University of Victoria | Business Alumni Magazine fall/winter 2009

Team GREEN Sport swap! Wes Baker and Colleen Hamilton A Paralympian lighten the Olympic eco-load makes it look easy

• VANOC chat +• Gaming recycled • Daring disclosures

PM 40065475 PM As a CMA, you will know what the numbers mean, and how to turn them into real ideas across your company. Through the CMA Executive Program at UVic, you will strengthen your Strategy, Management and Accounting abilities to make it happen. To learn more, contact Mike Simons at [email protected] or 250.665.7212.

CMA of BC.indd 1 9/29/09 9:44:37 AM UVIC BUSINESS ALUMNI MAGAZINE | UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA Contents FALL/WINTER 2009

Business Class is published biannually for: Faculty of Business Features University of Victoria 3800 Finnerty Road Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 11 Doing it right Canada 12 Black to green to gold Phone: 250-721-8264 Colleen Hamilton is shrinking the Olympic footprint, one o set at a time Fax: 250-721-6613 Website: www.business.uvic.ca 14 The anti-pollution advertising solution Wes Baker, enviro-entrepreneur and bane of ‘brand ll’ EDITOR Dianne George MANAGING EDITOR Kirsten Rodenhizer 16 Star for all seasons ART DIRECTOR Timothy R Lee Paralympic track champ Andrea Holmes hits CONTRIBUTORS Jeff Bay, Krista Boehnert, Connor Edwards, the slopes for 2010 Charlotte Ellan, Andrew Findlay, Dianne George, Cristy Hartman, Tiana Mah, Robert Moyes, Sashie Steenstra, Chris Stone, Casting a new ‘net’ Nathan Weathington, Monika Winn 19 You can’t hang your diploma on the wall EDITORIAL BOARD Dale Beckman, Krista Boehnert, Robin Dyke, Pat Elemans, Dianne George, Cristy Hartman without a nail

PRODUCTION MANAGER Suzy Williamson 28 Gold-medal grads PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Kristina Borys A Q&A with VANOC’s UVic Business contingent PRODUCTION SYSTEMS MANAGER Kim McLane ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Allison Griffi oen, Miki May, 29 Postcards from abroad Chris Sherwood ELECTRONIC IMAGING Debbie Lynn Craig, Bernhard Holzmann, Laura Michaels Departments 16 SENIOR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Karen Rice

For advertising please contact Karen Rice at 604-205-1711 or [email protected] 5Message from the Dean Dr. Ali Dastmalchian on hard work and vision

6 Reading room Our reviews of The Poverty of Corrupt Nations and X Saves the World

7 Giving back A life’s journey leads to a business bursary; KPMG 4th Floor, 4180 Lougheed Highway, backs a student business simulation , B.C. V5C 6A7 Phone: 604-299-7311 10 Faculty research Fax: 604-299-9188 Reporting to the world Email: [email protected] 20 Alumni in pro le CHAIRMAN & CEO Peter Legge, O.B.C., LLD (Hon.) PRESIDENT Karen Foss Karen Jawl, Jason Hennebury, Lorne Neil and Bob Aura EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Heather Parker 20 Class notes SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Millie Warren 7 SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT SALES Bruce Wiesner Kyle McMillan remembered and more VICE PRESIDENT PRODUCTION Corinne Smith VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING AND DIGITAL MEDIA Samantha Legge 24 Degree at work VICE PRESIDENT EDITORIAL Kathleen Freimond VICE PRESIDENT FINANCIAL Farnaz Riahi Steve Bocska is set to make gaming history

25 Alumni report

Business Class is the alumni publication of the Faculty of Business Alumni Professional Development Conference of the University of Victoria. Your comments are welcome. Please write to us: University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2 www.business.uvic.ca Tel: 250-721-8264 Fax: 250 721-6613 26 Faculty news and notes Business Class magazine is published biannually by Canada Wide Media Limited for the Faculty of Business, University of Victoria. No part of this magazine Coach Wolfe locked in and more may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Phone: 604-299-7311. Fax: 604-299-9188. Mail: 4th Floor, 4180 Lougheed Hwy., Burnaby, BC V5C 6A7. 30 Back of the class Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40065475. The business case for open-source software Send change-of-address notices and covers of undeliverable copies to Canada Wide Media 4th Floor, 4180 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby, BC V5C 6A7. 24

