Logo Home Corporate Profile Our People Client History In The News Contact
Banner
Core Economic Development
Community Development
Business Development
International Development
Education, Outreach and Training
Button Shadow
Our People
 



Lauren Millier, B.E.S., MCIP, RPP

Lauren began her career as a planner with the Toronto firm of Walker Wright Young, before
moving to a position as senior planner with the Management Board Secretariat of the Ontario
Realty Commission.  In 1995, she joined Coopers & Lybrand, rising to the position of Vice-
President in the series of corporate mergers that produced PricewaterhouseCoopers.  In 2003, she
helped spin PWC's successful real estate practice into a new firm, urbanMetrics, which she joined
as a partner.  As her work and interests increasingly moved away from traditional urban planning
and into the economic development field, Lauren helped launch Millier Dickinson Blais as a vehicle
for delivering high-value consulting assistance to communities and organizations wrestling with
economic development challenges.

Lauren's past clients are a diverse group, representing public and private sector interests from all
across North America.  She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Honours Planning) degree
from the University of Waterloo and is both a Registered Professional Planner and a Member of
the Canadian Institute of Planners.  She has served for several years on the Board of the
Economic Developers Council of Ontario and currently sits on the Toronto Board of Trade Economic
Development Committee.

Born in Brockville, Ontario, Lauren now lives in Toronto with her husband Nigel and son Cameron.

Lauren works from our Toronto office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 221 or lmillier@millierdickinsonblais.com.



Brock Dickinson, M.A., EcD. (F)

Brock has more than a decade of hands-on experience in local economic development, having
served as Director of ICT & Advanced Manufacturing for the Toronto Region Research Alliance,
Director of Economic Development & Tourism for the City of St. Catharines, and Executive Director
of the Western Valley Development Authority in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.  Before entering
the field of local economic development, he spent six years as a consultant with the United
Nations, coordinating international development projects in more than 30 countries.  In 1995 he
was named Secretary-General of a UN conference on sustainable development, the youngest
Secretary-General in UN history.


Brock's career has bridged the worlds of hands-on practice and academic theory, earning him a
reputation as a leading figure in turning theory and concept into action and success.  He holds a
BA from the University of North Carolina, and a Master's degree in International Relations from
Brock University, where his work focused on economic development in former war zones.  He has
also studied at Queen's University, the University of Waterloo and the French-language Université
Sainte-Anne.  He has earned his EcD. and (F) professional designations in economic
development, and now teaches economic development at the University of Waterloo.  He is a
member of the Board of the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

Originally from Digby Neck, Nova Scotia, he lives in the Niagara region of Ontario with his wife
Krstina, son Spencer and daughter Morgan.

Brock works from our Hamilton office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 231 or bdickinson@millierdickinsonblais.com.




Paul Blais, M.A., EcD.

Paul has been active in the economic development circles for more than a dozen years, starting
with a position as researcher in the City of Woodstock's economic development department.  He
went on to serve as a professional economic developer with a range of economic development
organizations, including the Kingston Economic Development Corporation and the County of
Lennox & Addington.  In 2005, he launched his own successful economic development consulting
firm, Blais & Associates.  Strong growth and an increasing client base prompted Paul to become a
partner in the new firm of Millier Dickinson Blais in 2007, where his clients can draw on a wider
range of professional assistance as they pursue economic development opportunities.

Paul has a strong track record in rural economic development and community consultation
processes.  He holds a BA in Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Master's in
Geography (with a specialization in economic development) from the same institution.  He has his
EcD. professional certification as an economic developer, and is also a certified business retention
consultant through BR+E International.  He was recently elected to the Board of the Economic
Developers Council of Ontario.

Originally from southwestern Ontario, he now lives in the community of Sydenham in eastern
Ontario, with his wife Cara and their two daughters, Taryn and Abbey.

