Anie Rouleau (BCom ‘92) is the Founder and CEO of The Unscented Company, a sustainable woman-owned BCorp-certified business. This year, we are recognizing Rouleau’s leadership and successful journey in sustainable entrepreneurship with a Trudeau Medal.
First awarded in 1989 to recognize leading alumni, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour given to an alumnus or alumna at the Telfer School of Management. The award was established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, the former director of the University of Ottawa's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965. It recognizes leadership, initiative and contributions made by an alumna or alumnus to the business world, the community and their alma mater — the definition of our longstanding relationship with Anie Rouleau.
Rouleau has set an exceptional example of what both a strong leader in sustainable entrepreneurship and an extraordinary Canadian leader at the helm of a woman-owned business can achieve — an inspiration to fellow BCom students and graduates.
Influenced by Family Values
From a very young age, entrepreneurship was an important pillar of Rouleau’s life. “One day you will have your own business,” said Anie Rouleau’s father when she was just eight years old, sitting at the dinner table.
Raised in a family of entrepreneurs, Rouleau was taught early on to have confidence: “Back then, women did not have the same access to resources and my father was aware of this. He built my character to confront that.”
In 1992, she graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the Telfer School of Management and joined her family business, Hydrocom International. She went on to hold prestigious roles at Maclean Power Systems and Société de Gestion du Commensal until 2011.
At 42 years old, Anie Rouleau founded Baleco / The Unscented Company, following in the entrepreneurial footsteps of her parents. The moment in which she decided to make the leap is a reflection on her decades in the business world: “Entrepreneurship is something that’s always been on my mind growing up and in my years at Telfer. It’s at Telfer, that I had entrepreneurship courses for the first time and case competitions like Jeux de Commerce.”
Her family values first built the blueprint of her business journey to come, Rouleau shares: “My mother and father were entrepreneurs, and I saw that you could be successful in your own business and provide. For me, as a woman, when I had young children, I could see my life being better to balance as an entrepreneur.”
Taking a Risk in Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Rouleau says that entrepreneurship is a build-up — at some point, something makes you jump. To choose that path, an entrepreneur needs to be comfortable with and accept failure. She instructs us to accept ‘no’ for an answer and to not take it personally. And, perhaps most importantly, an entrepreneur needs to be able to take a risk, a financial risk.
It is safe to say the risk paid off. In 2021, The Unscented Company was named one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies by The Globe and Mail, reporting a 526% 3-year increase in revenue growth and $5-10M in revenue. In 2019, on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, Canadian Tire announced they would bring The Unscented Company’s sustainable products into their 500 stores across the nation. “Ten years ago, I bet on the right horse,” comments Rouleau.
The Importance of Upbringing, Education and Values
Rouleau’s contributions to the business world and professional success did not come out of thin air. For her, the formal education she received during her Bachelor of Commerce at Telfer helped in establishing her successful business. Rouleau confidently says, “It’s not even a doubt in my mind. I personally love Telfer, the accessibility to the teachers and the directors. I still see the Dean to this day and there is a sense of belonging. For me, it was a smaller university on the French side. Today as an entrepreneur, I’m very grateful to have gone through a program like that, which had classes in marketing and HR too. I was lucky I did something I studied, and it definitely helped me prepare for my career.” Rouleau’s familial entrepreneurship values and education at Telfer are two factors that contribute to The Unscented Company’s exponential success — the third is that Rouleau leads with uncompromising values that set the tone for everything. “Today, an entrepreneur needs a set of values that are about people and the planet. If a company in 5 years is not socially or environmentally responsible, transparent and inclusive, they will be old-fashioned,” says Rouleau. “Good entrepreneurs and good businesses will prevail.”
It’s this unrelenting commitment to sustainability that sets Anie Rouleau and her company apart. Believing wholeheartedly that entrepreneurs and employees have to play a role in sustainable entrepreneurship, Rouleau certified her company as a BCorp, a highly sought-after designation highlighting the social and environmental impact of a business, thus cementing these values into the business’ foundation.
Challenges are Opportunities
In an uncertain economic market, businesses have an opportunity to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to their values through sustainable entrepreneurship. With inflation and rising prices, it can be easy to choose the path of least resistance. Not for Rouleau: “When the market is shifting, it doesn’t mean you stop; you rebalance. This is who we are, we are involved in our community. Values are tested in tough times and it’s not even an option to compromise them. You just do the right thing. We support each other on the market and make it to the other side together.”
Well-Deserved Recognition
Rouleau’s familial entrepreneurship values and education at Telfer are two factors that contribute to The Unscented Company’s exponential success — the third is that Rouleau leads with uncompromising values that set the tone for everything. “Today, an entrepreneur needs a set of values that are about people and the planet. If a company in 5 years is not socially or environmentally responsible, transparent and inclusive, they will be old-fashioned,” says Rouleau. “Good entrepreneurs and good businesses will prevail.”
“I’ve made it and it’s like Oscar’s Night, I can’t believe it,” she smiles.
The journey to success of Telfer School graduate Brennan Loh inspires how he supports and empowers the next generation of entrepreneurs.
No two paths to success are entirely the same. Yet some guideposts are more dependable than others. Brennan Loh’s entrepreneurship journey is a reliable route for any budding businessperson to follow.
The Telfer School graduate and top Shopify leader started early, made connections and seized challenges. This path has not only taken him to the pinnacle of Canadian business, but has also guided how he helps the emerging generation of entrepreneurs at the Telfer School through generous donations, purposeful involvement and volunteer activities.
Start your journey early!
Entrepreneurship has always been near and dear to Brennan. As a child, he was motivated to start businesses and create something from nothing. His natural inclination for entrepreneurship was partly the reason.
The other was the inspiration he received from his businessman father, who immigrated to Canada from Singapore. After losing his job, Brennan watched as his father took the risk of becoming an entrepreneur to support their family. It was a proud moment for Brennan, and one that helped catalyze the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial spirit not just in those that want it but who need it to survive.
Motivated to unleash his entrepreneurial spirit, Brennan joined the Telfer School in 2007. He was so eager to hit the ground running that he became a member of the Telfer School’s Entrepreneurs’ Club before he even began his studies. This early and enthusiastic start by the budding entrepreneur was a clear sign of things to come.
The Entrepreneurs’ Club offered Brennan a vibrant and welcoming gathering place, and put him in close contact with fellow entrepreneurs. It especially gave him learning opportunities that enabled him to dare boldly yet fail safely, without suffering significant personal or financial consequences. Brennan so enjoyed his membership with the Entrepreneurs’ Club that he served on its executive team for four years, two of them as president.
“The Entrepreneurs’ Club was a natural fit for Brennan’s entrepreneurial talents,” said Professor Stephen Daze, Dom Herrick Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Telfer School. “From an early age, he knew how to create value for sponsors and motivate team members; and he had a scrappy startup mentality—something that he has carried through to today!”
Make connections to discover opportunities
Entrepreneurial success is never a solo mission. Again, Brennan’s experience supplies a telling example. As part of a third-year course, he and two friends from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Engineering created a tech startup. They called it Avitu. When the school year ended, the entrepreneurial trio decided not to halt their enterprise but to keep their budding business active.
That summer, Brennan and his Avitu partners worked tirelessly out of a hot apartment before being given the opportunity by a uOttawa alumnus to use part of Shopify’s office space to run their company. The alumnus, Harley Finkelstein, a graduate of the combined law and MBA program, was chief platform officer at Shopify at the time.
Brennan took advantage of being in a shared space with Shopify to exchange best practices and discuss business strategies with Harley every week. The dedication and effort shown by Brennan and his business partners impressed Harley and the other Shopify executives so much that they offered them jobs within the company.
Seize challenges and reap the benefits
By the time Brennan graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing in 2011, he was already working over 40 hours per week at Shopify. The combination of school and full-time employment was demanding, but the valuable real-world experience he acquired only served to bolster his confidence and motivate him to take on increasingly greater challenges in the company.
In the decade since he joined Shopify, Brennan has helped the company grow from fledgling startup to e-commerce titan. His rise through the company’s ranks has been equally impressive—going from head of business development, to director of business development, to director of international markets. His varied and impressive portfolio of projects include Shopify media productions and Shopify Rebellion, the company’s e-sports organization.
Today, as the company’s director of brand and marketing partnerships, Brennan says his motivation stems partly from looking back with pride at successful projects he once thought would be impossible to achieve. Despite his impressive resume and achievements, he remains humble and prefers to operate under the radar. Case in point: in the years when he travelled frequently for the company, he would joke that few people at the Shopify head office knew who he was.
An inspiring journey that empowers a new generation
In keeping with his natural humility, Brennan is quick to acknowledge how much the generosity of others helped shape and propel his career. His professors, his classmates, and his colleagues at Shopify each gave him their trust and encouragement.
In turn, Brennan uses his journey to success as inspiration for how he supports and empowers the emerging generation of entrepreneurs at the Telfer School. To help budding business people start early, Brennan volunteers as an informal mentor, inspiring the next generation to seek out the opportunities that will shape their futures. To enable them to make connections, Brennan continues his work with the Entrepreneurs’ Club as an advisory board member. And to motivate and support emerging entrepreneurs, Brennan is a mentor at the Entrepreneurship Hub’s Startup Garage and an angel investor in the technology sector.
Most notably, Brennan funded the Loh Entrepreneurship Experience Scholarship to allow students to dare boldly. The bursary provides students from any faculty at the University of Ottawa with financial and mentorship support in their entrepreneurial journeys.
“We must give students opportunities to fail safely,” Brennan said. “I see encouraging a student to take four months to pursue entrepreneurship with a financial safety net and minimal opportunity cost to their formal education (in other words, letting them earn credits) as one of many possible solutions. I would love to see universities embrace innovative bets on fostering student entrepreneurship.”
As a result of this generous and intelligent contribution, the Telfer School named Brennan the 2021 Young Donor of the Year. The deserving honour is yet one more step along a career path worth following.
If you would like to support the student experience at the Telfer School of Management through a donation, click here to make a gift to the Telfer Nation Fund. For more information, please don’t hesitate to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. a member of our team.
New research from the Telfer professor Darlene Himick suggests that public pressure is necessary if we are looking for ways to tackle the climate crisis. But while dialogue is important to put pressure on the financial system, Telfer alumnus Sean Sirois (BCom ’83, CFA, ICD.D, RIPC) believes we need concrete action now. We sat down with Sirois to discuss new research and practices, from selective divestment to responsible investing, and identified some of the major transformations needed to make our financial system more sustainable.
Defining sustainable investing is tricky but necessary
Many first-time investors are turning to what is being advertised as “sustainable investing,” hoping that their investment choices will help reduce carbon emission and address the climate crisis. For Telfer alumnus Sean Sirois, who has worked extensively in capital markets with large financial firms such as TD, JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank and is now a senior adviser at KingsRock, a global strategic advisory firm, often this is not the case.
Investors may think that they are purchasing sustainable or responsible funds, but the real impact of what they are doing is often minimal. For Sirois, also the founder of Demeter Advisors Inc., which consults on sustainability issues, “by greenwashing the economic system, Wall Street is delaying overdue systemic solutions.”
Sustainable, or responsible, investing is new, and there is no universally accepted definition of it. National and provincial regulatory bodies and other organizations such as the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute will be clarifying what can be called a “green fund” or another type of sustainable investing, taking into account environmental, social and governance issues. Sirois hopes this will enable investors to direct their capital to the right area for the right reasons, help regulatory bodies discourage greenwashing and hold companies accountable.
Many organizations have developed frameworks for responsible investing. The UN-produced Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), for instance, outline six internationally recognized principles to help organizations implement responsible investing and publicly demonstrate their commitment. To date, over 2,500 institutions and investors with US $121 trillion in assets have signed on to the PRI.
The impact of public pressure in the financial system
The oil and gas divestment movement is one of the many environmental initiatives pressuring the financial system to go greener: to date, 1,300 institutions, with investments worth over US $14 trillion dollars, have committed to divesting from fossil fuels.
Pressure from these public groups may reduce the amount of capital flowing into these stocks, but Sirois, who also is working for a U.K.-based innovator that is commercializing an environmentally friendly substitute for single-use plastic materials for e-commerce and a Singapore-based company that has developed engineering innovations that improve container shipping efficiency and effectiveness, warns that some of these actions may have a limited effect on the financial system.
The commitment to divest from oil and gas is relatively small: over US$230 trillion of investable assets are currently floating in the global capital and public markets. Oil, gas, coal and energy stocks represent only 3% of total capital markets assets. “We also need to remember that … other companies or investors will be willing to buy oil and gas assets for a lower price, in which case the harmful gas emission activities will continue,” Sirois says.
Directing capital to promising sectors
Sirois advises investors to identify the sectors where their investment will reduce carbon emissions. “One area leading the way is the renewable energy sector.” According to the International Renewable Energy Agency list of financial commitments in renewable energy, the global renewable energy market had US$700 billion in revenue in 2020. The sector offers opportunities to investors: “If you’re in a growing market, your investment can potentially be more profitable than in a sector in decline” he says.
A lot of investment will be needed to support energy efficiency, electrification, infrastructure, and other areas, which total US$110 trillion according to a 2020 IRENA report on investment needs. “We need a major turnover in where our capital is invested today to meet some of the international environmental targets and improve the environment tomorrow,” says Sirois.
On the right track, but bigger changes needed
In Canada, a growing number of retail investors are choosing funds and products that support energy efficiency, renewable energy, water purification and other initiatives. In the public sector, large pension funds are working to lower the carbon emission weight in their portfolios, and some funds set out specific responsible investing guidelines for their asset managers. Sirois mentions the Responsible Investment Association call to action: “The association has recently called members to commit to take action that can help us achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”
There is certainly momentum, but Sirois thinks a larger transformation needs to happen for Canada to reach the 2015 Paris Agreement climate goals. “The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that we need to listen to science. We also need to encourage our political leaders to bring in rules and regulations that will force real change,” he says. Open dialogue is also key. “This includes understanding others’ points of view and communicating how we move forward to reach our goals,” he adds.
What Telfer is doing for sustainability
Telfer’s programs and research around responsible investment can help finance leaders, policymakers and companies support a greener future for Canadians.
The Telfer Capital Markets Program is a two-year development program for students seeking to learn more about capital markets. The program’s curriculum includes course work in finance, as well as mentorship, workshops, networking and the opportunity to manage a real investment portfolio.
Sirois is on the program’s advisory board. He explains the new program focus: “We are revamping the Telfer Capital Fund into a program for students that considers environmental, social and governance factors and focuses on investing capital in the companies of the future, companies that will help with the transition to a lower carbon economy.”
One of Telfer’s areas of strategic impact is Globalization, Governance, and Sustainability. Researchers are advancing our understanding of the role and impact of organizations on social, environmental and economic sustainability in Canada and globally.
One of these researchers is Professor Darlene Himick. Himick’s recent research is on how public pressure affects oil and gas divestment by public funds. According to Sirois: “Governments must change the rules of the game in order to create incentives for industry to literally clean up its act, and for investors to put their capital into areas that will create a sustainable future.”
Wiam Ben Karroum graduated from the Telfer School of Management with a double degree in Finance and Business Technology Management (MISA) in just April of 2021. She has already secured a full-time role at Deloitte on the Technology, Strategy, and Transformation team, after completing a co-op with the company during her studies.
Not stopping there, Wiam is also actively working with Forget For A Moment Foundation, which is focused on sensitizing healthcare facilities by bringing nature inside their walls. A registered charity since 2012, the foundation was started by uOttawa alumna Jeannine Lafrenière, who went through cancer herself and wished to see something other than magazines in hospital waiting rooms for patients, families, and staff working.
We met Wiam virtually to better understand how her extracurricular involvement in clubs like Women in Management Network (WMN) helped her get involved with the Forget For A Moment Foundation. Like many other Telfer grads, Wiam is now helping to build a Better Canada.
Why was it important for you to be involved in extracurricular activities when you were a student? What did you learn in your time volunteering with clubs?
“Getting involved in multiple student-led clubs at Telfer helped me develop myself personally and professionally. I had a chance to gain more leadership and communication skills and it gave me the opportunity to discover my interests and passions outside of taking classes! I fostered meaningful relationships with like-minded students that helped and supported my growth through the university experience and beyond.
I also launched the podcast “Words with WMN” during the pandemic! Being part of the Women in Management Network (WMN) allowed me to meet incredible women leaders and made me realize where we stand on the topic of diversity and equality today and how much work is yet to be done. I was able to give back to my community and be part of causes bigger than myself, which ultimately brought me to the Forget For A Moment Foundation.”
As a new grad, what was the best thing you took away from your Telfer experience?
“The best thing I took away from Telfer is my now refined ability to network and maintain genuine connections. Overall, I had a wonderful experience, from trying new things and exploring the community to being involved in clubs and the Profession of Management Consulting Program (PMCP). I learned the power of saying “yes” and continuing to get involved past graduating. Telfer made me realize I am interested in things I didn’t even know about so the curiosity and opportunities I took away are so important.”
Wiam actually joined the Forget For A Moment Foundation as a Campaign Coordinator in her last year of university, thanks to the suggestion from Omer Livvarcin, her professor of Digital Enterprise. Currently busy raising funds for the living wall in the Orléans Health Hub, the foundation works to finance the construction of natural structures inside healthcare facilities and to help pay for their first year of maintenance. And they’re not doing it just because plants look beautiful. Numerous studies have proven that simply looking at plants in healthcare surroundings helps patients, families, and staff reduce stress.
The Foundation seeks to give the sick, their relatives, their caregivers and staff, a natural, healthy, and delightful garden to provide a momentary break from their fear, pain, and stress.
Wiam is working with interested individuals and companies to join the partnership program or donate directly through the website. The Foundation has a goal of systematically including nature in the designs of 10 hospitals, long-term care facilities or nursing homes over the next decade.
Wiam’s passion for this cause shines brightly and it’s a perfect example of Telfer’s mission to create profound social change through the Better Canada initiative. In addition to this wonderful project, we also asked Wiam about her future:
What are your plans for the future? Anything in particular you are looking forward to?
“My plans are to continue working with WMN founders to expand the network and to be involved with the Forget For A Moment Foundation to grow it to a national level. I am also excited to start my full-time journey in Technology consulting!”
We are so proud of all Wiam’s accomplishments and we are so happy that her involvement in Telfer Nation was able to provide her with confidence and leadership skills to pursue non-profit work alongside full-time employment. We are also proud to see an alumnus connect with our mission to Build A Better Canada. We wish Wiam the best in her future endeavours.
Telfer alumni Kim Ades (MBA 1993) and Nichole Grenier (BCom 1990) discuss how job candidates can overcome this type of anxiety and instead use genuine, powerful strategies to create a positive impression during a job interview.
Kim Ades: Helping people tackle the fear of being evaluated in a job interview in three steps
Kim Ades, president and founder of Frame of Mind Coaching, received a BA from the University of Ottawa with major in psychology and then decided to pursue an MBA. She was always interested in understanding what triggers anxiety and stress:
“Some of us can experience anxiety when we are preparing for a job interview, an important presentation at work, or a big event in our lives, and expect a negative outcome,” she says.
As an executive coach for nearly two decades, she takes people through a three-step process to overcome the anxiety created by their fears of winning and losing. The first step is to describe what it looks like to experience failure. “I ask people to imagine the worst possible scenario; one where they experience disastrous failure,” says Kim. She then asks them to express their feelings in journal entries that they share with their coach, a task that job candidates often find very difficult.
The second step is not to ignore the difficult feelings that many candidates might experience when preparing for a job interview. Instead, they should face the possibility of failure head on: “I ask people to imagine that they might fail a job interview, and then imagine what it looks like to recover from that failure,” says Kim. Envisioning recovery helps candidates build resilience and strength to handle any negative evaluation they might receive in a job interview.
The final step is to envision complete success. Job candidates are encouraged to imagine what it looks like to step into the interview, successfully answer the interviewers’ questions, and walk away thinking: “That was the best interview I ever had.”
Nichole Grenier: Preparation is the best strategy to show yourself in the best light
Nichole Grenier, founder of Grenier Executive & Business Coaching, graduated from Telfer with a major in accounting. She became a certified accountant and after many years’ working in the field, she was asked why she kept focusing on people instead of numbers. Her passion to work with people led to a career shift to human resources and to her becoming a certified coach.
Nichole believes that when studying the impact of anxiety on interview performance, coaches, and researchers should not only look at personality, but also on how culture, gender, and age affect how individuals cope with the fear of being evaluated. “The interview setting is very stressful, and people can react very differently to this specific situation.” For Nichole, there are many ways for individuals to position themselves as suitable candidates for the job, but the key to success is preparation and practice. This includes mock interviews with family, friends, or a coach:
“Preparing well is what allows you to show yourself in the best light,” she says.
Nichole asks candidates to do some research on the organization and its work culture: “What is the culture and how will I fit in? For example, should I be prepared to dress for an office environment that is more formal or more relaxed?”
She also advises candidates to carefully examine the job description and identify the key competencies required for the job. This can indicate what the employer is looking for and guide the employee in showing that they are capable, competent, and have experience in performing that type of work. “Even if you don’t have a specific example to illustrate that you developed a competency, you can think about transferable skills you developed in a previous job.”
