Welcome Action Calgary partners. You are innovative business leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to accelerate the growth of your own businesses and to ensure the future prosperity and vibrancy of Calgary.

Action Calgary engages corporate partners in projects that benefit individual businesses and the broader community. As a partner you are able to align your business vision with CED projects and have the opportunity to take action in positioning Calgary as a world hub for high profile, competitive and essential business partnerships. It is corporate engagement, participation and investment with a solid business payback.

Congratulations to our Action Calgary partners - members of an elite group of visionary businesses to build Calgary as a world class business centre.

Recognition

Action Calgary partners are recognized and provided with a host of business opportunities which recently included the following:

• Media attention through a monthly business feature of the Calgary Herald published in hardcopy and in digital form. Each edition features four or five of our corporate partners - See previous editions
• Invitations to exclusive business networking events
• Invitations to participate in exclusive trade missions
• Speaking engagements at key industry events
• Leadership roles in Advisory Committees and Project Task Forces
• Profiles on CEDýs website and e-newsletters
• B2B opportunities
• Profile at Calgary Economic Developmentýs business community events

Initiatives Updates

GLOBAL BUSINESS CENTRE:
The Global Business Centre will officially open its doors on June 29th.

The Global Business Centre is how Southern Alberta business, entrepreneurs, and innovative thinkers reach out and move into the worldwide marketplace; and itýs how business from anywhere in the world taps into the opportunities and advantages available in Southern Alberta.

The June 29th official opening will begin with a VIP ribbon cutting ceremony and champagne reception with addresses by the Alberta Minister of International & Intergovernmental Affairs, Iris Evans, the Deputy Mayor and Federal Minister of Parliament, Lee Richards. Throughout the afternoon, the GBC will host an open house for information sessions and tours of this unique business resource. Information regarding the launch will be available on Calgary Economic Developmentýs website: www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com

Global Business Centre programming features a bi-monthly Country in Focus speaker series with ýDoing Business in Brazilý as Mayýs featured event. This half-day seminar addressed some of the key challenges and opportunities Canadian firms face when growing their business in Brazil. Representatives from Hatch Ltd., BlackWatch Energy Services Corp, Export Development Canada, and the Consulate General of Brazil formed a panel of key experts, presenting on different aspects of doing business in South America's economic powerhouse. Subsequent to that, the Global Business Centre led a mission of fifteen Calgary based companies to Brazil for key meetings with the countryýs national oil company, Petrobras, with a focus on developing increasing levels of business.

India will be featured in August. A workshop entitled ýBusiness in India: Taking the Next Stepý will be held on August 9th featuring guest speakers from the government of India, a local company who is currently working successfully in India and representatives from the consulting world who can offer their expertise on business issues in India. In addition to the Business in India event, the Global Business Centre will host a cultural and educational evening to enlighten the business community further. Watch for more information to come on these informative and insightful events.

Partner Recognition Opportunity
Action Calgary partners are profiled through digital signage at the Global Business Centre and receive exclusive opportunities to network and participate in the programming at this exciting new business resource.

ALBERTA CREATIVE HUB:
By bringing together a common infrastructure, the Alberta Creative Hub, to be developed in Calgary, will foster the growth and innovation of creative industries such as, film, television and digital media companies across Alberta. Calgary Economic Development (CED) has undertaken the necessary steps to bring this project to fruition. We have completed the governance and business models and have incorporated a not-for-profit organization to develop and oversee the project. The Alberta Creative Hub will create a collaborative environment create and utilize local advances in technology and influence the education of new minds. Site selection and initial programming work has commenced. The Alberta Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit has allocated the initial funding commence the development process.

On June 11 & 12th the ýAlberta: 3D Readyý conference and workshops were held in Banff, Alberta. This first training initiative of the Alberta Creative Hub brought together Albertaýs creative sector to collaborate on 3D technology and creativity.

PRODUCTIVITY ALBERTA:
Calgary Economic Development, in collaboration with our partner the Government of Alberta, is taking a lead role to promote innovation and productivity improvement solutions to Calgary businesses, initially within the goods-producing sector but with a view to expand to other key industries.

Productivity is defined in many different ways but itýs really about how well an organization utilizes its resources in order to maximize its value. When it comes to productivity growth, Alberta lags that of other provinces, as well as the U.S. and many other industrialized nations. This affects our global competitiveness and prosperity. Reasons for the lack of productivity growth in Alberta could be related to:

• A lack of awareness of the importance of productivity improvement
• An inability of leaders to create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within their firms
• Production processes that or not optimized or ýleaný
• Minimal investment in new equipment and technology

The focus of CEDýs Industry Productivity Initiative is on information-sharing, tools development, communications and leadership development programs to assist companies in overcoming these issues.

