Tourism group rewards Ryerson prof for landing conference

The Leaders Circle, a network of industry experts who share the common goal of coming together to build Toronto’s global reputation, honoured eight key local professionals at the 2^nd Annual Leaders Circle Recognition Gala yesterday for their integral contribution in bringing five new international meetings to the city.

A research grant awarded by the Leaders Circle was presented by Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, Minister Moridi, to Dr. Patrizia Albanese from the Department of Sociology at Ryerson University to acknowledge her efforts in leading the successful convention bid for the 2018 ISA World Congress of Sociology and to support the Project named “What are International Meetings Worth on an Intellectual Level? An Ethnographic Case Study & Evaluation of an International Networking Opportunity among Canadian Junior Scholars in the Lead-Up to a World Congress.”

The Leaders Circle Recognition Gala is a prestigious event supported and created by the Greater Toronto Hotel Association (GTHA), Tourism Toronto, and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to recognize Leaders Circle Ambassadors for their achievement in creating key partnerships and bringing international meetings to Toronto that showcase the city on the world stage as an exciting and globally recognized hub for innovation, excellence and opportunity.

The five new international conferences that will take place in Toronto as a result of the dedication from Leaders Circle Ambassadors will take place between 2017 and 2024 and will gather worldwide thought leaders across a variety of subjects including immigration law, industrial technology, and public health.

The combined estimated economic benefit generated for Toronto by these new international meetings is estimated to be more than $22 million.

“High-profile international meetings in Ontario provide a spotlight for our leading researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators to shine,” said Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. “The Leaders Circle acknowledges and rewards the efforts of professionals who bring important international meetings to Toronto. For the province’s researchers and innovators, this recognition is an added bonus that helps sustain them on their path to discovery.”

“Toronto has a rich research and innovation story to tell and The Leaders Circle is proud to help members tell these stories to the world,” said Kathy Nicolay, Leaders Circle Manager. “Tonight’s theme of ‘coming together’ reflects our successful bidding partnerships and also celebrates new strategic partnerships with thought leaders from various industries.”

“I absolutely would recommend working with Leaders Circle and Tourism Toronto for anyone who is beginning down the path of trying to bid for an international congress,” said Ambassador Corinne Eisenbraun, Director of Education & Policy Programs at Dietitians of Canada. “They had the depth in their support staff to really help us put forward a highly professional presentation.  We can bring the content expertise and the subject matter expertise, but the real business of hosting a congress and of putting such an event on needs professional support through the Leaders Circle and Tourism Toronto.”

Award recipients from the 2^nd Annual Leaders Circle Recognition Gala

Dr. Maurice Bitran
Chief Executive Officer & Chief Science Officer at the Ontario Science Centre
Association of Science – Technology Centres 2019 Annual Conference

Ms. Catherine Paisley
Vice President, Science Education & Education Experience at the Ontario Science Centre
Association of Science – Technology Centres 2019 Annual Conference

Ms. Jacqueline Bart
Principal, Bartlaw Canadian Immigration
61^st UIA Annual Congress

Dr. Dimitri Androutsos
Chair and Professor, Ryerson University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2021 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP)

Dr. Kostas Plataniotis
Professor, University of Toronto Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering & Bell Canada Chair in Multimedia
2021 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP)

Dr. Xiao Ping (Steven) Zhang
Professor, Ryerson University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2021 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing (ICASSP)

Dr. Sheldon Williamson
Associate Professor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering
IEEE 18^th International Conference on Industrial Technology

Ms. Corinne Eisenbraun
Director of Education Policy & Programs, Dietitians of Canada
19^th International Congress of Dietetics