Neil Haboush's Schools

• Concordia University , Class of 1982 Bachelors in Economics and Politics

Neil Haboush's Publications

• St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Neil Haboush August, 2010 Neil Haboush is an active member of St. George Church in Montreal, where he has served in such roles as President and Director of his parish. In addition to its obvious role in the lives of its parishioners, St. George also holds an important place in the city’s history as a culturally significant institution that has been recognized for its artistic interior design. St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church celebrates its 70th anniversary in its current location and its 110th anniversary in the parish. Originally conceived as a gathering place for recent immigrants, the church served to enable its members to establish a sense of community, as well as a place of worship. Today, the church stands as a place of extraordinary beauty and as a monument to the steadfastness of its founders. In a city noted for many imposing Gothic structures, the modestly sized building stands out. The exterior building is described by experts on Byzantine architecture as a “Westernized version of the Byzantine style, reflecting Western, Canadian, and Eastern Orthodox traditions.”

• The Science of Muscle Building November, 2010 by Neil Haboush As a weightlifting enthusiast, I believe people should understand some of the science behind muscle growth and strength training. The expansion of muscle cell size, called muscle hypertrophy, is split into two distinct categories. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy occurs when muscle cells experience an increase in the volume of sarcoplasmic fluid and expand in size. This type of hypertrophy, common among bodybuilders, results in large muscles with few gains in actual strength. Myofibrillar hypertrophy occurs when myosin and actin contractile proteins multiply and increase muscle size and strength. Myofibrillar hypertrophy can be found more commonly among competitive weightlifters and athletes looking to improve performance. In most cases, athletes require a structured strength training regimen to attain significant muscle hypertrophy. For competitive weightlifters and other strength athletes, performing one-repetition maximums is the most effective means of experiencing myofibrillar hypertrophy. Bodybuilders and endurance athletes are better served by performing more repetitions of lower weights, which results in sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. One of the major components of muscle strength, the neural drive behind muscle contractions, must also be trained for muscles to work properly. By utilizing second messenger system components such as phospholipases, protein kinase C, and tyrosine kinase, the body’s neurological systems activate certain genes that evoke responses in contractile proteins. When it comes to optimal training methods to experience maximum muscle growth, experts and professionals differ greatly in their assessments. Most experts agree that sustained anaerobic strength training, coupled with a gradual increase in the weight and number of repetitions, produces consistent results. Widely considered one of the guiding principles in strength training, progressive overload holds that muscles must be overloaded in order to stimulate the natural adaptive processes of the human body. In the presence of new strength demands, the body responds by increasing blood flow to affected areas, stimulating the development of more responsive nerve connections between the brain and muscles and strengthening muscles and bones.

• Surf History November, 2010 by Neil Haboush Growing up in Southern California in the late 1970s, I was strongly involved in high school athletics such as baseball, football, and basketball. One of my favorite outdoor activities, surfing, was unique in that it took place on the ocean, without a team. Surfing has its roots in the traditional Hawaiian practice of “he’e nalu,” which means “wave-sliding.” Kahunas, or priests, would pray for good surf, and the surfing itself took the form of a competitive ceremony among the upper classes. Wave sliding was also designed to keep the chiefs physically fit. The early Hawaiian form of surfing was observed by European sailors as far back as 1767, and Mark Twain commented on the practice in his writings a century later. The practice of surf riding waned during the late 19th century, but was revived in the early 20th century by the so-called Beach Boys of Waikiki, whose ranks included Duke Kahanamoku. Surf legend George Freeth emerged in the early 1900s, designing board that cut the traditional Hawaiian 16-footer in half. Surfing Southern California, Freeth was hired by a Californian railway in 1907 to promote their company, giving him the distinction of being the first-ever professional surfer. Hawaiian-born surfer Duke Kahanamoku promoted surfing tirelessly as well, and thanks to his efforts the sport spread rapidly along the California coast. With a demonstration on Sydney’s Freshwater Beach on Dec. 23, 1914, Kahanamoku introduced the sport to Australia, where it found instant popularity as well. The first major surf competition took place in 1928, and from there surfing saw a general uptick in popularity, as automobiles made it easier to travel up and down the coast in search of waves. One major innovation in the sport was the first wetsuit, traditionally said to have been stitched together by Jack O’Neill from neoprene vests in the early 1950s. Shortly thereafter, Dale Velzy produced a line of surfboards with surfer endorsements, launching the first surf-related advertising campaign. By the 1960s, surfing had gone mainstream, as an endless stream of Gidget movies confirm. To me, the wonderful thing about surfing is that no matter how commercial it becomes, it is essentially all about the individual surfer and his connection with the board, and to the ocean.

