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B2 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Daily business news at www.biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Sponsor’s Message
Both males and females have key roles in bridging the gender gap Too many gender initiatives focus solely on changing women – from the way they network to the way they lead
LdbZcÂźh :ciZgeg^hZ 8ZcigZ ^h egdjY id hedchdg i]Z '%&& >c[ajZci^Va LdbZc ^c 7jh^" cZhh 6lVgYh# LZ VgZ kZgn eaZVhZY id _d^c l^i] 7jh^" By Curt Cherewayko cZhh ^c KVcXdjkZg id gZX" henever executive d\c^oZ i]ZhZ ZmigVdgY^cVgn coach Nancy MacKay ldbZc [dg i]Z^g djihiVcY^c\ accepts speaking engageVXXdbea^h]bZcih# ments from women’s busiLZ VgZ eaZVhZY id eVn ness groups about ways to ig^WjiZ id hdbZ d[ djg egdk" promote gender diversity in ^cXZÂźh Wg^\]iZhi VcY bdhi the workplace, she makes eVhh^dcViZ aZVY^c\ ldbZc sure that top male executives l^i] i]^h egZhi^\^djh VlVgY# are going to be present. That’s because, with LZ gZXd\c^oZ VcY gZheZXi i]Z ^bedgiVci ZXdcdb^X VcY gender dynamics having hdX^Va Xdcig^Wji^dch i]Zn changed little in a decade bV`Z id djg Xdbbjc^i^Zh among executive teams and i]gdj\] i]Z^g ldg`! Xdb" boards, MacKay and others who have long promoted the b^ibZci VcY aZVYZgh]^e# importance of narrowing LZ Xdc\gVijaViZ Vaa d[ i]Z the ratio of men to women '%&& >L>7 cdb^cZZh VcY in the workplace recognize VlVgY l^ccZgh! VcY l^h] that female champions can’t change things alone. i]Zb Xdci^cjZY hjXXZhh “We really have to engage men more so that they have LdbZcÂźh :ciZgeg^hZ 8ZcigZ the opportunity to see that ]Vh ]VY i]Z ]dcdjg d[ hje" women are just as talented edgi^c\ ZcigZegZcZjg^Va" as men in CEO roles and any b^cYZY ldbZc i]gdj\]dji other management positions 78 h^cXZ &..* LZ ]VkZ egd" in a company,â€? said MacKay, k^YZY Wjh^cZhh h`^aah igV^c" who is president of Vancou^c\ id dkZg &+!%%% ldg`h]de ver’s MacKay and AssocieVgi^X^eVcih! gZhedcYZY id ates Advisors Inc. dkZg ,'!%%% ^cfj^g^Zh [dg “When you have comWjh^cZhh ^c[dgbVi^dc! egd" panies with male-dominatk^YZY Y^gZXi VcY aZkZgV\ZY ed teams, it is men talking [^cVcX^c\ d[ dkZg (( b^aa^dc! to men. It’s men, not women, VcY ]ZaeZY XgZViZ dg bV^c" who are going to say, ‘This is iV^c dkZg &!(%% _dWh ^c 78# a problem.’ Peer pressure is a lot more influential than LdbZcÂźh :ciZgeg^hZ 8Zc" women saying, ‘There’s a igZ ^h i]Z \d"id eaVXZ [dg problem here.’â€? 78 ldbZc ZcigZegZcZjgh Engaging men to become [dg Wjh^cZhh adVch! igV^c" diversity champions is a ^c\! VYk^hdgn hZgk^XZh VcY topic that Catalyst Canada gZhdjgXZh# L^i] Wjh^cZhh Inc., a Toronto-based nonVYk^hdgh ^c @ZadlcV! KVc" profit organization that aims XdjkZg VcY K^Xidg^V! lZ egd" to expand opportunities for k^YZ ZhhZci^Va gZhdjgXZh VcY women in business, has rehZgk^XZh YZh^\cZY id ]Zae cently made its own. ldbZc hiVgi! \gdl VcY hjX" Among the conclusions XZZY ^c i]Z^g Wjh^cZhh# made at Catalyst’s Vancouver event on February K^h^i lll#ldbZchZciZg" 1 was that diversity is not a eg^hZ#XV [dg bdgZ ^c[dgbV" women’s issue, but a busii^dc VcY id aZVgc bdgZ VWdji ness issue that needs attendjg ldg`h]deh VcY ZkZcih# tion and commitment from all senior leaders – women and men. “Yet, too often, men are an untapped resource in such gender initiatives,â€? stated Catalyst in a report called Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives. Women’s fortunes in the top-rung of the workplace haven’t changed much in a decade. In 1999, 12 of the largest 500 companies in Canada were headed by women.
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Corporate ofďŹ cer and board positions held by women in 2002 and 2010
“Organizations must enlist both women and men to work together as allies in changing the organizational norms and structures that perpetuate gender gaps� – Catalyst Canada’s report: Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives
DOMINIC SHCAEFER
It’s an honour to support entrepreneurialminded women
Nancy MacKay, founder, MacKay and Associates Advisors Inc.: “the reality is that there are more than enough women in the workplace. They’re just not at the top�
In 2010, only an additional seven women had made it to the top posts in corporate Canada. In 2009, 14% of board seats among the top 500 Canadian companies were occupied by women, compared with 9.8% in 2001. The figures look more imbalanced when it’s noted that 47.3% of the Canadian labour force is made up of women. “The reality is that there are more t han enough women in the workplace,� said MacKay. “They’re just not at the top.� MacKay noted that an
increasing number of companies are taking the usual proactive steps, such as implementing boardroom policies that ensure a certain percentage of women are shortlisted for roles when it comes to recruiting, succession planning or promotion. But both MacKay and Catalyst say that many programs have missed the mark. “There isn’t necessarily buy-in to the business case for gender diversity, so companies jut keep doing what they’re doing, and use excuses such as, ‘Our industry is male-dominated anyway,’�
said MacKay. According to Catalyst, too many gender initiatives focus solely on changing women – from the way they network to the way they lead. As well, says Catalyst, too many organizations look to women alone to change the organizational practices that maintain the status quo. “Organizations must enlist both women and men to work together as allies in changing the organizational norms and structures that perpetuate gender gaps,� said Catalyst in Engaging Men.
