North America Outlook - issue 15

STORNOWAY DIAMONDS CANADA

“Proud to be Digital”

For over a decade, our portfolio of in-house magazines has been lovingly produced, printed, and distributed to our esteemed subscribers across the globe from our headquarters in the UK.

But now we are moving with the times, adopting a digital-first approach by producing online-only publications. A major factor in this decision is to minimize our environmental footprint, reducing the carbon emissions involved in the logistics of print magazine distribution and the resources required therein.

SUSTAI

Going forward, we will provide print orders of any magazine in-line with the requests of our featured companies, subscribers, and conference & expo partners.

Please get in touch for a print-on-demand quote or visit our website to find out more.

“We always planned that when our digital subscribers consistently accounted for 85% of our total magazine subscribers, we would cease printing our publications in-line with our environmental and sustainability goals.”

– Ben Weaver, CEO, Outlook Publishing Ltd

EDITORIAL

Editorial Director: Phoebe Harper phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com

Senior Editor: Marcus Kääpä marcus.kaapa@outlookpublishing.com

Editor: Jack Salter jack.salter@outlookpublishing.com

Junior Editor: Ed Budds ed.budds@outlookpublishing.com

Junior Editor: Rachel Carr rachel.carr@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION

Production Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

Senior Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

Designer: Sophs Forte sophs.forte@outlookpublishing.com

Junior Designer: Louisa Martin louisa.martin@outlookpublishing.com

Production Assistant: Megan Cooke megan.cooke@outlookpublishing.com

Digital Marketing Manager: Fox Tucker fox.tucker@outlookpublishing.com

Social Media Executive: Bria Clarke bria.clarke@outlookpublishing.com

BUSINESS

CEO: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

Managing Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com

Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com

Commercial Director: Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com

PROJECT MANAGERS

Felix Revell felix.revell@outlookpublishing.com

Lauren Robinson lauren.robinson@outlookpublishing.com

Louis Locke louis.locke@outlookpublishing.com

Olando Greenock olando.greenock@outlookpublishing.com

HEADS OF PROJECTS

Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com

David Knott david.knott@outlookpublishing.com

Deane Anderton deane.anderton@outlookpublishing.com

Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com

Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Marvin Iseghehi marvin.Iseghehi@outlookpublishing.com

SALES & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com

SALES MANAGERS

Alfie Wilson alfie.wilson@outlookpublishing.com

Krisha Canlas krisha.canlas@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION

Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com

Finance Assistant: Suzie Kittle suzie.kittle@outlookpublishing.com

CONTACT

North America Outlook Norvic House, 29-33 Chapelfield Road Norwich, NR2 1RP, United Kingdom

Sales: +44 (0) 1603 363 631

Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 363 655

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Tel: +44 (0) 1603 363 655

phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com www.northamericaoutlookmag.com

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Diamonds are forever

As the global demand for diamonds continues to escalate, so does the necessity of mining these precious resources responsibly, and sustainably.

This issue’s cover foregrounds one such companyStornoway Diamonds Canada – owners of Quebec’s sole diamond mine.

“We have set global industry standards in environmental and social sustainability and are one of the only Canadian diamond companies with a comprehensive socio-economic benefits agreement with local Aboriginal stakeholders,” says CEO, Patrick Sevigny.

In this in-depth feature, we take a deep dive into the workings of the state’s flagship mining operation.

Moving to the realm of energy and utilities, Veolia North America is a company on a mission to resource the world. Vice President of Operations Excellence and Business Transformation, Swapnil Marda, puts the lens on the company’s Environmental Solutions and Services (ESS) division as it endeavors to become the national leader in the hazardous waste industry. Elsewhere, we take to the streets of San Francisco to learn how the incorporation of tech is revolutionizing the city’s police force.

“We want to provide a transparent and data-driven department to strengthen our relationships and trust within our communities,” shares Chief Information Officer at the San Francisco Police Department, William Sanson-Mosier.

Meanwhile, our industry spotlight showcases Turks and Caicos as the ultimate islands for investment, as the archipelago seeks to diversify its potential within both tourism and financial services. Read our interview with Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos to find out more.

We hope that you enjoy your read.

Phoebe Harper

Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing

TESLA TAKING TEXAS

ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) manufacturing giant Tesla is expanding its EV factory in Austin, Texas, after registering the request with the state earlier this year.

The factory manufactures some of the company’s Model Y crossover utility vehicles and also plans to manufacture the iconic Tesla Cybertruck.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration, the

company intends to spend up to $770 million on building new facilities that include manufacturing and battery cell testing.

This is a significant development since the opening of the Austin factory in May 2022, when CEO Elon Musk described it, and another assembly plant outside Berlin, Germany, as “gigantic money furnaces”, due to supply chain disruption last year.

RETAIL

PRIME TIME PURCHASING

AMAZON HAS ANNOUNCED

that it is expanding its Buy with Prime program, allowing merchants to add the Prime logo to products on their own websites, and visitors to check out using personal Amazon accounts.

The benefits of such a service include using the company’s payment

TECHNOLOGY

POST-PANDEMIC LAY OFF

AMERICAN CLOUD-BASED

SOFTWARE company Salesforce is expected to lay off 10 percent of its workforce following rapid hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic that left a bloated workforce in a challenging period of economic downturn.

At the end of January 2022, Salesforce had over 70,500 employees, equating to a 30 percent increase from the year before.

The firm, which offers applications focused on sales, customer service, analytics, and more, joins the likes of Meta and Amazon which have cut thousands of jobs during 2022 in preparation for a recession and expected interest rate hikes.

and fulfillment solutions; customers receive free, two-day delivery through using these retailers’ sites, a staple of Amazon’s brand. On top of this, Buy with Prime users will also have the option to display customer product reviews.

For the retail giant, the Buy with Prime program could represent an additional revenue stream.

ENERGY & UTILITIES

US’ MAINE SOLAR INVESTMENT

SOUTH KOREAN MULTINATIONAL energy service, petrochemical and real estate developer Hanwha Solutions Corp (Hanwha) has stated that it will invest approximately $2.5 billion overall into building a solar power manufacturing value chain in the US.

Hanwha’s board recently confirmed a $2.31 billion investment to build a solar power ingot, wafer, cell, and module factory in Maine according to the company’s regulatory filing with the state, with the expectation to grow its solar module production

RETAIL

NO-NONSENSE TIME SAVING

IN A BID to free up time for employees, Canadian multinational e-commerce company Shopify has made the decision to scrap most meetings.

For Shopify, 2023 represents a new era and the company has said that around 76,500 hours previously put towards meetings will be saved and

capacity from 1.7 gigawatts (2022) to 8.4 gigawatts by 2024.

The large-scale investment in the factory is responding well to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the landmark federal law aimed to curb inflation by many means including domestic energy production and promoting clean energy in the US.

used for other work.

Those meetings that are recurring with three or more employees, all general meetings on Wednesdays, and those meeting with 50 or more employees (save Thursdays) from 11am to 5pm ET are to be cancelled.

This decision will remove approximately 10,000 events from employees’ schedules, granting them uninterrupted time and a ‘no judgement zone’ when it comes to rejecting meetings to focus on work.

TECHNOLOGY

TENSION IN TECH TRANSITION

APPLE IS IN the process of moving some of its production capacity away from China, with a percentage of the 24 million MacBooks made per year to be built in Vietnam as soon as May 2023.

This follows the company’s partial shift of manufacturing operations regarding iPhones and other flagship products out of China due to increasing US-China trade tensions as well as Chinese production disruption as a result of COVID-19 containment efforts.

Northern Vietnam represents a major hub of production for Apple’s products, with technology companies investing heavily in the region.

But Apple is not alone; other technology companies such as Dell and HP have also made plans to diversify their production locations away from China.

FOOD & DRINK

UPHILL BURGER BATTLE

FAST-FOOD CHAIN BURGER

King has hired a new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for the US and Canada in a bid to recover lost ground.

Patrick O’Toole joined the company from the multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation PepsiCo, where he held the position of CMO of Mountain Dew.

For decades, Burger King has taken second place in sales after McDonald’s Corp. But in 2020 Burger King fell to another player – Wendy’s Co. Executives said that this was due to outdated restaurants, complex menus, and slower operations.

Burger King’s two-year plan, “Reclaim the Flame”, including $120 million in advertising investment, will see O’Toole leading the chain’s marketing to grow traffic, sales, and customer communication.

Making a Business of Gender Parity

Wolff Olins is a leading design and branding company that has worked with Uber, TikTok, and Instacart to name just a few. Global CEO, Sairah Ashman, shares her expert view on the progress of gender diversity on the industrial landscape, and explores future strategies for female leaders

It’s now a shade over 100 years since the 19th Amendment enshrining a woman’s right to vote was ratified nationally in the US. The year was 1920 and my great-grandmother was 10 years old. She was the first woman in my family to vote and made it clear to me at an early age that I had a personal obligation to do so given how many had fought for my right toan obligation I carry to this day.

45 years later in 1965, a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for the mainstream use of contraception, radically changing the lives of women and altering their role in the workplace. Seven years later in 1973, Roe vs Wade ushered in the right to abortion, giving women ultimate control of their bodies and reproductivity.

My grandmother went on to become the first in my family to attend university and attain a management position, before hitting a very real glass ceiling and retraining to become a teacher, ultimately returning to university to lecture in business studies and gender politics. She had an acute eye for, and firsthand experience of, asymmetrical power imbalances, which she happily schooled me in from the moment I

could string a sentence together to the day she passed.

Scroll forward to 2022 and only 44 of Fortune 500 companies are being lead by a female CEO. That’s 8.8 percent, up from 41 the previous year and a record high, apparently. Meanwhile, a survey by McKinsey and Lean In found that women accounted for only 26 percent of C-Suite managers at the start of 2022, up from 20 percent in 2017. Just five percent of the C-Suite were women of color while 13 percent were men of color. Women in business and the workplace have come a long way, but not nearly far enough.

By 2023 I’d like to think the commercial and social arguments for diversity and for women leading companies is well understood. You don’t need to go far to find them, such as this 2022 Harvard Business Review research article identifying why firms with women in senior positions are more profitable and socially responsible. These benefits go beyond simply hitting diversity targets and doing the right thing.

Businesses with more women in senior roles tend to have a lower risktaking profile and better long-term financial performance, according to a

study in the Analysis of Management Journal. And there’s lots of solid evidence beyond business journals that lifting women up in society directly benefits the health and wellbeing of families, communities and nations, as well as their productivity, from the World Economic Forum

Returning to leadership, a recent piece in the Harvard Business Review discusses the traits that companies look for in CEOs of the future Above all, they appear to value social skills or “being good with people” over technical knowledge. While businesses are becoming increasingly driven by technological disruption, corporate success rests on the way companies are run and the strength of relationships between staff – a skill set women are often credited with having a natural affinity for.

So what are the strategies that women should pursue if they want to become top leaders of the future and change the landscape for others to benefit from?

Where you place yourself

The old adage of stopping to ask for directions, only to be told “well I wouldn’t start from here” is a good one. It helps to be clear-sighted

about the kind of industry, work environment and situation you’re likely to thrive in as a woman, asking prospective employers about not just their attitudes but the hard data behind how women are supported and progress within an organization. I’m fortunate to work in an industry and a company that actively supports women into senior positions, but I tried on a lot of other situations before deciding this was a place worth investing in for the long term.

How you invest in yourself

No-one will or should be more motivated than you in developing your skills and investing in your future self. Learn how to make a mutually beneficial business case to enable your employer to invest in you or be prepared to go-it-alone and pay your own way. Several times in my career

I’ve taken a step back to take a step forward, taking time out to study for a period or retraining in a role rather than continuing down a prescribed path that I didn’t think was rewarding for me. Aside from attaining technical skills, training alongside others and learning new things instils a level of confidence necessary for all future leaders to perform well.

Who you work alongside

Taking on roles or assignments that bring you into contact with leaders you can learn from is quite possibly one of the most rewarding and enriching ways to grow. Stretch assignments don’t always show up as projects, they often arrive in the form of people and they’re a gift. Irritatingly, it’s often the more challenging leaders and assignments that teach us the most and the sooner you grab them the faster you progress, and the more rounded you become in my experience. It’s also these connections that often go on to open new doors or pave the way to bigger opportunities in ways that are unexpected and appreciated.

How you pace yourself

Life is complicated and you will rarely have the same year twice. It’s seasonal and there will be years where you sow and years when you harvest. It’s important to run your own race and not be afraid to reshape your goals based on where you’re at in your life and the responsibilities you might have acquired or want to. Your route to leadership is likely to have more turns than you might imagine - you’ll be a better leader for it.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

Sairah Ashman, the Global CEO at Wolff Olins, oversees business direction across the company’s offices in New York, San Francisco and London.

Sairah is passionate about working with ambitious leaders to help their businesses become great brands in world – the kind of radical and category-defining brands that represent something special for the people who buy from them and the people who work for them. She is an alumna of Harvard Business School and Goldsmiths University in London, where she completed a Masters in Digital Sociology.

She is a founding member and active supporter of The House of St Barnabas, a charity working to break the cycle of homelessness, and a founding committee member of Omniwomen, an initiative aimed at increasing the influence and number of women leaders throughout the Omnicom network. Sairah is a regular TEDx host and speaker, has authored thought leadership and analysis pieces for business publications as well as featuring in FastCo, The Telegraph and has a

THE VANGUARD OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

We take a look at the pinnacle of infrastructure contracting, Melcar Group, and speak to Managing Director, James McIntyre, about the company’s dedication towards sustainability, safety, and the development of North America’s offshore wind industry

Asledgehammer and a vision. There are few companies that can claim to have started from words as fitting and impactful as these. Yet in 1989, this was the catalyst for experienced civil construction professional Aidan Carolan to establish Melcar Group (Melcar). Today, the company operates as North America’s most trusted trenchless contractor, with Carolan leading from the front (often literally on-site) as Chairman and Founder.

Melcar is a leading energy and infrastructure contractor based in Texas. With a focus on safety and quality, the company has over three decades of vanguard experience as one of the most diversified construction contractors in the region. Melcar specializes in a variety of utility and infrastructure construction applications, including offshore wind farm development, directional crossings, tunneling, water, landfall and nearshore installations, telecommunications, engineering and design.

Driven by company-wide guiding principles, Melcar holds true to people-centric values and the key individuals who constitute its dedicated team of experts at the forefront of company operations - among them, Managing Director James McIntyre, who has been with Melcar for over eight years.

“Melcar is a team of diverse and

highly skilled individuals who focus on developing infrastructure through economically and environmentally sustainable programs,” he begins. “The company’s story is one of labor and contest as much as it is transition and growth.

“Starting as a telecommunications installer, Melcar began trenchless installations in the early 1990s. By 1998, Melcar had evolved into a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) contractor. Building on its trenchless technology capabilities, Melcar established an auger bore division in 2014, forging a pathway to becoming a premier microtunneling contractor in the years to come.”

THE INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT

Melcar focuses primarily on the North American market while providing services worldwide on a project-byproject basis and has narrowed its focus to serving its current clients, providing bespoke solutions in today’s turbulent market.

MELCAR – A HEAVY INDUSTRIES SERVICE PROVIDER

Melcar is led by its guiding principles: Environmental Excellence, Value Based Vision™, Constitutional Entrepreneurship™, and Ceaseless Education, each of which echoes throughout the company’s many services:

• Directional drilling

• Microtunneling

• Offshore wind and power

• Auger boring

• Tunneling

• Storm restoration

• Heavy and specialized hauling

• Crane and lifting services

• Hydro excavation

• Engineering survey and design

• Renewables development

• Infrastructure development

• Pipe ramming

• Welding and fabrication

• Pipe fusion

“Our industry is more volatile than it ever has been in our leadership’s tenure,” McIntyre elaborates. “We have a clash of unknowns including more contract awards per quarter than the three preceding years, but companies are going out of business due to lack of work. There are record unemployment highs but a severe labor shortage across the industry, and unsustainable cost increases, yet still, owners systematically deny price escalations.”

