president s message - ewicalgary.com jan 2014.pdf · president’s message december 2010 vp report,...

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

December 2010

VP Report, Announcements p. 2 • Chapter News p. 3 • Member Profile, Retention & Recruitment Report p. 4 • Communications Report,Fuundraising Report p. 5 • January Meeting, Self Efficacy p. 6 • Why You Should Have A Messy Desk p. 7 • Photos p. 8 • Corporate News p. 9 •

Reader’s Corner, Dates to Note, Humour p. 10 • Did You Know p. 11 • Cleaning Tips p. 12 • Members p. 14 - 16

January 2014

2013-2014Officers & Directors

PresidentJacquie Stephens, Breakthrough Consulting

(403) 477-7166

Vice President/President ElectMichelle Goshinmon, Creative Differences

(403) 863-8584

SecretaryMaria Carolina Guerrero, Calgary Marriott

(403) 205-5569

TreasurerAshley Mickelson, Wendy Ellen Inc.

(403) 998-4624

FundraisingSarah Turner, Jones & Salt Insurance

(403) 680-1014

Retention & Recruitment DirectorLinda Ketchum(403) 830-6210

Sergeant-at-ArmsJudy York, Distinctive Looks

(403) 686-6885

Program DirectorVacant

Publications DirectorJackie Pontin, GWL Realty Advisors

(403) 777-0663

Communications DirectorHeather Walker, Heather Walker Consulting

(403) 815-4498

Past President/AdvisorMichelle Goshinmon, Creative Differences

(403) 863-8584

Happy New Year! I hope that all of you had a wonderfulholiday season with your families and friends.

And what a start to the year it is. I definitely didn’t think Iwould be bringing in the New Year as President again! Thankyou to the Board of Directors for believing that I can add valuefor yet another term. I’m looking forward to working with thisBoard. There are some new members at the table who havestepped up without much EWI experience – I can’t wait to heartheir ideas and opinions.

January will be a bit of a re-grouping month for the Board as we solidify the plan forwhat we want to do in 2014. When this is complete, we will publish the StrategicPlan in the Connect for your review, comments and questions.

What I love about EWI of Calgary is the members we have that are so committed tomaking the organization successful. This was indeed evident at the Christmas Eventon December 12, 2013 at the beautiful Calgary Golf and Country Club. Here are afew of my favourite bits of the night:

1. Support from our vendors – not only did they offer 10% of their sales to EWIof Calgary but they also provided some amazing door prizes and silentauction items. Special thanks to EWI members Tracey Sirois of TASEsthetics and Nancy Rosychuk of NV Fashions who decided that theydidn’t like our 10% rule and contributed so much more back to help ourliteracy initiative.

2. Our donation – we gave $15,000 to our Charity of Choice for 2013,Highbanks Society. I love those moments. Shelley Swirski, ExecutiveDirector, told us that our contribution last year enabled them to addadditional housing for at least 4 more young moms and their children. Howfantastic is that! AND they now have a full time Psychologist to help bothmom and child as they go through their journey.

3. The Highbanks Young Moms – we had 4 lovely young ladies out for theevening. I was lucky enough to see photos of their very cute little ones.Hearing Shelley Swirski speak about the courage and dedication toeducation of these young ladies was inspiring. They are fighting the coldweather and the snow with strollers just to walk to school. And to think I’vebeen complaining about the traffic! It was very humbling.

4. Kayla Popp – our U of C endowment scholarship winner. Wow!!! There wasnot a dry eye at our table as Kayla told us about her desire to make a better

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Calgary Monthly Newsletter

EWI Corporate Offices / 515 South 700 East Suite 2A / Salt Lake City, Utah 84102 / Toll Free: 1.877.4EWI-NOW / Phone: 801.355.2800 / Fax: 801.355.2852online: ewiconnect.org email:[email protected]

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CONT. VICE PRESIDENT REPORT

life for her 12 year old son. With tears in her eyes,she said “I don’t think you realize how much of adifference your $2,500 has made in my life”. At thatmoment, I was reminded quite profoundly aboutwhy I am part of EWI.

5. Pat Kamitomo, Historian Extraordinaire – I feelprivileged to have been presented with thePresident’s scrapbook. Pat takes so much pride andcare in documenting our EWI existence. We are solucky to have her. Pat – thank you for the time thatyou poured into my book. What a gift.

6. The crew that put the event together – WELLDONE!! Thanks to Flora Fioritti-Irwin, SarahTurner, and Shawna Perron for your efforts. And toHeather Walker for filling in at the Perogy table. If Ihave missed anyone, my sincere apologies. You ALLknocked this one out of the park. It was a beautifulevening.

We have some exciting things coming in 2014. I hope youcan all make our January meeting where we get to chat withKaren Skirten, Past Corporate President, about “WhyEWI?” Let’s find out why we are a part of this organization,what it can do for us and what we can do for it! In Augustwe have our 50th anniversary – not many organizations,companies or couples make 50 years. It is quite anaccomplishment and we plan to celebrate! I am mostexcited about our focus on literacy this year and our plan togo back to some EWI basics. It is going to be an excitingyear!!

