INVEST KINGSTON - Key Persons
Abdul Razak is a seasoned international business development professional with expertise in international trade and FDI in North America, Europe & Asia. He also serves on the SWITCH Board of Directors. Throughout his career, Abdul Razak gained experience working in organizations that are publicly traded, privately held, family-owned, and non-profit.
Before joining the Kingston Economic Development team, Abdul Razak held the position of Economic Development Manager at ROI, a Montreal based consulting firm, playing a pivotal role in managing and delivering lead generation programs, in-market representation, and industry analysis for domestic and international clients in Canada, the USA, and Europe. In the United Arab Emirates, he managed over 100 contracts worth $6.5 billion while working with National Central Cooling Co PJSC (DFM:TABREED). Working in the steel industry, Abdul Razak closed several deals including a landmark steel pipes deal from Turkey to India worth $14 million to build a chemical processing plant. Abdul Razak also served as the Deputy Director for the Global New York Canada Office assisting companies to expand and grow in the State of New York, as well as supporting New York based companies enter the Canadian market.
Brought up and raised in the United Arab Emirates Abdul Razak graduated with a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Economics from the American University of Sharjah and is currently completing his Master's in Economics at Concordia University.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager, Sustainable Manufacturing
Anne is the President and CEO of Kinarm, a spin-off of Queen's University some 17 years ago. She and the co-founders have bootstrapped the company into an highly specialized manufacturer of interactive robotics for neuroscientists and clinician scientists studying brain injury or disease. They are on a journey to change the clinical assessment of brain function to enable better outcomes from brain injury or disease. Their unique product, called Kinarm, provides exquisite measurements of human behaviour that reveals how the brain is functioning.
Ben has spent the last seven years working in the healthcare industry - a seasoned contract management specialist who has focused on strategic sourcing initiatives, most recently focused on healthcare innovation. Ben led projects for the hospitals in the South East Local Health Integration Network (SELHIN) and managed various contract portfolios in the health care sector.
Prior to joining the Kingston EcDev team Ben has worked at Shared Support Services Southeastern Ontario (3SO) and The Ministry of Government Services in various roles. Most recently, at 3SO Ben worked directly with over 100 vendors and 7 member hospital sites, leading innovative projects for better healthcare outcomes. Ben provided strategic solutions for healthcare equipment, services, and consumables through complex contract negotiations.
Born and raised in Kingston, Ben graduated from the University of Western Ontario where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Psychology.
Mayor Paterson was elected as the 96th Mayor of the City of Kingston in 2014 and, on Oct. 22, 2018, he was re-elected for a second term. Paterson first ran for City Council in 2010 in Trillium District. As a City Councillor, he used his background as an economist to push forward a progressive agenda centred on growth and quality-of-life initiatives.
Cathy graduated from Queen's University with a degree in Political Science and Economics in 1993. She has been working as a consultant to public agencies/government and the private sector in the design and construction of transportation infrastructure internationally and in Canada. Cathy is passionate advocate for education, the transportation industry and supporting young professionals. As such, she sits on the Women's Transportation Seminar Canada/Toronto Chapter Board and is also one of the founding members of the WTS Canadian Education Foundation, established in 2016, granting scholarships to young women in STEM and transportation-related fields.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Leader
- Advisor to the Kingston Accommodation Partners
Donna is an experienced leader who has managed a variety of small and medium enterprises in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has overseen significant community economic development initiatives in investment attraction, strategic planning, brand development, and corporate restructuring.
Under her leadership as CEO, Kingston realized the highest levels of new foreign direct investment in the city's history with the establishment of Portuguese fruit processor Frulact and Chinese infant formula manufacturer Feihe - Canada Royal Milk. Donna is a founder of the Queen's Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program which received a gold-rank award by the International Economic Development Council for partnerships with post-secondary educational partners and the Kingston-Syracuse Path which is one of four cross-border economic corridors in Canada with a focus on health innovation. In 2021, Donna was recognized as the Economic Developer of the Year by the Ontario East Economic Development Commission for her contributions to the region and leadership in supporting businesses during the pandemic.
Donna is a Board Member of Tourism Kingston, Advisor to the Kingston Accommodation Partners, sits on the City of Kingston's Planning and Climate Leadership Advisory Groups, the Kingston Immigration Partnership Steering Committee and the International Advisory Committee for the International Economic Development Council. Currently, she volunteers her time as a Board Director of the Kingston Kid's Triathlon, Theatre Kingston and Sydenham District Association.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Dean, Smith School of Business
Dr. Wanda Costen is an academic leader who champions inclusive excellence. Leading with integrity, Dr. Costen eliminates barriers to sustainable change by reimagining how to prepare students for the 21st-century life of work and purpose. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Costen held leadership and management roles in sales, operations and human resources for several global organizations and Fortune 500 companies. She has consulted on equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenization issues in both the public and private sectors, and partnered with organizations to help them develop diversity initiatives and training programs.