According to McIntyre, the past year has seen around five of Melcar’s top competitors go out of business for a variety of reasons. In such a niche market, this would theoretically open up major amounts of work for the remaining operators, but for Melcar, this workload increase has not yet been felt on the contracting level. Despite this, however, there is one key North American market that Melcar has clearly dominatedoffshore wind, a fitting business area for the company that falls in line with its focus surrounding sustainability promotion and practices. Internally, Melcar has invested a variety of resources into finding innovative ways to mitigate company carbon

emissions and help curb the world’s environmental degradation. Melcar’s Renewable Energy Strategy outlines the procedures and systems required, as well as the calculations necessary, in order to meet or exceed the requirements of the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard specific to the execution of projects. It is Melcar’s ambition to account for, report on, and implement change policies necessary to minimize the company’s carbon emissions and maximize the positive effects that operations have on the environment.

With the environment at the forefront of Melcar’s operations, offshore wind is a central segment of the market that the company continues to develop across the region.

LEADING CHANGE

In 2020, Melcar was selected to be the prime contractor for the US’ first offshore wind project, Coastal Virginia Offshore Winds, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Then, in 2021, Melcar was awarded the installation of HDD conduits for the first ever commercialscale offshore wind project in North America, Vineyard Wind.

‘WE ARE LEADING A TRANSFORMATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BY PUTTING A FOCUS ON OUR PEOPLE, PURPOSE AND PARTNERS’

– MELCAR GROUP

Melcar recently completed the landfalls for the Vineyard Wind One project in Massachusetts using horizontal directional drilling. The company was contracted to install dual 32-inch high-density polyethylene (HDPE) outfalls into the Northern Atlantic Ocean as the critical link between land and sea for the Vineyard Wind One offshore wind farm. Melcar was contracted less than a month before operations began, adding to the risk profile of the already technically challenging installation.

“Due to the magnitude and importance of this project for the future of the US offshore wind industry, Melcar was dedicated to ensuring project success by being the key link between onshore and offshore development,” McIntyre tells us.

“Daily project management meetings were held between the contractors and employers to overcome project challenges including scheduling restrictions, inclement winter weather conditions, and extremely tight design tolerances for final HDD placement.”

The project consisted of two primary placements, HDD 1 (east) and HDD 2 (west). Melcar’s project teams worked through the 2021 holiday season and extended hours to meet weather windows for both the east and west pipe pull installations. The operational durations per phase were completed in half the allotted time per the employer’s schedule.

On top of this, no safety incidents occurred during the completion of this project. Due to the high level of quality assurance and quality control present on all Melcar projects, all teams worked simulations and were in sync. The dual installations were completed with no adverse effects to the shoreline or marine environments.

“The success of the HDD landfalls on the Vineyard Wind One project established a standard for all offshore

wind and landfall applications in the US, and sets a precedence of success for efficient, environmentally friendly and safe installation procedures,” McIntyre tells us proudly.

RAISING THE BAR

Safety has always been and continues to be a critical element of Melcar’s business, and the company has identified two primary areas of concern regarding the industry - training and education, and redundant human operations – both of which need to be addressed in

order to further the industry, develop its efficiency, and crucially, increase safety for operators and technicians.

“Melcar’s development team is always seeking new ways to expand and diversify both inside and outside of the construction and development industries,” McIntyre concludes.

“Our specific goal is for Melcar to maintain a growth track of 33 percent per year or higher while focusing on sustainability and industry safety. Ambitious, yes, but also very doable under the appropriate leadership.”

Female founded start-ups in the information technology (IT) industry continue to receive less funding from investors. A recent study reveals there is a lack of trust from venture capitalists (VCs) when it comes to backing women in tech companies.

Sonja Sperber from the Department of Strategy and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) conducted in-depth research with co-author, Christian Linder, on gender bias in IT entrepreneurship and the overrepresentation of men in digital businesses.

Sperber’s study highlights the reason women are absent from the tech start-up landscape. It was discovered that despite attempts to address the issue through support programs or education for women, discrimination remained.

GENDER BIAS IN TECHNOLOGY START-UPS

This is because the problem runs deeper regardless of education and experience, and female founders are denied the opportunity to prove themselves due to the subconscious bias that tech is a “man’s world”.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

The systemic difficulties facing women can be traced back to the classroom with gender barriers and biases instilled at school age. The perception of female interest in STEM careers is taught by rarely mentioning or discussing pioneering women in

technology, and maledominated technologyrelated roles feed into the narrative.

Sperber mentions societal conventions in her study, as she goes on to say that investors see entrepreneurship as a masculine endeavor, and women do not fit into the expectations of how a male founder behaves.

“While female founders need to be as different as possible to stand out from the competition, the study suggests that being female already deviates too much from the normative standard,” she adds.

“The typical tech-savvy computer scientist is male, independent, socially awkward, unemotional, and rational with a soft spot for cutting edge technologies.”

Considering the number of IT

The overrepresentation of men in tech startups is affecting how investors view female founders. We explore how a lack of trust is obstructing opportunity and inhibiting investment

Writer: Rachel Carr

start-ups, female participation remains low.

INVESTMENT ISSUES

Female founded start-ups receive a poor amount of funding compared to their male counterparts. Gender bias surrounding tech start-ups means that men are more strongly associated with not only the tech industry but founding companies in general.

Female founders face an uphill battle in terms of funding, receiving significantly depleted levels of investment compared to men, and while the gap in funding is not in dispute, it is the underlying causes that are coming under scrutiny.

The problem lies in the disconnect between entrepreneurship and industry support, not in education, skills, or drive.

“The entrenched stereotypes of what a tech founder should look like,

e.g., a young, white male, has been a major obstacle which is yet to be overcome,” informs Sperber.

The stereotype fuels uncertainty when VCs are faced with a female founder, leading to a lack of trust. As a result, this creates interest in male founded tech start-ups, and an overrepresentation of men.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS AT EVERY MAN’S DOOR

One of the barriers that women face is opportunity at the behest of VCs. Despite possessing the same skill set, education and experience as men,

COMMENT FROM RESEARCHER, SONJA SPERBER, WU

“In North America, a recent estimation of founders’ demographics concluded that among all founders currently employed, only 35.7 percent are women while the vast majority, at 64.3 percent, are men. Further, in terms of the founder’s ethnicity, 68.5 percent are white. This lion’s share is followed by 17.4 percent Hispanics/Latinos and 10.1 percent African Americans. What these figures once again outline, is what our recent study has identified as the major cause of error: in the past and still today, the majority of founders (especially in the IT sector) have been white men. While as a society, we vastly agree that inequality due to gender, race, etc. should be overcome, we still carry the past into the future. This deadlocked situation has led to an antiquated prototype of the typical IT founder. In consequence, it is even more difficult to become a business founder as the audience (sponsors, investors, and clients) expects the characteristics of the prototypical founder – hence, female and other minority founders do not only have to fight for their target audience, funding, etc., but rather have to prove themselves despite being different from the prototype.”

female founders will be overlooked in favor of a male-dominated start-up.

It has been proven that women are missing the same opportunities as men: in 2021 female founders only secured two percent of VC funding in the US, and early-stage entrepreneurs receive an average of $1 million less in investments than their male counterparts.

However, women who paired with men in a start-up did not encounter as much pushback when trying to secure funding.

Sperber’s research cites data from Crunchbase attesting to only 17 percent of IT start-up teams having female members, which drops to eight percent later in the business cycle. “Unicorn start-ups founded by women are rare, nearly all IT giants are founded by men,” she continues. This is evidenced by Twitter, Google, Facebook, Apple, and Uber’s male founders.

THE FUTURE OF FEMALE FOUNDERS

Female founded start-ups need opportunities to fulfill their potential. For example, start-ups founded or co-founded by women generate 10 percent more in cumulative revenue over five years, yet they receive less than half the average investment of men.

The lasting impact of COVID-19 is seen as a hindrance in the advancement of female-led and owned companies, but while there is an increase in women-focused business events, women are still facing barriers.

A solution suggested by the researchers is to identify a niche market in which women receive little or no representation, and work to establish an alternative stereotype to filter into the tech industry.

The good news is, more femalefocused investors are emerging to lift women-founded companies and level the playing field, although more investors with a gender-neutral lens are still needed.

REALIZING DIVERSE RETAIL LEADERSHIP

North America Outlook (NA): Firstly, could you talk me through the origins of WIRLC – when were you founded and what led to your inception?

Jennifer DiPasquale, President and Co-Founder (JD): We founded the Women in Retail Leadership Circle in 2014 alongside our national marquis event, the Women in Retail Leadership Summit, as a means of connecting our diverse executive leaders year-round. WIRLC is an exclusive community of women executives at leading retailers and brands. Our mission is to foster leadership development for our members by providing an unparalleled mix of events, content, and elite connections. Focused on both business strategy and executive professional development, WIRLC offers women leaders the opportunity

to network, discuss industry issues, and learn how to become better leaders.

NA: Would you say that greater progress needs to be made in terms of gender diversification in the retail space across North America?

JD: Across industries, including retail, men still outnumber women three to one when it comes to business ownership. As of today, only 8.8 percent of companies in the Fortune 500 have a female CEO.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had a massive effect on women in the workforce. The US labor force has lost 1.067 million women since February 2020. All these statistics are even more pronounced for women of color. Not only is there more work to be done when it comes to gender

Championing women upwards, we shine a light on the Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) in conversation with President and CoFounder, Jennifer DiPasquale

Phoebe Harper

equality and diversification, but we’re also rebuilding the workforce we lost over these past few years.

However, the good news is that progress is being made. Women held 29 percent of corporate board seats in 2022, up from 24 percent two years ago. Women leaders are switching jobs at the highest rate we’ve ever seen due to not being supported and advanced properly. To make meaningful and sustainable progress toward gender equality, companies need to prioritize flexibility, employee well-being, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

NA: How does WIRLC seek to improve this?

JD: Study after study shows diverse leadership is linked to better company performance. WIRLC is designed to help women leaders advance within organizations through professional development and leadership training. We’re committed to helping fill leadership pipelines and continue to connect leaders with advancement opportunities. We champion women upward and help them become the best leaders they can be by offering them a community of executives and a support system to connect with along the way.

NA: What are the organization’s immediate goals?

JD: Our immediate goal is to continue to grow our community of diverse executive leaders and offer them the very best leadership training we can through various in-person and virtual events as well as insightful content, which in turn, continues to advance women in leadership positions.

NA: Finally, could you tell us more about the Women in Retail Leadership Summit to be held in Arizona in 2023?

INTERVIEWEE PROFILE: JENNIFER DIPASQUALE

Jennifer DiPasquale is the President and Co-Founder of WIRLC, and President and Chief Revenue Officer of Total Retail. Jen is a seasoned B2B executive and trailblazer in the retail industry, with a robust career spanning over 20 years. She’s the ultimate champion for fellow women executives, and abides by the belief that women investing in other women is good business.

Jen launched WIRLC, an exclusive community of women executives at leading retailers and brands, in 2014. She observed the number of women in C-suite positions within the retail industry was dwindling. WIRLC’s mission is to foster leadership development for executive women in retail by providing an unparalleled mix of events, content and elite connections.

Under Jen’s leadership, WIRLC has realized triple-digit growth over the past six years. The community is comprised of successful, motivated and passionate women from the entire retail and brand ecosystem. Due to her successes in the retail space, Jen won the esteemed Women in Publishing Award for Entrepreneurs.

Jen has also launched a series of premier events in the retail industry, including WIRLC’s annual flagship event, Women in Retail Leadership Summit, as well as Total Retail Tech. She continues to be a conduit between leading retailers and technology solution and service providers.

JD: The Women in Retail Leadership Summit, taking place 17-19th April 2023, offers women executives at leading retailers and brands the opportunity to improve both their professional lives and business strategies. The summit provides attendees with access to powerful content from women leaders across industries, helps them uncover new and innovative leadership practices, and informs them about the latest retail and technology trends and how they will affect their businesses.

Attendees will be able to share their knowledge with new contacts during fun and unique networking opportunities, find inspiration on how to conquer challenges in both their personal and professional lives, and experience unique activations at this white-glove event.

“ACROSS INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING RETAIL, MEN STILL OUTNUMBER WOMEN THREE TO ONE WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS OWNERSHIP. AS OF TODAY, ONLY 8.8 PERCENT OF COMPANIES IN THE FORTUNE 500 HAVE A FEMALE CEO”

– JENNIFER DIPASQUALE, PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER, WIRLC

North America Outlook, Africa Outlook, APAC Outlook, and EME Outlook are digital and print publications aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers, reaching an audience of more than 800,000 people around the world; spanning the full range of industrial sectors.

With original and exclusive content compiled by our experienced editorial team, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from across the globe.

Your company can join the leading industry heavyweights enjoying the free exposure we provide across our platforms with a free marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to help you grow your business. Visit www.outlookpublishing.com/get-involved for details on how your company can feature for free in one of our upcoming editions.

www.outlookpublishing.com/get-involved

MINING OUTLOOK LIVE

Building on the global success of our regional titles – North America Outlook, Africa Outlook, APAC Outlook, and EME Outlook – Outlook Publishing is proud to be launching a dedicated platform for the Mining & Resources sector.

As mining organizations worldwide confront unprecedented change, embracing technological innovations and incorporating critical environmental sustainability agendas, now more than ever is the time to showcase the strides being taken in this dynamic sector.

A multi-channel brand, Mining Outlook will bring you the positive developments driven by organizations across the global mining industry through our various platforms. Discover exclusive content distributed through our website, online magazine*, social media channels, and dispatches delivered straight to your inbox with a bi-weekly newsletter.

Through this compelling new venture, we intend to foreground the movers and shakers of the industry. To participate as a featured company and join us in this exciting endeavor, contact one of our Project Managers today.

www.mining-outlook.com

TURKS AND CAICOS INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

We explore the islands’ push to diversify its investment potential by establishing a robust financial services economy and further examining niche tourism opportunities across the archipelago paradise

Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Krisha Canlas

Turks and Caicos is the second most tourismdependent economy in the world after the Maldives. Furthermore, the global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how much disruption is possible for tourism and what happens when this vital revenue stream is effectively cut off.

The Turks and Caicos government recognized the longterm need to increase economic activity in other areas and diversify its economy years before the pandemic struck. The financial services sector is one such target growth

area for Turks and Caicos as part of the nation’s efforts to diversify its economy. The government is set to fund an organization called TCI Finance, which will be tasked with promoting and raising awareness of Turks and Caicos as a financial services jurisdiction. In addition, the country is focusing on diversifying source markets and expanding the tourism offerings to include niche segments such as eco-tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, event tourism, and marine tourism amongst other efforts.

The lasting appeal of the Turks and Caicos Islands

(TCI) is the laidback lifestyle and tropical environment. This ties in with how the COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the way businesses operate, with many employees subsequently choosing to move out of cities to more scenic surroundings. Indeed, locations don’t get much more scenic than TCI.

Boasting picturesque white sand beaches and crystal-clear blue waters, downtime for new employees can take on a new dimension, with plenty of dive sites, history, and nature to explore on the 40 islands and cays.

A beautiful place to live and work, it remains relatively unspoiled and regularly wins the best beach in the world award.