I’d like to send good thoughts and prayers to Jo-Anne Teedand her family. Wishing John a speedy recovery.

I’ll close with the question I asked at the beginning of myPresidential year in 2013… How will you engage in2014??? I look forward to being a part of that!

One Voice! One Vision! Engage!!!

Warmly,Jacquie Stephens, MBAPresident, EWI of CalgaryRepresenting Breakthrough Consulting

Happy New Year!

As usual at this time of the year I found myself reflecting onthe year that has passed and trying to set some goals for theyear ahead. While I have never been one to do the “NewYear’s Resolution” thing having a plan in place alwaysseems like a good idea.

So my plan for 2014 is to focus on mentoring within ourmembership. We have some incredible veteran memberswith a wealth of experience to share with our new members.Mentoring is one of the foundational pieces of EWI andsomething that may have slipped a bit in our priorities. Iwill admit to a underlying purpose in this being a focus forme as one of my biggest tasks will be succession planningand having a board in place by June.

I have seen year after year members taking board positionsthat they are not prepared for and feeling like the weight ofthe chapter is on their shoulders. No one should feel likeEWI is a job or too much work. Yes, there are always certaintasks that have to happen but equally important is the valuethat you feel you get from your efforts.

My hope for each of you is to find a mentor that you wouldlike to take some piece of knowledge or experience fromand also that you think about where you might like to beinvolved next year too!

Cheers,Michelle GoshinmonVice President/President ElectRepresenting Creative Differences

What Do You Need is a new feature in Connect, please useit to network with your fellow members.

We Need a Program Director

We are currently without a Program Director. This is acrucial role for our chapter in providing value to ourmembers. If Programs is something that you feel would be agreat professional development opportunity for you pleasecontact President Jacquie Stephens or any member of theboard for more information.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

Jan 2014

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CHAPTER NEWS

Continuing what has become an EWIof Calgary Chapter tradition, ourDecember meeting was held at theCalgary Golf and Country Club. Whata stunning location! The long drivedown to the clubhouse past all thetrees lit up for Christmas is magical.Inside everything was warm andwelcoming. If we weren’t already inthe Christmas spirit before, wecertainly were once we arrived.

Once again, a selection of vendors hadset up tables to assist us with that lastminute shopping. What a wonderfulvariety we had to choose from: thelatest fashions and accessories fromNV Fashions, courtesy of NancyRosychuk; Discovery Toys;

“Dear Fran,

I’d like to thank you once again forthe incredible evening with all ofyou.I have wonderful gifts to put underthe tree. That will make Lucas veryhappy!

Thank you also for being part of thescholarship program. It changeslives; like mine.

Everyone was very kind, and you’reright, I didn’t feel out of place.

Merry Christmas to you,

Sincerely,

Kayla”

skin care advice and products fromTAS Aesthetics by Tracey Sirois;Pampered Chef; Tupperware;

“Hi Fran,

How are you?

Thanks for the help and financialsupport from you and EWI ASISTprogram.

May I wish you all and families aheart-warming holiday seasonwith lots of fun!

Merry Christmas & Happy NewYear!Dengli Zhang”

Photos by Pat Kamitomo

home made perogies; fashion jewelryand accessories from Stella & Dot;

dips, sauces and spices from Epicure;books from Usborne Books;

a mouthwatering variety of bakedgoods from Banuka Bakery;

and how nice it was to see JaimeAlbrecht-Rasmussen back with herselection from Silpada Jewelry.

There was fierce competition at thesilent auction bidding table for somegreat prizes and the ever popular EWIWine Grab was soon sold out.

Members generously donated booksto create book nooks around the city,furthering our commitment to raiseawareness for literacy.

Our December meeting is also ouropportunity to show support for ourCharity of Choice, which in 2013 wasHighbank’s Society. Representativesfrom Highbank’s attended the eveningto accept a cheque for $15,000. It wasan emotional moment.

Equally emotional was the messagefrom the recipient of our 2012/13scholarship, Kayla Popp. A singleparent raising her son, Kayla spoke ofthe challenges she’s faced and howshe is overcoming them. She is aninspiring young woman who I feel surewill be successful in her chosen path.

Both Kayla and Dengli Zhang (ourASIST recipient) wrote to Fran Eslerthanking her.

For more photos of the Decembermeeting see Page 8.

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MEMBER PROFILEJackie PontinRepresenting GWL Realty Advisors Inc.

Why did you join EWI?To meet people, for the networking.

What do you like most about yourjob?The opportunities for creativity.

Where have you workedpreviously?

I taught Primary School in England and Australia, then deafchildren Kindergarten through Senior High in England,then taught drama classes in Calgary and started twotheatre schools.

If you could choose another occupation, whatwould it be?Vet

What other organizations do you belong to?Association of Administrative Assistants and my localCommunity Association. I am on the board of each.