Kim and Nichole share tips to help job candidates impress the interviewer with honesty
Kim and Nichole also commented on a new study coauthored by Silvia Bonaccio, a full professor at the Telfer School of Management. The research suggests that some anxious job candidates are more likely to use deceptive strategies to impress the interviewer. Both alumni offered valuable recommendations to help all candidates make a positive—and honest—impression during a job interview:
Back up exuberant statements with tangible facts
Kim believes that extroverts who wish to impress the interviewer do not need to “turn down” their extraversion when describing their success. However, she advises them to support their accomplishments with tangible, supportable facts, such as “I increased the company’s revenues by 50% last year.”
Show your credibility and impact
Nichole advises candidates to be prepared to tell stories based on past performance. Ideally, for every story, candidates should also provide a reference who can back up their story and prove to the interviewer that they have credibility and are suitable candidates for the job. Another way to leave a great first impression with the interviewer is to tell your most impactful stories. “Maybe you recently optimized the process of an entire company with 1,000 employees.”
Curiosity and interest go a long away
For those candidates who rank low on extraversion, Kim thinks that there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. “As an introvert, I think that sometimes curiosity and interest trump being outgoing.” When job candidates show they are honestly interested in the organization and their work, “employers will be able to evaluate their readiness, and their fit for the role, as opposed to whether or not they rank high on extraversion,” she adds.
Be confident
Nichole reinforces that introverts should show confidence during the interview. Candidates should recognize their ability to collaborate with teams and be inclusive when referring to team accomplishments, but it is equally important to use I statements to show how they contributed to the team. “The interviewer will want to know what you did to promote teamwork, so you can say we (the team) went for a mountain bike trip but use I did this if you were the person who planted the idea of the trip.” Downplaying these contributions can be too risky, especially if candidates are applying for a leadership position.
Make sure your actions reflect your vision
Kim often asks candidates how they would like to be seen and if their actions correspond with that vision. “A lot of times people behave in ways that clash with their desired outcomes; it is important to help job candidates understand that the action of stretching the truth doesn’t necessarily lead to the outcome they are looking for.” Nichole agrees that if anyone believes that they should stretch the truth to land the ideal job, then they should consider coaching to develop skills to resist the temptation to use deception. “Being manipulative or cunning can be a great skill if you are applying for a job as a bank robber,” she jokes.
You are also in a position of evaluating
Kim advises candidates to run their own mental interview with the company based on what they learn during the recruitment process. Nichole believes that if they do their research well, they will be prepared to ask the right questions and understand if this organization is the right fit for them.
Are you looking for a job but experience interview anxiety? Prepare, practice, and overcome your fears of being evaluated during an interview.
Kim Ades, of Frame of Mind Coaching, developed a coaching methodology to help executives and entrepreneurs become more effective leaders. Learn more about Kim
Nichole Grenier, of Grenier Executive & Business Coaching, offers customized coaching to groups, teams, and individuals to unlock potential, remove barriers, and maximize performance. Learn more about Nichole
Telfer alumna Chantal Butler (BCom ’94) believes there is a momentum in the food retail sector for driving sustainable actions within supply chains. Chantal is Vice President Sales and General Manager of Loblaw Business at Weston Foods. She works with several clients who seek to influence the food retail industry so that it becomes more sustainable. How can the food and grocery retail sector create a greener world through their supply chains and what are the main challenges? We interviewed her to learn more about positive changes ahead.
Changes ahead
An increasing number of companies worldwide are committing to reducing their carbon footprint and to creating a better society. But to create real change, companies must trigger sustainable actions along their supply chains. A study led by Telfer Professor Sara Hajmohammad suggests that companies can make improvements at the industry level by shaping and transforming their suppliers’ environmental and social sustainability practices and behaviours.
When asked if the food and grocery retail sector can play a role in driving sustainability within their supply chains, Chantal shares her optimism: “Ten years ago, things were different, but there has been a lot of progress in the industry and I really think this is only the beginning.”
As consumers become increasingly aware of their environmental impacts and seek ways to shop for greener products, many food and grocery retailers today are aspiring to achieve bolder goals. Not only do they want to engage in sustainable practices in house, but they also want to encourage their suppliers to do the same. Chantal explains that “there is a major opportunity for businesses to influence the entire supply chain in the long run.”
Company size matters
Large food and grocery retailers work with multiple suppliers of raw ingredients, including food ingredients and packaging. When large companies like Weston Foods set out sustainability goals, they can influence their suppliers, according to Chantal. “If suppliers may not support us in achieving these goals, then we can identify vendors who have our shared vision,” she adds.
Joining forces is the best way to drive sustainability
Professor Hajmohammad’s study suggests that when companies in the same industry collectively build strategies to influence their suppliers, they are more likely to push their suppliers to engage in sustainable actions across the whole sector. Chantal agrees with this collective ability to trigger change across an industry: “Leading food retail companies may be competing, but when they all start asking for the same sustainability standards and pushing their suppliers into adjusting and accommodating, change can happen.”
Leading groups in the industry have forged alliances to encourage suppliers to become sustainable, particularly when it comes to packaging. “Large and small companies alike are forming alliances to push suppliers to start sourcing recyclable plastics or to eliminate some types of products in their plastic materials,” says Chantal.
Challenges
Although a large company’s size and power can definitely influence its supply chain, the company’s size can make innovation challenging. According to Chantal, large companies often face obstacles to innovation and to implementing changes on a larger scale and across a large part of their portfolio.
Companies will need to further innovate if they want to address new goals and consumer expectations. For instance, the next generation of consumers may be looking to purchase from companies that focus on zero waste.
While sustainability is widely accepted today, Chantal explains that changing a supply chain is not simple and requires time. “Some suppliers can be selective in some of the ideas that they want to embrace, some are more willing to innovate with you, and others are a little concerned about how to get there,” she says.
She also mentioned that some companies that want to become sustainable may face financial challenges. Sustainability policies can generate incremental cost increases for everyone, in the end, so companies need to lobby for relevant government policies and tax breaks. Failing to do so could lead to additional costs to the consumer: “Even when organizations make an effort to absorb those costs as much as they possibly can, consumers may end up paying more.”
How Weston Foods is driving change
Weston Foods has a ten-year plan for sustainability that Chantal has been implementing for the past two years. Packaging has been one of Weston Foods’ key priorities because the company is aware of how relevant this is to consumers. “Today, consumers want to eliminate the really bad plastics and replace them whenever possible.”
To meet their sustainability goals and reduce the impact of packaging on the environment, Weston Foods is partnering with vendors to source more sustainable packaging solutions. For instance, the company is currently working on a pilot project with a client to test if reusable packaging can play a role in consumer-packaged goods and food.
Advice for other companies seeking to go greener
Chantal believes that not only leading companies can implement greener goals: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can also play a transformative role in the supply chain. She shares a few recommendations for SMEs seeking to become sustainable:
All large organizations now have a sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies that they publicize and track: pay attention to what they are doing and latch on to those actions that are important to your business model.
Smaller companies often have the flexibility to test out more creative or more ambitious sustainable ideas: leverage your size as an advantage to innovate further so that you go beyond what the big companies can do.
Small or large, companies across industries can support the development of a greener Canada and a better future. As a mother, Chantal knows how crucial it is to drive environmental sustainability: “The reality is what will the world of our children, and their children, look like if we do not collectively address these issues now?”
Chantal Butler (BCom ’94), Vice President Sales, Loblaw Companies Limited
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Abtin works on projects across various verticles, applying advanced data analytics, technologies, data intelligence, data mining, data modelling, algorithms, automation, and visualizing tools. He is passionate about building his clients’ trust in comprehensive data products and services, while emphasizing education and developing more sophisticated and scalable tools to tackle complex data problems within the industry.
The Journey of Ottawa’s Top Data Analyst
After obtaining his Bachelor of Honours studying E-Commerce in Malaysia, he completed his Masters in Systems Science Engineering in 2012, a joint program from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Engineering and the Telfer School of Management. During his Masters, he worked closely with his thesis supervisor, Telfer Professor Sandra Schillo. Abtin shared: “I always enjoy the numbers and relations between them. However, the journey started at the University of Ottawa when I was doing my Master's thesis under Professor Sandra Schillo’s supervision. We gather, collect and analyze the numbers to search for questions and solutions for real-world problems.” He also reflected that he gained the ability to look at questions from different angles: “I learned to look at the questions from different perspectives, think outside of the box, learn life lessons, and develop and hone my skills.”
Upon reflection of his journey up until his Ottawa Award achievement, Abtin noted: “I started working in a couple of startup organizations (I highly suggest it to everyone), which helped me build my professional network and slowly move up in my personal and professional life. I kept in contact with friends from university, classmates, professors, subject matter experts and anyone who taught me something new. Those were the people who nominate and support me, and I will be there for them when they need me.
Abtin continued to work with Professor Schillo when she brought him onto a research project she was working on in the area of biofuels. Professor Schilo shared her experience working with Abtin on the project: “the data we were looking for was hard to find. Abtin had to dig quite a bit to find the data we were looking for.” In 2017, Professor Schillo, Abtin and Professor Diane Isabelle from Carleton University’s business school would see their publication, “Linking advanced biofuels policies with stakeholder interests: A method building on Qualty Function Deployment”, shared in Elsevier’s Energy Policy. The paper discusses advanced biofuels and the impact it has on Canadian decision-makers in the renewable energy industry.
Professor Schillo was thrilled to see Abtin’s latest win: “I am very proud of Abtin’s accomplishment. He works incredibly hard, which is the reason why he would have received such an award. He is a team player who has always been passionate about continuous learning, and I have a lot of respect for him after working together over the years during his thesis, on our publication, and when he was a teaching assistant for one of my classes.”
In conclusion, Abtin shared his takeaways when it comes to career development: “No matter where you work, when you start and where you are in your life, the hard work, professionalism, and grinding will always show themselves when you least expect it.”
Congratulations to Abtin on his exciting achievement, and we wish him continued success in his career.
Curious, motivated, and creative, Joy Xu is a brilliant student in Telfer’s B.Com. program specializing in accounting. Passionate about mental health in the workplace, Joy is inspired by leaders and organizations that promote and prioritize the culture of employee well-being.
Understanding the crucial importance of community engagement, she decided to get involved with the School by engaging in the highly competitive Capital Markets Program. This led her to an investment banking internship with RBC Capital Markets during the Summer of 2020 as well as being the Portfolio Manager Leader for the program this year. Further, she has competed in several case competitions over the last couple of years including first place wins at the Jeux de Commerce Central Competition (for the Human Resources Management team) as well as the national Diversity and Inclusion competition hosted by the Telfer School.
Joy is also a member of the Telfer Accounting Club, of which she was the President during 2019-2020. Within this role, she led the team in organizing their annual September networking event with accounting companies, and created an initiative that focused on mental health within the accounting field.
According to Joy, the many extracurricular activities offered by the School have opened up countless opportunities and allowed her to become more involved while applying her knowledge acquired in the classroom. She states, “Overall, I had the chance to explore new interests, attend conferences from inspiring leaders, and develop my skills both professionally and personally. " While Joy will be graduating soon, she plans to stay active within the Telfer community.
The Dean’s Philos Award recognized individuals who have demonstrated outstanding philanthropic achievement and social commitment. This award was established in 2004 on the Telfer School of Management’s 35th Anniversary.
We’re both grateful to have grown up in, been educated in and live in a bilingual and multicultural country that has a deep Indigenous heritage. Because of our good fortune, we’ve long believed we have an obligation to give back to our community. When Dan was a student at the Telfer School in the early 1980s, the concept of corporate social responsibility made a lifelong impression on him. Later on, the Jewish principle of tikkun olam, which in Hebrew means repairing the world, became a beacon to guide our life together.
The idea behind tikkun olam is to do something small every day to mend the damage you see around you. While we’re fortunate to be able to contribute financially to causes we value, we believe our society sometimes pays too much attention to big donations. A million-dollar gift may get the headlines, but Canadians should also be excited by the idea of a million working people parting with some of their hard-earned money to fund causes and charities important to them.
Here’s what we mean. The Royal Ottawa Centre for Mental Health gives out Inspiration Awards each year. One winner a few years ago was a woman who had been treated at the Royal and decided to give back. A new Canadian who worked as a cleaner, she managed to volunteer her time and contribute $500 a year to the organization. Her shining example shows us that the truest measure of giving is not size but giving in a manner that is most meaningful and appropriate to the giver at that stage in their life.
This way of looking at giving is especially relevant to Telfer School students and recent graduates. Yes, you’re just starting out on your business careers and, yes, the coronavirus pandemic is playing havoc with the economy; yet you still can give even though you don't have much, if any, extra money. At the same time, the pandemic has laid bare many breaks in our worlds—small and large, figurative and literal—that cry out for repair.
Start simply, and start now, by finding time in your day for acts of kindness. And if you have options about how to handle a difficult situation, choose the kindest one. Adopt this attitude as you enter and rise in the business world. Show your best personal qualities—fairness, generosity and empathy—in your workplaces. Use them to make your organization more inclusive, your company’s relationships with customers and partners more rewarding, and your business’s operations more sustainable and responsible socially. Tikkun olam.
This is a summary of the interview conducted on September 16th, 2020 with Dan Greenberg and Barbara Crook.
Pouya Safi (MBA 2013), Associate Director - uOttawa Professional Development Institute, 2020 Young Achiever's Award Recipient.
The Young Achiever's award was created to honour the individuals (under 40) who have been able to achieve greatness in their lives within an exceptional period of time.
I’m being recognized as a young achiever, and I’m grateful for the honour. Yet I must admit that all I’ve accomplished has come about as a result of the opportunities presented to me. The Telfer School has provided many such openings. I’m astounded by the confidence it has placed in me.
Shortly after I graduated from the Telfer MBA, a school official asked me to help enhance the experiential learning component of the Telfer BCom finance curriculum, so that graduates are better prepared to take on any role in the financial world. Then the school offered me the chance to become a lecturer and part-time professor. I leveraged that learning and experience to become the associate director at uOttawa’s Professional Development Institute.
The undergraduate courses I teach focus on ethics, sustainability and social responsibility. They are vital to finance and to innovation. Innovation is as much a product of equality of opportunity as it is a function of technological acumen and scientific excellence. I believe Canada can have excellence and equality of opportunity, building on our country’s multicultural foundation.
In fact, our country can become a leader in innovation by ensuring new Canadians have opportunities to integrate successfully; by ensuring all Canadians have opportunities to re-skill and up-skill through continuing education; and by ensuring young Canadians have opportunities to stay in Canada to pursue their professional and business goals.
The coronavirus pandemic is an opening of a different kind. We didn't ask for it and yet it’s forcing change upon us rapidly and profoundly, especially in how we work. Many outlets for improvement will soon present themselves. Canada must seize them to become fairer, more equal and more sustainable. I encourage Telfer School students to do their part.
As you do so, follow five lessons I’ve learned. First, chase happiness and not money. Happiness will bring out your best qualities, and the money will come. Second, don’t compare yourself to others; you’ll be more successful if you follow your own path. Third, when the world opens up again, broaden your perspective by travelling. Fourth, keep learning after your undergraduate education is done. And fifth, find a charitable cause you believe in that could profit from your knowledge. Your opportunity is out there. Grab it.
This is a summary of the interview conducted on August 28th, 2020 with Pouya Safi, Associate Director - uOttawa Professional Development Institute
Lloyd Koch (MHA 1973), Former CEO, Pembroke Regional Hospital, 2020 Trudeau Award Medal Recipient.
Established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, OMI, former director of the University's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni. It was first awarded in 1989 to recognize leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and their alma mater.
Sharing our country’s resources more equitably among our own people and with those in
poorer countries is the path to a better Canada. Sharing at home is an attitude. It involves
being inclusive and tolerant. It's also an action—supporting peaceful responses to our
disagreements and bringing the contributions of all kinds of people together to solve
problems.
Sharing abroad presents limitless opportunities. Following my retirement from administering
hospitals in Thunder Bay, Hamilton, Wingham and Pembroke, my wife and I began leading
teams of Canadian volunteers to improve the infrastructure of hospitals in Tanzania. Over
the past 15 years, in cooperation with Canada Africa Community Health Alliance (an affiliate
of the University of Ottawa), we’ve supervised 16 missions made up of 120 Canadian
volunteers. They have put in 500 weeks of work to complete 25 hospital improvement
projects worth more than $300,000 in donated money.
I’ve found helping others brings personal and professional satisfaction. You feel good as a
Canadian to be able to do this kind of work. It makes for a better Canada, too. People
abroad see us as a peace-seeking country that brings a non-partisan attitude to solving
problems. Our nation’s unbiased outlook—focused on sharing our knowledge with the most
affected and vulnerable—is a rare commodity these days.
The need for this approach is greater now than perhaps ever before. The coronavirus
pandemic has revealed how close-knit the world has become and therefore how vulnerable
we all are and how reliant on each other we must be. As Canadians, we have built a
healthcare system designed to serve all people’s needs and enable them to live healthier lives.
We must continue to support and improve that system.
The Telfer MHA was a leader in elevating the profession of health management when I
graduated from the program in 1973. It remains so to this day. Some of the tools and
methods I’ve used in my 50-year healthcare career have changed over time, but the bedrock
principles have endured—data use and strategic planning, leadership and teamwork, caring
and sharing.
The Telfer School also connected me to classmates who I’ve called on for advice and
support. I urge today’s Telfer MHA students to keep their classmates close. As you become
healthcare leaders, you’ll recognize you can't do it all yourself—neither personally nor
organizationally. As a leader, you must put yourself at the centre of a sharing environment
within your organization, between your organization and others, and between the healthcare
system and the people it serves.
This is a summary of the interview conducted by Telfer School of Management on August 21st, 2020 with Lloyd Koch, Former CEO, Pembroke Regional Hospital, 2020 Trudeau Award Medal Recipient.
Caroline Xavier (BAdm 1990), Associate Deputy Minister Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2020 Trudeau Award Medal Recipient.
Established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, OMI, former director of the University's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni. It was first awarded in 1989 to recognize leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and their alma mater.
Canada is increasingly diverse. People come to our country from a wide range of places and with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and knowledge—wider and richer than ever before. That’s great to see and something we need to continue. Yet diversity is just half the equation.
We also must be a more inclusive country. A truly equitable Canada is a place in which our businesses, organizations and public institutions have an array of faces, and the people behind them are in positions at every level and play fundamental roles in decisions and actions.
A more inclusive public service is imperative. A public service that reflects the people it serves makes more informed policies, does a better job of delivering services and, because it’s smart and efficient, earns and keeps the trust of Canadians. Diversity and inclusion make for good business, period. Any workplace that’s diverse and inclusive is likely to be successful and resilient.
A more inclusive public service is also personal. I’m the child of Haitian immigrants and the first Black person—male or female—to reach the deputy-minister rank in the federal public service. I started as a student in an HR role over 30 years ago and just recently assumed the duties of Associate Deputy Minister at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. It’s an achievement I’m extremely proud of. Yet this milestone also raises the question: What took us so long?
We’re all asking similar questions these days. The coronavirus pandemic—which has affected so many, especially vulnerable populations disproportionately—and the urgent call for social justice are forcing a reckoning in Canada and in its public service. My colleagues and I are committed to make sure federal representation, policies, programs, services and organizations accurately reflect the changing makeup of our country and respond to its most pressing needs. It is my duty and privilege to ensure the door stays wide open for others who look like me to join.
The Telfer BCom taught me to look for opportunities in good times and especially in crisis. While on parental leave in 1995, I used my entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to co-found The Bagel Run, Inc.—the first Montreal-style, wood-burning oven bagel shop in Orleans, Ontario, which is still going strong 25 years later. Now, more than ever, it is important that all Telfer students apply their knowledge and skills in their communities. Assess the new reality. Spot opportunities. Then make a plan and take action to build a better Canada.
This is a summary of the interview conducted on August 14th, 2020 with Caroline Xavier, Associate Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Dan Moorcroft (EMBA 1997), Co-Founder, President/ CEO QMR Consulting & Professional Staffing, 2020 Trudeau Award Medal Recipient.
Established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, OMI, former director of the University's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni. It was first awarded in 1989 to recognize leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and their alma mater.
A better Canada is a more empathetic Canada. At my business, QMR Consulting and
Professional Staffing, we bring empathy to life to create an upbeat workplace for our team
and to nurture successful relationships with our clients. First, we hire for empathy. When
considering new people, we value candidates who show willingness to listen to and learn
from the views and experiences of others.
Then we practice it daily. Empathy in everyday action starts with slowing down and paying
attention to colleagues and customers to understand their problems, situations and
circumstances. I’ve found when you listen to comprehend rather than merely to react, you
show respect, caring and kindness—all of which are hallmarks of empathy.
We also encourage employees to savour the positive moments of their days. When they
achieve something meaningful for clients, colleagues or themselves, we urge them to pause
awhile and soak in the feeling. Don't feel the need to rush on to the next task. On the flip
side, show gratitude to others when they’ve accomplished something big or small.
Expressing emotions effectively is another empathetic skill we stress. In our workplace, we
take the tone down: No problem is so severe we can't correct it. We ask each other to be
accountable and learn from mistakes, yet it’s amazing how conversations and relationships in
any organization improve when you make it possible for employees to channel their
emotions constructively.
The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced my appreciation of empathy. It’s revealed our
shared obligation to listen to and learn from the most vulnerable among us if we are to build
a better normal in Canada and not merely return to the old one.
