You are here: Home / Archives for NEWS & EVENTS / Community in the News

Sandra Pupatello New CEO the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation

May 9, 2013 By

SandraWINDSOR, May 9, 2013: The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce that former Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Sandra Pupatello, will be joining WEEDC as Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Pupatello requires no introduction to the Windsor-Essex community. As one of our region’s most vocal and tireless champions for continuing prosperity and opportunity, Ms. Pupatello’s drive, passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge of this region will ensure that Windsor-Essex can be known as a solid and profitable business investment worldwide.

Ms. Pupatello, a well-known and respected political figure during her 16 years at Queen’s Park, brings with her a wealth of public sector experience, as well as extensive business contacts both in Canada and abroad.

“It is a privilege for me to welcome Sandra to the WEEDC team. Her arrival as WEEDC CEO sends a strong signal to business: Windsor-Essex is ready to compete and show how profitable we can be. Sandra has been one of this region’s most passionate, energetic and effective advocates of our time. Prospective investors are sure to never forget Windsor-Essex after meeting with Sandra, and we couldn’t be happier with her decision to join WEEDC,” said Board Chair Joseph Byrne.

“Sandra Pupatello brings to WEEDC what few others can: Solid relationships with businesses around the globe, an inside-out knowledge of economic development within Ontario, the thorough understanding of our region’s strengths and opportunities amassed over her lifetime residency here, and a sincere love for her hometown and its people. Windsor welcomes the appointment of Sandra Pupatello as Chief Executive Officer of the Windsor-Essex County Economic Development Corporation, and we look forward to working with Sandra to grow business within the City of Windsor and the greater Essex County region,” said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis.

“Essex County is delighted to welcome Sandra Pupatello to the position of CEO of the Windsor Essex County Economic Development Corporation. Sandra is blessed in that you’ll never see modesty from her when she’s speaking about our region and its accomplishments. Essex County looks forward to continuing the strong expertise and positive impacts that she has brought to each of her roles, and to further enriching the crucial services that WEEDC provides,” said Essex County Warden Tom Bain.

Under Ms. Pupatello’s leadership, Windsor-Essex will continue to be strategic as it continues to strengthen and diversify its regional economic base.

About the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC) – The WEEDC is the lead economic development agency proudly representing Windsor-Essex, Ontario, Canada’s fastest growing economy (Conference Board of Canada), one of the world’s Top 7 most intelligent communities (Intelligent Community Forum) and FDi’s 2013/14 Best FDi Strategy, Small City, Runner Up. Acting as a catalyst and network developer WEEDC works to positively impact the region by providing services including business attraction, retention and expansion, small business and entrepreneurial development, and community development activities. For more information on previous awards please visit www.choosewindsoressex.com/awards.

CONTACTS:
Joseph Byrne, Chair,
WindsorEssex Economic Development Corp.
Tel: 519-257-0460

Lana Drouillard, Director, Marketing & Communications
WindsorEssex Economic Development Corp.
Tel: 519-259-9600

Filed Under: Community in the News Tagged With: ,

Assumption High School Reaches World Championships in Robotics

April 1, 2013 By
Assumption H.S
Assumption Collegiate High School Robotics Team poses with WEtech Alliance’s Irek Kusmierczyk at the Greater Toronto Regional held in Mississauga March 28th – April 1, 2013.

The robotics team from Assumption Collegiate High School is going to the World Championships in St. Louis.

In its very first season, the rookie team from Assumption competed this past weekend in the Greater Toronto Regional held in Mississauga. In the Hershey Centre packed with 1,200 students, Assumption beat out 40 other teams from as far away as Singapore to reach the finals of the regional tournament and thus qualify for the World Championships.

The World Championship is held at the Edward Jones Dome and attracts 15,000 participants and spectators from around the world in what is known as the Superbowl of Smarts.

FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, and it is a prestigious international robotics competition sponsored by companies such as Boeing, Ford, Chrysler, Boston Scientific, Google, Rockwell Automation and others.

Each year about 3,000 high schools compete by building man-sized robots tough enough to crash-and-bash in an arena, but complex enough-for example-to pick up a basketball and shoot a three-point shot or climb a ten-foot steel pyramid.

Windsor sent four teams to the Greater Toronto Regional including three “rookie teams” from Assumption H.S., Maranatha Christian Academy, and St. Anne’s High School.  The veteran team from Sandwich Secondary School reached the playoffs but were knocked out early.