And even some women’s groups are against the more extreme initiatives that focus on forcing workplace gender balances – as was evident last month when a federal senator put forth a bill that would require publicly-traded companies, banks, insurance companies and trust companies to reach gender parity on their boards in three years. Before individuals can support a change initiative, states Catalyst, they must first be convinced that there is something wrong with the status quo. Ą cgc@biv.com
February 15-21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B3
Daily email edition: www.biv.com
Sponsor’s Message
Day to shine Lululemon CEO highlights team, shying away from spotlight
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hristine Day likes to avoid the spotlight. The Lululemon Athletica Inc. CEO seldom goes to women’s networking groups and never fills out forms to be eligible to win awards. “It’s not that I’m reluctant to participate in the women’s forums or be in the media. I just don’t like to cross the line into self-promotion,� she explained. Day then rattled off the names of the six people who report directly to her – Sheree Waterson, Margaret Wheeler, Delaney Schweitzer, Deanne Schweitzer, John Currie and Kathryn Henry – stressing that they play a key role in Lululemon’s success. “Just having one face out there, I think, isn’t fair to the work that the rest of the management team does,� she said. Chair Chip Wilson continues to own about onethird of the company that
he co-founded, but he no longer attends meetings related to day-to-day management. Instead, he focuses on longer-term projects and on product creation. Day’s activity in the business community outside Lululemon largely stems from her involvement in a CEO Forum Group cohort that includes executives such as Pharmasave Drugs CEO Sue Paish, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers CEO Peter Blake, Black Press owner David Black and others. That group of executives meets once every six weeks and discusses both personal and corporate issues central to running a large enterprise. Day and Blake, for example, have discussed what it’s like to assume corporate reins from a company’s founder. The two get on famously, and Blake even nominated Day to be a winner of Business in Vancouver’s 2011 Influential Women in Business
5
questions: christine day
What accomplishments are you most proud of? On a personal level, it is the amount of love I have in my life. I am blessed with a great family, marriage and friends. The ability to keep this as the focus of my life while building a successful career is what I consider a true accomplishment. The second is that I have worked for and helped build two great companies that are based on values while building strong business models.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? Developing myself in a high-growth environment, being willing to face failures, get back up and move on. What defines you is your ability to get back up, not the fact that you fell down.
What career decisions would you make differently were you starting out today? I was always willing do to what needed to be done; while there are benefits to that, I also realize that I should have stated what I wanted to be and stood for that earlier in my career. Specifically, taking on leading the profit and loss side of the business versus staff roles.
What is the one business lesson you’d like to pass on to others? Leadership is about creating the space for others to perform and to create something that would otherwise not occur. To get ownership and full accountability from others, you must first give it to them.
To what extent do you think there are still glass ceilings for women in business? I still see it in the boardrooms and at the CEO level, particularly in the traditional businesses. But in the next generation of leaders, I see men and women want the same things: time for families, personal pursuits and a meaningful career. I believe as leaders the most meaningful shift we can create is treating everyone as equals with the same concerns in life – family, personal development and professional contribution.
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DOMINIC SHCAEFER
Glen Korstrom
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Lululemon CEO Christine Day watched her company’s share price spike more than 1,100% since March 2009
awards. “[He] ended up apologizing to me because he thought ‘I’ve upset you,’� Day said with a laugh. In fact, she was flattered because it was a genuine honour from peers and not something that she had actively sought. Day clearly has a humble side. She likes speaking with university students because it involves helping them learn how to excel in business. In January, however, she was taken aback while walking around the University of Victoria campus. “It was embarassing,� Day said. “This girl came up to me and says, ‘You’re Christine Day.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God. I’ve never been treated like a star.’� The 48-year-old led Starbucks Corp.’s $1.5 billion Asia Pacific group before she joined Lululemon in January 2008 to be the yogawear giant’s COO. Six months later, she became CEO. Her Starbucks career started in 1986 – before current Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz bought Starbucks brand rights and started to grow the global coffee giant. She was one of the company’s first couple-dozen employees. “From the very beginning, I recognized in her very unique qualities – natural leader, strategic thinker,� Schultz told BIV. “She had strength and capabilities
well beyond her years. When I met her I knew she was capable for big things.� Schultz added that Day was a strong advocate of the culture and social values on which Starbucks prides itself. Day has focused on those same values at Lululemon. More than one-third of Lululemon store managers make more than $100,000 per year. Store staff, or “educators,� as Day calls them, make between $18 and $20 per hour. “With incentive pay, our
“From the very beginning, I recognized in her very unique qualities – natural leader, strategic thinker� – Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks
[compensation] model is designed to pay higher than market average rates,� she said. Her strategy to help the environment is to pay extra to ensure factories that produce Lululemon-wear operate in a sustainable manner. The alternative of saving money by cutting corners on sustainability at the factory and then trumpeting a donation to an environmental charity is less appealing, she said. “That’s what I see way too
many people doing in terms of greenwashing. Really, what you make sure at the fundamental level of your business is that you’ve created an environment when people can be a success at what matters,� she said. About three-quarters of Lululemon products continue to be made outside North America, with the lion’s share being made in China. She is slowly growing the percentage of production that takes place in North America, but lower Asian production costs remain a key factor in Lululemon’s profitability. Profits at the 3,700-employee Lululemon grew 72% to $96.8 million in its last quarter, which ended on October 31, compared with the same quarter in 2009. Revenue in the quarter grew 56% to $175.8 million. Shareholders who held Lululemon stock in March 2008 have watched their investment grow more than 1,100% by early February. Outside work, she and husband Pat have three kids: Kevin and Kaile, who are in their 20s, and Connor who is 11. Winter weekends are spent either cross-country or downhill skiing while summer ones are often spent boating or hiking. During the week, Day finds time for yoga, pilates and jogging. Ą gkorstrom@biv.com
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B4 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Daily business news at www.biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Sponsor’s Message
Insuring success Self-discipline, passion and a strong team create a hub for success By Richard Chu
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“One of the things I always make time for … is being at home to have dinner with the family” – Tina Osen, president and CEO, HUB International Insurance Brokers
DOMINIC SCHAEFER
Shelley Budd Marketing Coordinator MCL Motor Cars
ina Osen has a growing list of accomplishments as a senior executive at one of the province’s largest insurance brokerage firms. But you won’t find her taking credit for it. She’s as gracious and humble about her professional achievements as she is grateful for the work by her team at HUB International’s Lower Mainland business, which has grown to 300 staff from 170 a decade ago. Her growing team is a reflection of the company’s strategy to expand its business by deepening its relationships with its clientele. While auto insurance is what the company might be most known for, Osen noted that close to half of the company’s business is from commercial insurance. It also provides personal lines of insurance, from house and marine insurance to employee benefits and
Tina Osen, president and CEO, HUB International Insurance Brokers: life-balance success comes from being disciplined and understanding one’s priorities
5
questions: tina osen
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Nominations are open! After 20 years, Business in Vancouver continues to find 40 outstanding young business professionals worthy of the Forty under 40 distinction each year. Forty under 40 celebrates the depth of business talent in British Columbia, from the rising stars of the corporate world to successful entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders. Winners are chosen based on such values as achievement, experience, innovation, vision, leadership, and community involvement. By nominating some one for BIV’s Forty under 40, you are supporting and developing today’s young business leaders. Winners of BIV’s Forty under 40 have gone on to shape our city and our province in many different ways!
