Home » Media Coverage

Women plug into career success

Article: Metro Toronto – March 08, 2006

By: Nina Dragicevic for Metro Toronto

International Women’s Day gives the world an opportunity to celebrate mothers, sisters, lovers and friends. For CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc., it’s a chance to recognize the contribution of two particular women to the company.s success.

CBL provides data recovery for hard drives that have failed in computers, laptops, data servers and other storage media. Headquartered in Markham, CBL has expanded on a worldwide scale since opening in 1993. Vicky Brauner, managing director of operations in Australia, has single-handedly strengthened CBL’s presence on the continent.

Brauner, after a career in hospitality and travel and tourism, retrained in computer programming and joined CBL for web design in 1997.

“I started full time with CBL and took over CBL marketing manager for the CBL World,” she says. “I worked Saturdays in the lab learning the data recovery side, and brought the company to Australia in January 2003. We have more than doubled every year in growth.”

Brauner notes universities don’t offer training for data recovery and she was lucky to receive specialized training from within the company. She adds, though, that “being a woman in IT means you have to know your stuff.”

Brauner says the skills she brought to the table, and that have driven the company’s growth, are based in working with people . customer service, making contacts, working with a staff that “is second to none.” Her other strengths include organization and dedication and, she adds, “being a workaholic helps.”

Back at headquarters in Markham, Yimei Cao leads the team of engineers who recover data from computer systems. A graduate of the University of Science and Techonology of China, she immigrated to Canada in 1996 with her husband and daughter.

“While our life in China was good, we wanted to change our lifestyle,” she says. “Canada offered more opportunities for immigrants, opportunities for individual success.”

Cao found that success, oddly enough, over a game of bridge. She was introduced to Zhengong Chang, co-founder of CBL, and struck up a conversation over their shared love of the card game. He offered her an interview, and she began working in 1996 as a technician.

Like Brauner, Cao says the company’s success is based on teamwork and co-operation.

“I am dedicated to helping our customers and my co-workers,” she says, adding she trains new employees and provides remote assistance to other labs with particularly difficult jobs. “It’s important to co-operate and share knowledge. If I am successful, then the company is successful.”

While CBL encouraged her rapid ascent within the company, Cao notes working in Canada offered her more opportunity as a woman.

“I believe that women have greater freedom and opportunities in Canada to succeed,” she says. “If you are good, you will succeed.”