional. The couple’s shared integrity and commitment to excellence is a rare combination. “I have never considered myself the boss; there has never been a day where it comes across like that,” says Gino, who takes care of operations in the field. “Having a partnership where the trust is endless and knowing that everything Christina does is for the best of the company—it’s not a job for her—it’s the best way to do it.”

He also points out that part of the company’s health can be ascribed to the couple’s roles as field and office leaders, respectively. In this way, the pair ensures consistency across all systems, leaving no job or relationship under-served. As a result of her hands-on approach to working in the industry, Christina Laplante was honoured to become the first female Member Director to serve on the Board of Directors of the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia.

“As an insider, I am not surprised at all,” says Gino. “It is incredible. She has given the Roofing Contractors Association of British Columbia 15 to 16 years of service. Christina earned her vote on merit. She currently also sits on the Educational Committee.” Christina appreciates the opportunity to help make a significant difference and is spurred by the change that the association can realize for the greater good of the entire industry.

Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal has changed ownership only four times in over 10 decades. Buying the company in 2003 when it was considerably smaller, the Laplantes are joined by their three kids as the family works side by side. “Our children have been working in the company for numerous years now and are very keen and interested in growing and taking on bigger roles. To be honest, we are very grateful for this industry that serves us well, both professionally and as a family. We are proud of raising three good humans who understand what hard work is. We come from humble beginnings and started from nothing. We want to make sure that the legacy we leave behind is solid,” says Christina.

Their children have had a long introduction into the industry, as their father became a roofer at 16 and has built on his expertise since then. “Gino is a force to be reckoned with. He is the hardest working and toughest human I have ever met or seen in my life! He is often still found on worksites and the employees look up to him and admire his unique ability to complete projects so efficiently and effectively,” says Christina.

In a move toward further establishing itself as self-sufficient, the company recently appointed a civil engineer and licensed builder. Having a “civil engineer on our team is groundbreaking,” says Gino. “The reason people stay is because they know there is no limit to how far they can develop. There is space to be successful.” As everybody here is cross-trained, no two days are the same, as the company’s multi-disciplinary approach allows for a much wider scope of work than most general contractors offer their staff.

The company also sees its relationship with the RCABC, its external consultants, and engineers as a genuine partnership without which it could not do what it does as well as it does—or at all, for that matter. “The engineers and consultants are the ones who are brought to the table by their customers, and then we are the one solution for them. We send out a big thanks to our engineers and consultants and industry members who support us,” Gino says of the relationships that enable Mack Kirk to complete more than 50 complex projects every year.

To be sure, taking care of its people is vital to the company’s longevity. An in-person annual review of employee satisfaction also considers people’s work goals and where they would like to go within the business. The result is that Mack Kirk’s ownership is well-informed on what is needed to keep its people engaged and happy at work. The team is also proactive about feedback from its people; these discussions are good indicators of what is needed on-site to help the company grow. By ensuring that everyone is in alignment, the team can turn complex projects around efficiently.

Based on the unshakeable decision to remain the personable, warm, and friendly family team that it has always been, Mack Kirk’s future is gleaming. A gargantuan new facility is on the horizon within the next couple of months, and the company is currently looking to hire a top business development leader to take care of its professional relationships full-time—but Gino and Christina are adamant that the company will not become another corporation. For them, the heart of the business is about bringing genuineness to the table.

“What makes us successful and has helped us grow to this point is that we have a very skilled and knowledgeable management and estimating team bringing the jobs in. In my humble opinion, I believe we have the best estimators in the industry. Not only are they skilled with their estimates but they are personable and caring. From the top down to our newest field workers, we are a phenomenal team,” says Christina with a smile, noting how much it means when employees bring their family and friends to join the company.

“Sometimes in this line of work you have to make tough decisions, but ultimately, I like to lead with my heart. When you put your heart into it, you know the outcome is for the right reasons,” she continues. After all, there are not all that many workplaces with a red couch and a smiling director with broad shoulders ready to listen to whatever personal challenges staff face. “When they come out of her office, they’re fixed,” says Gino.

