JULY/AUG 2025 NEWSFLASH – NEW ESSEX CAO; PICSUME; HLP INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS; WECAR’S KRISTA GIONET; INFINITE PAWS-ABILITIES; ST. CLAIR COLLEGE REUNION
ON THE MOVE
The Town of Essex has appointed Kate Giurissevich to the position of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), effective May 20, 2025. Her appointment comes following a successful tenure as Director of Corporate Services, a role she has held since 2021. “Kate brings a strong combination of strategic thinking, financial expertise, and dedication to public service,” says Mayor Sherry Bondy. “Council is confident that her deep knowledge of the organization, collaborative leadership style, and passion for community development will serve the Town of Essex well, in this new role.” As CAO, Giurissevich reports directly to Council and is responsible for providing strategic vision and effective leadership to the entire organization. With the support of staff, the CAO plans and oversees all municipal operations and services in accordance with
Council direction, municipal policies, and applicable legislation. Giurissevich joined the Town of Essex in 2018 as Manager of Finance and Business Services. Since then, she has played a critical role in key corporate initiatives, including leading the annual municipal budget process, implementing policies such as the debt and reserve management plans and playing a key role in the E.L.K. Energy Inc. investment
decision. “I am honoured and excited to step into the role of CAO,” states Giurissevich. “Having worked with the Town for the past seven years, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to its progress and working
alongside an amazing team. I look forward to continuing this work in my new role and helping to guide the Town toward a vibrant and sustainable future.” Giurissevich holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Algoma University, specializing in accounting, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
THE RUNDOWN
Windsor-based hiring technology company Picsume announces two major developments positioning it as a national leader in recruitment innovation. First, the company has formed a strategic partnership with the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), giving over 11,000 hospitality locations across Ontario access to Picsume’s skill-based, bias-free hiring platform. As part of the partnership, ORHMA members gain exclusive access to a first-of-its-kind hospitality job network, designed to connect employers with job seekers and hospitality students across the province. This offering supports faster, smarter hiring and simplifies compliance with Ontario’s Employment Standards Act through built-in automation tools. “This is a major milestone for Picsume as we continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in hiring,” expresses Jordan Goure, President and CEO of Picsume. “The support and academic partnerships allow us to accelerate innovation, while our collaboration with ORHMA ensures those advancements directly support employers in one of Ontario’s most vital industries. Together, we’re building faster, fairer, and more effective hiring solutions that meet real workforce needs.” In addition, Picsume has secured new government funding and academic partnerships to further accelerate development of its platform. This includes support from the National Research Council of Canada, IRAP, SR&ED tax incentives, and a pending Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada collaboration with the University of Windsor and Lambton College. These investments will fuel continued innovation in AI-driven matching, predictive hiring analytics, and machine learning. With support from WEtech Alliance, Picsume is also moving forward with its patent strategy, reinforcing its position at the forefront of hiring technology.
NEW IN BIZ
HLP Innovative Solutions officially opened mid-January 2025. It is founded by Heather Pratt, MBA, PhD (c), who, after working for over 23 years in the post-secondary sector and 16 years in the automotive sector, opted to launch her own business. The focus of HLP Innovative Solutions is to support a wide range of private and not-for-profit businesses and organizations in developing new and innovative solutions, leveraging Pratt’s diverse range of expertise across industry-government and academia. Providing expertise in grant writing and grant management through the full grant life-cycle, business development, policy, strategy, and equity driven solutions, HLP Innovative Solutions goal is to “help launch possibilities”. Pratt continues by stating: “We don’t just write grants or offer advice — we build strategies that drive measurable impact. With decades of experience in business development, grant funding, IP commercialization, and leadership development, we bring a unique blend of hands-on execution and high-level strategy. We understand the complexities of securing funding, navigating government partnerships, and launching industry-driven training programs. Whether you need a
fractional executive, a commercialization roadmap, or a funding strategy that actually delivers, HLP Solutions provides the expertise to make it happen.”
HALL OF FAME
Congratulations to Krista Gionet, Executive Officer of the Windsor-Essex County Association of REALTORS (WECAR), who has been awarded the 2025 Canadian Real Estate Association’s Association Executive Network Award of Excellence — one of the most prestigious honours in Canadian organized real estate. The award recognizes her 35 years of exceptional service, including her leadership in REALTOR advocacy, member engagement, and community giving. From launching WECAR’s groundbreaking We Bring You Home campaign, to championing national initiatives like REALTOR.ca, her dedication has shaped the profession locally and nationally. For Gionet, the award is a deeply meaningful acknowledgment of a career built on passion, purpose, and people.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO . . .
Happy first anniversary to Infinite Paws-abilities, operating since August 2024, from 201 County Road 27 West in Essex. The company is owned by Tara Moore, Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), Family Dog Mediator (formerly Moore Good Dogs) and Jamie Kerester (formerly Paws on the Ranch Dog Training and Paws for Love Inc.). Kerester’s qualifications include certifications in Animal Sciences, Canine and Feline Behaviour and Dog Training; completion of the Certified Canine Fitness Coach certificate (CCFC), and Certified Canine Massage Therapist (CCMT). They offer classes from puppy to advanced, as well as specialty classes, such as fun-gility, trick class, public pet, Canine Good Neighbour and more. Private one-on-one behaviour consults are also available. “We set out to create a place where people can have fun with their dogs through learning and enrichment activities — a safe space to build relationships, both two and four-legged!” say the owners. “After a year, we feel our dream has come true and we strive to continue building on these goals.” In the next few years the business hopes to add more dog sports, such as lure coursing, dock diving, and hoopers.
June 21, 1975 was the convocation date for the Communication Arts, Advertising students at St. Clair College. On the weekend of May 30, 31 and June 1, 2025, some of those students came together to celebrate 50 years since graduation. The reunion events included a Meet & Greet at La Crêperie in LaSalle, where many of the classmates saw each other for the first time since graduation. Saturday afternoon included a tour of the college; an eye-opener for most as a lot has changed in 50 years when there was just the main building and the Amphitheatre. A delicious dinner was enjoyed by all on Saturday night at the LA Town Grill. Recipients of the Canadian Collection tee-shirt door prizes, donated by Ellis Graphics were thrilled with their prizes. It’s worth noting that in 2000, Tim Kane, who was unable to attend due to illness, was one of the recipients of the St. Clair College Alumni Association of Distinction Awards; this occurred while Kane was Chairman of Delta Media Inc. in Ottawa. Kane has since retired, but is now Vice President of Treemote and he gave all the 50 year reunion graduates one of their tree shaped remotes, which control Christmas lights, inside and out, with the click of a button. The reunion event, coordinated by Michelle Allen, included classmates Scott Boughner; Catherine (Mann) Dziedziejko; Ernie DelPup; Brian Rousseau; Larry Dumouchelle and their favourite techie from the college, Mike Kujbida. Maureen Collins joined them at the Meet & Greet and Allan Hobbs who graduated after this class, attended Saturday evening. “It was a wonderful opportunity for this class to get together and share their successes; talk about their families — the same way we used to talk when we were in college,” comments Allen. “We want to especially thank St. Clair College Alumni Association and Advancement Office for sponsoring this event and helping us get together and reminisce about those fantastic years we spent at the college from 1972 to 1975. It was another great memory in our book of life!”
