Past President Peter Malone stepped up to the plate to introduce Janeen Halliwell and Paul Fleming, who were presenting their classification talks, having joined the Rotary Club of Belleville in the Fall of 2020. Can that be? Receive a Paul Harris Fellow before the inaugeration step? It seems so. Janeen and Paul were sponsored by Kristin Crowe and there's been no doubt that they have fit in like a glove so kudos to Kristin for that sponsorship! The connection behind Kristin and Janeen goes back a little when these two powerhouses met at an event. Shortly after Paul and Janeen met, Paul qualified as the "real deal" according to today's introducer. So here is a little background on each of them.
Pre-People Minded Business, Paul touched the puck on a lot of things including corn detasseling, working for an easy listening radio station CKSY and City TV as a field newsman, attended Ryerson, got his MBA at Mercer Management Consulting and started work at Gateway ISI, but the lure of starting his own company building airplanes won out until the recession closed that opportunity. Paul was involved in Scouts as Chief Scout, a head server, a young Rotarian, a voluntary professor in Lithuania, Chair of Humber Business School Degree Program and is pretty sure he has helped with a flood somewhere. Paul hit some bad spots in his life and his health suffered. Little did he know he would meet a beautiful lady that brought him some fresh employment opportunities, including becoming a partner and business strategist with People Minded Business in 2021 along with joining the Rotary Club of Belleville. The people he has met! And the connections he has made! His latest venture is learning to sail.
Pre-People Minded Business, Janeen lived a life of service and adventure through an organization called PEACE that stands for protection, education, animals and a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. Trained as an emergency response person, Janeen was on-site during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, stayed in her home, raised $11,000 for local aid and became the centre for relief. In 2018 Janeen was involved with We Move Forward (WMF) and arranged speakers for an International Women's Day Conference. Being good at logistics, Janeen secured her first job at 33 years old in 2016 in Tanzania in quality management through an organization called Canada-Africa Community Health Alliance. In her spare time, she learned to love to sail and has 9000 sea miles under her belt. Janeen loves this community and was involved with PorchFest early on.
Paul and Janeen were both presenters at the Creative Problem Solving Institutes 2015 Conference in Buffalo, New York where they met in an elevator. They are part of an international tribe of 80+ innovators, artists and creative problem solvers who meet annually. People Minded Business are experts in strategic planning, service co-design, organizational design, are awesome facilitators and assist with mergers and amalgamations. They have worked with over 100 Ontario non-profits since Janeen started full-time in 2015. Through the Rotary Club of Belleville, Janeen and Paul have found their people and the best way to their new community. Thank you to Kristin Crowe for inviting them to join the Rotary Club of Belleville in 2020. Janeen and Paul were thanked by Tracy Bray.