2019 REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT

2019 has been a busy and successful year for the ICCC. We hosted some wonderful events featuring speakers such as Mark Porter, Minister Ciaran Cannon, Ambassador Kelly and Minister Tanya Fir with details captured below:

• January: Mark Porter, Executive Vice President of People at WestJet speaking on the importance of the trade and cultural relationship between Ireland and Canada. Mark spoke about why the Dublin – Calgary direct route was selected for the Dreamliner.

• March: From Ireland, Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for the Diaspora and Ambassador Jim Kelly spoke on the historic ties and economic opportunities between Alberta and Ireland.

• June: Members and Guests attended an intimate evening enjoying the tastes of Irish whiskeys and cheeses accompanied by Irish music while networking before the summer season.

• October: A breakfast event featuring Alberta’s Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, Tanya Fir, presented to Members and Guests a snapshot of the provincial government’s pro-growth strategies to make Alberta one of the best places to invest and do business.

• November: An end-of-year Holiday Mix and Mingle event. Great food and Irish music provided a lovely backdrop for Members and Guests to come together for a final evening of networking and visiting for the ICCC in 2019.

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Funding

Thank you to the Government of Ireland for funding support received in 2019 through the Emigrant Support Program. Funding was applied to software subscription, administration setup, data integration, website configuration, development and creation, security maintenance, system activation and launch.  The new aggregated platform is completed and is now in ongoing maintenance and updates. With the system, the ICCC is now able to automate and manage all areas of the organization’s communications and promotions efficiently. 

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Sponsors

The year also brought great support from a number of generous sponsors including:

Title Sponsor:

WestJet

Supporting Sponsors:

Malone Group

Oak Tree Tavern

Secret Spirits

Urban Fare

We thank all of our sponsors for their generosity and support in 2019.

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Our New Brand

2020 will mark 10 years since we founded the Ireland Canada Centre for Commerce, Calgary.

Through the years, we have had many events featuring business and political leaders representing multiple sectors. It’s been a wonderful decade to be a part of this organization.

With this new decade comes a re-branding of the ICCC. One that is more relevant, current, and progressive.

You are getting a first peak of our logo found at the top of this newsletter!  

The infinite loop, with a Celtic knot feel to it, is about partnerships and expanding possibilities. There is a flow back and forth that can go on forever.

The circle around the infinite loop is about the support we give to these connections and the global business and trade possibilities when we look at the big picture.

The new brand reflects our infinite possibilities when we work together on business and trade.

Over the coming weeks, you will start to see the new look reflected on our website, banners and more. 

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The Board

Organizations like the Ireland Canada Centre for Commerce, Calgary are made successful through the endless hours and expertise from volunteer Boards.

A sincere thank you to our Board Members - Evan Howe and Adrian Nagle - for all your great work throughout 2019!

This year, we said goodbye to Board Member Maggie McKee (although she is still involved and helping on the fringes). Thank you Maggie!

Our Board has grown with two wonderful additions:

Shay Heron – In her role as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Payload in Calgary, Shay is responsible for sales, service delivery and overall brand positioning. Her passions include change management and education – and of course Ireland and Alberta!

Stephen Malone – Stephen’s Ireland-based company, Malone Group, has offices in Alberta, Ontario, UK and Bulgaria. Combined with his connections in the Irish market, his support will ensure we continue to build stronger ties between Alberta and Irish companies.

I am looking forward to working with all of you.

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2020 – An exciting year ahead!

We will continue to bring you great speakers and events throughout 2020 including a St. Patrick’s Day event, Fall Speaker and our traditional Holiday Mixer. In addition, we are adding an exciting event the last week of May.

The last of week of May, 2020, we are hosting a Trade Mission in conjunction with the Ireland Canada Business Association from Ireland consisting of 15 – 20 ICBA Members and representatives from Irish companies. We have worked hard to attract Irish businesses to Alberta and are planning out the program for the Business Summit, which will highlight the best of this province and the infinite possibilities between our two countries.

Watch for updates and information over the coming weeks. If you have any questions or would like to be involved in the exciting year ahead, please reach out to lregan@iccccal.com.

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Wishing you and yours the very best of this special season and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2020!

Laureen Regan

President