The island of Providenciales has a highly developed infrastructure thanks to its high-end tourism industry, supporting shops, restaurants, and high-performing schools. This island is also well connected, with highspeed broadband and 98 direct flights a week to many US East Coast cities, along with Toronto and Montreal, as well as two direct flights to London every week.

Premium Concrete Production from the HardRock Concrete Company

As the premier concrete production company in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hard Rock Concrete Company has over 15 years of experience under its hard hat. Locally owned and operated, the ready-mix concrete company and its team of innovators are able to tailor services to meet project goals and minimize costs while leveraging comprehensive experience and knowledge to ensure that clients receive quality work.

The focus is on superior quality and customer satisfaction and with a team experienced in project estimating, management, feasibility, and finance, Hard Rock Concrete Company (Hard Rock) offers expert support and reliable solutions. The team will deliver a simplified process in an efficient manner, encompassing cost-effective methods, while mindful of resource use in line with its sustainable building ethic. The advanced and efficient concrete operation uses high performance products, made with 100 percent crushed and washed aggregates. Options are available in the shape of dot mix cement, mortar mixes, self-consolidating concrete, short-crete, and high strength concrete. The company has curated relationships built on trust with the industry’s top craftsmen, suppliers, and subcontractors, to ensure quality, conciseness, and effectiveness all the way along the process. Meanwhile, it also partners with design professionals to achieve the ultimate in style aesthetics through a versatile and detailed approach.

Hard Rock provides state of the art equipment, including a collection of cranes to deal with projects of any scale, and concrete pumping trucks operated by some of the most experienced drivers in the industry, which make the process efficient and effortless. The concrete mixers provide customers with high-quality concrete, and the excavators and dozers are guaranteed to get the job done.

The team is on hand with expert advice and support, offering reliable solutions from constructing the concrete foundations to designing, furnishing and erecting the steel. Whether the project is big or small, the aim is the same - to deliver the highest level of service. As Hard Rock is a customer-centric company, the objective is to keep the project running smoothly with building products.

Hard Rock is committed to quality and on-time performance as customer satisfaction is a priority. It is with this excellence of service that it can distinguish itself from the rest - when the company talks about quality it is referring to the service as well as the product.

As a results-driven company, the project management team works to high specifications and caters to requirements. The experienced team is adept at identifying the best concrete materials to ensure solid contents and structure. Hard Rock prides itself on quality and service, but safety is also of the utmost importance. A high standard of safety first falls in line with its values, which are its cornerstone, and sit with corporate responsibility, cost-effectiveness, diversity, and inclusion as the foundation of the team environment.

To accommodate the ever-changing construction industry, Hard Rock promotes sustainability while contributing to the protection of the

environment. It conducts itself with integrity as it supports worthwhile community projects.

Its success stems from structured growth and careful evaluation, selecting projects that deliver profitable returns. Although a strong company foundation begins with hiring individuals and investing in the team, building experience is also important. It is a mixture of principles and unrivaled experience that make Hard Rock a solid concrete provider.

Offering an unparalleled experience, Hard Rock has LEED consultation and implementation, preconstruction services, cost estimating and bidding, construction management, general contracting and project and contract administration. It operates on five basic principles of preventive maintenance, cleanliness, batch control, customer service, safety, and accessibility.

When anyone partners with Hard Rock they will receive the complete solution as the team works hard to achieve the desired results. Through direct communication, competitive pricing, and efficient planning, the customer will be provided with superior construction services and operational excellence. All these elements work together to ensure quality, in a timely manner, so that goals are met.

For all incredible projects, the team at Hard Rock Concrete is focused on a threefold approach: quality, cost-effectiveness, and deadlines. This method guarantees that the customer receives the optimum benefit of services.

The Building Materials Ltd, Do it Center journey began 1984 when it opened its first hardware store on the island of Grand Turk. As an opportunity for a home improvement store was realized, the requirements of the local community and small-scale contractors were duly met. The owners, Ken & Abby Adams, had a vision that fostered growth and developed into a second store on the island of Providenciales.

he company has been able to grow and prosper due to the quality of its products, the competitive pricing of its merchandise, and the commitment of its staff to excellent customer service. The Do It Center has been able to maintain its competitive advantages by constantly innovating and evolving to meet the changing needs of its customers. Today, the Do It Center is the leading provider of hardware and home improvement products in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It operates two large stores, one on the island of Grand Turk and one on the island of Providenciales, and employs over 200 people. The Do It Center is dedicated to providing its customers with the highest quality products and services at the most competitive prices.

As a leading supplier of construction materials, tools, hardware, paint, and home décor, Do It Center is a trusted business as a member of the Do it Best Corporation – a US- based, member-owned, integrated hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry.

We specializes in bulk construction materials such as concrete block, cement, rebar, sand and aggregate, carrying the largest inventory and best quality available in the country at unbeatable prices.

Do it Center carries the best selection of tools, paint and hardware, with trusted brands to help you build with confidence. Trade names such as Milwaukee, Makita and Rust- oleum to name a few are available. Most recently the center has added the new Valspar paint products to the range. Do it Center accommodates the needs of its customers with a vast range of services, its stores provide a drive-thru depot, tile showroom, design center, paint/color center, special order, product installation, repair, and equipment rental. As a company dedicated to providing the best service for homes, there is an option to take advantage of the special ordering service.

Do it Center can facilitate outdoor living with furniture ranging from the porch to poolside, available through its special order catalogs which can help with anything. Our Highly experienced staff are on site to guide customers through renovation projects, Accompanied by the highest quality material at competitive prices. As part of the experience the Design Center will assist with innovating and transforming any space.

As the interior is as important as the exterior and deserves as much attention, the store has you covered in that department too. Its kitchen and bathroom design experts offer ideas and styles to match tastes, helping to create a dream living space with a free consultation.

Updating kitchens or bathrooms gives any home a combination of increased value, style, and enhanced appearance. To create a comfortable and elegant interior, Do it Center will color match almost any flat, dry sample by running it through its advanced color matching computer, it also has a selection of exterior and interior paints, stains, and accessories.

For quick, hassle-free projects and all your home improvement and decorating needs, Do it Center offers an extensive range of services and products including a variety of floors, internal and external doors. Cabinets, floor and wall coverings, windows, and appliances including trusted brands such as Whirlpool, GE and other are available in store as well as custom orders through the special order program. The store can also assist with all construction needs for bigger projects with a full selection of well-maintained rental equipment including rollers, backhoe, loaders and telehandlers are available at reasonable rates.

As a bonus, there is no need to worry about assembly and delivery - Do it Center has experienced staff on hand to help with that too. The staff can offer advice on the chosen apparatus, and the store will assemble and deliver it to your home or business.

Alongside building materials such as lumber, concrete blocks, construction sand, and reinforcing bars, Do it Center offers a range of helpful in store services such as material take-offs, lumber cutting service, key cutting service as well as many others to help simplify and project that you may be working on. It includes color coding the keys for easier identification. In addition to the quality products and services, there is an option to purchase gift cards, or use the gift registry for weddings and anniversaries. As an extra benefit to its valued customers, a Best rewards card, and a Do It Center cash account, so you can start saving, is available.

There are handy hints and tips on the Do it Center website to guide you through any DIY endeavors, including gardening, and spring cleaning. You will find a section on how to build an emergency kit in the event of a disaster, with recommended medical and technical supplies. Get expert advice on everything from how to install a faucet to how to tackle painting a textured ceiling and follow the basic steps of painting.

Whether catering to the DIY home owner or the large general contractor, Do it Center is committed to customer service and providing high quality products to meet the demands of any construction or DIY project.

An attractive jurisdiction, even relative to other Caribbean destinations, Turks and Caicos is less crowded and has significantly more space.

The close proximity of TCI to the US and Canada, coupled with the advantage of regular direct flights to the UK and many Caribbean countries, are encouraging rapid growth in tourism numbers with visitor arrivals for 2019 surpassing one million. The privacy and anonymity that people can enjoy while staying in the region, and the opportunity to qualify for permanent residency status, has also encouraged high-net-worth individuals to purchase homes or holiday properties on the islands.

Due to this ever-growing popularity, there is a pressing need for more hotel rooms, villas, condominiums and private homes of premium quality. New resorts on Providenciales and other islands are currently at various stages of development but there is still a demand for more.

Turks and Caicos continues to prepare itself for growth in the financial services industry after spending the past several years strengthening its regulatory framework and committing itself to global tax transparency standards.

The region has had legislation governing financial services since the 1970s, but its strategy to offer specialized products through personal service has kept

its reputation in the realm of a boutique destination. The country has recently adopted new trusts legislation, while the new company and insolvency laws are currently being drafted.

With a strong legal and regulatory system, a powerful commitment to US and European FATCA, and compliance with OECD, IMG and FATF standards all overseen by an independent Financial Services Commission, TCI is considered a truly safe and secure location to run an offshore finance operation.

THE PERFECT DESTINATION FOR ALL

As well as the immense potential of the financial services sector for the region, the many islands of Turks and Caicos offer untapped potential through the arable land and bountiful oceans. Demand for local farm produce and fish by the thriving tourism industry presently exceeds supply.

EMBRACING NICHE TOURISM

While the main island of Providenciales is the most popular destination for visitors, the other islands of Turks and Caicos currently offer excellent opportunities for smaller resorts and niche tourism development.

ADVENTURE TOURISM: With some of the best dive sites found anywhere in the world, including a 7,000 vertical wall a short distance off Grand Turk’s shores, visitors flock from all parts of the world to experience the thrill of snorkeling and diving in these crystal clear waters. The local waters also cater to kite surfers, sailors and sports fishermen.

ECO TOURISM: Many of the 40 stunning islands are completely uninhabited and stunningly beautiful, ready to explore. As such, many opportunities exist to be the first to develop eco-lodges and resorts there.

MARINA DEVELOPMENT: Some of the world’s most luxurious and breath-taking yachts, and the finest sport fishing vessels regularly visit TCI. Providenciales has several marinas, but the other islands also offer an excellent opportunity for resort development around a marina.

MEDICAL TOURISM: There is surely no better place to recuperate from surgery than the most beautiful islands and beaches in the world. TCI has a state of the art hospital system with facilities and space for private patients on two islands. The islands are also well-established as a destination for cosmetic surgical procedures.

Business areas such as agro-industries, food processing and fish farming and processing have been identified as priority sectors by the government of TCI, and support and incentives are now available. There is great potential for further opportunities for diversification.

The islands offer fertile soil and an ideal climate for agricultural growth, and significant amounts of agricultural land exist on North and Middle Caicos which would support new farms producing crops and livestock.

Opportunities in light manufacturing also abound, particularly for businesses supplying the tourism

and hospitality sectors both in Turks and Caicos, and the surrounding Caribbean islands. Incentives are available for the import of materials, and the attractive tax laws provide significant benefits to TCI-based light manufacturing operations.

Additionally, Turks and Caicos enjoys duty-free access to Canadian markets under the Caribbean-Canada Trade Agreement, CARIBCAN and privileged access to European Union markets. As an associate member of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, Turks and Caicos is eligible for designation as a beneficiary country under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) of the US.

Your Window to The World’s Finest Real Estate

“Wherever you’re going, we can take you there.”

The Agency is a worldwide real estate brokerage, offering everything its clients need during a home buying and selling journey, helping to navigate smoothly through the challenges and possible uncertainty of buying and selling property with its expert support and services. This has led to the company describing itself as “One brokerage that connects you to the world”, perfectly encompassing the expansive reach that the company now boasts worldwide.

The unbeatable combination of local expertise and unrelenting commitment to best-in-class service for its clients has earned The Agency a shining reputation of existing as the prime partner in any real estate journey, offering services unrivalled by any other brokerage in the industry. The diverse range of core services partners provides a one-stop network of leading guidance and exceptional support throughout the homeownership journey—before, during and long after the transaction. The company promises its customers that it will provide someone in their corner, in every corner of the world. Further to this, The Agency’s Relocation Department offers the signature brand of boutique, concierge-style

service to clients and agents all over the world, pairing clients with an accredited relocation specialist to ensure exceptional, turnkey service from start to finish. The specialist team brokers and nurtures relationships with companies and real estate professionals worldwide, connecting those on the move with reliable experts representing a global network of premier properties.

We speak with the Founder and Director of The Agency, Ian Hurdle, about the current state of the real estate industry in Turks and Caicos, which is fast becoming one of the most desirable property locations worldwide. We also delve deeper into the many challenges faced by the entire property sector and the exciting plans for the future of the company.

North America Outlook (NA): Firstly, could you briefly introduce us to The Agency?

Ian Hurdle, Founder and Director: The Agency is a global, boutique real estate brokerage representing a portfolio of properties across the world’s prime markets and celebrated destinations. Named the Top Luxury Brokerage by Inman, The Agency is one of the fastestgrowing premier boutique brands in the world. Our clients and agents benefit from the shared resources of our international team, including in-house, cutting-edge creative, public relations and tech divisions. At The Agency Turks and Caicos, we are blessed to represent some of the most beautiful properties in the archipelago and our team works diligently with our customers to service their luxury real estate investment wants and needs.

NA: What is your take on the real estate industry in Turks and Caicos at the moment? Is it an exciting space to be working in?

IH: Turks and Caicos remains a highly sought-after luxury destination in the Caribbean and so our market continues

to outperform expectations. A lack of inventory coupled with the huge demand for products has driven prices up year on year since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, new development is key to sustainability, as is offering a premium lifestyle experience to would-be investors. The accessibility to major direct flight hubs, world-class beaches, water sports and restaurants, zero taxes and first-world infrastructure will ensure that customers will always consider Turks and Caicos a second home away from home. We are a highly energetic team, and that energy is born from the daily excitement of presenting some of the best real estate in the world to our database of HNW and UHNW customers.

NA: What, for you, differentiates your business from the competition?

IH: We pride ourselves on doing more with less; we believe in a small, focused, and driven team of real estate advisors embracing The Agency brand,

committed to promoting property on social and digital platforms via creative video marketing as well as traditional methods. We exemplify ‘local knowledge, global reach’ and our open-book culture, expansive network, and integration of technology, as well as The Agency marketing and PR toolbox, which has served us and our customers well over our first six years of trading, garnering extraordinary results and global attention that has truly set us apart as a compelling option for both buyers and sellers in the ultracompetitive local industry. Ultimately, communication is key, and we do that better than anyone both privately and publicly. Likewise, our commitment to the outer islands remains unparalleled. We are proud of our work to date on Grand Turk, North and Middle Caicos, as it is very important to our office that we are seen as being a Turks and Caicos brokerage, servicing all price points and areas and not just a Providenciales brokerage servicing only the high-end neighborhoods.

At The Agency Turks and Caicos, we are blessed to represent some of the most beautiful properties in the archipelago and our team works diligently with our customers to service their luxury real estate investment wants and needs.”

NA: Could you highlight some of your recent key projects and developments?

IH: We continue to push the envelope in the interest of our customers as we launched our office in the Metaverse in Q4 of 2022. With respect to our sellers, we are blessed to represent several new development projects: Wymara Villas, The Sanctuary, The Summit, White Coral Townhomes, One Venetian, and 2Shores. This is alongside several existing development projects such as Windchaser Villas and Caribbean Diamond. We are excited to be adding to this portfolio in 2023. All these projects are special to us highly valued, as it ensures the longevity of our business and qualifies our success to date. We have incredible relationships with the developers of these projects and our goal is to continue to nourish these partnerships and justify their loyalty and faith in us.

NA: What challenges has the company faced recently and how have these been dealt with and overcome?

IH: From Hurricanes Irma and Hurricane Maria in 2017 through the COVID-19

pandemic of 2019-2022, overcoming adversity is in the make-up of the individuals that comprise our team and given our skillsets and experience we are always bullish about meeting any new challenge that presents itself head-on. As a group, we are focused on finding solutions, not problems.