10%

Cert no. SW-COC-002226 COVER PHOTO Robert Karpa BUSINESS CLASS | UVIC BUSINESS 3 Wes Baker Message from the Dean

As this issue of Business Class arrives in your mandatory co-op, international exchange, integrative management mailbox, the Olympic clock will have ticked down to the final four exercises, professional development, executive mentors and executive months. After more than five years of planning, the opening ceremo- programs—to name a few—forced us to focus and examine all facets of nies are set to begin February 12, 2010, when an expected 6,850 Olym- our operation. It helped us build a strategy in line with current trends in pic and Paralympic athletes and officials will converge on . advanced business education and containing clear deliverables. We thought it appropriate to focus on the Olympics in this issue Our priorities for the next three years include the following: because of a few connections to UVic •improving the educational experience; Business: alumna Andrea Holmes is vying •enhancing our reputation; to compete in the Paralympics and several •increasing funding and resources; alumni are working directly for VANOC or •improving student recruitment; indirectly for organizations that support •improving our connection with alumni; the Olympics. •supporting and improving our faculty It’s also because these are the first research; Olympic Games to embed sustainability •creating and preserving our organiza- as an integral part of their mission, vision tional culture; and and values. We too have formalized a •integrating our programs and research commitment to social responsibility and with the rest of UVic. sustainability into our vision, and named Several initiatives will help us reach it as an educational pillar. Within the fac- our goals. A new PhD program in inter- ulty we say, “We act our way into a new national management and organization way of thinking, rather than thinking our has been approved, with the first classes way into a new way of acting.” We did set to begin in September 2010. The new just that in the mid-1990s when two pro- PhD will have an international focus and fessors introduced the concept of social build on our existing values. It will also responsibility and sustainability into their support and improve the faculty’s reputa- strategy course and it stuck. Ever since, tion and research capacity. Another initia- education in social responsibility and sus- tive that will deliver on our priorities— tainability has been part of our values. It and help us reconnect with alumni—is is a natural fit with UVic, home to world- our 20th anniversary celebration, which renowned climate change and ocean sci- begins January 2010. ence researchers, and faculty members, Developing a strategic plan is hard students and staff who are incredibly work. Harder still is realizing that vision. committed to reducing our environmental footprint and contributing To help ensure we stay on track, we have published our educational to the improvement of society. Green strategies are now entrenched in philosophy, vision, promise, aims, priorities and key initiatives in Our student and alumni business ventures, where social and environmen- Promise 2009-2012, available on our website at www.business.uvic.ca/ tal values receive as much attention as the profit motive. In 2009, the discover/promise. I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to this faculty signed on to the UN Global Compact—a first for a North Ameri- document: our faculty, staff, student representatives, advisory board can business school—which requires us to align our operations with 10 and community members. universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the As usual, feedback on our priorities and actions, and anything you environment and anti-corruption. read about in Business Class, is welcome. Please feel free to email me Our formal adoption of social responsibility and sustainability resulted with your thoughts and comments. from our strategic planning process, where every element of our vision was examined. I’m grateful to Eric Jordan (BA ’93), our former entrepre- Sincerely, neur-in-residence, for introducing us to a one-page strategic planning

ervices framework (www.gazelles.com/strategic_planning.html). Our commit- ment to providing an experiential education that is international, inte- grative, innovative and socially responsible, anchored in scholarship Ali Dastmalchian excellence, means that by design UVic Business is a complex organiza- Professor and Dean

Vic Photo S Photo U Vic Photo: tion. Delivering on our values through features such as a cohort format, [email protected]

Business Class | uvic business 5 | Reading room

The Poverty of the reader and serves as a call to action. Corrupt Nations Cullen shares insights into the vicious Roy Cullen cycle of poverty and corruption that Blue Butterfl y Books, 2008, 228 pages exists in many undeveloped countries. He outlines several strategies for We’ve all heard it before. The rich are addressing corruption: accountable, getting richer and the poor are getting transparent governments, government poorer, especially in undeveloped watchdogs (like our attorney general) countries where a very small portion of and an independent press that can the population has abundant wealth, report balanced, unbiased views of a and the majority live in poverty, nation’s workings to its citizens. He also struggling with large families, disease argues that a reduction of trade barriers, and a lack of resources to feed, clothe sustainable natural resource management and shelter their kin. To those of us in and fair labour practices will help the developed world, it has become a developing countries alleviate abject distant and muted refrain, but author and poverty and curb corruption. former MP Roy Cullen gives us a wake- If I lacked faith in our elected offi cials, up call: if all is not well with people on it has been restored by Cullen’s breadth the planet, something must be done to of knowledge and his passion to make the improve things. world a better place for its citizens. His And that’s what makes The Poverty solutions require committed individuals of Corrupt Nations such a powerhouse to move them forward—which would By Krista Boehnert, MLIS, Alumni Offi cer book. It’s not just it’s well-researched, vastly improve the well-being of many thought-provoking content; it’s because people around the world. the author’s passion for the topic engages

