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EVEN MORE Confirmed Enterprising Spirit Speakers

As our upcoming Enterprising Spirit: Creating Value and Social Good Conference takes shape, we are gathering a unique group of thinkers in the social enterprise space.

Planning, practicing and fine tuning social enterprise are the themes of the conference. Our speakers, session leaders and panel participants bring a rich knowledge and professional expertise to the social enterprise movement. Over the next several weeks our blog will highlight individuals participating in our one day conference.

Jane Bisbee and Gerrad Oishi are leading two of the sessions on the day of the conference.  Jane is busy pulling together a panel of social entrepreneurs who will share their real life stories from the trenches of running a business in the “True Confessions in Social Entrepreneurship” session.

Gerrad Oishi is leading the “Business Solutions for Social Enterprise: Addressing the Challenges of a Social Enterprise in a Business Environment” session. He will be joined by professionals who have the business acumen and non-profit expertise to answer questions on social enterprise.

Jane Bisbee recently assumed the post of Executive Director of the Social Enterprise Fund, a collaborative initiative of the City of Edmonton, the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region and the Edmonton Community Foundation.

A journalist by trade, with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Carleton University, she has experience in the Canadian book and magazine publishing industries, newspaper and radio reporting and documentary film.  She spent many years building industry capacity in the cultural industries, in particular Alberta’s film industry which presented her a lifetime achievement award in 2006.  A special focus of her career has been the development of non-traditional financing mechanisms for small business.

A businessman, social entrepreneur and engineer with 20 years experience bringing new ventures to life.  With a unique background in both business and society building, Gerrad Oishi is often called upon to create new opportunities that serve as a bridge between the business and the non-profit sectors.

Gerrad’s work has ranged from leading service development and marketing functions for two publicly traded technology companies to creating a new model for Habitat for Humanity that allowed them to expand from 2 homes a year to a 28 unit townhouse complex. In addition to his work as Managing Director of Lodestone Social Ventures, Gerrad also serves as a Board member and past Chairman of the Brenda Strafford Foundation; a private foundation with projects that include hospitals, orphanages, hospices, affordable housing, seniors care and women’s shelters. He was also appointed by the Minister of Children and Youth to be the Board Chairman for the Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority, a Board that oversees the government’s $240M investment in children and families in need.

Gerrad holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Alberta and an MBA in New Venture Development from the University of Calgary. 

Please join us on November 17, 2011 for a day of interactive workshops, experimental problem solving, and open exchange among people working on or interested in social enterprise and the non-profit sector. Join us for the first annual awards reception where we will distribute the Social EnterPrize Awards – annual grants to grow and sustain social enterprises, provoke innovation and build capacity in the non-profit sector.

Conference registration is ongoing and limited. Early Bird registration continues until September 15th.

Our web site continues to have updates on session information, session speakers, and how to register. Other session speakers will be confirmed shortly. Check our Program page regularly for more information.

We look forward to seeing you on November 17th, 2011, in Calgary, Alberta.

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