Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 5, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press junk 2001 b3 editor Julian Rachey 6977235 technology today Centre geared for growth the Caber Village Pilot project represents the first phase of the larger Caber Village Centre an information technology it sector business incubator and resource Centre designed to Spur economic growth smart a not for profit Agency devoted to the cites it is testing the business incubator curriculum during the oneyear Pilot and the Pilot will become mentors to subsequent Partick the incubator will eventually be located within the future Caber Village the once planned for later this year in the Exchange is now about one year away from according to Karen executive director of smart Botan has her Eye on the building at 280 William for the the incubator plan has been written to expand the Pilot project to be an ongoing Botan Hopes to take in 15 new participants at the rate of one or two a month Over the next funding is expected to come from provincial Sotan Esti mates it will Cost a year to run the covering the costs of 15 Partick the Caber Village which will be accessible to the Community and have resources for it Busi Nesses and possibly even an interpretive is expected to Cost about in Trievel funding to get smart Winnipeg will be sub mitting a proposal for funding to the Western economic diversification Agency for the Federal the centres annual operating budget is estimated to be about Joe Winnipeg free press getting started Caber Village Centre Pilot project helps Hatch it ideas by Linda Rosborough Len Andrusiak has done just about everything in his working life from managing Field Camps in the Arctic to running a Steak restaurant Given his Range of including information technology it seemed Only natural to try his hand at entre so he joined forces with Friend Lucas both men had considerable information technology experience from their government jobs and thought they could help others use technology in their business and personal things started Well for their company seer technologies one of three Young companies participating in smart Winnipeg Caber Village Centre Pilot project for Small Busi Ness but they needed a the launched in mid March by mayor Glen is providing the resources that seer needed to diversify and solidify itself in the it it was everything i was looking for in terms of support and said whose company will be part of the project for a year before assuming a mentorship role for other new within eight weeks of starting up last Andrusiak and kandia had hired four people for their it infrastructure and technology solutions in about a they had a staff of Many doing internet Cable strategic planning but the duo soon found themselves at a Cross roads and in need of some strategic planning and a solid business when Shaw Cable announced its Purchase of Videon Cable systems late last uncertainty required Andrusiak and kandia to take Videon had been seers major no one would have thought after 11 very successful months with there be a Andrusiak when youre faced with what do you do when he contacted smart Winnipeg for information about the business incubation Pilot pro Andrusiak Felt like his Back was against the he and kandia had had a business but it was All in their Heads nothing for Mal and deliberate had been fleshed they applied to participate and were accepted into the program along with play count a promotions and marketing we based and an online financial and Home management different stages the three companies in the Pilot project Are at different stages of seer is More having formed in february was incorporated last Seekin site is in its very Early company owners meet with Alvin a business management professional working for smart once or twice a week for a few hours and keep in regular Contact by Tele phone and we dont make any Effort to Tell them How to do their said who offers assistance and a objective were finding with it companies theres much More strategic planning to be done first before you do the rest of the Busi Ness said Karen executive director of smart in addition to the business Keppler has helped Andrusiak and kandia develop a polished marketing Campaign to target the health care an Industry with which seer has had some previous seer is still serv ing Cable Modem but diversifying and finding new Revenue its been absolutely wonderful for in my Andrusiak i really value the time i spend with i rely on him for his knowl his business management and As a peer someone to Bounce ideas Andrusiak said he has also Learned to harness his entrepreneurial enthusiasm and concentrate on Good business a lot of times when you have these entre pre its been absolutely wonderful for me Len co owner of seer technologies neural it consumes you forget about the Little who now employs 13 focus is one of the most important things Ive All three companies submit their financial information every month for assessment and feedback finances Are top Osmind these Days for Michael who says he is looking for venture capital to finance play Sparks and his business Raymond Are working with Keppler on play count medium and Long Range plans and to evaluate Sparks and Belisle had previously done a business plan using a Standard but Are now strengthening the weak Points and fleshing it who is a Winnipeg firefight said the company is also exploring different ways of packaging their on line marketing and prize services and seeking out corporate he has had some interest recently from the Toronto based Coffee time we were very overwhelmed with All the Waters we were swimming in at the Sparks referring to the months before joining the smart Winnipeg really keeps us on course with our original focus and our original with the help of Tricia Kell has been doing a series of focus groups for her fledgling financial and Home management web seek when Shes not doing Market research for her Kell is working on her business plan with Kell is also working with a web designer and is aiming to have her site established by August or who also operates Small clothing design and House painting businesses from her said she needs the technology and business management expertise from smart Winnipeg for her new venture to if it want for them giving me the Chance to go i would still be that something the world Kell 2 iinda.ro8borough@lreepress.mb.ca top City companies owe a lot to the farm by Martin Cash the top five Winnipeg companies in the newest list of the largest corporations in the country Are All from the agricultural underlining How important the sector is to the local it is interesting to realize How much the agricultural Industry matters to Winnipeg and said Gord cum ceo of the company formed in 1998 with the merger of Alberta wheat Pool and Manitoba Pool Eleva sometimes we take it for but we the Canadian wheat with sales in 2000 of is the largest win Nipe based corporate entity on the National Post business Magazine list at perhaps even More significant is that the wheat Board is 2 on the profit margin list with recorded profits of about 96 per cent of total Justin a spokesman for the Canadian wheat said the Feder ally owned Crown which exports Canadian wheat and has virtually no overhead other than its 550 person Winnipeg head the wheat boards Only reason for being is to get As much Money Back to Farmers As Kohlman it was designed that after the the next highest Winnipeg company on the list is Cargill at the Canadian subsidiary of the family owned Minneapolis based International agricultural Industry giant had 2000 sales of following Cargill is at with billion in rounding out the top five Are the family owned James Richardson sons at with sales of billion and United Grain growers at with sales of the Grain Industry is based in Winnipeg even though Only on seventh of the regions crops Are grown in Manito compared with two sevenths in Alberta and four sevenths in in addition to the wheat the City is also Home to the Winnipeg commodity Exchange and the Canadian Grain continued t please see top ;