Insights with Don Mills and David Campbell- An Acadia Broadcasting Podcast

Discover how a family-owned Nova Scotia company powers the world. On this episode of Insights, Don and David talk with Jeff Myles of Surrette Battery—Canada’s leading deep-cycle battery maker with customers in 40+ countries. Hear how Surrette is evolving from lead-acid to lithium and thriving in a rural community while planning for global growth.

Discover how Freeman Lumber—a family-owned sawmill since 1832—is reinventing rural development in Atlantic Canada. In this episode, COO Marcus Zwicker and CFO Georg Ernst share insights on tariffs, export diversification, Crown land harvesting, and innovative uses for biomass. Learn how this resilient company, which has weathered hurricanes and fires, is investing millions and leveraging AI to build a world-class mill. A must-listen for anyone interested in natural resources, sustainability, and economic growth in rural communities.

In this week's Insights Podcast, our guest is Courtney Sherlock, the Co-Founder & CEO of the Halifax Tides FC, one of the six inaugural teams in the Northern Super League, the newly formed professional women's soccer league. The Tides just completed their first season, and while their on-field performance did not secure them a playoff position, by every other measure, it was a highly successful first season. Attendance for the Tide games was among the highest in the league, averaging about 4,000 per game, and the team secured 2,000 season ticket holders out of the gate. The team had strong local sponsorship and merchandise sales, and the league benefited from a national television deal with both TSN and CBC Sports that broadcast a package of games in the first year of an initial two-year contract. In this podcast, Sherlock talks about her entrepreneurial journey building the Valley Veterinarian Group into six hospitals over a relatively short period of time, before selling to a national consolidator and then finding herself as the majority owner of the Tides. It is an exciting journey into professional sports for Sherlock, who admits her only previous exposure to soccer was as a soccer mom. Enjoy! 

 his week on Insights, Don and David sit down with Pierre Zundel, President and CEO of Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), to explore how this French-language college network is shaping New Brunswick’s economy. From training talent for health care and construction to supporting research and rural development, CCNB is a key driver of growth. Hear how international students, housing challenges, and industry partnerships are influencing the province’s future—and why CCNB matters more than ever. 

 Discover why Nova Scotia is leading the solar revolution in Atlantic Canada. In this episode of Insights Podcast, we sit down with David Brushett, Chair of Solar Nova Scotia and Manager of Energy Management Services at Efficiency One, to explore the province’s rapid growth in solar adoption. From 13,000 residential installations to commercial projects making up 35% of the market, Nova Scotia now accounts for 75% of all solar energy in the region. We also dive into cutting-edge battery research at Dalhousie University, Tesla’s involvement, and what it means for the future of renewable energy. Plus, learn why solar is projected to hit 1 GW by 2035 and how the upcoming Solar Summit in Halifax will shape the industry. If you care about clean energy, innovation, and sustainability, this episode is a must-listen.