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Rebecca LooProfile

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Proof__1_________PROOFED BY:_______________________________________________CHANGES MADE:__________________________DATE:_________________

EDMONTONIANS SEPTEMBER 2008

hat was to have been a 60thbirthday celebration for HowardPechet turned into a sad day. Familypatriarch Eugene Pechet

passed away Saturday, August23 rd at his home in Edmonton.He was 91. I’ll call him Genebecause that’s how I knew him.I used to frequent his CoronaHotel beer parlor, although Ididn’t drink the stuff—still don’t.My “usual” was tomato juice. AsI recall, Gene complained, “Ican’t make any money on you.”

Gentleman Gene was one ofthe most prolific hoteliers inAlberta, developing upwards of 25establishments. Hotels were justpart of his success; he was equallyastute in real estate and finance…seeing the future long before it got here. I’m referring toStage West at the Mayfield Inn which was the firstentertainment venue of its kind in these parts, and his roleas founder of the Canadian Western Bank.

As mentioned in last month’s column, Gene was the firstof three generations of Pechets to take a leadership role inhotel and real estate development. His son Howard andnow the grandchildren will carry on the legacy of this ratherextraordinary man.

All of us at the Edmontonians extend our deepestsympathy to the family.

There’s more than coyotes howling at theVictoria Golf Course. There’s a bunch of excited inventorswho either work at the golf course or are good atmarketing. Kevin Hogan had the idea for a musclememory training device for putting. Matteo “Matty”Piscopo made the original rough copy and then they turnedit over to Joe Forest of Glass Wood Ltd. who did the finaldesign and initial marketing. The first 300 sold quickly. Thefolks who hang around the putting green swear by thecorrected repetitive stroke. Some claimed they sank 50putts in a row, but they didn’t say from how far. Could be agame breaker... and a great gift idea. There’s even a pinkputter for the ladies.

I spent some time with Graham Hicks fromThe Sun and his sister Deborah who was here from Italy.She’s retiring from the UN where she had been in charge offood distribution to Third World countries for many years. Iasked what it was like being in front of crowds of hungry,starving people. She said that most, no matter howdesperate, are orderly—with the exceptions of the Somaliswho can be quite scary.

Graham gets loads of invitations to events so Deborahsaw much of Edmonton… and had more fun than sheshould have. A very charming lady.

My dear friend and fellow columnistBruce Hogle received the Imperial Potentate’sAward of Merit at the annual meeting of the Shriners,held in St. Louis in July. He is only the fourthCanadian Shriner to achieve this honour and the firstfrom the Prairie Provinces.

Bruce didn’t know he was getting the award. TheShriners “worked through Gail to ensure I was thereon the pretext of giving my final report to the Shrine

Imperial public relationscommittee. I’ve been acommittee member for thepast 16 years and, as I wasstepping down, they also mademe an emeritus member of thatcommittee.” It was Bruce whospearheaded Operation RedCoat/Red Fez, a program thatpartnered Shriners withAlberta’s RCMP to promote theservices of Shriners Hospitals inrural, isolated areas.

“It was truly a shock and nice surprise,” says the humblebut illustrious Sir Bruce, as he is known in those circles.Hmmm… I guess I should treat him with more respect.

Some of our younger readers won’t rememberthe “Pink Lady” or her shop next door to the Rialto Theatreon 101st Street north of Jasper Avenue. They won’t evenremember the Rialto. Anyway, Michael Mandryk was avery close friend of Helen Sinclair who always wore pinkno matter the season. She owned Coopers of Hollywood, ajewelry store filled with designer bling that was way aheadof its time. Helen was so successful she was able to retirewith her husband Harold to a home on Diamond HeadRoad in Hawaii. She lived there, according to Michael, “incomfortable luxury” until her passing about a month ago.The one-time owner of Michael’s—the best flowere shop intown—visited the Pink Lady many times over the years.He now hangs his hat at Tim Horton’s across from GrantMacEwan College on 104th Avenue.

OOPS!... my illustrious editor asked me toconvey her apologies to Adrianna Davies who was frontand centre in the Doors Open feature at the Prince of WalesArmouries, not at Campus Saint Jean in the French Quarter.And, we will never spell Davies without an “e” again. Thatsaid, the Doors Open Festival was a success and next yearwill be even better as more building owners becomeinvolved.

Our congratulations to Myron Belej who wins dinner fortwo at Ric’s Grill for correctly identifying 10 of the doorsthat opened to the public during the festival. His entry wasthe first received at 12:43pm on Sunday, August 10th. Thedoors opened to: 1. Ansgar Lutheran Church 2. BirksBuilding 3. Maclean Block/Audrey’s Bookstore 4. MasonicHall 5. St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral6. McKay Building/Blue Plate Diner 7. Metals LimitedBuilding/Ric’s Grill 8. Sacred Heart Church of the FirstPeoples 9. Phillips Building/Lofts 10. Anglican Parish ofChrist Church. Thanks to everyone who entered.

I will probably never stop defending theexistence of the City Centre Airport. I understand itsfate is going to be debated by city council again.

I shudder to think of the area being home to 37,000citizens as has been suggested. And I question thenumbers that are being touted regarding the value ofthe land and the tax revenues that would be gainedthrough re-development. Nowhere have I seenestimates of what it would cost to repurpose the land.

A short history lesson, if I may: The airport has beenopen for more than 75 years and has a rich history…including the heroics and antics of some pretty famous“bush pilots”. More importantly is its role in WorldWar II. Edmonton was a major staging point foraircraft going overseas and up the Alaskan Highway. Itwas a hub of activity and industry. One old-timer toldme that, on a typical day, planes would be lined up oneach side of the field—three rows across and about oneto two blocks long. Pretty impressive, eh?

Now the downside of all this glory is that the aircraftwere serviced on the field—much of it a dirt runway.Fuel was drained from barrels… and there was a lot ofspillage. For decades, there were fuel tanks by all thehangars and people just pumped the gas themselves…and there was a lot of spillage. It wasn’t a hugeconcern then. It should be now. The level ofcontamination under the tarmac is immeasurable andunknown. Even I know there are buried commercialfuel tanks at City Centre, like the ones at theabandoned ESSO station on Whyte Avenue and fourothers locations.

I’ve asked a number of engineers aboutreclaiming the land. The guesses range to hundredsof millions. Who has that kind of money?Taxpayers? It’s time for city council to let sleepingdogs and contaminated soil lie. Leave City Centrealone. Don’t cripple our future.

I hope the downtown airport is still there long afterI’m gone. √

Call Muggsy Forbes at 780.482.4545 or e-mail [email protected]

WWwith Muggsy, Marty & Mark

Bruce Hogle

Eugene Pechet

EDMONTONIANS SEPTEMBER 2008 3


oy, you’re going to need a program…to follow all the morning show changes in theEdmonton broadcast market during the past fewweeks.

Never in the history of Edmonton radio—or any NorthAmerican market I’ve ever heard about—have therebeen this many changes on one shift at one time aswe’re going to see and hear this fall.

There are new personnel on at least five Edmontonmorning shows that will debut in some form oranother during the fall Bureau of BroadcastMeasurement (BBM) period this month.

Let’s run through the changes fromthe left side of the dial to theright: Talented Rhubard Joneswill have a new co-host, yet to beannounced, on Joe FM, given thedeparture of sidekick Audie Lyndsover the summer.

Capital FM is reuniting the wellknown morning team Rob Christieand the aforementioned Audie—pastwinners of International RadioAwards when they worked togetherat CHED and Power 92 a dozenyears ago.

Terry Evans on K-97 (formerly K-Rock) has a new co-host in Phil Aubrey… while Karen Kay moves back tothe CFCW newsroom and Melissa Wright returns to herformer daytime shift at the station.

Magic 99—Edmonton’s “smooth jazz”station—signed Shannon Tyler to holddown mornings with Duncan Patterson.Shannon is no stranger to the early shift,having done time at Big Earl FM, CISNFM and Global Edmonton. PD/ND/GMKurt Leavens takes on news andinformation.

EZ Rock 104.9 welcomes one ofEdmonton’s most recognizable televisionfaces back to radio as Seanna Collins joins ShaneMichaels and Cheryl Brooks on the wake-up show. Abouta decade a go, Seanna also spent time on CHED, Power92, K-97 and K-Lite. She will continue to host and produceOut There on Global Edmonton, and to operate her ownbusiness.

Remaining intact are morningmen/women Paul Brown and GordWhitehead on CHED… Bryn and Jakeon Team 1260… Yukon Jack and GillianFoote at The Bear… Pepper and Dylan atThe Bounce… Garner Andrews at SonicFM… Sharon Mallon and the tirelessDanny Hooper on CFCW… and BruceBowie and Shawn Evens on CISN FM…with Jennifer Martin still covering amaternity leave on the country station.

Out-and-about in River City… I ran into somewell known radio and television personalities. CKUA‘sTerry David Mulligan was in for the Folk Festival and wecaught up with a nice chat over lattés at Second Cup. Terrynow lives in the Okanagan and his new radio show TheTasting Room has been placed in several markets across thecountry in the past few months. The show features newsand information about the wine biz, and TDM’s specialguests include the who’s who of television and movies.

