Former CFDCCO Director, Michael Joss Memorial March 24, 2015

I'm inviting you to join friends & colleagues to say 'farewell" to Michael Joss, who died suddenly of natural causes on February 5, 2015.  There willtwo memorial events, to better accommodate distance & Michael's various communities.  There will be bagpipes, awesome stories, some surprises, sadness & delight, wine and of course, love.  I very much look forward to seeing you at one or both memorials.  Please RSVP to:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Kelowna Kelowna Art Gallery  -  Tuesday, March 24th, 5:30 => 7:30PM
Vancouver Vancouver Rowing Club  -  Monday March 30th, 1:30 => 4:30PM


Photos of Michael's adult life:  I've organized a photoset of images, adding new ones as they arrive. It's a fascinating look into an amazing, vibrant man and life.  I have lots of recent ones, so if you have older Michael photos to contribute, pls email to me for posting (date them if you're able, estimates are fine.)

Finally, I'm pleased to announce the Michael Joss Memorial Fund to honor Michael for his long-time leader in Canada's wine & hospitality industries. All funds raised will directly support the work of the BC Hospitality Foundation, which Michael heartily endorsed. Please consider making a donation to the fund in lieu of flowers or other tributes.  

Please share this email freely with anyone you wish: Michael was loved and respected by so many - let's inform them. 

Those we keep in our hearts and memory never truly die ...

Judy Bishop

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Vancouver & Kelowna, BC

mobile: 604.250.5839

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Young Entrepreneurs New Driving Force Behind Kelowna's Economy

Copied from Original posting February 16, 2015 by Cassandra Jeffery Kelowna Now

Young entrepreneurs are the way of the future and the driving force behind Kelowna's economy, but the problem is, people have no idea where to begin, said Evan Dizak from Community Futures Central Okanagan in a conversation with KelownaNow.

As a young entrepreneur himself, Dizak helped to kick start an informal information and networking session by the name of Aspiring Entrepreneurial Social via the Co+Lab business, which caters to young individuals in the Okanagan. As a means of easing business woes, as well as encouraging people to get out in the community and begin their entrepreneurial careers, Dizak and his team facilitate a space where local business owners can come together and share their entrepreneurial experiences and spark some lively discussion.

“We can relate to the people who want to take that leap of faith, but aren't really sure how to take it,” said Dizak.

The idea behind Co+Lab was initiated as a way to encourage young individuals on the job market to evolve along side Kelowna's vastly changing economic market. In a conversation with Dizak, he reiterated that Kelowna is a hard city to start a business: our market is tough to break into but it's certainly not impossible. It's all about creating connections, offering support, and getting out in the community.

“We're all trying to find our way, and there is a lot of support out there, so I kind of figured, we're going to have to support each other and work together,” said Dizak. “I've already seen at a few of the meetings that some of the people wanting to start a business are already talking and exchanging business cards, and kind of creating connections. Kelowna is a hand-shake town, you need to know somebody that knows someone.”

Photo credit: contributed.

Support systems such as Co+Lab are helping our community. Kelowna's economy is 98 per cent small business, and those businesses usually have less than ten people, said Dizak.

“Helping people start a small business, that is the main driving force of Kelowna's economy. We're going to need a lot of young entrepreneurs to continue driving the economy, especially in the next five to ten years when a lot of the baby boomers will be retiring. We need something to pick up the slack and keep the economy going,” commented Dizak.

Kelowna is incredibly tech focused, explained Dizak. The tech and online sectors are rapidly expanding and we're starting to drift away from tourism. Tourism is still a significant driving force for Kelowna's economy, but as Dizak stressed, we're more than tourism. The goal is to push Kelowna's economy further, to become an all encompassing central hub in the Interior, and that starts with small businesses.

Photo credit: Co+Lab Facebook.

Creating a community of young entrepreneurs is where Co+Lab comes into play. Running as a shared work space, Community Futures partners with other organizations in the community to facilitate an environment where the free-flow of ideas is encouraged.

Community Futures is a government funded non-for-profit that essentially assists the unemployed kick start their own business. There are plenty of organizations that are out there to help Kelowna citizens with their business ventures, said Dizak—Accelerate Okanagan, the Co+Lab we're running, Community Futures—the goal is to have these organizations working together to help assist young entrepreneurs in running a successful business in Kelowna.

“We're all trying to do the same thing, we're all trying to grow businesses in Kelowna, I just thought it would be better if we all came together and worked together,” said Dizak.

For Dizak, a think-tank for young entrepreneurs is a vital aspect in our community. Through support networks such as Co+Lab, individuals are likely to have more confidence when taking that next step in terms of kick starting their business.

