Speakers
CEO - Vanguard Strategy Inc
CEO - Vanguard Strategy Inc
Michelle Cadario
CEO - Vanguard Strategy Inc
Michele Cadario was the first woman in Canada to run a national election as Campaign Director for the Liberal Party in 2004 following her success as National Director for Paul Martin’s leadership campaign. She served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Martin and was a key member of each of his transition teams. More recently she was a senior strategist in the 2013 & 2017 BC Liberal campaigns and Deputy Chief of Staff to Premier Christy Clark until 2017.
Today, Michele is CEO of Vanguard Strategy Inc., a consulting firm specializing in organizational structuring, strategic communications, and issues management and a Principal of J&M Network. Michele is also a regular political television commentator.
President & CEO - George Courey Inc
President & CEO - George Courey Inc
Jeff Courey
President & CEO - George Courey Inc
Jeff Courey is the President & CEO of George Courey Inc, a prestigious 114-year-old institutional textile business renowned for manufacturing and distributing reusable healthcare products across North America. A visionary leader, Jeff collaborates with global manufacturing partners, implementing hedging strategies and country diversification audits to navigate complexities successfully. With a global perspective, Jeff is at the forefront of the institutional textile industry, actively collaborating with manufacturing partners from diverse corners of the world. His keen eye for market trends and unparalleled strategic thinking have led him to expertly navigate complex challenges, leveraging hedging strategies and conducting meticulous country diversification audits.
A prominent figure in the institutional textile community, Jeff's influence extends far beyond the boardroom. He is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, captivating audiences with insightful presentations on the evolving state of the global textile industry. Jeff's charismatic presence graces educational conferences and conventions throughout North America, igniting discussions and inspiring innovative solutions.
Jeff's influence extends to esteemed industry organizations, where he sits on the Board of Directors of both the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) and the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA). He also has the privilege of contributing to the American Laundry News publication regularly as a member of their Panel of Experts. Jeff holds a Bachelor's degree from the John Molson School of Business and a Master's degree from McGill University.
Group Vice President North Atlantic - Cintas Canada
Group Vice President North Atlantic - Cintas Canada
James Dawe
Group Vice President North Atlantic - Cintas Canada
James graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with a degree in Political Science and Economics in 2000. He then served five years as an Infantry Officer on various assignments including a tour of duty in Bosnia-Herzegovina. James retired from the Canadian Forces as a Captain in 2005.
James began his career at Cintas in May 2005 as a Service Manager for the rental division. Over the course of the next decade, he progressively held a number of key positions including Branch Manager of a newly established location in Ottawa, Ontario, General Manager for the Boucherville, QC location, and Director of Sales and Operations for Eastern Canada. James is currently the Group Vice-President for the North Atlantic Group.
James resides in Kingston, Ontario with his wife, Sommar and his two daughters, Lauren and Caroline.
Vice President of SSC Operations - JENSEN
Vice President of SSC Operations - JENSEN
Anders Hansen
Vice President of SSC Operations - JENSEN
President, Canadian Operations - UniFirst
President, Canadian Operations - UniFirst
Annie Houle
President, Canadian Operations - UniFirst
Hall of Fame Head Coach - Canadian Freestyle Ski Team
Hall of Fame Head Coach - Canadian Freestyle Ski Team
Peter Judge
Hall of Fame Head Coach - Canadian Freestyle Ski Team
Founder and CEO - Wellington Advocacy
Founder and CEO - Wellington Advocacy
Nick Koolsbergen
Founder and CEO - Wellington Advocacy
As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wellington Advocacy, Nick draws on his 15 years of political experience across Canada to advise the senior leadership of some of Canada’s largest companies and associations. Prior to Wellington, Nick directed issues management for the Prime Minister of Canada, served as Chief of Staff to the former Premiers of British Columbia and Alberta, and as a political party Campaign Director.
Vice President, Sales and Product Development - General Recycled Ltd
Vice President, Sales and Product Development - General Recycled Ltd
Dave Kasper
Vice President, Sales and Product Development - General Recycled Ltd
I began my textile career in 1989, as a sales representative for Les Tricots Manoir Inc, a circular knitting mill and dyehouse in Montreal, Quebec. In 1993, I was transferred by Manoir to Vancouver, British Columbia to open a West Coast office servicing Canada and the Pacific North West of the USA. I created a textile sales agency, D.Kasper Agencies Inc in 2003, with a focus on the industrial workwear market place, working with Davey Textile Solutions, Peerless Garments, American & Efird and YKK. In 2012, along with business partners Ted Parker (CEO) and Larry Suzuki (V.P Finance), we incorporated General Recycled. Based in Vancouver, with operations in Alberta and Quebec, we patented a Made in Canada solution to recycle Meta and Para-aramid used garments and fabrics in a “closed loop” system.
VP, Government Affairs - TRSA
VP, Government Affairs - TRSA
Kevin Schwalb
VP, Government Affairs - TRSA
Kevin Schwalb is TRSA’s Vice President of Government Relations and certifications. He comes to TRSA after serving as a Presidential appointee of President George W. Bush to the Department of Labor. While at the Department of Labor, Schwalb worked directly for Labor Secretary Elaine Chow representing DOL to such stakeholders as congressional leaders, business leaders such as CEOs of Fortune 50 companies as well as small businesses owners. Among the issues Kevin was involved in were Free Trade Agreements, Family and Medical Leave Act revisions and labor organization policy.
Prior to the Department of Labor Kevin was the Federal Legislative Director to the National Association of Home Builders for environmental policy dealing with such issues as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.
While at TRSA, Schwalb has defended the linen, uniform and facility services industry on many federal, state and city issues ranging from fighting President Obama’s Overtime proposal which would have cost the industry millions of dollars, updating healthcare linen regulations at the state level and enacting tax rebates saving laundry operators thousands of dollars annually. Schwalb was instrumental in leading the team that developed TRSA’s certification programs: Clean Green and Hygienically Clean programs.