Previous winners: Avtar Bains – 1990 Peter Busby – 1991 Glen Clark – 1991 Rick Hansen – 1991 Susan Mendelson – 1991 Bev Briscoe – 1992 Bob Rennie – 1992 Arthur Griffiths – 1993 Chip Wilson – 1993 Elaine McHarg – 1996 Sandra Miles – 1997 Gregor Robertson – 1997 Brian Scudamore – 1997 Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia – 1998 Darren Entwistle – 2000 Thane Stenner – 2000 Peter ter Weeme – 2000 Tracey Axelsson – 2001 Christina Anthony – 2002 Dave Cobb – 2002 Rob Feenie – 2002 Claire Newell – 2004 Colin Bosa – 2005 Steve Mossop – 2005 Stephanie Cadieux – 2006 Jennifer Podmore – 2007 Chris Breikks – 2008 Paul Haagenson – 2009 Jill Earthy – 2010
Go to www.biv.com/40under40 to submit a nomination. Deadline: June 30th, 2011
My family and friendships. I think I have a really good family; a good marriage, two wonderful children who are well-behaved and some friendships I’ve had for 30-plus years that I’ve manage to keep going. I just feel, at the end of the day, despite all the accomplishments at work, if I don’t keep those things strong and healthy, the work stuff doesn’t mean anything.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? Professionally, everything about 2010. As a result of the economic environment worldwide, it was just a very challenging year. We have a portion of our business that’s dependent on people buying new cars, new boats, buying houses, and if that trails off, we directly feel the impact of it. We’re seeing it stabilize, but we have not seen a big lift yet.
What career decisions would you make differently were you starting out today? I don’t have any career decisions I regret. It would have been nice to do a bit more travelling when I was younger, before I embarked on my career. But the flip side of that is, would I be in the capacity I’m in now? There’s no doubt I would have accomplished things, but maybe the timing would be off in terms of opportunity.
What’s one business lesson you’d like to pass on to others? I have realized there is often a big difference between my perception of a situation and the reality. It could relate to anything from an email you read that you think has a more negative intention than in reality, or a client who is unhappy, but when you dig into it, most of the time it’s never as bad as it is. I have worked hard to not always assume the worst. I need to constantly remind myself of this lesson.
To what extent do you think there are still glass ceilings for women in business? I’ve been blessed and have not experienced any glass ceilings. These days, I think it’s less about glass ceilings than about the difficulty to do it all: family, career and taking care of yourself. Without an amazing team to support you both professionally and personally, it’s hard to keep up. We need more companies to be receptive to flexible hours and challenging the status quo to allow women to rise to the top and still have happy, healthy personal lives.
February 15-21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
Daily email edition: www.biv.com
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B5 Sponsor’s Message
other financial products. The success of the company’s strategy is reflected in the 135% increase in the total value of insurance the company sells annually, rising to $400 million from $170 million a decade ago. Annual revenue, consisting of fees and commissions has also grown proportionally, rising close to $40 million from $17 million. HUB’s success also ref lects the enjoyment and satisfaction has in being in the industry. While insurance ran in the family (her father had owned TOS Insurance Services before it was acquired by HUB in 1999), she still enjoyed the business even at the entrylevel position 20 years ago when she was 21. “I was lucky, because it was one of the businesses I loved.� The embedded opportunity of the sector also continually appeals to her. “Everybody needs to purchase insurance, so you have the ability to work with such a diverse clientele. It’s never boring.� The growth of the company hasn’t gone unnoticed. Since becoming president and CEO of HUB International’s Greater Vancouver division in 2004, the company has been among the top three performing i n s u r a n c e br o k e r a g e s among HUB International’s North American operations. In addition to receiving HUB’s Chairman Award for four consecutive years since she became CEO, she received Business In Vancouver’s Forty under 40 Award in 2004 and Deloitte’s Women of Influence Award in 2009. She’s become a valued member of HUB International’s executive committee for North American operations, sitting on the company’s president focus group, which includes HUB’s senior management based in Chicago, and a selection of four presidents of HUB’s subsidiary operations across the continent. As a mot her of t wo daughters, aged 10 and 6, she credits the support of her friends and family, her “wonderful husband� and the dedication of her team for her career and corporate success. For Osen, being able to have a successful care er a nd good fa m i ly
involves being disciplined and understanding one’s priorities. With respect to her friends and family, “I treat them with the same seriousness on my calendar as any business appointment I have. One of the things I always make time for, provided I’m not on a work trip or have a work dinner, is being at home to have dinner
with the family.� Despite her busy schedule, Osen still makes time to support the community. In addition to being a director for the Vancouver Board of Trade, she’s a mentor within HUB’s mentorship program and is part of the Net Works Cabinet, which supports female athletes in B.C. While the company has
grown substantially in the past decade, Osen isn’t resting on the company’s laurels. Over the next 10 years, the company has a goal of increasing its annual revenue to $75 million. Some of that will come from organic growth, but Osen said the company will plan to benefit from the demographic shift and
acquire brokerages in the region. “There are certain opportunities where some brokerages don’t have an obvious succession plan in place. As brokerages grow, there might be some that are looking for ways to realize the value of their hard work. That creates an opportunity for us.� Ą
William Westeringh Managing Partner Fasken Martineau
rchu@biv.com
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B6 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Daily business news at www.biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Sponsor’s Message
2011 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
Jumping outside the comfort zone Two constants in Bev Briscoe’s career are success and change By Glen Korstrom
“I never really had a
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career plan. I never really had even the drive of career success other than the fact that I had a great interest in business and an aptitude for it” – Bev Briscoe, owner, Briscoe Management
DOMINIC SCHAEFER
Johnny Michel Managing Director CBC British Columbia
e courageous and select the career that gives you the most satisfaction. Those are two life lessons that Bev Briscoe gives young women who seek her wisdom. “Money can be a factor [in deciding to take a job] but it can’t be the factor,” Briscoe said. “It really doesn’t matter how much they’re paying you when you hate your job.” The 56-year-old is young to be the 2011 Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business lifetime achievement winner. Several times throughout her life, however, she jumped outside her comfort zone, took risks and earned success. Semi-retired, Briscoe splits her days between providing consulting advice through her Briscoe Management Ltd. and corporate board work for two of B.C.’s largest companies – Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (TSX:RBA) and Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G). She also sits on the boards of women’s organizations such as the Minerva Foundation for B.C. Women and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. It’s a less hectic life than when she owned her own company, when she worked as a controller for different Jim Pattison Group-owned companies and when she worked as an audit manager for what is now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. But, Briscoe has usually been able to do what she wanted in life. She has trailblazed for women ever since she graduated from Coquitlam’s Centennial School in 1972. Briscoe left her parents and sister in Coquitlam and went to live on her own on the University of British Columbia campus while attending the university on a math scholarship. One of the only times in her life when she was not able to follow her dreams was when she relinquished her childhood desire to be a physiotherapist. She could not afford to pay the tuition necessary to study rehabilitation medicine but because of her natural aptitude for numbers, she was able to opt instead for math, where the tuition would be
BIV’s Influential Women in Business lifetime achievement winner, Bev Briscoe, has trailblazed for women ever since she was a teenager attending the University of British Columbia on a math scholarship
