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"Most successful businesses, without a doubt, have a
business plan and continually return to this plan to
measure their performance. Women should also surround
themselves with good people, especially good
accountants!"
Jennifer Dunn, C.A., Beaton Fitzpatrick Murray
Chartered Accountants |
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"I gain strength, courage and confidence by every
experience in which I must stop and look fear in the face. I say
to myself, I've lived through this and can take the next thing
that comes along. We must do the things we think we cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt, much admired by
Charlene Williams, Gallery Charlene. |
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A board of seven business women, from across Prince Edward Island, govern the Association.
| Board | | Michelle Ryder-MacEwen - President
Michelle owns and operates two businesses:
On the Edge, a skating boutique, and Maritime Rubberized Coatings, a supplier of environmentally safe industrial waterproofing products, located in Stanley Bridge, PEI. On The Edge skating boutique, opened in fall 2007 and serves the figure skating and hockey communities in Atlantic Canada.
Michelle grew up in Southwestern Ontario, and for 28 years owned and operated hairdressing salons in Tilbury and Chatham, Ontario. She then worked as the office manager for Lafarge Construction Materials in Chatham, Ontario, managing eleven of their Southwestern Ontario plants.
Michelle and Leith moved from Southwestern Ontario to PEI in 2005, and they live in Stanley Bridge. They have three children and one grand child.
Michelle has been an active member of the Kensington and Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Prince Edward Island Construction Association since 2005. In 2007, On The Edge received New Business of The Year award from the Kensington and Area Chamber of Commerce.
Volunteering has always been an active part of Michelle’s life. She has been a member of the Board of Health for Kent County (Ontario), an active volunteer with the Terry Fox Foundation, and part of the fundraising team that raised money for construction of a new arena in Tilbury, Ontario. She volunteers with the Stanley Bridge Women’s Institute for their summer celiahs and River Days.
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| | | Debra Webster - Vice President
Debra is the owner and manager of True North Insurance and Investments, an insurance brokerage firm. Debra specializes in life, critical illness, disability and extended care insurance as well as group health benefits. Her investment expertise is in both registered (RRSP) and unregistered money, while retirement and estate planning are also major parts of Debra’s portfolio.
Born in Summerside, Debra is a native Islander. She grew up in Parkdale, PEI and completed High school in Riverview, N.B. Debra graduated from St. John General Hospital as an R.N. and continued to practice nursing for many years including management and teaching.
Moving away from the field of nursing, Debra achieved a very successful 2nd profession with a career in medical sales in Calgary, Alberta.
With her two sons grown and educated, Debra followed her heart and moved back to P.E.I. Ready for the challenges of a new career Debra took up the books once again and obtained a license in the life insurance and investment profession. In 2004, she opened True North Insurance and Investments.
Debra resides by the water in Tyne Valley with her dog Emma and stays very involved volunteering in her community and church.
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| | | Sherry White - Treasurer
Sherry is the owner of Excel Accounting Services Inc., a business she started twenty years ago. It has grown to employ five full-time staff and offers bookkeeping, medical billings, small business and personal tax returns, payroll services and training in Simply Accounting. In 2008, Sherry became PEI's first Certified Professional Bookkeeper. She is also a Certified Consultant in Simply Accounting. Sherry has been an active volunteer with numerous organizations including Speed Skate PEI as a coach and Treasurer and PEI Ladies Golf Association as Teams Director. In addition, she is currently the Treasurer of Belvedere Ladies Golf Association. |
| | | Debby Beck - Member at Large
Debby was born and raised in eastern PEI. She began her working career as a secretary for Eastern Ventures (now Active Communities) in 1985. In 1990 she went to work for Montague Computer as an instructor/salesperson/secretary and in 1997 purchased the company from former owner Dan Hughes.
Since taking ownership, Montague Computer has grown from a staff of two to six and has partnered with Academy of Learning to offer a full slate of standard and customized IT training courses. Web site development is another new service for Montague Computer, and together with computer sales, service and custom software development, the company’s focus has become total business solutions. One of Debby’s greatest lessons in business has been to hire people with great attitudes, over extensive experience – Skills you can train, attitude you cannot, she says.
