WOMEN IN BUSINESS: Coffee with Donna & Barb

Donna Douglas, Community Communicator

Before launching her own communications business in 1978, Donna was a journalist. She anchored a beat at the Kingston Whig Standard before moving to Barrie to become, at age 24, Editor of the Barrie Banner.

After launching her business, Donna went on to develop a strong corporate newsletter business before buying a national magazine for Canadian teenagers, which she ran for 12 years.

A 20-year part time teacher with Georgian College’s School of Continuous Learning, Donna brings to her clients a vast community network, the experience of having walked the walk, and unparalleled care and support for the small business owner. She is also a founder of the popular Barrie Business Women’s Council.

Since 1995 Donna has been directly involved in the start-up of over 1,500 businesses in the Barrie area.

She believes when entrepreneurs take time to learn how to run and grow their businesses, they move into the winners’ circle. They eliminate the chance that they’ll become one of the nation’s failure statistics.

For 20 years, Donna’s weekly newspaper column showcased the lives of people whose contributions enriched the lives of Barrie residents. She has truly been a community champion.

Wife (of her first husband, Ivar Boriss, for 50 years), Mom of three and Gramma D of six, Donna loves and lives her life enthusiastically in Barrie.

Barb Richards, A Touch of Class Auctions 

Though Barb has had varied careers throughout her professional working history, her standout one would be as an Auctioneer and Founder of the Senior Wish Association.

In 1986 Barb became one of the very first female auctioneers in Canada, in a largely male dominated industry which still holds true today. It’s important to note that prior to her auction career Barb designed and ran programs designed for women returning to the workforce, encouraging women to look for what was considered non-traditional occupations such as the trades, etc.

In the 35 years since Barb established A Touch of Class Auction & Appraisal Service she has helped thousands of people through sometimes challenging times plus she has been the fundraising auctioneer at countless charity events in our community, sharing her skills to help raise hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars for those in need.

She is a two time World Champion Auctioneer, an Ontario Champion Auctioneer and was the first female President for both the Auctioneers Association of Canada and Ontario. She has dominated the auction industry with her skill and passion for the profession.

In owning her own auction company Barb wanted to get more women into the industry – so doing what Barb does best, she started the Canadian Auction College. Training both men and women not only to bid call but to know the industry standards, ethics and business side. She even trained her daughter Krista, who is also a World Champion Auctioneer.

Barb started the Senior Wish Association in 2011 – with three goals: To provide gifts for seniors at Christmas who have been identified as isolated or alone in our community, to grant wishes for Seniors and their newest project, the Memories Book programme - where seniors are matched with an author (typically a high school student or adult) to write their life story.

The year Senior Wish was founded approximately 75 gifts were given to seniors in our community. Since that time the programme has expanded to well over 2,000 seniors served, reaching as far as Muskoka, Alliston, Clearview, Bradford and in our local area.

Wishes have been granted including the CN Tower Skywalk for a woman in her 80’s, a VIP experience at Georgian Downs for a woman who loves horses, a motorcycle ride for a male senior who wanted that one last feeling of being on a bike, a non-verbal man who got to see his favourite hockey team (The Leafs) and sit with Walter Gretzky.