What are your proudest accomplishments?Raising three wonderful boys and winning prize ribbonswith my quilts.

What are your worst habits?Procrastination and being argumentative.

What do you consider to be the best time in your life?The years I spent in Australia.

What was the craziest thing you’ve ever done?Drove off to northern Saskatchewan to find my ancestorscabin with no real idea of where I was going and withoutadequate preparation.

What are your pet peeves?Rudeness, arrogance.

What are your best habits?The ability to listen.

What are your hobbies?Reading, theatre, wine making, family history.

What traits do you admire in others?Self confidence, honesty.

Your family …Husband Tim, three sons, one daughter-in-law, one futuredaughter-in-law, one granddaughter.

Who are your heroes?My mother and brother.

What is your guiding philosophy?If it isn’t life threatening or morally threatening, ignore it.It doesn’t matter.

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION REPORT

Happy New Year Everyone!

There are a number of member representative changes toreport this month.

Cottonwood Golf and Country Club has Tiffany Gordonacting as replacement representative as well as Executivefor the firm.

Bank Of Montreal (BMO) has two new representatives.Harsharan (Sharan) Sangha is the replacementrepresentative for Katharine Stranks and Karen Jasperwill be the second representative for BMO.

David Aplin Group has Kathryn Farrell replacing Gimenadu Buen.

Please join us in welcoming these four ladies and take theopportunity to introduce yourselves.

To date, EWI of Calgary has 35 members representing 32member firms, 13 Chapter Lifetime members and 2sustaining members.

As we enter into 2014, we encourage all of you to take sometime and put some thought into friends and/or colleaguesthat you would like to introduce to EWI. We’d love theopportunity to showcase what EWI of Calgary is all aboutso bring them to a monthly meeting or tell them yourpersonal EWI “story”. Let’s strive to expand our chaptermembership and share the many benefits of membershipwith new member firms and their representatives. It’s allabout Careers, Connections and Community!

Respectfully submitted by,Heather Walkeron behalf of the Recruitment & Retention Committee

Jan 2014

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COMMUNICATIONS REPORT

Happy New Year Everyone!

Are you a Twitter user? Yes? ….so is EWI of Calgary! Thisyear we are tapping into the social media world to increaseour exposure and get our name out there. We have 61followers many of whom are other EWI Chapters. Take aminute and check us out! I’ll be tweeting regularly.

Twitter.com/EWICalgary

Respectfully submitted,Heather WalkerRepresenting Heather Walker Consulting

FUNDRAISING REPORT

With all the snow we have been getting it was really startingto feel like Christmas in Calgary and our DecemberChristmas event was no exception. Calgary Golf & CountryClub is such a beautiful venue with all the trees andChristmas lights, and it was a perfect place to have ourShopping Extravaganza! The dinner service was beautifuland the food was amazing. So a HUGE thank-you to KrysGalaszkiewicz and the team over there for helping us out!

I would also like to thank all the vendors that participated inthis years event and for those who donated to our literacyinitiative, it is very much appreciated. Final numbers are notin yet but it looks like we raised around $2,900 from 50/50,door prize, wine grab, vendor sales & silent auction, so welldone everyone!

In the new year we can focus all our attention on the HotHeels Fashion Show. Our committee has already been hardat work getting together ideas to really vamp up the event.We have decided to make it an evening function so we canget a bigger venue and include more guests! We will belooking for both female and male models so if you knowanyone would like to participate you can contact me [email protected].

We will also be looking for silent auction items so if anymember firms would like to donate an item or know ofanyone who would please let me know and I can follow upwith those as well.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas & wish you aHappy New Year as I look forward to what 2014 may bring us!

Respectfully Submitted,Sarah TurnerRepresenting Jones & Salt Insurance Brokerage

HAVE YOU JOINED ACOMMITTEE YET?

Our Chapter cannot run effectively without theparticipation of our members. Remember, you get out ofEWI what you put into it, so with that in mind you areencouraged to choose a committee to sign up for.

Here are the options:

Sgt-at-Arms needs 2 members;Program needs a Director and 4 members;Publications needs 1 member;Fundraising needs 9 members plus volunteers for HotHeels; andRetention and Recruitment needs 6 members.

Sign up sheets will be available at the January meeting.

Jan 2014

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014Location: Calgary ZooEnmax ConservatorySpeaker: Karen Skirten

“Why EWI?”

5:00 pm Cocktails and networking6:00 pm Dinner

Cost: $45 for Sustaining /Life Recognition$50 for Members$55 for Guests

ONLINE REGISTRATION

If you plan to attend the upcoming meeting and wish to bring a guest,please log on to www.ewicalgary.com and register on-line!

Registration deadline for the January meeting is Friday, January10, 2014. This deadline is firm. Late registrations will not beaccepted.

Please make sure you indicate any food allergies or specialfood requests when you register.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting!