My relationship with the Telfer School has also given me a fuller understanding of this vital
quality. The school has not only enabled me to gain essential knowledge through the Telfer
MBA, but also enhanced my life through my tenures as CEO-in-Residence and Dean’s
Advisory Board chair, and especially as executive mentor to students. I encourage them to
reap the personal and professional returns that come from slowing down and listening
closely, from being grateful and making kindness a habit, from emphasizing empathy to
build a better Canada.
This is a summary of the interview conducted by Telfer School of Management on August 7th, 2020 with Dan Moorcroft, Co-Founder, President/ CEO QMR Consulting & Professional Staffing.
Corey Ellis is the Co-founder and CEO of The Growcer, a company he started three years ago with the goal of providing a tool for northerners to grow food. As Co-Founder and CEO, Corey leads sales, community engagement and business development activities, maximizing social impact in the communities The Growcer operates in. In addition, Corey oversees the research and development function of the organization, ensuring continuous improvement in customer offerings.
Corey is an alumnus of Enactus, an international leadership development organization focused on the next generation of socially-conscious entrepreneurs. His unique perspective as a social entrepreneur has helped him understand how to enable community-level impact through profitable market-driven business models.
The Growcer is a social enterprise that empowers remote Canadian regions to grow fresh produce locally using modular hydroponic systems. Growcer systems are specifically designed for Arctic regions, enabling local food production with a steady stream of affordable fresh produce grown in outdoor temperatures as cold as -52°C. Our company also provides ongoing services to allow local entrepreneurs to own & operate their own systems, and additional supports to enable better nutrition for the community, including meal packages, a series of food education and kitchen literacy tools, and an automation system that cuts labour requirements by over 80%.
Why not use a strong leadership to create inspiring, socially and environmentally innovative businesses? Proactive, Anie Rouleau didn’t have to ponder this question long.
A Montrealer born to a business-oriented family, Baléco’s Founding CEO knows how to do business without compromising her values and convictions. That’s why she chose to redefine the notion of clean by creating a line of ecofriendly home and body care products designed for conscious living.
In 1992, Anie graduates from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Business, majoring in Finance. She joins Hydrocom International, the family business. Quickly made Vice-President, she leaves Quebec to start Hydrocom USA in Birmingham, Alabama. When the family business is sold, she is offered the role of President for Maclean Power Systems’ Canadian branch, before becoming President at Société de Gestion du Commensal.
Trilingual, open to the world, Anie runs on new challenges. Her values guide her choices. Fervent defender of local sourcing, she sits on different committees, including Made in Montreal. Women leadership and ethics being causes close to her heart, she is a mentor for young women in business. She is also part of Quebec entrepreneurship promotion groups.
Anie strongly believes that a business’ social values are no obstacles to its profitability and financial viability. That is why she is a BCorp ambassador, giving conferences on this new business model. HEC, UQAM, and ETS also invite her as a guest speaker to discuss the importance of including one’s values at the heart of one’s business management.
Mother of two, Anie is driven by her desire to protect future generations. By investing in innovation and eco-design within an industry which sets his sight far from sustainable development issues, she seeks with Baléco to define tomorrow’s business as a transparent entity, respectful of its employees, the community and the environment.
Tammy Labelle was appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) on March 12, 2018 at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).
In her new role, Tammy is driving the evolution of the PSPC information management and information technology strategy. As CIO, Tammy leads the maintenance of technology operations and key government-wide projects in support of government priorities and departmental service improvements. In addition to her role as CIO, she is also responsible for common Government of Canada services such as shared human resources, information management (GCdocs), shared case management services, finance (FreeBalance and Integrated Financial and Material System) and the Shared Travel Services program.
Before that, Tammy was Assistant Deputy Minister of the Integrated Services Branch where she led several government programs and initiatives, including public opinion research; publishing and depository services; the Canada Gazette; Electronic Media Monitoring Services; advertising; MyGCHR, GCSurplus, seized property management, the Canadian General Standards Board, as well as the PSPC Client Service Strategy.
Tammy has extensive experience in developing and implementing large-scale business programs, computer applications and infrastructure systems. She joined the department in February 2014 as Director General of MyGCHR, where she led the successful implementation of MyGCHR, a new human resources system, across the federal government.
Additionally, Tammy was appointed by the President of the Treasury Board to the Board of Directors of the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority, effective June 2016.
Tammy has a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Ottawa and is a certified information technology project management professional.
I am a native of a small village in Abitibi Témiscamingue, where the words "community" and "solidarity" were important and "giving back" was part of everyday life. These family values have greatly influenced the person I am today, and still colour all my decision-making. After a few years in a chartered accountant's office, my training at the Faculty of Administration at the University of Ottawa allowed me to join Multivesco's team, a tightly knit, socially engaged team that I identified a lot with.
I have been involved with several community organizations in the Outaouais region since the beginning of my career. Since education has always been one of my priorities, I have been a member of the Board of Trustees of Aylmer Montessori School and Joan of Arc Academy in Ottawa as well as president of major donations for the Université du Québec en Outaouais. I also made a donation to go towards admission scholarships to the Telfer School of Management in addition to having participated in their mentoring program.Inspired by my mentor at Multivesco, Mr. Camille Villeneuve, and my son, Alexandre, who lives with an intellectual disability and is on the autism spectrum, I am proud to have created my own foundation, the Alexandre Charron Raymond Foundation, to help people living with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Through this foundation, administered by my other three children, my wish is to ensure the perpetuity of a tradition of giving and sharing.
My time at Telfer taught me how to work hard and push beyond my limits. I took advantage of the co-op program, which was really valuable because I got to ‘try on’ different jobs. By the time I graduated, I had a year’s worth of internal audit experience and was able to get a great job right out of school.
Not long after graduating, I earned my Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation. To me, this was an accomplishment worth celebrating as it enhanced my credibility as a young auditor. It has continued to pay dividends over the years, providing me with a number of professional opportunities. Today, I have the training and experience to assess governance, risk and control processes and recommend areas for improvement. That’s what I love about my job: I have the opportunity to learn about different activities within an organization and meet new people every day.
I strongly value continuous growth and learning, which is why giving back to Telfer means so much to me, and why I’m honoured to be receiving this award. It demonstrates that you don’t have to wait to make a difference. When you give from your own abundance, you can contribute time or money at any age and regardless of the resources at your disposal. Don’t take your skills or your time for granted; think about what you have to offer and what kind of contribution you want to make, and act on it.
Passionate about helping others achieve their goals
I’m an extrovert by nature, I love working with people and having a chance to impact their lives. It’s something of a recurring theme in my life.
It’s what I liked about Telfer: the opportunity to meet other professionals, to be mentored. That connection is really important — it rounds off the hard work and gives you the foundation to grow in your life and career. I can think of so many times where a past connection through Telfer has come back to be part of my life as a client or as a mentor.
In fact, it was through their Connexions work-study program that I ended up at BMO Nesbitt Burns. I stayed for 13 years – and returned after six years elsewhere – because I’m passionate about helping families achieve their goals. I get a real sense of accomplishment out of hearing someone say “I feel comfortable about my retirement because you helped me get there”. That’s really impacting someone’s life and that’s something to celebrate.
It’s also why I volunteer. The Executive Mentorship Program allows you to take a student under your wing and help them with career counselling, networking, and answering questions in a safe environment. It’s very rewarding. As was chairing Telfer’s 24th Annual Golf Tournament: We set up a family scholarship for a student from Northern Ontario, where I’m from. We raised enough for it to be endowed immediately.
I’m honoured and humbled by this award, and thankful for opportunity to be able to give back and help the next generation.
I started in Commerce, but in 1969 I discovered a new program existed – Masters in Health Administration – and I never looked back.
There’s no question that formal education gives you credentials and opens doors, but it’s only the base. You build on that foundation with your experience, your successes and, especially, your failures. If you make no mistakes at all, you’ve probably not done much.
I got a lot of satisfaction in my first 10 years at the old Ottawa General Hospital, and when I became CEO of what was then the Hull Hospital. However, my impact was limited to one city, one hospital, and I knew there was something bigger I could do, so I took a low level government job in Indigenous Health.
I jumped into that and I saw how basic the services were for Indigenous peoples in some places. It stimulated me into thinking about the country as a whole. You can’t just think of your own narrow mandate or perspective — you have to see and understand other points of view, even if you don’t necessarily agree on everything. Respect and collaboration are key, especially for tackling today’s more complex public policy issues.
This eventually served me well as Associate Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister in my work with minority language communities across the country, resulting in organizations that continue to make a big difference today. I’m very proud of that. It was the main reason I was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2016.
I feel partly humbled and partly grateful for this recognition. I didn’t realize I’ve been contributing for over 40 years! It’s like compound interest — no matter how small the contribution, if you are consistent and faithful and stay the course, it can be appreciated to an extent you never thought possible.
Every year, we recognize outstanding Telfer School of Management donors in order to demonstrate our appreciation and create meaningful relationships with those in our community who choose us amongst a sea of giving opportunities. This year, the Telfer Donor of the Year awards will be presented at our annual Gala of Excellence on October 19, 2019, along with the celebration of our anniversary classes (1969, 1979, 1993 and 2008) and the presentation of our Alumni Awards.
Congratulations to our 2019 Donor of the Year awards recipients:
Loyal Donor of the Year:
Marie Fortier (MHA 1972)
Marie Fortier has been actively involved with her alma mater for over 30 years and is a past Trudeau Medal award recipient. In 2016, she was awarded the Order of Canada for her contributions to health care and health planning as a public servant and hospital administrator. Her expertise in health care has improved the lives of thousands of Canadians. To learn more about Marie and her desire to continuously impact the lives of others, click here »
Young Donor of the Year:
Sarah Parr (BCom 2011)
For Sarah, growth and continuous learning are essential values. That's why, since graduation, Sarah has not failed to demonstrate her strong commitment to enhancing the student experience at the Telfer School of Management. It is thanks to generous donors like Sarah that the Telfer School is able to continue to enrich the opportunities available to its students. To learn more about Sarah, click here »
Fundraising Volunteer of the Year:
Jodie Harrison (BCom 1999)
As a BCom graduate of Telfer School of Management, Jodie Harrison has consistently demonstrated her interest in volunteer work. Her main motivator in volunteering is the desire to have a positive impact in other people’s lives. That is why, in 2018, she accepted to be co-chair of the annual golf tournament and helped raise over $30, 000 for the Harrison-Comtois Family Admission Scholarship benefitting students from Northern Ontario newly admitted into an undergraduate program at Telfer.
To read more about Jodie and her passion for volunteerism, click here »
For me, there’s no real secret to success. No shortcut. It’s just hard work and taking everything one day or one task at a time. I can tell you I struggled in my first year at Telfer. University was a big adjustment from high school in North Bay. But thanks to great teachers and hard work, I found my groove.
Telfer taught me about business, but more importantly about working in teams, the importance of presenting your ideas clearly and succinctly, and hitting deadlines. This has helped me in everything since, be it graduating Law School, making full equity partner in six years, negotiating settlement of a $500 million mining dispute, or joining an elite global network of fraud and asset recovery specialists.
I love facing challenges. Like the one that every new case brings. Meeting new clients, learning about new businesses, working with world leading experts in their field and putting a story together for the judge.
Everything I do involves working in a team. Everyone – young lawyers, senior lawyers, clerks and assistants – has an important role to play on every case. I believe that attitude is critical. There is no stopping team players that have a can-do attitude and take on new challenges with enthusiasm. I have the privilege of working with a group of truly gifted and amazing colleagues who share my passion for the law, so I share this award with them. At our firm, the work comes before any individual accomplishment.
As I am an electrical engineer by training, I had 15 fun years in high tech. I enjoyed the work, but needed something more meaningful. I realized technology in healthcare hadn’t reached its potential, and a friend recommended the Telfer MHA program. It was perfect – an MHA really shows a commitment to a sector, is valued in the field and provided me the foundation I needed as I adjusted my path.
Lucky me, I landed at CHEO for my residency.
What drives me is that there’s an endless amount of work to do to become a truly patient-focussed system of care. I believe innovation and technology are fundamental in that transformation — not just improving things incrementally, but making some big leaps in changing the way that people stay healthy.
To get there, I celebrate people that move beyond their comfort zone to reach their potential. I love seeing a high performing team come together. It’s magical when really committed, smart, hard-working group of people find that rhythm.
As an example, when CHEO and SickKids went live with EPIC, becoming the first to implement the gold standard of electronic medical records in Canada for kids, it was truly a team effort. To see everyone pivot and focus on the achieving a common goal was absolutely a lesson that we can accomplish pretty much anything when we work together. We recently became one of the top 1% of digital hospitals in Canada, and it has helped make CHEO a safer, better, more effective hospital. We leveraged technology to support people in evolving the standard of care, and that’s what I’m in this for.
My Telfer journey started in 1986 as an undergrad. In 1992, when I did my MBA, I was lucky enough to be able to network with people in my region who were well connected. In 1993, when I was working at Deloitte, Telfer put trust in me and gave me the opportunity to become a lecturer. It’s 2019, 33 years later, I’m still there — and I’m very happy to still be there.
I’ve spent my professional life working in forensic accounting, fraud detection, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of negativity that comes out of my day to day. Fraudsters are becoming more and more sophisticated. My job is to always be at the forefront of global and emerging financial crime and anti-corruption issues and to spread awareness about it — it’s a never-ending process. Sometime, it can be depressing, therefore I celebrate every time I see reason for optimism.
I find optimism in my academic life, especially when I see that the new generation of students actually rejects individual and corporate unethical behaviors. They are clear that they are on the lookout for corporations and organizations that shows good governance, nothing less. For me, this is wonderful because I see the role of the University as helping that change take place.
In an age where allegations of unethical behaviour in the social medias can be as damaging as a conviction, one of the major risks the corporations and organizations are facing is reputational. In my view, what really matters is integrity, ethics, and transparency. Those are the core values that we need in the business world right now.
At Telfer, we promote those values. And I am confident that what I’m sharing my students will be remembered and applied. This, to me, is certainly a major cause for celebration.
Going to the University of Ottawa for Business was an eleventh hour decision for me but one I will never regret! Prior to that, I was focused on getting into med school. The recruiting numbers were against me, so I knew I needed to pivot. At the time, the market had little demand for a biology major. It was all about business and finance. Here we are, almost 30 years later, and I’ve never looked back.
The Telfer School of Management gave me the fundamental skillset I needed. More importantly, it peaked my curiosity and completely opened my eyes to this horizon that was Finance. It equipped me with that sense of discovery that you need to scratch beneath the surface and really look into things to get the answers you need.
I’m not your traditional operator: I’m a fixer. I’m driven by challenges. I like to come in, make tough choices, reshape businesses and set vision and strategy. And, like most of my peer CEO’s, I’m really driven by success. For me, the best way to achieve that is by being collaborative, being eternally optimistic and most importantly helping to unleash people’s potential.
I believe celebrating success is indispensable in building a winning culture. When I started out in the industry, TD didn’t really have a Markets business. It was covered by other investment dealers/banks. When I left in 2010, TD Securities had risen to be one of the top investment dealers in Canada and was now a fierce competitor to those same dealers. I take tremendous pride in having contributed to building that great business.
That was the appeal of joining TMX, to be able to challenge the status quo and build businesses again. To help a siloed organization break down barriers, be more collaborative, and unleash the full potential of an integrated entity. To have more of an “enterprise” view of the business. When you start leveraging the strengths and complementary skillsets of the whole team, it can be a very, very powerful thing!
Kelly Medora Elliott (BCom 2005) is a partner at global law firm Dentons in the Real Estate and Banking and Finance groups. In addition to her law practice, where she provides legal counsel and strategic advice to clients, Kelly is also the Canada Director of Practice Support & Optimization at the firm.
Being naturally ambitious and career-minded, Kelly has enjoyed taking on progressively more senior leadership roles at Dentons, where she has led numerous complex transactions and managed a broad range of client projects. More recently, Kelly’s work leading the 20-person Practice Support & Optimization team has provided a transition into the firm’s management, giving her the opportunity to leverage the business fundamentals she learned at Telfer.
As a testament to her success at Dentons, her growing professional profile, and personal commitment to mentoring and influencing young women in her network, Kelly was named a 2019 recipient of the Ottawa Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award, which recognizes accomplished and rising business leaders in the National Capital Region.
Kelly’s passion for business started early. She recalls having ongoing discussions with Professor Koppel about her career, which remain among her fondest memories from her time at Telfer. As she approached graduation from the Telfer School, she knew she wanted to pursue additional studies, and eventually decided to study law at McGill.
Women in significant leadership roles, such as Dentons’ Canada CEO and CFO, Beth Wilson and Andrea Nicholls, respectively, inspire Kelly. Her desire to see women “sit at the table” with decision-making capabilities in large organizations has motivated her to set and achieve her own professional goals.
Kelly’s advice to recent graduates is to be kind to themselves, and never lose sight or give up on their dreams. “We need to challenges ourselves to aim really high, while acknowledging the bumps and mistakes that will confront us along the way,” says Kelly. What’s most important, she says, is to learn from your mistakes, not throw in the towel during the hard times, and embrace the advice of strong mentors when they push you to keep reaching.
Given her accomplishments and success in her field so early in her career, Kelly Elliott will undoubtedly leave her mark on the practice of law in Canada.
Connect with Kelly Elliott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymedoraelliott/
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.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, Cyril Moukarzel was looking for a school that would teach him the business skills needed to start and run a successful business. He was attracted to the Telfer School’s international recognition and faculty expertise, as well as its strong alumni network. These elements made Telfer the best fit for him.
The Telfer School has had a tremendous impact in Cyril’s professional and personal life. He explained the Professors helped guide him in his career path and provided him with the necessary skills to thrive in the business world. In fact, it is with the help of Professor Gurprit Kindra that he changed his major from entrepreneurship to marketing. This decision had a significant impact on his career, as he was able to learn about the digital marketing landscape, enabling him to “bootstrap startups from the ground up and grow them into revenue generating businesses”. Furthermore, during his time at Telfer, Cyril recalls several amazing experiences, like the time he won first place at the Telfer Elevator Pitch competition. He explained this accomplishment gave him the validation and the motivation he needed to pursue a career in Entrepreneurship.
When asked about how the Telfer School helped shape him into the person he is today, Cyril explained how the School helped launch his entrepreneurship career. It is thanks to the Telfer School that he was able to take part in the Startup Garage Accelerator. The program helped him acquire the funding necessary to get his first startup off the ground. The startup, called eCelery, is an “online marketplace where hungry food lovers can order authentic ethnic meals from chefs cooking in their own kitchens”. Without this program and the Telfer School, Cyril would not have been able to grow his startup to 40 chefs and gain hundreds of monthly sales in just a few months. Cyril also explained the individuals he met during his studies helped him get to where he is today.
After eCelery, Cyril worked as the head of Marketing for a few startups, where he was put in charge of growing their sales and customer base. He also participated in the Techstars Accelerator Program in Berlin for 3 months, which helped him hone his marketing and entrepreneurship skills before he could start his next venture. Cyril aspires to create a positive impact and change the world with his companies. He is achieving this goal with his current company, LifeDNA. LifeDNA is a personal genomics company that analyzes your DNA and creates a customized regimen of dietary supplements based on your unique genetics. With a growing team and some of the best advisors, LifeDNA created the most personalized supplement line in the world. In this regard, Cyril recalls that Telfer connected him with the Entrepreneurship community in Ottawa and taught him essential business skills, which helped him make this positive impact.
Connect with Cyril on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrilmoukarzel/
Learn more about LifeDNA: https://www.lifedna.com/
Once a year, the Ottawa Business Journal (OBJ) recognizes accomplished and rising business leaders in the National Capital Region by naming them to their Forty under 40 list. These pioneers reflect the economic diversity, entrepreneurial spirit, and future of the city’s dynamic business community.
Among this year’s recipients, five are alumni of the University of Ottawa, one of which studied at the Telfer School of Management. The Telfer School would like to congratulate Kelly Medora Elliott for this astounding accomplishment.
After her studies at the Telfer School of Management, Kelly went on to study Law. She now is a partner in Dentons' Real Estate, Project Development, and Banking and Finance Practice groups. Her ability to think and act strategically as well as her amazing leadership skills have led to her new role as Director of Practice Support and Optimization for the Dentons Canada Region. Those who know her agree her organizational skills and work ethic have contributed greatly to her success, and have enabled her to become of the best lawyers in Canada.
The Telfer School would also like to congratulate Amy Lynn Friesen, Christina Kathelyn Black, Ian Duff Bingeman, and François de Bellefeuille who all graduated from the University of Ottawa and also made it on the coveted list.
This year's Forty Under 40 awards gala will take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel on June 21, 2019. The event will feature cocktails, fine food, music and dancing and is in part sponsored by the Telfer Executive MBA.
“What do you think?” This question, posed in a third-year Organizational Behaviour course, may seem arbitrary at first glance but it was a significant moment in Caroline Leblanc’s career path (B. Admin 1983). Caroline says, “It was the first time that I can recall that I was asked what I thought.” This is the point in her academic career where education transformed from theory to practice. Caroline continue to say, “It signified the melding formal learning with intuition, ethical beliefs and practicality. This for me illustrated the distinct difference between Management and Leadership.” This new perspective of the business world propelled her towards a successful career at BMO Private Banking.
On the other hand, despite Caroline’s impressive progression, she admits to not being “the most academically gifted student” during her schooling. As a result, she attributes her success to two values: grit and determination. Caroline gained an insight into the business world through these critical learning blocks, helping her stand out as a professional.