Job Titles:
- Cheif Executive Officer, Performance Plants Inc
Job Titles:
- Councillor, Countryside District
Born and raised on the family farm near Athens, Ontario, Gary continues to have a strong connection to the country. Gary and his wife, Corina, raised their family of four children in Glenburnie and continue to live in this community. In 1991, they started their own Licensed Electrical Contracting business, and have enjoyed over 25 years of successful relationships with the families and businesses in the Countryside region. Gary serves on the Ontario Board of Directors of the Electrical Safety Authority of Ontario and is a long time member and current President of the Kingston Electrical Association, and previously represented local Licensed Electrical Contractors with the Ontario Electrical League for over 20 years.
Gillian Watters has lived and worked in Kingston for most of her life and is a graduate of both Queen's University (1983) and St. Lawrence College (1988). Currently the Program Director at KEYS Job Centre, Gillian has spent over 30 years in the field of workforce development and career counselling and is completing a MBA in Community Economic Development. She lives in an old, always-under-renovation farmhouse and loves long walks with her three dogs.
Job Titles:
- Business Coach, Finances & Business Transition
Judith is the former CEO & Co-Founder of Eastern Fluid Power Inc, she successfully sold her business of thirty years in 2019, and is current principal at Judith Pineault Consulting.
Job Titles:
- Operations Manager and Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors
Kirk Smallridge
Operations Manager and
Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors
613-544-2725 x 7223
Cell: 613-530-5894
smallridge@investkingston.ca
Kirk Smallridge is a Kingston-based Office Administration Professional with a background in project management and business development. Kirk currently holds the role of Operations Manager & Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors at Kingston Economic Development Corporation. He has been actively involved in assisting many small-medium-sized businesses in the Kingston area and has worked as part of the pandemic fund ($1,100,000 in partnership with the City of Kingston), Tourism Relief fund ($1,000,000 in partnership with FedDev), and more.
Kirk graduated from the School of Business, St. Lawrence College in 2017 and almost immediately found his home with Kingston Economic Development Corporation, where he, his coworkers, and the many community members they serve have witnessed his passion for seeing small business owners succeed. Whether it is planning for a multi-million-dollar project or planning out the next Board meeting, Kirk truly enjoys having the ability to see a process from start to finish and then execute that vision.
Currently, Kirk sits as the Chair of the Tri-Campus Program Advisory Committee at St. Lawrence College and is the Director for Canadian Colours of Kingston Foundation.
As a recent graduate from Queen's University, Meg started her role with Kingston Economic Development Corporation through the Queen's Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program. Meg graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Global Development Studies and Political Studies, along with Certificates in both Law and Urban Planning.
Originally from Ottawa, Meg chose to start her professional career in Kingston following graduation. In her current role, Meg works as an Administrative Assistant, spearheading business programs such as Summer Company, while also supporting the operations of the Kingston Economic Development team.
Prior to her role at Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Meg was the Conference Coordinator for the Queen's University Global Development Studies Student Council. The overall theme of the conference was sustainability, with a focus on addressing the problems surrounding fast fashion.
Meghan is the research assistant at Kingston Economic Development. In her role she researches and identifies high growing companies, connects with them and communicates with executives in order to collect information about potential expansion in Canada. Her main role is to generate leads for the corporation and aid in bringing new companies to Kingston.
Prior to her role at the Kingston Economic Development, Meghan ran her own student business in house painting and managed a team of student painters. She produced over $100K in paint jobs that she marketed and sold. She then served as the Finance Director for Queen's Feminist Leadership in Politics, which is Canada's premier, non-partisan student organization working towards the intersectional empowerment of women in the political sphere.
Meghan is a recent graduate from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Economics and Political Studies and joins the team through the Queen's Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program.
Job Titles:
- Administrative & Projects Assistant
Michael is the Administrative and Projects assistant at Kingston Economic Development. In his current role, Michael facilitates the Canada Digital Adoption Program and supports the operations of the Kingston Economic Development team.
Michael is a graduate of Queens University with a Bachelor of Commerce from the Smith School of Business. He recently graduated from the Sports Entertainment, Sales and Marketing post-graduate program from Loyalist College.