CTV‘s Graham Neil and former Bachelor participantJennie Adams—and a 2006 Edmontonians’ Sizzler—letme butt into their conversation… where I heard that Jennie

is in the final three being considered to host a CITYTV national talk show called CITY LINE. Goodluck, Jen.

Off the radio beat for a minute… TheDavid Foster Foundation will hold a massivefundraising event mid-month in Edmonton.

As I mentioned inApril, this galastarted in Victoriaseveral years ago,and has grown into asimply massivesocial and publicservice event thathelps raise a hugeamount of money

that goes toward a very good cause. It’s an evening filledwith surprises… including who the headliner is.

Tickets are scarce, pricey and sold by the table. So unlessyou’re included in a corporate buy, you’re out of luck. Idon’t have an invite yet… my plan is to sneak in the backdoor dressed as a waiter. The gala will be one of the city’smost talked-about events ever… especially given ourreputation as one of the most community supportive citiesin the entire nation.

Finally, I guess the final change in Edmontonradio is… well… me. After 38 years of working at thebiggest and best stations in Canada, I’m calling it a day atthe end of the year.

The plan is to spend half the year in Phoenix, and halfhere—guess which half? I’ll still be involved with AstralMedia Radio GP as a consultant. But, it’s time to sit backand enjoy some time riding my motorcycle through theDeep South.

It’s been a slice. √

Marty Forbes is VP and general manager of The Bear,EZRock and The TEAM 1260 Sports Radio. [email protected]

BB

olk Fest Virgin… My best buddy Rod Wererolled into Edmontonto catch the TomPetty/Steve Winwood

concert at the Edmonton FolkMusic Festival. By the way, thePetty/Winwood show was one ofthe best to hit this city in 10 years.I suggested Rod might want tocome early to take in some of theother performers. Rod, a memberof The Blue Montegos, is asinger/songwriter and a majormusic fan. He and I have traveled all over—the Gorge tosee Steely Dan, Reno to see The Who, and the PuyallupState Fair to see the Allman Brothers to name but few ofour musical journeys. I have been yammering on about theEFMF to RW for years and he finally made it, camera inhand. So I thought it would be great to have a Folk FestVirgin point of view for my column.

During our debrief/beers, here is what Rod observed.Overall: “The Folk Fest was outstanding… above allexpectations. I was impressed with how diverse it was withsuch a great vibe …an amazing setting and amazingselection of bands. Thousands of people all getting along,no trouble, no ill will. You could tell all kinds of planningand thought went into every aspect ofthe event from how they served thefood, how they dealt with recyclables,how they dealt with the bands andhow they laid out the site. This was adown-to-earth and community-feelevent.”

On the performers: “JerryDouglas was outstanding. He had akiller band. Man, he is the bestdobro player in the world. Thegospel session Sunday was great.Sister Agnes Brown was someoneI knew nothing about and to seethe Queen of Alberta gospel and soul was a realpleasure….to me, she was like a Canadian Mavis Staples.She was a fireball of emotion and soul…. off the charts. On

the main stage I like JoanOsborne—she cooked.As well, I enjoyedBuckwheat Zydeco.

In closing: “I saw anevent that this communityshould be proud of, it wassoulful and fun withoutbeing pretentious. One ofthe best music events Ihave been to thus far.”Rod is a virgin no more.

One last thing on theFolk Fest: a big “hello” tosuper volunteer Valda

Roberts. You’ve most likely seenher during the past 21 years. I raninto her in the beer garden whereshe sold me a raffle ticket. I askedher why she has been involved forso many years. She smiled at meand said, “I get to dance anywhereI want to while I working,sweetie.” Good on ya, Valda.

In my mind, fall golf is the best. So Ihave a charity tourney for you to get in on—agreat cause and a great course. The 3rd annual Habitat forHumanity Golf Tournament will go down at the BelvedereGolf and Country Club on September 10th. It is an earlyshotgun start at 9 am. The mission of Habitat for Humanityis “to mobilize volunteers and community partners inbuilding affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty.”Why not be part of that mission? Contact: Ha Van @ 780-479-3566 ext. 246 or [email protected]

Employees step up… I had the pleasure of hostingthe first Telus Celebration of Giving in Westbury Theatre at

the TransAlta Arts Barns last month. Dr. BobWestbury—yes, the theatre named after him—headed up the night. Telus divvied up over$780,000 to various charities: Alberta DiabetesFoundation, Bissell Centre, Hope Mission, PilgrimsHospice Society, Youth Emergency Shelter Societyand the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The night had a Fringe-like atmosphere with anultra lounge/elegant vibe. The entertainment wasfirst class. The Pantoloonatics did their comedicmime show, Firefly Theatre performed an aerialsilks act, and the Vibe Tribe drummed and bellydanced. I also have to mention Stewart Brudet whoplayed the town crier. He cried out the beginning of

each segment of giving. Made me think about growing upin Halifax where there was a town crier on staff with the

city. Does Edmonton have a traditional town crier? If not,we need one.

Moooving along… the Telus Celebration of Givingmeans huge cash for the community, given out with classand style. But what really makes the evening special is thathalf of the total is raised by the employees of Telus. Ifyou’re one of them and you’re reading this, good on you.

Back of the Pack Gang… Fellow Doughboy andgreat friend Nick Lees of the Edmonton Journal called mea few days before the ING Marathon. “Mark, the marathonorganizers put out the call for volunteers for this Sunday’srun. I want to get the gang together to man an aid station.You in?” Of course I was.

The Back of the PackGang is a fine group ofpeople who have joined Nickto run 42.2km for manycharities. They have worntutus, carried ladders,pushed an oil derrick, anddone many other spiritedthings. I myself joined thegang in the early 2000salong with Stephen Antleand Bruce Bowie to form

the Doughboys with Nick. We helpedraise more than $250,000 for the Salvation Army byrunning the Ottawa and Edmonton marathons, and holdingvarious events like the 3 Doughboys Balls. There has beentalk of another ball—I’ll let you know.

On race day, Back of the Packers Yardley Jones, CaroleCollinge, Bernice Aebly, Bill Preshing, Bill Preshing Jr.,Harry Buddle, David Velting, Gary Johnson and JohnMcGee handed out water, Gatorade and popsicles to hotrunners at the aid station. There is talk of upping the gamenext year. We have been kicking around the idea of a liveband, massage tables, water hoses, go-go dancers… whoknows what all?

Another plus of the ING Marathon was that Nick and thegang collected over $1700 for the Salvation Army. Thanksto Denis Davey who ran a PB that day, John McGee,Roald Enokson, Harmeet Kapur of The New AsianVillage, Shauna Conroy-Rossall, Torske Klubben, TheSourdough Raft Race gang, Jack Bawden, Joan Rossall,Pat Sair, Doug Bychyk of Doug’s Place Collision, EileenJang, Sam Abouhassan, Jim Scott of Scott Law, ValRendell and Lorena Sutherland for your help anddonations. If I missed you, I am sorry. I will get you nexttime. √

Mark Scholz, owner of MES Communications Inc. offers avariety of services including production, creative andentertainment. For more information or to suggest a storyidea, email [email protected]

FF Rod Were

Gary Johnson & Nick Lees

Agnes Brown

Shannon Tyler

Rob Christie

Pepper & Dylan

Valda Roberts

Celine Dion& David Foster

4



FOUNDERDICK MacLEAN

SEPTEMBER 2008Vol. XIX

Published by 399620 Alberta Ltd. on the first day of eachmonth at C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th StreetEdmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8. ©All rights reserved. Nopart of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced inany form without written permission from the publisher.

Manuscripts: must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Edmontonians is not responsible forunsolicited manuscripts.

All stories Copyright ©Edmontonians

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40023292Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Circulation DepartmentC-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th StreetEdmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8Email: [email protected]

SHARON MacLEANPublisher and Advertising Director

Telephone: 780.482.7000Fax: 780.488.9317

e-mail: [email protected]

INSIDEVOX POPMuggsy Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Marty Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Mark Scholz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

INNOVATIONwith Cheryl Croucher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

2008 SIZZLING 20 UNDER 30Introduction/Deters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Profiler Laura Underwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Sizzler Profiles/Underwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-20

BARB DETERSEditor

[email protected]

COLUMNISTSLinda Banister

John BerryLinda Bodo

Marty ForbesMuggsy Forbes

Bruce HogleRyan JespersonDavid Norwood

Erin RaynerMark Scholz

Nizar J. Somji

FEATURE WRITERSBarb DetersRick Lauber

Peter Drake McHughMarg. Pullishy

Laura Underwood

PHOTOGRAPHERSTerry Bourque

Janis DowTracy Kolenchuk

SPECIAL PROJECTSEdmontonians Transformers

Tom BradshawLes Brost

Steffany HanlenLarry Ohlhauser

GRAPHIC PRODUCTIONRage Studios Inc.

