People Hive X: Hamilton's Young Professionals Come of Age By Ryan Moran

Published October 13, 2011

Real change is happening in Hamilton. Whether economic, attitudinal, or aesthetic, this city is growing: blossoming into something that is the result of our collective best efforts.

The same is to be said of the young professionals in Hamilton. Just a scant three years ago, the young professional scene was a very loose, informal collection of parochial groups. Since then, it has grown into a strong, cohesive and organized network working for change in this city. This network's name is the Hamilton Hive.

Whether you have heard of it before or have yet to learn about it, Hamilton is now home to one of the top young professional networks in the country.

In January of this year, the Hamilton Hive completed its Terms of Reference and held its first election for the Executive Committee in a process that involved representation from all areas of the Hamilton community. Be it private sector, public sector or non-profit, it was truly a community effort in creating the Hamilton Hive.

The mandate of the Hamilton Hive is to provide an all-in-one, up-to-date resource for young professionals from across the economic landscape that are looking to start or advance their career and life in Hamilton, and to assist in building young professional networks in Hamilton.

The focus this year is to host the city's first ever young professional conference.

Hive X Conference

On Sunday, October 23, the Hamilton Hive will be hosting that conference, entitled Hive X, at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The day features a mix of speakers and workshops, including some nationally recognized figures such as social media and technology expert Amber Macarthur, Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation and former Mayor of Winnipeg Glen Murray and MRX/Lulu.com owner Bob Young.

More than anything else, Hive X is designed to be a day of networking, collaboration and a speaker's platform for Hamilton's young professionals.

Whether their interest lies in transportation matters, Hamilton's image, renewing our downtown through adaptive re-use of space or attracting and retaining young professional talent, the conference will facilitate these discussions. It is designed to maximize interactivity (at times through online and text voting in the workshops) and will result in actionable items that young professionals can champion for the betterment of Hamilton.

Hamilton's young professionals have shown in short order that words and platitudes for a better Hamilton are nothing without action. Time and again they have held events, created networking opportunities or shared resources to make change for the better bit by bit.

Now we encourage other young professionals who wish they could do more to take that step: attend this conference that is designed by young professionals for young professionals and be part of the network of an ambitious generation who will help rebuild this ambitious city.

For more information on Hamilton Hive X, visit www.hamiltonhive.ca or follow #HIVEX on Twitter.

Ryan Moran was born and raised in Hamilton's Strathcona neighbourhood. After obtaining an MBA in strategic marketing at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, where he also did a Bachelors of Arts in a combined major of Political Science and Theatre & Film, he joined the staff of factor[e] design initiative as their Marketing Communications Specialist. Professionally, Ryan has been engaged with a number of consulting projects, particularly pertaining to topics of youth community development, marketing and social engagement, through both electronic and interpersonal means. He has previously worked for the McMaster Students Union, and ArcelorMittal Dofasco, and is a former chair of Hamilton Hive.

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