CALGARY, Alberta, June 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of the 2019 TELUS Pitch, Canada’s largest small business contest, Calgary’s own Arlene Dickinson will be joined by Suzanne Trusdale, vice president, Small Business Solutions, TELUS at her business accelerator, District Ventures, for an intimate fireside chat with local entrepreneurs to offer insights and strategies for delivering the best “elevator pitch.” Entrepreneurs will then have an opportunity to put their pitch to the test for a chance at $150,000 including cash and prizing.

Small businesses are the backbone of Calgary’s economy—accounting for 95% of local businesses. To celebrate and support the hardworking Canadian entrepreneurs who run these companies, TELUS Pitch is bringing its life-sized elevator to town encouraging small business owners a step inside and deliver a live 60-second pitch on how they would use the grand prize of $100,000 cash to grow their small business. Each pitch can be entered into the contest, which runs until June 23. Winners will be announced live at the grande finale event on July 30 in Toronto.

Arlene, who is the lead judge in this year’s contest, along with Suzanne and TELUS Small Business Solutions executive Roi Ross, will be available for media interviews and one-on-one conversations with entrepreneurs following the chat.

TELUS Pitch Calgary event details:
What:	Fireside chat
	Media interviews and photo opportunities
	Live 60-second “elevator pitch” opportunity for onsite entrepreneur
Who:	Arlene Dickinson, lead judge, TELUS Pitch
	Suzanne Trusdale, vice president, Small Business Solutions, TELUS
	Roi Ross, vice president, Small Business Solutions, TELUS
When:	Friday, June 7, 2019
	8:30 a.m. Welcome and networking
	9:00 a.m. Opening remarks, Roi Ross
	9:05 a.m. Fireside chat, Arlene Dickinson and Suzanne Trusdale
	9:30 a.m. Photo and interview opportunity
	10:00 a.m. Live elevator pitch opportunity (elevator remains open until 2pm)
	10:30 a.m. Event concludes
Where:	District Ventures Accelerator
	2540 Kensington Rd NW
	Calgary, AB

*Interview, photo and filming opportunities will be available onsite. Cameras welcome. Refreshments will be served.

About TELUSTELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is one of Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, with $14.5 billion of annual revenue and 14.0 million subscriber connections, including 9.7 million wireless subscribers, 1.9 million Internet subscribers, 1.2 million residential voice and 1.1 million TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment, video and home and business security. TELUS is also Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers business process solutions around the globe.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed over $690 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 1.3 million days of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS’ 13 Canadian community boards and five International boards have led the Company’s support of grassroots charities and have contributed $72 million in support of 7,000 local charitable projects, enriching the lives of more than 2 million children and youth, annually. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

For more information:Erica SavalaggioAccount Executive, Public RelationsEighty-Eight[email protected]416-944-2722

Source: TELUS Communications Inc

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