PROTOCASE PRAISED
Protocase Inc. named 2018 Corporate Champion of the Arts
Sydney tech company wins national award for contributions to the arts.
A Cape Breton tech firm has received another award but it isn’t related to the company’s work, rather how it gives back to the local arts community.
Protocase Inc. announced Wednesday it was bestowed with the honour of the 2018 corporate champion of the arts by a national charitable organization that fosters and celebrates business leadership in the arts.
The 40th annual Business for the Arts gala will bring together 300 of the country’s leaders in the business and arts communities in a ceremony scheduled for Nov. 22 at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.
“It’s just a wonderful thing,” said Protocase co-founder and vice-president of sales and marketing Doug Milburn.
“We do our little part for the arts and it’s in our community, so to get recognized at a national level that was very, very flattering.”
Protocase first began custom manufacturing sheet metal electronic enclosures, panels, components and parts in 2001. It currently has more than 12,000 customers around the world including giants such as Boeing, Google and Apple.
The company does not have a formal process for organizations looking for donations, nor does it pinpoint a particular time of year to present non-profits with funding.
What Milburn says is important is a group makes a concerted effort in building a community that’s a “great” place to live.
“If you don’t make your community a better place then who’s going to do it, right?
“Life’s been good to us after years of torture and stress … but the last few years have
been good and we want to do some givin’ back.”
He wouldn’t disclose how much the company hands out in charitable donations each year other than saying it’s a “significant little percentage” of company profits.
Among the organizations receiving support are the Celtic Colours International Festival, the Highland Arts
Theatre, Cape Breton University’s Boardmore Theatre and the Lumière nighttime art festival.
Alyce MacLean, chair of the Lumière Arts Festival Association, nominated Protocase, with supporting letters from other groups in the arts community.
“Protocase’s business is export focused. There is no impetus or requirement for the company to support the arts community,” MacLean said in a release.
“However, the impact that they have made, in direct dollars, to Cape Breton’s cultural organizations is truly unmatched.”
Previous winners of this award have included Air Canada, Sun Life Financial, Great West Life and BMO Financial Group.
A national jury panel comprised of arts and business leaders assessed the nominees
and selected a winner earlier this summer.
Other honourees at the Business for the Arts gala will be former New Brunswick lieutenant-governor and philanthropist Margaret McCain receiving the Edmund C. Bovey Award and director general and chief curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Nathalie Bondil presented with the Peter Herrndorf Arts Leadership Award.
Entrepreneur Ali Shivji, a partner and managing director of Optima Living, which operates independent and assisted living communities in Alberta and British Columbia, will be honoured with the Arnold Edinborough Award and Sun Life Financial in partnership with the Toronto Public Library will be given the Community Impact Award.