Link to original article

Ed Barrett says the KIRA awards aren't designed to showcase gizmos and gadgets, but highlight how local companies are helping people across the province become better connected.

"I suspect if we all had the opportunity to sit and share our experiences we'd find we had a lot in common," the co- chief executive of the Barrett Corp. said of his fellow nominees. "I think we'd all share a zeal to provide communication vehicles for people's lives, for their education, for their pleasure."

The KIRA awards recognize breakthroughs in IT across New Brunswick. Barrett is this year's finalist for Industry Person of the Year for his company's work in bringing broadband Internet access to rural areas from coast to coast.

The Barrett Corp. is one of the few companies in the world to use both towers and satellites to offer wireless Internet services, , creating a network that can reach the far corners of even the thinnest populated areas in the country.

"I'm not so bold to say that our broadband system can stem the tide of urbanization in this country, or that it should," he said. "But Canadians need to be able to choose where they want to live and still have access to communication skills you would enjoy in one of our biggest cities."

Virtual Expert Clinics (VEC), KIRA finalist for Export Product of the Year, develops software to offer different communication skills on a more individual level. The Fredericton company's Autism Pro program is designed to help teachers craft more effective lesson plans for autistic children. With more than 10,000 pages of content available at a mouse click, the software has been purchased by school districts in Poland, Australia, and around the world.

"New Brunswick companies have to each create a niche market in order to become world companies," said VEC president and founder Cynthia Howroyd. "You have to be very focused and specific, and offer what no one else can"