Providing experience-based leadership and support
James Sbrolla, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, RIC Centre
James is an entrepreneur and a veteran of the financial & environmental industries. Bringing over 15 years of experience in these sectors, James has been an advisor and key executive in the successful foundation, growth and development of several Canadian companies. He is Chairman of Environmental Business Consultants and serves on several boards including Actual Media, WE Communications and BlueZone Technologies. His career has been focused primarily on public and private companies in the Clean-Tech sector. As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the RIC Centre, he coaches business owners and technology developers through the process of commercialization.
Tim Scott, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, RIC Centre
Tim is a serial entrepreneur and business professional with over 25 years of experience mainly in the advanced manufacturing sector. He has been the former owner of a multi-plant, multi-faceted manufacturing organization, the sales and engineering lead for an internationally-recognized electronics company, a successful high-tech start-up entrepreneur and is the managing partner of a strategic consulting firm.
As Entrepreneur-In-Residence at RIC Centre, Tim’s role is to guide, connect and grow the collaboration of support resources for Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s) within the Peel Region.
Pam Banks, Executive Director, RIC Centre
The RIC Centre came into existence under the visionary guidance of Pam Banks; now RIC’s Executive Director. With over 14 years of economic and business development experience in Ontario, Pam’s expertise is in developing and implementing entrepreneurial support programs by rallying collaboration from industry, educational institutions and government stakeholders.
Pam strategically assists in developing and growing the innovation capacity of emerging companies. Her passion is a driving force in fostering the innovation eco-system in Peel Region to realize its full potential.
John Switzer – Chair, RIC Centre
John has recently retired from a career in management consulting, banking and university teaching. For the past 18 years John’s consulting practice concentrated on strategy and business transformation in the financial services industry in Canada and the United States.
He has extensive experience in community service and governance including elected membership on Council at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario and he is currently an alumni Governor on Governing Council at the University of Toronto.
As RIC Centre’s Chair, John is an advocate and steward of RIC’s commitment to facilitate collaboration between key players in the innovation eco-system in Peel Region.
Advisors
Brian Herner
Expertise: Clean and Tech
Mr. Herner was President and CEO of BIOREM from 1995 to 2007 and a member of the Board of Directors from 2005 to 2007. Mr. Herner has extensive general business management experience in the environmental field, including, as Business Director for Chemviron, Vice-President of Zenon Environmental Inc.
As President of Biorem, Mr. Herner took the company through the early startup phase of venture capital financing through various levels of mezzanaine and private equity financing until finally taking the company public through a reverse takeover of a Capital Pool Corporation in 2005 with a listing on the TSX.V. In his current role, Mr. Herner provides guidance and leadership in new business expansion, corporate affairs, finance, technology development and corporate partnership expansion.
Mr. Herner is active in technical trade associations and in 2009 was invited to the Board of Directors of the GTAA as an environmental and entrepreneurial business representative where he sits on the Environmental and Audit Committees.
Doug Keaney
Expertise: Source Financing
He began his business career at 3M Canada in 1961 and over his 23 years at the Company, Doug was privileged to be a part of 3M’s leadership development programs. His areas of focus were Customer Service, Sales & Marketing, Product Management & Business Development.
While at 3M Canada, Doug achieved status as a Certified Industrial Manager from the Ivey School and the University of Western Ontario. When Doug moved on from 3M Canada, he began a 20 plus year career in small and medium sized Canadian businesses. His responsibilities were at the Executive Management level including Operations, Sales & Marketing & Business Development.
During Doug’s career as a consultant, he has focused on small & medium private companies providing counsel and support in wide variety of business areas: business development, product management, training and coaching, operations support, sales & marketing, goal setting and business planning, mentoring and developing plans to attract investment financing.
Robin Lee Kennedy
Expertise: Presentation
Robin Lee Kennedy is the Founder and Principal of MotivatedMinds. An Executive and Team Coach, she is also a facilitator with over 18 years of training and consulting experience. Robin’s background includes intensive care and hemodialysis nursing, owner/operator of fitness studios in the U.S., and 25 years in the corporate arena in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and training and development.
After gaining the keys to success during her corporate career, Robin shifted her focus to how organizations flourish by developing their people. Along the way she found that the companies who engage the hearts and minds of their people are the most resilient. In the current business environment, where change has become the norm, Robin believes that people need a cause to believe in, a reason to come to work beyond the paycheck. She is passionate about aligning vision, intention and talent to create the most meaningful impact for everyone.
Robin has a knack for revealing the best in people, and helping them build their strengths, eliminating barriers to success. Since 1993, she has consulted with thousands of executives in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia to help them overcome business and personal challenges. She developed and implemented assessment, training and coaching programs improving sales, productivity, teamwork, communication, and leadership.