NA: What plans do you have for future expansion?

IH: We do not have any plans to expand yet, as growth for the sake of growth is not in the interest of our customers. We are focused on bringing value to those that seek our services and any growth that comes off the back of that will then happen organically. Our focus for growth remains expanding our network of qualified agents who can help us identify prospective purchasers across the world. The Agency network is uniquely positioned to connect us on a personal level with the best agents in all of our feeder market and educating those agents on the value of the Turks & Caicos is a major focus of our growth. Locally, we added a full-time marketing manager in 2022 to our team and that has helped provide support to our hard-working agents. Also, our office in the heart of

Grace Bay provides a professional base to conduct business and host meetings in our conference room.

NA: What do the next twelve months look like for the company?

IH: Busy! Thankfully, tourism numbers are high and the investment that our government continues to make in adding infrastructure or improving existing infrastructure will only help in the exercise of encouraging new

visitors to our shores. Whilst we do not believe that we are bulletproof, our office believes that a levelling out of price increases is natural after what has been exceptional market conditions in the months and years post-COVID-19 pandemic. We strongly believe that it is ‘not the market but how you market’ and that customers should be working with people that have the experience and nous to navigate challenging conditions in your interest. This is not our first rodeo!

Turks and Caicos remains a highly sought-after luxury destination in the Caribbean and so our market continues to outperform expectations.”

INTERVIEW: INVEST TURKS AND CAICOS

Invest Turks and Caicos excels in attracting and facilitating diverse investments for the highly desirable region through targeted promotional activities, continuous development of its staff and fostering an enabling business environment

Invest Turks and Caicos has dedicated itself to providing free and totally confidential advice and support, including information on the local business climate, facilitating the investment process through liaison with key government departments and advising on government incentives and concessions to investors. This is as well as establishing introductions to local service providers and suppliers, advising on immigration matters, including permanent

residence certificates and specific ongoing support following the set-up of a business.

Launched in December 2015, Invest Turks and Caicos acts as a statutory body which facilitates investment enquiries and operates under the islands’ Encouragement of Development Ordinance and the 2012 Investment Policy. This provides a framework for encouraging, prioritizing and incentivizing domestic and foreign investment.

Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos, was born and raised in the TCI. Distinguishing herself as profoundly driven and focused, she has embraced the core values of integrity, excellence and selfless service across her work.

With graduate and post-graduate qualifications in economics and finance, she has always been passionate about nation-building. Musgrove was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2013 for her services to youth development in TCI, and is excited about her continued contribution to the development of the region in her current role as Senior Vice President of Investor Services.

With the role bringing a sense of pride and fulfillment, she is able to promote the business opportunities available in Turks and Caicos, attracting investment that will ultimately improve the quality of life for people of the region.

We talk to her about current industry trends, the company’s key objectives and the exciting future plans on the horizon for Invest Turks and Caicos.

North America Outlook (NA): Talk us through the origins of Invest Turks and Caicos – when was it founded and what was the initial vision?

Angela Musgrove, CEO (AM): Established under the 2015 Invest Turks and Caicos Agency Ordinance, Invest Turks and Caicos is the islands’ investment promotion agency, responsible for enhancing the economy through the attraction, growth and retention of overseas investment, and supporting the growth of local businesses.

We provide a free and confidential service to overseas businesses looking to expand and will work with a company project team throughout the investment process, providing advice and support. This can include information on the local business climate, facilitating contact with relevant government departments throughout the investment process, advice on government incentives and concessions to investors, introductions to local service providers and suppliers, advice on work permits and permanent residency procedures, and ongoing support following set up.

We also work actively to support local business growth, including managing and delivering the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) program, which provides concessions and relief to locally owned businesses.

TOP 10 REASONS TO INVEST IN TCI

1. STRONG ECONOMY

TCI has an S&P Sovereign Credit Rating of BBB+ and is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean with an estimated annual growth rate of around 3.5 percent. The US dollar is also the national currency.

2. PRO-BUSINESS INVESTMENT CLIMATE

Businesses possess strong government support at all levels, including the provision of investment incentives in priority sectors.

3. STRONG LEGAL SYSTEM

TCI is a British overseas territory with a strong and effective judicial system based on English common law.

4. EFFECTIVE REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE

TCI is compliant with IMF, OECD and FATF standards, as well as remaining committed to the US and UK FATCA, and adopting the common reporting standard.

5. DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

There is prime undeveloped land available for tourism and residential projects across 40 small islands and cays.

6. EASY ACCESS

The region has extensive direct air routes, including twiceweekly flights from the UK and regular weekly flights to and from US and Canadian cities.

7. FIRST MOVER OPPORTUNITIES

Many business sectors are underdeveloped at present.

8. ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES

There is temporary and permanent residence status available to qualified investors. This is as well as no direct corporate, personal, capital gains or inheritance taxes, and no exchange controls.

9. QUALITY SKILL POOL

The workforce comprises 50 percent of the population. Students from the TCI have achieved excellent results for AS-level mathematics and chemistry from the Cambridge International Examinations Body.

10. EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE

Across 40 beautiful islands, there are world-class beaches and great outdoor activities to be enjoyed under the Caribbean sun, with an average of 350 days of sunshine a year. This is alongside modern healthcare centers, fullservice banking and a well-developed telecommunications network. Additionally, there is an exceptionally low crime rate.

NA: What is your current take on the investments landscape across Turks and Caicos? What are some of the major challenges and developments facing the sector?

AM: TCI’s economy has long since been dependent on tourism for economic growth, and to a lesser extent, financial services. However, the government recognizes that a successful diversification strategy is even more important now in the wake of slowing global growth and the imperative for socio-economic development within the country. If implemented correctly, diversification can help to manage volatility and provide a more stable path for equitable growth and development.

For Turks and Caicos this means greater emphasis being placed on sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, as well as the continued development of financial services and tourism sectors.

While there are clear benefits for a more diversified economy, this strategy can come at a cost as resources are channeled away from sectors that already have a comparative advantage so that they can be employed in new sectors. For small economies such as TCI, this can pose a serious problem, especially when you consider that trying to develop sectors from scratch is an expensive pursuit. The challenge for TCI, and by extension, Invest Turks and Caicos, is to avoid this pitfall.

INVEST TURKS AND CAICOS SERVICES

PROVIDE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

The expert team at Invest Turks and Caicos has vast local knowledge and experience and can assist clients with establishing and maintaining a business across TCI.

LIAISE WITH GOVERNMENT

The company consults with relevant government departments on its customers’ behalf.

PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT

A key function of Invest Turks and Caicos is facilitating introductions to peer companies, relevant government departments and industry groups.

The Wine Cellar and FOTTAC (Flavors Of The Turks And Caicos) are part of Gilley’s Enterprises Group and are located on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We are the number one importer and distributor of wine, spirits and beer on the islands; boasting over 3,000 wine labels, 100s of rums from around the Caribbean, 100s of spirits for all your cocktail needs, along with local and imported beer.

The Wine Cellar prides itself on having the best available product and the best prices, but we are also proud of the amount of support that we give to our communities. Our aim is to improve the quality of life for the islanders, and this love of community comes from CEO Galmo “Gilley” Williams whose dedication and generosity are evident in the number of charities and events that Gilley’s Enterprises supports. As a former Premier and Member of Parliament in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Galmo “Gilley” Williams is a man of purpose. To many people he is selfless, as though hard work he has positioned himself to serve his fellow man.

In its 30+ years of devotion to the needs of Turks Islanders, Gilley’s Enterprises, with The Wine Cellar leading the charge, has been a pillar of strength and a testament to the flourishing Turks and Caicos Island community. Through a multitude of charitable events The Wine Cellar has been able to donate millions of dollars to charitable organizations such as Turks and

Caicos Aids Awareness Foundation, Edward Gartland Youth Centre, Cancer Society and many more.

As a supporter of local causes, youth oriented charitable organizations are The Wine Cellar’s primary focus. One of our better-known charity events is the annual The Wine Cellar Golf and Fishing Tournament! On the 9th-12th March 2023, The Wine Cellar will be hosting its 12th Annual Wine Cellar Golf & Fishing Tournament. This is a charitable event where 100 percent of proceeds are donated to local youth charities. Since its inception in 2011, the WCGFT has donated $382,000.00 to various local charities.

The Wine Cellar specializes in the finest wines and liquor, while FOTTAC has cultural heritage offerings with locally inspired gifts and souvenirs. However, along with those quality products, Gilley’s Enterprises remains as the foundation for a wide range of community support.

NA: What trends are currently transforming the investment industry? How are you responding to them?

AM: The tourism sector is rebounding with increased visitor arrivals in a post-COVID-19 environment. The country is now focusing on diversifying source markets and expanding the tourism offerings to include niche segments that can better withstand demand fluctuations such as eco-tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, event tourism, marine tourism, as well as a focus on luxury travelers.

Eco-tourism especially offers significant opportunities as travelers often now put conservation and sustainability at the core of promotions and travel choices.

NA: How do you see the company developing over the next five years?

AM: As we move forward with the implementation of our strategy, through innovative and collaborative approaches, I anticipate the impact to be seen in not just the rise in foreign direct investment, but also the increase in the number and value of linkages developed with our small business sector that underpins and supports the economy in ways that are often overlooked and taken for granted.

I also foresee an increase in our exports, fueled by the intensification of our efforts to support the growth of sustainable business in our small business sector. These developments must translate to a more equitable distribution of wealth throughout our islands. I would be most satisfied that our Invest Turks and Caicos team has contributed significantly to a business environment where we have not just inspired dreams to move to reality but even more so - that we have created an investment environment that presents equitable opportunities to all.

“IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALISM, WE WILL ALWAYS ACT WITH UNCOMPROMISING HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IN EVERYTHING WE DO”

– ANGELA MUSGROVE, CEO, INVEST TURKS AND CAICOS

NA: Since its inception, how has Invest Turks and Caicos developed and progressed in terms of its key objectives and the messages it tries to get across?

AM: The objectives of the agency are to stimulate, facilitate and undertake the development of the islands by attracting foreign direct investment, encouraging trade and investment, stimulating, supporting and promoting domestic investment, and facilitating public-private partnerships and other forms of commercial alliances.

It is recognized that growth and diversification of the economy need both foreign direct investment and domestic sources of investment. When combined, these two forms of private investments reinforce each other to the benefit of the host country through the improvement of skills, increased wage rates, technology transfers, economic spin-offs, as well as commercial and more efficient managerial and marketing practices.

Invest Turks and Caicos has made significant strides in implementing its mandate over the years with a renewed focus on impactful investment. We are pleased with the progress that the agency has made in underscoring its relevance to TCI’s economic growth and development.

WHAT CAN INVEST TURKS AND CAICOS DO FOR YOU?

Invest Turks and Caicos excels at helping its clients navigate the path to investing in TCI. Whether a potential investor is new to TCI or if an established local operator is looking to expand, the company’s experienced and knowledgeable team is always available to provide confidential guidance and support, accompanying its clients on each step of the way as they capitalize on investment opportunities and make their next investment dream a beautiful reality.

NA: Why is offering ongoing support through the facilitation of key introductions a vital function in the work that Invest Turks and Caicos does?

AM: Engaging our stakeholders and nurturing our partnerships is critical to the successful implementation of our strategy and delivering on our mandate. Managing those relationships helps to create value for the organization as we work to meet the expectations of our target market.

NA: What specific targets does the company hope to achieve moving forward?

AM: We embody our mission statement as we progress with

National Health Insurance Board

The National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) was established under the National Health Insurance Ordinance 2009, as a statutory body. NHIB’s goal is to facilitate the provision of accessible, affordable and quality health care services to all its beneficiaries as specified in the ordinance.

The National Health Insurance Plan is modeled on social principles. What does this mean?

• The Plan will provide equity and access for those who need medical attention, not just those who can afford to pay for it.

• The contributions of those who are better off will pay for the care of those who are more vulnerable.

• The contributions of those who don’t need medical care will help to pay the costs of those who are sick. This is fair and equitable, because all of us may get sick at some stage in our lives and we want to be protected from having to sacrifice our homes and our savings to pay for medical expenses for ourselves or our families.

Jargon-free & commercially focused advice

The team at Stanbrook Prudhoe have a proven track record of navigating the complexities of investment in the Islands and the broader Caribbean.

Our firm is equipped to deal with all inward investment needs, from small set-ups to major real estate investments. We assist with initial advice, introductions to local consultants and service providers, choice of investment entity and structure, licencing, immigration, regulation and development agreements for concessions from Government. We regularly work closely with onshore tax attorneys to optimize investment structures.

“Efficient, knowledgeable and friendly” CHAMBERS GLOBAL 2022

the implementation of our strategic plan of remaining committed to attracting and facilitating diverse investments through targeted promotional activities, continuous development of our staff and the fostering of an enabling business environment.

NA: What key qualities do you look for in your staff?

AM: In order to effectively promote and facilitate investments and MSME development, Invest Turks and Caicos’ staff are guided by a set of vital core values.

Our staff are dedicated to providing exceptional service. We will always put our clients at the center of our operations and are consistently exceeding their expectations through the use of technology, the quality of our staff, and our services.

In terms of professionalism, we will always act with uncompromising honesty and integrity in everything we do. Teamwork is also highly important, and our staff strive to promote cohesion and trust, with the understanding that we always build better when we work together.

We encourage a culture of thoughtfulness, creativity and innovation, driven by an environment of continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Elsewhere, in terms of service to the community, we recognize that we are part of a greater community and will always respect and

support our citizens.

Finally, we believe in the pursuit of growth. We will always strive to develop the diverse talents of our employees by continuously expanding our capabilities using innovative training methods.

NA: Similarly, what are the main non-negotiables in providing effective advice and support to your clients?

AM: We are guided by the TCI government’s legislative and regulatory framework in providing advice and support to clients. Given the growth trajectory and economic goals of the islands, we are reminded that investment projects that will be supported are those that are positively impactful to the islands. We are interested in working with investors who have the islands’ best interest at heart, desire to see community and social development within our islands, and are not just concerned about the return on investment.

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

NORTH AMERICA OUTLOOK is a digital product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries on the continent.

With content compiled by our experienced editorial team complemented by an in-house design team, the resultant Outlook Creative Services department ensures delivery to the highest standards in promoting the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories across the length and breadth of the US & Canada.

As a bi-monthly publication, North America Outlook constantly has its finger on the pulse of the latest trends, biggest developments and business successes from each corner of the region, epitomized by the diversity displayed across each magazine. It incorporates an annual calendar-tailored front-of-book section, a showcasing segment dedicated to the most fascinating success stories in North America, and an event focus assortment sure to fill executives’ diaries throughout the year. The aligning North America Outlook website is also honed and ready to serve as a host for these facets and much more.

To get involved, please contact Outlook Publishing’s Managing Director, James Mitchell, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for FREE, in one of our upcoming editions.

QUEBEC’S CROWN JEWEL

As owners of the first and only diamond mine in Quebec, Stornoway Diamonds Canada is meeting demand responsibly and sustainably. We find out more about this flagship asset with CEO, Patrick Sevigny

Demand for diamonds aggressively rebounded to record-high levels in 2021.

Although total output volume remains below pre-pandemic levels, the production and value of diamonds compared to 2020 was up by 12 and 51 percent, respectively.

It followed significant year-over-year

declines in natural diamond production, resulting from oversupply for much of the last decade, depleting legacy mines, and a very limited number of new supply sources most recently compounded by the operational disruption and mine closures caused by COVID-19.

“In general, the increase in demand

has been driven by a number of factors, including economic growth and a rising middle class in the US and China, as well as increased marketing efforts by diamond companies,” observes the CEO of Stornoway Diamonds Canada (Stornoway), Patrick Sevigny, who has always had a keen interest in value generation.

