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Franklin & Company   Work History    Dedicated to the Advancement of Sustainability

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3. EDUCATION: B.A. Bus. Admin. (1969) Wichita State University (U.S.A.)  Exchange Student (1968) University of Kensington (Australia)

4. CITIZENSHIP: Canadian 

5. JOB EXPERIENCE:
5.01 Nov.'90 to present:  F/T and P/T, Chairman of the Peace Environmental Research Foundation, a small, moderate, Alberta-based non-profit NGO dedicated to environmental research and education.  Some of its many projects include:
-- The Alberta Environmental Law Hearings, 1990, presenting a Brief.
-- Public Environmental Information Seminars: "Countdown to 2000 A.D."
-- Alberta Petroleum Assoc.'s 1991 Calgary Conference on Environmental Action.
-- Displays at Environment Week in Grande Prairie and Edmonton 1991 to 1995.
-- Environment Canada grants for a Public Information Campaign for nature- friendly lawn and  garden practices, 1991 and 1992.
-- Students to Save the Planet Fundraising Campaign, 1993 and 1995.
-- Display at Edmonton's Earth Day, ‘96 - '97, including a Public Lecture sponsored by the U of A Environmental Campus Organization: "Sustainability or Chaos".
-- Presentation to CHRA and the Habitat II United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, 1996.
5.02 Oct.'83 to present:  F/T and P/T, Management Consulting and New Product Development being self-employed in Franklin and Company in Edmonton and Grande Prairie, Alberta. Many private, corporate, and government marketing and consulting contracts were successfully completed. New consumer products were invented and marketed, including: a new re-cycled plastic seedling house for growing tropical plants in northern summer gardens.   Canadian Patents were awarded.  Excellent performance was achieved in Alberta retail garden markets, and at the 1988 Chicago Hardware Show.  1991: Founded Miracle  Farms Hydroponics and developed the Miracle Farms Commercial Hydroponics Industrial Development Programme.   1996 - 99 included numerous contracts for the Desktop Publishing of New Product Brochures and Flyers.   Developed a Program for Wholistic Stress Management Seminars for the Government of Canada.  Founded AstralStar Productions and developed the AstralStar.com website.  Other Projects are too numerous to mention here.
5.03 March '84 to Aug.'90:  F/T and P/T, Executive Director for Miracle House Hydroponics Ltd., Grande Prairie, Alberta. The Management Contract included the planning, design, construction, and initial operation of a prototype Solar Hydroponic Greenhouse Research Laboratory.  Federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development Claims were awarded for six years.  World growth records were achieved for NFT Hydroponics.
5.04 Sept.'82 to Sept.'83:  Director of Weather King Building Systems Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta.  The Company had a shop with a showroom and specialized in small-scale, pre-fabricated building structures: a product line named Sun King Sun Rooms was invented, manufactured, and marketed.  Tasks included designing 31 models, market launch programming, budgeting, sales brochures, installation manuals, shop development, manufacturing operation manuals, price lists, shopping mall displays, trade show displays, dealer and distributor guidebooks. Sales were excellent at the Edmonton Home Show.
5.05 Feb.'82 to Aug.'82:  Research Co-ordinator for the Environmental Resource Centre, Edmonton. This F/T position required environmentally appropriate technologies research, business systems consulting, display designing, multi-media productions, government seminars, and writing grant proposals, including:
-- The Preliminary Development Programme for the Environmental Resource Centre for Alberta. This work brought forth funding for Alberta's first Energy Conservation Demonstration Centre.
-- The Environmental Summit, June, 82, University of Calgary: Environmentalists from across Canada initiated the Stop Acid Rain Movement.
5.06 July'78 to Jan.'82:  Sole Proprietor of Franklin and Company, Grande Prairie, Alberta. Many management contracts were successfully completed, including:
-- Prototype Solar House design, drafting, and construction management.
-- Instructor at Grande Prairie Regional College. An adult extension course entitled, "Solar House Building", enrolled 53 students from January 79, to May 79. This was the largest enrollment of an adult extension course inG.P.R.C. to date;  Seven prototype solar houses were designed and built.
-- Invented and built a Prototype Winter Solar Collector. It was installed on the roof of the Grande Prairie Regional College for four years and used for conducting experiments in winter solar heat production. The world's first solar powered Christmas lights were displayed resulting in National Television News coverage.
-- Lecture Tour on Solar House Building. Sponsored by the Grande Prairie Regional College, lectures were given at Fairview College, the University of Alberta, and to numerous schools, clubs and associations (1980).
