SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY – SOARING HIGH IN WIREGRASS REGION Wiregrass Economic Development HIGH-TECH SUSTAINABILITY Caglia Environmental TEN YEARS OF PROGRESS IN RAW PET FOOD MANUFACTURING Big Country Raw BUSINESSINFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM JUN E 2 02 2FINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFIND SEPT. 12-17, 2022 • MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO DIGITAL MANUFACTURING. IMPLEMENTED. AMT028560 IMTS Find It Meteorology Ad Business in Focus Trim: 8.27” in. x 11.69” in. FINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFIND SEPT. 12-17, 2022 • MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO DIGITAL MANUFACTURING. IMPLEMENTED. AMT028560 IMTS Find It Meteorology Ad Business in Focus Trim: 8.27” in. x 11.69” in. EDITOR’S CORNER FINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFIND SEPT. 12-17, 2022 • MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO DIGITAL MANUFACTURING. IMPLEMENTED. AMT028560 IMTS Find It Meteorology Ad Business in Focus Trim: 8.27” in. x 11.69” in. FINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFINDFIND SEPT. 12-17, 2022 • MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO DIGITAL MANUFACTURING. IMPLEMENTED. AMT028560 IMTS Find It Meteorology Ad Business in Focus Trim: 8.27” in. x 11.69” in. 3 For this year’s National Safety Month at Business in Focus, we are looking at a business world that has been changed by a pandemic. The notion of what ‘safety’ encompasses has certainly changed, and everything from the require- ments of protective equipment to the added mental health challenges resulting from isolation and working from home is being re- evaluated. The safety industry adapts, as it should, and we are looking at how. In addition to physical and environmental hazards resulting from the nature of a given task, PPE developers and manufac- turers are also considering biological concerns for inter-per- sonal contact as well as the challenges presented by soaring temperatures. Pauline Müller takes a closer look at this in her latest piece, Keeping Workers Safe and Comfortable – Health and Safety in a Changing World. Also in this issue, Margaret Eaton takes a look at how the business world has adapted to isolation. She’s spoken with leaders in human resources who are overcoming the challeng- es of camaraderie and teamwork in the new work-from-home model and put together a very interesting read in We’re in This Together – Keeping Colleagues Connected, While Apart. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Allison Dempsey | Claire Suttles | Jen Hocken Robert Hoshowsky | Pauline Müller David Caldwell | Margaret Eaton CONTENT TEAM MANAGER James Corbett SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER Brad Mike CONTENT MANAGERS Aaron Ferguson SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Luke Simms SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Severina Gachparova GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laura Pratt | Ashley Dowling Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva REGIONAL DIRECTOR Adam Cameron CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff Hocken “The notion of what ‘safety’ encompasses has certainly changed…”INSIDE JUNE WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES 4 Health and Safety in a Changing World As the COVID-19 pandemic has made personal protective equip- ment something everyone has had to think about, designers of such gear are stepping up to the challenge of creating more comfortable, more effective equipment and workwear for those who need it most. 5 BUSINESS IN FOCUS PACKAGING BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING SUMMIT 13 – 14 June, Chicago, IL The Packaging Brand Strategy & Marketing Summit is an invitation-only, premium forum bringing together leading packaging executives and innovative suppliers and solution providers. Key topics include: Sustainability; Technology; Brand Storytelling; Strategic Brand Management; Standing Out In A Digital World; and Utilizing The Omnichannel World. For more information UNIVERSAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPO 13 – 16 June, Toronto, ON Themed, “Profitability and Global Economy,” UEE is a universal event aimed at bringing business owners together to reach the same strategic goal. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook Inc. will be leading the train of facilitators, and exhibitors from around the world will be showcasing while facilitation takes place simultaneously. For more information CANADA’S FARM SHOW 21 – 23 June, Regina, SK “The biggest stage for the best in Ag,” Canada’s Farm Show connects local producers and international customers with the latest in dryland farming equipment, technology, and innovation. This event delivers agricultural products and equipment, agricultural technologies, produc- tion equipment, agricultural accessories, and experts in the agriculture and forestry industry. For more information EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & COMPENSATION SUMMIT 27 – 28 June, San Diego, CA The Employee Benefits & Compensation Summit brings together leading senior benefit and compensation executives and innovative suppli- ers and solution providers. The Summit’s content is aligned with key HR challenges and interests, relevant market developments, and practical and progressive ideas and strategies adopted by successful pioneers, and will look at Attracting And Retaining Top Employees; Approaching COVID-19 At The Workplace; Upgrading Your Wellness Programs For What Is Next; Understanding The Evolving World Of Medical Plans; Developing A Caring Culture; and Improving Communication With Your Workforce. For more information TALENT MANAGEMENT SUMMIT 27 – 28 June, San Diego, CA The Talent Management Summit provides a platform that helps America’s leading learning, HR and talent management executives evaluate and partner with relevant suppliers and solution providers. Topics to include: Reimagining The Way We Work; Creating Learning Journeys To Support The Business; Rethinking Talent Experience; Creating A Successful Hybrid Work Model; Developing Leaders For The Future World Of Work; and Refreshing Your Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Strategy. For more information INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Business Industry? To get your event listed in Business in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS APPLE DISCONTINUES ICONIC IPOD In the world of electronics, some products are legendary, such as the build-it-yourself home computer kits like the MITS Altair 8800, and the first VHS players in the mid-seventies. In the world of audio, the greatest single invention remained the Sony Walkman. Taking North America