Press Release
May 29, 2007
For Immediate Release

OCRIRadio.com Podcast Explores the Myth Surrounding High Tech Ottawa’s Marketing Talent Deficit

Veteran marketing VPs Allan Zander and Gwen Avery
share different perspectives

Ottawa, May 29, 2007 – Looking at the marketing DNA of high tech Ottawa, a persistent myth suggests there is an essential gene missing – that our community is heavy on research and development talent, but light on marketing. As a result, so goes the myth, we create less competitive companies, and ultimately, suffer an inability to grow large head-office tech giants in Ottawa. OCRIRadio.com has stepped up to the task of investigating this myth with its most recent podcast. Jeffrey Dale, President and CEO of OCRI, and Nathan Rudyk, President of market2world communications inc., interview two senior marketing experts.

Allan Zander, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Sciemetric Instruments Inc., feels that, “Yes, we are missing the marketing talent. No, we don’t have the talent here that we need to build ... pillar organizations … What I think Ottawa lacks is really the understanding of what marketing and sales does for your organization to help it grow.” On the other hand, Gwen Avery, Director of Marketing Communications at Meriton Networks, responded to the myth by saying, “I don’t think there is any shortage of marketing talent in this city.” She goes on to state that, “Hands down the marketing efforts and talent and skill set in Ottawa is absolutely world-class.”

Zander is a marketing veteran with previous senior marketing experience at CML Emergency Services, Inc., Mitel Networks Corp., Nortel Networks Corp. and start-ups such as Televistesse Systems Ltd. For the last year, he has been responsible for all facets of marketing and product management as well as the North American sales organization for Sciemetric Instruments. This Ottawa-based company has been creating and selling quality control software and measurement equipment to manufacturing companies since 1981.

Avery also has an impressive tech marketing background with more than 20 years of experience. Presently, she is in charge of lead generation, strategic messaging and product launch, CRM systems, PR, and analyst relations at Meriton Networks. She joined the optical networking company in 2001, shortly after the firm’s start-up. Her marketing background consists of senior positions at tech companies such as Cognos Inc., Fulcrum Technologies Inc., and JetForm Corp., as well as working outside the tech industry as a marketing consultant.

Rudyk and Dale also speak with Kathy Mahoney, OCRI’s Vice President of Corporate Programs, about a new peer-to-peer networking group that will soon be available to the marketing community and how people can access this network.

Past guests on OCRIRadio.com include Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer; Ventures West President Ted Anderson; and University of Ottawa copyright law Professor and blogger Michael Geist.

About market2world communications inc.

market2world is Canada's Web 2.0 product launch and public relations agency, where markets are conversations - dynamic global conversations occurring every minute of every day inside and outside organizations. market2world puts Web 2.0 tools like blogs, podcasts, wikis, and community publishing platforms to work so companies and institutions can tap in, participate, and grow business with social media. For more information visit "The New Way Things Are" blog at www.market2world.com.

About OCRI

OCRI (Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation), the city's economic development corporation, is leading the way for Ottawa. OCRI is the rallying point to bring business, education and research together to create the winning economic conditions that allow Ottawa's technology companies to thrive locally and compete globally. At OCRI we promote sustainable economic development to maintain our high quality of life. For more information on OCRI visit our website at www.ocri.ca and for more information on the Ottawa Region please visit www.ottawaregion.com.

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