Our story begins with the establishment of a one person public relations firm named Corporate Communications Limited, (CCL) by Steve Parker in 1977.

 

CCL developed into the largest marketing and communications business in the history of Atlantic Canada, with a full service advertising and communications agency, helping initiate a thriving new industry in the region.

 

Parker and his colleagues developed the concept of an integrated marketing and communications and intelligence network, forming CCL Group Inc. for this purpose.

 

CCL entered the news media monitoring business, founding NewsWatch, and opened offices across Atlantic Canada and in Toronto.

Sight & Sound Productions, a video company opened in 1984.

 

ArtWorks, a graphic design leader and Text in Context, a translation firm, were established to provide broader services to CCL Group clients and introduce new customers to our enterprise.

 

Meanwhile, Corporate Communications Limited went through its own growth and development, changing its name in 2004 to Colour Creative Persuasion (Colour.)

 

Majority interest in a market intelligence business, Corporate Research Associates (CRA,) was purchased in 1987. Led by Co-Founder Don Mills, CRA grew rapidly with a reputation for quality and excellence and became a leading Canadian market intelligence firm.

 

A major step was taken in 1994, when Parker and partners, Mike Patrick and Don Mills, entered the contact center business, founding CorporaTel, now known as Blue Ocean Contact Centers. At this point, CCL Group employment moved from dozens of dedicated professionals, to hundreds.

 

Blue Ocean is a business process outsourcer specializing in high value customer support. Operating on three continents with the majority of its revenues originating from outside Canada, the Company provides services to some of the world’s leading companies.

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As Blue Ocean became widely known for excellence and leadership in value-added support, it gained many recognitions including: Best Customer Service Outsourcer – Large Centers, Best Use of Social Media, Best Green Contact Center, and ultimately, Best Contact Center Outsourcing Provider in the Americas.

 

Blue Ocean is a six-time winner of the Commitment to Excellence Award from the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council.

 

It was named Exporter of the Year for 2015 by the Nova Scotia Government and International Business of the Year by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

 

In 2008, CCL Group’s interest in Corporate Research Associates was sold to management. 

 

Also in 2008, CCL Group and Steve Parker purchased full ownership of Blue Ocean Contact Centers. Under the leadership of President Elizabeth Currie, later followed by Andrew O’Brien, Blue Ocean continued to thrive.

 

Blue Ocean was purchased by IMP Group International Inc. in 2015. IMP merged its own contact centers with Blue Ocean and the Company remains successful under the direction of the Blue Ocean Management team.

 

Starting in 2018, CCL Group and member companies are active investors in real estate and property development in Nova Scotia. This portfolio continues to grow acquiring residential and commercial investment opportunities.