Principal and Senior Strategist Focus Communications
Dean is co-owner/operator at Focus Communications along with his wife Sue Heuman.
Focus Communications tells unforgettable stories that connect with audiences and customers. We imagine, write, message, design, plan, and promote. We stage magical events that improve lives. We listen and engage communities to lead citizens through change. We have the scope of a large agency, and the spirit and heart of a small one.
Focus Communications offers customized services that start with strategy and mix marketing, communications, and PR. We engage audiences, stage events, and attract attention through traditional and digital marketing.
Mark was born in Saskatchewan on a small farm where he learned the value of community engagement & support. At the University of Saskatchewan he became involved with the community that formed from the student body where he developed life-long personal & professional connections. Among other things, Mark worked at the University radio station and graduated with an advanced degree in biochemistry. He then moved to Edmonton where he worked at the University of Alberta in an elite selection of public|private labs, Including the J.S. McEachern Canadian Cancer Society labs, the Mike James X-ray crystallography lab, and ChembioMed Ltd, a private biomedical start up formed on Campus.
Mark’s resume is long and complex, but one of the early highlights was Myrias Research Corporation, a company started by one of his long term colleagues where they built the world’s first parallel supercomputer and brought millions of investment dollars into Alberta, mostly from U.S. sources. Mark has worked in a number of exiting and innovative technology start-ups and has considerable experience attacking large and difficult problems with software, firmware, and computer hardware. He also has something of a flair for mechanical design. Much of his work has been in the leading edge of various technological niches.
Currently he is trying to break into the construction industry bubble with building envelope manufacturing productivity software. This software was used to build the iconic Calgary Climbing Center’s facility in Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, and was the subject of a nomination for a 2020 CanBIM Innovation award. In a completely unrelated market, Mark is also trying to expand the reach of the bicycle, especially ebikes, to include a much larger segment of the population, by making them more comfortable, using a seat design that he holds a patent on. His preliminary reading about Wayfinders Business Cooperative suggests it holds opportunities to connect with like-minded people in Alberta and possibly gain access to resources that are crucial to the continued success of his life-mission. Mark also wants to see if there are ways he can give back, with a view to strengthening the Alberta Economy and establishing a non-resource based life for its citizens.
Jenny is passionate about technology. She started by learning Basic and Assembler computer languages in the early 80’s. Currently she has experience in about 25 different computer languages, and she has experience with infrastructure: networking, servers, business continuity, and more. Over the years, she has discovered her greatest skill: to be able to communicate with both technical and non-technical people — a translator, teacher, and a geek. I can help solve your business needs and do the research and assessment of various software tools. I can gather your IT needs, requirements and any constraints to provide the best options possible.
Mila Sokolyanskaya is a Career Development Professional with over four years of experience helping immigrants find their new voices in Canada. Mila is an immigrant herself originally from Russia. She came to Canada in 2012 as an international student and got her Human Resources Management Certificate. She is a human-centred design supporter when it comes to training or change management, and also she is a Diversity and Inclusion Advocate. Mila currently runs an Immigrant Youth Engagement Program at Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers.
Mila joined Wayfinders Business Co-Operative to advocate for diversity and assist with developing organizational long-term goals.
What we do: we help organizations build certifiably better AI systems and help consumers to make sound choices in selecting trustworthy AI-enabled products or services.
About: Katrina Ingram is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience running both not for profit and corporate organizations. She worked at her first technology start-up during the late 90s dot com boom. Katrina left the technology sector for the media industry, first joining the CBC and then CKUA Radio Network, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer. Since leaving CKUA Radio in 2017, Katrina has helped establish the Alberta Podcast Network, consulted with TEC Edmonton’s health accelerator, led a cannabis start-up in the HR recruitment space, launched an audio content production company and completed her master’s degree.
Ethically Aligned AI draws upon her diverse background in senior leadership and operational roles in media, marketing|technology, as well as her education in artificial intelligence and ethics.
About Alain | I believe that every human being deserves living in a community where he|she is fulfilled at all levels. Building such communities requires values like empathy, trust, compassion, culture and skills sharing, helping each other, … I hold and cherish these values and have found so does Wayfinders Business Cooperative! I strongly believe that I can be part of building a community of trust such as WBC. Professionally; I have spent many years working in (IT) Information Technology in the private sector and international companies. I am looking at new opportunities to be part of intercultural working teams as well. Happy to join the Wayfinders community and to contribute my efforts with other members to foster a culture of success and solidarity.
Alain has been a valued Contributor to Wayfinders IT Team since June, 2019.
Mr. de Blois travelled 2000 km to Edmonton from out east by recumbent bicycle to get a GMCC Accounting diploma – a number of years ago – a diploma he has not used much since he started working as a transit operator for the City for the past 15 years.
What can Claude offer at this time to WBC community? In his words: I play flute (by ear); I am an excellent final proof-reader, meaning I can edit out or otherwise ward off embarrassing typos or unintelligible dreck and turn it into something the average reader can understand; I can translate from French to English fairly well; I can do some small accounting or tax related projects. I’m glad to be joining WBC because I want to do business and hang out with other progressive fellow-travellers. “We’re all just dancing as fast as we can” – Shirley MacLaine
PS. We welcome Claude de Blois into our evolutionary growing community & wish him a productive and successful journey with Wayfinders Business Cooperative!
About Janet | Janet enjoys assisting individuals, groups and organizations in a collaborative manner, ensuring their unique strengths are fostered as they transition to their next stage of development. Interests include diversity, inclusion, humanity, social justice, working as a team in a sharing culture. She has served most recently with the Edmonton Social Planning Council.
Janet is getting ready to launch the second chapter of her professional life via her consulting endeavour called Integra ONE. She will be updating her BIO and offerings in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, Janet is thrilled to join WBC and we welcome her with open arms! May the journey with Wayfinders Business Cooperative be fruitful & mutually beneficial.
Edmonton Community Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Garber-Conrad has been leading efforts to mobilize investment in social enterprises for much of his adult life. Many in Edmonton know him for his work in the 1990s to establish the Kids in the Hall restaurant, a very successful social enterprise for youth at risk, at City Hall. As CEO at ECF Martin leads one of Canada’s largest charities.
In this interview Martin reveals his thoughts about the short history and the longer term prospects for the social finance movement, including certification of B-companies, social entrepreneurship and EMG companies.
Wayfinders’ Randal Adcock interviews Martin Garber-Conrad
Impact, a video production of Wayfinders Business Co-operative, interviews Barbara McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer at The Business Link in Edmonton, Alberta. The Business Link provides a variety of supports for small business throughout Alberta. Recorded in February, 2020.