paid. Summer jobs as a lifeguard and part-time work through the school year were sufficient to enable her to graduate virtually debtfree with a commerce degree in 1977. It was a time of opportunity for women. Workplaces were starting to hire women in professional capacities and Briscoe had different job options. She chose to article as a chartered accountant at Coopers and Lybrand in part because that company (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) had international offices where she would be able to transfer. Three years later, Briscoe earned a transfer to Sydney, Australia, where she would work for two years. She became that office’s first female manager of both client accounts and a handful of staff. “Sydney wasn’t very progressive for women,” Briscoe said. “In Vancouver, there were probably a few women managers in the accounting firms. But it was a big deal in Sydney to make a woman a manager.” When Briscoe returned to Coopers and Lybrand’s Vancouver office, she helped
a client sell Berryland Canning Co. to the Jim Pattison Group. Pattison wanted Briscoe to come with the deal, so she accepted the role of controller at Berryland after the sale was complete. She also helped Pattison later sell Berryland to Pillsbury. Pattison urged her to stay with his company and be controller of his vehicle lease division, instead of going to Pillsbury. “We found her to be an excellent person to work with,” Pattison told BIV. “She was a hard worker and has good common sense.” Briscoe’s main drive when she was young was simply to see the world. That’s why she chose to work at Coopers and Lybrand. It was also one of the reasons why she didn’t marry until she was in her 40s. While working for the Jim Pattison Group, she took advantage of the company’s global operations and, in 1988, went to Geneva for one year to be CFO at its Great Pacific Capital division. “Opportunities just presented themselves. This is the embarrassment about being selected for a lifetime achievement award,” Briscoe said. “I never really had a ca-
reer plan. I never even really had the drive of career success other than the fact that I had a great interest in business and an aptitude for it.” Friends such as Goldcorp chair Ian Telfer say working for Pattison “toughened”
Briscoe and helped make her what he called a “perfect director, because she also has accounting experience and experience on boards.” Briscoe said working for Pattison was equivalent to doing an MBA – something she never did. Instead, she continued to career hop. She went to the Rivtow Group of Companies for five years as its vicepresident of finance and then spent two years at Wajax Industries Ltd. as vice-president and general manager But, by 1997, something was starting to nag at her. She had always harboured a desire to own a business, and opportunity knocked in the form of Hiway Refrigeration Ltd. – a B.C. company that specialized in selling and servicing refrigeration equipment used in the trucking and shipping industries. It was a big risk, for sure, given that she used her house as collateral and borrowed millions. But, it paid off in 2003 when she sold the company for more than she paid for it. The new Gordon Campbell government then tapped her to serve as chair of the Industry Training Authority and she has had other board commitments since she sold her company. Married to lawyer Art Vertlieb, Briscoe still enjoys travel but has no plans to leave Vancouver. “I have three step-sons now. That’s something I’m proud of as a woman who never had a traditional family,” she said. Ą gkorstrom@biv.com
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questions: bev briscoe
What accomplishments are you most proud of? Purchasing Hiway Refrigeration is one accomplishment I am most proud of. I had wanted to own my own business for many years, but it took an uncharacteristic amount of courage for me to actually follow through and get it done.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? I have often been challenged with making time for the people and things that are important to me and finding time for myself. I am getting better at this now.
What decisions would you have made differently? I do not regret any major career decision that I made although there are hundreds of small decisions that I would have done differently.
What’s one business lesson you’d like to pass on to others? One of the biggest lessons that I learned more than once is that business is all about people. You can have great products and great plans but without great people you will not be successful.
To what extent are there still glass ceilings? There may still be some glass ceilings but they are not as impenetrable as they have been. Most successful businesses will ensure that they remove any obstacle that would prevent bright and capable individuals from getting ahead.
February 15-21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
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INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B7 Sponsor’s Message
A reason to serve Award winners are inspirational examples of why boardrooms should embrace diversity strategies By Cheryl Carter
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nfluential women abound in British Columbia. Business in Vancouver has, for 12 years, sought out and profiled those women who are business leaders and influencers from across our province. The goal for the Influential Women in Business (IWIB) Awards is to shed light on those women who are serving on corporate and notfor-profit boards who are also successful business leaders and entrepreneurs. It could be argued that the need for this type of awards program is long past, but the reality is that business leaders need reminding of the need for diversity around the boardroom table and emerging women business leaders can benefit from role models. Many studies show similar results: disproportionately few women on corporate boards. There is a disconnect between the goal of gender diversity and the reality. So how can the corporate world take advantage of the benefits of gender diversity and make it a reality? Recommended strategies from the Canadian Board Diversity Council include following best practices for recruiting board members, having a written policy on diversity expectations and limiting the number of boards your directors sit on. Women business executives who want to take part in corporate governance have a role to play as well. Beyond networking, they need to: Ąmake sure they have experience on boards, which could come from non-profits; Ąunderstand corporate governance practices; and Ądevelop financial acumen and build a leadership presence. We have profiled and honoured well-known and lesserknown business leaders and influencers, such as Nancy Stibbard, Shannon Byrne, Carole Taylor, Martha Piper, Sue Paish, Dee Miller, Shushma Datt and Barbara Rae. This year’s winners will tell their stories and be honoured March 2 at the Fairmont Waterfront. Gloria Macarenko will emcee the awards luncheon. Each of the honourees will share with us a little of her own experience of success. These women have been nominated and selected based on criteria of business success, power and influence within their industry and the business community at large. They serve on
community and corporate boards covering a wide range of issues and industries. Their stories are important to tell because they shed light on the quality of businesswomen with the experience and the required depth of knowledge needed to participate in and contribute to corporate governance. Companies who build
gender diversity around the boardroom table see increased business success. We feel these stories need to be told because of the disconnect between the business case for gender diversity and the reality. Our business community is rich from the efforts of women like those we have honoured and who are nominated
every year. Late last year we lost one of B.C.’s most influential women – Virginia Greene. She was an entrepreneur, business leader and community contributor whose creativity, leadership and drive was truly inspirational throughout her career and certainly during her fight with ovarian cancer. In the spirit of giving back and sharing knowledge, our IWIB honourees and other senior businesswomen have given their time over the past two years at a half-day forum called Leadership Lessons. In 2011, this event will take place in late October and will
provide round-table discussion on a variety of topics related to leadership, governance, balance and career planning. Co-presented by the Professional Women’s Network with support by Fasken Martineau and Vancity, it provides a venue for networking, a sharing of ideas and experience for emerging women business leaders. Tickets for the March 2 Influential Women in Business Awards are available at www.biv.com. A complete list of previous honourees is on page 18. Selected profiles of previous honourees are also available online at www. biv.com. Ą ccarter@biv.com
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B8 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Daily business news at www.biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Sponsor’s Message
Having it all Evaleen Jaager Roy cooked, gardened and took Sundays off to keep sane while juggling family and a high-intensity HR career Congratulations
