How time flies! Guess what everyone? Today’s column celebrates my 16th year as a business columnist with the Kelowna Capital News. And, I’m still here!
Thanks to all of you, our readers, friends, colleagues and clients for supporting the newspaper, this column and me. Your loyalty and continued support and encouragement have made our success. Thanks for all the leads, faxes, e-mails, phone calls, letters, Facebook and LinkedIn messages, referrals, stops on the street and visits to the Ramada Hotel (where I hang my hat). Keep them coming. I appreciate everything, especially all of you taking me into your confidence each week. I certainly could not have made this great milestone without your help.
Darren Mohl is the owner/operator of new business, Kelowna E Ride at 901 Ellis St. (at Bay Avenue), which specializes in personal electric transport products. E is for electric and Kelowna E Ride focuses on sales, service and rentals of personal electric transportation products like E Bikes, E Scooters, E Mobility for Adults and E toys for kids. E Ride features cool modes of electric transport from brands of A2B, Daymak, E Flow, Hi Power Cycle, I Zip, Ohm, Stealth, Stromer and Velec. They have a good supply of batteries, parts and offer services to keep you going further and faster with more fun. They have bike rentals of regular pedal bikes and E bikes are available including rentals with fenders for rainy days. The company features Raleigh brand bikes and E Bikes are available in their “try before you buy” E Ride Experience Center. March is the grand opening month so stop in and check out the specials. Open Monday to Saturday now, and in the summer months will be open seven days a week. Call 250-717-7124 www.kelownaeride.com.
The accounting firm of Sanderson & Company LLP (Todd and Alan Sanderson) have joined the firm of BDO Canada LLP as partners. This addition will not only help BDO grow, but will also open up additional services to the clients of the Sanderson’s. The office, along with the Sanderson’s now have eight partners and about 80 professional and other staff, including Ken Carmichael (partner); Kenneth Davidson (partner); Marc Faubert (partner); Ken Ficocelli (managing partner); Mike Gilmore (Partner); Darryl Loewen (associate); Bruce Plaxton (senior manager) and Len Vandenberg (partner).They have just recently relocated to 400-1631 Dickson Avenue in Landmark VI (formerly in Landmark III and IV). Call 250-763-6700.
Bill Wightman, former winery concierge, has been promoted and is now the new hospitality director at Quails’ Gate Winery at 3303 Boucherie Rd. in West Kelowna. Roger Sleiman is the new catering director and winery chef. Call 250-769-4451 (249) or bwightman@quailsgate.com.
Tara Schwartz is the new owner of Metallic Salon, formerly Scruples Hair Salon at 1566 Pandosy St. The salon has been completely renovated and has an eclectic, but classy feel with a funky vibe. Tara has been in the industry for 18 years and is a former educator for Pravana and is presently an educator for No Inhibition which are both carried in the salon. She also was with Front Hair on Ellis Street. Metallic has four stylists along with Tara who are Lynn Weiser, Kathleen Corneille, Ryll Lipsett and of course, Emilio Padula (former owner/operator of Scruples). Jill Tulloch is their esthetician. Call 250-861-3848.
Tirecraft Kelowna at 6 – 1952 Spall Rd., has won the prestigious Western Canada Dealer of Excellence Award, beating out over 100 other dealers. Owned and operated by brothers Randy and Al Miedema, Kelowna Tirecraft is one of the original Tirecraft stores started in 1973.They offer a full line of brand name tires for cars and light trucks from top manufacturers, custom wheels, winter rims and accessories. They also have licensed mechanics that perform many automotive services like brakes, wheel alignments, battery replacement and seasonal maintenance, along with tires and service for commercial trucks. Call 250-860-3993.
Allan Koebel of Kent-MacPherson at 304-1708 Dolphin Ave., has achieved his AACI, P.App. designation as an accredited appraiser by the Appraisal Institute of Canada. Allan joined their firm as a research analyst in 2011 and has been involved in a variety of commercial and industrial real estate appraisal and consulting assignments with a focus of First Nations work. Call 250-763-2236.
TELUS has purchased Kelowna-based electronic medical records company Med Access. TELUS has a subsidiary (TELUS Health) that has over 10,000 doctors across Canada using its electronic medical records platform. The new Med Access acquisition will add 2,000 more doctors to the network. They will continue to operate Med Access out of Kelowna. Paul Walker is the president of Med Access.
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has a new board for 2014/2015. Congratulations to new president Curtis Darmohray of Pushor Mitchell LLP. Directors are Ken Carmichael, vice-president (BDO); Dr. Ian Stuart, vice-president (UBC Faculty of Management); Peter Angle, vice-president (Bell Media); Dave Bond, past president (KPMG LLP); Tom Dyas (TD Benefits); Ben Pidskalny (SW Audio Visual); Gladys Fraser (Scotiabank); Jeff Robinson (Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP); Andrew Gaucher, (Green Solutions); Carmen Sparg (Total Office); Donna Markin (Orchard Pak Shopping Centre); Sherri Chapman (Platinum Personnel); Freedom Bannerholt (JDS Energy & Mining) and Martine Hickman (BDC). Caroline Grover is the CEO of the Chamber.