Caroline’s professional journey began in the depth of a recession with a major bank on a contract. Eventually, she move to Toronto where she joined BMO Financial Group as a Lending Specialist, which then evolved into various roles. Enjoying both the investment and credit aspects of the business, Caroline looked for an opportunity that would marry both sets of skills—leading her to the Private Bank. This choice was a risk as Caroline mentions, “at the time, we were small boutique operation that no one really knew about. I am glad to say that we have consistently experienced double digit growth and are leaders in providing customized Wealth Solutions to Affluent and High Net Worth families in Canada.”
Caroline concludes by expressing her pride in being part of an organization that supports a cause that is close to her heart: the advancement of women in the workplace. More than twenty years ago, she read a paper by Felice Schwartz, discussing the disparities at work between men and women. So, when asked about her inspiration, Caroline lists women such as Michele Obama, Sheryl Sandberg and Malala Yousafzai, stating that those women “are brave and that have chosen non-traditional paths, which have made significant contributions to everyday lives.” These women inspire Caroline and the next generation of women to take their rightful place at the metaphorical table.
2018 was a year filled with great accomplishments and powerful achievements. See what the Telfer School of Management picked as the best of 2018. Take a look back at the news and stories that shaped an extraordinary year. 2019 has a ton of surprises with the 50 years of Telfer School of Management celebrations.
I’ve always been an optimist. Yet even those who look on the bright side can sometimes puzzle over what their futures hold. When I graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Science degree, I was deeply uncertain about the career path I should take. Then I learned about the Telfer Master of Health Administration and my professional life started to fall into place.
The year was 1990 and big changes were afoot in Canadian healthcare. The Canada Health Act had been in place for less than a decade. New funding mechanisms were gaining traction. And politicians were pressuring organizations to merge in an effort to become more efficient. As a result, the sector was growing more complicated, its challenges more daunting, and its place in our national conversation increasingly important.
I loved it all. Yes, healthcare in Canada is a complex business. But it’s a business with a big heart and a generous soul—a business that runs on meaningful relationships and relies on them to make our country a healthier and better place. In short, it’s tailor-made for an eternal optimist like me.
Twenty-eight years later, I’ve not only made a professional home in healthcare, but also stayed connected to the place where it all started for me. I serve as president of the Toronto Regional Council for uOttawa alumni; and the organization I lead—Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East General Hospital)—confers an award each year to the Telfer MHA student who delivers the best final residency presentation. The students who do their placements at our hospital also make sure my knowledge is current and supply me with fresh ideas. I suggest Telfer grads keep that fact in mind: for every viable new approach you’ll learn in healthcare, you’ll have to unlearn an obsolete one. Take it from an eternal optimist: it’s the best way to operate in this complex, big-hearted business.
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.
This year’s recipient for the Robert Wood Johnson Award for the University of Ottawa is Belinda Maciejewski. The criterion for this award is based on the student’s likelihood to make valuable contributions to health services management. The presentation of the Robert Wood Johnson Awards took place during the National Health Leadership Conference presented by HealthCareCAN and the Canadian College of Health Leaders held in St John’s, NL, from June 4-5, 2018.
Since its inception in 1956, the award has been presented to nearly 300 Canadian healthcare professionals. It is supported by Johnson & Johnson Medical Products in partnership with six leading Canadian universities, which offer a Masters’ program in healthcare administration, including: Dalhousie University, Université de Montréal, University of Ottawa, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta and University of Toronto.
After completing her CPA, CA designation with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Vancouver, Belinda Maciejewski decided to combine her business acumen with her lifelong passion for healthcare by moving to Edmonton to work for the then-newly formed Alberta Health Services. Through over half a decade as a Senior Financial Analyst in advisory services supporting high priority programs, Belinda learned that administrative leadership in Canadian healthcare organizations is dominated by clinicians with limited or no formal training in business concepts. She also observed a divide between administrators and clinicians which often became an obstacle which stalled or stopped progress.
Having enjoyed the role as the bridge between administration and clinicians as an analyst, Belinda desired to expand this bridging role beyond Finance by undertaking the Telfer School of Management Master of Health Administration program at the University of Ottawa. Belinda is a firm believer of the benefits of diverse perspectives and backgrounds which leads to more balanced and robust decision making. Her aspiration is to become an agent for change by marrying business practices and technology with clinical operations as well as breaking through silos which inhibit Canadian healthcare from truly innovating and transforming into a world-class 21st century system.
In December 2017, Belinda was also recognized as an award recipient of the Michael Garron award which recognizes a University of Ottawa MHA student who has demonstrated innovative health solutions to practical problems encountered during their residency placement. Belinda completed her residency at The Ottawa Hospital, and presented her project entitled “Mapping the Operational Process for the New TOH Home Dialysis Program”. Belinda is currently Operations Manager at the Ottawa Hospital.
People, planet, and profit. Otherwise better known as the "triple bottom line," this concept distinguishes itself by including certain spheres, namely social and environmental, in assessing the profitability of a business. It's from this same vision that The Unscented Company, a line of unscented home and body care products, was born. The brand was launched in 2016 on two founding principles that greatly inspired founder and CEO Anie Rouleau in her company's creative process. "Firstly, we had to redefine the notion of clean by offering exclusively unscented, all-natural products. Secondly, we had to design our packaging for conscious living, with the goal of significantly reducing our collective plastic footprint."
Anie's philosophy is based on a model combining transparency, inclusiveness and accountability. More specifically, "what inspires me are the men and women who hold on to their vision, while staying true to their own beliefs, even when it's hard."
It's thanks to this same innovative vision that Anie's company was awarded B Corp certification, making The Unscented Company the first Canadian home and body care product company to be certified.
"I find real joy in giving back. I want to contribute to a better world and I enjoy building the business of tomorrow." This same desire to give back is reflected in the Anie Rouleau International Exchange Scholarship. Established in 1999, this scholarship not only gives young people the opportunity to pursue their studies abroad, but also encourages young women to carve their own path to entrepreneurship. "Every thank-you letter I get from recipients reminds me how important it is to give back and be involved in the academic lives of young people."
The University of Ottawa Alumni Association has named Telfer alumnus Guy Laflamme (MBA 1989) as the recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award. This award recognizes the outstanding achievement of a University of Ottawa alumni member within the last year.
Forget Sir John A and the Fathers of Confederation. What Guy Laflamme, just-retired Executive Director and Producer of the Ottawa 2017 Bureau, wanted to mark Canada’s sesquicentennial in the capital were giant robotic spiders, dragons, picnics on the bridge and underground sci-fi travel experiences.
Given free rein by Ottawa mayor Jim Watson when he took up the challenge of organizing a year of events that would rock Ottawa’s staid image, Laflamme let his imagination loose in a 300-page business plan, written from his summer home in the Magdalen Islands. “I had a chance to just go wild from an artistic standpoint and to apply all my knowledge as a business strategist,” he says.
Laflamme also drew from 25 years of experience in high-visibility marketing and production for the Department of Canadian Heritage, the National Capital Commission, and Casino du Lac-Leamy, among others.
His enthusiasm for the 2017 program “of things never before seen in Ottawa” was contagious: the $40M program of major events and festivities brought in $300M for the city. That success earned him a nomination to the Order of Ottawa and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. RadioCanada and LeDroit named him “Personality of the Year” for his vision, boundless imagination, determination and energy — not to mention sheer guts.
“Of all the dazzling things I’ve done,” he says, “I’m most proud of having been able to influence thousands of students”. Part-time professor at the Telfer School of Management for 15 years, Laflamme left his mark through the “Le Niger, c’est notre affaire” charitable campaign. He also reoriented the strategic marketing student projects to focus on local not-for-profit organizations.
He received the Trudeau Medal, the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni, in 2005.
Laflamme is now set to tackle what may prove to be his most challenging project yet: retirement. “After running at 1000 km an hour for the past three years, all I want now is a simple, healthy, balanced life.”
About the awards
Since 2011, the University of Ottawa Alumni Association has recognized outstanding graduates through its annual Awards of Excellence. Meet this year’s six exceptional individuals who are giving back to the University and the community by reading their stories.
The University of Ottawa Alumni Association has named Telfer alumnus Jean Desgagné (BCom 1986) as the recipient of the Commitment to the University Award. This award recognizes an extraordinary alumnus who has made significant contributions to the advancement of uOttawa through their dedication, generosity and commitment to its values.
Jean Desgagné’s commitment to the advancement of youth, particularly students at the Telfer School of Management, is unwavering. “I’ve been very lucky and very successful in my career. When you have that kind of luck and success, part of the obligation is to pay a little bit back,” he says.
President and CEO, TMX Global Solutions, Insights and Analytics Strategies, Desgagné (BCom ‘86) has held increasingly senior positions at some of Canada's leading financial institutions.
When he established himself in Toronto some 25 years ago, he found that “uOttawa didn’t have a profile here.” He set out to change that.
“I’ve worked very hard with the school to improve the profile of the university so that graduates have a fighting chance at capital market jobs in Toronto,” he says. Those efforts have included creating associates programs most everywhere he has worked. At TMX, the Associates Program started with 5 students and within 3 years has grown to 20.
A member of the Regional Campaign Cabinet for the University of Ottawa and Regional Chair of the Telfer School’s Dean’s advisory board in Toronto, Desgagné also contributed to the creation of the Telfer Financial Research and Learning Lab and was the first donor to its capital fund. A mentor with the Telfer Capital Markets program, he has served as judge at finance competitions over many years and spoken at numerous events.
In 2009 Desgagné and his wife endowed the Desgagné/Soden Family Scholarship Fund for female commerce students. “While I applaud all the work that going on to get women in senior roles,” he says, “I’m acutely aware that we need to get the pipeline going at the beginning.”
“It’s a win- win for the students, for the school, and for me,” he says. “I can look back and say I did something good here.”
He received the Trudeau Medal, the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni, in 2009.
About the awards
Since 2011, the University of Ottawa Alumni Association has recognized outstanding graduates through its annual Awards of Excellence. Meet this year’s six exceptional individuals who are giving back to the University and the community by reading their stories.
Stephen Beamish, BCom graduate of 1990, chose the Telfer School of Management for a multitude of different reasons. As he says, his top three driving reasons would have to be the sense of collaboration that Telfer promotes between students and professors, the high caliber professors, and the students studying from all over the world.
Reflecting back on his time at Telfer, Stephen remembers fondly his group projects, one in particular that he worked on with five other students. The challenging nature of the project meant that him and his team spent many late nights working on the project, but the breaks taken in between work proved to be fun and made the project all the more enjoyable. Coming together with other students to work on a common goal meant a lot to Stephen as a committed student. As for his favorite class, Stephen speaks of his statistics course taught by Professor John Nash, as it was taught in an engaging manner and had great importance and relevance to the world of business.
A major tool learned in his time at Telfer is, according to Stephen, the ability to collaborate with people of any personality, view point or skill level. Just as in the business world, during class projects Stephen was not always able to choose whom he would like to work with. As he says: “Having learned from Telfer’s many group assignments about collaboration, compromise and shared responsibility proved to be a great lesson that helped tremendously throughout my business career”.
Throughout his career, it has been important to Stephen to work in a profession or company that does something to help others. Working in high tech marketing, he appreciates being able to being advanced communication solutions to remote communities. Also important to Stephen is giving his best to anything he is involved with, expressing that “I guess then you could easily say that the Telfer School played a big part in making sure I had the proper business education to be able to perform my job over the years – to the best of my ability”.
Upon graduating, after taking a few years off to travel and experience living in other parts of Canada, Stephen returned to Telfer to obtain his MBA. After finishing his second degree, Stephen began working in high tech marketing and advanced to the position of Vice President of Global marketing for Mitel, as well as the Vice President of Mitel’s Business Development team. Stephen eventually made the choice to leave Mitel after 10 years in order to be closer to his family and went on to open his own practice as a virtual Chief Marketing Officer for his company BlackTusk Business solutions. BlackTusk Business Solution’s mandate is to provide businesses with a one-stop-shop for both creating and executing client marketing strategies.
Upon graduating from a private school in Bahrain, George Khalife set out to find a university that he could grow with, and help grow. After deciding on the Telfer School of Management, George graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2015. George came to the Telfer School because of the genuine professors, untapped opportunities, a strong and improving curriculum and a student and alumni base that was, and still is, very closely connected.
During his time at Telfer, George remembers certain classes and professors that stood out as making an impact on him, including MIS with Nour El-Kadri, the Financial Research and Learning Lab with Pouya Safi, and Equity Valuation with Miwako Nitani. George also mentions three classmates, with whom he helped found a student-run investment fund called T&V Capital Management, which is now known as Telfer Capital Fund. It was this initiative that introduced him to the fund’s first capital sponsor, and lead him to joining the TMX group.
George lists many things from his time at Telfer that helped get him to where he is today, including the connections he built with professors, the friends he made while studying, the clubs and extracurricular he took part in, the alumni network, networking events and academic workshops held by Telfer. George says: “these are the things that positively contributed to my success during university and post-graduation”.
As for his inspiration, George draws that from his parents. George’s parents moved from the Middle East in order to give him and his sister a chance at a better future. As George puts: “every time I feel challenged, I feel tired, or I feel like giving up, I go back to them and remember how much they struggled to help me get here – that’s all I need to keep going”.
Post-graduation, George immediately started working for the Toronto Stock Exchange (TMX Group), in their two-year rotational Associate Program. At the conclusion of this program, he signed to stay on full time and lead TMX’s sales efforts in Toronto and New York. While working at TMX, George had many projects being developed on the side, including BookBack, and app for university students to buy and sell books, hosting his podcast – “Let’s Grab Coffee”, and blogging on LinkedIn as well as his personal site.
Mathieu Cloutier, BCom graduate of 1991, chose the Telfer School of Management because of the opportunity that it presented him to study in both languages. Telfer’s strong standing as well as its reputable professors are what pushed Mathieu to make the decision to pursue his education at Telfer.
One of Mathieu’s fondest memories was being able to participate in the Jeux du Commerce. It was the first time Telfer was participating in this competition, and Mathieu was on the team that brought home the first place prize. The intensive training given to him and his teammates in preparation for this competition was a massive contributor to their success at the competition, according to Mathieu.
While at Telfer, Mathieu was a very involved student, participating in the Marketing Association in order to develop his network and take advantage of the group mentality. The Marketing Association was very active on campus, partaking in the Christmas Ball and the Michel Cloutier Marketing Competition. As for his fondest memories from his time at Telfer, Mathieu remembers his marketing class from his final year as it taught him essential skills he used upon his graduation.
After graduating, Mathieu moved on to a publicity agency in Montreal. Using the skills he acquired through participating in case competitions, Mathieu became an integral part of the development team. In 2007, Mathieu moved on to cofound the agency Tank, where he still occupies the position of vice-president, general manager.
Reflecting on what inspires him most, Mathieu mentioned the obstacles thrown at him by clients every day. Using his energy to find creative solutions and to achieve the results his clients need is what stimulates Mathieu in his work. Today, Mathieu continues to involve himself by offering his services as a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs, being a member of the jury in the Michel Cloutier Marketing Competition, and recruiting students as interns in his agency.
Mathieu’s advice to students on life after graduation: do something you love, life is too short; don’t be afraid to fail, and throw yourself into business!
Jodie Harrison has been a planner. As a Telfer BCom student, Jodie set her sights on becoming an investment advisor. So she specialized in finance and took advantage of the school’s Connexions Program to intern with a national investment firm during her final year. Jodie also worked at the Career Centre and served as president of the Telfer BCom students’ association, roles that enabled her to gain several skills and many contacts that would prove especially valuable once she graduated.
“Everyone in the program earns the same degree,” she said. “It’s the things you do beyond your schoolwork that not only set you apart from other graduates, but also equip you to move closer to your goal.”
Jodie Harrison remains a planner. She does it professionally for BMO Nesbitt Burns, helping families and entrepreneurs achieve financial success. She also does it for our school. Jodie has served as president of the alumni association; she is a member of the executive mentorship program; and she was just named chair of the 2018 scholarship golf tournament.
“Heading up the tournament is a perfect fit for me as an investment advisor,” she said. “I want Telfer students to have access to many generous scholarships, so they can graduate with little or even no debt.”
Jodie Harrison is forever a planner: “My advice to Telfer students is to find your own path and then work hard—building networks, sharing experiences, finding mentors and supporting peers along the way.”
Cassy Aite chose the Telfer School of Management after visiting its new facilities and after making the decision to attend university in his hometown. As an engaged student, Cassy participated in Enactus, uOSIC, the Telfer Financial Laboratory, was a member of the Gee-Gees men’s soccer team and competed in several competitions. As Cassy says, “these opportunities made my experience at uOttawa”.
Immediately after graduating, Cassy began working at EY in the ITRA Advisory Practice where he gained a lot of valuable experience. About a year after graduating, Cassy was presented with the opportunity to live and work in Vienna and Munich. He began working as a Business Developer with BTO research, a multi-national IT consulting company. In January 2018, Cassy moved back to Canada to become the CEO of Desk Nibbles, a company that he co-founded with his brother, Emil Aite and Eric Kys in late 2016. Desk Nibbles uses Artificial Intelligence to make it easier for Office Managers to manage their office kitchens. With over 65 customers and a growing number of employees, Desk Nibbles is quickly expanding.
Thinking back on his time at Telfer, Cassy has fond memories of the classmates, professors and mentors that he met during his studies. Cassy still remains in contact with all of those who influenced his studies at Telfer, and explains that he is “constantly reminded by the positive impact Telfer has had”. Reflecting on what inspires him, Cassy thinks of his parents and the hard work that they accomplished in order to give his family better opportunities.
Cassy is excited about his career path so far, and looking towards what the future will offer.
For Scott McLaren, Telfer was an opportunity to learn, develop his skills and meet the people with whom he would later build professional and personal relationships. After choosing Telfer because of the school’s reputation and his desire to be in a big city with a small-town feel, Scott completed his Bachelors in Commerce in 2006.
After purchasing Festival Promotions in 2009 and becoming Partner and President of the company, Scott and a fellow Telfer alumnus founded Baron Hockey in 2016, which provides high-end hockey sticks to consumers without the retail mark up.
Reflecting on his time at Telfer, Scott recalls several professors and courses that had a profound impact on his future. “He put such a strong focus on doing business the right way and that has stuck with me all of these years” Scott says about the late Professor Koppel, former professor in management at Telfer. Some of Scott’s fondest memories at Telfer are from his latter year courses, where he worked on group projects with classmates that he describes as “brilliant”; Scott has enjoyed the opportunity to watch their success over the years.
Scott credits his alma mater for the broad professional and personal network he has built since his graduation, as well as introducing the people into his life that inspire him the most, such as his wife Lindsay. After having the chance to create deep and meaningful relationships while studying to build his career, Scott expresses that his alma mater has helped connect him to what matters in his life, such as his family, friends, and his ability to operate a business.
On November 2nd at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, the Fraser Institute held their annual Founder’s Award tribute dinner honouring Canada’s greatest business and philanthropic leaders. This year’s Award was presented to Ian Telfer, Chairman of the Board and Director of Goldcorp. That week Ian Telfer attended and networked with our alumni at the receptions in Calgary November 1st and in Vancouver November 2nd as a special guest but also to cap off the 10th anniversary of the Telfer School.
The Fraser Institute Founders’ Award, named after founders T. Patrick Boyle and Michael A. Walker, is the Institute’s highest honour. The award is presented annually to individuals in recognition of their exceptional entrepreneurial achievements, generous philanthropic endeavors and dedication to competitive markets. These individuals are role models for the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.
Ian Telfer was also honoured along with his wife, Nancy Burke, as the recipients of the Children’s Charity Gold Heart Award at the annual Gold Heart Gala. The couple are well-known across British Columbia and beyond for their generous giving, including to Variety - the Children’s Charity of BC (Variety BC) through their family foundation.
The Gold Heart Award is Variety BC’s most prestigious mark of distinction, honouring exceptional philanthropic contributions throughout local communities. The Gala is chaired by Mary Zilba, and vice-chaired by Fiona Forbes, local television celebrities and longtime friends and supporters of Variety BC.
Ian Telfer will also be announced as one of the 2018 Canadian Business Hall of Fame inductees at the Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony that will be held in Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 17, 2018.
After a seven-year hiatus, the highly anticipated and revamped Canada’s Top 40 Under 40® gala is back to celebrate the exceptional achievements of 40 Canadians under the age of 40. Going hand in hand with the Canada 150 celebrations, the gala will highlight the new generation of leaders in Canadian organizations.
This year's honourees include three University of Ottawa alumni, two of whom are from the Telfer School of Management. We would like to congratulate the following alumni:
Alexandre Lefebvre (BAdm 2001): President, Lefebvre Group
We would also like to congratulate Katherine Telford, another University of Ottawa graduate who was also on the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40® list.
Click here to see the complete list of this year’s honourees on the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 website. This year, the awards gala will be held on November 2, 2017, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.
From left to right: Billy Triantafilos, Bryan Belanger, Justine Hendricks, Wanda MacDonald, Christine Kincaid
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 2017 Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 21, 2017 and this event also serves as an opportunity to collectively celebrate the Telfer School and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1967, 1977, 1992 and 2007.
