Michael Adams is the president of the Environics group of research and communications consulting companies which he co-founded in 1970 and which today employ over 200 professionals in offices located in seven cities in Canada and the United States.

In addition to numerous articles, frequent commentary in the broadcast media and presentations at conferences, seminars and annual meetings in North America, Europe and Asia, Mr. Adams is also the author of four Canadian best sellers: Sex in the Snow: Canadian Social Values at the End of the Millennium (published in 1997), Better Happy Than Rich? Canadians, Money and the Meaning of Life, (2000) and Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values, (2003), and American Backlash: The Untold Story of Social Change in the United States, (2005). All four books have been published by Penguin.

Fire and Ice won the prestigious 2003/04 Donner Prize for the best book on Canadian public policy and was selected in the fall of 2005 by the Literary Review of Canada as one of the 100 most important books ever published in the country.

His current book entitled Unlikely Utopia: The Surprising Triumph of Canadian Pluralism, published in November 2007, focuses on the promise and challenge of Canadian multiculturalism.

In 2006 he founded the Environics Institute to sponsor survey research that will contribute to the discussion of important public policy issues. To date, the Institute has sponsored a survey of Canadian Muslims, a survey of the people of Afghanistan on issues related to the NATO mission in that country, a survey of Canadian’s engagement with the world plus an academic study of the impact of published polls on voting behaviour. The Institute is currently undertaking a major research project on urban aboriginal life in Canada.

Michael Adams holds an Honours B.A. in Political Science from Queen's University (1969) and a M.A. in Sociology from the University of Toronto (1970) and was named as one of the 100 most influential people in Canadian communications according to Marketing Magazine’s Power List 2005. In 2008 Michael Adams was appointed to the Ontario Premier’s Climate Change Advisory Panel. In the spring of 2009, he will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters from Ryerson University in Toronto.

Outside the field of research consulting, Mr. Adams has a variety of other interests including, since 1990, partnership in the Robert Craig Winery in Napa Valley, California, which has been rated by The Wine Spectator as one of the top 25 wineries in California.

In 2006, he inaugurated the Michael Adams Creative Writing Scholarship at his former high school, North Albion Collegiate, in Rexdale. The graduating student judged to have written the best personal essay is awarded first year tuition at an Ontario college or university.

Jeff Beck has an exceptional ability to find the marketing heart of the business matter. By bringing both analytical acumen and creative insight to his work, he transforms strategic ideas into award-winning campaigns.

Since joining Questrade as the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Jeff has implemented CRM initiatives, tactical online marketing, brand-response advertising and PR programs. These initiatives have catapulted Questrade into the top position in Canada for growth (fastest-growing brokerage) and activity (highest per-client revenue).

The impressive results he has achieved in such a short period at Questrade come from years of CRM and integrated marketing experience. At Air Canada, he was the driving force behind Aeroplan, the airline’s award winning loyalty program. Jeff’s customer acquisition and retention strategies contributed to the CIBC Aerogold Visa card becoming the number one premium credit card in Canada. He was the architect behind one of Canada’s most successful loyalty programs - M&M Meat Shop’s Max Program. As Director, CRM, for Holt Renfrew, he formulated customer experience management strategy and implemented the technology solutions and marketing tactics to identify and nurture their most valuable customer relationships.

Jeff’s work has been recognized with multiple awards, including CMA Awards, Mobius Awards and Marketing Awards. He has often been invited to present at various marketing conferences. He earned an MBA from Concordia University in Montreal, where he also taught management strategy for seven years.