USTI Canada Inc., a division of United Systems Technology Inc, a subsidiary of local company StarDyne Technologies Inc., has acquired the municipal software business of Keystone Computer Resources, a provider of software solutions to local governments. This acquisition expands USTI Canada’s market presence in Ontario and provides local government software and service to 65 customers in this market. Keystone specializes in software solutions for municipal government including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, animal licensing, building department, by-law index, call manger, cash receipts, cemetery manage, facility scheduler, lottery licensing, meter billing, performance monitor, recreations program registration, tax billing and receivables, vital statistics, voter notification and waste management. Brad Imrich is the CFO and VP Finance of StarDyne Technologies Inc.
Ralph Morrison is a Kelowna local and the author of his true story: The Fear Inside, a brief (73 page) personal disclosure of being bullied and abused by his peers and how keeping that secret affected his life from age seven to the present day. The book is appropriate for young readers of age 12 or so and up to adults of all ages. Starting at the end of this month, Ralph will be travelling to the East Coast of Canada, specifically St. John’s, Newfoundland, where he will begin his cross-country journey, speaking about how bullying can stay with you and affect you in ways you cannot imagine if not stopped now. The Canadian campaign of The Ralph Morrison Project will end in Victoria, no later than September, 2014. It is his mission to be a global catalyst for change toward making bullying unacceptable in our society. Proceeds raised will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Canada and the London Drugs S. W. A. G. Campaign. There are several options to support Ralph, whether big or small. To purchase the book go to www.ralphswritings.com/contact-info-html; or to make a donation by way of email transfer go to TheRalphMorrisonProject@gmail.com or through any Canada Trust: Transit #02040 Account #5236152 or call him at 250-575-5636 or ralphmorrison_@hotmail.com.
The Kelowna Garden Club meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church on Lakeshore Road. This year’s president is Doreen Morash, with vice-president Dorothy Robison, secretary Mary Wegner and Lynda Macdonald as treasurer. For the first time this year, the Kelowna Master Gardeners will be involved in mentoring any new gardeners or people wanting advice at the monthly meetings. The club’s first plant sale is on April 26 at Guisichan Gardens and in July they organize a Juried Flower Show. There are also monthly speakers who give an educational component to the meetings, along with excursions and tours organized throughout the gardening months. If you are interested in gardening, attend one of their monthly meetings. For more info call Doreen at 250-868-2753 or doramor@hotmail.com.
Activator Methods International announced that Dr. Wayne Terai has maintained an Advanced Proficiency Rating in the Activator Method Chiropractic Technique for over 17 consecutive years. This designation also placed Dr. Terai in an elite class of chiropractic doctors who are expertly trained in one of the world’s number-one instrument adjusting technique. In order to receive this rating, a doctor must attend an Intermediate Level Activator seminar and successfully complete written and practical examinations. The rating is valid for one year and the doctor must continue his training annually to maintain the status. Dr. Terai has been practicing the method at Burtch Chiropractic for 19 years and specializes in treating patients with this gentle, low-force technique that is proven through clinical trials to provide relief for numerous ailments. Call 250-860-4518.
Arby’s Restaurants across the country raised a record-breaking $90,608 in just six weeks in their efforts to end hunger across Canada with their first-ever partnership with Food Banks Canada. Usage of food banks in Canada remains near record levels despite the end of the recession. Every month almost 850,000 Canadians—37 per cent of whom are children—depend on a food bank to meet life’s basis needs. Arby’s Pantry Project encouraged customers to donate $1 to show their support and Arby’s also participated in two benefit days where 15 per cent of restaurant sales went towards Food Banks Canada. The funds raised for Food Banks Canada will be directed to support national food bank initiatives and the local participating food banks. Rob Belanger is the manager of Arby’s on Harvey Avenue.
Civil and environmental engineer Rehan Sadiq has been named Researcher of the Year at UBC’s Celebrate Research Awards. His study is in the area of drinking water quality modelling, environmental risk assessment and decision-making and asset management of civil infrastructure systems.
Okanagan College is sending a team of its best and brightest students to compete in the Enactus National Exhibition in Calgary after earning honours in two categories in the regional competition. The student run organization finished first in the Capital One Financial Literacy Education Challenge and the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge. A third team from the college was named first runner-up in the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge. Members of the gold medal Capital One Financial team, all from Kelowna, are Karen Vandergaag, Jen Crookes, Kyle Aboott, Ivan Gonzales and Scott Harvey. The gold medalists on the Scotiabank EcoLiving team are Evan Dizak, Rob Larkin, Darren Gillespie and Minami Endo, all from Kelowna and Casandra Lum from Penticton. The TD Entrepreneurship Challenge team that won silver are Michelle Johnson, Tom Arrowsmith and Ben Heggie from Kelowna and Nikki Wiebe and Morgan Lackhart from Vernon.
During the month of March, visit any Mon Thong Restaurant for lunch or dinner and support the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers. Simply order from the special menu and a point of your meal will be donated to Crime Stoppers. Visit any of the three locations at 1573 Ellis St., 1876 Cooper Rd. or B1-1620 Dickson Ave.
The Kelowna Canadian Italian Club Dinner is Saturday, March 15th at their clubhouse at 770 Lawrence Avenue. At 5:30 p.m. Tickets $20, www.KelownaItalianClub.com or call Joe at 250-878-3619.
Birthdays of the week—Lise Sinclair (March 13); Marietta Lightbody (March 13); Christine Romanow (March 14); George Apostolidis (March 14); Shaida Langley (March 15); Pat Walls (March 17); Bruce Wilson (March 18); John Clarke (March 18); Garry Benson, Benson Law (March 19); Ian Macdonald (March 19); Joe Iafrancesco (March 19); Lorraine Richmond (March 20).
