Posted on October 11, 2018 under Faces in the Crowd with no comments yet

 

 

“My employees mean everything to the success of my business. My core values guide me.

Meet Jennifer Baudoux.

Born in Stellarton, the second oldest of four girls, Jennifer learned from an early age the importance of a person’s roots, tradition and family values. For many years, the family would drive over to Kenzieville to visit her grandparents. They also took several trips around the province looking for adventure.

She and her sisters were outdoors people. Besides biking and running, Jennifer had a passion for sports with ringette dominating the winter months and soccer in the summer. As part of a rite of passage, she got her driver’s license followed by her first job in the food services industry.

Her first leap of independence was a three week solo trip she took to Norway at the age of 17 to visit an exchange student.  She had never been out of the Maritimes before but received the blessings of her parents to travel alone. Her trip to Norway fuelled her passion for travel and the outdoors as she spent much of her time mountain climbing.

She had a good head for math so it wasn’t surprising that she attended the community college in Stellarton to pursue a diploma in business information technology. She wasn’t sure of her career path but she knew it would be in business. “I wasn’t fuelled with angst wondering what I would do the rest of my life. I was just waiting for the right opportunity to reveal itself,” says Jennifer.

She married in 1997 and she and her husband bought a piece of land in Hazel Glen which they cleared with their own hands. She took a position at McDonald’s restaurant and spent 17 years with the company, many in a management role.  With two small children, this was very demanding with long hours at work. Like so many couples, there was a lot of juggling with one partner working day shift and the other the back shift to make things work.

Both she and her husband ended up working in Truro. This required a daily commute and after a hydroplaning accident one day while transporting the children, they decided to buy a home in Truro. While they liked Truro, there was much second guessing and the lure of Pictou County was too strong. “There is great comfort in knowing where you’re from.” They bought an old home in Kenzieville not far from her grandparents.

In 2007, her husband bought a Canada Bread franchise. Jennifer decided to leave McDonald’s to work with him. His travels took him to the A&W in Antigonish. The local franchisee, hearing of Jennifer’s extensive experience in the food services industry, asked if she would meet with him. Despite her initial objections (“I’m not doing this again”), she decided to partner with the current owner in 2012. In 2016, she became the sole owner.

“I learned a lot about being a woman in business. You must believe in yourself and not be intimidated. You have to learn to take things in stride,” says Jennifer.

Recreation was and continues to be a crucial part of her success in business and in life. “Sports are good for the mind, the body and the soul. “ An avid biker and runner, many a problem was solved while out on the back roads or a mountain. Both she and her two children have become competitive cross country mountain bikers. Jennifer recently competed in the Canada Cup and her children hope to qualify for the Canada Games team some day in the future. The three of them have also completed triathlons.

The A&W franchise in Antigonish has been recognized locally and nationally as one of the top restaurants in the chain. This hasn’t happened by accident. In a hyper competitive industry, Jennifer has been able to attract and keep employees in a business which is known for a high turnover rate. She notes that paying a fair wage is part of the equation but Jennifer does the extras that go a long way to engender loyalty. She provides fresh fruit for the staff and uses team building exercises like skating, bowling and trips to the Keppoch. She takes people in a management role to national and international conferences.

Jennifer is the president of the Maritime Association for A&W and is a skilled trainer and motivator.

When summing up her life to date, Jennifer indicates that business has helped her with her personal life and her personal life has helped in business. “You need to set goals and be prepared to work hard to attain them.”

Jennifer’s wheels are always turning whether in the board room, the restaurant or on Keppoch Mountain.

Posted on October 8, 2018 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

Bingo. Bango.Bongo

 

Yes indeed, Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the abundance afforded Canadians. We are inundated every second of the day with negativity and bad news, that is, if we choose to get sucked into that vortex. Life is not without its trials, tribulations and suffering but there is a lot of wonderful stuff going on around us. As we gather with family and friends today to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s reflect on those things that make us smile.

Let’s start with bongs and bingo.

As a rule, I don’t purchase lottery tickets. It would appear that this is a retirement strategy for a lot of people. On my birthday in August, I received a (saucy!) card with a few scratch tickets. They sat on my desk for the better part of two months, such was my faith in instantly winning $100,000. I was surprised to discover that I won $4.00. That’s the good news. The bad news is that I would have to go somewhere to claim my prize.

I sauntered down the Main last week clutching the winning ticket which felt something akin to transporting contraband across the border. I looked in both directions before for skulking into Downtown Convenience. I was just about to enter when another older man appeared and I did my best Emily Post impression and held the door.

Mistake.

He made a beeline for the counter. For once in my life, I prayed that the person in front of me would buy cigarettes. When he pointed down at the myriad of lottery tickets peeking out under the glass enclosure, my heart sank. He painstakingly pored over every ticket before choosing the “cupcake ticket.” He tendered his $2.00 and I drew a sigh of relief. As the clerk was making change, he decided to increase his odds by purchasing a “poker lotto” for $5.00. She returned $13 from the $20.bill.

Well, that wasn’t too bad as I stared up at the wall behind the counter and saw an impressive array of bongs or water pipes, apparently a big seller at this establishment.

The man was set to take his leave when he stared at the small Lotto screen that flashed all kinds of pictures of winners and other potential winning scratch ticket options. “I think I’ll have one of those,” he said pointing to the plasma screen. “Which one,” replied the clerk? We all stood and watched the screen in breathless anticipation. “That one.” Yes, there was little doubt that “Super Crossword” was a winner.

For the uninitiated, a bong or water pipe is a device used for smoking marijuana or other drugs.