“In addition, diamonds have become more affordable for many people due to advances in diamond production and distribution.”

While the increasing demand for diamonds is good news for the industry, it is important for companies such as Stornoway, a leading Canadian diamond producer, to meet

this demand in a responsible and sustainable manner.

This includes taking steps to minimize the environmental and social impacts of diamond mining, as well as ensuring diamonds are ethically sourced.

Stornoway has implemented a number of measures to minimize its

impact, including the use of natural gas to generate energy and the establishment of partnerships with local communities.

“We have set global industry standards in environmental and social sustainability, and are one of the only Canadian diamond companies with a comprehensive socio-economic

benefits agreement with local Aboriginal stakeholders,” reveals Sevigny.

“Moreover, both Stornoway and the Renard diamond mine are engaged in research projects to continually look for new ways to improve production and exploration processes.”

RENARD MINE

Known for producing medium-quality diamonds, production at the Renard mine commenced in 2015.

A significant contributor to the provincial economy and considered to be a responsible and sustainable operation, it is located in the remote James Bay region in north-central Quebec, one of the world’s best mining jurisdictions, and is wholly owned by Stornoway.

RENARD MINE – KEY ASSETS

“Due to its isolated location, Renard has required the construction of a large number of infrastructure projects, including roads, airports, an electric power plant (natural gas gensets), housing, nursery and water treatment plant facilities,” shares Sevigny, who was born and raised in the Abitibi mining region of northwestern Quebec.

Renard is the first and only diamond mine in Quebec, one of just four diamond-producing mines in Canada, and the only one in the country that is accessible all year round by road.

As the mine is a temporary user of land that will be returned to its traditional users at the end of its lifespan, the project design has prioritized a minimal environmental footprint and progressive rehabilitation.

HydroTech Mining

For those who don’t know HydroTech Mining, what would you say to them?

“HydroTech Mining develops innovative mine water management solutions. Since 2015, HydroTech Mining has been providing innovative, quality products and ongoing services to support our customers during all phases of the project. We are passionate professionals with nearly 30 years of experience serving North America and even South America!” –Cheyne Poirier, CEO

What kind of solution do you offer more specifically?

“We offer more than products! We offer the complete solution to manage mine water. Whether by submersible pumps, water clarification, pumping system up to the consulting services.” – Paul Cormier, Vice President Sales

How does HydroTech Mining stand out from its competitors?

RENARD 2 KIMBERLITE – The primary source of diamonds at the Renard mine, expected to produce the majority of the diamonds mined at the site. It extends from the surface down to an elevation of 900 meters.

RENARD 3 KIMBERLITE – The smaller ore body located 200 meters northeast of the Renard 2 kimberlite. It extends from the surface down to an elevation of 600 meters, and it is expected that exploration work will establish its presence at depth.

RENARD PROCESSING PLANT – A state of the art processing facility that is used to process the ore from the Renard 2 and Renard 3 kimberlites, equipped with advanced technology and designed to minimize environmental impacts.

RENARD INFRASTRUCTURE – The Renard diamond mine is located in an isolated region of Quebec and requires a significant amount of infrastructure in order to operate, including roads, airports and a power plant.

“We cannot speak for our competitors, but our several prizes won, and our loyal customers speak for themselves:

Laureate of the Chambre de Commerce de Val-d’Or three times:

• 2019: Export Market Development

• 2020: Export Market Development

• 2020: New business

Laureate of a Mercad’Or provincial competition:

• 2018: Regional winner

• 2022: Regional winner, Provincial winner

• 2023: Regional winner, Provincial winner? Stay tuned.” – Cheyne Poirier, CEO

Where can we find you?

“We are present across Canada and even outside. We have a branch in Mexico, and distributors in United States. Also, we participate in several trade shows like MINExpo, SME, CIM, PDAC and more!” – Paul Cormier, Vice President Sales.

HydroTech Mining is the specialist in dewatering solutions. We’re dedicated to the sale, design, and manufacture of pumping and dewatering systems for the mining industry.

Our wide range of submersible pumps and systems are designed and built for all types of operations. What’s more, exceptional service is always one of our top priorities.

Occupying just 3.1 square kilometers within a single watershed, Renard is surrounded by a network of ditches that collect all the run-off water, which is treated prior to being returned to the environment.

“Buildings have also been designed and materials selected to facilitate dismantling, recycling, and revegetation at the end of the mine’s life,” adds Sevigny.

PROJECT AVENUES

The Renard mine has reserves that will take it to 2025, primarily sourced from the Renard 2 kimberlite which is

NORTH AMERICA

PATRICK SEVIGNY, CEO: “We know that creating strong relationships with trusted local suppliers allows us to have a reliable supply chain of materials and services that meet our high standards.

“At the same time, we prioritize paying our suppliers on time to ensure that they are consistently providing the necessary resources and services. To adequately compensate our suppliers for their efforts, we focus on delivering prompt payments and maintaining open communication on all aspects of our business.

“This allows for a level of mutual trust and respect, an atmosphere of cooperation, and ultimately, a stronger and more profitable business relationship for both our company and our suppliers.”

expected to produce the majority of diamonds mined at the site.

A project to extend the mine is now underway, which consists of deepening the ramp below the surface in order to mine the resources located between elevations of 600 and 850 meters.

A decision will be made this year on the project, and if approved, it will extend the life of the mine to 2029.

“Thereafter, the mine has additional resources in the Renard 4 and Renard 9 kimberlites that could be brought into production if diamond market conditions continue to improve. If these two kimberlites are mined, the mine life could be extended to 20352040,” Sevigny outlines.

Completion of the Renard expansion project is Stornoway’s main priority for the coming year, and in an inflationary environment where diamond prices are expected to decline slightly and certain commodity prices are higher, it is important for the company to meet production targets in order to maintain projected profitability levels.

Hydroelectricity, meanwhile, is another potential avenue for Stornoway given the potential to substantially reduce the company’s dependence on natural gas and diesel. The water system on which

Soudure GAM Chibougamau

Established in Chibougamau since 1979, Soudure GAM Chibougamau is the leader manufacturer of machined and welded parts in North-of-Québec.

The culture of the company, built on family values, has allowed for providing a personalized service in close relationship with our customers. We have a deep concern for efficiency and quality wich allows us to offer a fast and competitive service and, most importantly, respecting the targeted deadlines.

Our geographic location allows us to be at the center of economic activity in North-of-Québec. We are, moreover, the only company to have CSA CWB 47.1 welding certification in the area.

Proud supplier of Stornoway diamonds.

www.gamchibougamau.ca

Quebec’s numerous hydroelectric power plants are built, allowing the province to be one of the most important producers of hydroelectricity in the world, is located 120 kilometers north of the Renard mine.

Stornoway’s vision is to connect to

OUTLOOK: I UNDERSTAND YOU PRIDE YOURSELVES ON PAYING SUPPLIERS ON TIME?

STORNOWAY DIAMONDS CANADA MINING

the provincial hydroelectric grid, an initiative that must be accomplished in partnership with the Indigenous population to benefit all parties.

“Once the Renard mine is connected to the hydro grid, the vehicle electrification phase can be undertaken. This phase consists of converting high-consumption diesel vehicles such as loaders and production trucks to battery powered vehicles, which would enable Renard to become one of the greenest diamond mines,” notes Sevigny.

INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL ENGAGEMENT

The success of Stornoway depends on having a committed workforce that upholds its principles and embraces the company culture.

Stornoway offers a fulfilling career path to its employees, the majority of

whom work at Renard, and provides fair compensation and benefits that are in line with the salary range for each corresponding role.

“We give our workers rewarding opportunities for growth, recognize their accomplishments, promote and constantly hone a model corporate culture,” Sevigny emphasizes.

Of the 545 full time members of staff currently employed by Stornoway, 15 percent are women and 20 percent are from Indigenous and local communities.

Stornoway collaborates with its host communities in an atmosphere of respect, openness and partnership. By keeping open lines of communication, getting to know the values and concerns of the community, and working to address those concerns, the company hopes to establish longlasting, fruitful relationships with its

Indigenous and local communities.

“We work to improve the wellbeing of our host communities’ local economies and social structures,” Sevigny elaborates.

“By creating communication procedures with the Crees (a North American Indigenous people), putting together a joint environmental monitoring committee, hiring people of the communities, and conducting business with their firms and joint ventures, we have gradually developed a trusting relationship with them.”

In 2021, 1,334 hours were devoted to the professional development of Cree employees in various functions at the surface, in the processing plant and in the underground mine, whilst more than 2,100 hours were dedicated to developing staff members from the Chibougamau and Chapais communities.

383 certificates and 347 attestations were awarded to Cree personnel as a result of this training, as well as 790 certificates to Chibougamau-Chapais employees.

A relocation policy has also been set up and promoted by Stornoway to provide employees who relocate to Chibougamau and Chapais with financial benefits.

“The objective is to attract new residents to the region and retain the Renard mine’s workforce. The policy addresses the need to build the population of Stornoway’s host communities in Chibougamau and Chapais, in addition to maintaining a stable workforce,” Sevigny tells us.

DIVERSE AND DEMANDING

The mining industry is diverse, and there are many different career paths that individuals can pursue, including roles in mining exploration, operations, engineering and management.

Generally, a career in the diamond mining industry may involve working in remote locations, such as the Renard mine, often in challenging and harsh environments.

“It can be physically demanding work, and individuals in the industry may be required to work long hours, including weekends and holidays,” acknowledges Sevigny.

As such, Stornoway makes sure

that it provides a vibrant, friendly, and inclusive environment at the Renard mine to alleviate the demands of mining work.

A workplace where everyone feels respected, along with maintaining a safe work environment and high environmental performance, will always be a priority at Stornoway.

STORNOWAY DIAMONDS CANADA

Tel: 1-450-616-5555

info@stornowaydiamonds.com

www.stornowaydiamonds.com

“WE WORK TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR HOST COMMUNITIES’ LOCAL ECONOMIES AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES”

My career in the utilities industry has been shaped by three things. First, my fascination and interest in how utilities can function best to people’s needs. Second, the many opportunities that opened to me along my 20-year professional journey, and third, truly knowing what is satisfying and meaningful in my work.”

The equally insightful and thoughtful opening statement of Swapnil Marda, Vice President of Operations Excellence and Business Transformation for Veolia North America (Veolia), perfectly encapsulates the trifecta of defining factors that have intertwined to create a prominent reputation for

the company. This hard-earned reputation now signals Veolia’s guaranteed dedication to catering to people’s greatest needs, providing fresh opportunities for staff and clients, and, carrying out work that is both satisfying and meaningful to all involved.

“I always had an interest in the engineering field and solving problems, it’s what led me to become the first engineer in an educated family of doctors and lawyers. My main fascination was focused on big industrial or manufacturing plants or operating facilities where they process and manufacture something at scale. That is how I first got into chemical engineering,” explains Marda.

REPLENISHING THE PLANET

Veolia North America’s mission is to resource the world, helping its customers address their environmental and sustainability challenges across energy, water and waste. Vice President of Operations Excellence and Business Transformation, Swapnil Marda tells us more

Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Louis Locke

Moving to the US to pursue a master’s degree, he explains how, “I quickly realized there are many other aspects of the field that are important to be truly able to run things – from people management to communication to employee engagement.”

After entering the niche field of environmental engineering, Marda found excellent opportunities in various utilities including environmental and energy consulting, water and wastewater, construction management, engineering procurement and construction (EPC), and his current field, hazardous waste.

“In those areas, I gained a lot of consulting skills and frameworks to help clients grow businesses and increase profitability. Throughout my career, two things have remainedworking with people at all levels of the organization to unleash the human magic, and the importance of the field element of the work, being out there with the people who do all the work making utilities function at peak form.”

NAVIGATING A CHALLENGING INDUSTRY

As the world’s leading provider of environmental solutions, Veolia is dedicated to customized, costeffective solutions that reflect best practices, environmental protection and a better quality of life.

The company operates through its three complementary business activities - water, waste and energy management. Through these services, Veolia protects the environment, especially water, air and soil from waste streams, by providing innovative solutions.

Dealing with hazardous waste means this is a highly challenging space to be working in. Yet despite facing these immense risks, Veolia’s unrelenting purpose is to significantly contribute to human progress by committing to a better and more sustainable future for employees,

TakeACTION

For over 20 years our partnership with Veolia is built on trust, hard work, and the desire to see each other succeed.

Established in 1995, Action Enterprises delivers specialized transportation solutions including bulk chemical and hazardous waste transportation, dedicated transportation, brokerage & logistics services as well as industrial cleaning and field environmental services. Action has trucking terminals, holding yards, and field offices throughout the U.S. to support the needs of its evergrowing customer base. The Action family employs over a thousand industry professionals and they display their commitment to executing the company’s core values and providing next level

service on a daily basis. Action utilizes its diverse fleet to move freight ranging from liquid tankers, roll offs, vacuum trucks, end dump trailers and vans. The suite of services plays a key role in Veolia’s success.

For over 20 years our partnership with Veolia has been built on trust, hard work, and the desire to see each other succeed. Our partnership starts with our leadership and sales teams and spreads throughout all aspects of the operation via our operations team and most importantly our drivers. Veolia’s view of the partnership is summed up by this

plant manager’s quote, “Our business relies heavily on safe, efficient and timely service. With the help of the Action team we have developed a great partnership that has been very successful. We have a great working relationship. I appreciate everything Action does for Veolia”.

Action services Veolia nationwide with a strong presence in the gulf coast and Southeastern U.S. With Veolia’s superior reputation in the industry and their growth around the country, Action will continue to go wherever and whenever needed to deliver on its commitment to support their business needs. •

the planet, society, and customers by solving their waste management problems.

“Safety is always our top priority, with the goal of maintaining a consistently safe operating environment,” Marda tells us.

“Other key challenges include attracting and retaining staff as, similar to other industries, we are engaged in the war for talent,” he elaborates.

Another factor for Veolia to contemplate is the need to operate within the regulatory frameworks established by agencies such as state and local departments of environmental protection, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT).

“This is something we take pride in and deliver on by adhering to the strict service quality standards we’ve put in place.”

On top of these challenges, the hazardous waste incineration market

was thrown into a downward spiral in 2021, as some of the nation’s largest facilities had to notify their customers that they were no longer able to accept new waste due to capacity constraints. This backlog had immensely problematic consequences for hazardous waste generators, as it forced many to hold on to their material longer than allowed by EPA regulations. The industry is still recovering and feeling the effects of the delays and many of the underlying causes of the backlog have not yet been remedied.

GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Veolia is on a mission to establish itself as the benchmark company for ecological transformation. The company helps to enhance access to resources, preserve available resources and replenish them.

Following Veolia’s historic merger with Suez in 2022, the company now has nearly 220,000 employees

NORTH AMERICA OUTLOOK: TELL US ABOUT VEOLIA’S NEW STATE OF THE ART GUM SPRINGS INCINERATOR AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT THE COMPANY’S OPERATIONS?

SWAPNIL MARDA, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

EXCELLENCE AND BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION: “One of the key challenges the industry is facing is incineration capacity, and we strategically decided to tackle this by investing in building a brand-new 100,000 tons per year capacity incinerator at our Gum Springs facility in the town of Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

“This is an excellent example of what Veolia means by ecological transformation in action. The facility will set a new industry standard for protecting air quality and other natural resources. Once this new facility is completed in 2024, it will transform the hazardous waste industry.

“This new plant will include features not found at any other operation of its kind in the US, including a system for capturing waste heat to provide power for the plant, further reducing its environmental impact.

