 Chris Cathers
Chris Cathers is an energetic business marketing specialist from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. Passionate about life and all it has to offer, Chris is the project leader for Communication Ink, a Public & Media Relations division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd., as well as the web divisions of Communicationink.ca and Businessvi.ca. Also, under Northwest Publishing Ltd., Chris is responsible for advertising in the Business Vancouver Island, a business-to-business publication covering all of Vancouver Island.
At age 19, Cathers started Starvin' Students Yard Care, which employed hungry students during the summer. While he was obtaining his B.A. in Marketing and Anthropology at Malaspina University College, he sidelined as the business manager at the university's Navigator Newspaper, a bi-weekly student periodical.
Just before graduation, Chris was scooped up by Mark MacDonald, then publisher of the Mid/North Vancouver Island Business Examiner. There, Chris began to put his marketing degree to good use, working on projects such as the Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards (an all-Island annual gala celebration of business), the Nanaimo Community Sterling Awards, and numerous other ancillary publications.
In 2004, Cathers embarked on a five month trip across 10 European countries, returning to ply his trade with Business Vancouver Island.
Fueled with a passion for marketing and business, combined with our strategic alliances, Cathers will produce tangible results for your company.
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 Drew Harris
Drew Harris has almost 20 years of newspaper, radio and TV journalism experience.
In the last seven years, he has written more than 500 feature length stories on businesses for regional business publications.
Harris has written and distributed hundreds of news releases for clients that have included businesses, not for profit agencies and local members of government. All have resulted in publication in a wide variety of media outlets.
Harris has also served as Publisher/editor for several newspaper publications for area clients.
Harris is also an Internet marketing whiz, currently running a dozen websites and is proficient in Google Adwords, Google Adsense, linking strategies, article marketing and affiliate marketing.
In the last few years, serving as the Sales Manager of regional business print publications, he has sold nearly $1 Million in a advertising and sponsorship sales.
Harris has also worked as Marketing Manager or Coordinator for at least five different companies since graduating with honours from an Edmonton business college in 1991. Prior to that, he spent six years in the 1980's as a broadcast journalist (radio and television) in BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Colleagues and friends alike describe Harris as a motivating, driven and highly communicative and an analytical 'doer'. He is an award winning Toastmaster and an in-demand Emcee.
Harris is married to Shanda and they are raising two daughters. He is a weekend drummer and gardener. |
 Mark MacDonald
Communication has been Mark MacDonald's game since starting in the newspaper business at age 14.
Since then, he's written for a variety of publications, including daily, weekly, monthly and annual publications. He's also penned three books, and had his own television and radio programs.
As President of Communication Ink, Mark and his team of writers crafts business stories and press releases that editors of newspapers, periodicals and magazines find attractive - and publish. Over the years, Mark has written manuals, reports, copy for brochures and newsletters, plus a myriad of press releases.
Well traveled and a voracious reader, Mark has earned two U.S. scholarships. He entered United States International University (now Alliant International University) in San Diego, California in 1981 to play NCAA Division I hockey, and he majored in International Relations, studying U.S. Foreign Policy and Political Science. He also attended Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas from 1985-87, earning a degree in practical theology.
His award winning efforts include:
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1983 - Who's Who Amongst Students in American Universities for academics and athletics. |
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1987 - Columbia University's annual U.S. school yearbook competition for Christ For The Nations' Chosen Generation Yearbook, "First Place" winner. |
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2001, 2003 - Vancouver Island News Group "Best Special Section" award winner. |
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2003 - President of Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, voted British Columbia Chamber of the Year.
Happily married to Lise, they have five children and live in Nanaimo, B.C., where he is also Publisher/Editor of Business Vancouver Island, a monthly regional business publication (www.businessvi.ca), and President of parent company Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. |