Paul works from our Harrowsmith office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 241 or pblais@millierdickinsonblais.com

Rob Nolan, M.B.A, MAES

Rob is a Senior Consultant with Millier Dickinson Blais with more than twelve years of experience in delivering economic development programmes and strategy development at the local, regional and national levels.  Before joining Millier Dickinson Blais, he worked for more than 8 years with the South East England Development Agency, one of nine regional development agencies in the United Kingdom.  During his time with SEEDA he managed a small investment attraction team; established and managed a successful business retention programme; and more recently delivered a comprehensive Regional Economic Strategy (RES) and its Implementation Plan. Rob has also worked for a local investment promotion agency (West London Inward) and the UK’s national investment promotion agency (the then Invest in Britain Bureau). Rob holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Kingston (London), as well as a Master in Applied Environmental Studies (MAES) and undergraduate degree (BES) from the University of Waterloo. 

Originally from Peterborough, Rob lives in Port Credit with his wife Lisa.

Rob works from our Toronto office and can be contacted at 415.367.3535 ext. 225 or rnolan@millierdickinsonblais.com.

Libby

Libby Smith, EcD.

Libby has more than 15 years of experience in community economic development. Her career began as  Economic Development Manager for the Town of Gander in Newfoundland.  Libby later moved to Alberta, where she continued to work in rural and community economic development as the Executive Director of the Red Deer Downtown Business Association and Economic Development Manager for Red Deer County.  Libby has also worked in the United Kingdom as Alumni Relationship Manager for Coventry University’s Development Department and as  Policy and Performance Officer for Coventry City Council’s City Services Directorate. Before joining Millier Dickinson Blais, Libby ran her own company, Terra Consulting, and most recently worked on a business retention and expansion project with Hastings County, Ontario.

Libby was the first woman in Newfoundland to earn the professional certification designation as an economic developer, EcD., and has  served on the board of directors and executive of the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

Originally from Gander, Newfoundland, Libby now resides in eastern Ontario with her husband Gary.

Libby works from our Harrowsmith office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 242 or lsmith@millierdickinsonblais.com.

 

Nicolina

Nicolina Basil, B.E.S., MAES

Nicolina holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Honours Planning) degree and a Masters of Applied Environmental Studies in Local Economic Development. Nicolina's thesis work focused on community economic development and immigration strategies. Before entering the field of economic development, Nicolina worked at the City of Toronto's Planning Department. In 2006, Nicolina joined a research team at the University of Waterloo, which explored citizen involvement in economic development in a resource-dependent region in northern Ontario.

Since joining the firm, Nicolina has worked on an advanced manufacturing sector profile for Durham Region, an economic development strategy for the Town of Orangeville and a community economic development initiative for the 1000 Islands Workforce Development Board.

Born in Toronto, Nicolina lives in the lakeside community of Mimico.

Nicolina works from our Toronto office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 223 or nbasil@millierdickinsonblais.com.



Jonathan Eshun, BComm, MAES (Cand.)

Jonathan is an Associate Consultant with Millier Dickinson Blais. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Technology Management from Ryerson University and is completing a Master’s degree in Local Economic Development from the University of Waterloo. His Master’s research focuses on regional industrial analysis for municipal economic development, using Waterloo Region as a case study. He has worked in various IT related positions at Johnson & Johnson Medical Products, Esso Imperial Oil and Kraft Canada. Before entering the field of economic development, Jonathan also worked at World Vision Canada as a Market Information Analyst. He has previously worked on projects including strategic planning for the Town of Bracebridge and employment lands analysis for the Okanagan Valley.

Jonathan lives in the City of Hamilton.

Jonathan works from our Hamilton office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 236 or jeshun@millierdickinsonblais.com.

Tarryn Landman, B.A., OCGC

Tarryn is the Communications and Operations Coordinator at Millier Dickinson Blais. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and an Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Public Relations. As a student she interned for the Small Business Enterprise Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario. Before joining the firm, she lived in London, UK, where she worked as a Public Relations Account Executive for a public relations agency serving the business to business technology industry.

Tarryn is originally from South Africa and now lives in St. Catharines.

Tarryn works from our Hamilton office and can be contacted on 416.367.3535 ext. 235 or tlandman@millierdickinsonblais.com.

 

Footer
2007 Millier Dickinson Blais. All rights reserved. Designed by SmallWorld Media Group Inc