The Westerner for September 14, 2015
Posted by David Gibbens
September 14, Meeting Notes
Meeting: Chair, Fred; music, Jerome; grace, Leslie C; attendance 30; guests Larry Bortles, speaker Michelle Hecken and her co-worker Usukuma Ekuele.
Announcements:
Clean Scene: Fred put the club spotlight on Mike Ryan and Leslie Cleary for today’s front page story in the Edmonton Journal about a new killer drug. In response, Mike Ryan
explained that it is not heroin making a comeback but a new major drug problem – fentanyl. Clean Scene is holding a symposium on Sept 25 to attempt a collaborative
response to this new major addictive drug which is responsible for 145 deaths in Alberta in the first half of the year.
Grandview Concert Series: kickoff is Sept 15. Ingrid said a leadoff surprise treat called the ‘Lazy River Duo’ will entertain.
Habitat for Humanity build occurs on Sept 19. Fred called for one more participant to make 15 – and, Larry Bortles volunteered.
E4C Clean Up is Sept 26 – 5 people are needed for 2 hours. Please register with Annie.
District Conference in Dawson Creek is Oct 1-4. Four are signed up and Fred said more are welcome.
Service to Food Bank is Nov 5 – need 15 volunteers.
District Govenor’s visit is Nov 9.
Festival of Trees is Nov 27.
The Club Christmas Party is set for Dec 17.
Fine Master: Jerome Martin started out by focusing on today’s page 5 Edmonton Journal article by Nick Lees about Bill Buckham’s activities with others in
celebrating RCAF week. Bill added that this week is also the 75th anniversary of Battle of Britain. Jerome levied a proximity fine to those sitting at and near Bill’s
table.
50/50: Duart Berg and Ed Schultz did not match cards.
PRESENTATION: Michelle Hecken – Alpha Global Exports
Michelle’s topic: Running a Successful International Business from Edmonton.
Alpha is the largest translations service firm in Alberta. Born in Toronto, Michelle is from German and Canadian parents. She said she basically started the business at
age 12 (about 1993) translating for her mother in the Toronto grocery stores. She trained in law but did not finish because the translating service turned from part to
full time. Starting as a ‘one’ person operation, her first clients were German who required mostly legal and financial translation. The company now has 19 full time
employees and many contract workers. They work in all languages with 90 percent of their clients being from Europe. Alpha has now expanded into consulting services
– teaching firms how to step into foreign markets.
She explained how the company grew from linear and local to linear and global and, today, to global and exponential. Michelle detailed how technology has changed the way Alpha delivers services – evolving from fax machines 20 years ago to computer services today. She expects more rapid change in the future as communication technology improvements keep
coming.
Bert Andrews thanked Michelle for her presentation.