WEtech Alliance, with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is spearheading the expansion of the FIRST Robotics program in Windsor and Essex County.

“We are cultivating the next generation of engineers and innovators,” says Dr. Irek Kusmierczyk, Program Manager of WEtech Alliance, who has grown the program in the region.

“This program leads young people onto promising career paths in science, technology and the skilled trades,” says Karen Behune Plunkett, President and CEO of WEtech Alliance.

Media Contact:
Dr. Irek Kusmierczyk, PhD
Program Manager
WEtech Alliance
C: 519.990.3132
E: ikusmierczyk@wetech-alliance.com

Filed Under: Community in the News Tagged With:

Windsor High School Team Wins Biotech Competition

March 28, 2013 By

WEtech Alliance is delighted to report that one of our local high school teams participating in the BioGENEius competition have claimed First Place Overall, First Place for a New Team and the Ontario Genomics Prize sponsored by the Ontario Genomics Institute at the Southwestern Ontario Regional Competition held yesterday at the McMaster Innovation Park.

 Here is the Hamilton Spectator article from this morning: http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/909730–teens-bone-marrow-project-wins-biotech-challenge. 

The team of Melanie Grondin and Shawn Liu, both Grade 12 students from Massey Secondary School, received a total prize winning of $3,000 and the chance to travel to Ottawa for the National Championships to present their project on expanding bone marrow stem cells for transplants.

Congratulations to Professor Lisa Porter at the University of Windsor and her laboratory staff, with special mention to graduate student Kaitlyn Matthews, for mentoring this terrific duo.

BioGENEius is a prestigious national science competition that is unique because it partners high school students with professors at the university to work on real biotechnology related research inside a real laboratory.

This was the first time that students from Windsor and Essex participated in BioGENEius, which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.

The other participating students were:

Daisy An and Lia Huo – Grade 11, Massey Secondary School
Dragos Chiriac – Grade 12 Massey Secondary School (did not attend competition)
Dominique Ferrarelli – Grade 12, General Amherst

WEtech Alliance, with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, spearheaded the expansion of the BioGENEius program into area high schools partnering with the Faculty of Science at the University of Windsor.

Congratulations go out to all of the Professors in the Faculty of Science who opened up their laboratories to our six students participating in BioGENEius and gave of their time and resources, including Dr. Siriam Pandey, Dr. Sirinart Ananvoranich, Dr. Lisa Porter and Dr. Bulent Mutus.

“One of the students confided in me that whereas before BioGENEius they were set on attending the University of Western Ontario, but the experience working with our professors at the university have convinced them to apply to the University of Windsor,” says Dr. Irek Kusmierczyk, a Program Manager at WEtech Alliance in charge of the program.

“This program sets students on career paths in biotechnology, and WEtech Alliance is thrilled to support our next generation of innovators and technology entrepreneurs,” says Karen Behune Plunkett, the President and CEO of WEtech Alliance.

Here is a previous news article about the Twentieth Anniversary of BioGENEius which provides some excellence background information about the program: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1125613/sanofi-biogeneius-challenge-canada-celebrates-20-years-of-advancing-science-74-of-sbcc-participants-pursued-science-careers-thanks-to-national-biotech.

For interested media, WEtech will arrange interview/footage/photos of students working in Dr. Porter’s laboratory today at 4:30pm.  Please contact Dr. Kusmierczyk below to confirm your presence. Media inquiries can be directed to:

Media Contact: 

Dr. Irek Kusmierczyk, PhD
Program Manager, WEtech Alliance
T: 519.997.2863
C: 519.990.3132
E: ikusmierczyk@wetech-alliance.com

 

Filed Under: Blog, Community in the News Tagged With: , , , , ,

OYA Solar Becomes the First Solar Company in the Province with a Fit Contract on its Own Roof

March 17, 2013 By

OYA SolarWindsor-Essex, Ontario –   March 06th, 2013 – OYA Solar Inc. (OYA), Ontario’s premiere developer of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, continues to take steps to harness the power of the sun. This time, OYA becomes the first solar company in the Province of Ontario to have connected a Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) project on its own building.

OYA said today that it has installed a high-efficiency 135.20 kilowatt (kW) solar PV system on the 30,000 square foot roof of its headquarters located in Windsor, Ontario. This solar system enables OYA to generate enough clean electricity each day to power 12 average homes and offset over 123,000 pounds of fossil fuels annually.