To the Laplantes, giving staff members a supportive and dynamic workplace and having happy customers are imperative aspects of being indispensable in business. As such, ensuring that employees’ mental health is taken care of is essential to their management approach.

To the Laplante family and for Mack Kirk, giving back is part of the family and company’s core values. Gino, a cancer survivor, along with Christina and with the help of their family, friends, and industry members, have raised over 1.5 million dollars for the BC Cancer Agency for cancer research. Gino and Christina, philanthropists by nature, continue to support and have donated hundreds of thousands to various local charities and other causes including Red Cross, Covenant House, Children’s Hospital, and Salvation Army to name a few.

As the company slogan, “Between the World and the Weather since 1908” says, Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd has stood the test of time, showing it can endure and withstand challenges and changes. “As leaders in the industry for over a century, we anticipate further success and growth in the many years to come.”

The post Leading With Heart<p class="company">Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Whether customers need materials from Asia or beyond, this nimble and streamlined team of 14 people has access to everything necessary to keep North American manufacturing rolling, including active pharmaceutical ingredients fully certified under American and Canadian legislation.

Netchem’s strengths lie in its close relationships within the industry, its skill in conducting due diligence on behalf of its customers, its packaging requirements and paperwork knowledge, and ensuring that everything arrives according to plan while adhering to local laws. After over 30 years of lengthy negotiations and closing deals with foreign suppliers, the Netchem team knows the value in being what its customers need to keep their operations running smoothly without the hassle of navigating international procurement.

Netchem obtains silanes and silicones, plastic and electroplating additives, lubricant ingredients, flame retardants, personal care, and active pharmaceutical ingredients from manufacturers around the globe. Netchem handles all types of unique customer requirements including specific packaging, additional specifications, audit requirements, and country-of-origin requirements. “We sell ingredients that go into everything from your over-the-counter medications to your lawn chair,” says Stephanie Khurana, President. “Netchem aims to be the preferred supply chain partner to North American manufacturers of all sizes.”

The company also applies its thorough knowledge of port traffic to ensure that goods are routed efficiently to minimize time lost in overfull harbour situations where goods can be delayed.

In addition to its home in Brantford, Ontario, an hour away from Toronto, the company has warehouse facilities across North America as well as a dedicated business manager to serve clients in Latin America. The company is women-owned and proudly certified by Women Business Enterprises Canada (WBE Canada), which supports, promotes, and certifies women-owned companies by enabling better access to supply chains for women-owned businesses. Khurana also volunteers her time and knowledge to WBE Canada, which honoured her with a leadership award in acknowledgment of her impact. Khurana notes the importance of supplier diversity for providing meaningful, equal opportunity to people historically excluded from equitable access to work and business.

Khurana says, “being women-owned as well as immigrant-founded, we strongly believe in the importance of making sure everyone has a voice and a seat at the table, particularly those who traditionally haven’t had one. I am proud that many of our corporate clients have supplier diversity programs and initiatives and hope to see more mid-market businesses adopt similar programs in the future,” she adds, underlining this healthier direction toward fair business practices.

Stephanie’s father, the late Paul Khurana, was a chemical engineer who arrived in Canada in 1967 and later founded the company. Stephanie recently became a parent herself, and say that, rather than entirely changing her business outlook, motherhood has added to her passion for directing the firm responsibly, leading her to look at new ways to further improve how business is conducted in the industry. The Khuranas have developed a sixth sense for this business, which only makes sense as the early days lacked the technologies that make the world go ‘round today, like the internet.

Even so, it is a challenging trade. Having partners on the ground in other countries is critical and Netchem has spent decades building its relationships and reputation. Removing the risk and logistical headaches is, therefore, an undeniable value addition that makes big industry players turn to Netchem.

The company also supports its local community. Netchem runs an annual fundraiser for Feed Ontario and Food Bank Canada, through which it has raised around $20,000. These contributions had their roots in the hardships of COVID-19 when the vulnerabilities of working people became evident. Its most recent drive, at the end of last year, brought in more than $5,000, for which the team is equally proud and grateful.

