You don’t want to miss this year’s Innovation Exchange, taking place November 7, 2024. Together the IA network will be exploring What’s Next for the future of business in historical Niagara-on-the-Lake. Tickets for this year’s Exchange are limited – register today to secure your spot.

This year’s Exchange serves as a unique opportunity for leaders to gain valuable insights and perspectives that will shape innovative solutions for the future of the economy, technology, media, and your businesses “What’s Next?” will unfold just a day after the US election, offering a unique opportunity to analyze election outcomes and their implications for business leaders and the economy in real-time with keynote speakers Peter Hall and Steve Malinowski.

Steve’s Keynote; “What's Next for You and Your Company”, will explore what considerations are involved in charting the path towards an ideal future for business owners and their business. As a 4X external CEO brought into family businesses to innovate and drive growth, Steve knows firsthand the various considerations involved in determining ‘what’s next’ for business owners.

Peter’s Keynote; “What’s Next for the Economy”, will focus on the results of the recent US election, highlighting the impacts of the outcome, and considerations for business owners and entrepreneurs in Canada.

The afternoon breakout sessions will include the following options for IA members to choose from: “What’s Next for Social Selling” by IA member Aby Alameddine and his team from Core Online Marketing, “What’s Next for Succession Planning” by IA sponsor representative Jaclyn Cairns, “What’s Next for Cross-border Considerations”, facilitated by Keynote Speaker Peter Hall, and an initial introduction to the Entrepreneurial Operating System. Learn more about breakout sessions and speakers here.

This event is not to be missed! Join us for inspiring presentations by industry leaders and experts, and networking with your Innovators peers as we collectively chart the path ahead.

Tickets are limited – register today to guarantee your spot.

Start: November 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
End: November 7, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Where: The Prince of Wales Hotel, 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1JO

Note: Tickets for the Exchange Retreat (November 6, 2024) have sold out. Please inquire with Stefanie Ince if you’d like to explore alternative lodging and to book a ticket for the IA Networking dinner on November 6^th.

Contact Information
Sylvie Sharpe
Member Services Manager
647-986-2206
[email protected]

Innovation Exchange “What’s Next” Agenda

November 6, 2024

Time	Event
3:00 p.m.	Hotel Check-In
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.	IA Innovation Exchange Registration
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.	“AI Made Simple: Hands-On Workshop for Business Leaders” – delivered by Guest Speaker, Shelby Grassick
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.	Structured "speed networking" with others from the IA Community
6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.	Break / Refresh and Travel to Queen’s Landing for Dinner
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.	Networking Dinner at the Queen’s Landing
8:30 p.m - 10:00 p.m.	The Olde Angel Inn Pub - After Dinner Activity

Download Agenda and Map

Start: November 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
End: November 7, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Where: The Prince of Wales Hotel, 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1JO

Contact Information
Sylvie Sharpe
Member Services Manager
647-986-2206
[email protected]

Innovation Exchange “What’s Next” Agenda

November 7, 2024

Time	Event
8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.	Breakfast
8:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.	What's Next for You and Your Company with Steve Malinowski
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Networking Break
10:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.	What's Next for the Economy with Peter Hall
12:15 p.m. - 12:55 p.m.	Lunch
12:55 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.	Breakout Sessions - Choose one of the following: What's Next for Social Selling – IA Member Aby Alameddine, Core Online Marketing What's Next for Succession Planning – IA Sponsor Representative, Jaclyn Cairns, Grant Thornton What's Next for Cross Border Selling – Peter Hall, Innovation Exchange Keynote Speaker What's Next for Your Business (EOS Overview) – IA Sponsor, Jeremy Robinson EOS
2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.	Close & Wrap Up

Download Agenda and Map

Start: November 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
End: November 7, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Where: The Prince of Wales Hotel, 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1JO

Contact Information
Sylvie Sharpe
Member Services Manager
647-986-2206
[email protected]

Peter Hall

Peter Hall is CEO of econosphere inc., a boutique business strategy advisory firm. In this capacity he is involved in advising leading Canadian industry associations and corporations, advising and promoting international initiatives, and conducting ad hoc project work. Mr. Hall is a special advisor to both Martinrea International and Elevate Export Finance, is a Fellow-In-Residence at the C.D. Howe Institute, writes a regular column in the Financial Post, comments in various other media channels and speaks at conferences and with senior executive teams in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Until recently, he was chief economist at Export Development Canada, heading up a large team of economists and country risk analysts that provided model-driven forecasting for internal and external business strategy purposes, transaction risk analysis for over 160 countries, analytical modeling, and data systems support. In addition to advising EDCs executive team and board of directors, Mr. Hall personally delivered dozens of presentations annually to a wide variety of business, government and academic audiences in Canada, the United States and internationally. He also authored EDCs widely-circulated Weekly Commentary. Prior to his work at EDC, Mr. Hall directed the economic forecasting activities of the Conference Board of Canada. He has served as the president of the Canadian Association for Business Economics, a 600+ member organization of professional economists, and also its largest local chapter, the Ottawa Economics Association. He has served on the board and as an advisor to multiple Ottawa-area charities.

Mr. Hall has degrees in economics from the University of Toronto and Carleton University.

Steve Malinowski

Steve Malinowski is the former President and CEO at Janes Family Foods, Kraus Floors, ABM-KIS North America, and Club Coffee LP. After starting his career at GM, NCR, AT&T, Noma, and Maple Leaf Foods, Steve has become an accomplished CEO who has a history of operational, cultural, and financial turnarounds in diverse industries and markets, leading manufacturing and distribution companies with 100-1100 employees and $40M-$585M in revenue. Steve has led businesses in Canada, USA, Brazil, and Australia, with global supply chain partnerships in China, Japan, Indonesia, Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Scotland, Italy, and Portugal.

Steve currently advises business owners & entrepreneurs, family-founders, and C-level executives on strategy, competitive advantage, human capital, and company culture; and how to prepare for leadership succession and ownership transition (company sale or transfer).

Shelby Grassick

Shelby Grassick is a dynamic professional with a rich and diverse background spanning academia, nonprofits, government, private corporations, and franchising. With formal education rooted in both the sciences and the arts, Shelby brings a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and innovation. Her career journey has taken her from project coordination in the nonprofit sector to strategic roles in government and private corporations, where she honed her skills in digital marketing, graphic design, and business development.

Since December 2022, Shelby has been at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into business processes, leading to transformative outcomes in the organizations she serves. As the leader of the AI council for Alliance Franchise Brands, Shelby spearheads initiatives that leverage AI to optimize operations, enhance customer engagement, and drive growth across the company’s vast network of over 550 locations in North America.

Currently, Shelby serves as the Franchise Development Marketing Manager at Alliance Franchise Brands, where she combines her expertise in marketing and AI to attract top-tier franchise candidates. Her passion for blending analytical and creative solutions has made her a respected voice in the industry. And, thanks to her AI expertise, she also knows how to craft an impressive-sounding bio—just like this one.

Start: November 7, 2024 at 8:00 am
End: November 7, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Where: The Prince of Wales Hotel, 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S1JO