BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION

Overview of BR&E programs
Paul Reid

Best practices to implementing an effective BR&E program
Frank Miele

Questionnaire development: Getting to know the market
Richard J. Simm

Establishing long term plan objectives: Integrating BRE into overall economic development plan (and Beyond)
Edward T. Marchak

Building your business retention & expasion team: Create the team within or out source
Suzanne McCrimmon

Creating an effective marketing plan
Larry Petovello

Rural and small town BR&E programs: Opportunities in the global economy
Paul Reid

Factors leading to a successful BR&E program
Karen Poste

Identifying key businesses to focus efforts on
Karen Poste

IT support of business retention & expansion
Frank Miele

Stephen Martin is a Partner in PwC's Business Decision Support practice in Toronto, with a primary focus on the municipal and utilities sector. Stephen has over 20 years of experience advising and assisting public, quasi-public and private organizations with their major strategic, business and investment decisions, ensuring they are made on a more fully-informed basis with increased confidence and reduced risk. The range of services he has provided includes options analysis, feasibility studies and the development and assessment of business cases to support strategic objectives. Stephen's experience also includes providing financial and strategic advice to a wide range of clients on alternative service delivery, restructuring, and full cost recovery/sustainable asset management practices in the water sector.

Educated with a marketing background, Karen has worked in the municipal sector for 17 years. The first 9 years were spent working as a land use planner with a small urbanizing Township in Eastern Ontario. After 9 years as a land use planner, and after having survived an amalgamation with an adjacent City, Karen was promoted to the position of Manager of Economic Development for the City of Belleville.

Certified as a Business Retention and Expansion Consultant, a member of EDAC and EDCO, Karen has worked on several large business attraction and retention projects for the City that include new employers such as Bioniche Life Sciences, 4 new call centres, Sigma Stretch Film, Irvin Aerospace, Freightliner, and several others. She has also been instrumental in assisting local industry with their expansions that have added over 1000 new jobs to the community in just a few short years.

Her unique combination of business education and municipal experience has allowed her to understand the needs of business and the issues facing municipalities. Now in the process of conducting her 8th BR+E initiative for Belleville, it has become a program that continues to influence the decisions of Council, the operation of her department, and the local business community. The Belleville program has received international recognition and the City is regularly called upon to share their experiences and best practices with communities from across North America.

When not promoting the benefits of doing business in beautiful Belleville, Karen and her husband John are raising two small children on their 85 acre homestead just outside Belleville

Frank Miele is currently the Commissioner of Economic/Technology Development and Communications for the City of Vaughan. He brings to his position over 25 years of experience in the field of economic and technology development.

Mr. Miele holds a Masters of Applied Environmental Studies in Industrial Development; a Bachelor of Environmental Studies; a Diploma in Economic Development and a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo. He also holds a Certified Municipal Manager III designation from the Ontario Municipal Management Institute.Through his professional and educational development, Mr. Miele has received many prestigious awards including the American Economic Development Council (AEDC) Richard Preston Award; the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) President's Award and the 1998 Economic Development Achievement Award

Planning and York University's Political Science Department. Mr. Miele was the founding editor of The Economic and Technology Development Journal of Canada. He has also published works in Municipal World; The Economic Development Journal of Canada; Trade and Commerce Magazine; The Entrepreneurial Development Review; Area Development Site; Cordillera Institute, World Teleport Association, and many more. Mr. Miele is an active professional member of IEDC; EDCO; EDAC; CIBPA; Vaughan Chamber of Commerce. He is the Past President of the Ontario Municipal Management Institute, and the past Chair of the Parent Council for Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. Mr. Miele is married and has four children.

Larry Petovello is Director of Economic Development for the City of Mississauga. He has been with the City since 1989 and has held his current position for the past six years. Prior to joining the City of Mississauga, Larry spent nine years with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs where he was a senior community renewal official and economic development advisor. Larry is a member of the Economic Development Association of Canada and the Economic Development Council of Ontario. He is on the board of the Mississauga Technology Association and the Mississauga Technology Business Accelerator. Larry is an accredited Economic Development professional with a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Ryerson University, a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo and a Diploma in Public Administration from Ryerson University.

A certified BR&E consultant, Suzanne McCrimmon is presently the Manager of Business Development for the Municipality of Clarington. The municipality's unique combination of rural and urban design makes the diversity of her role as Business Development manager unique and cvhallenging. She is highly knowledgeable and experienced in matters of business retention and expansion, having developed and completed a BR&E survey for all areas of business in 2004 as well a participant in Clarington's 2 Community Improvement plans. She has also worked in all levels of government, including the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food as an Export Development Manager and was part of the Trade Team Canada Market Group as an International Market Researcher. Suzanne is also a founding board member of the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance.

Education:

Education: LEEDS-NC Certification Training Ottawa,
Ottawa, ON

Business Retention & Expansion International: BR&E Certification Program as a BR&E Consultant
Guelph, ON

University of Waterloo: Year One and Year Two EDAC Certification Program Waterloo, ON

Ryerson University: C.I.T.P. Certification (Certified International Trade Professional
Toronto, ON

Algonquin College: Marketing Management Honors Diploma
Ottawa, ON

Ryerson University: Fine Arts Degree Program
Toronto, ON

Richard Simm is a Vice President in the Advisory Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Toronto. He possesses a B.A. (Mathematical Statistics) from Wilfrid Laurier University and an M.B.A. from the Queen's School of Business.

Richard has over 15 years business experience, in executive and general management, advisory and corporate development roles. Richard's most recent experience in the municipal sector was in his role where he was the senior executive responsible for the planning, design, building and start up of a state of the art food processing facility in Brant County. In addition, he has worked extensively with clients in the broader public sector including Industry Associations, Regulated Industries, Hospitals, Colleges, Universities and Government. Richard is leading the firm's efforts in integrating web-based surveying and data collection into project execution.

For the last 7 years have been a Key Account Agent in the Growth & Development Dept. of the City of Greater Sudbury. In this capacity I work with existing firms and business attraction initiatives. Previous to joining the City I spent 28 years in sales. Served 2 terms as president of the Sudbury and District Chamber of Commerce . Served as chairman of the Laurentian Hospital Foundation and treasurer of Sudbury 2001. Active in local playground association. Graduate of Laurentian University.

Ed is a Director with the PwC Advisory practice in Edmonton, with over 22 years of consulting experience for public and private sector firms. He was recently the project manager responsible for organizing the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) Presidents Summit on Community Sustainability - an event focused on defining a 100-year vision for economic, social and environmental sustainability for communities across Alberta. Accordingly, Ed is well-placed to replace Peter for this session.