more so I can occasionally be there at 3 p.m. when he’s coming home to study for a test,”
By Jenny Wagler
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“Life goes so fast and is so short. Figure out at every point what really jazzes you and make sure you build in time to do it” – Evaleen Jaager Roy, principal, Jaager Roy Advisory
DOMINIC SCHAEFER
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valeen Jaager Roy is adamant: women can have it all. “I always said to younger girls I was mentoring, ‘If you want a family and you want a career, hey, don’t let anyone say you can’t do both,’” she said. Jaager Roy’s words carry the weight of a woman whose career highlights so far include: helping develop Vancouver’s video game industry through her role leading the HR team at Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) (Nasdaq:ERTS), cocreating the EA University, chairing the boards of Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Emily Carr University of Art & Design, writing a book and launching her own consulting company. Plus marriage and raising a 14-year old son. “You just can’t do it all at once,” she added. “You sometimes need to prioritize one or the other.” To that end, Roy left the
HR professional, board member and entrepreneur Evaleen Jaager Roy: “I don’t think you can stay on top of your game if you’re not taking care of yourself”
corporate world last year to launch Jaager Roy Advisory Inc. – a step she said combined entrepreneurial dreams with a desire to spend more time with her son before he leaves home for university in a few years. As a consultant,
she said, she’s advising companies on business vision and strategy, organization strategy and structure and outcomebased HR. “I’m working just as hard, but the nice thing is I can control my time just that little tad
she said. “I don’t want to miss those years.” To hear Jaager Roy tell it, this is the first hint of a breather she’s taken from a highintensity corporate career, which she kicked off in 1988 with an MBA from Harvard Business School and finance jobs with General Motors Inc. (TSX-GMM.U; NYSE: GM) and then Westcoast
Energy Inc. (TSX-W.PR.H). At Westcoast, she became fascinated with how companies can set the tone, culture and performance of a business and persuaded the company to let her move into HR. Honing her skills with an executive development program in HR from Queen’s University, she built and led Westcoast’s 25-member HR group, which supported 1,200 employees. In 1999, she became the first HR executive hired by EA – the largest creative studio in the world, then producing 20 top video games a year. EA, Jaager Roy said, presented all the advantages of a young, dynamic, passionate staff, and all the challenges of figuring out how to develop an eclectic talent base that eschewed all things corporate. Recruitment, she said, was another challenge in the fastpaced creative world of video game development. “People would come to me and say, ‘Evaleen, I need three art leaders next week or I need 60 engineers in two weeks,’” she explained. The difference between recruiting success and “getting the pink slip,” she said, was building successful recruiting see Keeping, B12
5
questions: evaleen jaager roy
What accomplishments are you most proud of? Playing a key role in building the interactive entertainment industry in B.C. from its early days, helping to build the European business unit for EA, the legacy of employee giving at EA Canada and Europe and being in a very successful first year of my own company. Chairing two B.C. university boards is an amazing experience, too. I am also proud of the many young women I have mentored who have gone on to do incredible things.
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What is the biggest challenge you have faced? A decade at EA was a rich, wonderful experience but also full of continuous challenges, from smoothly taking over from the founder’s mom in the early days, to being in a global HR line role, building the performance and culture of business units in Asia, Europe and North America – there was never a lack of things to learn.
What career decisions would you make differently were you starting out today? I have been so fortunate to have had wonderful opportunities at every turn, and the chance to work and live in cities like Boston, New York, London and Paris, and I don’t think I would change anything.
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What’s one business lesson you’d like to pass on to others? I think staying resilient and constantly positive in the face of challenges when you are in a leadership role is very important, as your team and those around you take so many cues from your energy and outlook. It’s critical to stay focused, to execute well and to work on things that count while never losing your sense of humour!
Is it still relevant to focus on the success and role of women in business? I’m an optimist by nature, so I think a lot of progress has been made. However, a recent Catalyst study notes that women still hold only 14% of board seats in the entire Fortune 500 and about 13% of the executive officer roles in the same group – so clearly there is a long way to go. (For more on the Catalyst poll, see page 2.)
February 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
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INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B9
B10 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Daily business news at www.biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Ground control By Curt Cherewayko
A
miee Chan is just as comfortable in Norsat International Inc.’s boardroom as she is in one of the satellite equipment manufacturer’s engineering labs. While her three U.S. patents in satellite technology and her electrical engineering PhD in satellite communications reflect a keen technical know-how of the science behind Norsat’s business, her managerial acumen is just as impressive. When Chan took over as Norsat’s president and CEO in 2006, the Richmond company was nearly insolvent. It had US$2 million convertible debt, about US$4 million in overdue accounts payable and reported an annual a loss of US$4.3 million on US$15 million in falling yearover-year revenue. Chan instigated a restructuring that has led the company to four consecutive years of profitability. Norsat’s previous top-
heavy, high-paid executive team, which had a go-big strategy of focusing on very large contracts, was one of the first things to go when Chan stepped in.
“They saw me as young, female and Asian. How did she get to where she is?” – Amiee Chan, president and CEO, Norsat International
As well, she relocated Norsat to more modest digs near the airport, where it can better serve its customer base; outsourced non-core functions; and broadened the company’s sales focus to include more of the military sector. After the first three fiscal quarters of 2010, the company is on track to report US$2.5 million in profitability on roughly US$20 million in revenue in the fiscal year. With Norsat’s recovery complete, Chan isn’t resting
on her laurels: last month, the company completed its first major acquisition with her at the helm. Norsat expects that its US$19.25 million acquisition of Sinclair Technologies Holdings Inc. will be the first of up to four major purchases the company makes in the next five years. “We’ve done great work growing [Norsat] organically, but as a public company in our space, we need more growth,” said Chan. “If we can become a $100 million company in the next five years, it will give us the capability to deal with larger customers and larger contracts, and garner more attention from the investment community.” Born in Hong Kong and arriving in B.C. with her family when she was eight, Chan has an executive MBA from Simon Fraser University in addition to her PhD from UBC. She began her career in the radio satellite division of
DOMINIC SCHAEFER
Norsat was nearly insolvent when Amiee Chan took the helm. It has been profitable since
Amiee Chan, president and CEO, Norsat International: technical expertise and leadership skills are a crucial mix for success in the high-tech sector
MPR Teltech Ltd. in 1992. MPR spun that division off in 1996 and, two years later, Norsat acquired it. Although Chan swiftly climbed the ranks of Norsat from her initial role with MPR as an engineer-in-training, she became a casualty of
a particularly rough patch at Norsat in the early 2000s. But getting laid off provided her with an opportunity to complete her MBA and to obtain some much-needed experience in another field: from 2002 to 2004, she was a product manager at CREO
Inc., where she led growth of the company’s $80 million consumables product line in the graphic arts industry. When she was hired back at Norsat in 2004, it was as vice-president of operations. In little more than two see High-tech, B12
womensenterprise.ca 1.800.643.7014 Vancouver | Victoria | Kelowna Serving the women of BC since 1995
CONGRATULATIONS IWIB nominees & award winners ! The CEO and Board of Directors of Women’s Enterprise Centre congratulate all IWIB nominees & award winners. Women’s Enterprise Centre is the go-to place for BC women entrepreneurs seeking business advice, loans, training, resources & mentors.