The ecological challenges and dangers are not lost on Khurana, and being open about the realities of the industry is essential to solving its problems. In the meantime, she is committed to running her business well. “We are at the nexus of balancing commercial and environmental interests as manufacturers and manufacturing-adjacent businesses. This is actually a heavy topic because I don’t think that the industry is changing enough,” she says, pointing out that ‘greenwashing’ is quite prevalent.

Against this backdrop, Khurana is calling for change and is committed to doing what it takes to drive change within her organization. “Change to this industry requires both novel scientific innovations as well as government-led initiatives to improve clean energy infrastructure,” she says. The matter is serious. While buyers do try their best to make the optimal decision, price and geopolitics still largely drive decision-making.

From identified chemicals threatening salmon to big industry players legally manipulating legislation to their benefit at the cost of the environment, time is of the essence. To this end, Netchem is dedicating the following three years to taking a critical look at how it can further improve its own and its customers’ impact on nature. It has started this process through use of the Ecovadis platform. The platform, which is used by many of its clients, guides ecological responsibility through advisory and evaluation services. “It is good to have some sort of metric to start from. We follow its recommendations,” says Khurana.

Moving ahead, the company continues to search for solutions to the challenges of becoming more ecologically friendly. Helping its customers mitigate or even prevent environmental damage is Netchem Inc.’s primary aim for future development. “On the whole, people want to do it but they don’t know how. Nobody wants to feel like [they are] responsible for degrading the environment,” Khurana says.

She feels the company can leverage its buying power for good by ensuring its suppliers maintain best practices. One case in point: on a recent visit to Taiwan, Netchem was impressed by its Taiwanese suppliers going above and beyond to fulfill their environmental responsibility with measures like water salvaging and cleaning processes.

“The pursuit of the lowest cost has hurt overall supply chain elasticity and resiliency,” says Khurana, presenting an excellent example of international vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supply. While the company does not currently sell this material, there were, at one time, several fabricators around the world. When China severely undercut these companies by dropping its prices, they had to shut their doors. Today, China is the main exporter of many raw materials, including this essential nutrient, as described by Joe Gandelman for The Moderate Voice.

While this general situation continues, a positive aspect of doing business with China in terms of chemical supply is that the country takes chemical manufacturing seriously, with highly regulated chemical manufacturing parks being kept under close government watch.

Considering how much of the heavy lifting Netchem does for its clients, it soon becomes clear why its biggest customers consider this team an indispensable addition to their procurement operations. The company’s proactive approach to market changes has afforded it growth, further boosted by its move to strengthen customers’ supply chains. “Netchem helps businesses create resiliency by diversifying their supply chain,” Khurana says. “Our goal going into 2024 is to help ensure that our partners have a supply chain strategy that makes sense for the future.”

The post It’s All in the Chemistry<p class="company">Netchem</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Headed up by an all-female leadership team working from the Miami headquarters in Coconut Grove, Arquitectonica also has 11 offices in far-flung locations like Manila in the Philippines; Málaga in southern Spain; Paris, France; three offices in Latin America; and others in New York and Palm Springs. With such a wide reach its design scope is not only sophisticated but also well-informed and in touch with the zeitgeist. At home in a modern 15,000-square-foot building, where it opened its doors in 2005, designers take the firm’s ethos of creating resilient design seriously, and it shows. As such, ArquitectonicaSTUDIO is synonymous with sustainability and innovative design.

Supported by ArquitectonicaGEO and ArquitectonicaINTERIORS, this forward-thinking team is known for seeking out challenging, out-of-the-ordinary projects often overlooked by other designers. The result is an overall reputation for lateral thinking and excellence, and these two attributes have afforded Arquitectonica an impressive selection of awards. Laurinda Spear—American architecture laureate, landscape architect, founder, and principal of ArquitectonicaGEO, ArquitectonicaINTERIORS, and ArquitectonicaSTUDIO—is as much a mentor as she is a leader. Perhaps best known for the design of Miami Beach’s Ballet Valet parking garage, lusciously decked in natural greenery on the corner of Collins and 7^th, Spear’s visionary design of this repurposed legacy building features beautiful art deco design. Thanks to her, Miami has a proud, well-designed landmark that dazzles passersby with a purpose-specific selection of plants that mirror the waves beyond, offering a visual respite from the predominantly concrete-laden central business district.

