Latest News
- Category: Alumni in the Lead
Strategic leader, developer and builder, François Vaqué is an accomplished business pioneer whose career path was enriched by his MBA from Telfer.
With a Bachelor in International Commerce from Rouen and in Economics from the Université du Québec à Montréal, François chose to pursue his studies at Telfer because of the diversity of its students as well as its faculty expertise.
The MBA program gave François the opportunity to meet potential employers, which allowed him to work at Newbridge Networks and participate in the development of its marketing function. Later on, François worked as product manager at Future Electronics, before launching his own company named Marketingisland.com. His work experiences provided him with the knowledge necessary to become Vice-President of marketing and communications for KPMG and Davies Ward Philips & Vineberg. These prestigious positions strengthened his reputation as a business professional with a vast expertise in communications and marketing, and led him to become Vice-President of public relations and corporate affairs at Citoyen.
Even though François has a successful career, he strongly believes in the importance of achieving a healthy work-life balance. He explained that what matters most to him is working hard, having a good career and finding a balance between his personal and professional life. He developed this perspective during his studies at Telfer, because his cohort taught him that you could work hard while still having fun. François is inspired by social implication, which is why he gives back to his community through art foundations. Furthermore, he is engaged with his alma mater by organizing alumni events and being a speaker at Telfer conferences to show his recognition to the faculty that shaped him.
He encourages students to engage themselves, whether that be in nonprofit organizations, with family or at work in order to have a balanced and rewarding life.
- Category: Community Engagement
The Employee Giving program is an annual initiative run by the University of Ottawa, which seeks to engage faculty, support staff and retirees in support of student-focused initiatives. These donations focus on enhancing the student experience with scholarships, financial aid and research programs. This year marks the eighth year of the campaign, in which the Telfer School saw its most successful participation rate to date.
The co-champions of the Telfer Employee Giving Campaign, Kimberly Duthie and Michael Mulvey, set out to obtain 101 donors this year, and they are proud to announce that they exceeded their goal with 109 donors! Not only did Telfer see the largest number of donors in 2019, it also represents a 60% participation rate, which is also a record number at the Telfer School. This means that, for the third year in a row, the Telfer School has the highest participation rate of any Faculty of the University of Ottawa.
We would like to thank our volunteers, without whom the success of the Employee Giving Campaign would not have been possible:
- Andrew Latty
- Sheetal Gandhi
- Carla De Ciccio
- Kathy Cunningham
- Linda Bellemare
- Alexandre Bélanger
- Margaux Carson
- Amanda Richardson
- Mercedes Zanon
- Jennifer Hyland
Finally, we would like to thank all the faculty members, support staff and retirees who participated in this campaign. You truly make a difference in the lives of our students.
- Category: Alumni in the Lead
Blaze a Trail of Giving
I arrived at the Telfer School almost 30 years ago as a young student, unsure of how I would perform. I needn’t have worried: my professors gave me all the tools I needed to succeed. Best of all, they nurtured in me a confidence I didn’t know I had—the self-assurance to see myself in a top job, to be a leader of a successful organization and to improve my community through giving.
So I made that vision a reality, becoming a top executive at one of Canada’s biggest banks and an active contributor to many charitable organizations. Yet the higher I climbed in my career, the more I realized that there were even fewer women in philanthropy than there were in high leadership positions. Generations of men had looked to other men as mentors and guides in their professional lives, but we women didn’t have that luxury—either as executives or as philanthropists.
I decided to change that. To supply rising career women with the role models they needed, I started acting as a giving mentor. As these younger women became increasingly engaged as philanthropists, they became mentors themselves. We created a community of women that encouraged other women to cultivate generosity alongside their career successes. Steadily but surely, this growing group of women blazed a trail of giving.
Our work is far from done. We must make certain that women continue to have powerful examples of giving that they can emulate. We need to foster a culture of giving and, in doing so, leave a clearer, wider trail of generosity behind us to guide the way for others.
- Category: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
A new Telfer study, conducted in collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, identifies action strategies to increase federal SME supplier diversity and inclusive innovation. Showcased at the Chatham House International Policy Forum in the UK, the report provides important benchmarks about the progress of women entrepreneurs in Canada, and sets a standard of reporting in examining gender of firm ownership, breadth and types of innovation and federal SME contracting.
The empirical report and action strategies will be of interest to policymakers, small business and innovation organizations, advocates, industry associations, and corporations that support supplier diversity. The research, for example, helped to inform a key Chatham House conference resolution, one that the W20 adopt entrepreneurship, procurement, and trade as one of its three policy priorities.
Telfer report recommendations include:
- Adopting sector-specific strategies to help achieve the Government of Canada's commitment to increase the participation of women business owners from 10 percent to 15 percent in federal contracting. Sector-specific strategies follow from the Telfer finding that gender differences in the likelihood of SMEs being federal contractors varied significantly by industry sector.
- Improving SME procurement data and analytics, including large samples and detailed analyses to move beyond anecdotal evidence and to increase SME contracting opportunities.
- Developing gender-sensitive procurement training in collaboration with industry organizations, such as Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC), WBE Canada, WEConnect International Canada, Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC), among others.