“We are looking forward to successfully pioneering and operating this new plant for years to come after construction and commissioning are completed in 2024. We will also double the number of employees on-site to more than 200, creating 100 new jobs.”

EnviroVac

For over 25 years, EnviroVac has been providing safe and professionally managed hazardous waste and specialized waste transportation services across the United States. We are very proud to be a family-owned and operated business that offers prompt and professional service to our clients. Our pride and dedication are what make EnviroVac Waste Transport Systems an excellent choice for all your waste transportation needs. Our highly trained and customer service-oriented professional drivers, combined with the guidance of our experienced administrative operations staff, ensure that safety, environmental awareness, and customer service are all top priorities.

EnviroVac’s corporate headquarters are in Illinois, with terminal locations in Jacksonville IL, Gum Springs AR, and Greencastle IN. We are strategically located to service the transportation of incineration waste into Gum Springs AR, Sauget IL and Port Arthur TX incinerators.

EnviroVac offers the following equipment to service your waste management needs:

• Vacuum tankers

• Waste fuels tankers

• Insulated tankers

• Pneumatic tankers

• Roll-off trailers (2 containers)

• Intermodal chassis

• Flatbed trailers

• Frame and frameless end dumps

• Dry vans

• Walking floor trailers (Shredded wind turbine blade material)

In 1996, Brian Dyche, the founder of the company, had a vision. That vision was invoked by the lack of satisfactory customer service being provided in the industry. Our customers make it possible for us to continue providing that high level of service that we are proud of, and we encourage you to contact us today to learn more about what EnviroVac can do for you!

Congratulations to Veolia North America and your continued success. We are proud to provide our services to your organization and wish you the best.

worldwide including 10,000 in North America. Utilizing this constantly expanding team, Veolia designs and provides game-changing solutions that act as useful and practical benefits for water, waste and energy handling.

“Just to give a sense of Veolia’s breadth and scale, in 2021 the Veolia group supplied 79 million people with drinking water in addition to 61 million people with wastewater service, produced nearly 48 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 48 million metric tons of waste,” Marda proudly acclaims.

In North America, the company is headquartered in the city of Boston with more than 70 large offices and over 300 locations, including satellite offices, treatment plants and operating facilities throughout the US and Canada.

Today, water, waste and energy

can all be recovered, transforming what is discarded into valuable resources. Veolia is embracing the future by developing access to, preserving, and replenishing the world’s resources. Furthermore, the company blends skills in operations, engineering and technology with innovative business models, offering a complete range of environmental solutions to meet the challenges of cities, governments, campuses, businesses and industries.

BECOMING NATIONAL LEADERS

The waste division (ESS) at Veolia is relentlessly driven by the ambitious goal of becoming the national leader in the US hazardous waste industry.

“We want to double the size of our revenue in a few years, and to deliver that target, we currently have a comprehensive transformation

Freehold Cartage, Inc.

Freehold Cartage, Inc., is a specialized carrier serving hazardous and special waste transportation needs throughout the US and Canada since 1962. We also provide transportation of solid waste and recycling for customers based in New Jersey. We are a growth-oriented family company still owned and operated by the founding family. Our corporate headquarters is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

With over 300 employees, FCI remains a family-oriented company and provides our employees with the best equipment and work environment. Our philosophy is to provide the very best quality of service to our customers everyday.

FCI has always operated with an exemplary safety record and strict regulatory compliance. We operate a large fleet of stainless steel and fiberglass tank trucks, dry vans, roll off trucks, and front end and rear end solid waste trucks. Our modern fleet, equipped with an onboard satellite communications system and operated by professionals, is able to transport both containerized and bulk wastes. Team members are trained in independent programs and in-house training utilizing experienced qualified staff members.

Freehold Cartage is currently licensed to transport all types of waste throughout the US and Canada with $21 million in insurance coverage.

FCI continues to have a stellar reputation in the industry and has many satisfied customers whom we have assisted with their transportation needs.

For more information and quotation, contact us: 732-462-1001

Visit us at freeholdcartage.com

freeholdcartage.com

program. This includes many projects, each with multiple initiatives,” details Marda.

One of these key projects focuses on the service delivery process, which tackles the complete cradle-to-grave waste handling and management process.

“We are now making this a consistent and standardized process across the ESS network branches with consistent roles and responsibilities bringing a new reorganization element to it,” expands Marda.

Continuing to evolve and enhance, it is an integral part of Veolia’s business to run transportation in a more efficient manner, optimizing this key area and addressing gaps not only in the transportation function itself

but also implementing a robust asset replacement strategy.

Another transformation project utilized by the company strategically looks at new technologies and innovations to expand the portfolio of services in solving customer problems. For example, this includes the management and recycling of windmill blades and the management of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

EMBRACING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Veolia holds the ambitious goal of being the unchallenged leader in the hazardous waste industry. During the era of zero interest rates, the broader utilities industry struggled from a heavy investment perspective

Hine Environmental Services

From humble beginnings in 2004, Todd Hine identified a need, took a chance, and started his company out of his very own home.

Based in Sulphur, Louisiana, Hine Environmental Services (HES) has since grown, providing industrial waste solutions to a multitude of industries. With a fleet of tractor trucks/trailers and various roll-off boxes, HES is well equipped to meet the waste transportation needs of its customers.

Here at HES, we pride ourselves in not only providing quality services, but also in maintaining efficient communication with our customers throughout the entire transportation process. With our electronic logging device (ELD) system, we are able to provide real-time updates to our customers as to the status of their waste loads. In the industrial waste hauling business, our customers have expressed sincere appreciation for our diligent communication efforts, as it gives them peace of mind knowing the estimated time of arrival of their loads at disposal facilities, and other important logistical details.

In addition to industrial waste transportation, HES has grown its services including, but not limited to, asbestos surveys, asbestos abatement, demolition, dirt work, and environmental products.

We want to exceed our customers’ expectations and our goal is to develop business relationships based on our service to our customers. We truly believe that building these quality relationships is the key to success in our industry.

Our business model is focused on excellent communication, quality service, and strong, long-lasting business relationships.

www.hineenvironmental.com

“WHILST STRIVING FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, AND CREATING A CULTURE OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, VEOLIA ALSO WISHES TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES IN ORDER TO BUILD A THOROUGH SET OF SKILLS”

– SWAPNIL MARDA, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS EXCELLENCE AND BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION, VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA

Waste

and Solutions

HES can assist your company whether it’s supplying products such as absorbent pads and boom, containment boom, various sized drums, spill kits, profiling your waste for disposal, transportation of your solid/liquid hazardous or non-hazardous waste, finding the best disposal/recycling options for your waste, or renting various sized roll-o boxes.

The HES family will work diligently to assure the best interest of your company is met. Let Hine Environmental Services be your Total Solutions Provider (TSP).

as investor returns were low and the growth and tech sectors were favored. However, that is beginning to change as what the company calls the “revenge of the old economy” will likely unfold over the next decade.

“The underinvestment in the industry creates a huge opportunity for us to embark on a bold multi-year digital transformation which has already been underway for the last couple of years,” outlines Marda.

“Technology will unlock tremendous potential and bring efficiency to our operations while improving speed, quality, safety, employee well-being and compliance,” he continues.

Marda goes on to highlight some of the many key projects in the digital transformation at ESS, including the development of its virtual customer portal. This has been designed to heighten sophistication and create an easy user interface.

“This initiative focuses on providing

customers with all the information about their business with us at their fingertips in a single place through our Customer Engagement Hub portal. We already have an existing portal, which customers love, but the new one will take it to the next level.”

In addition to this, Veolia has further digital transformation initiatives in the pipeline, such as deploying the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive maintenance at its operating plants, exploring the use of blockchain for live container tracking, and using AI to help with identifying or segregating waste and much more.

“In summary, we’re all in for digital transformation with four pillars in motion: digital operation, digital customer, digital offers and digital employees,” Marda ensures.

THE PRECEDENCE OF ENHANCEMENT

Future-facing, Veolia has identified

Maumee Express www.mxiinc.com VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA ENERGY & UTILITIES

several key milestones and important indicators to objectively measure how the company is progressing on its strategic goals and transformation plans. The company believes it is therefore extremely important to eliminate subjectivity to accurately measure current levels of progress and success.

These key priorities begin with the completion of the key milestones of the transformation program; the majority will be completed in 2023 with some planned in 2024.

Veolia also endeavors to make significant progress in the process of digital transformation, transportation optimization, and to operate in a more consistent fashion. This is alongside the aim of continuing to build human capital, attracting and retaining talent and providing meaningful opportunities for employees to learn and grow.

“Whilst striving for continuous improvement, and creating a

culture of operational excellence, Veolia also wishes to enhance the learning, development, and training of employees in order to build a thorough set of skills,” finishes Marda.

Finally, the company aims to underpin all these targets with the ability to have fun along the way, to make it an enjoyable process for all involved. Subsequently, Veolia looks set to venture unperturbed into an uncertain landscape of industryspecific obstacles and marches gallantly forward on the quest for a more sustainable planet. VEOLIA

Tel: (617) 849-6600

www.veolianorthamerica.com

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

The foremost resource in telecom, electric and gas construction, professional services, and infrastructure engineering, S&N Communications continues to spearhead the provision of these crucial services. Chief Operating Officer, Sean Davis, tells us more Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Louis Locke

Following the onset of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global lockdowns, the need for reliable broadband and increased wireless bandwidth across the world became more urgent than ever.

From companies embracing remote work, to online schooling and telehealth, the need to get every home in North America connected became a necessity. Subsequently, there has been a massive influx of funds necessary to complete these significant projects from federal, state, and local governments to RUS grants, RDOF Funding, CARES Act Funding, ReConnect, VATI, as well as numerous others.

This impact has now finally allowed rural America to compete with urban America in both business and educational opportunities. Helping to carry out this vast transformation is S&N Communications (S&N).

With the diverse utility industry currently booming, it has become fruitful with opportunities in every

“We are very fortunate that we have trusted suppliers for materials and equipment. They are constrained by the amount of work being completed throughout the country but continue to deliver time and time again”

– Sean Davis, COO, S&N Communications

corner of business, including everexpanding wireless networks, power distribution upgrades, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and rural broadband buildouts.

However, along with those opportunities comes a set of challenges, such as workforce shortages, material delays, and equipment shortages.

Putting challenges aside, Sean Davis, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of S&N, believes that the rural broadband push is perhaps the most exciting development to occur in recent history.

“During the past few decades in the telecom world, last-mile residents, businesses and schools were often overlooked by major telecom companies due to lower returns on their investments,” he opens.

“I have always been interested in this field mainly because of my father’s experience in the industry. I remember many of his interesting stories throughout his career. While it can be challenging, it can also be rewarding,” Davis adds.

DISTRIBUTING CONNECTION

Incorporated in 1978, S&N is a leading provider of Outside Plant (OSP) communications and utility infrastructure services, including wired and wireless infrastructure construction, power distribution and gas construction, professional

S&N VISION

services, and engineered site development.

The company serves a vastly diversified customer base, typically under multi-year contracts, including telecommunications, broadband, and energy utility companies throughout the US. Headquartered

• TO SET THE STANDARD FOR INTEGRITY, QUALITY AND COST-COMPETITIVE SERVICES WHICH ALL OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY SEE AS THE BENCHMARK.

S&N MISSION

• S&N IS A LEADER IN PROVIDING RELIABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND DESIGN, LOGISTICS AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO CUSTOMERS. THE COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP AND LASTING CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS IS SUPPORTED BY S&N’S CORE VALUES: INTEGRITY, INNOVATION, EXPERIENCE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.

outside Charlottesville, Virginia, S&N is a trusted single-resource partner, delivering full turnkey infrastructure construction solutions under its longtime customer promise of ‘We’ve got this’.

A prominent player in this highly competitive field, S&N manages electric utility power construction projects and is active in multiple large power line burial projects in metropolitan and suburban areas. The company also provides Fiberto-the-Home (FTTH) for a range of telecommunications and broadband providers.

S&N has grown to develop special expertise in partnering with electric cooperatives to manage rural broadband fiber construction projects. With over 750 in-house and long-tenured resource partners on the east coast, operating out of 10 field offices in seven states, the business is exceptionally well-positioned to continue to grow substantially

dbarraza@jirehcable.com

443-883-6048

as the US government and state governments provide dedicated funding to support broadband networks in rural areas across the entire nation.

Combined, the company has installed more than 60 million feet of fiber-optic cable and connected over one million homes and businesses with telecom, cable, gas and electric services. S&N has also now provided professional management services for thousands of infrastructure projects.

From start to finish, switch to home, beginning to end through this service delivery, the company excels in providing its customers with assured peace of mind, and as a trusted single-resource partner, delivering full turnkey infrastructure construction solutions falls under S&N’s long-term customer promise.

“We treat our clients as partners, not just as a job or a project, assisting them in managing projects from the start so their networks are able to be

HDD TRENCHLESS AND UNDERGROUND UTILITY CONTRACTOR

At Jireh Cable Installation we are an experienced underground utility company providing horizontal direction drilling, open trenching, excavating and so much more.

Located in the heart of the greater metropolitan area of DC and Baltimore and servicing the Mid-Atlantic region, from Virginia to Pennsylvania.

Our team uses the latest technology and resources to complete projects of all sizes and complexities in a timely manner.

We pride ourselves in providing high quality workmanship with safety in mind. Trust Jireh Cable Installation can be your underground utility solution.

maintained at an efficient rate after we’ve built them,” acclaims Davis.

“Additionally, we treat and manage our resource partners as our own team members because they are. Above all, timeliness, quality and accuracy are

what sets us apart. Some can do one maybe two of those, but very few can do all three, and we’re one of them!”

Davis adamantly believes that, “when you hire S&N, you’re hiring the best the industry has to offer.”

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

The most important projects currently being undertaken by S&N are found in central Virginia. One of these projects is a rural broadband rollout for an electric cooperative, spanning the past four years and ongoing for the next three at least. The project serves all 38,000 cooperative members with the opportunity to purchase highspeed internet at reduced market rates.

The project has been so successful to date that service take rates are above 50 percent and the return on investment has allowed the cooperative to expand beyond its electric system to other power provider coverage areas.

The biggest benefit of these types of buildouts is that rural areas can compete with urban areas in business, health and education. For example, benefits in the education sector might include a teacher who could not previously grade papers online and would need to stay at school for longer, or parents that would have to drive their children to libraries for internet service to complete homework or do online research. In both scenarios, more time can be spent at home with their families thanks to S&N.

“Another important project we are currently working on is a program to take an aerial power plant and bury it underground in Virginia. This is vital as the above-ground power lines are prone to faults, accidents and weather-related events that knock power out to residences,” Davis explains.

“When the power is out, food can spoil, your comfort is interrupted and most importantly you could be in danger of freezing temperatures or overheating if it happens at the wrong time,” he adds.

BUILDING KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Crucial to providing such premium solutions is the ability to utilize a

“YOU’RE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR YOU, AND WE HAVE SOME HIGHLY QUALIFIED, HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND PERSONABLE PEOPLE, WHO ARE ALL PART OF ONE BIG FAMILY”

– SEAN DAVIS, COO, S&N COMMUNICATIONS

trusted and efficient network of suppliers.

“We are very fortunate that we have trusted suppliers for materials and equipment. They are constrained by the amount of work being completed throughout the country but continue to deliver time and time again,” emphasizes Davis.

Additionally, S&N relies on resource partners for portions of its workload.

“Our resource partners are part of our team and are treated no differently than our in-house teams. We now have a large resource pool, many of whom have worked with us for decades,” he shares.

“Our staff are excellent, and we would put them up against anyone in the industry.”