Recipient of BIV’s 2011 Influential Women in Business Award
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Evaleen Jagger Roy joined the Emily Carr Board of Governors in 2009 and became Chair in 2010. Her vision, experience and leadership have had a profound impact on Emily Carr. Evaleen Jaager Roy is a natural leader, strong supporter of the arts and a devoted member of her community. We are proud that she is being honored by Business in Vancouver. Emily Carr University of Art + Design is one of Canada’s premier, postsecondary universities specializing in undergraduate and graduate art, media and design education and research.
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Keeping sane: Align yourself with what’s precious in life from Having, B8
pipelines by establishing relationships with talent pools like SFU and Emily Carr. While building those relationships, Jaager Roy carved out the time to chair SFU’s board from 1999 to 2002 – a decision she said stretched her, at age 39, just as she liked to see employees grow and stretch their talents. “I remember when I walked into that board I was like, ‘Oh my God can I do this?’ And I learned so much,”
she said, noting that her tenure as chair saw the board bring about the Morris Wosk Centre for Dialogue, lay the plans for the Segal Graduate School of Business, and hire Michael Stevenson as the school’s president. Jaager Roy currently chairs the board of Emily Carr, where president and vicechancellor Ron Burnett says she demonstrates key leadership abilities and the talents of “a consensus-builder of the first order.”
“What I find really heartening in dealing with her is her ability to cut through a lot of chaff and find the right answers to sometimes difficult questions,” he said. Last year, after Jaager Roy’s EA career had climbed all the way to a role leading global talent planning and community relations for 8,000 employees across 75 countries, she left the corporate world to try something new – her own advisory business, with more flexibility to see her son.
As to how she’s kept sane in the midst of “having it all,” Jaager Roy speaks of carving out space to relax by cooking and gardening – the subjects of her book, Four Chefs One Garden, which she published last year. “Figure out what’s precious in your life and align your life to it,” she said. “Life goes so fast and it’s so short. Figure out at every point what really jazzes you and make sure you build in time to do it.” Ą jwagler@biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
High-tech: Still experiencing gender “micro-inequalities” from Ground, B10
years in that role, she succeeded in doubling revenue in Norsat’s newest business unit – portable satellite terminals – to roughly $10 million. Some of Norsat’s employees today supervised Chan while she was a co-op student at MPR. In nominating Chan for an IWIB award, Josef Fikart, who retired as principal engineer of Norsat in 2004 but continues to consult the company, said that her technical expertise, coupled with her business and leadership skills, creates a mix that is somewhat unique but crucial for success in the high-tech sector. Beyond Norsat, Chan is a board member of the Canadian Science and Technology Museum Corp., which is currently building support for a new museum in Ottawa. She’s also an active member of the Society for Canadian Women In Science & Technology’s Ms. Infinity program, which encourages girls and young women to look at career options in the fields of science and technology. In one of the program’s workshops, Chan takes 12and 13-year-old girl guides to Stanley Park, where she trains
them to use a satellite terminal to communicate with a satellite. “I think girls and women enjoy science and technology, but they’re just not very confident with it,” said Chan. “There need to be more engineering women as role models. We try to hire female engineers. But it’s difficult: you post a job position, and 99 out of 100 resumés are from men.” Chan’s manouvered her way through the high-tech sector as deftly as anyone, but she still experiences what she calls gender-related “microinequalities.” For instance, on a business trip to Korea with a colleague, she was repeatedly mistaken as that colleague’s secretary, rather than his boss. “They saw me as young, female and Asian,” said Chan. “How did she get to where she is?” Between work and promoting science and technology to Canadians, Chan finds time for her husband, Chris, their 10-year-old daughter, Alyssa, and seven-year-old son, Matthew. As well, she continues to play hockey, a sport she discovered a passion for during her university years. Ą cgc@biv.com
5
questions: amiee chan
What accomplishments are you most proud of? I’m very proud of my MBA, which I completed during one of the busiest and most exciting times of my career and personal life. I had just accepted a job offer for a VP position at Norsat, and was also nine months pregnant with my second child.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? Norsat’s corporate turnaround is one of the biggest challenges I have overcome. When I was named president and CEO of the company in 2006, Norsat was on the brink of insolvency. By restructuring the company and driving operational efficiencies, I was able to lead Norsat out of debt and toward continued profitability.
What career decisions would you make differently were you starting out today? I am proud to say that I would not do anything differently if I were starting out all over again. I stand by the career decisions that have gotten me where I am today.
What’s one business lesson that you’d like to pass on to others? Perseverance is the key. When faced with challenges, keep trying and don’t give up.
To what extent do you think there are still glass ceilings for women in business? I believe the glass ceiling exists in the form of “micro-inequalities” rather than overt discrimination. For example, when I travelled in Asia with a male colleague, people automatically assumed that he was the CEO and I was his assistant. I have also been asked whether my father owned the business and passed it down to me. These micro-inequalities are culturally embedded and can only be overcome through education.
February 15–21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B13
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Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Drawing on credit Tracy Redies is banking on more than two decades of financial experience to make Coast Capital Savings a disruptive innovator in the marketplace
T
racy Redies has one goal in mind – to change the way Canadians feel about banking, forever. “People look at banking as something they have to do as opposed to something they want to do,” Redies recently told Business in Vancouver. “What we’re trying to do is make that whole interaction with the customer a lot more friendly, a lot more enjoyable … most customers really want something simple that meets their needs.” Since she became president and CEO of Surreybased Coast Capital Savings in 2009, Redies has adopted a two-pronged approach to leadership. On the one hand, she’s fully embraced the credit union’s zany brand (her appointment was announced via a strip of headshots that featured her best photo booth faces); on the other hand, she’s presided over a period that’s seen thousands
of new customers flock to Coast Capital’s banner and introduced innovative new products. “We take our business seriously, ourselves not so much,” the 49-year-old explained. “What we’re trying to do is be that WestJet/ Southwest [airline] of financial services where, again, we’re serious about delivering great service and great products to our customers but we want to have some fun doing it.” Redies describes Coast Capital as the “disruptive innovator” of the banking world, a company that challenges the traditional orthodoxy of big financial houses. One of those innovations was Canada’s first free chequing account, which was launched prior to Redies’ tenure but is part of a “simple financial tools” theme she’s carried forward. Last November, Coast Capital launched the You’re the Boss mortgage.