Debby is the president and founding member of the Southern Kings & Queens Chamber of Commerce; has been the coordinator of Brudenell Junior Golf for the past 6 years; a member of The Rotary Club of Montague for 7 years; and a member of the Brudenell Ladies Golf Association for 10 years. She is Past President of the Brudenell Golf Association; past Secretary/Treasurer of the PEI Ladies Golf Association; a member of the Friends of Harvey Moore Foundation and a current Board Member and past secretary to ITAP (Innovation Technology Association of PEI).
Her business and personal accomplishments have been featured in Atlantic Progress and the CBDC magazines.
A mother of two teenage daughters (and an 8 year old Sheltie), she and her husband Ken live in Milltown Cross. |
| | | Pamela Large-Moran - Member at Large
Pamela Large-Moran is the Principal of Conflict Resolution Services (CRS) Atlantic and is a qualified Lawyer, Mediator, Arbitrator, Facilitator, ADR System Designer, Trainer and Consultant in Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management.
Pamela has a Masters of Law specializing in Alternative Dispute Resolution (LL.M. ADR) from Osgood Hall Law School (2004). She has also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Acadia University (1985) and a Law Degree from Dalhousie Law School (1989).
Pamela has also completed the Facilitation module of courses from the Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies at UPEI and has attended as well as presented at various ADR conferences and training workshops.
Pamela’s career background includes private legal practice in Civil and Commercial Litigation spanning 18 years (10 years of which were in Toronto). She has mediated Civil, Commercial, Breach of Contract, Negligence, Insurance, Personal Injury, Family, Employment/Workplace, Debtor/Creditor, Property, Environmental, Administrative and Corporation/Partnership Disputes. She is also a Roster Mediator with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.
Pamela has taught in the area of Mediation and Interest-Based Negotiation and as well designed and developed a comprehensive 36-hour full credit law school course in ADR, specifically in the areas of conflict theory, communication, the art of negotiation, interest-based negotiation and mediation.
Pamela is President of Conflict Resolution Professionals of PEI (CRP-PEI), Vice-Chair of the ADR Institute of Canada, a board member of ADR Atlantic, a board member of the PEI Business Women’s Association, a member of the Conflict Resolution Network of Canada, the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Law Society of PEI.
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| | | Krista Walsh - Member at Large
Krista is the founder and President of KC Collect!, the first women-owned and operated collection agency in the province of Prince Edward Island.
KC Collect! provides collection services and accounts receivable management tools to small and medium-sized businesses. This financial services company has many products to help clients manage accounts receivables, strengthen credit policies, collect overdue accounts and avoid bad debt. KC Collect! also offers collection counseling, skip tracing, document serving, investigative research, and credit reporting.
Prior to venturing into her own business, Krista worked in several dental offices specializing in receivables management and customer relations and as a credit manager for a local home heating company.
In the fall of 2007, Krista was the first Canadian to receive her Certified Financial Collection Professional (CFCP) from The International Center for Collection Professionals. Krista was also nominated for Credit & Collection Risk's "Outstanding Women in Collections Award" in November 2006.
Krista is a facilitator for Profit Learn PEI and a member of the Eastern Prince Edward Island Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce. Krista is the current Volleyball PEI President and is a founding member of the Montague Volleyball Club. Her volunteer awards include Volleyball Prince Edward Island's Administrator of the Year in January 2007 and Prince Edward Island's Volunteer Network Youth Action Award 2006 for her commitment to developing volleyball in Eastern Prince Edward Island.
Krista resides in Montague PEI with her dog Arnold.
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| | | Leanne Newson - Member at Large
Leanne is the President of Anvil Mechanical Contractors Ltd.
Recognizing a niche in the local market for well designed and installed geothermal heating and cooling systems, in August 2005 she and her husband Scott incorporated their business to provide full service heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration services to the commercial, industrial and residential markets of PEI. Located in central PEI, the company also services & installs air source heat pumps, restaurant equipment & control systems.
Specializing in environmentally friendly closed loop technology, the company believes in minimizing its environmental footprint and implementing sustainable practices that will benefit the island as a whole.
Leanne received her Bachelor`s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1995, with honours. Leanne has a number of years of experience in accounting and administration, while Scott, a licensed HVAC technician and co-owner of the company, has over 12 years of experience in the trade. He is an accredited member of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association, as well as a certified Residential Designer and Installer with the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition.
Leanne is a member of the South Shore, Summerside & Charlottetown Chambers of Commerce, the PEI Construction Association, as well as numerous professional organizations.