X Saves the World: How biased, but delightfully so, Generation X Got the Shaft Gordinier highlights some of generation but Can Still Keep Everything X’s best achievements. Not surprisingly, From Sucking given the author’s expertise in pop Jeff Gordinier culture, his examples revolve mainly viking, 2008,189 pages around the entertainment industry and the Internet. One such example is the Everyone is obsessed with generational Pandora Music Genome project—an guidelines these days. How do boomers online “radio” that analyzes your music like to communicate? How do we work picks and then selects other songs with with millennials? And then there’s that similar characteristics. And don’t forget other group of people. What are they the brainchild of gen-Xers Larry Page called? Oh yeah, generation X. Gordinier and Sergey Brin—Google—which, as takes the reader on a journey of all Gordinier asserts, “gives God a run things X, from Nirvana and Douglas for His money.” Other heavyweights Coupland to the original Willy Wonka & include YouTube, Amazon.com, Netfl ix the Chocolate Factory fi lm, to learn what and Wikipedia. There’s no question makes gen-X tick. Although Gordinier generation X is leaving its mark in the spends a lot of time on Kurt Cobain world despite being small in numbers. and slackers (which as an Xer I have X Saves the World is a trip down no complaint about), he does a good memory lane, an optimistic look to the By Krista Boehnert, MLIS, Alumni Offi cer job of summing up the sensibilities of future and a call for Xers everywhere to a generation sandwiched between the keep changing the world—even if the behemoth boomer generation and the boomers and millennials don’t pay any equally huge millennial population. attention to us. bc

6 universitY Of viCtOria | fall/winter 2009 | Giving back A life of chance and adventure Donor’s journey leads to a bursary for business students By Cristy Hartman, Development Officer

Hard work, strength of character and a sense of adventure took Marjorie Yeats from her hometown in Saskatchewan and across Canada, through America, to Victoria, BC. Her journey began on a hot, dry afternoon on her father’s farm, where she stacked sheaves of wheat and dreamed of a different life. “I wanted to further my education,” Donor Marjorie Yeats: then and now says Yeats, who established the Marjorie and Lawrence Yeats Bursary for business living on coffee and doughnuts until my students in 1995. first paycheque arrived!” she says. Yeats was born during the Great Despite the hardships, Yeats excelled. With all the travel in her life, it’s no sur- Depression—a time that stretched She had inherited her father’s great ability prise Yeats met her husband Lawrence on nations and families to their very limit. for numbers. “I could [also] always bal- a bus. He was the driver on the route she “My parents didn’t have the extra money ance hard work with fun,” she says. Once took every day to her job at CIBC Bank in it would take to send me to school so my Yeats and a friend hitchhiked to Niagara Victoria, where she worked for 40 years. father found a way to make it happen. Falls and were happy to get a late-night Married in 1950, Yeats and her husband Instead of paying a hired hand, he hired ride back to the outskirts of Toronto from shared the same strong work ethic. They me to work the fields.” This paid for her some friendly police officers. worked during the week and spent the Grade 12 education, which in those days Family life took her back to Saskatch- weekends having fun while building and was considered the same as the first few ewan, where she spent the summer and fall renovating investment properties. They years of college. working on her father’s farms and as a clerk also loved to travel, visiting Australia, After attending school in Yorkton, and cashier for his auction sales. She spent New Zealand, Hawaii and Europe. southern Saskatchewan, she ventured the winters bookkeeping in his lumber When her husband passed away in 1994, south to Regina and worked at Simpson camp. The farm was a constant adventure— Yeats decided to establish a legacy in his Sears as a cashier. At the start of the the family knew the importance of work, name. “Lawrence was talented, success- Second World War, she and a friend were but also of having a good time. “Weekends ful and hard-working, but never had the recruited to work for Toronto-based John we went to town dances and visited,” she opportunity for an education,” she says. Inglis Company, the forerunner of today’s recalls. People stopped by the farm for great To honour his enterprising spirit, she Whirlpool Canada, where she would food, card games and chats that could last decided to support business education tally the earnings of factory workers. into the wee hours of the night. students who would otherwise not have Always ready for an adventure, Yeats In 1946 her father decided to sell the the opportunity to attend a post-secondary accepted a company-paid train ticket farms and retire. Taking only what fit in institution. Each year through the Marjorie that took her east on another leg of her their car, Yeats, her two younger brothers and Lawrence Yeats Bursary, students life’s journey. “Once I paid for my first and their parents started on a journey that receive financial support that makes their two weeks’ rent, I was out of money. I took them south of the border, across education possible. Yeats says she hopes survived by walking four miles there America and back up to Vancouver Island, their adventures lead them on an amazing

