West Central Foodservice
Wholesale food distribution company West Central Foodservice deals in top quality products and caters to boutique restaurants and hotels. One year shy of its fiftieth anniversary, the company is a model for good growth via a socially conscious business plan, and the company plans to continue growth organically. We spoke with President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dodo and Vice President of Corporate Communications Tracie May-Wagner.
Euflora
This is the third article Business in Focus has undertaken with the highly popular Colorado recreational dispensary. Euflora is a true example of how to flourish in a new industry. Cannabis and its by-products have now been legal since 2014 in Colorado, and infrastructure is improving, schools are being built, and affordable housing is on the rise. It is also important to note that crime rates have gone down, and the number of drunk driving charges has fallen. It sounds completely unlike the dystopian world naysayers had predicted.
WeedMD
Canada’s cultural landscape is changing with the legalization of recreational marijuana. We will become one of the few countries in the world to legitimize this much-maligned plant, and if the experiments with legalization in the U.S. have taught us anything, it is that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Suffice it to say that this cash crop juggernaut will have positive implications.
Morgan County EDC
Morgan County has the most diverse manufacturing economy and the second-oldest economic development corporation in the state of Colorado. The county’s EDC works to advance the economic prosperity of the region through workforce development and improved infrastructure. We spoke with Marketing Specialist Tyler Purvis, from the City of Brush; Economic Development Consultant Kari Linker, representing the town of Wiggins; and Morgan County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Executive Director Greg Thomason to find out more.
Sanpete County Economic Development
Sanpete County, Utah was established in 1850 and is nestled between the Wasatch Plateau on its eastern side and the San Pitch Mountains to the west. This largely agricultural region is also known for being a popular travel and tourist destination. From snowmobiling to the Arapeen trail, rock climbing and golf courses, Sanpete has something for all tastes. We spoke with Sanpete County Economic Development Director Kevin Christensen about the area and its many attractions.
Heber Valley Tourism & Economic Development
Heber Valley Tourism & Economic Development sprang up in 2012, and the melding of the chamber of commerce, economic development organization and tourism board made this a unique venture. It makes doing business easy by incorporating all of these into one entity. We spoke with the Wasatch County Economic Development Executive Director Ryan Starks.
Town of Groton, CT
If you want to see a strong example of a town moving in the right direction, look no further than Groton, Connecticut. The region, which includes the historic village of Mystic, is expanding into other areas of growth in an attempt to become recession-proof. We spoke with Groton’s Economic Development Specialist, Sam Eisenbeiser and Manager of Economic and Community Development, Paige Bronk as well as Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board, Al Valente.
Toppan USA
Japan’s Toppan Printing has been in business since 1900. It is the largest printing company in the world with sales of 1,431,595 million Japanese yen as of March 2017. It is also the parent company of several Toppan companies in North America.
Waxy's Modern Irish Bar
Arguably, there are more Irish bars in North America than any other themed establishments. It is a staple of any town but particularly present in Massachusetts, where Waxy’s Modern Irish Bar is as authentic as it gets. The food, of course, includes Irish fare to go along with pub favorites, but there is so much more to Waxy’s. It is an Irish pub that strives to be a genuine representation of modern Ireland. Business in Focus spoke with Director of Marketing & Events Julie Doherty about this rapidly expanding concept.
The Shawnee Economic Development Foundation
The truth of the matter is that in order for a community to succeed in economic development, you have to invest in infrastructure and upgrades. You need to recognize which industries drive your economy, and nurture them. You are also trying to bring in more business, and if the first two imperatives are met, then everything else should fall in line.
Panama City Mall
Panama City, Florida is an idyllic place on St. Andrews Bay, along Route 98, with long stretches of white sandy beaches, amusement parks, and an old fishing town that caters to both locals and a large tourist population. Panama City Mall is the perfect complement to the city as it is the only enclosed shopping center for sixty-five miles.
Reflex Supplements
Today, sports nutrition supplements are everywhere, but this was not always the case. Twenty-five years ago, this was an industry that only existed in concepts and ideas, with sparse offerings in drug stores. In 1994, Reflex Supplements, of Surrey, B.C., was born. It was one of the first supplement stores in Canada. From the onset, the company saw positive growth, and that continues to this day, as it is the fastest growing company of its kind in Canada.