OYA Solar, a leader in commercial and residential solar installations, was responsible for the design and construction of the rooftop system. With over 300 commercial and residential installations to its credit, OYA becomes the only solar company in the Province of Ontario with a connected project on its own roof under the Ontario Power Authority’s FIT Program.

OYA selected Polar Racking to provide the project’s mounting system. In addition to being one of Ontario’s leading mounting systems, the Polar system is also locally made. “OYA selected Polar Racking for this job due to its ease of assembly and low long term maintenance costs. OYA has used Polar at several other commercial installations across the province with great success” stated Manish Nayar, Managing Partner of OYA Solar. “The Polar system reduces installation time allowing us to focus our resources in other critical issues during installation”.

The installation of this solar photovoltaic system is just one more example of OYA’s efforts to contribute to Ontario and the world’s sustainable future. Today, OYA has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and Windsor specializing in every aspect of the solar industry – from EPC and Consulting of large-scale commercial projects to small residential installations.

About OYA Solar
OYA Solar Inc., a subsidiary of OYA Ventures LLC, designs, develops and operates socially responsible renewable energy projects that promote economic development across the globe. Its mission is to provide access to reliable renewable energy in order to address the challenges of energy independence.  With planned projects in Canada, the US, Africa and South Asia, OYA is committed to reducing the global carbon-based energy footprint and creating a more sustainable global economy. More –  www.oyasolar.ca

Media Contacts: Pamela Vazquez, OYA Solar- 877-464-7657

Filed Under: Blog, Community in the News Tagged With:

ENWIN Supports FIRST Robotics Teams: Helps Build Science and Technology Future in Windsor

March 11, 2013 By

For Immediate Release – March 7, 2013

ENWIN Supports FIRST Robotics Teams
Helps Build Science and Technology Future in Windsor

Windsor ON – Join us please, as ENWIN Utilities Ltd. demonstrates its support for science and technology education by announcing its Gold Level sponsorship of the development of FIRST Robotics teams in Windsor.

2,500 high school teams compete annually in FIRST Robotics regional tournaments across North America, and now Windsor boasts two brand new teams to take on the rest of the world!

“ENWIN is proud to invest in the future of our region by supporting students who will become our future engineers, innovators, startup entrepreneurs and community leaders,” said Michael Duben, Vice President of Customer Relations for the utility.

“These students will eventually dedicate their knowledge to organizations like ENWIN – organizations devoted to the kind of innovative thinking we need to grow and change. We are planting the seeds for the future of our region.”

The new “rookie” teams from Assumption College Catholic High School and Maranatha Christian Academy will compete for the first time in the Greater Toronto Regional tournament alongside fellow rookies St. Anne’s High School and the veteran LaSalle team from Sandwich High School, which captured the Smokey Mountains Regional Championship in Tennessee last year.

WEtech Alliance, with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is collaborating with industry partners such as ENWIN to spearhead the expansion of FIRST Robotics into more area high schools and grade schools. Plans are underway to host a FIRST Robotics Regional Tournament in Windsor that could bring 1,200 high school students from Ontario and the Great Lakes states.

Who: Michael Duben, VP Customer Relations, ENWIN Utilities Ltd.
Irek Kusmierczyk, PhD, WEtech Alliance
First Robotics Team members and teachers from local schools

What: Announce ENWIN’s support of local FIRST Robotics Team development

Where: Assumption College Catholic High School Tech Building
When: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 10 a.m.

Why: The development of an early interest in science, technology and innovation is
vital to our regional economy and our community’s future.

ABOUT ENWIN Utilities Ltd.
ENWIN Utilities Ltd. is Windsor’s Local Electricity Distribution company dedicated to supplying safe, reliable electricity to Windsor and high quality potable water to Windsor, LaSalle and Tecumseh, at just and reasonable rates.

As a company charged with the safe provision of essential commodities now and in the future, ENWIN is dedicated to developing and nurturing the next generation of innovators, scientists, engineers and technicians who will ensure the future of our water and electricity distribution systems. We are proud to support our youth in developing the skills they will need to pursue an education in science and technology.

ABOUT FIRST Robotics
FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST). Students who compete in FIRST are twice as likely to go to university or college, twice as likely to major in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and ten times as likely to do an apprenticeship in post-secondary.

