Meet our
PRESIDENT & C.E.O.
Originally from Long Sault, Ontario, Anne grew up by the rule of returning home from childhood adventures by the time the street lights turned on. She attended St. Laurence College in Cornwall for psychology before moving to Ottawa and launching her first business, A.M. Services, in 1981 at the age of 19.
The young entrepreneur became a homeowner not long after she turned 22 and has spent the subsequent years sculpting that property into the home of her dreams due to her zest for renovating and D.I.Y. projects.
With 15 staff and an expansive client base of both residential and commercial customers, Anne’s self-made cleaning business ran until it was sold in 1997, a couple years after Anne’s daughter Hannah was born.
Anne Matlar
Not one for sitting still, Anne soon found herself assisting with the management and paperwork for her husband's automotive business, Mike’s Service Centre, which ran in Richmond, Ontario for nearly three decades. For half of that duration, Anne took on the role of co-owner, organizing and optimizing the affairs of the business to grow the service centre’s revenue from $235,000 to $780,000 annually.
In 2005, as a single mother of two, having welcomed her son Dale into the world in 1999, Anne had to start anew and business management was a skill she had readily available. She debuted Balancing Act Solutions with a handful of clients, and gained momentum while raising her kids and adding to the family with a happy, chaotic assembly of dogs, cats, fish, birds and the occasional escape-artist turtle.
Over time, Anne grew Balancing Act Solutions to support a team of talented women and, as a group, they support a diverse, long-term client base spread across the greater Ottawa Valley area.
When she schedules time away from the office, Anne is thrilled to explore provincial parks by campsite and canoe, as well as using plane tickets to make memories with family and friends in far off destinations like Germany, France and California.
here, let us introduce you to the rest of our team
Lynda Bohonis
SENIOR TEAM MEMBER
Growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Lynda spent her youth learning business management by working for her mother in retail and with her father in the hotel industry. When she wasn’t working or in school, Lynda was racing snowmobiles with friends, or casting a line during long summer evenings on the water.
Ever since those early years with her parents, Lynda’s work endeavours have benefitted from her experience in sales, customer service, administration and bookkeeping. However, regardless of the role, Lynda ranks her time spent with customers as imperative and is always striving to create authentic relationships with the people she comes in contact with.
In 2016, Balancing Act Solutions was fortunate to take on Lynda as a full-time team member, benefiting greatly from her work ethic and commitment to our clients. It’s been an easy no-brainer to have Lynda as part of our work family since.
While away from work, Lynda deeply enjoys gardening and nursing the odd glass of wine with friends, family or simply the company of some candles and a quiet night at home. When she can make time for it, Lynda likes to be outside and is equally content on a ski hill or listening to the cracking of logs in a campfire.
Lisa Tomlinson
TEAM MEMBER
Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Lisa attended Ryerson University for a bachelor of technology in Graphic Communications Management and then started a family. Years later, they moved to Blind River, Ontario where Lisa started her own business in gift sales before swerving into a career in banking as the family relocated throughout the province, eventually settling in Ottawa.
Shortly after making a home in the capital, Lisa added to her list of accolades with a bookkeeping certificate from Algonquin College, all while juggling multiple jobs. In the fall of 2020, Balancing Act Solutions expanded and welcomed Lisa as a team member and we have benefited markedly from her dedication to and her enjoyment of her job and her love of working with numbers ever since.
On non-office days, Lisa adores spending her time with a great book or in creative pursuits like photography, a talent that is exercised as often as she can manage by working through her long bucket list of travel destinations.