Historic photo courtesy Marjorie Yeats Historic courtesy photo Marjorie and back to my night-shift position, and where they decided to put down roots. journey, just like the one she’s had. BC

Business Class | uvic business 7 | Giving back New award for Simulator gears up students going KPMG backs student business global simulation for next decade

performance, and they’re competing with other “companies,” students are strongly moti- vated to dig deeply into company operations, probe for ways to be more cost-efficient and initiate strategic moves and decisions calcu- lated to boost company performance. Ray Kolla, office managing partner forKPMG in Victoria, says the firm believes its strength lies in its people, and the company works hard Henry and Marian Thiel to recruit and retain the best in the industry. “We have more than 160 interns and co-op students across the country, and the KPMG Business students will have more Foundation plays an important role in helping opportunities to develop their global us to support higher education locally,” says Kolla. “Students have a choice of where to mindset and prepare for a career in build their career, and the UVic Business co-op international business thanks to a new program is essential to our recruiting program. $50,000 award recently established by Beyond providing students with business Henry and Marian Thiel. In spring 2009, UVic Business received a and technical knowledge, the best training is Retired business executive Henry $150,000 commitment over 10 years from on-the-job training. That’s why the business the KPMG Foundation to support a business simulation was a perfect fit. Students can Thiel played a pivotal role in the simulation taken by all third-year BCom apply what they’ve learned in the classroom establishment of the International students as part of the faculty’s focus on in the area of auditing and accounting to a Export Management Program at the experiential learning. practical exercise.” world-renowned Banff Centre, where In the KPMG Business Simulation, students KPMG is the faculty’s largest accounting he served as director and principal compete to earn the highest shareholder co-op and career employer. Between 2003 value for a fictional bike company. This type of and 2008, it provided 51 co-op work term lecturer for more than 10 years. His competition-based strategy simulation thrusts placements for 34 business students. Dr. Ali business experiences led him to appreci- students squarely into an active manage- Dastmalchian, dean of UVic Business, says ate how significant international business rial role where they have to analyze market KPMG is an important partner in developing expertise is to success in the new global conditions, actions of competitors and their students who want to become accountants. environment. company’s situation. “This gift represents just one way they “For our students the KPMG Business support the faculty and provide outstand- The new International Business Award Simulation is a hands-on opportunity to ing opportunities to our students,” says will be conferred in 2011 on a fourth- integrate their business knowledge into a Dastmalchian. “Their support is far more than year Canadian BCom student special- decision-making role as the manager of a financial. Their employees, partners and retired izing in international business. It will medium-sized manufacturing firm,” says Chris partners instruct in our classrooms; they be based on merit, grades in the core Graham, faculty assistant dean and instructor mentor our students, serve as members of our in accounting and finance. Board of Advisers and continue to support the business courses, financial need and the Because they’re held fully accountable faculty through special events. KPMG is a great student’s interest in pursuing a career in

Photo: i S tockphoto Photo: for their decisions and their company’s partner in education.” BC international business. BC