THIS MONTH’S COVER

Sizzler Rebecca LooPhoto by Tracy Kolenchuk

No. 9

1919YEARS

C E L E B R A T I N G NNOVATIONwith Cheryl CroucherI

It’s been many years since any nuclear power plantshave been built in North America. The memories of Three Mile andChernobyl linger in the minds of many.

But proponents of using nuclear energy to provide power foroilsands production are pinning their hopes on a new generation ofnuclear technology, Generation 4.

Dr. Bill Rogers is with the Idaho National Laboratory, anAmerican agency which specializes in nuclear research. Here’s hisquick explanation of what makes Generation 4 different.

“These will be modular systems. They won’t be water cooled,they’ll be gas cooled. They’ll operate at very high temperatures. Theyhave a fuel that never comes in contact with the coolant. They’reinherently safe. They’re built underground. And, if you have the worstpossible accident scenario, which is you lose all of your coolant andthe temperature starts to rise… you just walk away from them andthey heal themselves. And you can go back in and turn them on onceyou’ve fixed the leak or whatever the problem is.”

Dr. Rogers and his Idaho reserachers will be helping scientists atthe Alberta Research Council evaluate the possible use of fourthgeneration nuclear power in Alberta.

If you keep losing the battle of the bulge, maybe youshouldn’t blame yourself. The real problem could be the worldaround you.

Society has changed. And, in the words of Dr. Kim Raine, today’ssocial and physical environment is “obesogenic”. It promotesovereating and a sedentary lifestyle.

Dr. Raine studies the sociology of nutrition. As the director of theCentre for Health Promotion at the University of Alberta, she andher research team cover a wide range of disciplines, includinggeography and anthropology.

She outlines the scope of the studies. “Our anthropologists arehelping us explore how culture has changed. What’s happening topeople when they come from other countries? Are they alsobecoming obese? We have psychologists to explore how theseenvironmental issues affect our psyche and how that might bemotivating our choices. We have a political scientist who helps us toanalyze the policies and figure out how the policies have changedover time… and how that might impact these things.”

Dr. Raine expects this research will lead to a better socialenvironment that supports the “thinning” of the nation.

Although the number of confirmed cases is stillrelatively low, Chronic Wasting Disease continues to spread fromSaskatchewan into Alberta’s wild deer population.

As a geneticist and investigator for the Alberta Prion ResearchInstitute, Dr. David Coltman is looking for some way that scientistsmight predict the spread of the deadly disease.

Using genetic bar-coding, Dr. Coltman has found that the herds mixfreely across western Canada. There are no natural or environmentalbarriers to prevent the spread of CWD from herd to herd. He has alsodetermined that Alberta’s deer belong to a genotype that makes themmore susceptible to the disease. This means the incubation period isshorter rather than longer.

Observes Dr. Coltman:, “If you have a long incubation period, theanimal is more resistant in the sense that it doesn't get sick as early.It's a ‘Typhoid Mary’… walking around shedding infectious particlesfor a much longer time.” He explains that, if an older buck movesover a long distance and encounters several females, the transmissiondynamics would be much worse if the deer were "resistant".

However, it's still a mystery exactly how Chronic wasting Diseaseis spread from deer to deer.

The Integrated Landscape Management program led by U of Aprofessor Stan Boutin has spent many years trying to determine waysindustry could lessen its impact on boreal wildlife.

While new computer models can help predict future changes, thereare still many unknowns. So now Dr. Boutin is shifting his focus to

Dr. Bill Rogers

Dr. David Coltman

Dr. Kim Raine

Generation nuclear technology…

Generation nuclear technology…

4inherently safeinherently safe

Our obesegenic societyis flattening the nationis flattening the nation

Oh dear...Oh dear...Chronic Wasting Disease

is a Thyphoid MaryChronic Wasting Disease

is a Thyphoid Mary

Pinpointing key uncertainties impacting

boreal forest animals

EDMONTONIANS SEPTEMBER 2008 5


solving what he calls “key uncertainties.” One is theintroduction of exotic species into the boreal ecosystem.

As Dr. Boutin points out, “A couple of them that reallycome to mind are whitetail deer and coyotes… a third oneis cowbirds that have potentially big effects on forest birdsbecause they are nest parasites. They lay their eggs in otherbirds’ nests and that has negative effects on the birds.

“So these things have been around but they haven’t beenvery big players in the boreal forest. But we have thisinkling that they are now…much more common, muchmore widespread. And so the question is, why is thathappening? And secondly, what are the implications of thatchange in the system?”

Researchers in Dr. Boutin’s lab have already linked theinvasion of whitetail deer into the boreal forest to thedecline of woodland caribou.

The current process for separating bitumenfrom the oilsands requires huge volumes of water.

But that could change, thanks to the findings of Dr.Steve Kuznicki, a U of A professor and a principleresearcher with the Imperial Oil-Alberta IngenuityCentre for Oil Sands Innovation.

He is a specialist in new molecular sieves—crystals, bothnatural and man-made, that separate molecules. A mineralthat holds particular interest for him is made from thinslices of volcanic rock that are heated in the presence ofoilsand.

“First of all, the bitumen sticks to the surfaces and starts

breaking, just as it would on a cracking catalyst,” says Dr.Kuznicki. “The net result of this is that you can take thebitumen in oilsand, selectively break the heavymolecules—the asphaltenes. And now that they’re broken,you can remove the oil that’s now cracked, using a lighthydrocarbon-like hexane or pentanewithout the need for water.”

Because hexane and pentane can beprocessed on site, Dr. Kuznicki says thiswaterless extraction process becomes aself-renewing cycle. And theenvironmental benefit is enormous. √

Cheryl Croucher is host of InnovationAnthology on CKUA Radio. Learn more atwww.innovationanthology.com

Dr. Stan Boutin

Dr. Steve Kuznicki

Molecular sievescould lead to waterlessBITUMEN EXTRACTION

September 19-26National Biotechnology Week 2008Events across Canada: www.imagenenation.caEdmonton events: www.bioalberta.com

September 29-30Cybera Summit 08: Driving Business InnovationBanff Centrewww.cybera.ca

October 2-3Banff Venture ForumFairmont Banff Springs Hotelwww.banffventureforum.com

October 24ASTech Awards Gala Shaw Conference Centre, Edmontonwww.astech.ab.ca

On the HORIZONSEPTEMBER



uring my practicum year of Grant MacEwan College’s Communications program, I already knew that I didn’t want to take theconventional path. My other course of study was in multimedia, and the combination of these fields immediately opened doors.

I started freelancing through my company, Chemistry Communications and, when the possibility of writing the Sizzling Twenty under30 profiles came to my attention, I had to jump on it. I had already done some work in print but the majority of my writing had beenfor website copy and blogs so I was looking forward to working in another medium.

Once I started reading their nominations, I couldn’t wait to meet the Sizzlers. They did not disappoint! Without exception, theyare some of the most successful, yet humble… professional, yet approachable people I have ever met. It fed my curiosity to findout what they were all up to, and I happily discovered the passion each has for his or her work. From financial advisors to famousfaces, they are living their lives their way, playing by their own rules.They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Of course, there were challenges in creating this annual feature. Attimes, when I sat staring at the piles of notes relentlessly mounting onmy desk, I wondered if I’d ever make the deadline. I was encouragedby the Sizzlers’ perseverance and determination to make their careerswork. I knew that the public had to know about them, and that otherswould be as inspired as I have been. It was a wonderful experience overall.

The cooperation was astounding, not only from the Sizzlers but from the two talented photographers, Tracy Kolenchuk andTerry Bourque, and my supportive editor, Barb Deters.

I am proud to say I have been a part of this coming together of some of Edmonton’s finest young people… and Iam more driven than ever to count myself among them one day. √ ~ Laura Underwood

DD

Laura UnderwoodProfiler

More driventhan ever

Cara AlboSinger, ActressExecutive Producer, Skyline FilmsEdmonton780.722.0002carafilms@hotmail.comwww.skyline-films.com

Brandy BurdeniukPrincipal, Director of Design & MarketingEcoAmmo & Green Alberta#600A, 10107 Jasper Avenue, [email protected], www.greenalberta.ca

Michael BrechtelOwner, Firebrand MediaEdmonton780. [email protected]

Stephani CarterPrincipal, Director Business Operations& Development

EcoAmmo & Green Alberta#600A, 10107 Jasper Avenue, [email protected], www.greenalberta.ca

Kevin GilleseArtistic Director, Rapid Fire Theatre Society#204, 10920 – 88 Avenue, [email protected]

Don IvesonCity Councillor, Ward 52nd Floor, City Hall 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square, [email protected] www.doniveson.ca

Dr. Jumana JarrahOwner, New Balance Chiropractic Clinic10540 - 102 Avenue, Edmonton780.429.3400 [email protected]

Carolyn JarvisWeekend News Anchor/ReporterGlobal Edmonton5325 Allard Way, [email protected]

