Impact on Business-Rotary Employment Partnership

Wendy McDonald – Chief Operating Officer, Inclusion Alberta

David Hood – Chief Executive Officer, Geologic Systems

Mike Colborne – Chair Calgary Steering Committee, Rotary Employment Partnership

Davey Santos – Data Entry Technician, Geologic Systems

Carla Hamarsnes – Coordinator Rotary Employment Partnership, Inclusion Alberta

Impact on Business – The Rotary Employment Partnership

At the RI Convention in Buenos Aires in 2000, RI President Frank Devlin spoke about creating more employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  Rotarian Wendy McDonald was inspired.  In 2001, as President of the Mayfield Club in Edmonton, Wendy started on the first steps to create the Rotary Employment Partnership.  That partnership with Rotary and Inclusion Alberta became the Rotary Employment Partnership.

Wendy is now Chief Operating Officer of Inclusion Alberta. She will talk about the importance of Rotary as the Partnership’s connection to the business community.  Since those early days in 2001, 476 employees have been hired in Alberta.  More than 220 businesses have become employers.  In 2012, Rotarian Mike Colborne formed a Partnership Steering Committee for the 13 Rotary Clubs in Calgary.  Since then, 64 employees have been hired in Calgary.

Mike is CEO of Pacific Western Transportation and will lead a panel discussion on the Impact on Business of the Rotary Employment Partnership.  He led the way in Calgary with the first hiring at Red Arrow. 

David Hood, Davey Santos and Carla Hamarsnes will be on the panel.  David Hood is a Rotarian and CEO of Geologic Systems.  With the assistance of the Partnership, Geologic hired Davey Santos four years ago in its Data Acquisition Department. 

Carla is a Coordinator for the Partnership and works directly with employees and co-workers.

The Meeting will be a unique opportunity to discover how Rotary is making a difference in people’s lives, one job at a time.