The name of the game is to build and support a community of young entrepreneurs, and Co+Lab provides a space for creative ideas, facilitates conversation, and is an event that brings together like minded people. As Dizak describes it, it's a networking event mixed with a TedTalk, and so far, the event has garnered a lot of positive attention.

Interestingly enough, a local company recently released a statistic on the risk Okanagan Entrepreneurs will be facing in the near future as a result of the baby boom retirement.

The next Co+Lab on the agenda is on Thursday, February 19th at 5:00 p.m. through until 7:00 p.m. Admission to the event is free and in support of local business, Dunn Enzies pizza will be provided, along with drinks from Big Surf and SunRype. The event will be held at building number 205-1405 Paul Street in downtown Kelowna. For more information or to sign up, click here.

Photo credit: Co+Lab Facebook.

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Griffiths Appointed Manager and Widmer to Chair Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission 2015 Advisory Board

Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission Announces 2015 Advisory Board and New Manager of Economic Development

 

The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission has formally appointed its new Advisory Board for 2015.

 

For a full listing of board members click here

 

Also announced is the appointment of a new Manager for the Economic Development Commission.

Corie GriffithsCorie Griffiths has accepted the position to replace the COEDC's Robert Fine, who is moving in March to become Director of Business and Entrepreneurial Development with the City of Kelowna.

 

Griffiths is well versed in the work of the Economic Development Commission.   Since 2007 she's been the COEDC's Business Development Coordinator.

 

Griffiths says, "I'm excited to take on the challenges of leading the Economic Development Commission. We've got a talented and dedicated team and Advisory Board representing a wide variety of business acumen and expertise. We're looking forward to continuing to work collectively to grow the region's existing base of advanced and leading edge sectors, as well as facilitating opportunities so that the region is known as an epicenter of cross-sector innovation."

Griffiths adds, "It's been great working alongside Robert in the EDC for the past eight years. He's been a significant mentor and will be missed. The community is fortunate that he's going to remain in the Central Okanagan."

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Kelowna's First Living Laneway Home

NEWS RELEASE

DECEMBER 16, 2014

Laneway house grand opening and solar panel fundraiser

What: Open house and media tour of the Ethel Lane House, with photo/video/interview opportunities for a new green residential building project

When: 3:30pm, Wednesday December 17, 2014
Where: 1949 Ethel St., Kelowna (located off the alley behind 1951 Ethel St.)

KELOWNA, BC – The sustainable house of tomorrow is here today.

The first registered Living Building Challenge project in Kelowna will be move-in ready for its new tenant in time for Christmas.
The Ethel Lane House is a pilot project undertaken by the Thompson-Okanagan Collaborative of the Cascadia Green Building Council. Registered with the global Living Building Challenge, the Ethel Lane House meets the world’s most rigorous design and construction standard and certification program.

The 640-square foot laneway home includes water and energy saving features in its design and has been built to suit the needs of an assisted-living adult. In order to increase energy efficiency, the family has started an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to purchase photo-voltaic solar-panels to help the home meet its energy-saving targets. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/energy-efficient-lane-home-for-adult-w-disability

Deren Sentesy, building contractor with EnCircle Design Build Inc., led the design and construction of the Ethel Lane House.

“It was such a wonderful experience building for Jordan and his family,” says Sentesy, who chairs the Thompson-Okanagan Collaborative of the Living Building Challenge.

“I look forward to seeing him move in and experience independent living in a home that is good for him and for the environment. I am excited to see how the building performs over the next year and obtain official Living Building certification. The photo-voltaic solar-panels are a crucial component of that certification process.”

The Ethel Lane House is hosting a move-in party for the occupant. An open house, including a tour of the sustainable home, takes place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 17, at 1949 Ethel St. The laneway house is located off the alley behind 1951 Ethel St. Media organizations are invited to tour the Ethel Lane House and interview members of the Thompson-Okanagan Collaborative of the Cascadia Green Building Council, and invited guests.

The Living Building Challenge comprises seven standards of high-level building performance: site, water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty. Builders with registered projects must meet these rigorous standards to claim their project as one of the most sustainable and green buildings in the world.

More information:
www.ethellanehouse.com

http://living-future.org/lbc

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thompson-Okanagan-Branch-Collaborative/114561941959300

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BACKGROUND:

  • There are 15 Living Building projects registered in Canada, including eight in BC. The Ethel Lane House is the first residential building in the Thompson-Okanagan and the third in BC. The Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence at Okanagan College in Penticton is the first institutional building to meet the Living Building criteria.
  • There are currently five Certified Living Buildings in the world. More than 116 registered Living Building challenge projects are in various stages of design and construction world-wide.

CONTACT:

Deren Sentesy

Thompson-Okanagan Collaborative of the Cascadia Green Building Council

250-979-8005

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

cascadiagbc.org

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