Bryce LambertOwner, Kiwi Productions & Kiwi RecordsStudio: 10593 – 106 Street, Edmonton780.886.0547kiwiproductions4@hotmail.comwww.kiwiproductions.ca

Rebecca LooCo-owner, Director of OperationsOctii Nurture [email protected]

Thuc RonquilloOwner, Posh at Home11235 Jasper Avenue, [email protected]

Stephen PetaskyCo-owner, Sobeys Lakeland & NottinghamSherwood ParkPresident, Luxus Vacation Properties780.467.5521 Stephen@luxusvacationproperties.comwww.luxusvacationproperties.com

Giri PuligandiaExecutive DirectorAlberta Caregivers Association10310 – 56 Street, Edmonton780.453.5088giri@albertacaregiversassociation.orgwww.albertacaregiversassociation.org

Ailynn SantosOwner, Whimsical Cake Studio14510-45 Avenue, Edmonton780.988.2253info@whimsicalcupcakes.cawww.whimsicalcupcakes.ca

Jeff ShigehiroOwner, Shigehiro Financial Planning Inc. 11630 Kingsway Avenue, Edmonton780. [email protected]

Gregg StrynadkaExecutive, Marketing Director,World Financial GroupSuite 1, 4976 - 98 Avenue, Edmonton780-485-9856 ext. [email protected]

Natasha ThompsonOwner, Monarch Consulting#202, 10208-127 Avenue, Edmonton780.756.0890monarchconsulting@gmail.comwww.monarchconsulting.com

Dustin ThomsonEquipment ownerSubcontractor at Ledcor780. [email protected]

Kate WattChair, Bringing Home the [email protected]

Marlon WilsonOwner, Music for MavericksEdmonton Member, Politic [email protected]

ver the past six years, Edmontonians has profiled 120 dynamic, youngentrepreneurs in its Sizzling Twenty under 30 special editions. The traditionheats up again as we fill our pages with the faces and stories of another 20men and women from the Capital Region.

They are the Sizzlers—self-starters, promising professionals, artists and motivatedcommunity volunteers. They are dynamic, urban and modern trendsetters. They are theproducts of our colleges, universities and life’s experiences—driven by the need to succeed.

The Sizzling 20—nominated by Edmonton’s business leaders, professional mentors,

educators and interested individuals—mark two aspects of Greater Edmonton’s youthfulvitality: young leaders and young writers. Sizzling Twenty under 30 is a learning experiencefor a student from the MacEwan School of Communications who is chosen to interview thefinalists, write the profiles and participate in the photo sessions.

Edmontonians’ Sizzling Twenty under 30 encourages other young Albertans to reachbeyond their grasp. And, as part of this Signature Event, Lexus of Edmonton—togetherwith Edmontonians, Global Edmonton and numerous corporate sponsors—once again willhost a blazing reception this month to recognize our rising stars. ~ Barb Deters

OO

Editor’s Note: As is our tradition, Edmontonians engaged the services of a Grant MacEwan Collegestudent from its School of Communications to interview the Sizzlers, write their profiles andcoordinate photography. Laura graduated with her Bachelor of Communications degree inprofessional writing on August 8th... within days of completing her six-week assignment. In addition,she recently earned a multimedia masters certificate from the Sessions School of Design. Laura andher laptop are currently visiting the United Kingdom where she has dual citizenship.



7EDMONTONIANS SEPTEMBER 2008


tephani Carter and Brandy Burdeniuk might just as well enter construction sitescarrying green batons. These young women have dedicated their careers—andlives—to ensuring the building industry is in harmony with Mother Earth.

“We believe in doing right for the Earth and treating it well,” 26 year old Brandy says.The self-confessed “volunteer-aholics” met through MADE—Media, Art & Design inEdmonton—and became instant friends. It wasn’t long before Brandy whispered toStephani: “When you’re busy enough for two people, give me a call.” It came a weeklater, and Brandy joined EcoAmmo.

The company had started in 2006 out of Stephani’s frustration. The NAIT-educatedinterior design technician found herself questioning the products readily available for herprojects. “Well, if the paint is going to kill you… it doesn’t matter about the colour,” shereasoned. So it was thatshe begandeveloping adirectory ofsustainablebuilding materials,rating costs andlevels of sustainability;billing herself as an Eco-Interior-Designitect, shebegan educating builders,designers and architects about their inherent value.

Brandy had intended to study human ecology at the University of Alberta, but aprofessor encouraged her to major in industrial design. After graduation, she tried tointroduce greener working environments and eco-friendly initiatives to employers—a lessthan rewarding experience. Stephani provided a perfect fit for her level of commitment.

The emergence of EcoAmmo couldn’t have been better orchestrated. It’s in concertwith the increasing chorus of consumers, governments and special interest groups callingfor sustainable construction projects and practices. Indeed, new City of Edmonton andAlberta government buildings must achieve, at minimum, the LEED® silver standard.As well, Alberta Home Builders’ Association members can achieve BuiltGreen™ status for residential construction based on product and technologyselection. That’s all music to the ears of Stephani and Brandy.

Both are trained in the Canada Green Building Council’sLeadership in Energy and Design facilitation—actually, Stephani isan accredited professional of the program and vice-president of the Edmonton chapter of theCouncil. LEED® employs guidelines thatfocus on energy efficiency and EcoAmmooffers independent projectdocumentation among its services.It also provides interiorconsultation and sustainablematerials workshops.And, since January,Brandy has been

teaching “Green Design” at the U of A Faculty of Extension, a course developed by theEcoAmmo team.

Their initiatives spawned a complementary project when the Alberta government tooknote of their knowledge of green products. Discussion ensued… the women received agrant and the go-ahead to establish Green Alberta: a comprehensive on-line library ofsustainable building materials and products available in the province. “It’s really fun tosee a project go from nothing to finished,” says 28-year old Stephani regarding the newcompany.

Equally gratifying is watching the behavioural metamorphoses people undergo as theywork with EcoAmmo. Skeptical builders become champions of the cause… constructionlabourers boast that they no longer use paper towels or allow disposable cups on site.

Clients report higherproductivity frompeople who workin EcoAmmoinfluencedbuildings: morenatural light…

better airquality… overall,

healthier, happierenvironments.

Considering their professional commitment to sustainability, it’s no surprise that itplays a huge part in their personal lives. Stephani and Brandy aspire to spending moretime on volunteer vacations, like the conservation trip Stephani recently took to Sri Lankato study monkeys. Closer to home, both share their expertise and lead tours of theRiverdale NetZero home project.

As well, Stephani serves on the Clean Air Strategic Alliance indoor air quality team,and the steering committee for S.A.G.E.—socially-conscious, alternative, greenEdmontonians—a network of local entrepreneurs who focus on sustainability.

Brandy chairs the design and marketing committee for MADE, a group dedicated toheightening awareness of design, art and architecture in the city. This summer, she

joined a Habitat for Humanity crew to help build aduplex in Fort Saskatchewan, where she grew up.

She’s also teaming up with her family toconstruct a strawbale house, and will be

organizing workshops to educate othersabout this natural building technique.

Stephani and Brandy know full well that,five years ago, it would have been next toimpossible to make a success of theirbusinesses. They had the foresight to jumpin when “that green whisper was juststarting to get louder.” Now, it’s reaching acrescendo. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Stephani Carter& Brandy Burdeniuk

Eco-designers, business partners, volunteer-aholics

Photo by Terry BourqueBrandy and Stephani

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Photo by Tracy Kolenchuk

hen his parents gifted him a few head of cattle to give him a good start inlife, Bryce Lambert sold one to buy DJ equipment. He was a 16-year oldstudent at Westlock High School who was relied upon to man the

production booth for school plays. “I would audition for roles but they’d never letme [perform]… ’cause they needed a tech guy.”

Bryce was naturally good at producing the sound and lighting for shows, andlearned on-the-job rather than taking formal training. His first gigs were concertsat the Rev nightclub. Now, at 24, he runs Kiwi Productions… touring with bandslike Wide Mouth Mason and The Watchmen. Bryce recently returned from NewOrleans where he produced a Moby show.

Six months ago, Bryce started Kiwi Records because he “really wanted topush that [growing] local scene.” Several groups—including Needles to

Vinyl, an Edmonton band, and others from Australia and Ireland—arenow recording at his studio.

Finding staff is a challenge, although Bryce acknowledges,“There are some guys that work for me that I could never

touch in skill.” Bryce is keen on teaching other people

what he knows, a trait that he may have inheritedfrom his father who was a teacher before hebegan farming. In fact, some of Bryce’s traineeshave since left to work for large companies inLA. “If someone wants to learn,” he’s preparedto invest his time “...definitely, in a heartbeat.”

Bryce still considers himself a small townguy. He brings the same level of expertise toshows whether he’s behind the scene for Shaniaor Cher… Nickleback or Neil Diamond…CATScommunity theatre in Westlock, the RainmakerRodeo in St. Albert, or Thunderbirds in the

Garden at the Devonian Gardens in support ofthe Stollery Children’s Hospital. Bryce is an extreme sports enthusiast and loves filming

events like motorcross. He’ll head to Romania this fall forthe Red Bull Romaniacs street racing event. He relishes theopportunity to combine his personal interests with hisprofession and to see the world at the same time. And,for him, one of the best parts is coming home.

