Join us at the Grand LifeStyle Show stage to see some of the Grand Magazine columnists in person. We're also working behind the scenes to attract other celebrities to the show.
Lynn Spence
Lynn Spence really knows home décor. She acts as a regular style expert on Citytv’s CityLine, "Around the House" and "Fashion Friday". Through her passion and enthusiasm for style and design, she creates inspirational ideas and solutions to appeal to the viewer’s lifestyle.
She is known for her past work as the decorating editor for Chatelaine Magazine producing decorating editorials and covers. After two years with the magazine she returned to a freelance career as a contributing editor for Canadian Home and Country Magazine and a story producer for Style At Home, and continues to produce photo shoots for various magazines.
Her expertise in the industry has made her a regular guest speaker for the Toronto Metro Home Show, The National Home Show, The International Home Show, and The Canadian Home & Country Show and has led to many other public appearances across Canada. Her lively and informative speaking style have made her a sought after personality, appearing in department stores, boutiques and major shopping centres such as The Bay, Sears, HomeSense, Hazelton Lanes, Bayview Village, First Canadian Place, Square One, Holt Renfrew and many more.
Lynn is best known for her uncanny ability to fuse the market trends of today with classic style making her a desirable choice for her eclectic range of clients.
She was recognized in Yorkdale Shopping Center's 2005 "Celebration of 40 years of Fashion" as one of Canada's "Top Style Makers".
Lynn Spence has an endless supply of ideas and energy and will continue to inspire and educate those who desire a comfortable, welcoming and practical place to live.
Don’t miss an exclusive interview, live on the Grand Stage with best selling author, Greta Podleski - Sunday, May 4th at 1pm.
Greta Podleski is one half of the sister act that wrote the bestselling cookbooks, Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates, and Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! Along with her sister, Janet, Greta is a monthly columnist for Canada's number-one magazine, Reader's Digest, and was voted into Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2000. Greta can be seen weekly on the Food Network TV series, Eat, Shrink & Be Merry!, which features extreme recipe makeovers. The sisters and their inspirational, self-publishing success story have been featured on dozens of national TV programs such as The Today Show, CNN, Cityline and Canada A.M. as well as on hundreds of radio shows, and in magazines and newspapers across North America.
Greta’s love of cooking began in her childhood after receiving an Easy-Bake Oven as a birthday gift. By age 12, she was preparing 3-course dinners for her 5 older sisters and her parents, using a real oven. Originally from St. Thomas, Ontario, Greta and her food-obsessed dog, Lexi, live in a 150-year-old farmhouse in rural Kitchener.
Kathy Renwald is the award-winning columnist of the Wheels column featured in Grand Magazine. In 2007, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada awarded the prestigious Wakefield Castrol Award to Kathy for her review of the Audi RS4. Kathy has a long list of accolades that include: creator of Gardener’s Journal television show, weekly gardening columnist for the Toronto Star and Hamilton Spectator and regular contributor to Canadian Gardening Magazine.
Kathy was host of the live television show Calling All Gardeners on HGTV for five years. In 2000, she won the Award of Excellence from the Garden Writers of America for her outstanding work in hosting. Kathy has been a field editor for Better Homes and Gardens and head of creative development for the Royal Botanical Gardens. She is also the best selling author of: Annuals and Perennials for Ontario and Tree and Shrub Gardening for Ontario.
Kathy is a journalism graduate of Niagara College. Prior to her work in gardening, she was a news and sports reporter for CHCH-TV in Hamilton. Kathy is a Master Gardener and has dedicated herself to encouraging public interest in gardening. Other interests of Kathy include creating collages and volunteering.
Back to Top ^Meet Dr. Robin R. Milhausen, PhD. By night, the Co-host of Life and Discovery Health networks’ late night talk show, Sex, Toys and Chocolate; by day, the Assistant Professor in Family Relations and Human Sexuality at University of Guelph, researcher, wife and mother.
Native to the Waterloo region, Robin’s research on sexuality, gender and health has been presented at national and international conferences, from Paris to Hong Kong. She is an expert on sexual arousal focusing on factors that prevent and enhance arousal and links them to sexual risk taking and dysfunction.
Her credentials include: a Ph.D. in Applied Health Science; a minor in Human Sexuality from the renowned Kinsey Institute at Indiana University; an undergraduate degree in Psychology; a Masters degree in Family Relations and Human Development from the University of Guelph. She is a member of the Kinsey Institute, the foremost institute for sex research in the world, research team and a member of the International Academy of Sex Research and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality where she continues to make valuable contributions to the human sexuality and health field.