Respectfully submitted,Judy YorkSergeant-At-Arms

Representing Distinctive Looks

JANUARY MEETING

SELF-EFFICACY — IMPRESSIVE WORDS WITH IMMENSE IMPACT

BY MERGE GUPTA-SUNDERJI

3. Social persuasion. Direct encouragement ordiscouragement from another person affects self-efficacy.As a manager or supervisor, you are in a perfect position toboost or dishearten. Don’t lose sight of your influence;wield your power well. And it’s worth keeping in mind thata bat has more weight than a bouquet; research shows thatdiscouragement is more effective at decreasing someone’sself-efficacy than encouragement is at increasing it.4. Physiological Factors. In stressful situations,people commonly feel nervous, or nauseous, or develop‘butterflies in the stomach’. And how they perceive theseresponses can noticeably alter self-efficacy. So if they feelthat nerves before a big presentation is a bad thing, thentheir confidence will waver; yet if they see it as normal andstimulating, their confidence will actually increase. As aleader then, educate your employees on the benefits andhandicaps of positive and negative stress so that they canbetter manage their physiological responses.

With some conscious effort on your part, it is fairly easy foryou to increase your employees’ self-efficacy. I’d love tohear about your experiences in this regard. Please shareonline at my blog at:www.turningmanagersintoleaders.com/blog.

Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to complete tasksand achieve goals. So in other words, it’s whether or not youbelieve you can succeed in specific situations.

Extensively studied by noted psychologist Dr. AlbertBandura for almost 60 decades, self-efficacy has importantimplications for your role as a leader; after all, when yourpeople are confident and believe in themselves, their abilityto get things done increases significantly.

So what can you do to increase your staff’s confidence andbelief in themselves? Dr. Bandura’s pioneering research hasidentified four factors that affect people’s self-efficacy.

1. Experience. Past success raises self-efficacy, whilefailure lowers it. It is the most important of the four factors,so it’s worth investing your energy in setting youremployees up for success — put them in situations whereyou know they have the skills to do a good job. Don’tinadvertently set them up to fail by assigning work that theyare not trained for or not capable of doing.

2. Modeling. People believe that “If someone else cando it, I can do it as well.” When they see others succeeding,their self-efficacy expands. So publicly celebrate your teammembers’ successes; it will inspire others to reach higherand further as well.

Jan 2014


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WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A MESSY DESK

Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Mark Twain. Whatis one thing these three visionaries have incommon?

They all had very messy workspaces.

These three game-changers were never ones to follow thecrowd, and always enjoyed doing things their own way.Their desks were unconventionally disorganized. There wasa method to this madness: under the mass of papers,magazines, and various objects, there was a sense oforganization only the creator can operate through.

Other notable creatives with astonishingly messy desksinclude programmer and codebreaker Alan Turing,discoverer of penicillin Alexander Fleming, as well aspainter Francis Bacon.

Environments have historically played a major factor inhow creative our minds are. For example, when he wastrying to create the first polio vaccine, medical researcherand virologist Jonas Salk went to the monastery at theBasilica of Assisi in Umbria, Italy and explained in his laterdays that this environment change helped contribute to thediscovery. It doesn’t necessarily take such a massive changeto prompt creativity; rather, the key toa more creative state of mind can befound right at our desks.

Recently, a study conducted by theUniversity of Minnesota found thatpeople with a messy desk were moreprone to creativity and risk taking,while people at cleaner desks tended tofollow strict rules and were less likelyto try new things or take risks. Dr. Vohsand her co-authors conclude in thestudy, “Disorderly environments seemto inspire breaking free of tradition,which can produce fresh insights.”

Calibrating Creativity and EfficiencyRather than leaving a desk in a state of constant messiness,it can be helpful to modify the environment as it suits ourneeds. Think of messiness and cleanliness as a spectrumthat also has a corresponding creativity setting.

The study in the University of Minnesota featured anexperiment where respondents with clean desks choseapples over candy bars, and selected more established

solutions over new ones. When you’re generating ideas andconcepts, it could help to have a messier desk. However,when you’re trying to be productive, getting a specific taskaccomplished, or simply need to execute on a creativeconcept, cleaning your desk can “trade in” your creativityfor efficiency.

In case you are trying to be more creative, here are someideas: instead of throwing out those magazines right afteryou’re done with them, leave them hanging around yourdesk. Don’t shelf those books yet. Keep anything that couldpotentially inspire you (including art prints). “There are twotypes of messy environments,” Vohs said in an interviewwith NY Daily News. “One is unkempt and one is dirty. Idon’t think these results suggest leaving around bananapeels and dirty dishes for a week.”

Social PerceptionsThis creativity comes with a social cost: as staffing firmAdecco discovered, the majority of our colleagues and peersjudge us based on how clean (or dirty) our desks are.Should your desk be left in a perpetually messy state, “Theythink that you must be a slob in your real life,” saysAdecco’s VP of Recruiting Jennie Dede in an interview withForbes.

While remaining hygienic wouldminimize the possibility of thisscenario, here’s another reason not toleave your desk in a constant mess.Adjust it along the spectrum betweenthe ends of creativity and efficiency.Be aware of the impression you maybe giving to colleagues, but don’t beafraid to explain your reasons for anintentionally messy desk—you’ve gotanecdotal and empirical evidenceright here.