“This is where my roots are… this is where my base is.” √~ Laura Underwood

WW

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Trueara Albo’s journey into the entertainment business has been life-long. At four years old, she was hairmodeling… at nine she was singing. A fourth-grade performance in The Nutcracker pretty much sealed herfate. She was destined for a career on-stage.

Making films was the most logical step for the forward-thinking Cara. She was just 18 when she started meetingwith businesses across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, “asking them to support a dream.” Securing financing for herfilm project was one of the most difficult parts for Cara, but she was undeterred. She went on to conceptualize,executive produce and underscore Cat’s Cradle. Naturally, she was also the lead actress and singer. Thefeature length, independent film was released earlier thissummer.

At 21 years of age, Cara is the youngest female inEdmonton to have accomplished such a feat. Notsurprisingly, she has just completed shooting her secondfull-length feature. Unfinished Business teamed herproduction company, Skyline Films, with 310 Motion Pictures and students at Concordia High School. Caravolunteered her time to act in the film and to be a mentor for the students learning her craft.

Chasing her dream has required sacrifices along the way, but Cara’s perseverance and determination havekept her on the right path. “A million times I probably cried and wanted to quit—but never did.” Her life andwork have become so intertwined that it is difficult to separate them. She sleeps little and has no time for funwith her friends. Work keeps her up all hours and away from home.

“It was worth the sacrifice,” she confides. Now she is seeing the results of her hard work. In addition to herfilms, Cara’s album, Embrace Me, will be released in January 2009 in conjunction with a 90-minute theatricalconcert at the Dow Centre in Fort Saskatchewan.

She is currently in talks with major record labels and is hoping to get signed but, she notes “It’s very easy todo something and sell yourself out and make it… but are you really being true to yourself?” That question is acentral theme to her film, Cat’s Cradle and one Cara often asks herself. The answer is a no-brainer.

“Everything is happening right now before my eyes. It’s a dream come true.” √ ~ Laura Underwood

CC

Cara Albo

Photo by Tracy Kolenchukto herself

Actress, producer, recording artist



uccess can be measured in many ways: Going from zero earnings to $500,000 per annum in less than five years would be one way…building a one-man operation into a team of 150 licensed agents in that time would be another… as would having an office that doubles asa trophy room.But Gregg Strynadka genuinely believes that the number of people and families he has helped achieve their financial goals is the true

indicator of his success.In his teens, he was living his dream as a junior hockey star with the Kerry Park Islanders in Duncan, BC. While “it was a great life

experience,” Gregg knew that he had to consider his future. After his return to Edmonton, he and his father operated a Booster Juicefranchise which was named “Retailer of the Year” in 2001.

Instilled with the value of hard work, Gregg was looking for a newchallenge. When a friend suggested he join World Financial Group,he was attracted by the prospect of essentially being self-employed,under the umbrella of a company that would provide training andopportunity for growth. It was difficult in the beginning—being soyoung— because he lacked credibility. Now 27, Gregg has earned the

respect and admiration of his colleagues who view him as the “guy to watch” within the corporation. Mentoring is an everyday occurrence for Gregg—working closely with his agents and clients. World Financial Group is

dedicated to middle income families. He loves to sit down with them and see “that lightbulb moment” when they realize thatthey do have a chance to live life on their own terms.

Gregg is also active in the community, and has volunteered as a Big Brother since 2004. It has been a rewarding experience.“I think I’ve gotten as much out of it as Cory has… maybe even more.” He has noticed that, as adults, we so often forget whatit’s like to be a kid and that we can learn so much from them. “Little Brother” Cory is now 14. They try to meet at least oncea week to play basketball, hockey or video games. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be friends with him for life.”

The ability to build lasting relationships is another measure of the man who is described as “an old soul with a young andvibrant spirit.” √ ~ Laura Underwood

Gregg StrynadkaFinancial marketing director, Big Brother

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Photo by Terry Bourque

e speaks of comedy as a mirror for what’s going on,soaking up the culture of the day and spitting it back out ina form that makes people laugh.

But, when Kevin Gillese withdrew from university to tour with animprovised comedy show, his parents didn’t get the joke. He wassure he was making the right move. Now, at 28, he says, “My workis absolutely my identity”—and anyone who has seen him performwill agree.

At 15, he picked up garbage after shows like Theatresports so hecould watch for free. “As a young man, I got my first taste of thestage at the Varscona Theatre.” His appetite hasn’t waned.

Kevin studied comedy writing and performance at HumberCollege in Toronto, and returned to Edmonton to become artisticdirector of Rapid Fire Theatre. In the province that made improv aCanadian art form, he is the youngest artistic director of a majortheatre company. His boundless energy gets him through theproduction of two weekly shows, a high school festival, an annualinternational improv festival, and numerous touring shows.

Kevin’s career has exploded: He created Scratch, his two-manshow that was the most toured improv show in the world this season.He has directed and produced films and has multiple televisioncredits. He was nominated for an AMPIA award for his latest short,Dog Watch, screened at the Edmonton International Film Festival.His first major big screen success was as director of Turnbuckle, afilm showcasing local talent.

The entertainment industry can be tough, but Kevin’s willpowerkeeps him pushing forward. “I have a pesky ambitious streak,” hewarns. “It’s important that what I do resonates with a certain degreeof intelligence.”

Kevin credits Edmonton’s openness and its fantastic audienceswith propelling his career. “If I hadgrown up somewhere else, maybethose opportunities wouldn’thave been as present for me.”He’s aware that if he hadlived in Toronto orVancouver, he may not havereached the same level ofsuccess so soon. Edmonton,however, is small enough for talent to stand out.

He makes time to nurture young performersand to contribute to the community. Every year, heand Rapid Fire artists perform free of charge at anumber of charity fundraisers.

Kevin’s unique blend of mediums—hip-hop andcomedy—has made him a great freestyler. He’s only partlyjoking when he says, “I wouldtrade it all to be a hip-hop starfor sure.” √

~ Laura Underwood

HH

Kevin GilleseComedian, artistic director, producer

IntelligentimprovPhoto by Terry Bourque

moments



Photo by Terry Bourque very Christmas, when the Salvation Army is ringing bells for donations, GiriPuligandia’s mom reminds him that his father would find every kettle in thecity and put in a $5-bill. That commitment to helping people is predominant in

the life of this 29-year old. He is honouring the memory of the role model he never met. When Giri was just

two weeks old, his father passed away. A backpacking trip after he earned his Bachelor of Science in pharmacology at the

University of Alberta left Giri broke. On his return to Edmonton, he heard theSchizophrenia Society of Alberta was looking for someone to head its public educationprogram. Wearing shorts, sandals and a dirty t-shirt, Giri went in hoping his rèsuméwould be considered even though the deadline had passed—he was hired on the spot.

Shortly after he started, Giri met a group of young people at a conference and wassurprised to learn they were suffering with schizophrenia. He hit it off with one young

man and recalls, “The only difference between us was that he hadschizophrenia and I didn’t.”

Giri made it his mission to overcome the stigma that surroundsmental illness. He took to heart his responsibilities to increaseawareness of the realities of living with the disease by offeringprograms that prevent or reduce social isolation and promoterecovery. He secured funding for a project that helps people withmental illness stay healthy enough to maintain independenceand housing. He made Walk and Run the most successful

Schizophrenia Society fundraiser of its kind in Canada.He forged partnerships with Capital Health and diverse

organizations. After six years with the Schizophrenia Society, Giri is leaving

his position as executive director to join Alberta CaregiversAssociation. His new focus will be on people who devote theirlives to helping loved ones through illness. He’s also startinggraduate studies in public health this fall.

Giri is heavily involved in grassroots not-for-profitorganizations. He serves on a number of boards including theEdmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness,Organized Medicine Foundation, Sombrilla Refugee SupportSociety, Andhra Cultural Association and S.O.S. Players Guildof Alberta. As someone whose sense of community is inborn,Giri is saddened by the lack of young volunteers.

“You can only stand by for so long before the questioncomes up: Why don’t we do something?” √

~ Laura Underwood

Giri PuligandiaNot-for-profit executive director, volunteer

EE

hat do Louis Vuitton bags, Ninja Turtles and Buddha have in common?They’re all in Ailynn Santos’ repertoire of incredible edibles at her Whimsical Cake Studio. When she was studying elementary education at the University of Alberta, she never imagined her career path

would take a huge turn. Four years ago, Ailynn went to teach in New York City where she found cupcake shops everywhere.When she returned to Edmonton, teaching positions were few and far between. It was summer and she had to make

a living. So she started making cupcakes and selling them at the Downtown Farmers Market. For three seasons, her creations were so well received that people kept asking when she was gong to

open her own shop. Bolstered by thesupport, Ailynn found the perfect locationin Riverbend, close to many of herclients.

