Colleen “Chips” Klein was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and immigrated to Canada in 1975 with her husband and two young children. After successfully founding Chipco Canada Inc. in 1982 to manufacture and distribute The Eye Maker line of mirrors, a product designed, distributed and patented by her, Chips created Chipco Communications to provide a complete range of services for international marketing and source development. In 1990, the Ontario March of Dimes gave Chips an Award of Commendation for her work with the mentally and physically challenged. In 1997, Chips was inducted into the Who’s Who of Canadian Women and was similarly honoured by the same group in 1999 with the Women Inventors Project award. Chips was the recipient in 1998 of the South African Women for Women award in the category of Entrepreneurial Role Model. Today, Chips is a leading business consultant, dynamic speaker on women’s issues in business and entrepreneurship, and a business columnist for The Globe & Mail. [Photo, courtesy Chipco Canada Inc.] |