Placing Spear amongst the region’s top architects, the building also served as a muse for Miami’s Perez Art Museum, designed by Herzog & de Meuron. While genuine humility is one of Spear’s greatest attributes, she is, without a doubt, a respected pioneer for women in Miami’s architectural landscape. ArquitectonicaSTUDIO’s boutique-style projects typically focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, demanding the gamut of dually informed architectural, interior, and landscape design. “It’s typically not the classical type of architecture project that we go after; we are exploring other types of architecture that people tend to forget about that need attention as well,” says Juliana Touma, recently appointed Director.

As a woman in architecture, Touma considers herself fortunate to work in the Miami market, where women are well-represented in the industry. “In other parts of the U.S., you don’t find as many women. I feel very equal being within the Miami market. I don’t feel the same challenges as someone would, say 30 or 40 years ago,” she says of a profession where women generally also equal men in number on South Florida’s university campuses.

Due to its diversity, the company blends creativity and expertise into a design service that welcomes the future while leaving no stone unturned in delivering human-friendly spaces that work. This expert approach has led ArquitectonicaSTUDIO to develop a penchant for unusual projects like small-scale schools, animal shelters, and other unexpected spaces equally deserving of avant-garde design.

Since the team looks for projects where few others of its caliber care to do so, its project owners benefit from designs that not only stand the test of the elements and time but that come with modernity. “There are some really creative projects that we are looking at that people don’t even realize are out there,” Touma adds.

One such project is The Port in Port Saint Lucie. Aimed at providing quality family entertainment in Westmorland Park, The Port reimagines a formerly forgotten space by bringing five individual structures together in a single footprint, offering a selection of dining options complete with a waterfront amphitheater and a riverside mangrove boardwalk leading to play areas for children and botanical gardens.

On trend as a matter of course, the team applies technology in surprising ways. One novel way it uses artificial intelligence (AI), for instance, is by generating mood boards. Another example is reimagining buildings like an original single-story historic home currently being renovated. The process started by allowing AI to render two- and three-story images of the building.

“We are using AI to see how we can keep the historical language of the one-story home and how that would transfer into the current zoning code of a three-story structure [featuring] new materials,” Touma explains. She notes that clients and the team find the approach fun and exciting. And, while architects continue to treasure their large hardcopy architectural book collections, online resources like Pinterest, Instagram, and the like are additional creativity prompts often used in the field.

Being an integral part of the greater Arquitectonica group gives ArquitectonicaSTUDIO access to a vast human cache of knowledge and expertise. The company is a certified member of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and registered with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. With sustainability driving ideas in a big way, every morning sees the team gather to pool thoughts on improving performance. That means the team is always ready to hatch new solutions to big problems, like how to reduce single-use plastics across airports.

In return, employees do more than just benefit from the opportunity to implement great ideas. Staff keen on professional development also get to travel to the company’s foreign locations to build experience and share notes with their colleagues abroad.

“We can always call on an office to help us. We have at our disposal a worldwide system of offices,” says Spear. As its global meetings are attended by professionals from 13 offices, the opportunity to learn from and share with others is an exciting one.

A recent collaboration between the offices resulted in a powerful, five-week business strategy development initiative in which people discussed each location’s current market trends and the skills available in-house at every office. “In my experience, when you have different offices, they tend to all be independent, but here, it’s as if COVID had never happened and that was what they were always doing,” says Touma of the Zoom meetings.

That generosity of spirit is visible in other areas of the business, too. The Miami office assists the United Way of Miami to ensure that the community of Coconut Grove also benefits from its successes.

As the role of AI and software continues to grow, its presence in design continues to expand, especially as new graduates enter the workforce. Arquitectonica wholeheartedly embraces this industry change, ensuring it stays in step with the times. As it expands its capabilities, the nimble on-trend creative team continues making its mark on the Miami landscape and far beyond.

The post Innovation by Design<p class="company">ArquitectonicaSTUDIO</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.