S&N’s dedicated employees are routinely recognized throughout the company and in public for service anniversaries, promotions, and achievements. Furthermore, the company allows its team to grow through an expansive training

curriculum, whether it’s on-the-job training or through training centers to gain knowledge and higher certifications.

“We highly encourage our employees to express themselves freely so that every voice is heard. You’re only as good as the people that work for you, and we have some highly qualified, highly motivated and personable people, who are all part of one big family,” Davis reveals.

PREPARING FOR EXPANSION

Keen to capitalize on the company’s recent success, S&N has ambitious plans to continue to expand strategically across various cities and states within the US in the next year.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to treat our customers as our valued partners, and we will not collaborate on a future project unless it’s an adequate fit for both parties,” outlines Davis.

The number one priority throughout the next year for S&N is

to hit the company’s homes passed and mileage goals with timeliness, accuracy and quality. Homes passed refers to the number of residential premises, such as single dwelling units or multiple dwelling units, and commercial premises passed by the cable distribution network in a given cable system service area in which the services are offered.

“In addition, we are looking to increase revenue organically by 25 percent with existing partners and add between 10 and 15 percent through strategic growth opportunities,” he tells us.

“We are currently expanding into a new scope of work in 2023 which we are very excited about. It will have limitless growth opportunities, and we believe there is plenty more to come!” Davis concludes buoyantly.

CARING FOR QUEBEC

The McGill University Health Centre is a forward-thinking health center in the Canadian medical sector. We speak to President and Executive Director, Pierre Gfeller, regarding the progressive facilitation of medical services in and around the region

Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Felix Revell

The demand for healthcare services is only growing.

Since the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, the medical space has formed a frontline in which technology and modernization have pooled together to help overcome a global crisis.

In Canada, healthcare and social services are managed by the provinces, and it is in this medical sector that McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) operates. A complex and sophisticated academic health center that provides tertiary

and quaternary care, the MUHC also provides additional primary, secondary, and palliative care services to the adult and pediatric population of Montreal and, through McGill University’s RUISSS (Réseau Universitaire Intégré de Santé et Services Sociaux), to the west of the province of Quebec.

“Through our affiliation with McGill University, we ensure teaching and training for students, residents, and researchers,” introduces Pierre Gfeller, President and Executive Director of the MUHC, who completed his four-and-a-half-year mandate at the beginning of January. “Our Research Institute conducts fundamental, clinical, and evaluative research to accelerate discovery and innovation that will improve human health. Finally, we also evaluate the introduction, acquisition, and use of new health technologies, as well as methods of organizing and delivering services. Our hospitals are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and

operate at the Glen Site, the Montreal General Hospital, the Neuro, the Lachine Hospital, as well as other sites in Montreal.”

The MUHC works with the Quebec Government to offer services to the population of the province and is made up of a community of more than 16,000 people. Yearly, the MUHC admits more than 34,000 patients, treats more than 160,000 patients in the emergency department, performs more than 28,500 surgeries, delivers almost 3,000 babies, and completes more than 33 million diagnostic and therapeutic tests and procedures. Additionally, every year, half a million patients come to the MUHC’s hospitals for ambulatory visits.

THE CENTER OF THE MUHC

The realm of healthcare is one that is constantly changing to keep up with growing populations and an advancing medical technology sphere. Dr. Gfeller has operated in the

NORTH AMERICA OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE MEDICAL SPACE?

PIERRE GFELLER, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: “I have built a dynamic career in healthcare over nearly 40 years that includes a host of roles and accomplishments. I started as a family physician and practiced medicine from 1981 to 2002.

“Following this, as a senior executive, I served in both consultancy and management. My goal was to mobilize teams to get results and contribute to the reorganization of institutions and services. From 2012 to 2015, I was Executive Director at Sacré-Coeur Hospital and from 2015 to 2018, President and Executive Director of the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre (CIUSSS) for the Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal sector. This extensive experience was instrumental in preparing for my role as President and Executive Director of the MUHC in May 2018.

“From the get-go, my overarching objective was to help the organization perform at the highest level with exemplary governance and teamwork, a respectful, stimulating, safe and ethical workplace, innovation and excellence in all aspects of its mission, and stakeholder engagement.”

GE HealthCare

McGill and GE HealthCare have been collaborative partners for several decades on many projects across modalities such as MR, CT and X-Ray. We are proud to collaborate with such a world-class research institution that has scored among the top three of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals. This strong partnership forms the foundation for the latest collaborative effort that seeks to modernize healthcare delivery while supporting equitable access to healthcare in rural communities.

For patients in remote communities who need hours to reach a specialized health care center, a fast diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death. By using an artificial intelligence (AI) - driven system to prioritize and highlight areas of radiological interpretation for urgent imaging findings, we hope to increase the accessibility and quality of specialized care provided to our remote communities.

Each year, MUHC radiologists examine over 190,000 x-rays, 100,000 CT scans, 40,000 MRIs and 70,000 ultrasounds. Approximately 12,000 x-rays and 1,000 ultrasounds per year come from Northern health regions. Dr. Caroline Reinhold and colleagues devised this unique project that takes a pragmatic approach to using AI to analyze emergency medical images that require urgent review, helping to accelerate care and potentially save lives.

Thanks to the donations from GE HealthCare, TD and Intel, this initiative will have a positive impact on the individuals living in the Nord-duQuébec and Abitibi-Témiscamingue regions. In the near future, this project could considerably impact many of the seven million Canadians who currently live in rural communities.

www.gehealthcare.ca

so we put you first.

GE HealthCare brings an unmatched, organization-wide commitment to advancing value delivery in support of McGill’s world class patient care.

SHARED

CHALLENGES GOALS RESPONSIBILITY DEDICATION TRANSFORMATION

You put others first,

sector for almost 40 years and has witnessed first-hand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the many changes that have taken place.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was an especially difficult time for our patients and the community at large, for our partners across the health and social services network, and for us as a team,” he tells us. “Throughout the past years, we have “kept calm and carried on”. Our staff showed their true colors from day one of pandemic preparedness in January 2020, to the actual management of it during the multiple waves, and even today as it continues to be a part of our new reality. Leadership, compassion, generosity, talent, dedication, teamwork, and resilience - this was and is the MUHC.”

For Dr. Gfeller, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things, one example of which is telemedicine which has been used much more extensively. One of the goals of the

MUHC’s strategic plan is to leverage data that is produced by its clinical services and provided to patients. This will enable the MUHC to innovate through research, teach future professionals, and introduce new treatments and trajectories in clinical care for patients. The implementation of an electronic medical record, which is still absent in most of Quebec, is a goal currently pursued by the MUHC.

NEW AGE HEALTHCARE

Furthering the notion of modernization, the MUHC is undertaking a project to improve a community hospital, valued at CAD$225 million. The Lachine Hospital is a community hospital based in the West Island of Montreal and includes the CHSLD Camille Lefebvre. This major modernization project will expand the hospital and upgrade certain units in the historic building.

Once completed, it will allow the hospital to maintain its high quality

NORTH AMERICA OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE MUHC’S PEOPLECENTRIC SUPPORT AND TRAINING?

PIERRE GFELLER, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: “I strongly believe that solid infrastructures are the requisite foundation for the delivery and teaching of healthcare, as well as the conducting of research, and that people are the cornerstones to success.

“With that in mind, over and above stewarding projects to modernize physical space, technology, and equipment at the MUHC, we have sought to ensure that talented experts are positioned in key clinical, administrative, and research positions. Respect is one of our core values, so we want to see equity, diversity and inclusion become second nature not only to employment practices, but also to relationships with the patient population. I am also a firm believer in strengthening our relations with the university, our foundations, and our community.

“As far as training goes, the MUHC is the primary training site for health and social services students of McGill University. We also welcome residents and fellows from around the world in various specialties, who spend a certain period of their training with us to perfect certain techniques or treatment methods.”

bioMérieux

To avoid the next pandemic, preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics should be a priority for everyone.

For close to 60 years, bioMérieux has been dedicated to fighting infectious diseases and improving public health. The solutions that our teams design, develop and manufacture are key to giving healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders the confidence to make decisions to improve patient outcomes and ensure consumer safety.

Present in Canada since 1993 with headquarters in Québec, 80 percent of the solutions we develop are used to combat antimicrobial resistance.

We provide diagnostic tests based on a comprehensive syndromic approach to infectious diseases that helps to quickly and accurately identify the major viral and bacterial pathogens with resistance mechanisms causing an infection. It enables physicians to choose the best therapy and clinical pathway for their patients. Our diagnostic technology is based on high complexity ‘state of the art’ molecular technology that is accurate, rapid, and easy to use that helps make the world a healthier place.

We are committed to addressing resource inequalities associated with pathogen identification, which can be time-consuming and cause delays in hospital stays.

Lab professionals in healthcare networks such as the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) are now able to determine the most appropriate treatment to improve patient care with our solutions adapted to their requirements.

Overuse or misuse of antibiotics is one of the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. bioMérieux aims to ensure patient safety by providing a more accurate diagnosis, which guides healthcare professionals in the responsible use of antibiotic treatment. biomerieux.com

of care and provide patients with modern facilities and individual rooms.

“From the beginning, we decided to put patients and their families at the center of care processes and improve their experience,” Gfeller elaborates. “We organized a series of workshops, with the active participation of patient partners, staff, the hospital’s clinical and administrative leadership, and the planning and coordination teams, to develop the functional program. Thanks to the commitment and efforts of the participants in each workshop, the objectives to be achieved are even more precise and more anchored in the reality of the patients.”

The MUHC has its vision tuned to the future and has taken to addressing areas of healthcare that are more prominent today than ever before. The Specialized Centre for Adolescent Mental Health (Le SPOT Montréal) is one of the largest ambulatory centers in Canada for teens in suicidal crisis. It

is a teen-friendly center in a calming setting, located within walking distance of The Montreal Children’s Hospital. It offers an alternative to hospitalization, allowing teenagers to continue with school and their other regular activities.

“At Le SPOT Montréal, a multidisciplinary team will use evidence-based treatments to provide adolescents aged 12-18 and their families with up to 12 weeks of intensive, individualized therapy to help alleviate the suicidal crisis and

offer coping skills to better manage psychological distress,” Gfeller explains. “The team will also ensure that patients and families transition smoothly to community services for ongoing support.”

FACILITATING THE FUTURE

One of the MUHC’s primary aims moving forward is to facilitate medical services that are not available on Canadian soil. Proton therapy is one such service and is an alternative to conventional radiotherapy that is preferred for cancers in sensitive

locations such as the head, neck, and central nervous system (CNS). It prevents the development of late complications related to traditional radiotherapy.

“It is not available in Quebec, so eligible patients – mostly children, adolescents, and young adults — are sent to the US to receive treatment,” Gfeller says. “We are waiting for the go-ahead from the provincial government to start a proton therapy center at the MUHC, which would be financed in large part by our

foundations.”

The MUHC holds the additional goal of refocusing its collective mission to provide tertiary and quaternary care, better communicate and interact with patients and their families, be the employer of choice in the Montreal healthcare network, and use the data generated by its clinical interactions in its research and teaching activities to continue to be a learning and innovative organization.

“In line with our strategic planning theme Work as One, we want to break all the barriers that exist between specialties, age groups, pediatrics, and adult medicine in order to work efficiently and build up synergy for a better healthcare ecosystem in Quebec.”

VIA DELIVERS ELECTRIC WORK TRUCKS.

VIA Motors stands at the forefront of electric truck chassis development with its revolutionary VDRIVE™ skateboard architecture and VTRUX® portfolio of EV work trucks. We speak to executive members of the company to learn more about the electric drive technology changing the commercial fleet landscape

Commercial fleets, including last and mid mile delivery, is a crucial sector and the lifeblood of American logistics. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), almost $900 billion is made in gross freight revenues from trucking, spanning long-haul interstate shipments to smaller-scale regional deliveries.

Within this mobility frontier, the incorporation of technological development is key to maintaining a

foothold for commercial fleets across the US, be it advancements in navigation, fuel economy, comfort, performance, or renewable energy use.

VIA Motors (VIA) is a specialist in the field of electric vehicle (EV) advancement, engineering all-electric work trucks from the ground up, that are preferred by drivers and valued by fleets of all sizes. At the heart of the company dwells an established mission to deliver EVs with zero compromise. Adaptable tailored

solutions, electrified cost efficiency, and a pledge to zero-emission sustainability coalesce, resulting in the basis of a business aimed at creating a more efficient and liveable world for all, one mile at a time.

THE WINNING COMBINATION

VIA’s story and success have always been defined by its people, industry expertise, and strong leadership.

Chairman Bob Lutz was previously Vice Chairman of General Motors

(GM), and a driver behind the Chevrolet Volt. Bob Purcell, CEO of VIA, previously led the General Motors Advanced Technology Vehicle Group and brought the GM EV1 to production that was released in the 1990s. This next led to the development of the skateboard chassis at GM in the late 1990s, debuted on the Chevrolet Triax concept vehicle introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999. The Triax was slated to be the second

“WHO WE ARE” FROM BOB PURCELL, CEO, VIA MOTORS

1. A customer focused, honest and hard-working company.

2. Practical, no-nonsense ‘car people’.

3. Know their stuff. Do it right.

4. Reliable, dependable vehicles designed to meet demanding fleet requirements.

5. Delivering cost-effective sustainable mobility solutions.

generation EV1 as a 2002 production program. Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, commented that GM “should have gone to EV2 and EV3.”

Frank Jenkins, Executive Director Sales and Marketing at VIA, has over 40 years of experience in the fleet business (including 28 years in GM’s Fleet and Commercial Division) and joined the EV space in its early stages with a specific focus on commercial light, medium, and heavy-duty segments.

Furthering this pool of expertise, Natalie Fitzpatrick, Architecture Chief Engineer and Program Manager at VIA, has led a 35-year career in product development with GM, thereafter joining Chevrolet and becoming heavily involved in the development of the Chevrolet Volt.

Stemming from a lifelong passion in the field of electrification and engineering, Fitzpatrick has spent most of her career in the EV segment.

“VIA began in Utah’s Silicone Slopes - one of the top places in the country for tech innovation and start-ups,” introduces Purcell. “While our R&D facility is still located there, our headquarters in Auburn Hills is purposely located in the heart of the automotive capital. The result is that we get the best of both worlds here at VIA.

“It is a winning combination that allows us to stay at the forefront of EV tech and bring a vehicle to production in the right way,” Purcell continues.

“VIA is a full-scale original equipment manufacturer (OEM) designing and producing a portfolio of sustainable and cost-effective electric work trucks to transform the commercial fleet business,” outlines Jenkins. “We are backed by 12 years

of experience perfecting electric drive technology, including software and algorithms, guided by an experienced board, chaired by auto legend and Chairman of VIA, Bob Lutz,” he says.

“We are staffed by incredibly talented and skilled veterans in the industry,” states Purcell. “VIA has the experience of an OEM and the agility of a start-up which makes us the partner of choice in the field; we make tools, not toys, delivering functional, reliable, durable, and cost-effective electric work trucks,” adds Purcell.

TRANSPORTING THE FUTURE

Moving ahead into the new year, VIA is recognizing a fundamental shift in the world’s automotive industry, especially when it comes to EVs in the commercial sector.

“Throughout history, we first had horses transporting goods, then the field developed to the use of combustion engine vehicles, and now the industry is moving to add electric motor-powered vehicles,” Purcell notes. “In fact, this notion of development is how VIA got its name ‘VIA Motors, by way of motors’. Electric drive makes economic and environmental sense, and it is exciting to be a part of it.”