-- Designed and drafted numerous Solar Houses for customers during this time.
-- Invented, built, and tested a Prototype Winter Panel Solar Intensifier.
5.07 May '76 to June '78:  Owner of Franklin and Company in Edmonton, Alberta. During this time many free-lance design and consulting contracts were completed:
-- A display and lecture entitled "Cities of Tomorrow" in Vancouver at the Habitat United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, June 76. This was the largest United Nations Conference in its history, and dedicated to Saving Planet Earth. Being a demonstration conference, Sustainable Development was networked world-wide.
-- Wrote the lead article of the first issue of Alberta Environment's new environmental magazine, Oct.'76.
5.08 Dec.'75 - April '76:  F/T, Director of Research of the Programming Phase and Urban Planning Phase of the Alberta Government Centre for McIntosh, Workun & Chernenko Architects Ltd., in Edmonton. The duties of this position included being in charge of Research, preparation of an Environmental Formulation Kit, accounting, environmental analysis, government negotiation, project launch strategy, and verbal and written presentations at the Ministerial Level. This prestigious work required the re-planning, design, and blueprinting of 1/6 of Edmonton's downtown area, and included a tour of North America's leading government centres. The following publications were produced:
-- Alberta's Demographic and Economic Situation as Related to the A.G.C.
-- A Summary of Programming and Priority Requirements of Alberta Public Works for the Hon. Bill Yurko, Minister of Public Works.
-- Recommendations on Phasing and a Transportation Analysis.
-- Urban Viability and Impact Study of the Proposed A.G.C.
-- Areas and Density Study of Edmonton's Alberta Civil Service.
-- A Summary of North America's Leading Government Centres in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, and Harvard.
5.09 1975:  F/T, General Manager for the Youth Dimension Program in conjunction with the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in Ottawa, Ontario. This position which included government contract negotiations, funds flow, budgeting, printing sub-contracting, and project launch strategy.  With 40,000 copies this was the biggest educational direct-mailed circulation in Canada of its time.  It was the forefront of Canadian Environmental Education.
5.10 1974:   F/T, Free-lance Consultant and Environmental Speech writer for Prime Minister Trudeau's Cabinet in Ottawa, Ontario. Contracts included:
-- A Speech about Human Settlement Issues for Canada's First World Environment Day Celebrations for the Minister of External Affairs, the Hon. Mdme. Sauve.
-- A Speech for the Hon. Ron Basford, Minister of Urban Affairs, announcing Vancouver as host of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements.
-- Wrote a Booklet on the Railway Relocation Act from Parliamentary Law for Urban Planners across Canada (Ministry of State for Urban Affairs).
-- Several Consulting Assignments by request of the Minister to the Advanced Concepts Centre (Environment Canada).
-- Designed, built, and presented a display on Future Urban Concepts for the National Design Council's Assembly on Design Excellence at the Ottawa Convention Centre.
5.11 1972 to 1974:  F/T, Founder and Executive Director of the Earth City Foundation, Canada's first Federally Chartered urban research and education foundation.   Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the Foundation was awarded a non-profit tax number in 1972. With many prestigious and influential members its projects included:
-- The Universal City Project: an educational programme on future cities. It included models, displays, multi-media shows, brochures and P.R. packages.
-- Ecology Canada Magazine: Canada's first national environmental magazine. 22,000 copies were control-circulated across Canada.
-- The Borealis Project: A Proposal for a Demonstration Centre in conjunction with the U.N. Conference on Human Settlements. It included the principles of Total Solar Power, Total Recycling, Zero Pollution, and Electromagnetic Transportation Systems. The project included a Total Urban Plan, a Display with a Model, a Slide Show, and a 60 page Development Program. This project received much notoriety in the media.
-- Published: Universal Man Magazine. 21,000 copies were market-tested on news- stands in 26 Canadian cities.
5.12 1970 to 1972: F/T, Assistant to the Director of Marketing Research and New Product Development for Robin Hood Multifoods Ltd., Head Office, Montreal. Numerous Green New Products were developed. The position included:
-- National Brand Product Manager and New Product Photographer.
-- Market Research and Green New Product Development.
-- Re-design of research data base systems.
-- Computerized Statistical Surveys and Market Launch Analysis.
5.13 1969: Sales Representative with the Del Monte Corporation in Wichita, Kansas. Won first prize in a national food industry marketing contest for food product displays. Immigrated to Canada in November, 1970.