View the 'Action Strategies to Increase the Diversity of SME Suppliers to The Goverment of Canada` report.
View the full 'Benchmarking SME Suppliers to The Government of Canada' English report.
View Related Telfer Publications and Initiatives.
- Category: Telferimpact
From left to right: Sarah E Downey, Debbie Fischer, Deanna Monaghan, Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips & Michelle Savoy
Five notable alumni will be recognized by the Telfer School of Management by receiving Trudeau medals, the Young Achiever's Award and the Dean's Philos Award for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, healthcare, community and their alma mater at the 2018 Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 20, 2018 and this event also serves as an opportunity to collectively celebrate the Telfer School and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1968, 1978, 1993 and 2008.
Trudeau Medals
Sarah E Downey, MHA 1992
Sarah Downey joined Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East General Hospital) as President and CEO in 2015. Prior to joining MGH, Sarah held senior leadership positions at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and at University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Hospital. She has worked in hospitals for 25 years since graduating with a Masters in Health Administration from The Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa. Sarah has been fortunate to lead clinical programs, support service operations, and major redevelopment projects in her career. Sarah is also the President of the uOttawa Toronto Regional Alumni Council.
Debbie Fischer, MHA 1979
Debbie Fischer has held senior leadership positions in professional consulting services, in health care and government. She is currently an Executive Associate with KPMG where she consults on organizational change and large-scale system transformation in health care and public sectors. Debbie serves on several boards including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace, North York General Hospital, the Health Care Advisory Council of GS1, Prodemnity as well as Joule, a Canadian Medical Association subsidiary.
Deanna Monaghan, BCom 1983
Deanna Monaghan was admitted to EY’s partnership in 1994 and has served as Ottawa’s Managing Partner for over eleven years. She is also the firm’s National Leader for Government & Public Sector Assurance Services and the Market Leader for the Ottawa Assurance practice. Deanna is highly active in the volunteer community and serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Ottawa and is Chair of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Board of Governors for the University of Ottawa. She is also the Chair of the Audit Committee for the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health.
The Young Achiever's Award
Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips, BCom 2005
Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Van Berkom and Associates, a Montreal-based investment firm focused exclusively on managing portfolios of small-capitalization (“small cap”) equities on behalf of large North American pension funds, corporations, foundations and endowment funds. As Portfolio Manager for the Canadian Small-Cap Equities Team he is responsible for conducting fundamental research on a broad spectrum of the Canadian small-cap market. Prior to joining Van Berkom and Associates in 2011, Gabriel was an Analyst, Canadian Equities for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (“CMHC”) Investments and Pension Fund Division (2008-2011)
The Dean's Philos Award
Michelle Savoy, BAdm 1982
Michelle Savoy is President of Quill Ridge Capital. She is an active philanthropist and has served on the Big Brother Big Sisters Council of Champions and on the Board of the Invest in Kids Foundation; she has also co-chaired several events raising money for teen mental health. Michelle is currently supporting Women’s Rights within Human Rights Watch (HRW) and is very active with United Way supporting 'Women United'. Michelle is a SheEO activator and is the founder of GROW (Giving Ring of Women), a group of women dedicated to learning about philanthropy, helping women across Canada gain economic self-sufficiency, and creating a community of givers.
- Category: Appointments and Honours
On April 19th, twelve Ottawa women were honoured for their entrepreneurial and professional achievements at the Ottawa’s Businesswoman of the Year Awards (BYAs). The BYAs presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the professional achievements of businesswomen working in organizations across the National Capital Region as well as to celebrate the recipients recognized within our business community.
Of those recipients, Linda Eagen (EMBA 2002), president and CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, and alumna of the Telfer School, was named the winner in the ‘organization’ category. Over the past 13 years, Eagen and her team raised $60 million for cancer care and research in eastern Ontario. She is the founder of Cancer Coaching, an innovative community-based health and social care service for cancer patients. A mother of two, Eagen is an active volunteer with the Life Saving Therapies Network, BioCanRx and Arvizio Health Technologies.
We wish to congratulate all the finalists and recipients on their inspiring accomplishments.
To learn more on the BYAs and the past finalists and recipients, click here »
- Category: Appointments and Honours
For the last four years, the Fondation franco-Ontarienne (FFO) has been highlighting the commitment of women in the Ontario community and their achievements through the Sapphire Night. This year's theme was Diversity, and a total of seven women were recognized under four categories. Two women were recognized for each of the following categories; Community Engagement, Youth component, and two for the "Professional" component while one winner was named for the "Female Personality of the Year" category.
We would like to congratulate Bernadette Sarazin on being named "Female Personality of the Year" as well as all the other nominees who were highlighted during this evening.
To find out more about Bernadette Sarazin click here » (in French only)
To find out more about the nominees, click here to visit the Fondation Franco-Ontarienne website » (in French only)
- Category: Appointments and Honours
On May 17, 2018, Ian Telfer was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame (CBHF). Each year, the CBHF recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the country most distinguished business leaders and our very own Ian Telfer; Chairman of Goldcorp has been inducted into the class of 2018.
