TECCanada

Since 1950, WBM Office Systems has operated in Western Canada, studying the evolution of a technology provider. Over the years, I have witnessed a lot of change within WBM and that development continues today.

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, I joined the team at WBM in 1996 and in the years that followed managed the centralization of purchasing between WBM’s then three independent offices. Next was the centralization of inside sales as well as a call centre to support all three offices. Today, the customer care centre processes over 6,500 calls per month and many thousands of transactions on behalf of our clients across Western Canada. In 1999, WBM selected and implemented SAP R3 as the tool to bring all business processes together.

Working as the Vice President of Organizational Development, I built out the head office in Saskatoon to support the regional offices with all administrative services and worked on employee retention and satisfaction programs throughout the company.

The next stage in this evolution was the transformation of WBM’s service organization which began in 2003 when I took on the role of VP of Service Operations. In the years that followed, WBM focused on streamlining processes, enhancing offerings and achieving excellent client satisfaction. In 2005, WBM was named Best Service Organization in Canada by CDN Magazine, as well as Solution Provider of the Year.

In September 2006, I accepted the next challenge as President where I continue to focus on building a client centric and efficient organization.

I am currently serving my second term as President of the North American Venture Tech Network, an industry association atop IT solution providers in North America.

Throughout this time, I have been committed to continuous learning and skills development through professional associations and industry associations.

In October 2008, I completed a management buyout of WBM, along with three other business partners. My time as entrepreneur and owner/operator has brought a tremendous amount of challenge, personal growth and reward. To facilitate this transition, I joined TEC. This peer group from various industries has provided tremendous mentoring, coaching and education opportunities has been a critical ingredient in WBM’s strategy development. Most importantly, TEC has acted as a personal board of advisors, holding me accountable for decisions and actions, but also providing a great deal of personal support and friendship too!

Currently, WBM’s revenues are in excess of $40 million per year and we remain on track for tremendous growth in our 2010 fiscal year. We employ over 100 staff in Saskatchewan and Alberta. We are recognized as leaders in the industry and consistently rank as one of the top 50 IT solution providers in the country. Regionally, we have been recognized on Saskatchewan’s Top 100 list. Most recently we have been acknowledged for our environmental focus and named one of Canada’s top IT green solutions providers.

Personally, I have been involved in non-profit serving as a board member for Child Find Saskatchewan as well as on the national board for Child Find Canada. Continuous contributions to the community rank high as a priority, and I have recently become a mentor with the University of Saskatchewan’s Edwards School of Business Womentorship Program. It is a perfect fit as an opportunity to grow personally as well as to contribute to the growth and development of a new crop of woman entrepreneurs and executives.