“I think many capable women opt out before reaching their full potential because the workplace is not meeting their expectations in terms of stimulating and meaningful work environments” – Tracy Redies, president and CEO, Coast Capital Savings DOMINIC SCHAEFER
By Joel McKay
see Concerns, B16
Coast Captital Savings CEO Tracy Redies: “our mission is simple financial help, and that’s what we’re working on”
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February 15–21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
Daily email edition: www.biv.com
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B15
Celebrating great women.
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Concerns: Making it simple for the client from Drawing, B14
Considered one of the most flexible mortgage options in Canada, You’re the Boss offers a half-and-half rate, which draws on the strengths of five-year fixed and variables rates. “People are concerned about two things: ‘First off, which interest rate do I pick? Which term? Do I go fixed or do I go variable?’ “What we’re trying to do for people is make it simpler for them so they can sleep at night.” You’re the Boss also includes a save-and-take-payment feature that allows customers to pay off their mortgages faster or draw on extra payments they’ve made. Redies has also campaigned to have legislation introduced in Ottawa that would allow credit unions to expand nationwide, and introduced what she calls “daily revolutions” at each branch. “The way our staff are looking at this is … if we want to change the way Canadians feel about banking forever, each one of them has to [ask], ‘How do I change the way my
customer feels about banking today?’” And the messaging has worked. These days, Coast Capital includes 425,000 members spread between 50 branches. The credit union has approximately $12.9 billion in assets under administration, but Redies wasn’t always the head of a large financial institution. Her roots can be traced back to a small town in Ontario called North Porcupine. Her parents, immigrants from the U.K., instilled in Redies a belief in hard work from an early age. Her father also thought Asia would eventually play a vital role in the global economy. She agreed, and after high school attended the University of Victoria to pursue a double major in economics and Asian studies. Afterward, she went on to the University of British Columbia to earn a master’s of science degree in business administration and international trade and finance. She parlayed t hat
education into a position with HSBC Bank Canada. For more than 20 years, Redies held a variety of positions with HSBC at branches all over the world. Eventually, she became president and CEO of HSBC. com, where she led a global team of 700 people in Chicago, London, Hong Kong and India. In that time, she also managed to have four children and find time to give back to the community as a director of the Vancouver Board of Trade, the C.D. Howe Institute and the CH.I.L.D. foundation, which fights children’s intestinal and liver disorders. Carlo De Mello, national director of KPMG LLP’s credit union practice, said Redies is a person who thrives on challenge. “She has high expectations and exhibits strong strategic vision – something that makes her a true business leader,” De Mello said. “It doesn’t hurt that she has a dynamic and charismatic personality, which also makes her a great role model for her team.” Ą jmckay@biv.com
Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
5
questions: tracy redies
What accomplishments are you most proud of? Becoming CEO of Coast Capital Savings was a proud moment for me. This is a jewel of an organization with a track record of growth, innovation and great customer service. To be entrusted with its future by a highly committed and talented board has been a real privilege. We want to be the financial services organization that is synonymous with innovation for the customer’s benefit.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? The financial crisis and ensuing global recession were probably the toughest challenges faced by all financial professionals. The pace of those challenges was unlike anything I had experienced. We made some decisions very quickly and worked hard to maintain employee morale in the face of a lot of uncertainty, while at the same time trying to deal with the financial and economic repercussions of the crisis. It wasn’t an easy time here in Canada and I can’t imagine what it must have been like for our colleagues in the U.S. and Europe.
What career decisions would you make differently were you starting out today? I don’t think I would change any decisions I have made to date as I have had a diverse and challenging career, which has taken me to a number of countries and allowed me to work in an exciting industry. If I were starting out today, however, I would be more focused on gaining challenging work experience in Asia, particularly China, as it has become and will continue to be a driving force of the 21st century.
What’s one business lesson that you’d like to pass on to others? Be open to new possibilities and challenges, even if they are outside your comfort zone and be prepared to take the road less travelled, as sometimes that’s where the most exciting opportunities for personal and business growth lie.
To what extent do you think there are still glass ceilings for women in business? Given the small number of women who have reached the C-suite and sit on corporate boards, it would be easy to say the glass ceiling still exists. I think the challenge is deeper than that. Today, women are as well educated as men and make most of the consumer decisions in the economy – they have substantial insights and capabilities to bring to the work environment. But I think many capable women opt out before reaching their full potential because the workplace is not meeting their expectations in terms of stimulating and meaningful work environments or in enabling them to balance other important aspects of their lives. It may not be so much a glass ceiling as a need to revisit the traditional way we have climbed the corporate ladder. The answer may be that we need to provide better support to both men and women who want more out of life than just 80- to 90-hour workweeks.
February 15–21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
Beverly Brisco President, Briscoe Management
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INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B17
Goldcorp congratulates Beverly Briscoe on winning the Influential Women in Business Award. We thank her for her tremendous contribution to Goldcorp and congratulate her on her outstanding achievements.
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Business in Vancouver February 15-21, 2011
Previous winners 2010: Janet Austin, CEO*, YWCA Vancouver Ida Goodreau, corporate director and former CEO LifeLabs and Vancouver Coastal Health Sarah Morgan-Silvester, chancellor, University of British Columbia Cybele Negris, co-founder, Webnames.ca Janine North, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust Julia Levy, corporate director, co-founder, QLT Inc. and BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner 2009: Julia Kim, vice-president, Phillips Hager North Investment Management Tracey McVicar, managing director, CAI Capital Management Colleen Nystedt, president and CEO, MovieSet Inc. Jane Peverett, corporate director Tamara Vrooman, CEO, Vancity Carole Taylor, former finance minister of B.C. and BC MLA; BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner
2008: Laura Hansen, president, Image Group Inc. Catherine Roome, COO, BC Safety Authority Lisa Pankratz, president, chief compliance officer, Mackenzie Cundill Investment Management Patrice Pratt, chair, Vancity board of directors Wanda Costuros, corporate director Barbara Rae, co-founder, Dekora Staging, corporate director and BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner 2007: Shushma Datt, founder, president and CEO, i.t. Productions Ltd. N.J. (Dee) Millerz, vicepresident, finance, administration and human resources, JJM Group Elise Rees, partner, Ernst and Young LLP Elizabeth Watson, owner, Governance Advisory Services Sue Adams, co-owner, Bevendale Enterprises Inc. Grace McCarthy, former politician and BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner
2006: Kazuko Komatsu, president, Pacific Western Brewing Co. Roslyn Kunin, principal, Roslyn Kunin and Associates Alice Laberge, former president and CEO, Fincentric Corp. Judy Rogers, city manager, City of Vancouver Anne Stewart, partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Lis Welch, vice-chair, Welch Group Wendy B. McDonald, BC Bearing Group and BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner
2004: Barbara Maple, general manager, Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre Nancy McKinstry, vice-president, Odlum Brown Catherine Osler, communications consultant Sue Paish, managing partner, Fasken Martineau Faye Wightman, vice-president, external relations, University of Victoria
2005: Debra Lykkemark, owner, Culinary Capers Sandra Stevenson, CEO and president, Sport BC Karen Flavelle, owner, Purdy’s Chocolates Pat Jacobsen, CEO, TransLink Eva Lee Kwok, CEO, Amara International Investment Doreen McKenzie Sanders, executive director of Women in the Lead, BIV Lifetime Achievement Award winner
2003: Jill Bodkin, founder, Golden Heron Enterprises Anne Lippert, founder, Lippert Investments Martha Piper, president, University of British Columbia Anne Sutherland, head, B.C. and Yukon division, RBC Royal Bank Naomi Yamamoto, founder, Lasercolour
2002: Judy Bishop, founder, Bishop and Co. Frances McGuckin, consultant, owner of SmallBizPro.com Carole Taylor, chair, Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Linda Thorstad, executive director, Vancouver Economic Development Corp. Shannon Byrne, president and CEO, Paradata Systems 2001: Mobina Jaffer, president, YWCA of Canada Lucille Johnstone, head, B.C. and Yukon division, St. John Ambulance Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, president and founder, Absolute Spa Group Susan Mendelson, owner, Lazy Gourmet Lynn Warren, radiologist, founder of the Vancouver Breast Centre 2000: Nancy Greene, co-owner of Sun Peaks’ Nancy Greene Cahilty Lodge Maureen Chant, Jim Pattison’s assistant Julia Levy, president and CEO, QLT Inc. Gerri Sinclair, president and CEO, Ncompass Labs Inc. Nancy Stibbard, owner and general manager, Capilano Suspension Bridge
Thank you to the many nominators and nominees. We are proud to be associated with you. *Honourees’ titles indicate their position at the time they were awarded.