Einstein: “If a cluttered desk is a signof a cluttered mind, of what, then, is

an empty desk a sign?”

Closing ThoughtsStarting at very early ages, we have been trained to clean upour toys and make our beds. But perhaps our mothers hadit wrong. As you can see from the examples above, messyenvironments can enhance our creativity by letting our livesget a little messy.

“Disorderlyenvironments seem toinspire breaking free oftradition which canproduce freshinsights.”

Jan 2014

ewicalgary.com



DECEMBER MEETING PHOTOSPhotos by Pat Kamitomo

Highbank’s representative Shelley Swirski (second from right)accepts the cheque from Shawna Perron, Jacquie Stephens,Sherri Cunningham, and Carol McCarthy

Cayla Popp with Fran Esler

Shelley Swirski with some of the young residents from Highbank’s

Pat Kamitomo presented Jacquie Stephens withher copy of the President’s yearbook

Jan 2014

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CORPORATE NEWS

2013-2014CORPORATE OFFICERS

& DIRECTORS

PresidentRonwyn AndersonSoft-Lite WindowsEWI of Nashville

VP / President ElectDarlene Banogon

North Island Credit UnionEWI of San Diego

Secretary / TreasurerDiane Barber

Capital Region BenefitsEWI of Harrisburg

DirectorBenita Collins

Dallas Area Rapid TransitEWI of Dallas

DirectorCortney Ewald-IhdeEwald AutomotiveEWI of Milwaukee

DirectorCheryl Hawkins

American Clinical Laboratory Assoc.EWI of Washington DC

DirectorDianne Luckett

Irby Electrical DistributorEWI of Jackson

Corporate AdvisorKaren Skirten

TierOne Travel

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS

EWI has put together an outstanding series of webinars featuring some greatpresenters who are excited to help you become better at what you do and how youdo it. From subjects ranging from Goal Setting and Achievement to Communicationand Emotional Intelligence, these webinars are a must see. As a member of EWIyou can participate in all of these exciting new webinars, as can all other membersof your firm. To access the webinar archives, please log in and visit the MembersOnly section.

UPCOMING WEBINARS (Details on ewiconnect.com)

Personal Branding 101: How to Apply Basic Marketing Strategies toEnhance Your Career

Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2014Time: 3:00 pm (ET)Presenter: Dr. Doug Ross, Associate Dean, Global MBA

What comes to mind when you hear the brand Mercedes?What comes to mind when you hear the brand Ford? Wethink of these two car brands in extremely different waysbased on image, attributes, and positioning. Are you a Fordor are you a Mercedes? In this fascinating webinar, you willlearn how to apply basic marketing strategies to the mostimportant product in the world: YOU. Learn how to get intothe consideration set of key executives so you’re the personpicked for the promotions and best projects. This self-improvement webinar is a must for anyone who wants tolearn how to market themselves effectively in the workplace.

Dr. Doug Ross is an internationally known speaker making presentations on avariety of topics, most specifically with a passion for personal branding andmarketing. He brings extensive experience in the marketing field, both from acorporate and academic background. His consulting experience encompasses bothlarge and small corporate settings as well. Dr. Ross serves as a EWI Member FirmExecutive with Franklin University in Columbus, OH.

EXPANSION OPPORTUNITYDo you know someone with a firm in the Edmonton area that might be interestedin the many benefits of EWI?

The process has begun to re-establish a chapter in our provincial capital! There is adynamic individual who wants to see this happen, and we want to help her succeed!Kimberly Severson, currently the President with EWI of Grande Prairie has foundout that she is moving to the Edmonton area and couldn’t bear the thought of nothaving EWI in her life. Since finding out about her re-location, Kimberly has beeninvolved in on-going communications with the Corporate Expansion Committeeand Corporate President Karen Skirten about this potential. There are plans to hostan open house in Edmonton in the coming months and invite individuals thatmight be interested in having an EWI chapter for Edmonton and surrounding area.

Please take a moment to think about any business contacts that you might have inthe Capital Region and forward the contact information to the following individuals:Kimberly Severson - ([email protected])Michelle Goshinmon - ([email protected])

Jan 2014


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DATES TO NOTE

January 7, 2014 Corporate Webinar - PersonalBranding 101: How to Apply Basic MarketingStrategies to Enhance Your Career

January 7, 2014 Board MeetingCKE Community Centre

January 15, 2014 Dinner Meeting

February 4, 2014 Board Meeting

February 19, 2014 Dinner Meeting

March 4, 2014 Board Meeting

March 19, 2014 Dinner Meeting

April 1, 2014 Board Meeting

April 16, 2014 Dinner Meeting

May 6, 2014 Board Meeting

May 21, 2014 Dinner Meeting

June 3, 2014 Board Meeting

June 18, Dinner Meeting

READER’S RECOMMENDATION

King Peggy is thecharming real-life fairytale of an Americansecretary who gets a callin the middle of thenight to say her unclehas died and she hasbeen chosen by theelders to succeed him asking of an impoverishedfishing village on thewest coast of Africa. Shethinks it is a joke butsoon realises thesincerity of the call.After the initial shock,she decided to acceptthe kingship. Over the

course of a few days, she went from being plain oldPeggielene Bartels, who had worked for nearly threedecades at the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States,to becoming King Peggy — the first female king ofOtuam, reigning over approximately 7,000 people onGhana’s central coast, half a world away.