Trudeau Medals
Bryan Belanger, EMBA 2007
As Vice President of Technology for Ideal Protein, Bryan is responsible for the Global IT strategy, support, and development of Ideal Protein’s IT infrastructure, business and consumer applications and web presence. He is also responsible for leading the product development of all cutting-edge technology that Ideal Protein delivers to their customers. Prior to joining Ideal Protein in 2016, Bryan spent two years leading the North American and European technology divisions of Club Assist. Before that, Bryan spent seven years with Techinsights as well as twelve years in increasingly senior technology roles at Telesat, Canada’s sole satellite telecommunications provider, and has also worked as a financial analyst and business development consultant for the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club. Bryan holds an Executive MBA from the Telfer School of Management and a Bachelor of Computer Science from Acadia University in Nova Scotia. When not hard at work driving technology initiatives, he enjoys playing (and watching) hockey, travelling, and spending time with his family.
Justine Hendricks, MBA 2004
Justine Hendricks joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in 2006 and was recently appointed Vice President of Working Capital Solutions (Guarantee and Bonding Programs). She is responsible for ensuring maximum market penetration in working capital needs of the Canadian export community through close partnerships with EDC’s banking partners and working closely with the business development group. Prior to this role, Justine led a transformation program of EDC’s Financing and Investment groups. Justine is a graduate of the Telfer MBA program and has a B.A. in Urban Studies from Carleton University. She also holds a Certified Financial Planner Designation. Justine is best known for her passion, her energy at work and as a driver of results. A recognized mentor, she has made her mark in differentiating herself not just on her accomplishments but most importantly on how she achieves them.
Wanda MacDonald, MHA 1981
Wanda MacDonald is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, a position she has held since 2003. After she completed her MHA from the Telfer School in 1981, Wanda held several management positions in health care, such as Assistant Executive Director of the Rideau Valley District Health Council, Assistant Executive Director of the Centretown Community Health Centre, as well as the founding Executive Director of Lanark Health and Community Services. The principles of health and social equity have guided Wanda’s work over her 36 years in health care management. Now, after a long a successful career, Wanda is looking forward to what retirement will bring as she steps into this new chapter of life in the summer of 2017.
The Young Achiever's Award
Billy Triantafilos, BCom 2007
Billy Triantafilos graduated from the Telfer School of Management with a BCom in 2007. During his time at uOttawa, he played on the Gee-Gees interuniversity men’s hockey team. In Billy’s third year, he resided in the University-owned ‘hockey house’, before it was later transformed into office space. Billy, who was also employed while pursuing his studies, decided to invest in a home one block from campus. He invited his teammates to room with him in order to make his investment feasible. After realizing his success renovating his first investment home, he went on to build more homes for University of Ottawa students. As the need for financing his construction projects became a priority, he joined the National Bank of Canada as a Mortgage Development Manager. This gave him a better understanding of financing, and the Canadian banking system. Soon thereafter, Billy and a former teammate and work colleague decided to leave National Bank, and laid out the framework for their company, TC UNITED GROUP.
The Dean's Philos Award
Christine Kincaid, BCom 1984
Christine Kincaid is the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Mediaplus Advertising. She joined the agency in 1988 from the technology sector, where she had worked in product management for six years after graduating with her Bachelor of Commerce. In 1990, Christine became a partner and principal owner of Mediaplus. She manages MediaPlus’ client services, media and administrative teams while also serving as the lead strategist on key accounts. She has helped build the company to be one of the most respected full-service advertising and marketing communications agencies in Eastern Ontario - servicing consumer and business-to-business clients across a range of sectors including tourism, culture, services, technology, sports and education. Throughout her career, Christine has been actively involved in the community, with a focus on health charities and initiatives targeted to youth.
The Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Vanier, Mona Fortier (MBA 1998) won last night's byelection with 51.2% of the vote. This marks a historic moment, as it is the first time residents have elected a woman to represent them in the federal riding's history.
Mona Fortier holds a master’s of business administration (MBA 1998) from the Telfer School of Management, and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Sociology, from the University of Ottawa.
A local businesswoman and skilled and passionate communicator, Mona Fortier is well known for her professional achievements and effective service to our community.
“While at Telfer, Mona was actively involved in student life, participating, for example, in a high tech case study competition and supporting the activities of the student council,” said François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School. “In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Mona received the Telfer School’s Young Achiever’s alumni award in 2011.”
Congratulations to Mona Fortier on her historic win!
A local businesswoman and skilled and passionate communicator, Mona Fortier is well known for her professional achievements and effective service to our community.
Since her high school days 30 years ago, Mona has been inspired by the community of Ottawa-Vanier to live, work and volunteer here. Learning the value of public service early in life, she became active in social issues and in the improvement of her community and region.
Mona Fortier holds a master’s of business administration (MBA 1998) from the Telfer School of Management, and a bachelor of social sciences, honours in sociology, from the University of Ottawa.
“While at Telfer, Mona was actively involved in student life, participating, for example, in a high tech case study competition and supporting the activities of the student council,” said François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School. “In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Mona received the Telfer School’s Young Achiever’s alumni award in 2011.”
“Throughout both the nomination campaign and the by-election to follow, I pledge to meet with and listen to residents from all walks of this extremely diverse riding to better represent their interests and concerns,” said Mona Fortier.
“It wouldn’t seem right to launch my campaign without mentioning the great contributions of the late Honourable Mauril Bélanger,” says Mona. “Mauril’s service and dedication, not only to Ottawa-Vanier, but to our region, to minority communities including the francophone community, and to Canada have always been inspirational for me.”
When alumna Diana Kolesarova graduated with a BCom a few short months ago, she made a promise to herself and to her alma mater to be an active alumna. Luckily for Diana, the perfect opportunity would present itself when she heard that the Telfer Alumni Association (TAA) was looking for a President. At their Annual General Meeting on November 8th, Diana was appointed the new President.
Three other new faces were added to the TAA’s Executive Board – Lucas Goshn as the Treasurer, Sushil Dahiya as the Director of Operations and Carl Lafleur as the Director of Marketing. Diana along with Lucas, Sushil and Carl join returning members Alexandra Batchelor, Vice-President, and Arianna Pontello, Director of Events.
Getting involved is something Diana has always done, whether it is in her community or her school. During her time at the Telfer School, she was a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Club for three years and participated in Happening Marketing and Jeux du Commerce.
“The TAA has the power to foster an amazing network and inspire future generations of Telfer students. I look forward to use this opportunity to give back to the institution that gave so much to me”, says Diana.
Make sure your patients and their families are at the centre of everything you do. Engage healthcare professionals who are highly skilled and give them the resources required to do their jobs. And build your team of committed and collaborative leaders so that together you can solve problems, overcome challenges and make yours an even better organization. These things matter most to me.
That first point—ensure patients can access high-quality healthcare services in their hometown—has been my highest priority right from the time I graduated from medical school decades ago. Since assuming the role of chief executive officer at The Ottawa Hospital in 2001, I’ve been able to broaden that mission from my own patients and their families to cover thousands of patients and families served by one of the largest healthcare organizations in the country. That’s where the teams of skilled and caring professionals come in. If some people consider me to be a successful leader, it’s because of the intelligence and dedication of others. That’s not false modesty. Since my student days, I’ve been guided by a phrase attributed to Harry S. Truman: “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.”
Another big part of the credit for my success at The Ottawa Hospital goes to the Telfer School. I graduated from the EMBA program—just weeks before assuming the top job—equipped with skills and knowledge in many disciplines of business. I’ve relied on that ability and understanding every day since. I never anticipated becoming CEO of a large research and teaching hospital: I was an anaesthesiologist, not an executive. But when the challenge presented itself, I was ready to seize it. More to the point, I was prepared to put together teams that enabled our organization to eliminate deficits, raise morale, and ensure patients and their families receive the best possible care. It turns out what matters most to me also makes a difference for others.
When I started at the Telfer School, I didn’t know where I was going in my life—let alone my future career. I was in school because I was expected to be there. My grandfather’s death in July 2005 began to change that. To celebrate and honour his life, I helped found a non-profit organization that went on to raise more than $150,000 for cancer research. Creating, organizing and propelling Typically Canadian inspired me to become an entrepreneur. It led me to realize that what matters to me is building things that impact people’s lives for the better. It showed me my way.
I couldn’t have built that organization without the Telfer School. Not because of the school’s top-notch teaching or special student services or many networking opportunities. The school’s professors and staff gave me the personal and academic support I needed to bring Typically Canadian to life and then succeed. The backing I received from Professor Barbara Orser and Assistant Dean Alain Doucet stands out. They believed in the cause. They believed in how I wanted to further it. Most importantly, they believed in me.
Their guidance and encouragement changed my life. It instilled me with the confidence to make my own choices about the things I wanted to spend my career building. It made me realize that neither youth nor inexperience nor lack of tenure was a barrier or limitation to business success and personal fulfilment. It gave me the power to launch a career in which I’ve created several successful companies, changed how a key aspect of healthcare is delivered, and impacted people’s lives for the better. Starting with my own. Barb and Alain’s support helped connect me with what matters most and, in doing so, enabled me to find my way.
Professor Samia Chreim’s research area is Organizational Theory, which she applies to a variety of fields. Her publications are making an impact in the field of health care management and business management. Two of her articles, published in A-journals, are ranked in the top 10 for the year 2015.
The first article, entitled Fix and forget or fix and report: a qualitative study of tensions at the front line of incident reporting, was published in the BMJ Quality and Safety journal, an international peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the quality and safety of healthcare. The article reports on a study led by Tanya Anne Hewitt, Professor Chreim’s former Ph.D. student in Population Health at the University of Ottawa. In a case study, the research explores how safety problems that health practitioners encounter are being addressed. The study reveals that most practitioners, when faced with a safety problem that they can resolve themselves, tend not to report it. Hewitt and Chreim argue that reporting of hazards and safety problems is important, as it helps establish a more preventive approach.
The second article is entitled The (non) distribution of leadership roles: Considering leadership practices and configurations. Published in Human Relations, a highly regarded peer-reviewed journal, it contributes towards a deeper understanding of leadership and social relationships at and around work. In particular, Professor Chreim’s study investigates the leadership configurations that are possible following mergers and acquisitions. The findings show that mergers and acquisitions bringing together previously autonomous work teams have a lot of ambiguity and variation in terms of their leadership configurations.
The journal Human Relations has published a lengthy discussion of Professor Chreim’s article by a renowned scholar in this area. Peter Gronn of Cambridge University writes that Professor Chreim ‘‘is to be commended for an invaluable contribution and for advancing knowledge in this field.’’
Professor Samia Chreim’s research area is Organizational Theory, which she applies to a variety of fields. Her publications are making an impact in the field of health care management and business management. Two of her articles, published in A-journals, are ranked in the top 10 for the year 2015.
The first article, entitled Fix and forget or fix and report: a qualitative study of tensions at the front line of incident reporting, was published in the BMJ Quality and Safety journal, an international peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the quality and safety of healthcare. The article reports on a study led by Tanya Anne Hewitt, Professor Chreim’s former Ph.D. student in Population Health at the University of Ottawa. In a case study, the research explores how safety problems that health practitioners encounter are being addressed. The study reveals that most practitioners, when faced with a safety problem that they can resolve themselves, tend not to report it. Hewitt and Chreim argue that reporting of hazards and safety problems is important, as it helps establish a more preventive approach.
The second article is entitled The (non) distribution of leadership roles: Considering leadership practices and configurations. Published in Human Relations, a highly regarded peer-reviewed journal, it contributes towards a deeper understanding of leadership and social relationships at and around work. In particular, Professor Chreim’s study investigates the leadership configurations that are possible following mergers and acquisitions. The findings show that mergers and acquisitions bringing together previously autonomous work teams have a lot of ambiguity and variation in terms of their leadership configurations.
The journal Human Relations has published a lengthy discussion of Professor Chreim’s article by a renowned scholar in this area. Peter Gronn of Cambridge University writes that Professor Chreim ‘‘is to be commended for an invaluable contribution and for advancing knowledge in this field.’’
The mission of the organization matters most to me. In the context of working at Shared Services Canada, my goal is to find solutions that help Canadians have their service needs met. We support all the technology services that enable people to be safe and secure, to benefit from our social safety net, and even to pay taxes in support all the priorities and activities of government. My mission now is the most ambitious I’ve ever been a part of: to create the new platform for governments at all levels so that information is gathered and used for the benefit of all Canadians. I want to help make our governments achieve excellence in gathering, using and safeguarding information.
Telfer School of Management made it possible for me to take on this challenge. Because of the Telfer Executive MBA, I have gained skills, acquired knowledge, cultivated new ways of thinking, and I have reached a much higher level of contribution for my employer. Along with turning me into a high-performing communicator, thinker and strategist, Telfer also taught me to appreciate the advantages of diversity. Organizations are made up of people at different stages of their careers, and we collectively face the challenges of achieving the mission. We can rise up to the challenges because of our diverse skills, perspectives, capabilities and experiences. The Telfer Executive MBA equipped me with the awareness and ability to bring together teams whose members have specific blends of strengths and capacities.
These are the kind of teams that succeed in completing missions and improving how governments operate. Which is vital, because the status quo is no longer an option—for people and for organizations. People must always look to enhance their knowledge—just as I did—and government departments must always look to give their people opportunities to apply what they know to make missions work.
Five remarkable alumni, including David Adamson, will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, healthcare, community and their alma mater at the 2016 Telfer School of Management Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 15, 2016. This will also be an opportunity to collectively celebrate our alma mater and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1966, 1976, 1991 and 2006.
2016 Robert Wood Johnson Award winners: (L to R) Anna Brown, Chang-Hung Yuan, Nico Miraftab, Katie Hollis, Sandra Racco-Cella and Olga Sawatzy
Katie Hollis, a recent MHA graduate, was named among six of Canada’s top emerging health-care professionals and awarded the Robert Wood Johnson Award. She accepted her award during a ceremony in Ottawa, as part of the Canadian College of Health Leaders and HealthCareCAN national conference, which is the largest national gathering of health system leaders in Canada.
Prior to starting the Masters in Health Administration (MHA) program at the University of Ottawa, Katie Hollis was a clinical pharmacist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario where she worked in paediatric haematology & oncology. On a daily basis, Katie witnessed the selfless dedication of healthcare providers to ensure a positive patient experience. However, her desire to gain further understanding into the complexity of healthcare delivery was fuelled by the belief that the responsibility to provide high quality, patient-centered care extends beyond that of the healthcare professional. Since completing the MHA program, Katie now works at the Queensway Carleton Hospital as the Pharmacy Manager of Clinical and Professional Practice and is responsible for ensuring safe, effective medication management practices for each patient throughout the organization. She is also actively involved with the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists occupying various roles on committees and councils at both the provincial and national levels. Recently, Katie joined the MHA Alumni Association’s Board as a member-at-large where she looks forward to giving back to the community that has inspired her throughout her studies and continues to inspire her each and every day.
Since its inception in 1956, the award has been presented to nearly 300 Canadian healthcare professionals. It is supported by Johnson & Johnson Medical Products in partnership with six leading Canadian universities, which offer a Masters’ program in healthcare administration, including: Dalhousie University, Université de Montréal, University of Ottawa, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta and University of Toronto.
Many people think of academia as being separate from the real world. Their kind of thinking doesn’t reflect my experience. What I learned via the Telfer MHA has enabled me to create opportunities for people to remain or become healthy. You can’t get more real world than that. Every single day, I put to use the skills I gained at the Telfer School—in analytics, in strategic planning, in research methodology, in project and financial management. These skills also shape the systematic frame of mind I apply to every problem my organization faces. This combination of ability and attitude gives me the confidence and ambition to tackle tough challenges, build broad partnerships, and try methods that have never been seen or done before.
I simply couldn’t function—let alone achieve any degree of professional success—without these skills and the frame of mind they inspire. My position as executive director of Ottawa Inner City Health has no piece of paper that tells me what to do and how to do it. Solutions are never plug and play. My job requires me to think what I call big thoughts about big problems and the big ideas and partnerships to solve them.
It only sounds daunting. My work connects me with people I like and actions I believe in. It gives energy and balance to my life. It enables me to do not merely what I want to do, but also what matters so much to me that I believe I was born to do it. There is no better feeling and no greater satisfaction than that—and the Telfer MHA made it possible.
Five remarkable alumni, including Wendy Muckle, will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, healthcare, community and their alma mater at the 2016 Telfer School of Management Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 15, 2016. This will also be an opportunity to collectively celebrate our alma mater and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1966, 1976, 1991 and 2006.
From left to right: Kyle Braatz, David Adamson, Dr Jack Kitts, Wendy Muckle, Myron Tetrault
Five remarkable alumni will be recognized 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 2016 Telfer School of Management Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 15, 2016. This will also be an opportunity to collectively celebrate our alma mater and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1966, 1976, 1991 and 2006.
Trudeau Medals
David Adamson, EMBA 2007
David is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Cloud Brokering at Shared Services Canada (SSC). He transferred there in 2016 to establish a new public cloud brokering business line to enable departments to access cloud services in a secure, economical and rapid way. Before his appointment at SSC, he had been the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Government of Canada at the Treasury Board Secretariat since 2013. From 2011 to 2013, he was the Chief Information Officer at Citizenship and Immigration Canada and between 2008 and 2011 he was the Chief Information Officer at Justice Canada. Prior to this he fulfilled a variety of Senior Director General roles at HRDC/Service Canada, including Chief Technology Officer and Chief Solutions Officer. He has also spent about a third of his career in private sector consulting and executive management.
Dr. Jack Kitts, EMBA 2001
Dr. Kitts received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 1980. He then completed a tour of duty with the Canadian armed forces prior to joining the medical staff of the Ottawa Civic Hospital. In 1998, he was appointed Vice President of Medical Affairs and led the medical staff during a complex restructuring of the Ottawa hospitals. After receiving his Executive MBA in 2001, he was named President and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital, a position he continues in today. The Ottawa Hospital is known as one of the largest and most important research and teaching hospitals in Canada. Dr. Kitts’ roots are firmly anchored in the Ottawa Valley and his wife and three children have all chosen careers in the health sector.
Wendy Muckle, MHA 1988
Wendy has been the Executive Director of Ottawa Inner City Health Inc. since 2001 and has been recognised as an expert in the field of poverty and the health of vulnerable populations. In addition to her work in Canada, Wendy has worked for more than a decade in Kenya writing university course curriculum in addition to volunteer work in the fields of primary education and community economic development. Wendy is involved in teaching and research in the fields of poverty, homelessness, harm reduction, mental illness, palliative care and leadership. Wendy has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in addition to her Master in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa.
The Young Achiever's Award
Kyle Braatz, BCom 2009
Kyle is the CEO and co-founder of Fullscript, a practice software that makes it easy for practitioners to dispense wellness. Launching in 2012, Fullscript has grown to service over 2,500 practitioners and hundreds of thousands of patients. Since 2009, Kyle has also made numerous achievements, namely; started and ran a not for profit and cycled 8200 km across Canada raising over $150,000 for cancer research; co-founded a charity called Noelle’s Gift in honour of his best friend which has raised over $650,000; co-founded Simple Story Videos, which was ultimately acquired; joined the board of the Ottawa Integrative Cancer centre and lastly, received the top 40 under 40 at the age of 28. Kyle received the Alterna Social Responsibility award during his studies at the Telfer School.
The Dean's Philos Award
Myron Tetreault, BAdm 1988
Myron is a successful lawyer and entrepreneur. After graduating from the University of Ottawa in 1988, where he was also a member of the Gee-Gee’s O.U.A.A. championship water polo team, he went to complete his studies in law, obtaining a juris doctor from the University of Saskatchewan in 1992. Following a brief career as a corporate and commercial lawyer with Bennett Jones LLP, Myron set out to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions and, during the last 20 years, he has been a founder, director and/or officer of numerous companies including PHX Energy Services Corp., Fitzroy Developments Ltd., Northern Vision Development Ltd., Petrolia, Inc., Total Energy Services Ltd., MicroPlanet Technology Corp., Webber Academy Foundation, Echo Merchant Fund Ltd. and others. Together with his wife, he established The Myron & Catherine Tetreault Foundation in 2007, which is a private charitable organization that supports programs related to sports, education and community development.
Once a year, the Ottawa Business Journal (OBJ) nominates professionals for their business achievements to be in their forty under 40 list.
Among this years’ nominees, thirteen are alumni of the University of Ottawa, from which two studied at the Telfer School of Management. For this achievement, the Telfer School would like to congratulate:
Ben Lalonde, EMBA 2016
Ben Lalonde is the President of Orleans AutoPro. Ben has been part of the automotive service industry since 1995. He received his interprovincial Automotive Service Technician license in 1999, and went on to become the shop manager for Ottawa’s largest tire and service center in 2005. Ben purchased his first service center in 2008 and recently acquired a second location in 2013.
Chad Saikaley is a Partner at Ginsberg Gluzman Fage & Levitz, LLP. He works with a diverse client base and provides a wide variety of services to businesses and business owners in countless industries. Chad joined GGFL in 2013 after spending much of his career with an international accounting firm. He was named partner in 2015.
The Telfer School would also like to congratulate James Baker, Jason Bellefleur, Alexandre Benay, Christopher Harder, Safeena Kherani, Jonathon Moody, Nicolas Moyer, Jeffrey Saikaley, Andrew Scott, Fayer Thawer, Graeme Webster who all graduated from the University of Ottawa and made it on the list.
