UWindsor alumnus Rick Spence (BA communications, 1977) will kick off Startup Canada’s visit to Windsor-Essex with a keynote address this morning at the Odette School of Business.

Rick Spence.

Spence, a Toronto-based business writer, consultant and speaker, will share more than 20 years experience studying Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs in his discussion, titled “Growth Secrets of Canada’s Top Entrepreneur” from 8 to 10 a.m. May 22, in room 104, Odette Building. The former editor and publisher of Profit, the Magazine for Canadian Entrepreneurs, he now writes a weekly column on entrepreneurship for the National Post.

Startup Canada is the country’s first-ever, entrepreneur-led, national movement to enhance the nation’s competitiveness and prosperity by supporting and celebrating entrepreneurship. Its cross-Canada tour will open its Windsor leg with Tuesday’s keynote, followed by a networking event at Caesars Windsor with word-of-mouth guru Saul Colt. The day will conclude with a special town hall at Walkerville Brewery. Participants will develop a concrete action plan and community-led solutions to pressing issues facing entrepreneurs in Windsor-Essex.

The tour will conclude Wednesday, May 23, with a one of a kind Entrepreneur Show and Tell at the Downtown Windsor Business Accelerator. Learn more on the event Web site.