By Dorothea Helms
Special to The Toronto Sun

They say three times a charm, but for Jean Weller being chosen as one of Chatelaine's Top 100 Businesswomen in 1999, 2000 and 2001 is much more than luck.

This dynamic entrepreneur, one of the founders of Ad-Link Advertising Inc., has worked hard for 15 years bridging the gap between clients' HR communication and employment needs. Jean's dynamism reflects in the success her company has enjoyed.

In 1999, Ad-Link became the only agency in its field to have been chosen by Canadian Business Magazine as one of the top 2000 companies in Canada.

Jean and her husband Robert own the Canadian corporation she started with a former partner in 1988. Within a short time, Ad-Link became a full-service national recruitment advertising and employee communications agency.

This successful company is fulfilling its vision to provide local, national and international multi-media recruiting and related human resources advertising services for companies of all sizes and every industry.

In fact, today Ad-Link specializes in recruitment ads for more than 500 prestigious clients.

In addition to creating and placing recruitment ads in print publications and on radio, TV and the Internet, Ad-Link offers specialty HR related services such as corporate appointment notices, corporate Dividend and Tender announcements, confidential ads, on-campus recruiting and job fair promotions.

This rapidly growing company counts among its diverse client base Famous People Players, a world-famous Toronto-based troupe consisting of mostly developmentally challenged theatrical/musical performers.

Ad-Link has played an integral role in developing colourful brochures, posters, calendars, T-shirts, and even a children's book.

"We consider ourselves both an extension of human resources departments and a provider of a variety of communications in every field -- as indicated in our association with Famous People Players," says Robert, Ad-Link President and CEO.

He joined Jean in the business four years ago, after a 30-year career in the financial/banking sector. Using his vast expertise, Robert handles Ad-Link's marketing, sales and strategic and long-range planning and finances.

His work in this field has earned him an acknowledgement in the University of Toronto Press's Canadian Who's Who.

Jean's many years of experience in the advertising industry have served her well as vice-president of operations for Ad-Link, where she is the senior creative member overseeing design and implementation of production output. She is also responsible for the company's day-to-day business operations.

"I was senior creative director for all of Canada for a major recruitment advertising agency, and also was co-owner of a graphics/printing firm before co-founding Ad-Link," Jean says. "Since Robert joined the company, amazing things have happened. We're proud of the business, and we're particularly excited about our Web site, which now has a dynamic video component."

The Web site -- "Ad Connect" -- reaches an impressive number of qualified job candidates, and now also offers an innovative and informative CD outlining the company's services.

Located in downtown Toronto at 478 Queen St. E. in the historic Dominion Breweries Building, Ad-Link engulfs its team members in an environment that oozes creativity -- and it has paid off.

"We have a knowledgeable, hard-working team here," Robert says. "Our success is their success -- and we have fun, too!" For more information on Ad-Link Advertising, call 416-366-6181 or visit the Web site, www.adlink.on.ca.

(Dorothea Helms is an internationally published writer and business trainer, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca.)



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