8 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009

| Faculty research Reporting to the world By Monika Winn

means consciously evaluating trade-offs between such impacts. Sometimes human creativity and ingenuity find synergistic solutions—those sought-after, delight- ful win-win-wins; those times when it “pays to be green” (particularly in the short-term) or when providing social benefits simultaneously helps the firm’s operations; for example when schooling or basic health care help provide an edu- cated, reliable and happier workforce. But there are times when trade-offs must be made. And it is in those cases when the meaning of creating “sustainable value” really hits home—sustainable for whom? For how long? Such decision points pose many difficult challenges for today’s managers and executives. Many impacts— Dr. Monika Winn social or environmental, good or bad—are very difficult to evaluate. It is clearly unac- Everybody talks about sustainability smaller companies. The goal is to provide ceptable to sell a piece of equipment that these days. And when it comes to busi- trustworthy and transparent documenta- is highly unsafe to operate, but does the ness, it seems that triple-bottom-line tion, particularly for corporations that value of fire-retardant foam, for example, reporting is everywhere. But what does it have been exposed to the damaging effects justify negative health effects for those really mean? of bad press or a media scandal (which using a sofa made out of that material? In Just opening the websites of familiar doesn’t always accurately portray matters, some ways, environmental trade-offs might companies and brands reveals that most as, for example, Royal Dutch Shell found be easier to make. After all, there is a real have some public statement about their out over the Brent Spar, a floating oil cap on Earth’s capacity to absorb human values and policies regarding “social storage facility whose planned deep-sea waste and produce the kind of resources responsibility,” “corporate citizenship” or disposal caused a media sensation in the we so completely depend on, such as food, “sustainability.” And a surprisingly large mid-1990s). predictable and stable climate conditions number of firms, especially large multina- With the appetite and market for such and safe water. tional corporations, go well beyond stat- information growing, there is also an As the world recognizes the urgent need ing a policy—many painstakingly report increasing need to standardize reporting for fruitful action, the challenge for man- a confusing array of metrics aimed to cap- practices. After all, what good is it if one agers is to apply all of their organizational ture their performance on a large number coal-burning power plant reports com- resources and ingenuity to find true triple- of social and environmental indicators. pletely different metrics than another? bottom-line solutions. BC Clearly, an increasingly web-savvy Leveraging reporting for better triple- society—thirsty for trustworthy infor- bottom-line management is at the heart Dr. Monika Winn is an associate profes- mation, not to mention good news—is of the dialogue. So what does it actually sor of business strategy and sustainabil- putting pressure on companies to have mean to manage sustainably? At bare ity at UVic Business. She has received information at the ready. Recent ethics minimum, it means keeping track of many awards and honours, including scandals and growing public concern organizations’ impacts in the economic the Carolyn Dexter Award from the about climate change and greenhouse gas or financial realm (legally required and Academy of Management for a paper she emissions add further pressure. following generally accepted account- co-authored on the impacts of climate The data collection effort is far from ing principles), as well as their effects change on business. A detailed biogra- trivial, and the time and resources needed on the environment, and non-economic phy is online at: www.business.uvic.ca/ can be quite daunting, especially for impacts on society. But beyond that, it faculty_staff/faculty/view/40.

10 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 Doing it right By Sashie Steenstra, UVic Business Calgary Co-op Coordinator