John Macdonald
Expertise: Business and Enterprise Software, SaaS, Digital Media Software, Hyper-local Social Media Platforms
John is passionate about helping early stage technology firms get to revenue faster and assisting mid-sized firms build operational capability and sustain growth. With over 20 years of experience with small and mid-sized technology based firms, John has a successful track record of working with early stage, mid-stage as well as established technology based firms. He has had startup success as a co-founder of MyUrbis.com and retirementhomesoftware.com.
In a previous role, John has worked at Microsoft Canada: ISV (Independent Software Vendor) Partner Group, Channel, Sales & People Leadership Roles. John has experience in attracting talent and building teams, market assessment and business planning, business operations, business strategy & planning, technology sales & channel development.
He is also an instructor at the Schulich School of Business (MBA), “Strategic Management of Technology Based Firms” and a board member on the school’s Global Leadership Program.
Irwin Raj
Expertise: Marketing
Mr. Irwin Raj is a specialist in Marketing & International Project Consulting. His areas of expertise in Marketing include Brand Management, Retail Visibility consulting, creation of Marketing plans and Sales & Distribution Management. In International project consulting, he specialises in the India corridor, identifying Investment / Joint Venture / Take over opportunities for his clients in Canada. In converse, he also assists clients in India who are looking for partnerships with Canadian companies.
Mr. Raj is an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, one of India’s Ivy league Business school’s. Having started his career in Banking (American Express Bank & later HSBC), he decided to go on his own and set up a Retail Visibility consulting business in 1994. Today his clients include Unilever, Pepsico, Nestle, Nokia & Kraft Foods amongst others.
With over 20 years of experience servicing many large Multinational and SME clients, Mr. Raj is known for his professional approach, keen eye for detail and excellent communication skills. His ability to understand client requirements, his in depth knowledge of diverse markets and his positive attitude ensures excellent customer service and client satisfaction.
Louis Sapi
Expertise: Strategist
Louis is a graduate of the Schulich School of Business in 1986 with an MBA. He is the Managing Partner & CEO, of HS & Partners LLP, Chartered Accountants. Louis is a founder of the Affinity Financial Group of companies – a diverse group of financial service companies including, merchant banking, insurance, investment planning and asset management.
Louis has authored the best-selling and acclaimed book “Mothers and Fathers – Health and Financial Advices to share with your parents and in addition to numerous articles for several publications, has appeared on radio and T.V. and has been the keynote and/or guest speaker at many events.
He continues to take part in investment banking projects, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, real estate, and management consulting.
Andrew Yoshioka
Expertise: Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology
Andrew has been advising on strategic planning, corporate turnaround, operational efficiency, management coaching. with over 26 years of broad-based pharmaceutical/biotech industry and consulting experience, he is recognized for strategic insight, influencing others, achieving results, focusing on customer needs. Andrew specialtizes in pharmaceutical business development and licensing, strategic planning, corporate turnaround, operational efficiency, CEO and management team coaching. He has worked in industry with several companies, including YM Biosciences, DELEX Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline, and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Andrew is currently the president at Sanbonki Inc., a role in which he is responsible for guiding organizations to create greater value; providing strategic advisory on product licensing, management coaching, corporate turnarounds, operational efficiency, exit strategy. Andrew is also the president of Andrew Yoshioka Management Consulting in which he provides pharma/biotech management consulting to firms in the industry.
In his spare time, Andrew enjoys gourmet cooking, golf, travel, photography.
Axel Kuhn
Expertise: eBusiness / eMarketing
Axel Kuhn has pioneered eBusiness and eMarketing solutions since the mid-90′s for leading companies – both multinational and SMB – across North America and Europe. He is a serial entrepreneur, having founded and led several businesses in the Internet technology and technology services markets, including Canada’s top-ranked technology marketing firm.
Axel holds a B.A.Sc. from the University of Toronto, an M.B.A. from the Queen’s School of Business, and an M.B.A (with distinction) from the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Axel currently teaches eCommerce and eBusiness to business professionals at the University of Toronto.
Lora Gernon
Expertise: Software Technology
Lora Gernon is President of Profit Business Consulting Inc., a company who specializes in business transformation with a focus on Sales, Marketing, Channel Partnering and Business Planning.
Prior to starting Profit Business Consulting Inc., Lora held a variety of executive roles at Microsoft during her 17 year tenure. She was committed to continually advancing and improving software technology to produce the positive impact it can have for business and individual people alike. Often referred to as a “builder”, Lora loves driving results through people and has a long and proven track record of doing of doing this every day. She consistently exceeded sales targets and had the opportunity to arrange the first meeting between Bill Gates and a Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
Before joining Microsoft Canada, Lora worked as a Practice Manager for an IT consulting company. She achieved recognition in that role for developing the largest and most profitable practices in North America.
Ms. Gernon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Honours Physics from theUniversityof Waterloo.