Recent projects have included delivery of a report stemming from a regional assessment of productivity issues currently faced by industry; benchmarking and providing workshops on the subject of cost reduction through industrial energy efficiency; and a workshop on financing options for small and medium companies to facilitate the acquisition of new equipment.

On June 23rd CED hosted a leadership development event, EXPLOITING CHAOS, featuring award winning author Jeremy Gutsche, bringing a rare perspective on how to unleash innovation within a business context. [Insert link].

Partner Recognition Opportunity
Action Calgary partners were given a unique opportunity to dialogue with Jeremy at a VIP luncheon following the June 23rd morning workshop.

In collaboration with the Government of Alberta, CED is developing a strategy to effectively connect business to Lean training and tools. A best practices mission is being planned for the fall of 2010 along with other informational sessions to address productivity improvement issues.

WORKshift:
WORKshift, a global leading initiative to accelerate the adoption of telework within the business community, has recently successfully completed its first year of programming. Calgaryýs Telework week, proclaimed by the City of Calgaryýs Council, was held in April and featured:

• The signing of a Telework Charter by a number of leading Calgary employers including ATB Financial, ENMAX, Calgary Police Service and others
• The release of a dynamic digital video illustrating the bottom line results associated with WORKshift which can be viewed at www.workshiftcalgary.com
• A ýhome officeý guerilla marketing event on Stephens Avenue Mall, showcasing the benefits of telework
• A webinar examining the environmental benefits associated with telework, particularly as it relates to Corporate Social Responsibility in the business community
• A business event featuring Scott McNealy (founder and former CEO of Sun Microsystems), a renowned innovator in the technology industry, on telework as a business strategy

Partner Recognition Opportunity
Action Calgary partners are featured on the WORKshift website, which is gaining significant momentum from the business community. Several VIP events and partnership opportunities were leveraged by our Action Calgary partners during Telework week.

LiveinCalgary.com:
Targeted at long time Calgarians as well as people considering a move to the area, this award winning people attraction website aggregates and organizes information about topics from immigration to shopping, schools to theatre. Rich in content, the site features an interactive photo gallery called Picture Yourself which allows site users to explore attractions and locations in and around the city, as well as an interactive map which provides information and links about communities and neighborhoods.

We encourage employers to include the following link to their recruitment websites: www.liveincalgary.com. This is a tremendous resource for attracting talent from locations outside Calgary.

Financial Services Industry Attraction:
As an energy financing powerhouse, Calgary has a unique opportunity to attract and expand our base of financial service providers. Given Canadaýs strong global reputation for responsible regulation in the financial services market, CED has created a collaborative industry-focused approach to attracting additional jobs and investment in this critical market.

FIRST FLIP 2010 STAMPEDE BREAKFAST
Itýs time for a little boot scootýn boogie Calgary; holster a hotcake and help us kick off the 2010 Calgary Stampede!

When: Thursday, July 8, 2010
Time: 7:30 - 10:30 am
Where: Stephen Avenue Walk, between 1 Street SE & Centre Street (Convention Centre Block)

This is a free event. No RSVPýs required

View the full invite>

WANTED! FRIENDS OF CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

On Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 3:00 ý 6:00 pm, Wilf Gobert (Range Boss) and Bruce Graham (Chief Wrangler) at the CED Ranch will be hosting our key pardners to mosey on down to join us as we kick up our heels, relax, and enjoy an afternoon of suds and snacks on the terrace at the newly launched, Global Business Centre in downtown Calgary.

Note: This is an invitation only event for our key stakeholders and Action Calgary partners.

Please RSVP by July 6th to: rsvp@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com

The Economic Power Shift - A Dialogue Featuring Gordon Pitts
An insightful conversation with Gordon Pitts, award winning Globe & Mail columnist and author of Stampede! The Rise of the West and Canadaýs New Power Elite.

Following the event Action Calgary partners were invited to an exclusive VIP reception with Gordon and other business leaders

2010 Report to the Community
Calgary Economic Developmentýs Report to the Community is a popular event that each year attracts a large number of business leaders in the Calgary area

Action Calgary partners were profiled at this event through digital signage and participation in a video presentation

EXPLOITING CHAOS
Action Calgary partners were profiled at a leadership event presented by award winning author, Jeremy Gutsche. Jeremy, founder of Trend Hunter, brought a dynamic and insightful perspective on how to unleash innovation within a business context.

Action Calgary partners were invited to a private luncheon with our keynote speaker, providing an exclusive opportunity to interact with Jeremy in an intimate setting.