Upon arriving for her crowning ceremony in beautifulOtuam, she discovers the dire reality: there’s no runningwater, no doctor, and no high school, and many of thevillage elders are stealing the town’s funds. To makematters worse, her uncle (the late king) sits in a morgueawaiting a proper funeral in the royal palace, which is inruins. The longer she waits to bury him, the more sherisks incurring the wrath of her ancestors.

Peggy’s first two years as king of Otuam unfold in a waythat is stranger than fiction. In the end, a deeplytraditional African town has been uplifted by theambitions of its headstrong, decidedly modern femaleking. And in changing Otuam, Peggy is herselftransformed, from an ordinary secretary to the heartand hope of her community.

Though she is the King of Otuam, and has been since2008, Peggy lives most of the time in America, and stillworks as a Secretary at the Ghanaian embassy inWashington. She uses all her holiday every year tospend a month in the village, adjudicating propertydisputes, setting up schools and curbing corruption.

This book was at times poignant, at other timeshilarious, and throughout it all a fascinating glimpseinto what was for me a totally different culture.

HUMOUR IN THE WORKPLACE

Have you ever heard an outrageous excuse for missing work?Here are a few from CareerBuilder that just might top thecharts:

“My sobriety tool wouldn’t allow the car to start.”

“I forgot I was hired for the job.”

“My dog is having a nervous breakdown.”

“My grandmother’s body is being exhumed for a policeinvestigation.”

“My toe is stuck in the faucet.”

“I’m too upset after watching The Hunger Games.”

“I’ve gotten sick from reading too much.”

“My hair turned orange after I dyed it at home.”

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Our Mission

EWI brings together keyindividuals from diverse

businesses for the purpose ofpromoting member firms,enhancing personal and

professional development, andencouraging community

involvement.

Our Vision

To be a global women’s organization of5,000 engaged members empowering

others for positive change.

Our Values

Integrity | Excellence | Respect |Collaboration

DID YOU KNOW

“CHEAP WATCHES”

If you were in the market for a watch in 1880, would youknow where to get one? You would go to a store, right? Well,of course you could do that, but if you wanted one that wascheaper and a bit better than most of the store watches, youwent to the train station! Sound a bit funny? Well, for about500 towns across the northern United States, that’s wherethe best watches were found.

Why were the best watches found at the train station? Therailroad company wasn’t selling the watches, not at all! Thetelegraph operator was. Most of the time the telegraphoperator was located in the railroad station because thetelegraph lines followed the railroad tracks from town totown. It was usually the shortest distance and the rights-of-way had already been secured for the rail line.

Most of the station agents were also skilled telegraphoperators and that was the primary way that theycommunicated with the railroad. They would know whentrains left the previous station and when they were due attheir next station. And it was the telegraph operator who hadthe watches. As a matter of fact they sold more of them thanalmost all the stores combined for a period of about 9 years.

This was all arranged by “Richard”, who was a telegraphoperator himself. He was on duty in the North Redwood,Minnesota train station one day when a load of watchesarrived from the East. It was a huge crate of pocket watches.No one ever came to claim them.

So Richard sent a telegram to the manufacturer and askedthem what did they want to do with the watches. Themanufacturer didn’t want to pay the freight back, so theywired Richard to see if he could sell them. So Richard did.He sent a wire to every agent in the system asking them ifthey wanted a cheap, but good, pocket watch. He sold theentire case in less than two days and at a handsome profit.

That started it all. He ordered more watches from the watchcompany and encouraged the telegraph operators to set up adisplay case in the station offering high quality watches for acheap price to all the travelers. It worked! It didn’t take longfor the word to spread and, before long, people other thantravelers came to the train station to buy watches.

Richard became so busy that he had to hire a professionalwatch maker to help him with the orders. That was Alvah.And the rest is history as they say.

The business took off and soon expanded to many otherlines of dry goods.

Richard and Alvah left the train station and moved theircompany to Chicago — and it’s still there.

Yes, it’s a little known fact that for a while in the 1880’s, thebiggest watch retailer in the country was at the train station.It all started with a telegraph operator: Richard Sears andhis partner Alvah Roebuck!

Jan 2014


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CLEANING TIP

The 8 Germiest Items in Your Home

Turns out, bacteria tends to linger on some ofthe most frequently used household items.Below is a list of germ-laden places—and how totackle those trouble spots.