Wilson Truck Lines
Wilson Truck Lines of Etobicoke, Ontario has a cherished history that began in 1937, making it one of the oldest trucking companies in Canada. It currently has two locations with 225 employees and is privately owned to this day. We spoke to Jim Wilson, the owner and chief executive officer and Marc Mousseau, President and C.O.O. about their competition, challenges and rebranding.
Javelin Logistics
Javelin Logistics is a third-party logistics provider based in Newark, California which performs specialized warehousing and inventory management, as well as local, regional and national transportation services. The evolution of this company truly began January 1, 2004 when our interviewee, President and Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Winspear, joined the firm and decided to take the company in a new direction. Growth was soon to follow.
CHL Systems
CHL Systems of Souderton, Pennsylvania has, for much of the past sixty years, catered to the food and general manufacturing industries. Today, it manufactures process automation equipment and provides services to industries that include snack foods and confectionery, food processing and packaging, meat handling and packaging, pharmaceuticals, steel, energy, and manufacturing. We spoke with Chief Operating Officer Mike Giagnacova, Sales Manager Andy MacBride and Marketing Associate Jeff Bowman.
Viking Pump
Viking Pump works in a wide variety of industries, and it spans the globe with over one hundred authorized distributors in over seventy countries. We spoke to Communications and Marketing Manager Debbie Kleitsch, Product Manager John Hall and Distribution Business Line Vice President John Stillman.
Sky Climber Renewables
Sky Climber Renewables began in 1955 as a manufacturer of suspended access equipment to get people up the exterior of buildings to perform services. The Sky Climber family of businesses serves many work-at-height industries in the industrial and commercial markets. We spoke with Vice President of Sales and Business Development Chad DiFranco and General Manager Tom Warchol to find out more.
Grasshopper Solar
Last May, I spoke with Ontario’s largest solar provider, Grasshopper Solar of Mississauga. We discussed the residential market, the cost of solar and how the general public needs to be educated about the benefits of solar technologies. Now, we celebrate its tenth anniversary and look to President and Chief Executive Officer Azeem Qureshi for the latest developments in the solar industry and within the company itself.
DeKalb County Economic Development Partnership
DeKalb County, Indiana is named after the revolutionary war hero Johann, Baron de Kalb. The DeKalb County Economic Development Partnership (EDP) has instituted a host of incentives to draw businesses in and increase employment opportunities. Business in Focus spoke with its Executive Director Anton King.
Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville
Greater Evansville, in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, is going through a lot of change, and it has been positive. The third-largest city in the state, Evansville is in the midst of increasing its infrastructure capacity with huge projects in its downtown. We spoke with Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville President Ellen Horan and Marketing Communications Manager Abby Elpers.
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PAST EDITIONS
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A Look at Perinatal Care in Canada
Canada is recognized as part of the developed world where quality of life standards are high, but this reputation is slowly (or quickly, depending on your experience) sinking into decline. This is true of social determinants of health like education, housing, food insecurity, and especially health care, particularly for women, women of colour, and low-income individuals.
WBE Canada
Dedicated to enabling and supporting the growth of women entrepreneurs, Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization that is opening doors for Canadian women-owned businesses to supply chains across Canada, North America and globally.
Calhoun Super Structure
From a single concept to an international manufacturing company specializing in engineered fabric buildings, Calhoun Super Structure provides more than a century of collective expertise from a team of experienced professionals who bring leadership and accountability to every project.
Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal
Christina and Gino Laplante, owners of Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd. bring passion to their team and customers. The results prove that nothing wins in life like being genuine.
Netchem
In the world of international specialty chemical procurement and distribution, Netchem Inc. serves hundreds of manufacturing customers, from independently-owned businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Netchem enables its customers to build and expand solid supply chains, striving to act as an extension of their procurement and distribution departments. And while bigger competitors had difficulties during the supply chain nightmare of recent years, Netchem fulfilled many urgent requests for material while increasing its standard three-month inventory holding period to support customers’ production schedules.
ArquitectonicaSTUDIO
Despite its relatively young age, ArquitectonicaSTUDIO is an established, interdisciplinary voice on the Miami architecture scene that has proven to be a dynamic and capable collaborator across a host of project types and sizes, unafraid of exploring creativity and novelty. As part of Arquitectonica, the ArquitectonicaSTUDIO team specializes in boutique-style projects incorporating interior and landscape design while benefitting from being an integrated part of the greater ecosystem and community creativity of its parent company.