• Over 27 years of information services marketing experience
• Began his career at the Global Television Network in Toronto in 1977.
• Following Global, Brent began a 12 year career at Nielsen Media Research–eventually becoming a Vice President of A.C. Nielsen. Heavily involved in the launch of the People Meter in Canada
• After Nielsen, Brent joined Compusearch Micromarketing Data and Systems (a major provider of geodemographic consumer and business information) ultimately becoming Vice President of Sales.
• Prior to initiating the Media Metrix service in Canada as its leader, Brent was President of Harris Media Systems, a major Canadian software builder of advertising planning tools across all media.
• Brent began the Media Metrix service in Canada in late 1999 as it’s first and only president. Media Metrixs’ North American operations were acquired by comScore in spring 2002.
• Brent was active on the board of the IAB for seven years and served as Chairman of the organization from 2004 to June 2006. Brent was very involved in the creation of the IAB’s CMOST (Canadian Media Optimization Program and is currently on the board of CARF (Canadian Advertising Research Association) & NABS (The National Advertising Benevolent Society)
• In late 2005 Brent was named to Marketing Magazine’s Power List of the 100 Most Influential People in Canadian Communications. All 100 were recognized for their leadership, innovation and clout.
• Brent currently leads a rapidly expanding team of account people who service and support over 145 customers in Canada. comScore Media Metrix is the only Canadian company that maintains a panel of Canadians for the purposes of reporting and evaluating their actual online behaviour. With a current panel of ~25,000 people per month, comScore has the ability to benchmark sites vs. their category, evaluate demographic delivery and monitor the growth of the online market across many different business sectors.
• Brent has most recently been intimately involved in the development of comScore’s Panel Centric Hybrid measurement and helping Canada be at the forefront of this digital measurement enhancement.

Jim Driscoll is the Director of Marketing for Carlton Cards, Canada’s leading greeting card manaufacturer in Toronto.

He began his career with Carlton Cards in the Field Sales organization in 1992. He transferred to Toronto in 1997 and assumed sales responsibility for several key National chains including Shoppers Drug Mart, Eaton’s, Walmart and Zellers.

Jim has spent the last 6 years leading the Marketing team for Carlton Cards. For the last 2 years he added responsibility for sales analytics and research to his portfolio.

Jim has also spent time in the sales organizations for Procter and Gamble and Nestle.

Jim holds a marketing degree from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

Mary-Ann Lanyon is a Marketing Executive with over 25 years in marketing, advertising, communications, and strategic planning. She possess an enviable track record in building brands, and has held Senior Management roles in Client and Agency organizations, as well as the Private and Public sectors.

As V.P. Marketing, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership, Mary-Ann is responsible for directing the planning, implementation and evaluation of marketing programs that support Ontario’s tourism brand , contributing to the economic growth of Ontario. OTMP develops high profile strategic advertising campaigns, interactive programs, and media/trade programs for the North American, European, Asian and Emerging Markets.

As Executive Vice President of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Wade Luzny is honoured to lead a national team of staff and volunteers dedicated to ensuring an appreciation of our natural world. Wade has been working in the non-profit, government and financial sectors for more than 30 years. He won the Ernest Thomas Seton Award for the best conservation messaging medium for a film on wetland habitat while he was working for the Saskatchewan Department of Parks and Renewable Resources in the late ’80s. He and his wife Karen, an art teacher from Regina, enjoy educating youth on global issues by leading European tours every Easter. They also enjoy watching wildlife from their bed and breakfast in Fernie, British Columbia.

Wade has many passions: politics, art, film, culture, conservation, traveling, mentoring people and enjoying a view of the mountains. “I have traveled the world and I am always humbled by nature’s version of the Pyramids — the Rockies; The Rockies are our Pyramids, the Douglas-fir is our Eiffel Tower, the St Lawrence our autobahn. Our Canadian wilderness continually reminds us what is truly great about our nation and yet so fragile if left unattended,” he says.

Wade is committed to new partnerships and educational approaches designed to ensure the advancement of the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s top conservation priorities: water quality, endangered species and climate change.

Who would have thought that operating carnival games and rides would lead to a career in the voluntary sector? Certainly, not Bruce. After an upbringing in Hamilton, Ontario, that consisted of bumper cars, the round up and the bomber game, Bruce decided to embark on a career in sport management.

