They say that a picture is worth a thousand words...so, in this case we will let the pictures tell most of the story.   Shawarma Queen Kebob House is now open in Brandon at 908 Rosser Ave.  Hours of operation:  Monday-Saturday: 11am-9pm, Sunday: 4pm-9pm.

A familiar face, and long-term employee of the facility, is leaving the Keystone Centre.  Jason Krieser, the current Sales Manger tells bdnmb.ca that his last day at the Keystone Centre will be February 23rd. Jason has worked at the Keystone Centre for 34 years, with a brief 6 week hiatus when he went to work at Montana’s with Ben Hernandez and Chad Wallin.  Jason will be relocating to Winnipeg in search of employment and said that he doesn't have anything lined up as yet.  Initially, he said that he will be taking some time off to relax for a month or 2. Jason started at the Keystone Centre clearing tables, at the event known now as Dakota Nation Winterfest, when he was only 9 years of age. Shortly thereafter, he started working working in concessions before coming on-board full-time in 1999 when Mike Roziere hired Jason to become the Banquet Manager.   We here at bdnmb.ca wish Jason the best of luck going forward with his career.

Cathie Crossin has been the owner – bottle washer – and cook at Tastee’s for as long as I can remember.  However, this winter she has found a family to take it over this spring. Cathie, now that you have sold Tastee’s, I assume that your life will change drastically? Once spring and summer arrive I'm sure I'll notice it. I won't miss working seven days a week behind the counter.  Now I'll have freedom to go places and spend more time with my kids, especially in the summer. I might even see Clear Lake more than once in a decade now!  Can you disclose the new owners names, and any plans they have? That's up to them to announce when the time is right. I can tell you that they are a lovely family and they hope to continue on as we did before. I will be helping them get set up in the Spring.  We have talked about the struggles over the years of being a small business owner, what advice can you give people?   Treat your service people well and pay them promptly. If your air conditioning goes down you and it's 30 Celsius, or a vital piece of equipment breaks, you want to give the repair guy every reason to rush over and help you out. And I want to tell people to act. If there's a problem or gap in the community, and you know you can help, please do. One of the things I was most proud of was leading a team that wasn't afraid to act. When Samaritan House said their cupboards were bare... we acted. We held a spontaneous fundraiser on a busy Sunday where we gave out free ice cream cones in exchange for pasta and soup donations. It was amazing! Really, it was nothing more than a group of enthusiastic teens, supported by their boss to help people. Thanks to social media and our community we raised more than 3 van loads of food in one day. When you have a business, I feel like you have an opportunity and an obligation to contribute to your community. What are you going to miss the most and what won’t you miss?  It's the same thing actually. The great people that were our employees and our customers,  I'll miss them because I won't see them at work, BUT I also won't have to miss them because they're still our friends in "real life." Brandon is great that way.  I will miss also the opportunities I had to promote Brandon and talk about our community.  When Tastee's was mentioned as a stop on the Great Canadian Road Trip (Expedia.ca) or in CAA Magazine it gave us a chance to talk about Brandon and invite people to come see us.  I liked that. More people should get to know Brandon.  What will you do with all you free time now? Travel. I love to travel! Most recently I visited Ireland and Portugal. I'd love to go see more of Portugal, and maybe Spain too. I plan to work part time, and I'll take on a few select projects. No new business for me anytime soon. I just want to enjoy my family and spend more time together. We at BDNMB.CA will miss Cathie, and her passion, and wish her the best.

The amalgamated board of Catalyst and Vanguard credit unions is pleased to announce that it has appointed Ron Hedley as CEO of the new credit union.   The credit union, which launches April 1 and whose name is currently the subject of a contest, will combine the assets, memberships, branch networks, staff and technology of the fourteenth and sixteenth largest credit unions in the province. With $1 billion in assets upon amalgamation, it will move into ninth position.   It will be a stronger credit union that will grow along with its 18 communities while continuing to deliver to members what they expect and deserve. Its larger workforce will allow more staff to specialize, and sharing the costs of resources, including current and new technology, will allow it to deliver new products and services more quickly — all for the benefit of members.   “The credit union will be about sustainable existence and member service, as well as culture preservation,” said Guy Huberdeau, the newly elected Chair of the amalgamated board. “Ron has lived those values over his many years in our system, and we are highly confident in his ability to lead our new credit union.”   As the long-time chair of Catalyst’s board, Richard Dereniwski worked closely with Hedley through many major projects, including the amalgamation of 2013 that created Catalyst. “I have tremendous respect for Ron as a leader and as a person. I’ve seen how well he mobilizes people toward common goals. He is the right person for the job, and will serve the new credit union well.”   Since 1990, Hedley has served General Manager of Strathclair Credit Union, and as CEO of Dauphin Plains and Catalyst credit unions. During that time, he has dedicated his time and expertise many, and various, community development initiatives.

After taking some time to chat with entrepreneur Robyn Sneath, an old saying immediately came to mind…don’t let the grass grow under one’s feet. For those that don’t know, it means to act now or without delay. In other words, don’t wait for the grass to grow under your feet before doing something. With the Sneath family, there’s definitely no chance of any grass growing under their feet!  Robyn and her husband Dr. Jason Sneath are relatively new to the city of Brandon, but with a keen sense for business ventures and their interest in historical buildings they’ve quickly become well known within the city.  They currently own SKIN Clinics, Fraser Sneath Coffee and Sneath Projects, a small construction firm that helps them to manage and renovate the properties that they own within Brandon, primarily located in the downtown area. The couple has seven properties in Brandon, one in Winnipeg, as well as one in Regina where they are in the process of opening a second SKIN Clinics location.  They are currently focusing their efforts on renovating the historic Bass Building at 29-10th Street in downtown Brandon. With 30,000 square feet, they already have 75 per cent of the building leased. This space will house a variety of tenants that are a combination of retail, commercial and service-based businesses including Chez Angela Bakery and Café, Mint Magazine/Studio 78, Muse Boutique & Bridal Studio, Charleston and Harlow Candle Co., as well as Rheanon Neale Photography.  “With the other leases that we’ve signed, and including our own, we’ve recruited 12 businesses to downtown Brandon. So we’re very excited and proud of that. It’s not just something that we’re doing, others are being inspired by what they are seeing happening in downtown and want to be a part of it as well,” said Robyn.  As they toil away on the renovations, the first of the local businesses will open at the10th Street location this March and they hope to have the entire project complete in one year from now.  And, as the construction crew works hard to complete the 10th Street property, the couple is finalizing plans to expand SKIN Clinics on Rosser Avenue. Renovations on the upper level of the building will begin when the current renovation project is done. The expansion of the clinic includes adding a full-service, luxury day spa. “I’m always thinking of ways to promote Brandon and looking for things that I would like to see more of. We’re great at hosting events and conferences, but what we need more of is year-round tourist attractions, things that will draw more people here. The café has been a big part of that and the new spa will complement what we’re already trying to do with our other buildings and other projects. SKIN Clinics is bursting at the seams, so they definitely need to expand,” said Robyn. “We’re just one small piece of this big puzzle though. As more people start to see the potential in downtown and think about moving things down here, the more that everyone benefits.”