by storm when it was introduced in 1980, the Walkman remained king for years – until the creation of MP3 players, which allowed listeners the ability to carry hundreds, even thousands, of songs on a device smaller than their palm. Although other portable MP3 players came and went (remember the Microsoft Zune?), none came close to the iPod. Released by computer giant Apple in 2001, the iPod was ahead of its time. Sadly for music lovers, its time has ended, with the computer giant announcing the iPod Touch – the last available model – is being discontinued. This follows Apple stopping production of the iPod Nano and Shuffle in 2017. Once word came out that the iPod Touch will no longer be manufactured and no longer for sale in most countries other than the United States, collectors began snapping up limited supplies. Although the product is gone, it will live on as the company’s first successful handheld device, which paved the way for Apple’s first iPhone. GOOGLE PULLS OUT OF RUSSIA financial obligations, including paying staff, suppliers, and vendors, forcing the Russian arm of Google to file for bank- ruptcy. For the time being, some free search services and YouTube will remain available for Russian users. Google joins an ever-expanding list of approximately 1,000 companies that have curtailed operations in Russia or left entirely since the war began in February. In late May, fast food giant McDonald’s exited the country after 32 years. American multinational coffee chain Starbucks – which has had a Russian presence for 15 years – is following suit, closing 130 of its licensed cafés. As of March 8, Starbucks suspended all business activities in Russia. In late May, the company stated it had made the decision to exit Russia, including its brand presence. “We will continue to support the nearly 2,000 green apron partners in Russia, including pay for six months and assistance for partners to transition to new opportunities outside of Starbucks,” stated the company in a media release. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and crumbling rela- tions between Russia and the United States, technology giant Google has become the latest company to leave the country. When Russian authorities seized the bank account of Google’s subsidiary, it made it impossible for the company to meet rblfmr / Shutterstock.com 7INDUSTRY NEWS MADE IN CANADA ARMOURED VEHICLES HEADING TO UKRAINE ELON MUSK’S STARLINK REACHES 400,000 SUBSCRIBERS The brains behind Tesla, Inc., Space X, Neuralink and other com- panies, Elon Musk is as famous for his controversial business moves as he is for the technologies his businesses pioneer. Recently, Starlink – which specializes in high-speed and low- latency broadband Internet in rural and remote locations – saw in a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing that it has over 400,000 subscribers worldwide, a significant gain from 250,000 in March. In the past few months, Starlink has been rolling out access to its services in 32 countries, most recently Ukraine in order to keep the country connected to the Internet. Along with increasing its base, the company just launched its new Starlink RV service, which will offer its high-speed/low- latency Internet in some areas, with Musk tweeting, “Starlink now available for RVs, campers & other large vehicles users (note antenna too big for cars).” SpaceX also states Starlink for RVs is not designed for use while in motion. The service is billed in one-month increments so customers can customize their Starlink for RVs service, depending on their needs. made by Roshel, “and we will supply them to our Ukrainian friends as quickly as possible.” Some of Roshel’s clients include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), NASA, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Canada’s Department of National Defence, Brinks, and Gardaworld. A prominent smart armoured vehicle manufacturer in North America is making vehicles to aid the war effort in Ukraine. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Roshel is behind a range of vehicles for commercial and government organizations. Recently, Minister of National Defence Anita Anand tweeted that Canada finalized a contract for eight armoured vehicles 8INDUSTRY NEWS INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AWARD AWARDED TO SHELLY MANDEVILLE regard to be of such high esteem,” stated Ms. Mandeville. “As an Indigenous woman without access to generational wealth, I have built something from nothing, and it is my wish that other Indigenous women find the strength to also believe in themselves. I am optimistic that Canada is at a pivotal moment where Indigenous women can finally take their rightful position in our society. I am proud to be an example for the next generation demonstrating that, no matter our history and hardship, we can harness the strength we inher- ently possess, and make real advancements.” Tabatha Bull, President and CEO at the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, stated: “With her determination, hard work, and integrity, Shelly Mandeville embodies a leading woman in business and is an inspiration to many. With her work in Indigenous communities and Indigenous employment, she represents CCAB’s vision and is more than deserving to be the recipient of the Indigenous Women in Leadership award.” The Indigenous Women in Leadership award is proudly spon- sored by LNG Canada. On June 16, 2022, Ms. Mandeville will be honoured at CCAB’s IWIL Business Forum in Calgary, Alberta. The Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) recently announced Indigenous entrepreneur Shelly Mandeville as the recipient of the 2022 Indigenous Women in Leadership (IWIL) award. Recipients of the IWIL award are leaders and mentors, politically and nationally engaged businesswomen contribut- ing to the lives of Indigenous people and business. A Dene-Métis entrepreneur, Ms. Mandeville is Chief Executive Officer and cofounder of three companies operating in her home territory, the Northwest Territories (NWT), and Alberta. In 2008, she started her first business, In Synch Consulting Inc., and went on to create Naoka Incorporated and Wildrose Contractor Supports Ltd., and remains committed to working closely with Indigenous com- munities and advancing economic development. Along with being a business leader, Ms. Mandeville was key to the creation of Aspiring Women in Leadership and Legacy (AWILL), and serves on many boards, including as past chair- woman for Apeetogosan Métis Development Inc., Vice-Chair for the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, and Chairwoman of Boyle Street Aboriginal Services. “I am absolutely honoured to be selected and to be posi- tioned amongst the past winners of this award whom I Blake Elliott / Shutterstock.com 9Next >