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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 11, 2008 - 13 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Small Business Week is a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit in our community.The very origins of the Town of Oakville are inextricably tied to commerce and the entrepreneurial spirit. 150 years ago when William Chisholm founded the Town, he saw the site was linked to the key transportation routes of the day. Today, Oakville continues to benefit from its location. We are 30 minutes from downtown Toronto, 30 minutes from two international airports and 60 minutes from the US border. Our Downtown District attracts people from all over the region and is one of the nicest in North America. Oakville is currently home to over 5000 businesses of all sizes, including Ford Motor Company of Canada, Tim Horton's, the Weather Network and over 260 national and international corporate head offices. These great companies were all started by entrepreneurs. We are also blessed with a highly educated and determined workforce. However, 63% of Oakville residents work outside of the region due to a lack suitable local employment. In comparison, 40% of Ontarians worked outside of their own municipality. (Oakville Vital Signs Report ­ 2008) While it is abundantly clear that Oakville has a lot to offer the business community, we must work harder to create the environment that will attract the employment opportunities and wealth created by entrepreneurs and the businesses that fund the outstanding lifestyle we enjoy. Since 1949,The Oakville Chamber of Commerce has been a pillar of the Oakville Community. It has played a significant role in the economic and social development of the Town. We have a rich heritage behind us and a very exciting future ahead. We want you to know that all of us at the Oakville Chamber of Commerce will continue to work hard to maintain Oakville as one of the best places in Canada to do business. Together we can, and will, achieve great things. We invite you celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and join us on Monday, October 20th at 7:30am for the kick off breakfast followed by three days of great seminars and events. We all have a role to play in helping each other become even more successful and to help Oakville grow its local economy and bring more employment opportunities closer to home. Aby Alameddine, Chair, Oakville Chamber of Commerce MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Small Businesses are a vital component of the Canadian Economy. Nearly half of the country's Gross Domestic Product is produced by small businesses. Of all the people employed in Canada, half of them work for small businesses. Perhaps the most relevant and important statistic, over 62 per cent, or nearly two out of every three new jobs created in Canada today are created by small businesses. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate Small Business Week. Our intent is to create awareness of the importance and significant contribution entrepreneur's make to the economic well being of our community. We have organized a number of events designed to inform and inspire. If you are involved with a small business or are thinking about starting one, the events we have organized during Small Business Week are a perfect opportunity to learn from experts. This week will officially start with a Kick-Off breakfast on Monday, October 20th. Guest Speaker Ron Foxcroft, Owner of Fox 40 International and Fluke Transport & Warehousing will discuss the origins of his company and how it grew into a successful organizatin. We have eight, 90 minute seminars with topics focused specifically on the needs of entrepreneurs; Self-Motivation, Organization, Branding, Marketing, Networking, Prospecting, and two on Sales. There are two other important events you should note. On Thursday, October 23rd, Town Hall will play host to our Small Business Week Trade Show. It will be a great opportunity to present your products or services. There is no charge to attend and tour the displays. On Wednesday, October 22nd, we will host our Small Business Advisory Roundtable. A panel of experienced business professionals will answer your questions and offer their advice on sales, marketing, finance and business management. The Chamber could not do the important work we do supporting the business community without the very generous support of the Business Development Bank of Canada. We have also enjoyed and appreciate the support of TD Canada Trust and the Incorporators. They all clearly understand the importance of the role small businesses play in supporting the wonderful lifestyle so many of us enjoy in Oakville. With over 1000 members, the Oakville Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the Oakville business community. Since 1949 we have provided member benefits, networking opportunities, business development and educational forums to help build a healthy economic environment for Oakville. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the many benefits of membership in the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. As a special incentive we are waiving the administration fee for new members if you join during Small Business Week. For further information regarding the Chamber or Small Business Week please contact us at 905-845-6613 or visit our website at www.oakvillechamber.com. John Sawyer, President Oakville Chamber of Commerce Oakville's Answer to What Not to Wear K "We're excited to see women leave more confident in the clothes they know make them look and feel really great about themselves," said Karen. WATCH US FASHIONS 12th Annual ATHENA Oakville Gala Dinner Celebrating Women, Recognizing Leaders 6.00pm 7.00pm Wednesday, October 29, 2008 Dinner Champagne Reception Cocktail or Business Attire Joseph Ribkoff Marina Nemat Guest speaker Watch Us Fashions now carries "Not Oakville's Your Daughter's Jeans" which according to both "Oprah" and "Marilyn Dennis" of City Line, are the most phenominal line of jeans ever made. Every woman should have at least one pair of these incredibly comfortable and sexy jeans in their closet. They actually lift your butt, flatten your tummy, and make you look a size smaller. Karen & Kim Fashion Experts Watch Us Fashions also carries Tribal Sportswear, ConradC, Nueva and CYC. This fall a full line of Petite Clothing has been introduced at the store. Marina Nemat was born in 1965 in Tehran, Iran. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was arrested at the age of sixteen and spent more than two years in Evin, a political prison in Tehran, where she was tortured and came very close to execution. She came to Canada in 1991 and has called it home ever since. In 2005, she was a finalist in the CBC Literary Awards in the Creative Non-Fiction Category, and in 2006, she produced a documentary named Walls like Snakes for CBC Radio. Her memoir of her life in Iran, Prisoner of Tehran, was published in Canada by Penguin Canada in April 2007, has so far been published in 23 other countries, and has been an international bestseller. MacLean's Magazine has called it "...one of the finest (memoirs) ever written by a Canadian." Prisoner of Tehran has been short listed for many literary awards, including the Young Minds Award in the UK and the Borders Original Voices Award in the US. On December 15, 2007, Marina received the inaugural Human Dignity Award from the European Parliament, and in October 2008, she will receive the prestigious Grinzane Prize in Italy. She is now an Aurea Fellow at University of Toronto's Massey College, where she began working on her new project, which is about the effects of torture on children, in June 2008. TICKETS: $85 Includes Champagne Reception and Wine with Dinner Raffle Prizes and Live Auction with proceeds to the ATHENA Oakville Scholarship Fund Tickets available at: online at www.athenaoakville.ca or phone (905) 467-7919 Watch Us Fashions 1131 Nottinghill Gate (Glen Abbey) 905-827-2271 Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre 2515 Wyecroft Road, Oakville (just south of the QEW at Bronte Road)