HighVail Goes “Eat Street” for Family & Friends Soiree!

By Thursday, October 9, 2014 0 Permalink 1
Layla, Jonny & Hady from Jonny Blonde Food Truck; Sil from Core Events Staffing, Shana from HighVail Systems, Raffaela from Core Events Staffing

L to R: Layla, Jonny &

Hady from Jonny Blonde Food Truck; Sil from Core Event Staff, Shana from HighVail Systems, Raffaela from Core Event Staff

Since its inception,

HighVail Systems Inc. has always known that one of the secrets to success is how you treat your employees. The company has created an environment where FUN is taken seriously, both inside and beyond the office. Work/Life balance is also one of our core values. Most importantly, HighVail is not just a place of business; at HighVail, we are a family, and we treat our clients, suppliers, and anyone we do business with as our friends. 

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Inspired at CDN Women in the IT Channel Recognition Luncheon #CDNWomen

By Thursday, September 11, 2014 2 Permalink 5
Laura Tsingos & Joanne Lebovits-Brodkin, of HighVail Systems Inc., at the 2014 CDN Women in the IT CHANNEL Recognition Luncheon

Laura Tsingos & Joanne Lebovits-Brodkin, of HighVail Systems Inc., at the 2014 CDN Women in the IT CHANNEL Recognition Luncheon

A few weeks ago, I was privileged to take part in the 4th annual 2014 CDN Women in the IT CHANNEL Recognition Luncheon at the beautiful Estates of Sunnybrook, Vaughan House, in Toronto. I attended with Laura Tsingos, Director of Operations at HighVail Systems Inc., who was one of the distinguished honorees at the 2nd annual Recognition Luncheon in 2012. The event is sponsored by ITWC, publisher of CDN (Computer Dealer News) and Ingram Micro Canada.

The day was action-packed with one inspiring session after another. The morning began with a choice of two interactive workshops. Laura and I chose Exceptional Leading: 17 Ideas on Leading Exceptionally Well in IT, presented by Executive Coach Karen Hanna, of TKB Hanna & Associates and SAP Software & Solutions COO Leagh Turner. Both innovative workshop leaders covered a lot of ground, including Karen’s concepts of the “Talent/Trouble Matrix,” “Borrowing Talent,” “Over-Hiring for Short-Term Gaps,” “The 2:1 Communication Approach,” and many excellent others. The advice given by Karen and Leigh was invaluable for all the attendees in the room, no matter what position one held, and the ideas presented were highly useful for all industries, not solely for IT. 

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Dining Al Fresco

By Sunday, August 24, 2014 2 Permalink 3
Origin North's White Sangria (white wine, triple sec, lychee liqueur & peach juice)

Origin North’s White Sangria (white wine, triple sec, lychee liqueur & peach juice)

If you live in a cold climate like I do, one of my favourite things to do when the balmier temperatures hit is to dine al fresco! Somehow dining, & having a cocktail outside, are one step closer to being in paradise!

Luckily, Toronto, where I live, has tons of places to hang out at outdoors. A couple of months ago, on my birthday, my sweet son suggested we go out for lunch to celebrate. We chose the perfect spot: Chef Claudio Aprile’s “Origin North” (at the fashionable Bayview Village Shopping Mall) – a little piece of heaven. We sipped on, probably, the most delicious and exotic sangria I have ever had. Infused with some Vitamin D from the bright sun, we were energized and felt like we were transported far away, at least in our minds. 

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