Full Name
Michael Peters
Company
Glooscap First Nation
Speaker Bio
Born and raised in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Michael was an early adopter of business. In junior high he joined the local Junior Achievement group at Middleton Regional High School. Since that time, he has built his own businesses and helped his Mi’kmaw community expand their economic development.
Michael first started his business career in high school with selling bagged ice to the local stores and campgrounds during the summer months. With the help of his father, he grew the ice business from 1000 bags a year to over 100,000 in five years to become the second largest ice supplier in Nova Scotia. The company was branded Mi’kmaq Ice in 2010.
In Michael’s final year in high school in 2010 he founded Peters Beverages. Peters Beverages was a vending company that serviced over 100 vending machines on mainland Nova Scotia. This included Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and snack machines. The business also bottled and sold its own line of bottled water. This water company, Mi’kmaq Water focused on reusable water containers and was found in almost every Mi’kmaw community in Mainland Nova Scotia.
From 2011 to 2014 Michael attended Nova Scotia Community College. He graduated in 2014 with an Advance Diploma in International Business and a Diploma in Business Administration. He then moved to Halifax to expand Peters Beverages further and work as an intern at Atlantic Ex Works, an international freight forwarder.
In 2015 he applied for a job working for his own Mi’kmaw community of Glooscap First Nation for the Community Economic Development Officer position. This position was a great opportunity to help his community. He was chosen to be the new Community Economic Development Officer, and he has worked at Glooscap Ventures ever since.
In 2016 Michael decided to return to school and in 2018 he graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. With the two large time commitments of working full time, going to school full time, and running two businesses he reluctantly sold Peters Beverages and Mi’kmaq Ice.
In 2019 Michael was promoted to Vice President of Corporate Development at Glooscap. In that role he overseen all new economic development projects in Glooscap with the exception of fisheries related projects. His major projects included Glooscap Landing and the creation of Glooscap Energy.
In 2021 Michael was appointed as the new CEO of Glooscap Ventures overseeing the entire organization and is currently in that role.
Michael holds certifications such as an International Trade Diploma from the Forum for International Trade Training and recently completed the mini-MBA program at Harvard Business School Online called the Credential of Readiness. Michael studied sustainable energy technologies at Dalhousie University where he received the Sustainable Energy Technologies Professional (SETP) designation in 2021. He also holds a Negotiation Mastery Certificate from Harvard University. Michael is currently doing a full time MBA at Saint Mary’s University with an expected graduation in January 2023.
Michael is interested in the renewable energy sector and is inspired to incorporate the Mi’kmaq 7 scared teachings into the business world as a way to merge culture, sustainable living and business together. Michael is hoping to grow Glooscap Energy into one of Atlantic Canada’s largest renewable energy providers.
Michael is a member of the following organizations:
• Canadian Professional Sales Association Member (2015 - Present)
• Forum for International Trade Training Member (2014 – Present)
• Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers Member (2015 – present) • Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2018 – present) • Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre Board of Directors (2021 – present)
• Valley Regional Enterprise Network Liaison Committee Member (2019 – present) • Canada-Nova Scotia-Mi’kmaq Triparted Economic Development Committee Co-Chair (2020 – present)
• Maritime Energy Association Member (2022 – present)
Michael first started his business career in high school with selling bagged ice to the local stores and campgrounds during the summer months. With the help of his father, he grew the ice business from 1000 bags a year to over 100,000 in five years to become the second largest ice supplier in Nova Scotia. The company was branded Mi’kmaq Ice in 2010.
In Michael’s final year in high school in 2010 he founded Peters Beverages. Peters Beverages was a vending company that serviced over 100 vending machines on mainland Nova Scotia. This included Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and snack machines. The business also bottled and sold its own line of bottled water. This water company, Mi’kmaq Water focused on reusable water containers and was found in almost every Mi’kmaw community in Mainland Nova Scotia.
From 2011 to 2014 Michael attended Nova Scotia Community College. He graduated in 2014 with an Advance Diploma in International Business and a Diploma in Business Administration. He then moved to Halifax to expand Peters Beverages further and work as an intern at Atlantic Ex Works, an international freight forwarder.
In 2015 he applied for a job working for his own Mi’kmaw community of Glooscap First Nation for the Community Economic Development Officer position. This position was a great opportunity to help his community. He was chosen to be the new Community Economic Development Officer, and he has worked at Glooscap Ventures ever since.
In 2016 Michael decided to return to school and in 2018 he graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. With the two large time commitments of working full time, going to school full time, and running two businesses he reluctantly sold Peters Beverages and Mi’kmaq Ice.
In 2019 Michael was promoted to Vice President of Corporate Development at Glooscap. In that role he overseen all new economic development projects in Glooscap with the exception of fisheries related projects. His major projects included Glooscap Landing and the creation of Glooscap Energy.
In 2021 Michael was appointed as the new CEO of Glooscap Ventures overseeing the entire organization and is currently in that role.
Michael holds certifications such as an International Trade Diploma from the Forum for International Trade Training and recently completed the mini-MBA program at Harvard Business School Online called the Credential of Readiness. Michael studied sustainable energy technologies at Dalhousie University where he received the Sustainable Energy Technologies Professional (SETP) designation in 2021. He also holds a Negotiation Mastery Certificate from Harvard University. Michael is currently doing a full time MBA at Saint Mary’s University with an expected graduation in January 2023.
Michael is interested in the renewable energy sector and is inspired to incorporate the Mi’kmaq 7 scared teachings into the business world as a way to merge culture, sustainable living and business together. Michael is hoping to grow Glooscap Energy into one of Atlantic Canada’s largest renewable energy providers.
Michael is a member of the following organizations:
• Canadian Professional Sales Association Member (2015 - Present)
• Forum for International Trade Training Member (2014 – Present)
• Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers Member (2015 – present) • Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2018 – present) • Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre Board of Directors (2021 – present)
• Valley Regional Enterprise Network Liaison Committee Member (2019 – present) • Canada-Nova Scotia-Mi’kmaq Triparted Economic Development Committee Co-Chair (2020 – present)
• Maritime Energy Association Member (2022 – present)
Speaking At