This year's Forty Under 40 awards gala will take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel on June 16, 2016. The event will feature cocktails, fine food, music and dancing and is in part sponsored by the Telfer Executive MBA. Click here to register for the 2016 Forty Under 40 Gala.
We are proud to announce that the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa is the recipient of a $250,000 major gift from alumnus Louis Gagnon, President, Service and Distribution at Intact Financial Corp.
The donation will go towards the establishment of the Louis Gagnon Executive Pedagogical Innovation Fund. The announcement was made at the Executive MBA Alumni Association’s Annual General Meeting, where Mr. Gagnon was the guest keynote speaker.
"We are very grateful to Mr. Gagnon for his generous gift," stated François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School. "This investment will allow us to align ourselves with the ever changing learning modes of executive education and to transform how we learn – one of the 5 priorities we have set for our fundraising campaign".
The new fund will financially support the transformation and innovation of the Telfer School of Management’s executive program structures, content and delivery to be aligned with evolving learning modes. This includes researching, creating and implementing alternate, flexible and adaptable content and delivery methods, as well as creating or commissioning integrative cases that would be used across more than one course.
“The Executive MBA program has been a turning point in my career", said Louis Gagnon. “From the math prep course to the Organizational Behaviour courses and the summer consulting project, the experience prepared me to seize opportunities that I did not know existed and propel my career forward. With this donation, I’m pleased to support others in realising their own ambitions.” Focusing on pedagogical innovation will help transform learning inside and outside the classroom, with an eye to accelerating the career progression of our graduates.
The other priorities of the Telfer School’s fundraising campaign are: investing in globalisation, generating new knowledge, fostering experiential learning, and supporting scholarships and strategic initiatives.
After working several years in banking and consulting, Mr. Gagnon began his insurance career in 1992.
Before his current role, Mr. Gagnon was President and Chief Operating Officer of Intact Financial Corporation for two years. He was also President of Intact Insurance from 2008 to 2011. He joined Intact Insurance as Senior Vice-President, Québec Division in January 2007. Before joining the company, he was heading a brokerage firm, with offices in Québec and Ontario, and was active within the provincial and national brokers’ associations.
Mr. Gagnon is a past President of the Regroupement des cabinets de courtage d'assurance du Québec (RCCAQ) and Director of the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada. In addition to his Executive MBA from the Telfer School, Mr. Gagnon earned a B.A. in Economic Science from the Université de Montréal.
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
Patrice Marceau - Fundraising Volunteer of the Year
Giving can take many forms. Contributing money to an organization or cause is the most obvious, but giving time and talent can be just as valuable. When Alain Doucet—the Telfer School’s vice dean—asked me as a Telfer alumnus how I could help the school achieve a number of goals in Hong Kong, I was happy to volunteer my professional expertise to devise a structure for a presence for our school in Hong Kong.
Alain and I had many discussions leading to the idea of the Friends of uOttawa Hong Kong Foundation. The thinking was: a foundation would provide a platform for the university in Hong Kong, as well as give a way to thank donors through tax-deductible receipts. In our view, the tax advantage would encourage not only alumni but also others to contribute money to support the Telfer School and uOttawa.
For the last several months, my office and I have been in discussions with the tax authorities in Hong Kong to ensure the structure and governance of the proposed foundation complies with the legal requirements for charitable organizations in Hong Kong. Our efforts are bearing fruit: the Friends of uOttawa Hong Kong Foundation should receive its official designation as a charitable organization by the end of June.
I am grateful for the recognition the school is extending to me for my work in helping set up the foundation. Hopefully, my contribution can show others there are different ways of giving back to the Telfer School. Focused time and targeted effort can sometime do just as well as a monetary contribution. Think about it next time Alain or another member of the Telfer External Relations team comes calling.
We invite you to read other examples of the positive impact that our other Donor Award recipients have made:
“Winning Giving” - James Yersh, BCom 1996
Donor of the Year
“A Culture of Giving” - Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips, BCom 2005
Young Donor of the Year
I give to the Telfer School for two simple reasons. First, I consider myself privileged. I come from humble beginnings and I appreciate having had the opportunity to attend university. It’s made a real difference in my life and therefore it’s only right for me to give a little back and share with the less fortunate and others from humble beginnings. It’s become a habit and I’m glad I can do it.
My second reason for giving is equally straightforward. Imagine the difference we as alumni could make if every one of us gave just a little bit to our school? My giving to the Telfer School is modest compared to the big corporate gifts the school receives. For many years, I have made a financial contribution each month via regular deductions from my bank account. It’s easy, convenient and becomes a routine I hardly ever notice. Now just think of the great things our school and its students could achieve if every Telfer School alumnus did the same?
I started giving to the Telfer School many years ago while I worked at RBC. I’m retired now after working some 40 years with the bank. I held many positions there, including executive responsible for employment and training. That’s when I became acutely conscious of the needs of schools and started making my loyal contribution to the Telfer School and the University of Ottawa. Again, my giving is modest, but it’s also consistent. And just imagine the powerful difference we alumni could make together if each of us gave just a little bit each month?
We invite you to read other examples of the positive impact that our other Donor Award recipients have made:
“Winning Giving” - James Yersh, BCom 1996
Donor of the Year
“A Culture of Giving” - Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips, BCom 2005
Young Donor of the Year
“Find a Path to Giving” - Patrice Marceau, BSc 1981, MBA 1985, LLL 1985
Fundraising Volunteer of the Year
Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips - Young Donor of the Year
I believe in paying it forward. While a Telfer BCom student, I relied on several scholarships. This support not only helped ease the financial burden of a university education, but it also made me a better student by enabling me to focus on my studies and experience the fullness of life at the Telfer School—the classes, clubs, competitions, community and comradeship. Now that I’ve graduated and enjoyed some professional success, I want to ensure other Telfer students can benefit from those same experiences.
The scholarship I set up in my name goes to the incoming student who demonstrates financial need and has a track record of community involvement. I stress being involved in the community because it plays such a significant role not only in improving the lives of those around you, but also making superior students. I’m living proof. The scholarships I received made it possible for me to contribute to the Telfer community and Ottawa, and this contribution made me a better student and person.
My decision to set up the scholarship was also inspired by the example of Ian Telfer’s gift and major contributions from the Desmarais family and other prominent Telfer School alumni. These donations are helping build a culture of giving at our school. Giving should be a natural part of alumni life because each of us has something to give—whether it’s our time, our money or our skills, or all three. I want to be part of that culture, and do even more in the years to come to help it grow. I have an obligation to contribute to it—to pay it forward so today’s students can experience the full richness of life at the Telfer School just as I did.
We invite you to read other examples of the positive impact that our other Donor Award recipients have made:
“Winning Giving” - James Yersh, BCom 1996
Donor of the Year
Giving makes sense to me for many reasons. Most of all, I have the means to give; and when anyone does, they should give to help others. It doesn’t necessarily mean financially. You can also contribute your time, your expertise, or whatever else you have that people can benefit from. Giving to the Telfer School is especially sensible and important to me: the school gave me the tools I needed to get where I am now.
At the same time, when we at BlackBerry see new employees come in fresh from university, we recognize a knowledge void. Most graduating students have plenty of what I call book smarts. Yet they need more practical business smarts. The donation to the Telfer School that my family has made through the Yersh Family Pedagogical Innovation Fund is essential in helping narrow that gap between the theoretical and applied. By putting money toward developing new teaching techniques and programs, as well as revamping some existing ones, my family’s giving will equip Telfer School students with more practical business knowledge and make these students more workplace-ready.
I think of this giving as a win-win-win. Companies win by getting graduating Telfer students armed with book smarts and practical smarts. Students win because the programs and techniques will give them a leg up on others in getting the kinds of jobs and careers they want. And the Telfer School itself wins because these new teaching techniques and programs will differentiate the school from others when competing for top talent. This kind of winning giving is also a lesson for other Telfer School alumni: Find something worthwhile from your own real-life experience and translate it into a donation that moves everyone ahead—especially the Telfer School and its students.
We invite you to read other examples of the positive impact that our other Donor Award recipients have made:
“A Culture of Giving” - Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips, BCom 2005 Young Donor of the Year
Dr. Steve Pelletier, EMBA 1996 and co-founder of the Clarence-Rockland Family Health Team, was given the “Clinic of the Year” award by the Ontario College of Family Physicians. The bilingual family clinic, situated east of Ottawa, checks patients with their doctors within 10 minutes of arrival, books same-day appointments and has doctors working evenings and weekends to accommodate everyone.
The clinic was co-founded in 2008 by Dr. Steve Pelletier and Dr. Harry Jones, who have combined experience of over 60 years in the field. They recognized that there was a lack of health care centres between Ottawa and Hawkesbury and also a lack of efficiency with regular health care providers’ business model. “Providing top notch health care is not that complicated and requires three ingredients; well-designed space, the right people and the right technology. If you are missing one ingredient the benefits of the other two cannot be realized,” he says.
While the media are considered to play an influential role in business, very little research has been done on the relationship between firm-specific media coverage and corporate decision making. The Telfer School’s Shantanu Dutta is helping to change that with a new study on how business reporting shapes firms’ merger and acquisition decisions.
“Our preliminary evidence suggests that the media do influence deal outcomes, independently of the market’s response to a given M&A play,” notes Dutta, an associate professor of finance at the Telfer School. “In particular, the press has something of a ‘corporate governance’ role, one that has not been explored much empirically.”
Dutta and his team seek to understand better how reporting in reputable newspapers might affect the probability of making a deal – and the degree to which negative coverage has a restraining effect. But they are also looking into the impact of coverage on other strategic decisions in M&A, “such as the acquiring firm’s payment method, and the impact on future acquisitions.”
The 2008-2009 global financial crisis sparked interest among finance researchers in the role of the press. After the financial crisis, traditional measures of firm performance no longer appeared adequate. In response, some finance researchers began to examine how verbal information contained in media reports provides information over and above the traditional performance measures.
The findings from the study will encourage a better understanding about the linkages between media coverage and M&A decision making processes among investors and managers, says Dutta.
“We recognize that business reporting is not the only factor that influences major corporate decisions, but it certainly has the potential to play a significant role in shaping managers' and investors' perceptions.”
Dominic Franchi and Emily Hsiung, both Telfer School of Management BCom 2015 alumni, have ranked amongst the highest 52 scores in the country on the Common Final Examination (CFE). The CFE is a three-day examination requiring candidates in accounting to demonstrate depth and breadth of competency development in accordance with the CPA Competency Map.
Dominic is currently a Tax Analyst at Deloitte. He says that there were three strategies that helped him achieve a high score on the exam: “Firstly, I am a strong believer of always understanding the underlying principles of any concept instead of learning concepts by heart. […] Secondly, it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses: take more time to work on your weaknesses and less time to brush up your strengths. Lastly, it is crucial to take time to enjoy yourself and keep your mind off studying!”
Emily also works at Deloitte, as a Senior Accountant. For her, being successful on the CFE meant to be prepare accordingly: “I attended a mock exam CPA set up, and this really helped me visualize what the real exam day would be like. […] When I made mistakes on practice exams (which I definitely did!) I focused a lot on identifying and understanding why it was that I made the mistake, rather than fixing the mistake itself. This ensured I wouldn't make the same mistake again.”
Dominic and Emily say they are good friends and would often study for the CFE together.
Congratulations to Bernie Ashe, CEO of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, who was awarded the CEO of the Year award, a joint initiative of the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Ashe will receive his award at the 2015 Best Ottawa Business Awards at the Shaw Centre on November 18.
“Bernie Ashe is most deserving of this honor as CEO of the Year – and, as a Telfer alumnus, a great example for our students,” said François Julien, Dean of the Telfer School of Management. “Thanks to his incredible leadership, OSEG has remarkable momentum following the successful development of Lansdowne Park and TD Place. The changes he initiated and implemented have and will continue to have a lasting impact on the socio-economic development of our city.”
Before joining OSEG, the organization that owns the Ottawa Redblacks, he was Chief Executive Officer at KOTT Group, a lumber supply company, and at AiT (now 3M-AiT). From 1991-1997, he was Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the Ottawa Senators.
On October 17, 2015, we will recognize five remarkable alumni at our 2015 Gala of Excellence. Our alumni make outstanding contributions to the world of business, the community and their alma mater. Each year we celebrate these contributions and create valuable connections with our alumni, their business associates, family and friends. The Trudeau Medals, the Young Achiever's Award and the Dean's Philos Award will be presented at the Shaw Centre.
The selection committee for the Trudeau Medals and the Young Achiever’s Award is comprised of representatives from the Telfer Alumni Association and the MBA, Executive MBA and MHA alumni chapters. The recipient of the Dean’s Philos Award is selected by the Dean.
Trudeau Medals
Established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, OMI, former director of the University's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour that we give to our alumni. It recognizes leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and their alma mater. This year's recipients are:
The Young Achiever's award was created to honour the individuals (under 40) who have been able to achieve greatness in their lives within an exceptional period of time. This year's recipient is:
The Dean’s Philos Award recognized individuals who have demonstrated outstanding philanthropic achievement and social commitment. This award was established in 2004 on our 35th Anniversary. This year's recipient is:
Charles-Antoine St-Jean (BCom 1976) served as the Comptroller General of Canada from 2004 to 2007 during a critical time for the internal audit profession. Prior to serving in the federal public sector, he worked with Ernst & Young and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young as partner and vice-president. Since returning to EY, he is the National partner for Public Sector in Canada. In this role, he advises clients at the federal and provincial levels in Canada and abroad on strategy, governance and risk management. Active in the non-profit sector, he has served as Chair of the CCAF, a Canadian foundation dedicated to the advancement of good governance in the public sector in Canada and abroad. He is a Governor of the University of Ottawa, a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Audit Committee. Among his many awards, the University of Ottawa, Telfer School of Management recently presented him with the Trudeau Medal in recognition of his contribution to the public sector management.
While serving as Comptroller-General of Canada, Charles-Antoine spearheaded renewal of the Government of Canada's Policy on Internal Audit, entrenching the IIA Standards into the practice of internal auditing in the public sector. This significant enhancement incorporated creation of external Audit Committees into the Government's governance regime, clarity of qualifications and reporting structures for Chief Audit Executives, and approval of significant incremental funding for internal audit and the Office of the Comptroller-General. These initiatives represented significant steps in advancing professionalism of the internal audit profession in Canada.
For his impact on the internal audit profession in the Canadian public sector, Charles Antoine St-Jean is being recognized with the 2014 IIA Canada Contribution to the Profession Award.
Michael Chambers’ (BCom 1970) office at law firm Maclaren Corlett, on the 14th floor of a mirror-glassed, high-rise in downtown Ottawa, is filled with mementos. Each comes with a rich anecdote conveyed with a search engine-like recall of names, dates, facts and figures.
On one wall, there’s a snapshot of the scene on July 2, 2003 in Prague when it was announced that Vancouver had won the bid to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Chambers, with his trademark moustache, is unmistakeable. Next to him is then-prime minister Jean Chrétien and then-Vancouver mayor, now senator, Larry Campbell. Framed under glass on another wall is an official podium jacket given to Canadian athletes, right above a print of the Magna Carta and a small plaque noting Chambers’ induction into the City of Ottawa Hall of Fame.
David Coderre, Public Servant in Residence at Telfer School of Management, and Christian Lohyer, Office of the Comptroller General, have received an international award for “Technology Innovation”. The objective of their work was to transform the way internal audit and financial monitoring is conducted in Canadian federal government departments by improving the ability of auditors and financial officers to access and use financial data through analytics. The analytics provide the auditors and finance officers with easy access to departmental SAP financial data in a common format that allows for the development and sharing of ACL scripts (analytics) to assess key business processes and financial controls, and to monitor departmental financial performance and trends.
The data is not held centrally as each department has its own instance of SAP for its financial system. The departmental auditors and finance officers obtain the data from the departmental financial system using an SAP extract program and then run a common set of ACL analytical routines against the extracted data. Approximately one hundred analytical routines and financial tests were developed and provided to government departments. While at the Telfer School, Mr. Coderre also designed and developed data analytics to perform continual monitoring and assessment of financial risk using quantitative indicators of risk.
The innovative series of interconnected ACL analytical routines support auditors and finance officers across the federal government in the use of data-driven approaches to monitor and test controls, and assess financial risks on an ongoing basis. The analytics examine trends across fiscal years, and support financial monitoring and the examination of the accounts payable, procurement cards, payroll, and contracting business processes. This improves government efficiency and effectiveness, increases public confidence, transparency and openness, and supports the independent assessment of government spending and stewardship of resources.
David Coderre can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Once a year, the Ottawa Business Journal nominates professionals for their business achievements to be in their Forty Under 40 list.
Among this years’ nominees, nine are University of Ottawa’s alumni from which two studied at the Telfer School of Management. For this achievement, the Telfer School would like to congratulate:
Christa Casey, BCom 1997
Andy LeValliant, EMBA 2012
The Telfer School would also like to congratulate Iwona Albrecht, Solomon Friedman, Michael Horne, Ian O'Meara, Charles Rifici, Matthew Rinfret and Pascal St-Jean, who all graduated from the University of Ottawa.
This year's Forty Under 40 awards gala will take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel on June 19, 2014. The event will feature cocktails, fine food, music and dancing and is in part sponsored by the Telfer Executive MBA.
The Robert Wood Johnson award recipient from the Telfer School of Management, Taylor Linseman, has always had a passion for healthcare management. After completing a Bachelor of Life Sciences from Queen’s University in 2007, Taylor began her healthcare career in Dublin Ireland, where she was the manager of a home care service for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. This line of work later brought Taylor to Melbourne, Australia, where she led a community outreach program supporting adolescents with disabilities, mental health struggles, and contact with the criminal justice system. Since returning to Canada, Taylor has worked in the Aboriginal Health and youth services arenas.
Deciding to pursue postgraduate education in 2012, Taylor chose the Telfer School of Management’s Master of Health Administration program because of its uniquely close link to the MBA degree. She graduated from the Telfer MHA in December 2013 and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma society this past March. With strong business foundations and experience in community-based care, Taylor is very excited to continue her healthcare career with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. She currently manages the Youth Net (Réseau Ado) program: a peer-to-peer mental health support service for adolescents in the Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec regions. Taylor’s passion for supporting vulnerable populations holds throughout her professional and personal life; she is equally proud to volunteer as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton within her spare time. Taylor plans to continue learning through involvement with the Canadian College of Health leaders and aspires to impact accessibility within our system in her healthcare future.
The Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la Capitale nationale (RGA) recently honoured the laureates of its 2014 Excellence prizes. These were awarded during the organization’s annual gala that took place on April 12, 3014 at the Ottawa Convention Centre.
The RGA 2014 Gala of Excellence brought together more than 700 RGA members, members of the business community, leaders and politicians from Eastern Ontario and Outaouais.
Annually, RGA honours outstanding professionals for their organization's performance, their commitment to the community and the importance of bilingualism in business.
Marc Lebouthillier (MHA 1982): Leader of the Year
Directeur général, Hawksbury & District Hospital
Eugène Tassé (Alumni of the Commerce class of 1944, DU 2009): Coup de cœur award – Philanthropy
Photo: Joanne Lefebvre, CEO of RGA; Eugène Tassé; Denis Bouchard, General Director of Bell Média Inc.
It’s mid-winter in Las Vegas, sunny and warm, and uOttawa graduate Rémon Boulerice (BCom 1995) and Véronic DiCaire are on a roll. While Céline Dion’s name is on the marquis at Caesar’s Palace, right across the street, at Bally’s Casino, it’s “Veronic: Voices.” DiCaire’s concerts, featuring pitch-perfect impressions of fifty female singers from Edith Piaf to Adele to Dion herself, have been selling out since her debut in the summer of 2013.
Her concerts at Gatineau’s Lac-Leamy last month sold out in ten minutes. Overflow shows at La Salle Odyssée in Gatineau sold out in seven minutes.
Ten years ago DiCaire was only singing impressions to amuse the studio crew between takes with her own band, Sens Unique. With the help of Boulerice, Dion and husband/manager René Angélil, and Angélil’s son-in-law (and one-time music impressionist) Quebec singer Marc Dupré, the girl with the huge voice from small-town Embrun, Ontario, has worked her way to international fame.
Boulerice met teenager DiCaire at his hometown hockey rink in Casselman, near Ottawa. He was 21, studying marketing and human resources at the Telfer School of Management. With visions of an NHL refereeing career, he was officiating a game when he noticed a girl in the stands. “She was watching her brother play,” says Boulerice. “She was yelling things at the referees, and she was wearing this white jacket from a play in Casselman that I used to be in.”
Driving home afterwards, he was recognized by the DiCaire family in their car. They gestured in ways that made clear their lack of admiration for his refereeing.
“I remember that like it was yesterday, and so does she. It was only a few months later that I produced my very first community show, and there she was, singing in that production. So that is how we met, and we’ve been together ever since.”
At first, helping manage DiCaire’s musical career was just a girlfriend-boyfriend thing, says Boulerice. “I was at uOttawa and she was in a band. The first deal we had was that I would be her manager until she found someone else who could do it better. I think Véronic became an artist and learned the ropes at the same time as I became a manager and learned mine. We evolved together, and it became one plus one equals three.”