6. SKILLS:
Communications, business consulting, classroom teaching, marketing research and new product development, budgeting, certain architectural design and drafting, construction contracting, magazine publishing, business law, accounting, contracts, fundraising, speech-writing, public relations operations, laboratory research techniques, lecturing, public participation seminars, typing: @ 60 wpm,  MSOffice 2000,  Lotus Office Suite, AUTOCAD, CorelDRAW, iPhotoPlus4, Micrografx, Quicken 98, HTML Internet Page Publishing, MSFrontPage 2000, and a good sense of humour.

7. SPORTS AND HOBBIES :
-- Mountaineering, skiing, skating, squash, swimming, scuba diving, boating, mountain biking, camping, drawing, computer graphics, Egyptian hieroglyphs, astronomy, gardening, woodworking, candle making, and chess.

-- I enjoy reading, ballet, pleasant music, and omit strong drink and harsh foods.  I am enthusiastic about life.

    

APPENDIX I

RESEARCH STUDIES COMPLETED :

1970 The Development of the Natural Food Market in America.
1971 Imported Foods in the Canadian Retail Chain Store.
1972 Development of a Zero Environmental Impact City Model
1972 The Market Potential of Ecology Canada Magazine.
1973 Project Easel: Experimental Urban Module - The Potential for an Environmentally Balanced City in Canada.
1973 Electromagnetic Personal Rapid Transit Systems - A North American Comparative Analysis.
1974 Hydroponic Farming - The Ultimate in Farming Technology and Its Potential in Canada.
1975 The Potential of Solar Electricity for Powering a House.
1975 Prefabricated Fiberglass Sandwich Panels for Housing.
1976 The Penguin Building Block - an F.S.P. Building System (Patent awarded) 1977 A Market Analysis of the Potential for Natural Fruit Juice Sales at the Edmonton Exhibition.
1978 New Town Planning Criteria for Alberta's Northerly Eastern Slopes, Peace River Regional Planning Commission.
1979 Non-Tracking Solar Concentrating Curves
1980 The Feasibility of Large Scale Vacuum Flat - Plate Solar Absorption Panels. 1980 Prototype Fiberglass Sandwich Panel Solar Hydroponic Greenhouse (included designing, building and testing).
1981 Automatic Solar/Electrical Hydroponic Growing Systems 1981 Energy Conservation in Greenhouse Development for Northern Alberta
1981 Panel Solar Intensification - An Industrial Development Programme (included inventing and testing a prototype PSI).
1981 Industrial Development Programme for a Solar Hydroponic Factory Complex
1982 The Weather King Sun Room Glazing System.
1983 Opportunities in The Canadian Sun Room Market.
1984 Prototype Solar Hydroponic Research Laboratory (included design, construction, machine systems design and testing, and plant sciences experiments).
1985 Claim for Scientific Research and Experimental Development Expenditures to Revenue Canada (10 experiments in Miracle House Hydroponics Ltd's laboratory).
1986 Claim for SR & ED Expenditures (8 experiments and 5 research studies, and included rigorous oral, written, and laboratory examinations).
1987 Claim for SR & ED Expenditures (12 experiments using precise scientific methodology).
1988 Claim for SR & ED Expenditures (6 experiments, setting world growth records for accelerated plant growth).
1989 Claim for SR & ED Expenditures (10 experiments, all claims awarded as listed above).
1990 Industrial Development Programme for a 1/3 acre Family Hydroponic Farm (included engineering studies and detailed blueprints).
1991 to 2001 to be up-dated

LINK TO APPENDIX II:

Publications,   Articles, Lecture Tours, and Seminars

Please Print on 100% Recycled, Unbleached Paper

  Working Hard for a Better World

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 AstralStar Productions :   Up-dated:  January 22, 2008

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