She took a few decorating and bakingcourses, but learned most of her skills

from books. She has four staff and admits that they have skills she doesn’t. There’s no end ofnew techniques, but “The fun part about this job is we’re playing every day, just trying newthings.” Ailynn has plans to offer classes, utilizing her teaching skills to share the fun.

To her surprise, there are more custom orders for 3D cakes than for cupcakes. TheWhimsical creations are unique in the city and no two are alike. High-profile clients includeOilers’ families and local media types—even Harriett Winspear, for whom 101st and 102ndbirthday cakes were created.

Ailynn happily donates her cakes and her time to a wide range of causes. Her biggest eventis the What a Girl Wants fundraiser for the Lois Hole Women’s Hospital, where she takescare of the dessert stage. Her next big event is the Nina Haggerty Cake Walk in October. The 29-year old admits, “I couldn’t draw to save my life” when she started. Now, give the

Whimsical designers an idea of the cake you see in your mind, and “…we’ll pluck it out and putit in icing.”

The result? Almost too good to eat. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Ailynn SantosShop owner, designer, cake diva

A touchof whimsyof whimsy


WW





t’s not so much about what I bring to Edmonton, but what Edmonton brings to me,” says CarolynJarvis, Global weekend news anchor, reporter and producer.

She grew up in Richmond, BC, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance.Then it was off to Toronto to seek fame in musical theatre. Instead, Carolyn joined the WeatherNetwork and received Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society certification as aforecaster. She enrolled in journalism night courses at Ryerson where her passion forstorytelling came to light.

When Carolyn was the CHCA weather gal in Red Deer, she spent off-hours readingtextbooks and following her co-workers around on weekends to learn more about the newsprofession.

Fast forward to Global Edmonton: News anchor Lynda Steele describes Carolyn as “apassionate, ethical and dynamic young journalist, in 24/7 pursuit of a great story… who hasdemonstrated an impressive talent for reporting, anchoring and producing.” These qualities are

exemplified by her recent trip to SouthAfrica where she has family—not somuch a vacation as a self-imposedassignment. Carolyn researched andwrote a five part series for GlobalNational and Global Edmonton on the

plight of the nation with the highest percentage of people infected with HIV, and on the exodusof doctors to Canada. The 29-year old reflects: “There are so many microscopic stories that Iwas very fortunate, I believe, to be able to bring back to Canada… the more information wecan bring to our country, the more we can broaden our horizon of knowledge.”

This community mindset extends beyond the news realm. Carolyn can be counted on to doher part for charity—whether it’s getting involved with Youth Emergency Shelter orfirefighters’ fundraisers… being a celebrity singer with Pro Coro or volunteering withEdzimkulu, a local group that helps South African children with AIDS.

Carolyn has a voracious appetite for learning: “On any given day, I have two papersdelivered… one weekly magazine. I listen to two radio broadcasts every morning. I alwayswatch [three national newscasts] Peter and Lloyd at night, and Kevin in the afternoon… Iprobably polish off a couple books a month, usually non fiction.” She is taking classes tomaintain her fluency in French, and speaks basic German and Spanish.

“Learning has to be a constant process, and I don’t think it can be viewed as a challenge somuch as a satisfying journey.” √ ~ Laura Underwood

Carolyn JarvisTV news anchor, vocalist, fundraiser

“I“IJOURNEY

A satisfying

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arlon Wilson—aka Arlo Maverick—has been performing with two of his cousins sincetheir elementary school days. They formed urban group Politic Live, the first local hip hopband to take the stage at Peg City Holla, Canadian Music Week and JunoFest. They are the

first Edmonton urban musicians to have a video charting on MTV and Much Music.During the production of their debut album, Notoriety, released in 2003, Marlon founded Music for

Mavericks Entertainment. The label manages, promotes and markets Alberta artists in the urbangenre—from reggae to hip-hop and everything in between.

Being a small company means not having the resources to hire people for specific jobs. “You have toassume every role that’s needed.” That’s where Marlon’s marketing diploma from NAIT and his naturalability to sketch CD covers and promotional materials have come in handy.

He seeks out artists who otherwise wouldn’t know how to start marketing themselves. “Youhear someone who has a tremendous amount of talent but they don’t have the outlet forit.” Music for Mavericks takes a grassroots approach, aiming to preserve that down-to-earth feel.

Marlon has never forgotten the help he received along his journey. “There havebeen so many people who have seen the passion that I have for music.” Heconsiders it his duty to share his knowledge of the music industry with thenext generation of recording and touring artists “…so they don’t have tomake the same mistakes that I made.”

For the past 10 years, Marlon has been hosting Urban Hang Suiteon CJSR. He organizes the annual Hip Hop for Hunger benefit forFood Bank donations. The event showcases local and nationalperformers. Marlon is a director with Alberta Music IndustryAssociation which provides opportunities to up-and-comingartists. The group offers information sessions and advises onfunding resources that can help propel careers to thenext level.

The major support in 28-year old Marlon’s life hascome from his community-minded mother andgrandmother. “It’s within me to try and help otherswhenever I can,” he says. “I think that if more peopleactually did that, then we would be in a differentspace.” √ ~ Laura Underwood

Marlon WilsonMusician, promoter, producer Photo by Tracy Kolenchuk

Grassroots-MM



eff Shigehiro’s penchant for setting goals is directly related to hisenthusiasm for sports. He picked up his first hockey stick at the age of five,and still plays. When he was seven years old, he knew how many pins he

needed to win at bowling. He’s an avid golfer who plays with clients and takespart in charity tournaments like Tee off for Kids, a fundraiser for the StolleryChildren’s Hospital.

At 25, Jeff is hitting his stride in an industry where the average age of advisorsis 55. In fact, he’s one of the youngest Certified Financial Planners in thecountry. His professional attitude, self-confidence and fresh approach arecontributing to growth of Shigehiro Financial Planning. He studied businessmanagement at NAIT and achieved his certification last November.

Jeff advises individuals between the ages of 30 and 50 on how to pay off debts,save for their children’s futures and build retirement nest eggs. He has seenfamilies devastated financially and emotionally by job loss, illness or death. Healso assists small business owners with risk and wealth management. His goal isto prevent his clients from being blind-sided when the unexpected occurs.

Jeff credits much of his advancement in the industry to a mentor at TotalFinancial Solutions who recognized his potential. He admits that it hasn’t alwaysbeen easy. “You deal with a lot of rejection, especially at the beginning; there’salways obstacles in your way,” he says, alluding to a time when building that firstwave of clientele with no base salary andhaving no income seemed a daunting task.“This industry loses a lot of people rightaway because of the immediateobstacles.”

Perseverance is prevalent in all Jeff’sendeavours. He was a player in theWorld’s Longest Hockey Game in 2005, a240-hour non-stop event that raised$250,000 for the Cross Cancer Institute. Hefondly remembers children showing up withjars full of pennies, contributing to the $9,000 incoins that were donated.

Participating in the longest gamechanged his life—beyond getting hisname in the Guiness Book ofWorld Records. During a breakfrom play, he made a point ofchatting with the referee whohadn’t penalized hisbackchecks. Luckily, shegave Jeff her phonenumber.

The wedding is inNovember. √~ LauraUnderwood

JJ


Fresh ideas…secure

futures

ow we face adversity is as individual as the challenges before us. Kate Watt was 19 when her mom was diagnosed with cancer—worst

case scenario: the disease was around her heart and lungs… she mighthave only two months to live. First, Kate withdrew from university just beforefinal exams to spend more time with her mother. Then, she turned her passion forhorses into a fundraiser for breast cancer research, targeting the disease that hermom was fighting.

Kate launched “Bringing Home the Dream,” in co-operation with the 2005Edmonton Northlands Horse Show. She organized an in-field brunch for 200—at$250 a plate—and a show jumping competition for amateurs, with a $20,000prize. Ticket sales and donations combined in the first year to raise $86,000. The

following year, Kate made a commitment to Dr. Michael Sawyer, the oncologistwho discovered her mom’s tumour, to raise $300,000 over three years. He isresearching alternatives to chemotherapy at the University of Alberta. The secondannual event raised $100,000... the third added $125,000... the fourth and finalbrought the running total to an impressive $429,000.

In 2006, one of the guest speakers at Bringing Home the Dream was ElexisOrtleib, then seven years old, who was battling leukemia. There wasn’t a dry eyeat the brunch as the child told her story. People like Elexis keep Kate focused,“This is why we’re here… this is why we’re doing this, so that these kids don’thave these stories.” This year, she teamed up with Kids with Cancer to donateseveral tables so that the kids could be a part of the event. She also volunteers atother Cross Cancer Institute events, like Row for Life.

The 23-year old will graduate with an education degree next year. She will alsocontinue show jumping on the amateur circuit and has qualified for the RoyalHorse Show in Toronto this fall. Kate’s next project will be with Free theChildren, an organization that helps young people fundraise for children in ThirdWorld countries. She’s researching opportunities for building schools in Africa,with the idea of engaging her future students in the endeavour.

