Congratulations To Our 2019 Five Remarkable Alumni

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 2019 Gala of Excellence. The Gala will be held at the Shaw Centre on Saturday, October 19, 2019 and this event also serves as an opportunity to collectively celebrate the Telfer School and highlight the graduation anniversary of the classes of 1969, 1979, 1994 and 2009.

Trudeau Medals

Luc Fortin, BCom 1990

Although going to the University of Ottawa for Business was an eleventh hour decision for me, it was one I will never regret. 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. For me, the best way to achieve success is by being collaborative, being eternally optimistic and most importantly helping to unleash people’s potential. When you start leveraging the strengths and complementary skillsets of the whole team, it can be a very, very powerful thing!

Marc Y. Tassé, MBA 1997

My Telfer journey started in 1986 as an undergrad. It’s 2019, 33 years later, I’m still there — and I’m very happy to still be there. I have spent my professional life working in forensic accounting, fraud detection, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. There is a lot of negativity that comes out of my day to day but I find optimism in my academic life, especially when I see that the new generation of students actually rejects unethical behaviors. The core values that we need in the business world right now are integrity, ethics, and transparency. At Telfer, we promote those values. I am confident that what I am sharing my students will be remembered and applied. This, to me, is certainly a major cause for celebration. 

Mari Teitelbaum, MHA 2010

As I am an electrical engineer by training, I had 15 fun years in the high-tech field. I enjoyed the work, but needed something more meaningful. A friend recommended the Telfer MHA program. It was perfect, and I luckily landed at CHEO for my residency. What drives me is that there is 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. To get there, I celebrate people that move beyond their comfort zone to reach their potential. It is magical when committed, smart, hard-working group of people find that rhythm, and that is what I am in this for.

The Young Achiever's Award

Derek d. Ricci, BCom 2002

For me, there is no real secret to success. No shortcut. It is just hard work and taking everything one day or one task at a time. Telfer most importantly taught me about working in teams and the importance of presenting your ideas clearly and succinctly. 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 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.

The Dean's Philos Award

Bernard Raymond, BCom 1981

I am a native of a small village in Abitibi Témiscamingue, where the words "community" and "solidarity" were important. 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, president of major donations for the University of Québec, made a donation towards admission scholarships at Telfer, and participated in their mentoring program. Inspired by my son, Alexandre, who lives with an intellectual disability, I am proud to have created my own foundation to help people living with intellectual disabilities and their families. Through this foundation, my wish is to ensure the perpetuity of a tradition of giving and sharing.