Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/419610
Nicole Saulnier worked her way through the ranks at an ad firm after graduation but quickly developed a penchant for flying. She soon found herself flying commercially, becoming the first female bush pilot to fly out of Vancouver Harbour. Her career has since soared. With her husband Keith, she launched her own seaplane charter and training company, Georgian Bay Airways. Operating 5,000 flights a year with 20 employees, she's boosting Parry Sound's tourism profile with sightseeing tours of the 30,000 islands. "Our passion is to enhance where we live," says Nicole, who serves as a director for Explorers' Edge, a provincial regional tourism organization. This role led her to see the necessity to further market her town as a tourist destination and inspired her, Keith and another business partner to start Parry Sound Tourism. "We wanted to make some noise for the area and bring all the business operators together. Our first summer went well and we have lots of new ideas." The Saulniers have also built SOS Media Consulting to offer e-business, coaching and mentorship to others. The mother of three credits Georgian with providing her with a solid advertising skill set and developing an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. "It changed my outlook on life. It was a gateway to realizing there was so much more potential in me," she says. EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE: SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS IN NORTHERN ONTARIO TOURISM NICOLE SAULNIER (NÉE KULMATYCKY) Advertising, 1995 It was a gateway to realizing there was so much more potential in me. Nicole Saulnier on her experience at Georgian Photo courtesy of Keith Saulnier 2014 PREMIER'S AWARD NOMINEE 13 GEORGIANVIEW 2014 ALUMNI HAVING EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES