Antigonish Regional Development Authority, where ideas take root

Facilitating community partnerships and utilizing a fresh youth perspective

A BRE success story from Antigonish Regional Development Authority

Nova Scotia is known as the university capital of Canada and Antigonish is very fortunate to be the home to one of Canada’s premier undergraduate experiences, St. Francis Xavier University (StFX). So when the Antigonish Regional Development Authority (ARDA) began their BRE initiative, they knew StFX would be a great resource for the program. It didn’t take long for Alana Paon, ARDA’s BRE account executive, to form a partnership between the university and one of her BRE clients; the Braemore Co-op Food Market. ALT Text.dx

“From the BRE visit it was determined that the Co-op wanted to expand their customer base, break into new markets, and increase their annual sales,” says Alana. “By going through the BRE process, meeting with the local action team and Monica Diochon, chair of the Business Administration Department at StFX, we were able to form a partnership between ARDA, the Co-op, and the university.”

Students in the Bachelor of Business Administration program who are seeking a major in management, marketing, information systems, enterprise development, finance, or economics are required to take Consulting Project for Majors; a course where senior business students work in groups to conduct in-dept consulting studies for businesses and organizations.

The benefits of this program are twofold. First, the students learn by being exposed to a real business/organizational experience. And second, local businesses and not-for-profit organizations benefit by having access to low-cost but in-dept consulting expertise.

“The Business Administration Department has a long tradition of community involvement. The BRE program plays a key role in facilitating the connection to provide a value-adding student learning experience and enhancing the future growth and prosperity of business and organizations in the community,” says Monica.

In September, ARDA assisted the Braemore Co-op in developing the terms of reference for the project which were accepted in October. In November, the group of five students, who called themselves Adapt Solutions, began their project by meeting with Dave Tellum, manager of the Co-op. During January and February the group conducted their research and developed their recommendations which were presented to the Co-op and ARDA in early April.

“Working with these students has really helped us understand how we can better use our marketing money to attract more students to our store, increase our sales and our local membership,” says Dave. “We now have a strategic marketing plan with genuine recommendations and the research to support them.”

By participating in BRE and with the assistance of community partners, the Braemore Co-op Food Market was able to get an in-dept strategic marking plan - a product valued at $15,000.

StFX Business Administration students Tim Briand (back left), Heather St. Pierre, and Donnie Grant with Alana Paon, ARDA’s BRE Account Executive (front left); Amanda Badger, Business Administration student; Dave Tellum, Manager of the Braemore Co-op Food Market; Monica Diochon; Chair of the StFX Business Administration Department, and Rob Prieur, Business Administration student.