For Purcell, there are three overarching trends that are shaping modern living, and by consequence, VIA’s goals: population growth, urbanization, and the rise in e-commerce. Each of these factors has resulted in increased congestion on roads and in neighborhoods, and as such, VIA is creating industry leading electric work trucks based on a skateboard architecture that will help transform the commercial fleet business. Electric drive technology has its place in the world, particularly today and especially for commercial fleets. The application of electric drives to commercial fleets provides a lower cost of operation and reduced environmental impact.

“It is projected that the world

population is expected to eclipse 10 billion by 2060. We are also seeing that the number of megacities (cities with over 10 million inhabitants), is projected to rise. On top of all that, we are seeing an explosion in e-commerce. Society is increasingly shifting towards online shopping instead of brick-and-mortar stores, leading to a steeply increased demand for delivery vehicles in the world’s cities.

“A smart solution for these megatrends is the electric drive, providing clean, efficient, and costeffective solutions. In light of this, our priorities include a rigorous product development process moving from prototype to production vehicles, the completion of our staffing and finalizing our strategic supply base, and lastly growing the customer base for selling cab chassis, vans, buses, and skateboards. VIA’s ramp-up of production is targeted in the second half of 2024, to deliver cost-effective

sustainable mobility solutions.”

ELECTRIFYING THE US

According to Purcell, VIA is operating at the center of an ever-changing industry filled with development and opportunity.

“VIA’s approach to electric drive provides both sustainability and cost-effectiveness. With VIA, it’s not a trade-off as the company is driven to optimize both aspects as an essential enabler of electric propulsion adoption.”

VIA has found a significant level of interest from customers in the commercial segment, especially in the last-mile delivery industry.

“The combination of tax credits and eliminating fuel and reducing maintenance costs allow for great ROI (return on investment) on commercial EVs,” Jenkins says. “There are also regulations for commercial fleets to meet sustainable targets by 2030. We are working with customers on

awareness and facilitation in this area, merging environmental needs with our business goals.”

INDUSTRY-LEADING TECHNOLOGY

VIA is currently developing Class 2 through 5 electric commercial work trucks and buses. On top of the company’s VDRIVE™ skateboard architecture, VIA also offers VTRUX®, a flexible electric work truck platform, with chassis cab and cutaways and can produce a full range of models

in collaboration with its upfitter partners.

“The VDRIVE™ is an all-electric skateboard architecture chassis and is basically a fully integrated chassis system with the drive system integrated, including the battery, motors, and controls – a fully functional platform that can be paired with various body configurations,” explains Fitzpatrick.

“VIA offers both complete vehicles - the cab with the upfitted body on the back - as well as the chassis cab, or skateboard only. Partners, upfitters, and manufacturers can use the chassis cab or skateboard with their own configuration, such as Pegasus Specialty Vehicles, incorporating the VTRUX® with their school bus architecture.”

Keeping pace in such a technological field, VIA operates an R&D facility in Utah, and boasts a headquarters and Tech Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is facilities such as these that contribute heavily towards VIA’s overall mission – not just to be another truck-producing company, but to be a solutions provider for a sustainable

future manufacturing functional, reliable, and durable electric work trucks that have an attractive total cost of ownership.

THE CORE OF VIA

The VDRIVE™ skateboard is VIA’s key offering; the technology allows for a low load floor height and a driverforward design, opening volume for the cargo area and making the experience better for drivers, with a tight turning radius and low step-in height.

VDRIVE™ is purpose-built from the ground up for a range of products and partners, and according to Fitzpatrick, is industry-leading in several ways - durable, robust, and capable

skateboard architecture.

“It is also scalable in payload and battery capacity, and we cover Classes 2 to 5 with the intent to expand to Class 6,” she elaborates. “We go from 130 to 200-inch wheelbases with a ladder frame structure. The nature of our product design and how we manufacture it lands itself in a very low CapEx and a highly scalable product. We can build various products without incurring significant product development and capital tooling expenses.

“All vehicles are all-wheel drive (AWD) and cover battery capacities from 82 kWh (kilowatt hours) to 165 kWh. On top of this, we can pivot to different configurations based on

“VIA HAS THE EXPERIENCE OF AN OEM AND THE AGILITY OF A START-UP WHICH MAKES US THE PARTNER OF CHOICE. WE MAKE TOOLS, NOT TOYS, DELIVERING FUNCTIONAL, RELIABLE, AND COSTEFFECTIVE ELECTRIC WORK TRUCKS”

– BOB PURCELL, CEO, VIA MOTORS

the required payload and range.”

VIA’s skateboard is unique and compact, with a low load floor enabling less ergonomic stress for drivers to get in and out of a vehicle. Additionally, VIA’s ingenuity allows trucks to move more cargo and have a tighter turning circle than most of the company’s competitors.

“We’re not retrofitting internal combustion engine (ICE) chassisnot compromising in that way - but instead developing purpose-built architecture, giving the vehicle

several fundamental attributes, and it all starts with the battery cell,” Fitzpatrick adds. “The real differentiator is the VIA product that is a result of passion and expertise.”

Where the VDRIVE™ skateboard architecture is VIA’s core technology, VTRUX® is the vehicle platform that utilizes VDRIVE™ to flexibly design and build electric commercial vehicles of myriad sizes and models for various customer applications. It ranges from box trucks to shuttle buses, walk-in vans, and many more. A flexible, 100

percent electric work truck platform, VTRUX® allows customers to choose from a range of battery sizes and essential accessories. For example, refrigeration units or electronic lift gates, that provide tailored solutions at an attractive cost.

TECH THAT PROTECTS

Technology is being implemented by the San Francisco Police Department to keep the city safe, as outlined by Chief Information Officer, William Sanson-Mosier

Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Tom Cullum

San Francisco is one of the world’s most well-known and recognizable cities.

From its rich, diverse and liberal culture to iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, this major Californian hub is the world-famous centerpiece of the Bay Area.

Building a police force that mirrors San Francisco’s unique strengths, including its traditions, talent, and diversity is the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), honored to serve an estimated population of 1.2 million as well as the city’s thousands of

tourists and visitors.

Having served with the SFPD Technology Division since February 2013, this year marks a decade with the department for Chief Information Officer (CIO), William Sanson-Mosier, who has over 26 years of information technology experience.

“Through my various roles, I led major efforts to improve infrastructure, mobility, and communications to support law enforcement applications, increase officers’ safety, and sustain city-wide facilities,” he informs us.

The Technology Division that Sanson-Mosier oversees is responsible for developing and directing the technology vision, strategic roadmap, budgeting and purchasing, and large-scale projects and initiatives for SFPD.

Although recruitment and retention issues are challenging for SFPD and indeed almost every law enforcement agency today, it nevertheless presents exciting technology opportunities.

“Our goal is to take SFPD to the next level in terms of technological innovation, provide the necessary

SFPD STRATEGIC PLAN

In late 2017, SFPD began to develop an inclusive, forward-looking strategic plan to ensure the department is ready and equipped to meet the challenges of modern urban policing and earn the trust and respect of communities.

tools and conditions to attract the finest officers, and create an environment that officers want to be a part of and excel in,” Sanson-Mosier outlines.

“We also want to provide a transparent and data-driven department to strengthen our relationships and trust within our communities.”

TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVES

Two major, transformative initiatives are underway at SFPD, the first of which is the complete replacement of its records management system (RMS).

This will bring additional functionality for SFPD officers, and become compliant with the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

PeopleSoft human resources management system, which is end of life,” he adds.

Meanwhile, in partnership with the Sheriff’s, Fire, and Emergency Management departments, SFPD has just issued an intent to award a multi-year contract with Motorola Solutions to replace its computeraided dispatch (CAD) 911 system.

An estimated six months of formal negotiations with Motorola Solutions are forecast to begin in February 2023, before the new system goes live in the fall of 2025.

“We expect an 18 to 24-month project based on industry standards and our site visit learnings,” SansonMosier tells us.

To deliver on the promise of the strategy, five high-level initiative clusters were identified:

COLLABORATE: Build strong partnerships with the community and city agencies for addressing community-wide challenges that impact “safety with respect”.

IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS:

Improve ability to respond in a timely, informed, unbiased and procedurally just way, and work towards a collaborative resolution.

MEASURE AND COMMUNICATE:

Align on a shared vision and transparent way of measuring “safety with respect” in order to work better with each other and the community.

STRENGTHEN THE DEPARTMENT:

Instill “safety with respect” into how to organize, evaluate performance, recruit, train, promote, reward, deploy and lead SFPD.

DEFINE THE FUTURE: Develop a future-focused, longer-term strategic plan for a more modern, evolving, and inclusive SFPD with input from internal and external stakeholders.

NIBRS, which became the national standard for law enforcement crime data reporting in the US as of January 2021, represents both a significant shift and improvement in how reported crime is measured and estimated by the federal government.

Detailed data about the characteristics of criminal incidents is captured by NIBRS, including a broad array of offences, types and amount of property lost, demographic information about victims, offenders and persons arrested, and what type of weapon was used in the incident, if any.

“SFPD has just executed a threeyear, $6.2 million contract with CentralSquare Technologies to implement a NIBRS-compliant RMS in the next 18 to 24 months,” reveals Sanson-Mosier.

In support of SFPD’s new NIBRScompliant RMS, the department will be issuing two requests for proposals (RFPs) by March 2023 for vendors to implement new mobile device technologies and connectivity for its fleet vehicles.

“The second RFP will be for a replacement system for our legacy

“Other major efforts include refreshing our smartphones for our officers with Samsung S22 models, and body worn cameras with Axon’s upgraded Body 3 model. Both refreshes will commence in February/ March 2023.”

LICENSE PLATE TECHNOLOGY

Automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology will also be implemented in around 25 fleet vehicles by SFPD in 2023.

In line with the department’s mission to protect life and property, prevent and reduce the fear of crime, ALPR readers allow for the automatic and efficient identification of license plates that may be associated with criminal activity or missing persons.

The quick identification of a license plate enables SFPD to respond to an associated crime, recover a victim’s vehicle, investigate a crime, and lawfully apprehend suspects.

“In 2023, we will be implementing ALPR technology in around 20 to 25 vehicles,” Sanson-Mosier shares.

Vehicle-mounted ALPR technology uses specially-designed cameras to capture digital images from surrounding vehicles as they drive through the streets, which are then transformed into alphanumeric

characters with optical character recognition (OCR) software.

This enables full plate searches with color pictures of identified vehicles, as well as partial plate searches that return possible matches to assist with identifying suspects’ vehicles, as the transformed license plate characters are compared to databases of license plates of interest to operators.

“The ALPR system includes highperformance Internet Protocol (IP) cameras and powerful software that provides consistent and reliable results,” explains Sanson-Mosier.

“The system converts the image (picture of the license plate) to computer data that can be checked

answers

against a database. The City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) Board of Supervisors approved the ALPR policy on 4th August 2021.”

Although the final technology vendor for ALPR is yet to be determined, SFPD is closely reviewing Motorola Solutions’ Vigilant system as it integrates with several other systems and applications currently used by the department.

GAME-CHANGING APPLICATION

Resulting from its technology roadmap strategy, SFPD is also using Microsoft Power Apps and leveraging Office 365 to develop more low

“IN 2023, WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING ALPR TECHNOLOGY IN AROUND 20 TO 25 VEHICLES”

– WILLIAM SANSON-MOSIER, CIO, SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT

The intelligence, technology, and human expertise you need to find trusted

code/no code applications for rapid deployment.

One game-changing effort launching in the next few months is the Returning Stolen Vehicle to Owner System (RESTVOS).

When in the field recovering a stolen vehicle, officers will utilize the RESTVOS application via their department-issued smartphone prior to releasing the vehicle to the registered owner of their agent. Typically, the required fields and subsequent transmittal can be completed within just three minutes.

The origin of this application resulted from an SFPD Disciplinary Review Board (DRB) recommendation in October 2022 to create a mobile application or electronic form, so officers in the field could immediately remove recovered vehicles from the stolen vehicle system.

“The DRB determined that SFPD lacks an efficient method of removing recovered vehicles from the system. Currently, officers must return to a district station to complete a form for the state-wide stolen vehicle system to be updated, which officers can’t always immediately do,” SansonMosier says.

“There was an incident that occurred where a recovered stolen vehicle was released to the owner but not removed from the system quickly enough, so the owner was pulled over by another law enforcement agency. The primary objective of RESTVOS is to prevent this from ever happening again.”

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Because of the various complexities of procurement processes within San Francisco, the Technology Marketplace is an efficient purchasing

model for the city’s technology needs that reduces the time required to complete a transaction from several months to as little as one to two weeks.

Through continuous process improvements, it now consists of more than 50 suppliers with whom the Office of Contract Administration (OCA) has previously negotiated multi-year term contracts for as-needed purchases of technology goods and services.

“Because the suppliers were awarded contracts pursuant to an RFP completed by OCA, there is no need for a public solicitation of each transaction,” explains Sanson-Mosier.

As SFPD moves towards legacy modernization and evolves its cloud strategy and deployment to an as-a-service business model, the importance of partner and supplier

relationships becomes increasingly critical.

“Interdependence among our suppliers increases with respect to cybersecurity, digital governance, and customer relationship management,” Sanson-Mosier notes.

It is a truly symbiotic partnership that must be maintained, nurtured and elevated by SFPD, who likewise maintains a deep sense of purpose and commitment to other team members and the mission of the organization.

SFPD is focused on growing its

staff members’ abilities through training and personal enrichment, which empowers them to continually explore innovations and exceed expectations.

“As a leader, I strive to make staff empowered and responsible for their functional activity and accountable for performance. Staff must have mutual accountability and a clear understanding of members’ responsibilities to the team and their individual obligations,” emphasizes Sanson-Mosier.

With staff involved in developing

strategies to advance the goals of the department, open lines of communication are the key to high performance.

This will be crucial over the coming years as the SFPD Technology Division transforms to better adapt and evolve its strategies and solutions, to keep up with the rapid advancements in technology.

sfpdmediarelations@sfgov.org

www.sanfranciscopolice.org

“OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE SFPD TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION”

– WILLIAM SANSON-MOSIER, CIO, SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT

“We’re constantly challenging and looking at the future of adaptive or automated driving systems. In the electrification space, it’s all about dollars per kWh, and where the chemistry’s going that makes up the battery; improving energy density, more range, more power, and fewer costs.

Depending on your customer profile, total ownership cost (TOC) is fundamental to the value proposition of VIA. As cell chemistries and cell technologies all improve over time, we capitalize on that. The ability to take advantage of future industry trends allows our vehicles to continually refresh - it's how we build the architecture.

Through the acquisition of VIA Motors by Ideanomics, we will benefit from partners like Wave, industry leaders in wireless charging, which is another major trend in the industry.”

“2023 is sure to follow with further 5G expansion, growth of Internet-OfThings and additional Smart Cities to come online. All three of those opportunities will lead to an increase in information transfer. As the number of users of information increases and dependency on real-time data transmission is realized, there will

inevitably be an increase in landline fiber bandwidth. We should expect to see additional power cooperatives follow suit and provide their customers with high-speed internet. With the additional projects we can foresee, as an industry we can expect further material, workforce, and equipment shortages. But in the end, the projects will continue, and we will be further connected to each other as a result.”

“The future of retail in 2023 will be defined by the following:

• Inflation and its impact on

consumer spending.

• Concerns of a recession and the impact that will have on consumer spending.

• Redistribution of shopper traffic and spending (e-commerce growth slows as more shoppers go in-store), and what this means for labor and inventory distribution.

• Continued labor shortages, particularly for hourly workers within stores and distribution centers.

• More challenges of competing on price as costs (materials, logistics, labor, etc.) increase for retailers.

• Rising adoption of BOPIS and curbside pickup, and the internal technology systems and processes needed to enable this (e.g., OMS, IMS).”

What trends do you forecast impacting your industry in 2023?

To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question

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