Kitchen Sponge/Dish RagYou’ve heard this before, and yet the item used to“clean” dishes and countertops is still the filthiest thingin most homes. Residential sponges and clothsroutinely test positive for illness-causing bacteria, suchas Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well asthe influenza virus; the damp material is also abreeding ground for mold. With every swipe, you couldbe spreading that gunk all over the place. No wonderthe FDA has banned sponges in the USA—which tendto be more hazardous than quicker-drying rags—fromcommercial kitchens.

Clean up: After each use, rinse the sponge or clothin hot water, wring it out, and let it dry in aventilated soap dish or spread out over a towel bar.At the end of the day, and after every raw-meatencounter, sterilize a wet sponge by popping it inthe microwave for one minute (emphasis on“wet”—a dry sponge could catch fire); toss rags inthe laundry. Clean countertops daily with adisinfecting spray and switch to a new sponge everycouple of weeks.

Kitchen SinkThis area typically harbors more than 500,000bacteria—ten times the amount found on the averagetoilet seat. Blame the fact that most people clean thecommode regularly, but the basin where raw produceis rinsed? Not so much. Uncooked fruits andvegetables and knives and cutting boards that havecome in contact with raw meat are loaded withpotential pathogens. Add moisture and scraps of food,which encourage germ growth, and suddenly you havea population the size of Seattle in your sink.

Clean up: A couple of times a week, and after youprepare raw food, wet the sink and scour with ascrub brush to get rid of any bacteria adhered tothe surface. Pay particular attention to the germhotspots around the drain and garbage disposal.Spray the faucet, basin, and your brush with asolution of ¼ cup of chlorine bleach and one quartof water or full-strength hydrogen peroxide. Let sitfor ten minutes, then rinse.

ToothbrushesYou deposit germs from your mouth onto yourtoothbrush daily. Then you leave it to dry in a dampbathroom, possibly across from the toilet, where thebristles can become contaminated with the airbornebacteria released with every flush—heard enough? “Youcan get sick from using your own toothbrush and you cankeep reinfecting yourself,” bugs such as E. coli, Listeria,and Strep—not to mention mold—may be lurking betweenthe bristles.

Clean up: Allow toothbrushes to air-dry in anupright holder (away from the toilet, if possible). Youcan also significantly reduce the number of germswafting through the bathroom by closing the lid whenyou flush. Once a week, run toothbrushes—and theholder if it’s safe—through the dishwasher’s sanitizingcycle to kill bacteria. Replace brushes every threemonths or after you’ve been ill.

ElectronicsRemote controls and computer keyboards—which arehandled by the whole family and rarely cleaned—top thelist of dirty items in the technology department. Researchindicates that a single device may contain thousands ofbacteria, including the same varieties found on kitchensponges. Part of the problem: People often snack whilethey veg and type, leaving behind oils and crumbs for germsto stick to and use as “nourishment” to help them grow.

Clean up: Swab remotes and keyboards, as well asvideo game controllers, your mouse, and plastic andfabric smartphone and tablet covers, once a weekwith a well-wrung-out disinfecting wipe (disconnecteverything and remove covers first). Clean touchscreen surfaces with a scratch-free product designedfor electronics.

Family Room CarpetThe rug in the room where everyone hangs out maycontain as much as 200,000 bacteria per square inch. Theskin cells, food particles, pollen, and pet dander that collectin carpets serve as a smorgasbord for germs. When youwalk on the rug, or your kids roll around on it, you disruptthe little buggers, bringing some closer to the surface.

Clean up: Vacuum weekly, with the beater brushturned on, to draw grime out of the fibers. Then,spritz with a fabric sanitizing product. At least once ayear, hire a company to do a deep steam-cleaning tozap residual germs.

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Jan 2014


ewicalgary.com


Bath Towels

When towels remain damp for 20 minutes or longer,mildew and bacteria, which thrive in moistenvironments, can breed. Every time you reuse a taintedtowel, you may be increasing your chances of developing(or aggravating) allergies and rashes, or (rarely)contracting a more serious infection.

Clean up: Make sure towels air out quickly aftereach use. If a set of hooks isn’t cutting it, considerspreading them out over a stand-up or wall-mounted rack. An even better option for thosewhose bathrooms are particularly terrarium-like:Toss the whole load in the dryer after everyone hasshowered. After three or four uses, launder towelsin hot water and chlorine bleach (for whites) and dryon high to root out any remaining bacteria. If youcan’t kill the mildew smell, it’s time for new towels.

Your PurseMost handbags have tens of thousands of bacteria on thebottom alone, and some have millions. When youconsider all the places your carryall has been—restaurant floors, the locker room, grocery carts, gulp—it’s amazing the numbers aren’t even higher.

Clean up: Mist sturdy cloth and nylon purses, alongwith gym bags and kids’ backpacks, weekly with afabric-safe sanitizing spray or, launder them if theyare machine-washable. Clean vinyl with disinfectingwipes and leather with a specialty product. Try tohang bags on hooks whenever you can and, at thevery least, “avoid putting the purse that sat on themall bathroom floor on your kitchen counter”.

