You know those word-association tricks people use to remember names?

They’re a useful skill over at Cell-Loc Inc. Human resources staff at the local wireless-location company can’t hit the print button for an employee list without it being out of date.

“Our numbers are going to keep growing steadily,” says a spokesman at the 135-employee company. “We expect to be at 200 people in Dallas and Calgary by Christmas.”

Here’s a partial list: John Krpan has become the new vice-president of operations for Cell-Loc Inc. He joins other recent hires Claudio Rodrigues, vice-president of marketing; Peter Allen, vice-president of business development and sales.; and Ora Zabloski, vice-president of people.

As well, Cell-Loc has announced internal appointments, including Lew Turnquist, executive vice-president and chief operating officer; Jim George, vice-president of geomatics; and Ned Benner, vice-president of deployment.

Among other changes in the IT business, John Webb, a former president of Cell-Loc, is the new senior vice-president of sales for AT&T Canada Inc.

Wi-LAN Inc.’s new vice-president of finance is Nairn Nerland, who has a background in international publicly traded companies, and in mergers and acquisitions. Joining the company as media relations specialist is Nancy Toombs, previously a reporter and anchor with Global TV in Regina.

Cal Fairbanks, formerly executive director for Western Canada of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), is now CEO of electroBusiness.com, an e-business utility.

Trent Johnsen has taken over as chairman and managing director of the new E-Security Innovation Centre at the University of Calgary. Johnsen is executive vice-president of JAWZ Inc., which is collaborating with the university on the training, research and forensics centre. The centre will officially open in January.

University of Calgary dean of continuing education Dr. Tom Keenan has added three academic staffers to his faculty.
Richard Hovey is the new director of programs – a position similar to being chief operating officer. He comes from the University of Regina where he ran the Paul Schwann Health Research Centre.
Joanne Willment, one of Canada’s top experts in distance and distributed education (people on campus getting a high-tech education), comes from Dalhousie University. She will teach in the Master’s of Continuing Education program, and apply for grants for distance education.
Dr. Peter Sawchuk is another addition to the Master’s of Continuing Education program who will be teaching and doing research into workplace learning. Sawchuk came from Brock and McMaster Universities where he taught courses in labour studies.