UNews - banking

Townley asks if Montana is open for business

trevor.kenney — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:10:13 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Economics instructor/researcher Donna Townley is working in partnership with the Montana West Economic Development group and the Kalispell and Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureaus to produce a seminar for Flathead Valley businesses interested in improving and increasing relationships with Canadian visitors and neighbors.

At a free morning-long seminar on Friday, Apr. 29 at Kalispell's Flathead Valley Community College, Townley will give a snapshot of the Canadian economy, the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar and her research-based explanation of who visits the Flathead Valley and why.

While it may be common knowledge that there are a lot of Canadian visitors and residents in the area, the actual definition of 'a lot' will surprise many, and hopefully lead to an increased awareness of the impact that Canadians have on the regional economy.

"The ultimate purpose is to provide local business owners information about Canadians that they will be able to use to continue building strong relationships across the border and provide the best customer service possible," Townley says.

The seminar is sponsored by Glacier Bank and will cover the Canadian economy, currency exchange, international credit and debit cards, marketing, advertising, Canadian holidays and border regulations.

Of special interest is a short presentation on technology that allows businesses to track Canadian sales, as well as a panel discussion by local business owners who will discuss their current activities to build customer relations.

Local financial organizations will also be available to answer questions about banking and credit card practices and how to overcome obstacles.

"We hope to identify those businesses looking for opportunities for Valley-wide cooperation to attract Canadians to the area for entertainment, shopping, recreation, home purchase and business investment," adds Kim Morisaki, manager of Client Development and Resources, Montana West Economic Development.

Among other activities, Flathead Living and Lethbridge Living Magazine have come to an agreement to distribute one another's publications in the other's city.

A number of copies of Flathead Living will be available to a targeted market in Lethbridge, while Lethbridge Living magazine will also be available in the Flathead Valley area over the summer.

Career Fair opening doors

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:11:37 +0000

It has proven to be one of the most important days of the year for some ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students. By the number of corporate clients that choose to participate every fall, it's obviously a key date on the calendar for them. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's annual Career Fair is the epitome of a win-win situation.

Presented by the Career Resources Centre and specifically the Career and Employment Services office, Career Fair runs Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the indoor track of the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

More than 90 organizations will once again take part in the event, providing U of L students with access to information on careers in government, agriculture, the oil and gas industry, banking, health, human and social services, criminal justice, education, retail fitness and more.

A volunteer contingent of up to 70 students helps co-ordinate the one-day career blitz and with ample evidence of past success stories, organizers are confident in saying it's a must to attend for students beginning to plan their career path.

"The feedback we get from both students and employers is wonderful," says Pat Tanaka, director of Career & Employment Services. "So many of our students have started their careers with this fair, and even for those who have no idea what they are planning on doing in the future, it's a valuable information resource for them to start getting ideas."

Wendy Peters, manager, internships at Alberta Municipal Affairs, has used the Career Fair setting to benefit her organization.

"In my experience, this is the best fair offered in terms of how well prepared the students are and how well the employers are treated when they come to campus," says Peters.

Alberta Municipal Affairs has an already established relationship with the U of L's Geography Department and, combined with their Career Fair presence, received great interest in their internship program for new graduates this past year. A total of 19 students applied, four of whom were hired as interns in the Administrator Program and two others who were accepted to the Land Use Planner program, giving the U of L six interns in total.

This year, it's expected a number of alumni will be back on campus, this time representing employers looking to bring more U of L students on board. Tanaka says they will welcome
18 alumni, with the promise of more to come.

"Simply put, it works for both students and employers," she says.

Gaudet serving the greater good

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:59:15 +0000

Whether it means taking on the powers that be or courageously facing a room full of "Dragons," Kevin Gaudet (BA '91), federal director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), stands strong in his convictions, a legacy of valour that runs in his family.

"My grandfather, Walthen Gaudet, was the mayor of Charlottetown. He saw public service as a noble profession and lived up to the values of truth, duty and honour. I was brought up that way by my parents," says Gaudet. "They taught me to stand up for what I believe in, and they incubated a curious mind, encouraged it and put up with it."

Gaudet spent much of his childhood moving across Canada with his family, ending up in Lethbridge for his Grade 12 year. After graduating from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in 1986, Gaudet spent a year studying engineering at Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, B.C., before deciding that was not the path for him.

"I went back to Lethbridge because my family was there. I was aware of the benefits of a liberal arts undergraduate degree so it was a rather easy decision for me to attend the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I could stay at home and get a really good quality education," explains Gaudet.

After taking an introductory philosophy course, Gaudet fell in love with the discipline and chose it as a major.

"When I told my parents, they asked me what the hell I was going to do with that, and of course I told them ,'I can do anything I want'," says Gaudet.

He was right. Studying philosophy began opening doors for him from the outset of his education. In his second year at U of L, Gaudet worked as a teacher's assistant for his philosophy professor, U of L President Emeritus Dr. John Woods. He also cut his political teeth that year by winning a seat on school council. Gaudet regards his time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in a very positive light.

"The professors were open and friendly and with the smaller size of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ you could actually get in the doors to talk to your professors so that they could prove to you just how wrong you were when you proposed ideas," laughs Gaudet. "Lethbridge has an interesting culture with its agricultural community, influx of foreign students and religious community. It provides the campus a rich diversity of experience, opportunity and thought, all in one place."

Following his graduation in 1991, Gaudet's education and career continued to grow. He spent five years as the director of opposition research for Preston Manning, graduated with an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario in 2000, and worked for various telecommunications, banking, computer and medical technology companies, performing marketing strategy and government relations.

In 2007, Gaudet began working as the Ontario director of the CTF and became the federal director in January 2008. As director, he is responsible for looking at all policy matters relating to the federal government. The CTF advocates for lower taxes, less waste and a more accountable government. Gaudet does whatever is necessary to get that message out, whether it is planning a rally, or presenting his flat tax message on the television show Dragons' Den.

Gaudet hopes to affect positive change on the national stage and his former professor is proud of the path he's taken since his time at the U of L.

"Kevin's skills are abundantly evident in his work. His policy analyses show an impressive analytical intelligence at work; his television appearances show a cool, elegant and engaging advocate," says Woods. "Kevin Gaudet reflects great credit upon the university that trained him."

GET THE FACTS

• Born in Halifax, N.S., Gaudet has lived in eight Canadian provinces

• He studied logic at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Amsterdam (summer 1990) and is fluent in both English and French

• Gaudet took over for John Williamson as federal director of the CTF

• Volunteering as a scout leader in Toronto, he says his greatest personal accomplishment is, "A very successful marriage and three wonderful children."

UNews - banking

Townley asks if Montana is open for business

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Career Fair opening doors

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Gaudet serving the greater good

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