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February 15-21, 2011 Business in Vancouver
INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS B19
Daily email edition: www.biv.com
Recognizing burnout is key to dealing with it Specialists say too many women delay addressing symptoms of stress, such as friction at work, until they have more time, which eventually leaves them emotionally and physically drained By Vickie Paget
W
hile it’s common for women working at the C-suite level to acknowledge high levels of stress and challenges in time management, not many accept that they might have a burnout problem. “In this state you do not have access to a broader way of thinking – you are more in survival mode,” said Karen McMullan, founder of the Discover Your Genius program. “And many women do not even realize that this is how they are operating.” McMullan will be hosting From Burnout to Brilliance, a workshop for the eWomen Network, in Coquitlam this spring. She said that she meets many women who run on adrenaline and are in “fight or f light response all of the time.” McMullan said that there are three common mistakes that lead to boardroom burnout: “The first is what I call ‘someday syndrome’ – not listening to your burned-out body and putting off ‘living life’ to some future day. “People also get burnedout when there is an emotional drain at work, some sort of friction with a coworker. You have to develop ways to communicate through this or change your work environment. “The third mistake is spending the majority of your time doing things that you suck at,” she laughed. “My specialty is helping people find their genius. If someone does not know
what their genius is, they burn out.” Those who have a high degree of responsibility and a low degree of control over what happens during their workday are particularly susceptible, according to Susan Biali, medical doctor, life coach, speaker and author of Live a Life You Love. “Burnout is a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which develops over time, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to significant stress,” she said. Refusing to listen to your body is one of the biggest mistakes that you can make, according to Biali.
“Pushing too hard without giving your body and mind enough support to handle the stress is a big mistake,” she said. “One of my coaching clients used to be an executive in one of the biggest corporations in Canada. Her first week on the job, she worked 18-hour days, barely ate and only slept three hours a night. That’s setting yourself up for disaster. “Think of your career as a slow, steady marathon, rather than a sprint. If you push too hard, too fast, you’ll flame out.” Social media personal trainer, business design coach and Suitcase Entre-
Natalie Sisson, social media personal trainer and business design coach: beating boardroom burnout is all about “finding that elusive balance in life … to streamline your business so you can create more freedom”
preneur Natalie Sisson had her own story of burnout. “I experienced sleepless nights, a lack of energy, constant feelings of not being able to cope, withdrawals from socializing and bad mood swings during a particularly stressful period in a startup I co-founded,” said Sisson. “W hen you’re burnt out, problems seem insurmountable, and it’s difficult to muster up the energy to care – let alone do something about your situation. I was fortunate enough to recognize the detriments to my health and start making changes, as well as leaning on my friends to hold me
accountable to live a better lifestyle.” Sisson also has a clear battle plan when it comes to the war against boardroom burnout. She set up her Suitcase Entrepreneur website to help entrepreneurs find ways to run their businesses from anywhere across the globe – a concept that could possibly reduce an executive’s chances of suffering from boardroom burnout. “It’s all about finding that elusive balance in life by using online tools, social media and outsourcing to streamline your business so you can create more freedom.” Ą
“When you’re burnt out, problems seem insurmountable, and it’s difficult to muster up the energy to care – let alone do something about your situation” – Natalie Sisson, business coach
news@biv.com
Karen McMullan, founder of Discover Your Genius: “if someone does not know what their genius is, they burn out”
Susan Biali, medical doctor, life coach, speaker and author: executive women should think of their career as a “slow, steady marathon, rather than a sprint”
What’s the single most common cause of burnout?
The human mind: it doesn’t recognize its own limitations until it’s too late and it overrides all obvious messages the body sends to it as red flags. It ignores intuition at will.
Spending the majority of your time outside your “genius zone.”
For women, I would say, in general, it’s our all-too-common tendency to take on too much responsibility and put the needs of others ahead of our needs.
What’s the single most effective cure for burnout?
A mindset shift. We are not superhuman, so acknowledge this and make changes today to your current lifestyle and working habits. Exercise, get at least seven hours of sleep, take regular breaks, hire help, go on holiday.
Find out what your genius is – what you do that creates the maximum results with most ease. Then do it!
Become acutely and aggressively aware of the factors that contribute to burnout, and take very deliberate steps in your life to protect yourself from it. Burnout has a way of creeping up on you, but if you know the signs and know what you can do to offset it, you can learn from this phenomenon rather than having it take down both you and your career.
“IN THE BLACK”
14th Annual AWF PEAK Gala and Fundraising Dinner CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
1 4 t h A n n u a l AW F
Nominations are now being accepted for the Lifetime Achievement; Excellence in the Private Sector; Excellence in the Public Sector; Community Legacy and Rising Star awards. Information and award criteria available at www.womeninfinance.ca Nominations must be submitted by February 25, 2011. Guest Speaker, David A. Dodge, O.C. Senior Advisor for Bennett Jones LLP, Governor of the Bank of Canada 2001-2008
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver, BC
Emcee, Tamara Taggart Anchor, CTV News at Six
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B20 INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Business in Vancouver February 15â&#x20AC;&#x201C;21, 2011
12th Annual
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