• Evolutions in Call Center Technology, by Neil Haboush, Neil Haboush December, 2010 By: Neil Haboush At Level One Data Services, many of our customers run call centers, which need to efficiently handle customer relations and large volumes of contact and sales data at the same time. Call centers have evolved significantly since their introduction, and they increasingly rely on complex data management software to conduct analytics, decrease customer wait times, and develop best practices for customer relationship management. Initially, call centers grew out of the switchboards of corporate offices. Relying upon switchboard telephone technology, companies began creating departments dedicated to fielding customer phone calls. This type of call center does not require any particularly advanced technology to operate, although increasingly companies with their own in-house call centers employ advanced data management systems to distribute calls automatically and collect information on performance and efficiency. An alternative to the traditional call center approach is the virtual call center. Instead of buying the infrastructure necessary to field calls, a company with a virtual call center will lease the capacity from a service provider. Such service providers might host their own facilities with traditional phone equipment. Another possibility involves the use of Voice over IP (VOIP) technology to allow virtual call center agents to work in a distributed fashion. In this case, individual operators work from the locations of their choosing, using their own computers to connect to the call center system. Extending the concept of the virtual call center, some companies now offer on-demand, cloud-based services. For businesses that have variable call volumes, this can prove to be a viable solution, as agents are added as needed. The cloud computing company employs a series of contractors, and when these individuals log in, they are automatically assigned to a call center based on their expertise and the volume requirements of the client. Each of these approaches implies different data management issues. To learn how Level One Data Services can help you fulfill your call center needs, visit www.levelonedataservices.com . Emergency_Call_Center_112.jpg

• Surf Etiquette December, 2010 by Neil Haboush As a high school student growing up in Southern California, one of my favorite pastimes was surfing. I enjoyed the feeling being out on the water, having a sense of connection with the ocean, and using the power of the wave to bring me back to shore. One of the most important aspects of surfing has nothing to do with the mechanics of getting on the board and riding a wave. It has to do with sharing the ocean with fellow surfers. The most important rule, for safety reasons, involves right of way. It is a simple rule: The surfer closest to the peak of the wave automatically has the right of way. For example, if there is a wave moving to your right, and someone to your left is paddling for it, stop paddling and let him or her take the wave. Although it is sometimes acceptable to take a wave if a rider is closed out on a wave, or wipes out, always be cautious. You want to avoid a mid-wave collision at all costs. Paddling out to the breaks has its own etiquette, the primary thing to remember being not to paddle through the heart of a lineup where other people are surfing. In doing this, you risk breaking another major rule: never paddle out in front of someone riding a wave. Still, the ocean is unpredictable. Occasionally, you will be caught out in front of a rider through no fault of your own. In this case, paddle very quickly over the crest of the wave. When a lineup is crowded, it is very poor form to ditch a board. Throwing the board to get through rough surf when paddling out is tempting, but try to avoid it. Always try to maintain contact with the board, as letting the board fly loose can result in hitting another surfer. This is by no means a complete list of surf etiquette, but in following these simple rules you should be able to stay safe, and in the good graces of your fellow surfers.

• Neil Haboush on Concordia University, Neil Haboush January, 2011 by Neil Haboush [Author: User:IronChris] In 1982, I earned a Bachelor of Science from Concordia University, a Canadian public institution in Montreal, Quebec. The École des Mines de Paris ranked Concordia first among Canadian universities in terms of graduates who became Chief Executive Officers at Fortune 500 companies. The University offers well-respected programs in fine arts, journalism, engineering, and social science, and the Moslon School of Business is consistently ranked in the top 10 Canadian business schools. Concordia features two campuses: the Sir George Williams Campus in downtown Montreal, and Loyola Campus in the residential, west-end district of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. A free shuttle-bus service connects students, faculty, and staff to both locations. Founded in 1974, Concordia University’s name comes from the City of Montreal’s motto, Concordia Salus, which stands for well being through harmony. Concordia began with five faculties: a merged Faculty of Engineering (now the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science), a SGW Faculty of Science, a merged Faculty of Commerce (now the John Molson School of Business), a Loyola Faculty of Arts and Science, and a Sir George Williams Faculty of Arts. In 1976, the Faculty of Fine Arts was created, and the Arts and Science operations were eventually brought together in 1985 under a single dean. Today the University has five colleges of Arts and Science: the Liberal Arts College, the Loyola International College, the School of Community and Public Affairs, the Science College, and the Simone de Beauvoir Institute. Loyola’s Vanier Library was expanded in the late 1980s and was given a new home in 1992 in the J.W. McConnell Building.

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