Kathryn M. Whitehead, B.H.K., LLB, Burgar Rowe

Kathryn M. Whitehead is a lawyer with the firm of Burgar Rowe in Barrie. She graduated from the University of Windsor with degrees in Human Kinetics and Law. Kathryn practices in the areas of Real Estate, Wills & Estates and Corporate Commercial Law. She graduated amongst the top in her class as well as being on the Indoor Track and Field team competing at the national and international levels. www.burgarrowe.com

Jane Schnurr, Awesome Coaching Enterprises

Jane Schnurr provides Business Coaching and Leadership Development for Entrepreneurs, Senior Executives, New Supervisors and Teams. With over 25 years experience as an entrepreneur Jane understands the issues and is brilliant at breaking down challenges into bite size doable steps.
After overcoming adversity and challenge in her own life, Jane developed the Four Pillars of Mastering Overwhelm program. This program gets the many facets of your business and life working together like a well oiled machine. Clients typically grow their business by huge margins, work less and live more. Her use of humour and props makes Jane a popular speaker and presenter.

Richard Bell, Georgian Business Solutions

As head of Information Technology at Georgian Business Solutions, Richard Bell specializes in Internet and web development and oversees and delivers a full spectrum of IT services including application conception and evolution, custom programming, web design and development and consulting. Richard graduated from the Computer Programmer/Analyst program at Georgian College. He started Georgian Business Solutions in 2001, with his current partner and he brings with him over 10 years of experience in the Information Technology sector. www.georgianbusinesssolutions.com

Rychard Lardner, CA, Lardner & Company

Rychard graduated from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in 1978 with an HBA. Rychard also obtained his Certified Financial Planners (CFP) designation in 1999. Since graduating from university, he has gained experience working for both a large multi-national and a small regional accounting firm, as well as with a large stock brokerage firm and a large Canadian pharmaceutical firm. Rychard has been very active in the communities of Barrie and South Simcoe. www.lardner.ca

Paul Cormier, Y Communicate

Paul brings over 23 years of experience to the table in creative direction, strategic planning, interactive design and marketing innovation. He has worked closely with senior decision makers across a broad spectrum of Canadian and US organizations in both the public and private sectors. Creative innovation, excellent writing skills and a results driven approach has allowed Paul to work on a broad cross section of traditional and new projects. www.ycommunicate.com

Brian Chuipka, The Mustard Seed Group

Brian Chuipka is the owner of The Achievement Centre Barrie and is a specialist in helping companies develop better business results. His background includes a formal training in sales, leadership, corporate management and consulting. His greatest strengths are building relationships and helping people to succeed. He has over 25 years of Canadian, American and Japanese corporate experience in Sales, Senior Management and Consulting. He has worked for such organizations as Prudential, Pitney Bowes, Winthrop Laboratories, Squibb Pharmaceuticals, Telemedia and Canon . He attributes his success to professional salesmanship and sustained excellence. www.theachievementcentre.com

Terri Plaxton-Smith, Greater Barrie Business Enterprise Centre

Terri Plaxton-Smith has been the business advisor and manager for the Greater Barrie Business Enterprise Centre since it's inception in 2002. An entrepreneur herself for over 20 years in the Barrie area, Terri is an empathetic and experienced business consultant, with specialized skills in Communications, Marketing, Advertising and Sales. Entrepreneur, writer, public speaker and trained adult educator, Terri’s diverse background makes her equally at home in all of the many roles her position demands. www.barriebusinesscentre.ca

Theresa Dowsett, MBA, CHRP, Licensed Paralegal

Business Acceleration Inc./ Workforce Acceleration

Theresa Dowsett is President of Workforce Acceleration and possesses more than 25 years of business experience working for both private and public sector employers. She works in both unionized and non-unionized settings. Her education spans a wide spectrum of professional and management studies, including Business Management, Business Law, Human Resources Management, and Adult Education and Training. Theresa was welcomed into the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2008 as one of North America's first licensed Paralegals.

Theresa's legal training and experience working with one of the largest municipal governments in North America provides her with an exceptional knowledge base and diversified skill set. She is capable of assisting companies sort through various issues of conflict and identifies positive actions to streamline programs to helps companies become more productive, effective, and profitable.

Over the past 15 years, Theresa has created a full time management consulting and human resource management firm focusing on leadership development, team building, improving workplace culture and conflict resolution, building employee relations, and WSIB/Health & Safety Claims Management. Theresa has also been involved in numerous third party investigations for allegations of inappropriate behaviour at work so that companies may meet their due diligence obligations, and understand the underlying root cause of personality and operational problems at work.