They say it takes years to become an overnight success. In 2007, Dupré was helping produce DiCaire’s third album — in her own voice. They started clowning around doing impressions. Dupré and Boulerice talked, and Dupré offered to send a demo tape to Dion and her husband and manager (and Dupré’s father-in-law), René Angélil. They loved it, especially DiCaire’s take on Dion. In 2008, DiCaire got the nod to open for a series of Dion concerts at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Usually a warm up act performs while people file in waiting for the main show, but this time it was different. “Celine’s people were saying, ‘We can’t believe it, it’s eight o’clock and everyone is in the house to see Véronic perform!” On the third night, with a TVA documentary film crew on hand, 23,000 people gave DiCaire a roaring standing ovation that lasted forever. On stage, DiCaire was in tears. But she still had to sing one more song. Boulerice says, “I was trying to make eye contact with her because I’m always at the side of the stage and I was trying to help her focus. But she’s a pro and she did it on her own and sang that last song. When we saw that moment in the documentary it just gave us chills.”
Boulerice says he still uses the marketing and HR skills he learned at uOttawa. “Yes, big time. I know what it means to sell a product. You need to be able to define it, and find the right market. It’s a lot of soft HR. Travelling for three months in a tour bus, you need to be able to deal with all the problems that can arise from being stuck in a confined environment.” These days, husband and wife have a pact to keep work and private life apart. Boulerice laughs and says, “Like when we go to bed at night I can’t bring my computer anymore. I always ask questions and I work, and she feels this is a zone we don’t want to cross into. But we do a lot of business in the car, and that way we can concentrate on the personal stuff when we’re with friends and doing other things.”
While Boulerice and DiCaire are starting to consider Las Vegas a second home, they have a house on four acres in Morin Heights in Quebec’s Laurentians. “We’re in the woods. We needed to find a place to disconnect from everything. Véronic likes the outdoors, she likes to do the gardening and we like to do it all ourselves because it helps us get back to basics.” Boulerice is especially fond of his John Deere tractor. “I’m a sucker for man-toys. I can go and dig out big rocks and drag trees with it. Snowblowers, barbecues and tractors…very fun!”
What makes the husband/manager-wife/star combination work? “Véronic’s really smart about the emotional part of life. She was always impressed by my academics, but I was always impressed by her capacity to communicate emotions, and that’s why we complete each other. So that’s why we’re together, yeah.”
The U.S.-based Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) has awarded its 2014 Canada Award to Joe Irvine, who is Director, Technology Transfer and Business Enterprise (TTBE) at the University of Ottawa, in recognition of his outstanding service to the technology transfer community. He travelled to San Francisco, California to receive the award. Joe Irvine has worked tirelessly to strengthen ties between the University’s researchers and the community at large.
On November 21, the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce organized the Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBS), sponsored by the Telfer School of Management. During the event, top businesses in Ottawa were highlighted. Harley Finkelstein (JD-MBA 2009) gave an inspirational speech on his personal entrepreneurial journey. The Telfer School and Dean François Julien, who was among attendees, are proud that so many Telfer alumni are affiliated with organizations that are considered among the very best in the Ottawa.
Congratulations to Paul Loucksand who was named CEO of the year. He will be the keynote speaker at the next Telfer School Alumni Breakfast.
Congratulations to Wes Nicol for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, who among other things, instigated an annual entrepreneurial competitions to which 17 Canadian business schools including the Telfer School.
Mayor Jim Watson today announced the 15 residents who will be inducted into the Order of Ottawa during a formal ceremony at City Hall on November 21.
This prestigious civic award was established in 2012 by the Mayor and Members of City Council. This year’s recipients of the Order of Ottawa were chosen by a Selection Committee comprised of the Mayor, City Clerk and Solicitor, Chief of Police, Chief of Protocol, City Archivist, and the Chief Executive Officer of Library Services.
“The Order of Ottawa is recognition of some remarkable residents who are being honoured for their commendable services to our city,” said Mayor Watson. “I am pleased to recognize the contributions of these amazing people who have made a difference in the lives of others in our community through a variety of professional and civic-oriented endeavours.”
The Order of Ottawa recognizes exceptional residents who have made a significant contribution in a professional capacity in many areas of city life, including arts and culture, business, community service, education, public service, labour, communications and media, science, sports and entertainment or other fields of endeavour that benefit the residents of Ottawa.
This year, Rob Ashe was inducted to the Order of Ottawa for his passion for people and incredible involvement in different organizations and boards.
Twenty-four year old Brennan Loh meets me at 9 a.m. in the reception area of Shopify’s new office space in the heart of the Byward Market. He walks me through the colourful hallways covered with floor-to-ceiling chalkboards, neon green paint, random drawings and a life-size cut-out of Chuck Norris. Shopify employees get an annual allowance to deck out their office space as they see fit, an expression of the company’s very creative and free-spirited corporate culture.
“This place is unbelievably supportive of creativity, experimentation, doing things and telling people,” says Brennan, who is Shopify’s head of business development. Based in Ottawa, Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows individuals and businesses to create custom online stores. It hosts over 60,000 active online retailers, small to medium sized retailers who have processed over 35 million orders and have generated $2 billion in online sales.
A Telfer alumnus, Brennan first joined the company in 2010 after having launched his own business called Avitu with two uOttawa engineering students. The three worked tirelessly on Avitu out of a hot apartment before being offered the opportunity by another uOttawa alumnus to use part of Shopify’s office space to run their company. That alumnus, Harley Finkelstein, a graduate of the combined law and MBA program, was the chief platform officer at Shopify. “Shopify always wanted to be involved in the community and foster that sense of growth in Ottawa,” says Brennan. “They had this openness and willingness to share, a very Silicon Valley approach.”
The exchange of business practices and strategies was something that Harley knew quite well even before he came to Shopify. A few weeks after he began his studies at uOttawa, he was introduced to a group of Ottawa entrepreneurs who would meet weekly at a local coffee shop to discuss business and share ideas. It was there that he met Tobias Lütke, a young German who was running a snowboard shop and was in the midst of transitioning into a software company — Shopify. Harley was in a similar situation; he hoped to take the licensed t-shirt printing company that he had founded as an undergrad online, making it more manageable for him to run his business while in school. “I became one of Shopify’s first customers,” he says.
But Harley felt that he could be part of something bigger. After completing his degree and joining a law firm in Toronto, he realized he was destined for a more creative career. “I felt that law was all about mitigating risk and frankly, I as an entrepreneur wanted to take risks. I felt like people had this work-life balance thing but to me, I don’t believe in separating my life into work and non-work. I want to spend my waking hours doing something I love and being an entrepreneur allows me to do that,” he says. Harley soon returned to Ottawa and joined Tobias as chief platform officer at Shopify.
As for Brennan, the time he spent working on Avitu — which initially started as a class project — was invaluable. He saw the material he was learning in class put into practice. His collaboration with two engineers was also an eye opener, as it allowed him to “see not only the business rationale but the product reasoning,” while enabling him to have educated conversations with his co-founders. He also took the opportunity of being in a shared space with Shopify to exchange best practices and discuss business strategies with Harley every week. “He was kind of mentoring me and would suggest different ways to look at technology,” says Brennan.
In 2010, Brennan and his partners decided to leave Avitu behind and join Shopify. “When we returned to school, we kept running into the inherent problem that Matt and Dan [Avitu’s co-founders] were in their final two years of engineering. That’s the worst possible year to try to run a full-time company on the side. I was going into my final six months of school and the time crunch was really just killing us. We felt that we had to take the next step but we just couldn’t. So when Shopify offered us a job, it just made sense,” he explains.
Both Harley and Brennan continue to create and to feed their inner entrepreneur. They are driven by their passion and love for what they do, something they believe all 265 Shopify employees share.
“This is a place where we really encourage people to act like owners,” says Harley. “We courage them to fail fast and fail gracefully. Find something you love doing every day. For me, it is running a business. For Brennan, it’s making business development deals. For our designers, it’s creating beautiful things and for our engineers, it’s about building incredible software.”
Five remarkable alumni were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, the community and their alma mater. The Trudeau Medals, the Young Achiever's Award and the Dean's Philos Award were presented at the 2013 Telfer School of Management Alumni Association Gala of Excellence, which was held at the Ottawa Convention Centre on October 26, 2013.
Trudeau Medals
Established in honour of Reverend Father Roland Trudeau, OMI, former director of the University's Commerce department from 1950 to 1965, the Trudeau Medal is the highest honour given by the Telfer School of Management to its alumni. It recognizes leadership, initiative and contributions to the business world, the community and their alma mater. This year's recipients are:
The Young Achiever's award was created to honour the individuals (under 40) who have been able to achieve greatness in their lives within an exceptional period of time. This year's recipient is:
The Dean’s Philos Award recognized individuals who have demonstrated outstanding philanthropic achievement and social commitment. This award was established in 2004 on the Telfer School of Management’s 35th Anniversary. This year's recipient is:
When asked to describe the benefits he derived as an entrepreneur and future CEO from taking an Executive MBA program, Michael Alam sums it up as follows:
“I could have probably gone through 20 years of heartache in real-life jobs before learning what I did in the two years of the program.”
The 34-year-old founder and CEO of Valydate Inc. has ridden the ups and downs of the National Capital Region’s high tech sector since the heady days of the telecom boom and reinvented himself along the way.
He graduated with a Bachelor in Computer Systems from Carleton University in 2002 and worked in an engineering role with Nortel Networks. When the market tanked, he joined a new design analysis startup called CoreSim as a technical co-founder, where he found a valued life-long mentor in CEO Ken Bradley.
When that venture was sold to Celestica a few years later, Alam looked for a fresh opportunity with a company that was smaller and more entrepreneurial and made his way to electronic product development firm Fidus Systems.
While his Fidus experience allowed him “to grow tremendously” and work in international sales and business development, he hungered for more – a practical business education that would compliment his real-world experience.
A business education with real-world grit
He first checked out a number of MBA programs, but found that most attracted undergrads and their curriculums focused heavily on classroom delivery. What he needed was a program for experienced business professionals with the same career aspirations that would give him the management skills to do what he had always dreamed of – founding his own company as the CEO in the driver’s seat.
He ultimately chose the Executive MBA program offered by the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa. Here he found a program with the right mix of experienced faculty members, a cohort of business professionals he could relate to, and a curriculum that focused on working in teams and managing the group dynamics inherent to the success of any business.
“About 50 per cent of the projects I completed for the Executive MBA were related to my daily work at Fidus,” he said.”I drastically grew as a person. The faculty takes you through the process to understand and know what you don’t know. And as Executive MBA candidates working in teams, we struggled the way we should have struggled, we fought and then we learned to work together.”
He also learned about the value of building relationships based on trust, openness and honesty, and in having a network of experienced mentors and advisors. The program equipped him with the tools he needed to launch Valydate, an electronic review and validation firm. In 2009, he was recognized for his achievements with a Forty Under 40 award from the Ottawa Business Journal. Last year, he was recognized by Invest Ottawa as one of its Rising Star CEOs.
3 successful years and counting
Now entering its fourth year, Valydate has been profitable since inception and has doubled its clients, staff and revenue in every year. It works with global multinationals in the telecom, defence and aerospace, photonics, industrial and medical sectors. Each step in its development has been a carefully calculated risk for Alam, who is not a fan of the all-or-nothing school of entrepreneurship where founders leverage their personal assets for startup capital and risk losing everything.
“Never cross that boundary where your job and the risks that you take in that job can result in somebody coming and taking away your furniture,” he tells the current class of Executive MBA candidates in the Telfer program. “Look for safer diving boards versus jumping in without knowing all of the risks.”
And he always emphasizes having that sounding board of trusted mentors with the experience and perspective you can rely on.
“No matter how well you think you know an industry, you don’t know everything,” he said
Once a year, the Ottawa Business Journal nominates professionals for their business achievements to be in their forty under 40 list.
Among this years’ nominees, eight are University of Ottawa’s alumni from which four studied at the Telfer School of Management. For this achievement, the Telfer School would like to congratulate:
Luc Richard, MBA 1999
Anil Dilawri, BCom 1997
Lynda Joann Carter, BCom 2000
Charla O'Connor, MBA 2005
The Telfer School would also like to congratulate Tara Lapointe, Marie-Andrée Pelletier, Peter Paciorek and Hugues Boisvert, who all graduated from the University of Ottawa.
This year's Forty Under 40 awards gala will take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel on June 20, 2013. The event will feature cocktails, fine food, music and dancing and is in part sponsored by the Telfer Executive MBA.
A Samuel-Genest high school graduate, Phill Cote (BCom 2003) began his Gee-Gee football career in 1996 and had an outstanding four years from 1996 to 2000. A three-time All-Canadian quarterback (1998-2000) and three-time nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canada's most outstanding university player, Phill took home the prestigious award in 2000. Phill is the only player in the Gee Gees history to be a Hec Crighton winner and member of a national champion Vanier Cup team (2000).
Aside from leading his team to a national championship and being named the Vanier Cup's most valuable player, Phill accomplished much during his four years as the starting quarterback,
including a 77 per cent touchdown to interception ratio, a 28-4 record and uOttawa records for touchdowns scored in a season (16) and in a career (32). Both of his team records still stand today. The four year co-captain was also selected Ottawa's amateur athlete of the year in 2000 by the Associated Canadian Travelers Association.
A promising pro career was cut short by an injury, which led Phill to redirect his energy and focus on his wife and three children and on the pursuit of a career in the federal government.
The self-proclaimed family man continues to exemplify his strong yet humble leadership style which served him so well as a Gee-Gee, where he mentored and encouraged teammates to reach maximum potential. Phill commands respect among his peers by leading by example.
Phill looks forward to teaching his son all about football, just like his father had done for him.
Photo: Normand Fortier, Phillippe Côté, Clinton Archibald
Linda Eagen has had a distinguished association with the University of Ottawa and the Telfer School of Management. One of Canada's most respected and successful fundraising professionals, she served as director of development for the University of Ottawa for three years. In this role, she led programs that raised more than $10 million as part of the University's capital campaign. She then moved on to serve as manager of development for the Telfer School of Management, where she played a pivotal role in making the school a national leader in business education and research.
These impressive achievements are just the tip of the iceberg. During her 20-year career, the Telfer EMBA graduate has directed campaigns and developed programs that have generated more than $100 million to support organizations in a variety of fields, including health, education, social welfare, and arts and culture.
Now president and chief executive officer of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, Linda continues to set and reach lofty goals. Most recently, she spearheaded development of Canada's first centre for cancer survivors. The Maplesoft Centre delivers specialized, free-of-charge programs and workshops that help patients cope with each stage of their journey—from pre-diagnosis through post-treatment recovery.
For her many achievements, Linda has earned numerous awards. Two stand out. The Regroupement des gens d'affaires de la Capitale nationale named her Executive of the Year at the organization's 2010 Gala of Excellence. In 2011, the Telfer School of Management presented her with the Trudeau Medal, the school's highest alumni honour and yet another worthy tribute to such a steadfast friend of the University of Ottawa.
TMX Group Limited today announced the appointment of Jean Desgagné (BAdm 1985, BCom 1986) as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited (CDS). Mr. Desgagne, whose appointment will take effect on February 19, 2013, will join TMX Group's executive management committee and will be an Officer of TMX Group Limited. He replaces Ian Gilhooley, who retired on December 31, 2012.
Kanika Gupta (BCom 2008) has received one of the Telus Future Leaders Award and thus secured a place in Canada’s Most Powerful Women’s Top 100.
Kanika was inspired to start SoJo, a social enterprise technology company, after more than a decade of building and growing other social ventures. The company builds e-learning tools that guide individuals who want to put their ideas for social change into action. Prior to founding SoJo, Kanika worked for the United Nations Development Programme, Canadian International Development Agency, Canadian House of Commons and grassroots organizations in West Africa and India. In 2007, she founded Nukoko, a non-profit organization that sends more than 600 girls to school in West Africa every year. Kanika is actively engaged as a youth advisor with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Canadian Digital Media Network.
Anne-Marie has received a WXN Hall of Fame Award for winning a spot as a Top 100 most powerful woman three times. She was named Managing Partner of Ernst & Young’s Advisory practice in 2009. She joined the firm in 1985, obtained her CA in 1987, and became a partner in 1998. Prior to leading our Advisory practice, she led their Technology and Security Risk Services group. In 2004, she was named a Fellow of the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec (OCAQ).
Anne-Marie is a board member of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec and Public Policy Forum, and she also serves on the public affairs committees of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and the OCAQ. Anne-Marie has led her firm’s gender equity initiatives in Canada, and received Ernst & Young’s Rosemarie Meschi Award in recognition of her contributions to the advancement of women in business.
Invest Ottawa is working with nearly 20 community organizations to organize Global Entrepreneurship Week Ottawa. They were asked to submit nominations for the 100 Rising Stars among leaders who operate a business, social enterprise or charitable organization. To be chosen as a Rising Star, the key criteria included creativity, growth of the operation, and overall impact in the community.
Ten Telfer School of Management students or alumni appear on that list:
Eric Dormer, MBA 1993
Jen Butson, BCom 2011
Lori Keith, EMBA 2010
Mark Edwards, EMBA 2000
Michael Alam, EMBA 2009
Mohammad Al Azzouni, Student in Economics with a Minor in Business Administration
Richard Bergman, BCom 1988
Robert Poole, BCom 1987
Sarah Wise, BCom 2000
Rouzbeh Zadeh, EMBA candidate
Click here [This link is no longer available] to see the full list.
Certified Management Accountants of Ontario (CMA Ontario) is proud to announce that Suzan Unitt (BCom 1996), CMA of Ottawa, Ontario, has been appointed as one of five new Fellows to The Society of Certified Management Accountants of Canada (FCMA).
The FCMA designation is a prestigious, national honorary designation awarded to Certified Management Accountants (CMA) who, through their outstanding achievements including community leadership, bring distinction to the management accounting profession and serve as a role model to others.
Ms. Unitt is the Chief Financial Officer and General Manager for Erskine Dredge and Associates Architect Inc., one of Ottawa’s leading architecture firms. She has more than 30 years of professional experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In her current role, she successfully introduced strategic management practices into the organization through her work overseeing Finance, Administration, Human Resources and IT, and was nominated for a Creative Leadership Award at the firm.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ms. Unitt received her Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Telfer School of Management in 1996. She is considered a role model through her career achievements, enthusiasm of the CMA designation and volunteer work within the community.
Since achieving her CMA designation in 1998, Ms. Unitt has been a strong promoter of CMA Ontario. She currently serves on CMA Ontario’s Review Committee and acts as a mentor in the CMA Mentorship Program. She previously served as a Board member and Chair at the Chapter level in Ottawa for five years.
Ms. Unitt currently serves her community as a Board Member and Strategic Planning Committee member for the Causeway Work Centre, an award winning community economic development organization. She served as Treasurer of the Rehabilitation Centre Volunteer Association Board from 2009 to 2012.
Experienced in the "three pillars" of the profession – accounting, management and strategy – CMAs are strategic and financial management professionals who contribute to the bottom line success of organizations by understanding all areas of business.
The FCMA designation demonstrates excellence in management accounting, commitment and pride to CMA Ontario, and active involvement in improving the well-being of their respective communities that brings respect to the member and the management accounting profession. FCMAs are nominated by their peers, who recognize their exemplary qualities and contributions.
Earlier this year, CMA Ontario was granted status by the Public Accountants Council of Ontario (PAC) as an Authorized Designated Body to license and govern Certified Management Accountants to practise public accounting.
When Roma Tretiak graduated from the Telfer School of Management with her Masters in Health Administration (MHA) back in 1994, she had no idea she would one day find herself working in New York City for the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, Pfizer Inc.
After graduation, Roma helped launch the opening of the Canadian office of a small French consulting firm, specialized in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research, servicing the pharmaceutical industry. The job posting required an MBA with a concentration in finance, accounting or economics. What they really needed, what an MHA! She was hired and left immediately for training in Paris. For the next three years, Roma worked closely with her clients to understand the formulary decision-makers’ requirements for cost-effectiveness data and conducting the necessary research. This was an emerging area for pharmaceutical companies and experienced researchers were in high demand. Roma left the world of consulting to join Pfizer Canada in 1997. She was immediately attracted to the Pfizer culture and colleagues. She knew she had found a new home. After working to entrench the Outcomes Research function within the Canadian organization, in the summer of 1999, Roma moved to Pfizer’s corporate headquarters in New York. In this global role, Roma developed the outcomes research strategy for new medicines under development and, later, FDA approved medicines in the US and globally, across numerous therapeutic areas.
In 2009, Roma’s career took another turn and, today, Roma is the Senior Director/Group Leader for Transparency at Pfizer Inc. .
“I am very lucky that I have been afforded many opportunities to learn and grow throughout my career. I have always believed that my MHA from the Telfer School was instrumental in helping me obtain my first job as a consultant. That experience paved the way to a rewarding career. I am convinced that the secret to finding new opportunities is to keep an open mind. Use the phrase “tell me more” at least three times before you pass on an opportunity. You may be surprised where it leads you!”
Ms. Robinson has been an active member of the Canadian investment industry for over twenty‐five years. She has unparalleled experience in investment management due diligence and monitoring, and building comprehensive multi‐manager investment platforms geared to the unique needs of private clients. Her experience has also included managing the portfolios and relationships of both private clients and institutions including not‐for‐profit corporations and foundations. Ms. Robinson began working exclusively with families and individuals at RBC Private Counsel in Ottawa where she was a Regional Vice President, Investment Counselor and Partner. She continued her journey with the unique investment needs of private clients when she joined CC&L Private Capital as Vice President. Her work with families and individuals has focused on the development and implementation of customized investment manager strategies, portfolios and investment policies.