Thankfully, Kate’s mom is in remission, continuing to inspire—and be inspiredby—her daughter, the quintessential volunteer. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Kate WattFundraiser, horsewoman, university student

HH


Jumpingchallenge

to theJeff Shigehiro

Financial planner, sports enthusiast



umana Jarrah’s mission to Nicaragua, where she provided chiropractic healthcare in the country’sschools, confirmed that she had chosen the right career path. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be adoctor. I wanted to help people out.”

While she was studying biological sciences at the University of Alberta, Jumana was in a motorvehicle accident that required chiropractic treatment. She became fascinated with the body’s ability toheal itself and by the possibility that she could help it along. She changed her career direction.

After eight years of post-secondary education, including studies completed in California, sheconsiders herself a “nervous system doctor.” She explains that the ultimate goal of chiropracticadjustments is to help the nervous system flow correctly, bringing the entire body into balance.

Jumana is still fascinated by the body,marveling “It’s incredible how we werecreated.” Her favourite area of study wasanatomy, a subject she would like to teachsomeday.

The 29-year old opened the New BalanceClinic in January 2007 and has since taken on

another chiropractor and a massage therapist. She plans to add a naturopathic doctor, acupuncturistand receptionist to round out the wellness clinic.

Jumana—affectionately called “Dr. J”—is happiest when patients take a proactive approach totheir own healthcare. As she is also a fitness instructor, she follows the same regimen of stretching,water intake, meditation and exercise that she prescribes for her patients. It saddens her when shesees people afflicted with illnesses that could have been prevented, and says, “If health doesn’tbecome a priority for you, then you don’t have anything else.”

She volunteers wherever she is needed, whether serving food in homeless shelters or working atthe Underwear Affair event for cancers below the waist. Within the next few years, Jumana hopes togo on another mission similar to the ones she took to the Middle East and Nicaragua, to provide

treatment to people who have no access to such services. Here at home, Jumana is more focused on encouraging young people to achieve their potential. As a

member of the Arab Business Association, she also takes time to mentor high school students, especiallythose in her own community. Jumana is proof that they can achieve anything—even childhood

aspirations—if they stick to their goals. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Dr. Jumana JarrahDr. Jumana JarrahChiropractor, clinic owner,

international volunteer

JJ




hen Michael Brechtel was born, his father was working on his thesis and the family was living in an orange Volkswagen van onthe prairies. Michael and his siblings were taught to challenge societal norms and ask, “Why?” Michael is still all about pushingbuttons.

After studying business at the University of Alberta, he joined a communications firm and loved it. He admits, “I didn’t even know this jobexisted!” It wasn’t long before he struck out on his own: “It was diving in headfirst and seeing if I could swim… and it seems to have worked.”

Firebrand Media consults on marketing for a variety of clients, from small businesses to government agencies and political campaigns.Michael and his staff currently work from their homes and he engages a pool of subcontractors as required. He’s determined that a planned

move into a structured space won’t change the way he operates. “As long as things are getting done, my clients are happy, and the qualityof work is top-notch, I don’t care what time people come in and I don’tcare what time they leave.”

Firebrand’s forté is its ability to build campaigns that get people talking.Michael believes that, in a world where advertising messages are fired atus a mile a minute, he has to create something that stands out. “If youhaven’t pissed somebody off, then you probably aren’t making a strong

enough statement.” This ethos is a throwback to Michael’s teen years, which he spent hanging out inthe punk rock community—mohawk and all.

Much of his energy and enthusiasm is directed at involving young people in community developmentactivities. Michael is founding chair of interVivos, dedicated to creating dialogue, leadership and

mentorship. His political interests have involved him as a board member of the VOTE! Society of Alberta,a non-partisan group that engages a younger audience in the democratic process. He’s co-chair of ArtScene

Edmonton which connects artists and young professionals, and he serves on the board of the Old StrathconaFoundation.

At 29, Michael is in the middle of the “next generation” demographic that he has targeted. He wants to see his peers stepup, be heard, get involved and make a difference. He’s definitely doing his part to meet the leadership challenge. √

~ Laura Underwood

Michael BrechtelMarketing specialist, community activist

WW

t 20 years of age, Dustin Thomson is unlike most of his peers. Dustin finished high school six monthsearly and has been running his own company for over a year.

As a teen, he rode bulls on the rodeo circuit where he met a friend whose father worked for Ledcor. Dustinaccepted a job there, working after school, on holidays and on weekends. He loved being outdoors, learningabout heavy duty mechanics from his co-workers.

His high school work experience coordinator suggested that he enroll in the Registered ApprenticeshipProgram (RAP) to gain work experience, apply for a scholarship and start his training two years beforegraduation. Dustin grabbed the opportunity, earning morethan 40 credits in the process.

At 18, he graduated and left for the oilsands to work apipeline job. Dustin returned to Edmonton with money inhis jeans and headed for a vehicle auction. He purchased aservice truck—basically a portable shop with a welder, air compressor and tools—for only $8,000. He hassince spent several months—and $40,000—fixing it up. Dustin registered his own company and operates as asubcontractor for Ledcor. He’s in his fourth year of NAIT’s heavy duty mechanic apprenticeship program,earning nearly as much as a foreman,

Dustin is now involved with Careers: The Next Generation which promotes the trades in Alberta. He was aguest speaker last October at the RAP annual awards show. He wishes more people would take advantage of theprogram. Though 500 scholarships are available each year, they are rarely accessed. Dustin hopes to sponsor ascholarship “… to give back for what they’ve done for me.” He proudly says “I’m living proof that what thesepeople do for the community and this industry is really working.”

A country boy at heart, Dustin still lives on a farm and helps his neighbours in his spare time. His humbleattitude makes his achievements all the more impressive. “I’m just a little guy,” he says shyly. He doesn’twant to be treated any differently, adding “I try to be like everyone else and just do my job.”

But even Dustin can’t deny that he’s on his way to big things. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Dustin ThomsonApprentice, entrepreneur

AA


Challengingthe norm


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and a differencerriving to work on a red bicycle, Don Iveson sets an example to his constituents that every little bit helps. The political sciencegraduate was the biggest news story in the 2007 municipal election. At 29, he is one of the youngest City council members ever.

At the University of Alberta, he worked with the Gateway Campus Press, and later with the University Press in Toronto. He wasattracted by the role the news media plays in recording history as it happens. Don progressed from being a writer and editor toadvertising and business management. Returning to Edmonton—the city he and his wife call home—he accepted a governmentrelations position with the university.

People noticed Don’s leadership skills during negotiations of the U-Pass, a mandatory bus pass supplied to post-secondary studentsin Edmonton as part of their tuition fees. It became a running joke that he should run for council to be the extra vote to get the billpassed.

Don took it to heart: researching the issues… enlisting campaign volunteers…registering his candidacy in Ward 5… leaving his job… raising funds.

Don spent two-thirds less on his campaign than the incumbent. He credits his stunningvictory to his team and the long hours they worked the last six weeks before the vote.“There’s no substitute for knocking on doors and talking to the people you would like torepresent.”

He says, “I’m just a regular guy,” but there’s evidence he does bring a different perspective because he’s from a different generation.Take the red bike, for example: It’s a symbol of his passion for protecting the environment. He’s an outspoken advocate for rigoroustransportation reform and was named to the city’s environmental portfolio. He’s hoping to make it possible for us to drive less, and tocreate a more sustainable future. “We have to live a little bit more carefully. I’m just trying to think ahead…” to a time when oilreserves are depleted.

Despite the demands of being a councilor, Don serves as president of the Gateway Alumni Association. He is also involved in thedevelopment of CUREncy, an on-line social entrepreneurship project focusing on micro-donations.

Don is a testament to the power his generation represents, but he takes nothing for granted. He knows he’ll be subjected to a “…jobinterview every three years.” √ ~ Laura Underwood

Don IvesonCity councilor, environmentalist

AA


Making headlines...…

t was one of the most important decisions of Natasha Thompson’s life. She had just learned she was expecting her first child, and heremployer was retiring: She had nine months to decide where her life was headed.

As a constituency assistant to MP David Kilgour, she had been working primarily on immigration issues and recognized the need to helppeople enter and settle in Canada. She decided to train through Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants, the only body that certifiesprofessionals for this relatively new industry. She completed the full training during her pregnancy,

Natasha started Monarch Consulting in 2006, intent on working at home and spending time with her son. She was so busy that findingan office became a necessity. As one of only 14 registered consultants in Edmonton, she is filling a void created by theprovince’s hot economy, assisting employers who require foreign workers. She also works with people who want to remain inCanada, and arranges visas for students and travelers. But, Natasha’s greatest joy is in reuniting families.

She cites the case of a Canadian woman who married a man from Africa. The couple was split by thousands of milesand forced by immigration rules to somehow prove theirrelationship even though they could rarely take the long,expensive journey. Natasha worked tirelessly to reunite themand recalls the best part of her job. “The look on someone’sface when you call them in... and say, ‘You got it, he got thevisa.’ It’s like Christmas!” Now, the couple has children and,like many of her other clients, keeps in touch.