“Do you sell many water pipes,” I asked the clerk as she took my ticket to validate my new found fortune? With a university crawling distance away, my guess is that they were the target market. I was surprised to learn (not really) that many ordinary folks in the community like to experience a higher level of consciousness.

I was tempted to buy one and see if it might be useful for pain management once marijuana becomes legal on October 17^th. Actually, if the man in front of me had purchased one more ticket, I might have asked for a demonstration of the bong on the spot.

Other than in my childhood, I have played bingo exactly once in adulthood and I am pretty sure that on that occasion, it required a few adult beverages to coax me into going. What I remember most was the cigarette smoke. It hung in the air like a thick fog. Someone in our group (outsiders all) won $100 and I distinctly recall the withering stares.

So when my brother announced that 18 of us (average age well north of 65) would play bingo down at the cottage after Thanksgiving dinner, it was met with a few raised eyebrows.

I didn’t think I would be remortgaging my home at the age of 67, but when there’s a high stakes bingo game, a fella will go to any lengths to get part of the action. We all plunked down $5.00 and a few extra bucks were tossed in to round the pot up to $100. We played three games: the first two games were warmups and the prizes were non- monetary. The last game was full card, winner take all.

There were a lot of laughs as you can well imagine. It was a beautiful fall evening and we could hear the gentle rolling of the waves in the background, a far cry from a smoke filled hall. The winner graciously donated his winnings to the Antigonish Emergency Fuel Fund. Others in the room followed suit and we were able to round up $700 for this worthy cause. Over 400 families in the Antigonish area require support to keep their homes warm during the cold winter months. On this day of Thanksgiving, it was a good opportunity to pause and remember those who aren’t quite as fortunate. The organization always welcomes donations.

Enjoy Thanksgiving and be grateful.

Have a great week.

Posted on October 4, 2018 under Faces in the Crowd with 4 comments

Dr.Najeeb Kadir

 

“I do not believe in any wars, past or present. War is not for human beings.”

Meet Dr. Najeeb Kadir.

Najeeb Kadir was born in Kifri, Iraq in 1958. He was the middle of three children and at an early age, the family moved to Diyali, Iraq where his father worked as courtroom clerk. His mother stayed at home with the children and impressed upon them the importance of education as she was an educated woman. After he completed grade 11, the family moved once again, this time to Baghdad where there were more opportunities and better schools.

It seems that nearly every Iraqi family wanted their children to become engineers or doctors as these occupations could provide a better life. Najeeb had three uncles who were well educated. As a result, he had access to books and picked up a great deal of English in his teenage years. Gaining high marks in the national standardized test for all grade twelve students, Najeeb chose medicine from a list of possible options prescribed by the government. The journey to becoming a doctor was just beginning, the great hope of his family.

A university education was free in Iraq. This included expensive medical books. He enrolled at the University of Baghdad School of Medicine in 1976. He spent these years living at home and besides his studies, he enjoyed the social life and sports, particularly soccer. In year four of the six year program, he decided that he wanted to be a surgeon.

The Iran Iraq war threw a curve into Najeeb’s life and his studies. In 1982, the government of Iraq headed by Saddam Hussein issued a decree forcing many young doctors into the army. For three months, Najeeb attended boot camp and learned how to use a gun, a far cry from the surgeon’s scalpel.  For the next two and a half years, he was posted with an infantry regiment on the front lines of the conflict, about one kilometre from the war zone. He performed lifesaving procedures, witnessing the horrors of war on a daily basis. He knew that if he were to suffer from PTSD, his future would be in jeopardy. For this reason, he focused on his own person safety and that of his family back home as a distraction from the trauma which was all around him.

This experience of war and human suffering, transformed Najeeb’s life. “I learned to cherish human life. I was very motivated to spending the rest of my life to help people get out of their misery.”

He spent an additional one and a half years in a military hospital away from the front lines before being discharged. He continued his studies in Glasgow, Scotland for two years. In 1990, he was a fully qualified surgeon. He was now married with a wife, two sons and a daughter.

He was adamant that he didn’t want to continue his career in Iraq.

Due to ongoing travel embargos, he ended up going to Libya to practice medicine. He then moved on to Dubai. A chance meeting in the hallway one day with the head nurse, known as the matron, changed the trajectory of his life. “How long are you intending to stay in Dubai?” she asked the young surgeon. “There is no future for you here. I am going to Canada. You could make a contribution in Canada. You will find a brighter future there.”

In 2004, Najeeb received a permanent residency visa to Canada and headed for Toronto. He had a friend in Halifax who was a businessman who invited him to come for a visit. While in the city, Najeeb met Dr.Robert Stone. Najeeb credits Dr.Stone as very influential person in shaping his life. Eventually, he got licensed in the province of Nova Scotia and in 2006 was recruited by the hospital in Yarmouth. In 2008, he had an opportunity to do a locum in Amherst and that’s where he’s been ever since. During a ten year period, he has been the chief of staff at the hospital as well as the chief of surgery. He has glowing words for his colleagues in the surgical unit.

In 2015, he was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada.

To keep physically and mentally sharp, he goes to the gym seven days a week. Another part of his workout regime happens inside a boxing ring where he spars two to three times a week.  “When your body is healthy, your mind is at ease. When your mind is at ease, you can handle stress better,” says Dr.Kadir.

“I love Canada where human rights are respected. This country has provided me with an excellent quality of life.”

Dr.Najeeb Kadir loves his work, loves his family and his adopted country.

“I am a very passionate person. Passion encompasses every fibre of my being: my hands, my feet, my heart, and my soul.”

The improbable road from Iraq to Amherst has been challenging but this is what has fuelled the “passionate physician.”