Jill Wanklyn with Dean Clarke, DIRTT Controller

Fourth-year UVic Business student Jill Wanklyn can proudly call herself a “DIRTT- “DIRTT is small and progressive,” says not only reduce the cost of materials bag.” Her Calgary-based co-op employer, Wanklyn. “I truly feel that I am part of and transportation, but are also easily Doing it Right This Time (DIRTT) Environ- a groundbreaking organization that is assembled and moved. Agile Architectural mental Solutions Ltd., is in the business going to play a major role in the future Solutions replace drywall and sheet rock, of rethinking the way office interiors are of sustainable development and contem- which are the most common materials for manufactured, designing them in a respon- porary design. I’m proud to say that I’m building on-site office walls and rooms. sive and responsible way. a ‘DIRTTbag,’ the company’s name for its It’s estimated buildings produce 22 to 33 DIRTT constructs and distributes pre- employees, and I hope other students will per cent of landfill waste.DIRTT ’s solutions fabricated workspaces with modular, get a chance to work for a company as make it possible to significantly reduce movable walls and floors—known as special as DIRTT.” initial construction waste and eliminate Agile Architectural Solutions—and “plug Over 90 partners and countless other future renovation waste, with no need and play” power products. The goal is to architect and design firms work with for demolition, dumping, procuring or combine simplicity and aesthetic expres- DIRTT, and between 75 to 80 per cent of rebuilding. DIRTT has received several sion with functionality and sustainability. the company’s projects are in the US. environmental and design awards. BC Wanklyn did a 2009 summer co-op term “We are the top wall manufacturer in with the company’s finance and account- North America and yet Canada is just so For more information about DIRTT, visit ing teams. behind when it comes to modular interior www.dirtt.net. “DIRTT’s corporate culture is one that spaces and the environment,” says Julie empowers employees and recognizes free Pithers of the company’s marketing thinking,” says Wanklyn. The company and communications department. She offers complimentary daily lunches in adds they recently opened a state-of-the its Greens Bistro & Café, which encour- art industrial assembly plant in Savan- ages employees to mingle and adds to a nah, Georgia, and to reduce transportation culture of trust and openness. “What sets costs further, are looking at other locations DIRTT apart from other companies is the in the US. complete lack of conventional thinking,” DIRTT uses pre-engineered and pre- she adds. Wanklyn says this stems from manufactured walls and partitions, which CEO Mogens Smed’s unique personality and entrepreneurial drive, and trickles down the entire organization. From wacky writing on the walls of meeting rooms to high-energy and often competitive “lounge nights,” DIRTT employees are encour- aged to innovate, and rewarded when they do so.

Business Class | uvic business 11 12 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 black togreen to Colleen Hamilton is gold helping shrink the Olympic footprint, one carbon offset at a time By Robert Moyes

Victoria-born Colleen Hamilton (BCom ’06) Although sometimes described as an environmental earned her degree from UVic, then surprised herself by “sin tax,” offsets are a practical way to help make our easily getting into a one-year master’s program at the beleaguered planet more sustainable. “Offset funds are used Vprestigious London School of Economics. During this to help subsidize clean-air technologies in initiatives that period she also did a couple of exchanges to China, would otherwise not be able to afford them,” says Hamilton. including a one-year posting to Shanghai. The BC government, which has gone green in a big way, is “The economy was booming there but I thought that the Offsetters’ biggest client. And business is set to boom even economic development was having a dreadful impact, more with the onset of the 2010 Winter Olympics, for which from the terrible health and safety issues to the staggering Offsetters is the official supplier of offsets. “The Olympics’ amount of pollution being pumped into the environment,” direct footprint is 110,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, says Hamilton. “The thought of children growing up while the indirect emissions from the visitors, the hotels without knowing what a blue sky looks like is awful.” and corporations such as Coca Cola add another 190,000 It’s a lament many might make in passing—but Hamilton tonnes,” says Hamilton. “All those big sponsors have to had the energy, education and commitment to actually do deal through us.” A side benefit for Hamilton personally is something about it. that she has been selected as an Olympic torchbearer for the For nearly a year now Hamilton has been manager of ceremonies. “I get to carry it for 300 metres,” she says with operations at Vancouver-based Offsetters, a company a delighted laugh. that helps mitigate carbon dioxide emissions that are While she was one of only five employees last October, contributing to climate change. “Basically, we sell Hamilton has since seen the Offsetters workforce double, ‘offsets’—also known as emission reduction credits—which and expects to be part of a 30-strong team by 2012, when are designed to compensate for emissions that have already her company hopes to be selling a million tonnes of offsets occurred,” explains Hamilton, whose clients include per year. “UVic prepares us to be generalists and that has corporations and private citizens. “Let’s say you had to really come in handy at Offsetters,” says Hamilton, who fly return to Toronto, which would generate 1.3 tonnes of has done everything from handling human resources and carbon dioxide per passenger,” she says. “You can buy a creating a business plan to defining “performance metrics” carbon offset for about $26, money that we will put towards that measure success. Hamilton has special praise for the various projects that promote the ongoing reduction UVic Business course “Communities Local and Global,” of greenhouse gases elsewhere.” Offsetters identifies which helped her realize that the world of business could industrial processes that are wasteful and then finds a be so much more than just accounting or public relations. solution, typically by incorporating clean, next-generation “And now I’m doing interesting work out of a historic obert Karpa technologies. “We also assist companies in developing building in Gastown with great views out the windows,” strategies for reducing their carbon footprint,” she says. says Hamilton. “I’m very happy here.” BC Photo: R Photo:

Business Class | uvic business 13 The anti-pollution advertising By Robert Moyes solution Meet Wes Baker, Olympic entrepreneur and bane of ‘brandfill’

