FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Sydney, NS) – The Cape Breton Partnership is currently seeking nominations from business professionals who are interested in joining their Board of Directors. The Partnership is looking for individuals who are passionate about supporting Cape Breton’s diverse business community and interested in contributing to the future direction of their organization. Nominations will only be accepted from individuals who work for organizations that are Investors with the Cape Breton Partnership. Deadline for nomination submissions is Thursday, August 31, 2017.
The Cape Breton Partnership brings together people who believe in the power of working together in order to build prosperity in all sectors across the island. The Partnership’s diverse list of projects and initiatives all focus their activities around the organization’s mission of increasing business opportunities for the future of Cape Breton. The Board of Directors plays a vital role in the structure of the Partnership by providing guidance and support that lends to the overall strategic direction of the organization.
“The Partnership is looking for dynamic individuals who will bring a unique perspective to the Board of Directors. Over the last number of months the Partnership has experienced immense growth and the next step involves recruiting individuals that will help lead the dynamic organization into a new era of sustainability and success for Cape Breton,” said Keith MacDonald, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “The Partnership’s scope of work focuses on collaboration and for the last decade the Board of Directors has ensured that the organization has been the centre of that catalyst for positive change that has influenced the economic landscape of Cape Breton’s growing business community.”
Nominees who submit an application must be an active investor with the Cape Breton Partnership and must be willing to commit to participating on the Board for three years. Board members will be expected to attend quarterly meetings, plus an additional strategic planning session. Individuals who are selected to become Board Members must agree to make every effort to attend events and conferences hosted by the Partnership. To download a nomination form, please visit www.capebretonpartnership.com. The nomination deadline is Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 4 p.m.
The Cape Breton Partnership Board of Directors Governance Committee requests that all digital nomination forms be submitted by email to info@capebretonpartnership.com. Hard copies may be returned to 285 Alexandra Street, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1S 2E8. The official announcement of the new slate of Directors will be made on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at the Cape Breton Partnership’s Investor Summit at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish.
Media Contact:
Keith MacDonald
President & CEO, Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-0122 (w) 902-565-8577 (c)
keith@capebretonpartnership.com
On Wednesday, August 9, 2017, Cape Breton University’s Chancellor and clean-tech champion, Annette Verschuren, joined Member of Parliament Rodger Cuzner to announce over $1 million in support of innovation projects in Cape Breton’s fisheries and agri-food sectors.
Through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) Business Development Program, two local organizations were able to receive funding that are conducting projects aimed at reducing waste in food and seafood processing. The first investment was with the Verschuren Centre at Cape Breton University, which was a $750,000 contribution for an 18-month project to create a pilot facility with machinery and equipment needed to convert underused seafood and agri-food processing waste into valuable mixtures.
“The novel technology processes developed by the Verschuren Centre researchers will help deliver real value solutions to a variety of seafood processing industry sectors. This funding will help to build a pilot facility to apply these processes on a larger scale. The Verschuren Centre team is committed to developing industry solutions and opportunities to grow a sustainable economy,” said Dr. Beth Mason, CEO of the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment.
The second project has ACOA investing $293,000 in the form of a repayable contribution to Northsyde Processing, a subsidiary of Louisbourg Seafoods. The funding enables Northsyde Processing to implement a filtering system to remove shrimp shells out of the waste stream to create additional revenue for the company. Currently, there is a demand for this waste product ranging from medical bandages to diet supplements, due to the valuable properties contained in the substance. This announcement marks Louisbourg Seafoods’ first phase of the company’s overarching goal to fully utilize all of its marine resources, including waste.
“In the face of changing world markets and the many new and exciting challenges in today’s modern fishery, the Louisbourg Seafoods group of companies recognizes that innovation is the key to success. We are committed to providing the freshest, highest quality products to the global marketplace. Our team strives daily for new and innovative ways to make this happen,” said Adam Mugridge, Project Development Manager of Northsyde Processing Ltd.
Emcee of the announcement, Annette Verschuren, applauded the collaboration demonstrated across Cape Breton’s leading industry sectors.
“This is an example of community, industry, and academia working together. This expecting government to do it all isn’t going to work. Expecting industry to do it all will not work and expecting academia to do it won’t work either. But I will tell you, when we work together we make things happen,” said Annette Verschuren, Executive Chair of NRStor Inc. and Chancellor of Cape Breton University.
