Applications are now open for Board Member Roles and a variety of Committee roles: 

Board Member vacancies 

• Membership
• Events
• Communications

Committee Director / Co-Directors

• Events
• Social Media
• Newsletter
• Partnerships
• Trade Policy
• Volunteer Coordination
• Etc. 

General volunteers for events, social media, newsletter, partnerships, memberships, trade policy etc. 

Apply by completing the nomination form by Wednesday May 22. 

Email completed form and supplemental documents to: info@owit-toronto.ca

OWIT TO BOARD NOMINATION FORM 2024.pdf

OWIT TO BOARD NOMINATION FORM 2024.docx

Job desc-VP Membership 2024.pdf

Job desc-VP Events 2024.pdf

Job desc-VP Communications 2024.pdf

OWIT-Toronto Past President and 2012 OWIT Exporter of the Year, Anita Agrawal, CEO, Best Bargains Jewellery/Jewels 4 Ever has been selected as one of the 2023 top 100 “most powerful women in Canada."

In January 2024, we will be looking for new members to join our board.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop board governance skills for non-profit organizations. New board members will draw on a range of experience, talents and a keen interest in international trade and/or women's economic empowerment. No previous experience needed. 

There are currently three vacancies including VP Events and  VP Membership.

You will develop new skills: board management, organizing and hosting virtual/hybrid events, trade policy development, and communications (website design and newsletters).

Board members will be elected at our AGM on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

You'll need to be a member of OWIT-Toronto, and can join within ten days of being elected. See our membership page for benefits and rates.

If you are interested in these roles, email Helen Hemmingsen (Past President) for more information.

A listing of current board members and their roles can be viewed at: www.owit-toronto.ca/board_members

On November 17, Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) and the Ontario government joined Cheryl Graden, of the TMX Group, to open the market and celebrate Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. 

Held annually on November 19, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is a day on which the work of women entrepreneurs is celebrated. OWIT-Toronto Co-President, Audrey Ross, and Board Members, Jessica Horwitz and Susan Baka, attended. 

The full-house celebration at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre recognized and celebrated the achievements of women in international trade.

Congratulations to our outstanding award winners and to all nominees for their continued dedicated work in international trade.

Student of International Trade Award – Oluwayomi Dime

Woman Exporter of the Year Award – Patra De Silva

Patra is the President of NHV Natural Pet Products, and exports veterinarian-formulated herbal supplements to 55 countries. The company has achieved export revenues of over ten million Canadian dollars. 

Patra has established B2B partnerships with distributors in key markets such as the USA, Japan, UK, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. She is the BC Chapter president of the International Women’s Forum, contributing to women’s leadership globally. NHV Natural Pet Products is based in Vancouver.

Excellence Award for Leadership in International Trade – Dr Wendy Cukier

.

From left to right: Clare Barnett, Brampton Economic Development; Jessica Horwitz, Bennett Jones; Oluwayomi Dime, Centennial College; Patra De Silva, NHV Natural Pet Products; Dr. Wendy Cukier, WEKH; Shay Lowe, WEKH

About OWIT

The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) is an international non-profit professional organization, with chapters around the world (www.owit.org), dedicated to advancing global trade opportunities for women. There are two Canadian chapters: Toronto (www.owit-toronto.ca) and Ottawa (www.owit-ottawa.ca).

In support of Small Business Week, OWIT-Toronto hosted a Fall networking events in October 18th in partnership with Entrepreneurs Point for OWIT-Toronto members and non-members. Co-President Audrey Ross and VP Events Aliaa Al Safarjlani organized and attended the event with our hosts at Entrepreneurs Point.

OWIT-Toronto is proud to recognize the achievements of women who, through their careers and personal commitments, foster international trade and the advancement of women in business. 

We are now accepting nominations for the 2023 Export Awards for:

- Excellence Award for Leadership in International Trade

- Woman Exporter of the Year

- Student of International Trade

Nominate your favourite leader, exporter and/or student here ! The deadline for nominations is Friday, November 3, 2023 at midnight.

We are excited to be hosting our Export Awards in person on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre (OITC), 250 Yonge Street, Eaton Centre, Toronto, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Watch our Events Calendar for further details including our special guest speaker and registration.

Registration details will be available soon.

Please contact Helen Hemmingsen if you have any questions or need further information about the nominations for OWIT-Toronto's Export Awards.

Discover the power of B2BeeMatch new features Trade Missions and Events!

The Ontario Aerospace Council recently utilized the B2BeeMatch platform to coordinate a highly successful Paris Air Show 2023 at the prestigious 2023 Paris International Airshow. They efficiently managed the entire trade mission process, from creating the mission, sending out invitations, and sharing essential documents, to facilitating one-on-one meetings between participants and tracking attendance.

In another success story, NGen effectively utilized B2BeeMatch to establish connections between tech and manufacturing firms, fostering productive funding discussions and driving growth within the Electric Vehicle industry.

Are you planning your next event and in need of assistance? Look no further than B2BeeMatch - the ultimate platform for virtual, in-person, or hybrid events worldwide! For more information, please visit: http://www.b2beematch.com/enterprise.

What’s B2BeeMatch?

B2BeeMatch is an AI-driven business networking platform that helps businesses save time, money and effort. The platform facilitates tasks such as generating leads, meeting clients, hiring and offering professional services, outsourcing projects, finding partners, discovering opportunities, and attending industry events and trade missions.

OWIT-Toronto participated in a spring roundtable with Canada’s Consul General in Turkey, Tara Scheurwater. Organized by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) and hosted by DMZ, the event highlighted the trade relationship between Canada and Turkey. Here is what the CG relayed about Turkey and about the opportunities there for Canadian exporters:  

- Canada’s office in Istanbul is trying hard to increase the relationship with Turkey.

- There is currently $4.4 billion of annual trade between our two countries, with a lot more that can be done. Canada’s exports to Turkey are mostly lentils and metal.

- Geographically, Turkey has a strategic location to the EU and Asia, and is also a G20 member.

- Sectors with good opportunities for Canadian exporters include agritech, cleantech, digital education, life sciences, mining, aerospace and infrastructure.

The Consul General encouraged the roundtable participants to let the Consulate know when visiting Turkey and other countries. They may want to put Canadian women exporters in front of young women to showcase successful role models.

On March 23, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), U.S. Commercial Service with Global Diversity Export Initiative and the International Trade Association, hosted Selling to Canada: Insights & Resources for Women Owned Small Businesses. OWIT VP International Susan Baka spoke on the panel to share resources in Canada like OWIT. Other panel members included Diane Farrell, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, who directs the International Trade Administration. Over 300 registrants helped launch the beginning of the relationship with the U.S. Federal government agencies focused on women and exporting.