Wes Baker (BCom ’03) is no stranger to and even uniforms, Baker saw the need for a service that feats of Olympic calibre. Back when he was would respect the security requirements of big corpora- still a student in UVic Business’s Entrepreneurship pro- tions while at the same time avoiding too many trips to Wgram, he made a medal-worthy pitch to Edge Marketing the dump to dispose of what he calls their decommis- Inc., a Calgary firm that produces heat-moldable custom sioned advertising “brandfill” in an environmentally insoles for footwear—where he had previously done sensitive way. a co-op work term. The concept was the ultimate in “Cinder had plenty of experience with the assembly wear-testing scenarios: a run all the way across Canada. of branded elements, so it seemed only natural to offer This ambitious feat for charity, which was also Baker’s a disassembly ‘debrand’ service,” says Baker. “So … graduation project, meant he became the first stu- we started Debrand, to help deal with what we con- dent whose path to a diploma included five gruelling sider to be a global problem.” According to Baker his months of hoofing it from Halifax to Victoria. new company allows behemoths like Nike and Coca After letting his feet cool off for a few weeks Baker Cola to still develop those latest-and-greatest market- moved to Vancouver to work for Inventa, an “experi- ing elements, but at the same time be good corporate ential” marketing agency that uses interactive/street- citizens when it comes time to recycle all that wood, corner promotional tactics. metal, glass and plastic. “Inventa was a very creative organization, and And working in the backyard of the 2010 Olympics they often required unique, custom-built pieces for means that business is really starting to boom. Both their advertising campaigns,” says Baker. Originally Cinder and Debrand are putting in big hours, work- accepted into UVic Engineering, the mechanically ing with major title sponsors as well as behind-the- inclined Baker was soon designing and building scenes production companies. “There are so many unusual items destined for trade shows or guerrilla special promotional events and Olympic-branded marketing campaigns. “I have fabricated fake pop-up items, it is estimated that each day of the Olympics bus stops for , and got the job when the BC generates the business equivalent of three Super Dairy Foundation required some adult-sized baby Bowls,” notes Baker. strollers for their Must Drink More Milk campaign,” “We’re also doing a lot of consulting,” he adds. “If says the resourceful Baker. He soon quit Inventa and we give these guys some front-end input then they can set up shop as an independent contractor specializing create something that can be more easily disposed of in creating unique “marketing elements” for various afterwards.” multinational clients. Baker estimates his core staff of four or five could By February of 2008 Baker was president of Vancou- swell to as many as 20 contractors while working to ver-based Cinder Creative Inc., which he founded along meet the Olympic-size demand. “And this current with a partner, Amelia Ufford. “We were both environ- success feels like a direct tie-in to my very first co-op mentally conscious West Coasters, and Amelia and I term at Edge Marketing,” he says. “UVic had given me struggled with the excess and waste created within our good exposure to many facets of business, from web industry,” says Baker. After repeatedly being told to design and databases to marketing plans and account- obert Karpa “just get rid of” everything from lighting systems and ing, and all that was a perfect fit for a young, growing

Photo: R Photo: mechanical contraptions to display cases, old brochures company.” BC

14 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 Business Class | uvic business 15 star for all seasons Paralympic track champ andrea Holmes hits the slopes for 2010

By Andrew Findlay

In the midst of a record-breaking summer scorcher in Vancouver, Andrea Holmes (BCom ’05) is thinking about snow. Holmes is a four-time Canadian Paralympic champion in long jump, three-time national champ in the 100-metre, record holder in high jump and long jump bronze medalist at the 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. Now she’s trading tracksuits for snowsuits with ambitions of crack- ing the national ski team and competing at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Photos courtesy andrea Holmes, royal Bank of canada (headshot) royal Bank of canada courtesy Holmes, Photos andrea