The Cape Breton Partnership looks forward to the successful outcomes of these two exciting initiatives.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Sydney, Nova Scotia) – The Cape Breton Partnership is looking for passionate leaders who have taken charge of positively changing the direction of Cape Breton Island’s economic prosperity. The Partnership has released an open call for the Economic Impact Award nominations of local business leaders who have made a substantial influence or contributions to Cape Breton, while advancing our region’s business climate. The Partnership will host the fourth edition of the Economic Impact Awards at their annual Investor Summit Gala Dinner on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at the Keltic Lodge at the Highlands.
The Economic Impact Awards honour individuals and organizations from multiple industries for their outstanding contributions to the economy. Award winners will be chosen based on their significant contribution to the Cape Breton economy through innovation, entrepreneurship, and new investments. The selection committee’s decision will also take into consideration the nominees’ commitment to the region and the work they have accomplished that has had a positive impact on the economy during the past year.
“Impact Award winners will be honoured for not only their demonstrated efforts to grow Cape Breton’s long-term sustainability, but also for their support or direct involvement in economic develop activities,” said Keith MacDonald, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “Over the last number of years the Partnership has been able to recognized several high caliber leaders such as Annette Verschuren, Dan Christmas, Zutphen Contractors, and Celtic Colours International Music Festival. There has been numerous positive business news items this year, so the Partnership is expecting a strong number of candidates will be nominated.
Nomination forms may be completed online or downloaded from the Cape Breton Partnership’s Investor Summit website. Digital submissions of the nomination form may be sent by email to info@capebretonpartnership.com. The deadline for nominations is Friday, August 25, 2017 at 4p.m. Winners of the 2017 Economic Impact Awards will be announced close to the date of the Partnership’s annual Investor Summit in October.
The Cape Breton Partnership’s annual Investor Summit brings together over 200 business, community, and government leaders from across Nova Scotia to the Keltic Lodge at the Highlands. On October 5, 2017, Summit delegates will have the opportunity to network, celebrate innovation and establish new partnerships, collaborate, and develop solutions for issues facing local businesses.
Media Contact:
Keith MacDonald
President & CEO
Cape Breton Partnership
keith@capebretonpartnership.com
902-562-7182 (w) 902-565-8577 (c)
Cape Breton delegation has returned from first mission to Vietnam
SYDNEY – Officials from the Cape Breton Partnership and the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities will be providing their expertise to counterparts in Vietnam over the next four years as part of an initiative implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada.
The national program, Partnerships for Municipal Innovation: Local Economic Development (PMI-LED), seeks to increase sustainable economic growth by strengthening the capacity of municipal governments in several overseas countries – Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bolivia and Nicaragua.
Through this program, the Cape Breton Partnership and the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities (UNSM) recently entered into a four-year partnership with the Association of Cities of Vietnam to support them in fostering prosperity, attracting investment, and creating business opportunities.
The initial mission of the partnership agreement wrapped up last week and a delegation representing the Cape Breton Partnership and the UNSM have just returned from Vietnam. Carla Arsenault, chief operating officer of the Cape Breton Partnership; Victoria County Warden Bruce Morrison, Victoria County councillor Perla MacLeod, and Port Hawkesbury Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton were in Hanoi and Can Tho, Vietnam from June 22-28 for a series of meetings, workshops and discussions to lay the groundwork for the four-year partnership.
“We’re honoured to have been selected from a number of applicants across Canada to participate in this renowned program,” said Carla Arsenault, chief operating officer of the Cape Breton Partnership. “By sharing our economic development expertise with our colleagues in Vietnam we are strengthening global municipal relations and forming strong partnerships overseas. It is also an important learning opportunity for the Cape Breton Partnership and for local municipal officials, through the UNSM.”
All direct program costs, including travel, accommodations and meals, are covered by Global Affairs Canada, which funds the Partnerships for Municipal Innovation: Local Economic Development program that is implemented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Participating municipalities and organizations, both in Canada and abroad, provide some in-kind contributions, including staff time.
The benefits of those contributions include learning about the issues that overseas municipalities face, improving services here by learning new methods and best practices from municipal experts across the globe, fostering new trade linkages, and discovering solutions to issues that transcend borders.
Over the next four years, UNSM and Cape Breton Partnership officials will help the Association of Cities of Vietnam strengthen its capacity to plan a community-led economic vision, to offer effective economic development projects and services to their communities, and to adopt policies and practices that promote inclusive and sustainable economic development. Specifically, they will be focused on institutional strengthening, training development, strategic planning, advocacy capacity building, policy development, and supporting programs for women elected at the local level.