After completing his Masters in Business Administration at the University of Ottawa, Ian began a career in the resources sector eventually climbing the ranks to become CEO of Goldcorp from the years 2004 to 2006. Following a substantial donation in 2007, the University of Ottawa honoured Ian by naming their School of Management, now called the Telfer School of Management, after him.
Currently, Ian Telfer acts as chairman for Goldcorp. He manages and guides the company’s national and international projects and acquisitions. As one of the world’s top gold producers, Goldcorp and Ian are dedicated to sustained and meaningful growth.
Congratulations to Ian Telfer on being named to the Canadian Business Hall of Fame class of 2018!
For more information on Ian Telfer, visit our page "About Ian Telfer" »
- Category: Alumni in the Lead
James Yersh (BCom 1996), Chief Financial Officer at Blackberry and 2016 Donor of the year, speaks at the Telfer Alumni Breakfast in November 2015.
Alumni week is upon us and we would like to take the time to recognise the recipients of this year’s Telfer Donor Awards. The recipients will be recognised at a private event on May 7, 2016. We invite you to read their personal accounts of the positive impact their contributions have made, not only on the Telfer School, but on their own lives too.
“Winning Giving” - James Yersh, BCom 1996
Donor of the Year
“A Culture of Giving” - Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips, BCom 2005
Young Donor of the Year
“The Power of Modesty” - André Cardinal, BCom 1969
Loyal Donor of the Year
“Find a Path to Giving” - Patrice Marceau, BSc 1981, MBA 1985, LLL 1985
Fundraising Volunteer of the Year
Find out how you can donate to the programs and projects that matter most to you.
- Category: Rising Stars
BCom Finance Student Receives “Volunteer of the Month”
Neekita Bhatia is a driven second year BCom student in Finance who wants to leave her mark through volunteering. She has already amassed a Co-Curricular Record, an official university document that records approved and verified volunteer activities undertaken by students, with lists volunteering experience ranging from being a proxy agent with the uOttawa Residents’ Association to a tax filer with ACORN Canada.
Neekita’s favourite position, however, was leading an Alternative Student Break project with the Office of Campus Sustainability. “We conducted waste audits for DMS and MRT [Pavillons], analyzed the data, and made reports on it. I learned so much about sustainability in that week that I use every day including good recycling practices,” she says. Neekita also recently joined Enactus.
When asked what matters to her, Neekita responds: “I greatly value my networks. […] With my diverse background, I tend to appreciate the individual experiences of every person I meet. It is amazing how different people’s beliefs and personalities are, even within Canada. And I believe Telfer connects me to amazing people through the diverse student body, opportunities in student clubs, speakers at events and a professional and comfortable environment.”
Neekita was awarded the Volunteer of the Month for the month of October with the Centre for Global and Community Engagement.
- Category: Latest News
5 Days for The Homeless was founded as a local initiative by University of Alberta School of Business students. After running successfully for a number of years, 5Days expanded nationally in 2008 - adopted by the vast majority of business schools across the country. To date, the campaign has raised over $1,212,000 for local charitable organizations, specified by each university.
From March 8 – 13 business students nationwide will come together to forgo basic amenities for five days, living and sleeping outside, in an effort to bring attention to Canada’s homeless youth community. These brave individuals spend 5 nights sleeping outside, from Sunday March 8th at 5:00 pm to Friday March 13th at 5:00 pm. All sleepers are required to adopt the campaign for the entire 5 days as full-time sleepers, or the dates to which they will be outside as “part-time sleepers” only a few days outside as opposed to all five.
This year we are pleased to have 3 full time sleepers and 6 part-timers, the sleepers are located on the Morriset Terrace behind the library.
- Omid Barahimi, Full-time sleeper
- Steven Strahman, Full-time sleeper
- Breanna La Plante, Full-time sleeper
- Kayla Coulter, Part-time sleeper
- Sara Valentino, Part-time sleeper
- Maria Caldwell, Part-time sleeper
- Gabriel Copps, Part-time sleeper
- Kim Angèle Vallières, Part-time sleeper
- Cara Parisien, Part-time sleeper
All proceeds raised by Telfer will be donated to Operation Come Home Ottawa, a leading support centre for homeless and at-risk youth.
In an effort to raise funds in a unique and innovative way, CeTSC's campaign has introduce another fundraising initiative; “The Kindness Kits”. While all monetary donations will be passed along to Operation Come Home, we also recognize that there are students in Telfer who may not have access to basic necessities either.
This can sometimes be a challenging concept to grasp, however despite the help of grants, scholarships, and loans some of our students are swimming in debt, "coach surfing" due to the inability to pay rent or buy groceries. We believe every student should be equipped with the right tools to be successful in all aspect of their lives - with this in mind; we have created a collection of “Kindness Kits,” bags with basic necessities ranging from personal hygiene and healthy snacks to school supplies and gift cards. Qualified students will then be able to confidently request a bag as needed, no judgement passed or questions asked.
Please come out, donate and be generous!
5 Days for the Homeless Video.
Subcategories
Student Voices
The following article was written by a member of our student community. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Telfer School of Management. For more information or to flag inappropriate content, please