Dr. Milhausen currently lives in Guelph with her husband, Steve Jett, her son Leo and their dog, Max.
Back to Top ^Dr. Joseph Pohorly
Dr. Joseph Pohorly was one of the first winery owners in Niagara. He founded Newark Winery in the Village of Virgil in 1979, one of the three original cottage wineries that opened in Niagara in the ‘70s and laid the foundation for the growth of the new Ontario wine industry. A farmer’s son, born in Vineland, Ontario, he learned how to grow grapes and other fruit crops from an early age, gaining an appreciation and knowledge of the land, of Ontario geography and climate, and of the unique characteristics that make the region special.
Joseph earned his living as a secondary school teacher for 20 years before becoming a civil and architectural engineer. Not content to rest, Joseph converted the family farm into Newark Wines. In 1982, with the help of investors the winery became Hillebrand Estates Winery.
In 1983, Joseph made the first Icewine for Hillebrand and, in the process became a Canadian Icewine pioneer. Within a year, almost every winery in Niagara was attempting to create the luscious nectar that would become the darling of the ice wine industry.
After helping turn Hillebrand into one of the Canada’s top wineries, Joseph sold his portion of the business and left to pursue other interests,
Joseph purchased a 20-acre fruit farm just down the road from Hillebrand and launched Joseph’s Estate Wines.
Back to Top ^
Andrew Del Net, owner of Tri-City SCUBA Centre Inc. and SCUBA instructor, was born and raised in Waterloo region. Andrew’s passion for deep sea diving was inspired by his family’s journey from Italy to Canada aboard the Andrea Doria, quite arguably one of the most beautiful ships to sail. The Andrea Doria sank two years after the Del Net family arrived in Canada and is considered the ‘Mount Everest’ of SCUBA diving.
In July 2008, after rigorous training and extensive planning, Andrew and nine other divers will explore this deep sea Mount Everest. Although 14 divers have lost their lives attempting this exploration, Andrew and his team are not discouraged. The expedition will span 5 dives, weather permitting. Andrew’s dream is to visit the third class swimming pool that his father so vividly remembers swimming in during his eight day journey.
Andrew teaches all levels of diving from entry level open sea diving to technical training. He lives in Waterloo region with this wife, Heather and his two children, Maia, and Calamai.
Don Andrews
Ironman, Don Andrews, BSc. Kin GBA knows what it takes to have it all. As a financial advisor, health and fitness enthusiast and family man, Don is an expert at balancing a multi-faceted life.
Don graduated from the University of Waterloo with a degree in Kinesiology, specializing in muscle physiology and training adaptations and has coached several aspiring Ironmen and Ironwomen. He draws from his education and his experience's as a semi-pro cyclist at the Velo Club De Levallios/Castorama in France and as a participant in the Triathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland where he raced for Runner's Choice and Saucony.
Don is a long standing board member of the Waterloo Cycling/Multisport Club and sits on the St. Mary’s Cardiac Rehab Program’s board of directors for Spin 12/Spin Alive. He is also a part of the ‘Irondogs4kids’ triathlete threesome who raise funds for the Paediatrics Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). Last year the Irondogs raised ten thousand dollars for POGO.
Don lives in Waterloo Region with his family.
Tim Cradduck, has more than 20 years of horticultural and floriculture experience under his gardening belt. As the technical support specialist for Turf Revolution, an organic alternative lawn and garden fertilizer company, Tim is an advocate for environmental lawn care. He shares his knowledge, seminar style, to both home owners and professional lawn care providers. Turf Revolution has been making changes to support the Green movement for 10 years and is recognized by the industry as a leading edge company; their motto is Green Inspired – Science Driven.
Tim serves as the president of the board for the London chapter of Landscape Ontario and as a member of London’s Communities in Bloom committee. Throughout his career, Tim has been able to connect with other horticultural gurus to become instrumental in the realization of several community based projects such as Alex’s Butterfly Garden at the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario and the Global Garden at the historic Banting House, home of the Canadian Diabetes Foundation.
James DeJonge
James DeJonge, Master Craftsman, has been involved in building and planning prestigious homes in master planned communities for over twenty-five years. From initial design, James makes it his mandate provide an excellence of craft and making his clients’ home-building experience rewarding and enjoyable. Don’t miss James on the Grand stage as he discusses ‘Custom Dream Spaces in Your Home’.


