One of E.L. Crossley’s most distinguished graduates has made a gold-level sponsorship to the school’s 60th anniversary reunion celebrations as a tribute to her late father, who taught technology courses at the school prior to his retirement.
Julie Bond, an alumna from 1990, is the CEO of Bond Consulting Group in Toronto, a firm specializing in Canadian tax credits for businesses and individuals employed in SR&ED (Scientific Research & Experimental Development). Her organization was recognized as one of the fastest-growing emerging companies in Canada by Profit Magazine 13 years ago, and Bond herself has been honoured as the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur of the Year in the start-up category, and one of Canada’s top 100 female entrepreneurs. She has been interviewed by venerable Canadian news anchor Peter Mansbridge, and also Arlene Dickinson of Dragon's Den fame.
“My business has experienced exponential growth, and we’re doubling in size every year, going through another growth phase,” she said. Bond consulting employs 25 people, and has a client base from across the country.
“My father, Norman, was a pillar of the community, and lived just down the road from Crossley,” said Bond. “I thought the reunion would be an ideal time to arrange a modest but fitting tribute to my dad, since he passed due to a tragic accident a few years ago.”
Born in Toronto, Julie Bond moved with her family to Wainfleet and Welland in the early 1980s. Her dad Norman taught auto mechanics, woodshop, and other tech subjects, along with maths and physics, in schools all over the Niagara region.
“My dad was a genius,” she said. “He was a pilot, an electrical engineer, and a mechanic. He could fly helicopters and airplanes. In fact he even built his own aircraft, a kit plane called a BD-5. We had the jet engine for the thing in our living room.”
The Bede BD-5 Micro is a small, single-seat, homebuilt aircraft introduced to the market in the 1960s and 1970s. The aircraft appeared in the opening sequence of the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy.
Norman had planes stored at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport as well.
“He had a Cessna over at the NCDRA, and had anywhere from 10 to 20 cars on our rural property on Highway 20 at any given time,” Bond said. “Some Mustangs, a variety of Porsches. Dad was a real automotive enthusiast. He was an affable guy, and very knowledgeable, very academic.”
Julie does not spend much time in Pelham these days, although she does occasionally drive past the town on the way to visit her mother, who lives in Welland.
“It’s been a while since I was back at Crossley,” she said, “although about 10 years ago, I gave the convocation address to the graduating class. I enjoyed that.”
The 60th Anniversary Reunion is set for June 17.