Pet BedYou’ve seen what Fluffy gets up to at the dog park, so it’sno surprise that she could be sleeping on a hotbed ofbacteria. Studies have turned up hundreds of germs,including, er, fecal variety, on a single bed. Combinedwith the dirt and pollen the dog or cat drags in, as well asdander and dead skin cells, the germs can grow quickly.

Clean up: Once a week, remove the cover andlaunder it in hot water; dry on high. If the coverdoesn’t come off, mist the bed with a sanitizing spray.

CLEANING TIP CONTINUED

Jan 2014


ewicalgary.com


OUR MEMBER FIRMSAlberta New Home Warranty (The)

Rep: Cindy Zahn

Automatic Rain Irrigation ArchitectsRep: Linda Ketchum

Azuridge ResortRep: Eve Drozdowski

B.A. Cheyne Parkinson ConsultingRep: Helen Parkinson

Bank of MontrealReps: Harsharan (Sharan) Sangha, Karen Jasper

BMO Nesbitt BurnsRep: Shawna Perron

Breakthrough ConsultingRep: Jacquie Stephens

Calgary Marriott Downtown HotelRep: Cayla Hiscock

Calgary TELUS Convention CentreRep: Lynn MacMullin-Cudmore

Caracal EnergyRep: Danine Birkholm

Carriage House InnRep: Brenda Davidson

Cottonwood Golf & Country ClubRep: Tiffany Gordon

Creative DifferencesRep: Michelle Goshinmon

David Aplin GroupRep: Kathryn Farrell

Distinctive LooksRep: Judy York

Encana CorporationRep: Debbie Laval

Encore Event Destination ManagementRep: Flora Fioritti-Irwin

GWL Realty Advisors Inc.Rep: Jackie Pontin

Heather Walker ConsultingRep: Heather Walker

Highbanks SocietyRep: Cherise Gosselin

Hotel AlmaReps: Magdalena Goss, Amy Turner

Husky Energy Inc.Rep: Beccy Hurt

Jade Britany Consulting IncRep: Jade Coultman

Jones & Salt InsuranceRep: Sarah Turner

Miller Thompson LLPRep: Susan Soderlund

NV FashionsReps: Nancy Rosychuk, Kayleigh Davidson

Servpro CleaningRep: Sherri Cunningham

SpeedPro SignsRep: Joanne Ruston

TAS Aesthetics of Mika Skin CareRep: Tracey Sirois

TierOne TravelRep: Karen Skirten

Universal Flooring Systems LtdRep: Jo-Anne Teed

Wendy Ellen IncRep: Ashley Mickelson

FIRM UPDATES

If you have new firm information or have a new representative, please be sure to update Heather Walker [email protected] or (403) 815-4498 to ensure our Roster stays up to date.

Jan 2014


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2013 - 2014 CHAIRS AND COMMITTEES

CHAPTER LIFE MEMBERSDianne Andrews

Danine Birkholm

Anne Davidson

Fran Esler

Dorothy Faulkner

Freda Frizzell

Doris Harris

SUSTAINING MEMBERSMargaret Bell

Anne Ferrier

Pat Kamitomo

Susan May

Gladys Perrott

Phyllis Snider

Joanna Suehwold

Dolores Trimble

Gail Wallace

Please be sure to sign up for a committee,your Chapter needs you!

VP/President ElectMichelle Goshinmon

SecretaryMaria Carolina Guerrero

TreasurerAshley Mickelson

Retention & Recruitment

CommunicationsHeather Walker

Past President/AdvisorJacquie Stephens

Jackie Pontin

Hot Heels Committee Chair

Philanthropy ChairPat Kamitomo

PresidentJacquie Stephens

Scholarships ChairFran Esler

Jackie Pontin

FundraisingSarah Turner

Sgt‐at‐ArmsJudy York

ProgramVacant

PublicationsJackie Pontin

Jan 2014

ewicalgary.com

Calgary Monthly Newsletter Jan 2014


2013- 2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sgt-at-Arms Fundraising

Sarah Turner

Jones & Salt Insurance

Communications

Heather Walker

Heather WalkerConsulting

Retention &Recruitment

Linda Ketchum

Automatic RainIrrigation Architects

Secretary

Maria CarolinaGuerrero

Marriott Hotels& Resorts

President

Jacquie Stephens

BreakthroughConsulting

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

For more information on EWI please visitthe Calgary Chapter website at

www.ewicalgary.com

Our mailing address isEWI Calgary

PO Box 22025Calgary, AB T2P 4J1

Vice President/President Elect

MichelleGoshinmon

Creative Differences

Judy York

Distinctive Looks

Treasurer

Ashley Mickelson

Wendy Ellen Inc.

[email protected]

Publications

Jackie Pontin

GWL RealtyAdvisors Inc.

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Program

Vacant

THIS

COULD

BE YOU!

[email protected]

Past President

MichelleGoshinmon

Creative Differences

[email protected]

ADVISOR

president s message - ewicalgary.com jan 2014.pdf · president’s message december 2010 vp report,...

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