With our 2022 municipal election now in the rearview mirror, it’s time for Oshawa Chamber members and our board to review the list of impressive nominees who are standing for election to the Chamber’s 2023 board of directors. Almost everyone on this list is likely to be already well-known to many of you, and each of them stands as a well-known community contributor and builder. We’re so very proud and grateful that they have chosen to stand as 2023 board election nominees.
The below biographies have been provided by the nominees, and we encourage anyone with questions for the nominees to reach out to them directly.
Our election for the 2023 board will be once again scrutineered and certified by Andrew Tully of Ritchie, Shortt & Tully, LLP. This year’s board election will take place 100% electronically with secure delivery and voting via the Survey Monkey online platform. REMINDER: the voting link will be delivered via email to members in good standing only, meaning members who are current on their Chamber membership dues. If you have any questions or concerns about the status of your membership, please reach out to Isabelle Foley at once.
And now, meet your nominees for next year’s board…
Domenic Albis
Domenic is a lifelong co-operator of his family’s many well-known hospitality businesses around Oshawa and Whitby, including Oshawa Chamber member Avanti Trattoria.
In his own words, “We embody the term “family run.” Our entire family is involved with the day-to-day operations, combined with great staff and amazing managers. We run a professional organization. Our front-line staff are trained to effectively deal with
any customer service-related concerns on-the-spot. Our reputation with our customers and our community is of critical importance, and we do everything we can to ensure our customers get the best possible experience. Community involvement and giving back to the community is at the heart of what we do.”
Niko Anastassakis
Niko Anastassakis, CPA, CA, is a Partner with MNP’s Assurance and Accounting Services team in Oshawa. Niko works closely with a diverse group of clients, helping them with all of their assurance, accounting, tax and business advisory needs.
Niko is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2017. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) from the University of Windsor in Accounting and Business / Management in 2003. He is active in the local business community and serves on the finance committee of Parkwood Estate, a National Historic Site in Oshawa.
Carrie-Anne Atkins
Carrie-Anne Atkins is the Manager of Corporate Relations for Ontario Power Generation, Pickering Nuclear, and has more than twenty years of experience in strategic communications, community relations, and strengthening community partnerships.
Together with her husband, son and daughter, Carrie-Anne Atkins is an active volunteer who has provided strategic advice as a member of several community advisory committees and board of directors. At present, she serves as past president of the Durham College Alumni Association and is Chair and Board Trustee for the Durham Community Foundation. In the past, Carrie-Anne served on the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee and the Ajax Pickering Board of Trade Communications and Marketing Committee, as well as acting as a Board Trustee for both Victims Services of Durham Region and the Ajax-Pickering-Uxbridge United Way.
Stanley Beckford
I am a seasoned business professional with an extensive background in business operations management and operational risk. I worked for over 5 years as the Chief Risk Officer for one of the largest Caribbean-based conglomerates with an interest in food manufacturing, distribution and retail, banking and insurance.
I practice privately as a business consultant and hold a Doctorate in Business Administration. My focus is business process alignment and optimization. Specifically, the identification and management of operating risks that slow businesses down.
I am a believer in lifelong learning and currently serve as a Member of the Government Relations Committee of the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and as a Director of The Grace-Cooperative Credit Union.
Melissa Belliveau
Melissa graduated from Queen’s University Faculty of Law in 2006 and was called to the bar in June 2007. Melissa received an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Public Policy from the University of Guelph in 2003. Prior to joining the firm, Melissa articled at a large civil litigation firm in downtown Toronto.
In 2012 Melissa became a Partner of the Oshawa law firm, Kitchen, Simeson, Belliveau. As a long-time resident of Oshawa, Melissa is proud to have a practice which is connected to the community and provides a broad range of Family Law and Employment Law services to her clients.
In addition to her work with the firm, Melissa is busy raising a young family and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Grandview Children’s Foundation, is a member of the Legal Advisory Committee at Luke’s Place and volunteers as a Pro Bono lawyer at Luke’s Place.
Claudio Faria
Claudio Faria is the site manager for Oshawa for the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority.
“My style of leadership includes leading by example, building a strong team, creating an environment that demands success, and offering compassion for those willing to improve.
Having worked in some of the most dynamic environments in the world, I have learned skills and processes that can be transposed into any manufacturing environment. Furthermore, my style includes a rigorous commitment to the “Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle”, visual management, and measuring performance routinely.
My experience with lean is in harnessing the passion and knowledge of front-line employees and empowering them to focus on as many activities as possible within an end-to-end process. This will enable the delivery of customer value and increase customer loyalty. I have gained my experience in both Engineering, Quality and Operations at various organizations with millions of dollars in attained savings.”
Craig Mack
I am a business lawyer at a boutique law firm in Oshawa named Mack Lawyers. I have been certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a specialist in corporate commercial law, and I have received a business law specialization certificate from the Schulich School of Law. I served on the board of directors for the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce from 2016-2017, and I would be thrilled to serve again!
Vanessa Sosiak
My name is Vanessa, creative director and owner of Sixth Workshop. With more than 20 years of creative design experience, I founded Sixth Workshop in 2003, with the desire to help businesses develop effective brand strategies to differentiate them from the competition. Applying my expertise in branding, strategy, web, social and marketing, I extremely enjoy seeing my clients define and communicate their message.
Sixth Workshop is a boutique branding + visual communications studio based in Bowmanville. I am intentionally small, favouring quality over quantity. No account managers or sales teams, so you know I will be working directly with a company. I bring big agency experience and small studio sensibility to projects of all sizes, partnering with businesses within the Durham Region.
Before devoting my work full-time to Sixth Workshop, I served as Art Director and consultant with marketing agencies whose clients include: Olde Hide House, Port of Toronto, City Centre Airport, Coffee Time, and Monarch Homes.
In addition to being a Greater Oshawa Chamber member, I also serve as Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee for the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation.
Melanie Warren