For more information about the program visit www.fcm.ca/international.
About the organizations:
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the national voice of municipal governments in Canada since 1901. The FCM is dedicated to improving the quality of life and sustainability of local communities by promoting strong, effective and accountable municipal government. Its members include more than 2,000 municipal governments, which represent over 90 per cent of Canada’s population, and 19 major provincial and territorial municipal associations. FCM has delivered international programs to support partnerships and exchanges between municipal governments in Canada and other countries since 1987.
The Cape Breton Partnership is a private-sector led organization formed in 2004 to unite business, municipalities and communities across Cape Breton and Musgrave with the common goals of forging partnerships, capitalizing on opportunities, and building a stronger Cape Breton. The Cape Breton Partnership has close to 200 private sector investors representing a broad range of sector leaders in the Nova Scotian economy. The Cape Breton Partnership works closely with its investors, and community partners to offer economic projects and programs for all of Cape Breton Island.
The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities is a not-for-profit organization established in 1906 to represent the interests of municipal governments in Nova Scotia. All municipally elected officials in the province are members of the organization. The organization works to strengthen local government through advocacy with the provincial government, research, information sharing, training and development, workshops and conferences. In addition it encourages cooperation and coordination amongst municipalities.
The Association of Cities in Vietnam is a voluntary social organization composed of 105 Vietnamese cities and towns. Established in 2000, it operates both as a non-governmental organization, and as a social professional organization. It is the only organization of local governments in Vietnam and its mission is to provide a link between cities in Vietnam, and to act as a representative of cities as a whole.
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Media contacts:
Carla Arsenault
Chief Operating Officer – Cape Breton Partnership
(902) 577-2455
carla@capebretonpartnership.com
Keith MacDonald
President & CEO – Cape Breton Partnership
(902) 565-8577
keith@capebretonpartnership.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(SYDNEY, NS) – The Cape Breton Partnership announced today that Carla Arsenault is the successful candidate in a recent competition for the organization’s new position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). The COO will oversee all of the Partnership’s varied operations and projects across the island, while based at the new Sydney office at 285 Alexandra Street.
The COO’s primary objective is to ensure that the Partnership’s activities align with the organization’s strategic direction as stipulated by the President and CEO, Board of Directors, and Investors. Additionally, the COO will implement business plans, manage core activities for the organization, as well as those of the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network (CBREN).
“This is a pivotal position in an organization that is extending its reach on the island, while broadening and diversifying its work on several important fronts,” said Keith MacDonald, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “Carla is a demonstratively talented and capable professional with valuable experience gained in the public and private sector. She has a strong background in management and operations that will contribute noticeably to on-going and new efforts being put forward by the Partnership to shape a more vibrant and enterprising economic climate for Cape Breton and Mulgrave. Carla will enhance the work of the Partnership team in crafting, resourcing, and managing new projects to support our Investors and strengthen our region’s capacity for growth.”
Growing up in Evanston, Richmond County and now raising her family in CBRM, Carla brings a comprehensive and holistic approach to implementing effective economic development strategies for Cape Breton and Mulgrave. Carla has earned a Bachelor of Public Relations with a Certificate in Marketing, as well as a Master’s in Business Administration, specializing in Management Consulting. She has spent the last 15 years in the global corporate sector with Hewlett Packard developing solutions to operational barriers and challenges.
“The Partnership is a unique Cape Breton wide organization with a dynamic team that has built collaborative progressive networks in strategic areas to advance economic prosperity. Priority projects for the Partnership include delivery of Cape Breton’s economic growth strategy, the Prosperity Framework, and management of CBREN activities,” said Carla Arsenault, COO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “I look forward to working with the Partnership Board, staff, and Investors in advancing the goals of the organization to make Cape Breton a stronger and more efficient place to do business.”
The Cape Breton Partnership was formed in 2004 with an aim of instilling ownership, confidence, and pride to enhance the prosperity in Cape Breton. The Partnership is dedicated to developing a united approach to addressing economic issues and growth opportunities within the region, while also encouraging the retention and expansion of existing companies by identifying barriers and ways to remove them.
Media Contact:
Keith MacDonald
President & CEO, Cape Breton Partnership
902-562-7182 (w) 902-565-8577 (c)