Muskoka Outstanding BusinessWomen’s Awards 2009 15
Muskoka Businesswoman – Employee of the Year
AWARD
Nominees
Recipient
was hired by Sun and Ski
Marine, a boat dealership and
says. “If I do what’s right for
marine service centre near
my customers and give them
Bala. Since then, she has
sound advice, basically the rest
continually improved her
follows. I get a lot of personal
skills, becoming more and
satisfaction out of making cus-
more indispensable.
tomer’s dreams come true.”
“Jadine is an example of a
Recently she was honoured
woman with determination,”
with a Vision in Action Award
says Greg Staples, one of her
by the bank – a recognition
nominators. “She has con-
given annually to only 80 of
stantly increased her value to
TD Canada Trust’s 80,000
the operation and has contin-
employees.
ually developed and broad-
Henderson got her feet wet
ened her skills. Since joining
in the small business world as
our organization, originally
a youngster when her parents
JADINE as a junior administrative
SUSAN HENDERSON moved to Huntsville in the late
SAYER person, she has grown her
Small business advisor, 1960s. She started nursing
job, her expertise and her job
TD Canada Trust school, but found her calling at
Office and administrative functions by assuming,
Susan Henderson has the Toronto Dominion Bank in
assistant, Sun and Ski assuming and assuming more
worked at the same TD Cana- Huntsville.
Marine work and responsibilities as
da Trust bank in downtown A Rotarian, she’s always
At the age of 37, Jadine the company has grown.” best I can do,” she says of the someone who makes a differ-
Huntsville for 38 years. been active in the community
Sayer was a single mom While each new area of position, which she found ence each and every day.”
“I love what I do,” says the and currently serves on the
who’d struggled for many responsibility may seem somewhat intimidating in the After meeting new chal-
small business advisor. “I take Huntsville/Lake of Bays
years to support herself and daunting at first, she isn’t beginning. lenges head on and trans-
the business customer from Chamber of Commerce board
her daughter Carly on wages afraid to take on new chal- Sayer’s nominators say forming her life in the
start to finish; help start up of directors, the Business
from her job serving coffee. lenges. For example, even she is the type of person oth- process, Sayer encourages
business, help people purchase Excellence Awards commit-
“I thought, ‘I need to though she is without formal ers look up to – she has a pos- others to find the courage
businesses, help with restruc- tee, and the Huntsville Drag-
change something, because I training in bookkeeping, itive impact in whatever she within themselves to tackle
turing, help them with cash onboat Festival committee.
can’t imagine serving coffee she’s learned to do it well does. the bumps on the road of life.
flow. I mentor the small busi- She also volunteers for the
when I’m 50 or 60.’ So I did enough to provide that serv- “She is a good role model, “It’s scary taking on some-
ness clients.” Huntsville High School
it.” ice to the company. especially for women who thing that’s out of your area
To that end, she provides Breakfast Club. She is also
Unable to turn to her fami- Through her perseverance, are currently working in less you’re comfortable in, and
educational opportunities for known for her contributions to
ly for assistance, Sayer went she has worked her way to demanding jobs and wishing it’s hard to make a big
clients through seminars and the Huntsville Animal Shelter,
back to school, completing the position of office and they had the courage to change in your life if you’re
webinars. BIA, Salvation Army,
her Grade 12 equivalent and administrative assistant. achieve more. She is recog- comfortable, even if it’s not
“My philosophy is to be cus- Chrysalis and other local good
a computer skills course in “I decided I’d roll with the nized by our staff, our ven- the greatest living situation in
tomer-driven,” Henderson works.
2002. That same year, she punches… all I can do is the dors and our customers as the world. But it’s worth it.”
In the last year, VanGerven keeps things running smoothly. year ago. She has extensive Having received assistance
formulated a production She keeps track of schedules experience in employment from the YWCA, Waterman
process – a system of stan- and events for 12 staff mem- counselling and has been an took employment with the
dardized procedures for man- bers and 10 board of directors adult education instructor and organization in part to give
aging each disaster recovery for an organization that serves facilitator for 10 years. back.
project – that has made the more than 14,000 individuals YWCA Muskoka staff cred- “I picked this job because of
company more productive in 25 locations. She also han- it Waterman with helping the the values of the YWCA,” she
and efficient. dles all manner of other tasks, organization grow. New offer- explains. “I don’t work just for
“It’s saving us money by big and small, to keep the ings include men’s and boys’ a paycheque; I’d rather do
letting us know where our YWCA office running programs, and a partnership something I like and believe
crews are, and by setting out smoothly. with Georgian College that in, and make less money than
how many hours a job should A 2003 graduate of Nipiss- sees the YWCA providing a make more for working for
take,” she says. ing University’s Muskoka life skills component one day something against my beliefs.
The standardization, she Campus, Waterman holds a per week to complement the The work we do here is very
says, provides for more B.A. in social welfare and pre-apprenticeship hairstylist important.”
SUSAN VANGERVEN accountability within the LEE ANN WATERMAN sociology. She participated in program available at the col- When she’s not working to
Controller, TCR Disaster company. Executive assistant, the Y’s Women in Business lege. better the lives of individuals
Restoration Specialists VanGerven started her YWCA Muskoka program in 2004/05, and “It’s about understanding through YWCA Muskoka,
of Muskoka career in marketing then As executive assistant at the worked as a volunteer for yourself and understanding Waterman volunteers her time
TCR Disaster Restoration moved to hospitality, where Muskoka YWCA in Brace- YWCA Muskoka in various other people so you can be for worthwhile causes like Big
Specialists in Bracebridge has she discovered her passion for bridge, Lee Ann Waterman capacities before being hired a more successful,” she says. Brothers and Big Sisters.
grown considerably in the last accounting and finance.
five years. Not because there When she’s not crunching
is more fire, wind and water numbers, VanGerven volun-
damage, but because the com- teers for Gravenhurst Minor
pany is winning over new Hockey, working as treasurer,
clients and operating more and was involved in the Congratulations to all
efficiently than ever before. Gravenhurst Skating Club in
Part of that success has to various positions for 12 years.
be credited to the work of In 2008 she served as treasur-
the nominees.
controller Susan VanGerven, er for the Gravenhurst Special
Proud to
who joined the company five Olympics.
years ago and manages its “There are no problems,
present the
finances. only solutions,” VanGerven
2nd Annual
“Mark has the vision,” she says. “That’s been my phi-
says, speaking of TCR presi- losophy of life for many
Muskoka
dent Mark Augustine. “I try to years now. There always is a
implement that vision. I’m solution; you just have to
Outstanding
very meticulous with the keep being creative until you
BusinessWomen’s
money.” get to it.”
Awards
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Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated
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