Bruce headed to Northern Ontario’s Laurentian University to earn a Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration. He even took time off for five weeks to work at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. After leaving the friendly confines of Sudbury, he took his first full-time job, working at the Hamilton-Burlington YMCA.

With primary responsibilities of developing recreational opportunities for disabled persons (the first calling from the voluntary sector) at the newly renovated downtown Y, Bruce soon left to become the Branch Director of the Stoney Creek YMCA.

From the Y it was off to become the Provincial Coordinator of the Ontario Senior Games, a multi-sport program for adults 55 plus. Reporting to a board of older adult volunteers (still calling..) Bruce got his first real taste of corporate sponsorship work. When the office relocated from Kitchener to Toronto, Bruce soon tired of the commute and decided to seek employment elsewhere.

Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs of Canada was his next stop, becoming the association’s first-ever Marketing Manager in 1989. For the next five years he worked with a dedicated team of volunteers (there it is again) and staff to try and modernize one of Canada’s oldest service clubs.

The journey to the voluntary sector was complete when, in 1995, Bruce joined the staff of Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada as Director of Marketing and Special Events. Three job titles and two organization names later, Bruce eventually moved into the senior staff position, becoming President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada in March 2004.

Of course, education and work are only part of the story. The real story is written with wife Heather and their three girls, Maggie and the twins, Erin and Kathleen.

In between job and family Bruce earned a second degree, a Masters in Management in the Voluntary Sector from McGill University and participated in the Governor General’s Canadian Study Conference.

Oh ya. He still likes hanging out at carnivals and organizing sports.

Pierre Montagnier is responsible for the customer targeting and data management activities related to all marketing campaigns at Holt Renfrew, and for supporting departments across the organization by leveraging the company’s transactional database to develop customer intelligence solutions.

Prior to joining Holt Renfrew last year, he worked for 6 years with the Canadian division of a major US credit card issuer, developing customer acquisition and customer management campaigns, and managing their data mining, analytics and predictive modeling activities.

Pierre is a CFA charter holder, has an engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France, a Master’s Degree in Engineering & Management from the University of Birmingham, UK, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, Montreal.

Entrepreneur, former F-500 executive and currently the Associate Dean, Administration of the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, James has an international reputation as both a scholar and thought leader to industry. His proven expertise spans governance; organization strategy; spurring innovation; studying social computing trends; performance management tools and processes; project management, leadership development and executive coaching.

On a Personal Note...

James’ personal mission is expressed as, “To Be Passionately Productive!” He enjoys helping individuals, teams and organizations unleash their passion and achieve their full potential by encouraging and advising others on how to explore, discover and create purposeful, passionate ways to unlock energy and innovation. Deriving tremendous satisfaction from sharing his knowledge and experiences for the benefit of others, his goal is to ensure that everyone in an organization achieves their full potential in both their corporate and personal lives. He counts many mentors and friends among his professional colleagues, past clients and collaborators. He lives in Toronto, Mississauga and Vineland, Ontario with his two daughters and his partner.

Michelle Oliver has worked for the City of Mississauga for the past 5 years, this past year in Business Development as a Recreation Analyst. Prior to the City, she was a Marketing Manager for several large consumer goods companies, including Novartis Consumer Health, Scott Paper and Cadbury Trebor Allan. Michelle started her career as a Corporate Accountant at General Mills.

Paul Street is Director of Research at CTV where undertakes bespoke quantitative and qualitative research for programming, news, channel brand and sales divisions. He is Chairman of the Canadian Advertising Research Foundation and Chair of BBM Canada’s Television Research Committee. He is past Chair of the Qualitative Research Division of the Professional Market Research Society of Canada. He has published and presented papers with ESOMAR (European Society of Marketing and Advertising Research) on product placement and on multi-media survey calibration, and with Advertising Research Foundation on television survey methodologies. Street holds a BA from UofT and an MA from UWO. He spends his free time as a taxi driver for his three, strong-willed daughters.