Volunteering is also an important part of Leanne`s life. She has been involved with many projects such as Grace Christian Schools Plant a Seed Committee, the North River 4H Club, the fundraising efforts at Crapaud Community Hall, and raising funds to send a local team to Malawi, Africa to construct a church.
Born & raised in PEI, Leanne resides in Hampton with her husband Scott, son Reice and Chocolate Lab Daisy. |
| | | Staff | | Melody Beck - Executive Director Email
Melody Beck brings to this position experience in project management, financial management, strategic planning, event management, marketing, communications and program delivery in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Most recently, she worked with the PEI Department of Development and Technology as the Community Development Officer for Southern Kings and Queens. Preceding this, Melody worked with the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat in Ottawa. She was responsible for managing on-site operations for Premiers’, Ministers’ and Deputy Ministers’ conferences throughout Canada. From 1996 to 1999, Melody worked with Canadian Diabetes Association – PEI Division where she was responsible for fundraising, membership development, communications, and management of several diabetes supply stores.
Her academic background includes: a Master of Business Administration Degree with Specialization in Leadership from Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia; a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Marketing from Dalhousie University; a Certificate in Public Administration from University of Prince Edward Island; and an Internet Marketing and Electronic Commerce Certificate from Holland College.
As a volunteer, Melody has recently worked as a consultant for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Volunteer Services Department creating a Volunteer Development Plan. She has volunteered as a Junior Achievement advisor along with being a former Junior Achiever herself.
Melody looks forward to meeting all members of PEI Business Women’s Association and to assisting Island women in business to meet their professional and business objectives.
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| | | Elizabeth Noonan - Western PEI Community Outreach Facilitator Email
ELIZABETH NOONAN, president of Elizabeth Noonan & Associates a full service Marketing Consulting, Event Management and Communications Company in Summerside. Elizabeth is well known across the Province for establishing the JA PEI Business Hall of Fame, a major fundraiser for Junior Achievement on PEI now in its 13th successful year. She was a consultant on the Marketing Manoeuvres project established and presented by Resources West in 2004 to businesses in Western PEI and (March-June 2005) with La Societe de Developpment de la Baie Acadienne in presenting the Marketing Manoeuvres training program to Businesses in the Acadian region of Prince Edward Island.
Elizabeth has received numerous awards and recognition for her
work and is featured in the book entitled “Smart Women”, which focuses on women across Canada who are entrepreneurs. In the book women talk about leadership, making money, management and self-development. She is also profiled in the book “Making History” a celebration of Prince Edward Island Women of the 20th Century and most recently in the December 20O7 Issue of Island Living. She has over 18 years of experience as an entrepreneur and business owner. Elizabeth was an active member of the PEI Business Women’s Association prior to 2OO5 when she was hired as the Community Outreach Facilitator for Western PEI. In this permanent part-time position, Elizabeth counsels women on business start-up, sourcing funding for expansion of their existing business and business management training. She is a volunteer business mentor with the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, sits on the Advisory Council for Entrepreneur Forum PEI, a past member of the board of directors of the Community Foundation of PEI, and a member of the Summerside, Kensington and West Prince Chambers of Commerce. Elizabeth looks forward to working with women business owners in Western PEI, as the Community Outreach Facilitator for PEIBWA in the pre-start-up, start-up and expansions stages of their businesses. You can contact her at 902-436-0386 or toll free 1-877-268-2111 |
| | | Paula Laybolt - Administrative & Accounting Assistant Email
Paula joined our staff in January 2008 and is an important part of the everyday administrative/bookkeeping activities of the Association. Paula possesses a diploma in Office Administrative Assistant and a Certificate in Simply Accounting Pro 2006 from the Academy of Learning as well as a diploma in Hospitality Management from Holland College. She brings to her position over five years experience in office administration and over 20 years in customer service. Prior to entering the field of Office Administration in 2002, Paula held various management positions in the hospitality industry in Charlottetown. In her spare time, Paula enjoys volunteering with her daughter's extracurricular activities and spending time with her family. |
| | | Committee Chairs | | TBA - Programming Committee (Education)
| | | | | TBA - Marketing & Communications Committee
| | | | | TBA - Membership Committee
| | | | | TBA - Mentoring Committee
| | | | | TBA - Programming Committee (Social)
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| | | Patrons | | |
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