The 29-year old admits it is difficult balancing her time between work and home. In addition to advocating for herclients, she handles all the business-related tasks such as bookkeeping and advertising. But, the extra responsibility makesher more focused and moves her, and her business, forward.

Currently, Natasha is expanding her practice into Ghana in West Africa. “Canada is looking for educated individuals,”she says, “but some parts of the world are not being tapped for that.” She is in discussions with the embassy there andsetting up an office to help qualified people through immigration procedures so they can create new lives here.

Natasha is dedicated to making dreams of better lives come true both overseas and in Alberta. √~ Laura Underwood

DREAMmakerII

Natasha ThompsonConsultant, immigration specialist




hile Stephen Petasky was spending four nights in a tent on theroof of his Sobeys store in the dead of winter, he passed the timedreaming of warmer climes. He was taking part in the “Campers

for Hampers” Christmas Bureau fundraiser, drumming up donations forthe annual charity.

Well, he’s not dreaming anymore: He’s jetting all over the world asfounder of Luxus Vacation Properties, an alternative to timeshareaccommodation. He offers a great lifestyle to investors, whose money is usedto purchase luxury properties. They can holiday at any of the places inLuxus’ growing portfolio. Among their choices are a ski apartment inPanorama, a single-family home near golf courses in Palm Springs, and apenthouse apartment on New York’s Times Square.

Stephen’s goal is to amass 30 properties in 20 locations and hold them for10 years while they appreciate. Investors will be given their share of thereturn from property sales, and Luxus will acquire replacement assets.Stephen’s enthusiasm has attracted close to 70 investors to Luxus. Thecompany employs an in-house travel specialist to organize trip details suchas flights, tee-off times and concert tickets.

At 28, Stephen is president and co-owner of two thriving businesses, buthe’s also a committed family man. He and his wife, CTV news anchorCarrie Doll, love to spend time with their year and a half old son. It is afocus he saw in his father who has always been a mentor to him. “It’s betterto learn from someone who’s actually gone through it,” Stephen says.

He attended the University of Idaho on a golf scholarship, but heacknowledges that he might not have taken this path so early if not for hisdad’s guidance. Stephen’s father ran aSobeys store and introduced his sonand daughter to the business.Sherwood Park Foods operatesthe Sobeys Lakeland andNottingham stores.

Outside work, the Petaskysare active in the community.They host successful golftournaments to raise moneyfor the Stollery Children’sHospital, Alzheimer Societyand Robin Hood Association.Stephen enjoys the outdoors:golfing—of course, mountainbiking, rock climbing and skiing.He’s happy with the direction lifehas taken.

“I’m living everything I wantto do, so I feel prettylucky…” √~ Laura Underwood

Stephen PetaskyEntrepreneur, volunteer, family man

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huc Ronquillo’s father has been an entrepreneuras long as she can remember, but when she was achild, she had other ideas. A career as an actress

was more to her liking. In the back of her mind,however, she knew she wanted to be her own boss.

After completing business management at theUniversity of Alberta, Thuc landed a job in finance. Aphone call from longtime friend Som Sourachit changedeverything.

While working in real estate, Som identified a marketfor high-end blinds and home accessories. Given Thuc’sfamily history in the window business and herfinancial background, the women decidedto give entrepreneurship a whirl. Thucquit her job and admits, “It was reallyscary!” They opened Posh at Home ayear ago and have expanded theirproduct range to include modern homefurnishings.

“I think it’s because we’re so different,” Thuc says,somewhat surprised at the popularity of the store. The28-year old credits much of its growth to repeatcustomers and referrals. The Jasper Avenue storefrontalso attracts passers-by with its unique furnishings.Personalized service is another factor—Posh willspecial order items and work with an Edmontonupholsterer to customize pieces.

Being new at retailing is the hardest part, but thelearning curve is less steep: “Everyday, you learnsomething new.” She considers herself lucky to havehad so many people in her life who were willing to

offer advice. Her dad always cautioned, “Don’t puttoo much pressure on yourself.” This motivates

her to make time for family and friends…to achievebalance in her life.

Thuc has been married for three years, and herhusband runs a concrete company. She looks afteraccounting and bookkeeping duties for her owncompany as well as his. Despite demands on her time,she’s been playing volleyball with a team for twoyears, and recently took up golf. Thuc and Somcontribute to worthwhile causes and donate tocharities, like the Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

Thuc is thrilled to be filling a niche in Edmonton.“Our customers say they haven’t seen anything likethis anywhere.” It’s this kind of support that has thepartners looking to expand their brand… and musingabout other locations.

Thuc has even set her sights on someday owninganother business. And, why not? She has all the rightentrepreneurial instincts. √ ~ Laura Underwood

Thuc RonquilloRetail business owner

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Filling aFilling aFilling a



A phenomenon in which a hostage begins toidentify with and grow sympathetic to his or hercaptor.

Forty percent of all company divestituresoccur as a result of an unsolicited offer topurchase. Even if their business is not activelybeing marketed, owners will normally meetwith a prospective buyer. In the initial andusually off-site meeting, a nominal amount ofinformation is exchanged and the buyer willagree to draft a non-binding offer. If the offerprovides a range of value that meets thevendor’s expectations and several escapeclauses that minimize the risk to both parties,the vendor will probably proceed with theoffer. Usually the buyer will insist that vendorkeep the offer confidential and not solicit anyother offers, which effectively eliminates anyother competitors from entering intodiscussions.

Typically purchasers have a legion ofexperts to conduct due diligence andvendors are required to respond tonumerous requests for information personallyin order to maintain confidentiality. Vendorsremain responsible for the day to dayrunning of their business while looking afterthe purchaser’s needs. Owners usuallyexperience many late nights at the officefollowed by working dinners as the two sidesget to know one another. As the vendors’comfort level with the buyers increases andthe purchaser starts to understand thebusiness and its opportunities for growth anddiversification, the greater the informationflow is and the more time-consuming theprocess becomes. As vendors tire, they seekclosure. Buyers may hold out for moreinformation to ensure this is the right deal;they position the vendors to share in thefuture risks after the deal is closed.

If the vendor wants the purchaser tosucceed they may make small concessionswhich typically get more significant as timepasses. They believe they need this deal toclose with this buyer because they haveinvested too much time, energy and heartnot to. They still don’t know what the closingprice will be even though the buyer knowseverything about their business.

When the closing price is finally discussed,it may not be quite as good as anticipatedespecially when coupled with concessionssuch as having part of the proceeds deferredand subject to future performancerequirements. Still at least the sale will closeand they will get paid out…

If you want to avoid the pitfalls thataccompany this scenario, call us when youare approached. We can steer you throughthe risks of going it alone.

with Stephen W. Kent, CA(780) 441-6793

ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTITURES &

CORPORATE FINANCE

THE Stockholmsyndrome

ntil she was 11, Rebecca Loo lived in Malaysia. She says, “I never imagined I would go touniversity.” Now, she’s the first person in her family to get a degree—a BA in sociology from theUniversity of Calgary—and credits her mom’s decision to move the family to Alberta as the

precursor to her success. The 28-year old has been an Edmontonian for six years. Here she met Catherine Lam who suggested

they combined her own business sense with Rebecca’s experience in childhood development to open adaycare. Instead, they changed direction, and Octii Nurture Studios was born.

Unique in the city, Octii is a wellness company dedicated to babies. It provides nurturing programs—like fitness classes, baby sign language and music jam—to help babies develop well physically andemotionally, and to strengthen the bond between parent and child. This forward-thinking company catersto a new cultural movement in which Rebecca says, “Everyone is conscious about being healthy, being awell rounded person and having a well balanced life.”

She’s realistic about Octii, admitting, “We’re a baby right now, and we’regoing to grow up.” Plans for the future include teaching money

management to children and introducing programs for older kids andteens.

Rebecca is also a fitness trainer and teaches group fitnessclasses to disabled adults. As well, she has implementedprograms for children, particularly those with autism. Sheworks with the Canadian Diabetes Association, organizingteam running events—spurring her next goal to run a half-marathon. She also volunteers with the Fit Rendezvousconference, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Runfor the Cure, and in the Chinese community with theASSIST Association, planning the Mid AutumnChildren’s Festival.

Rebecca is of Chinese origin, and can now write thedifficult language after classes at the University of

Alberta. She put these skills to use on a month-long trip to the country, and says she’s been

bitten by the travel bug. Business partner Catherine is a friend and afan who offers insight to Rebecca’scommitment: “It isn’t during the good timesthat one’s character is seen… it’s through thetough times that the true heart comes out.Rebecca’s heart is made of gold anddiamonds.”

And, Rebecca shines brightest when shespeaks passionately about how Octii canprovide parents with ways to enhance their

baby’s development and set foundations forsound life skills. √

~ Laura Underwood

UU

Rebecca LooCOO, wellness & fitness trainer, volunteer

Photos by Tracy Kolenchuk

Documents

Edmontonians Sept08