Competitors build man-sized robots that crash-and-bash in an arena but are nimble enough, for example, to shoot three-point basketball shots and climb ten foot steel pyramids. The best teams are invited to the World Championships in St. Louis where over 20,000 participants and spectators fill the Edward Jones Dome.

Major sponsors of FIRST Robotics in Canada and the United States include GM, Chrysler, Ford, Magna, Research in Motion, Motorola, Boeing, Boston Scientific and NASA just to name a few of the major technology and innovation companies supporting FIRST through funding and mentoring. FIRST students are eligible for $16 million worth of scholarships at colleges and universities across North America.

ABOUT WEtech ALLIANCE: WEtech Alliance is a Regional Innovation Centre that promotes the technology and innovation sector in Windsor and Essex County.

ABOUT THE ONTARIO TRILLIUM FOUNDATION: The OTF is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and the largest grant-making foundation in Canada, which enables Ontarians to work together to enhance the quality of life in their community.

For further information please contact:

Irek Kusmierczyk, PhD
WEtech Alliance
T: 519.997.2863
C: 519.990.3132
ikusmierczyk@wetech-alliance.com

Barbara Peirce Marshall
ENWIN Utilities Ltd.
T: 519.255.2888 ext 849
C: 519-991-5210
bpeircemarshall@enwin.com

Filed Under: Blog, Community in the News Tagged With: , , ,

eReaders Now Available for Loan at Windsor Public Library

February 21, 2013 By

sonyereadersWindsor Public Library (WPL) began offering the free loan of Sony® Readers to registered Windsor Public Library cardholders on February 15, 2013. A total of 100 eReaders are now available throughout the system at all 10 library branches and customers will be able to place a hold on the devices if demand exceeds supply. A library card in good standing is required to borrow an eReader and the loan period is three weeks.

“We’re excited to offer our visitors the opportunity to experience eReaders before they go out and purchase one, as well as have their questions about eReaders and eBooks answered by our knowledgeable staff,” says WPL Acting CEO Chris Woodrow. “This will also provide customers a chance to learn more about the availability of our growing digital content at the Windsor Public Library.”

Customers will checkout and return eReaders at the main desk of all branches and will have the opportunity to load the device, either at the library or from home via the WPL website, with a selection of fiction and non-fiction titles, largely geared toward content from OverDrive, a full-service digital distributor of eBooks, audiobooks, and other digital content. Up to 10 eBooks can be borrowed by a customer at one time. Complete instructions will be provided with each checkout of a device and library staff will be available to provide assistance and answer questions.

The Windsor Public Library also offers regular workshops on how to use eReaders and how to checkout eBooks.

Filed Under: Community in the News, Opportunity Alerts Tagged With: ,

GLISC to Become Industry Roundtable

February 14, 2013 By

(Source: M-TEAMS E-Newsletter) The Great Lakes Industrial Sales Consortium (GLISC) is changing its name to The Industry Roundtable, the ONLY industrially focused developmental forum, in a move to more accurately reflect the organization’s values. GLISC was founded in the depths of the most recent recession (is it over yet?) with the thought that local firms don’t look to each other for solutions to their problems and should do so. Initially, GLISC modelled its meeting structure after BNI but membership consensus has moved the organization into education, group benefits, and team problem solving.

GLISC’s educational component typically has focused on speakers at the biweekly Thursday meetings. A wide range of presenters from our own members to MP Jeff Watson have addressed the group, providing insight into local business opportunities and challenges.

GLISC leaders (all are leaders but I refer to elected Board Members) have negotiated or are in the process of negotiating employee benefits, group rates on collection services, and banking.

A more recent element to GLISC meetings is team problem solving. Members highlight issues that they have faced or are facing and obtain the benefit of the accumulated wisdom of the other members in avoiding or efficiently resolving these problems.

All of these benefits of membership, which is $100/yr, will continue with the change to The Industry Roundtable. The change was initiated by the membership and led by President Ed Roach of The Branding Experts. Roach led a re-branding exercise intended to strengthen GLISC’s areas of success and address those areas where success had eluded us.
M-TEAM$ has been a proud member of GLISC since 2009, shortly after it was founded and encourages clients and colleagues to join The Industry Roundtable- the ONLY industrially focused developmental forum. The next meeting will be held at the WFCU at 8:00 am on Thursday February 21.

Filed Under: Community in the News Tagged With: ,
«Older Posts
Rimons twitter widget by Rimon Habib