Prior to his role with Kingston Economic Development, Michael was an intern at SBX Group, which is a sports, entertainment and lifestyle agency. He was responsible for working on client brand's and managing endorsement deals for professional athletes in the NBA and NHL.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Norman is an experienced small business and start-up advisor, and a start-up entrepreneur. He is a 2018 graduate from the Smith School of Business at Queen's University with a Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Norman enjoys helping and supporting entrepreneurs, early-starge entrepreneurs, and small and medium business owners. His previous experience involved working on business plans, feasibility studies, facilitating business workshops, organizing business plan competitions, and advising small businesses.
Born in Rwanda, Norman has had the opportunity to live and work in more than seven countries on three different continents. He enjoys travelling by road, so that he can have the opportunity to meet new people in their communities.
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Manager
Nour is the Marketing & Communications Manager, in her role, she leads the development, writing and production of business collaterals, media strategies and public relations. Nour is also a Director at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario's (EDCO) Board of Directors and the Chair of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Nour is the recipient of the EDCO's 2021 President Award and the 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Influencer of the Year Award.
Nour graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Philosophy and Political Studies.
Prior to her role at Kingston Economic Development, Nour worked as a Project Intern at Queen's University and as a Communications Associate for Queen's IT Services. Nour was the Chair of the Policy Committee at Sexual Assault Centre Kingston and had served on its Board of Directors for two years and was also a Director and Secretary on the Sustainable Kingston Board.
Job Titles:
- Dean ( Interim ), St. Lawerence College, School of Business
Peng is a dynamic, charismatic and innovative executive who co-founded Transformix Engineering Inc. and was its president and CEO for 21 years. ATS acquired Transformix's IP in 2018. After spinning off a new company called Nuformex, where Peng is board chair, she joined ATS as VP Emerging Markets and Symphoni™ in March 2020. She is an entrepreneur coach with L-Spark, an accelerator in Ottawa, and We-Can with Queen's University, and is a regular speaker at conferences. She has been featured in local and national TV, radio and print media.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Rob has more than 25 years of project management experience, and an extensive knowledge of the small business, real estate and development community within the city. During his nearly 20 years with the Downtown Kingston! Business Improvement Area, Rob's focus was on maximizing economic development opportunities for Kingston's downtown core by encouraging, supporting and initiating activities that were beneficial to both businesses and property owners.
Rob's current role is to oversee the many programs which support Kingston area SMEs, including WE-CAN, Digital Main Street, Queen's Career Apprenticeship, and My Mainstreet. He is also working to advance activities related to the Small Business Enterprise Centre. He is always happy to chat with local business owners on a wide variety of topics to help foster growth within the greater Kingston community.
Job Titles:
- Business Executive With over 3 Decades
- Fiberglass Operations Director, Latham, the Pool Company
Sanjay Jain is a dynamic business executive with over 3 decades of international business leadership, industrial manufacturing and large project experience managing P&L and strategic business growth in three different countries and cultures. He has previously worked at some of the best-known fortune 500 companies like INVISTA (formerly DuPont), a Koch industries subsidiary in Kingston for 19 years, SABIC in Saudi Arabia, Reliance Industries and Century Enka, Akzo Noble, in India. Sanjay was named the top 10 Indian Business Leaders in Canada by CEO Insights magazine in April 2022.
Sara is a Digital Business Advisor with a background in digital marketing and communications. Her role focuses on helping businesses located in the greater Kingston area by improve their digital presence by leading the Digital Main Street program that provides funding to business owners.
Born and raised in Colombia, Sara currently lives in Kingston and has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from EAFIT University and a Graduate Certificate in Digital Marketing Communication from St. Lawrence College.
Prior to her role with Kingston Economic Development, Sara worked in the retail industry, where she supported them with the adoption, development, and execution of social media, e-commerce and paid ds strategies.
Shan founded Daft Brewing with two other partners with the hope of creating something great - a West-coast style tap room that would make people put away their phones, grab a beer and start talking. Shan also works as a Global Sales and Marketing Lead at IPG Photonics.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development
Shelley focuses on Business Attraction and Aftercare support by seeking potential business opportunities and foreign direct investment to encourage businesses to relocate to Kingston. She coordinates those opportunities with the government, realtors, site selectors and stakeholders to facilitate site selection and business development for businesses that are interested in relocating to Kingston.
Shelley has over 15 years of experience in economic development working as an Economic Development Manager in Gravelbourg, SK and Gananoque, ON prior to joining the Kingston team. Her work has focused on investment attraction, business retention and expansion and community development.
Shelley graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Trent University, has an Economic Development Certificate from the University of Waterloo, Training for Small Business Counsellors from Acadia University and completed the Queen's Executive Program at Queen's University. Shelley is the past president for Ontario East Economic Development Commission for the term of 2018 - 2020 and has been sitting on the Board of Directors for eight years.