Ms. Robinson is also an active community volunteer. She is currently the Chair of an Independent Review Committee for the Social Housing Services Corporation and a Director of the Geoffrey H. Woods Foundation. Her prior Board experience includes the Hnatyshyn Foundation and Ottawa Community Housing.
Rob Mariani, is Vice President and Group Leader, Public Engagement at Hill + Knowlton Strategies in Ottawa.
Ten years ago Rob co-founded Ascentum with his business partner and fellow Telfer MBA Alumnus Joseph Peters. From a small office in Ottawa's Somerset Village, the firm set out to change the way organizations engage their publics. They developed tools and approaches, both online and in-person that enabled informed participation. Informed participation can be described as what happens when issues meet context. It is an enriched knowledge gathering process that produces meaningful dialogue and supports different degrees of involvement in the decision-making life cycle.
In the market place, this offering represented a shift from the traditional 'top of mind' approach to gathering citizen and stakeholder feedback. Informed participation makes a difference because of the complexity of issues facing today’s organizations. With context, facts and background, participants are better equipped to provide their diverse perspectives helping organizations make more robust and sustainable decisions.
Over the ten year span Rob led a number of initiatives across the government, not-for-profit and business sectors. He participated in public policy development, strategic business planning, program and service delivery, and business transformation. As project lead Rob often called upon this background in Quality and Process management from his time spent at Mitel to help deliver projects on time, within budget, and most importantly of the highest quality.
Today, Rob looks forward to a new horizon. In August of this year Hill + Knowlton Strategies announced the acquisition of Ascentum. H+K is the top-rated strategic communications firm in Canada, a leader in both public relations (PR) and public affairs (PA). As Vice President and Group Leader of the newly formed Public Engagement group, Rob's goal is to support the evolution of PR and PA from an industry that has been traditionally more about telling a story, to one that is involved in the creation of the story by engaging stakeholders and citizens in that process.
For H+K CEO Mike Coates the integration of public engagement into the current service mix represents an opportunity to redefine how the agency uses their relationships to help clients achieve their goals. For Rob and the Public Engagement group, it provides a spring board to continue to grow and expand what started as an Ottawa grown business by two MBA alumni over a decade ago.
Rob volunteers his time with the Telfer School of Management as a mentor in its Executive Mentoring Program.
Mark is co-owner and President of Inspire Developments – a private corporation that owns and manages 94 rental units in the Ottawa area as well as develops unique infill real estate projects. Currently the company is developing a 31 unit condominium project near the Ottawa Train Yards as well as a 3 unit townhouse project in Centertown.
Until the spring of 2012, Mark lived in Toronto for 10 years where he was President and CEO of The Futura Loyalty Group, a strategic services and technology provider to the leading rewards program operators in North America including Aeroplan, Delta Sky Miles, American Advantage Miles and US Airways Miles.
Key experiences in this role included:
Raised $34 million in venture capital financing through both equity and debt instruments.
Recruiting, structuring and implementing numerous strategic partnerships with large, public entities.
Day to day oversight and management of a team of as many as 50 staff.
Mark is a down to earth, transparent, results oriented manager who enjoys interacting with all stakeholders in a business environment.
Mark is also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Telfer School.
Five remarkable alumni will be recognized by receiving Trudeau medals, the Young Achiever's Award and the Dean's Philos Award for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, the community and their alma mater at the 2012 Telfer School of Management Alumni Association Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Ottawa Convention Centre on September 29, 2012, during the University of Ottawa’s Homecoming celebrations.
Trudeau Medals
John King, MHA 1979 Janet LeBlanc, MBA 1990 Charles-Antoine St-Jean, BAdm 1975, BCom 1976 [This link is no longer available]
The Young Achiever's Award
Frédéric Michel, MBA 2004
The Dean's Philos Award
Brian Radburn, BAdm 1981, BCom 1982 [This link is no longer available]
In 1992, Michael was selected among 5300 candidates to be one of Canada's next generation of astronauts. Michael retired from the military in 2001, and seeking ever-greater challenges, began to work with PixeLINK in 2002. As president, Michael provided strategic direction to the company and ensured that PixeLINK provided the best products to customers as well as the most value to shareholders.
Michael left the company in 2008 to become an independent consultant and CEO of the Ottawa Flight College/Ottawa Flying Club. He helped the organization to transition from a club to an operating business with the development and formulation of policies and procedures and the creation of corporate learning processes that have enabled the organization grow and adapt to changing business conditions. In addition, he revamped the IT system, implementing an open-source Enterprise Resource Planning system that automated business processes and improved reporting and control, while replacing several other software systems and eliminating redundant manual data entry. He has also been instrumental in maintaining strong stakeholder relationships with key partners and suppliers of the company.
In 2012, Michael became the CEO of Scouts Canada.
Mike holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and an Executive MBA from the Telfer School of Management.
Three remarkable alumni will be recognized by receiving Trudeau medals for their outstanding contributions to the world of business, the community and their alma mater at the 2012 Telfer School of Management Alumni Association Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Ottawa Convention Centre on September 29, 2012, during the University of Ottawa’s Homecoming celebrations.
Weiwei (Vivi) Wu will present her research on innovation-enabling organizations at the Academy of Management’s annual meeting, August 3-7 in Boston.
A 2011 Telfer MSc Graduate, Ms. Wu developed the paper last year in collaboration with Professor Margaret Dalziel. She reports that innovation intermediaries have been examined from the point of view of the impact of specific types of organizations, but comparative analyses of the impact of different types of intermediaries have been rare.
Based on an analysis of survey data from a sample of 499 firms from four countries, the paper concludes that firms are identified as the most important facilitators of learning, universities as the most important sources of expertise, governments as the most important coercive actors, and industry associations as the most important facilitators of collaboration.
Janet LeBlanc is internationally recognized for her expertise in customer value and experience management with award winning results in driving transformational change. She works with organizations to improve performance by transforming how they interact with clients to deliver a branded customer experience. Janet integrates customer expectations into strategic planning, employee performance management, and process improvement initiatives—with the goal to link customer strategies to business and financial results. She successfully led the integration of customer feedback into one of Canada’s most recognized brands, Canada Post. Janet works to engage employees with a branded customer experience through training and development, performance management, executive coaching, compensation and rewards, and communications.
Awards & Recognition
Janet was the winner of a 2009 Stevie Award for Women in Business (Best Executive) and her leadership won Canada Post four international awards ─ namely an International Business Award for Best Customer Service Organization, a 1to1 Impact Award for Organizational Transformation, a World Mail Award for Customer Service, and an Aberdeen Industry Achievement Award for Business Evolution. Janet was named to the prestigious position of Customer Champion, joining a world-wide community of top-level executives who are the voice of the customer in their organizations and whose efforts help tie customer strategies to bottom-line results. She sits on Dr. Bradley Gale’s Advisory Board for Customer Value Management and was a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Customer Strategist, an executive journal for Chief Customer Experience Officers. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA.
Speaking Summary
A leading-edge practitioner, Janet is passionate about representing the voice of the customer. A sought-after guest speaker, Janet regularly presents at events all over the world including the Chief Service Officer Summit, the Customer Experience and Engagement Summit, and the European Market Research Event. She was the main conference chair for the 9th Annual North American Conference on Customer Management.
Professional History
A 20-year marketing veteran, Janet has influenced innovative strategic thinking since starting her career. She previously led a national training and development department for sales and customer service and served as marketing director of the Coaching Association of Canada where she led the implementation of “Coaching Principles in Management” a training program for sales and service managers. Janet holds a Masters of Business Administration and was an adjunct professor of marketing at the University of Ottawa for 10 years. She is an accomplished writer including a Canadian best seller, available worldwide in three languages
Click here [This link is no longer available], to read the article on Janet Leblanc featured in Distinctive Women Magazine.
Emily graduated from the Telfer B.Com program with an option in International Management in 2006. While at the University of Ottawa, Emily got involved with AIESEC Ottawa, the local chapter of AIESEC, a global youth-led organization. After leading the local chapter for two years, and upon graduation, Emily moved first to Pretoria, South Africa in 2007, to support the operations of Ungana-Afrika, a niche consultancy and non-profit that catalyzes scalable enterprises in emerging markets by accelerating the adoption of innovative technologies, business models and services, that promote equality and improve quality of life.
Emily then moved on to Lagos, Nigeria, to work for C2G Consulting, a technology consulting firm. Upon her return to Canada from Nigeria, Emily re-joined AIESEC, this time in a full-time role, with the national head office in Toronto, managing an alumni engagement program. She was then elected as National President for AIESEC Canada for the 2008-2009 term. In this role she led a team of 8 full-time staff out of the head office and oversaw the activities of 28 local offices and over 300 volunteers across the country.
At the end of her time with AIESEC Canada, Emily was selected to be part of the team that oversees AIESEC's global operations and was based in the Netherlands for much of 2009 and 2010, in her role as Director for Western Europe and North America. In this role, Emily oversaw operations in 19 national offices in the region, providing consultancy services and training to groups representing over 10,000 members of AIESEC in Western Europe and North America. This role gave her the opportunity to work in 23 different countries over the course of the year.
Upon completion of her time with AIESEC International, Emily moved to Sydney, Australia, where she is now Director of Operations and Projects for the Youth Action and Policy Association, an industry body representing, and advocating on behalf of, the interests of youth services and young people in the state of New South Wales. In her role, Emily oversees the delivery of the organization’s training and resourcing of its members as well as its internal operations.
Once a year, the Ottawa Business Journal nominates professionals for their business achievements to be in their forty under 40 list. On June 21, nominees will be honored at the Forty under 40 awards at the Hilton Lac-Leamy. This event is sponsored in part by the Telfer School Executive MBA.
Among this years’ nominees, 6 are University of Ottawa’s alumni from which 2 studied at the Telfer School of Management. For this achievement, the Telfer School would like to congratulate:
Kyle Braatz, BCom 2009
Alexandra Pontbriand, BCom 1999
The Telfer School would also like to congratulate Adam Aptowitzer, Theresa Balys-Bertuzzi, Deepak Dutt, Fadi Ghaby and Julie Kingstone who all graduated from the University of Ottawa.
Russ Morgan is a Telfer School of Management alumnus that likes to keep busy. Aside from his professional life as a strategy and marketing professional, over the last three years he has started and run a non-profit alongside his brother and a small board. Dedicated to eliminating poverty in the developing world, Building Walls of Wisdom (BuildWoW) has been committed to creating educational opportunities through the construction of schools.
During his tenure at the Telfer School of Management, Russ was the president of the winning Undergraduate Business Games team [This link is no longer available], as well as a four-year executive on the University of Ottawa Marketing Association, now the Telfer Marketing Association. Russ learned early on that going above and beyond what is expected of you can be incredibly rewarding.
One of the biggest rewards Russ received was on a recent trip to visit all BuildWoW projects underway in Africa. He was able to see first-hand the very real difference that his organization, inclusive of its numerous contributors, has made in various communities. In a recent reflection of his trip, he wrote the following:
“At the end of the day we are all people; people that work, people that laugh, and people that want the best for their children. The only difference is where we are born and the resources that are available. For those of us who live in a country where resources and education are abundant, we have a responsibility to help those communities with less.”
Russ is a firm believer that his business education has greatly contributed to his organization's success. With a BCom in Marketing, Russ has been able to apply a number of strategic frameworks to help BuildWoW grow. In addition, Russ continues to support doing more -“Everyone within our organization, myself included, work on a volunteer basis. I have seen first-hand that individuals can provoke change no matter what profession they choose.”
To see Russ in action, we invite you to watch the video explaining the current Building Walls of Wisdom project in Northern Ghana.
About Building Walls of Wisdom
Launched on April 1st, 2009, Building Walls of Wisdom was created in an effort to make a small impact in the world of extreme poverty. The construction of schools is one of the most significant ways to tackle this issue. Building Walls of Wisdom creates educational opportunities one school at a time. Its original and very modest goal was to build 10 schools in 10 years. Today, they are in the midst of raising funds for their 7th project. To date, Building Walls of Wisdom has been responsible for the construction of schools in Kenya, Ecuador, Sri Lanka, and Ghana.
For more information on Building Walls of Wisdom, please visit www.buildwow.com.
To contact Russ Morgan directly, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Diane Lorenzato (EMBA 1996) will be at the Annual Symposium Association of the Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) as the winner for the Leadership Award of Excellence. This event, titled “Ahead of the Curve: Predict, Plan, Perform”, will take place on May 29 and May 30 at Canada’s National Arts Center in Ottawa. To view the preliminary program or to register, click here.
Laura Recoskie and her team members (Steven Recoskie and Sébastien Touchette) won 1st place in the graduate students category of the 2012 PEI Student Competition organized by the Faculty of Engineering. Their challenge was to develop a portable, low cost and long endurance system capable of providing crisis management solutions and search and rescue support. The product solution that was presented is an autonomous, low cost, hybrid powered, dirigible, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), capable of operating up to 96 hours. Because it uses commercially available components and a modular design, it is cheaper to produce and it can be adapted to other devices according to specific mission objectives.
To see the complete list of the winners, click here [This link is no longer available].
Sean Sirois is Managing Director of Deutsche Bank Securities Limited and is responsible for Global Markets Structured Solutions sales to institutional clients in Canada. The Structured Solutions business includes cash and derivative instruments in credit, rates, hedge funds, commodities, real estate and FX. He is Director of DBSL and Branch Manager of the Montreal office. He has been registered with IIROC as a Futures Representative and a Commodities Supervisor.
Sean joined DB in 2003. He was previously at JP Morgan in Montreal for 6 years and TD Securities in Toronto, Montreal and Tokyo for 13 years in various trading, sales and management positions. Sean earned a B.Comm (Honours) at University of Ottawa in 1982; a Diplome at Ecole supérieure de commerce de Paris in 1983 and the CFA charter in 1995.
Sean lives in Montreal with his wife and three children, while his work is based between Montreal and Toronto. He enjoys running, cycling, skiing and various other recreational activities. Sean supports various social and environmental causes. He is a past board member for Tyndale St-Georges Community Center in Little Burgundy in Montreal and continues to fundraise for the organization. Sean is currently a member of the Telfer School of Management’s Dean’s Advisory Board in Montréal.
Joanne Lefebvre, Badm 1983; MBA 2011, director-general of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la Capitale nationale, provides her CO-OP students with memorable experiences that give them a chance to spread their wings professionally.
To that end, she assigns truly important duties to her students while showering them with tremendous generosity. CO-OP students on Ms. Lefebvre’s team are allowed to play a direct role in event organization and to carry out wrap-up duties as well.
This is why she won the CO-OP Employer of the year Award.
As recently featured on the Telfer School of Management website, Myron Gomes is a recent BCom graduate from the Telfer School of Management specializing in finance. Upon graduation, Myron co-founded Spoonity, a software company with a unique loyalty rewards platform for the restaurant industry. He recently partnered with Jag Ghuman, another Telfer alumnus and Ottawa franchisee for Freshii restaurants. Jag has agreed to run Spoonity in his two Ottawa Freshii locations. Myron hopes to expand Spoonity into other Freshii locations in the near future.
Additionally, Spoonity was recently accepted into the University of Ottawa’s StartUp Garage for the summer of 2012. The StartUp Garage is an initiative of the Ottawa Technology Transfer Network (OTTN) to foster and support student entrepreneurship in the Ottawa area. This opportunity also includes $20,000 in funding, office space at Invest Ottawa and other mentorship opportunities.
Spoonity has also been invited to appear on the next season of Dragon’s Den, airing this Fall on CBC.
The future is looking bright for this startup. Congratulations to Myron and his team at Spoonity!
Felix Chim graduated from the Executive MBA program in 2000. Prior to studying at the Telfer School of Management, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree (with honors) in Civil Engineering from Leeds University in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Chim went on to work in the construction industry for over 15 years. He has been employed by a number of multinational companies including, CertainTeed (Saint-Gobain), HILTI, Tyco and Shui On. He currently works for Lowe’s, a fortune 50 company in the United States and the second largest home improvement retailer in the world, as Managing Director of the Global Sourcing Office in Hong Kong.
Since joining Lowe’s in 2005, he has moved over 800,000 container cargoes from Asia to the United States! “I had never dreamt of taking up a career in global sourcing and supply chain management but after receiving an EMBA from the Telfer School of Management, it opened up all kinds of career opportunities and I am very happy of where I am now” says Mr. Chim.
Outside of work, he is also a non-executive Director of Christian Excellence Mission Limited, a not-for-profit Christian book publisher in Hong Kong and he is also Vice Chairman at the Export Supply Chain Council in Hong Kong.
Jacline Abray-Nyman is an accomplished leader in the public sector with 20 years of demonstrated success in senior roles within Canadian universities. Jacline's career has focused on philanthropic fundraising, stakeholder and external relations. Acting in the capacity of principal gifts director and campaign counsel, Jacline has personally negotiated many significant philanthropic gifts and business partnerships, and worked on fundraising efforts totaling in excess of $125 million since 1999.
With Queen's School of Business, Jacline provides leadership for developing meaningful relationships with QSB's alumni and donors as well as with community and corporate leaders. As an Assistant Professor, Jacline teaches marketing, marketing ethics and social responsibility and has research interests in marketing, philanthropy and the social-mission sector. Jacline recently concluded a major research project entitled "Transformational philanthropy and networks of cocreated value in Canada."
Prior to joining QSB Jacline worked as a consultant providing advice to clients on relationship building, resource development, marketing and strategic planning. She held the position of Vice- President of Fundraising and Donor Relations for the York University Foundation; Director of Development and External Relations, for the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary); and Director of Advancement Services (University of Ottawa); in addition to several other for-profit and non-profit roles. She has worked closely as a volunteer with the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), a Toronto-based social enterprise with a mission to catalyze social innovation.
Jacline holds a Bachelor of Administration (Ottawa), an MBA (Calgary), and Doctorate in Business Administration (Cranfield, UK). She is married and has a daughter.
Congratulations to Telfer School alumnus Jacline Abray-Nyman (BAdm 1990) who has been named as President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way Centraide Canada.
About Jacline Abray-Nyman
Jacline Abray-Nyman is an accomplished leader in the public sector with 20 years of demonstrated success in senior roles within Canadian universities. Jacline's career has focused on philanthropic fundraising, stakeholder and external relations. Acting in the capacity of principal gifts director and campaign counsel, Jacline has personally negotiated many significant philanthropic gifts and business partnerships, and worked on fundraising efforts totaling in excess of $125 million since 1999.
With Queen's School of Business, Jacline provides leadership for developing meaningful relationships with QSB's alumni and donors as well as with community and corporate leaders. As an Assistant Professor, Jacline teaches marketing, marketing ethics and social responsibility and has research interests in marketing, philanthropy and the social-mission sector. Jacline recently concluded a major research project entitled "Transformational philanthropy and networks of cocreated value in Canada."
Prior to joining QSB Jacline worked as a consultant providing advice to clients on relationship building, resource development, marketing and strategic planning. She held the position of Vice- President of Fundraising and Donor Relations for the York University Foundation; Director of Development and External Relations, for the Haskayne School of Business (University of Calgary); and Director of Advancement Services (University of Ottawa); in addition to several other for-profit and non-profit roles. She has worked closely as a volunteer with the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), a Toronto-based social enterprise with a mission to catalyze social innovation.
Jacline holds a Bachelor of Administration (Ottawa), an MBA (Calgary), and Doctorate in Business Administration (Cranfield, UK). She is married and has a daughter.
The Telfer School of Management wishes to congratulate Charles Bordeleau (BAdm 1984) who has been named the new Chief of the Ottawa Police Service. Mr. Bordeleau was honoured as an alumnus of the Telfer School in 2011 as the recipient of the 2011 Dean's Philos Award.
Thibaud Clement is a 2011 Telfer MBA Graduate. Native from France, Thibaud is currently traveling around the world to learn about eCommerce in a creative way, by meeting experts on the road. This is The DODEQA Project: 12 months, 12 cities, 12 objectives. Passionate about Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Web Technologies, Thibaud has already launched his first eCommerce website: Candyscovery. When he is not blogging or reading books, Thibaud loves running, photographing and cooking. His motto? Do Your Best & Fix The Rest!
Myron is a recent BCom graduate from the Telfer School of Management specializing in finance. He has a strong passion for entrepreneurship and business development. As an undergraduate Myron was very involved in extra-curricular activities including founding a regular speaker series while President of the Telfer Finance Society which brought in professionals to educate students on careers in finance. He also excelled in inter-university academic competitions. He placed 1st in the Entrepreneurship Case at the 2011 Jeux du Commerce, 1st in International Marketing at the 2010 Happening Marketing, 1st in Finance News Quiz at Omnium Financial Open 2010 and 2nd in International Business at JDC 2010. While a student Myron participated in the uOttawa co-op program and had a diverse set of work terms with organizations like RIM and EDC. Myron also participated in an international exchange to Aarhus School of Business in Denmark.
Following university Myron co-founded Spoonity, a software company with a unique loyalty rewards platform for the restaurant industry. Myron leverages knowledge and skills gained through his multi-faceted Telfer education to run an innovative technology company. The company is poised for rapid growth following a period of software development and a pilot test featured restaurants in the Ottawa area.
Spoonity in the news (this link is no longer available)
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