16 University of victoria | fall/winter 2009 Andrea Holmes on the slopes (here) and with fans in Beijing (below)

“When I stood on the podium in determination that has defi ned Holmes’ athletic career, whether Rio to get that medal and saw my on track or snow. fl ag being raised, I thought how Phil Chew, head coach of the BC disabled ski racing team, says amazing it would be to compete that although Holmes is a long shot for the 2010 Games, she’s in my home country in front of destined for a spot on a future national team if she continues Canadian fans,” says 27-year-old developing at the same rate. That means Paralympic ski competi- Holmes over the phone from tion could be in her future, if not in 2010. Vancouver. “Basically the reason “Andrea is very coach-able. You tell her to do something and I got back into skiing was to she does it,” says Chew, a former Paralympian skier who com- compete in 2010.” peted in the 1992 Albertville Olympics. “What’s incredible about The switch from track to snow her is that when she started with us three years ago she had came with challenges, but overcoming challenges is nothing new never ski-raced before.” to Holmes; she was born without the lower portion of her left Holmes realizes that competing at the Winter Games in Febru- leg. Though she was an avid skier growing up in Vancouver, in ary is a lofty aim; however the underdog status keeps her focused. her early 20s Holmes shelved winter pursuits to focus on track “I’m super competitive and type-A and I want things to happen and fi eld. The return to snow sports meant adapting to train- fast,” Holmes says candidly. ing conditions dramatically different from what she had been Raised in a family that celebrates athletic achievement, accustomed to. Holmes’ love of sport was fostered at a very early age, in no Compared to the predictability of the track, snow is a challeng- small part by her father, who is an avid sportsman and current ing and dynamic medium. The ideal combination of wax, ski, president of Triathlon Canada. She rarely considered her disabil- technique and a stroke of luck can make the difference between ity a liability, and as a youth often competed against and with a medal performance and an average result. Her ego also took a able-bodied athletes. However, in some ways Holmes arrived bit of a chilling—she was transitioning from sports in which she late to world-class competition. It was only while watching the had top-shelf international rankings to one in which she was a 2002 Salt Lake City Games that she fi rst learned of the Para- complete unknown. lympic movement. The site of a one-legged cross-country skier Holmes went to work. Less than three years after joining the BC competing hard for an Olympic medal proved to be a seminal Disabled Alpine Ski Team, she earned a fi fth-place fi nish in both moment, inspiring her to strive for a spot at the 2004 Summer giant slalom and slalom at last year’s Canadian National Alpine Games in Athens. She wanted to test herself against the world’s Ski Championships. That’s just the kind of tenacity, drive and best disabled athletes. When she began looking around for a

BUsiness class | uviC Business 17 Andrea Holmes strikes a yoga pose in an ad for Lululemon, one of her sponsors.

coach she discovered knowledge about her public speaking skills. While juggling Rick Hansen lost the use of his legs in a the Paralympics was limited, and so too a rigourous training regime, Holmes also car accident but has gone on to inspire were resources to support athletes in has a busy schedule of motivational generations of Canadians to reconsider the training. Eventually she began training speaking engagements for audiences that perceived limitations of people with in high jump with the Pacific Athletics range from kids’ camps to RBC employees. disabilities. In her own way, Holmes is Club, but just six months before the torch The theme of her talks inevitably revolves building upon this social movement that was to be lit in Greece, her chosen sport around the personal qualities and is opening more and more doors for the was suddenly dropped from the Paralym- characteristics that have allowed her to disabled worldwide. pic competition calendar. Undeterred, achieve athletic success at a high level— Though she is focused squarely on ski- she switched to long jump and leapt to a namely, setting goals, achieving them and racing these days, Holmes knows that all respectable eighth-place finish. being accountable to those goals whether competitive athletes have a best-before Holmes is the first to admit that sport in sport, business, personal relationships date. Clearly that date for Holmes has not has defined her life, both as an outlet or in any of life’s endeavours. yet arrived; still, she anticipates the day for her competitive nature and also as Recently she wrapped up filming a yoga when she’ll have to press her business a means to experience the world, travel video and doing a photo shoot for degree into service to pay for the mort- and make connections in the business Lululemon that will see her featured on gage on a newly acquired North Vancou- community. She feels honoured to have one of the company’s reusable shopping ver home. It’s the reason she recently competed at the historic birthplace of the bags, along with five able-bodied Olympi- obtained her real estate sales license and Olympic movement in Greece and also to ans. For Holmes, a marketing campaign also completed training as an account have run in the torch relay in Beijing last that places able-bodied athletes on the manager with RBC. summer, a particularly moving experience same playing field as an athlete missing a She also wants to leave a personal given her half-Chinese heritage. leg is a potent symbol of what has been a legacy beyond medal counts and race “I get kind of choked up when I think theme in her life: that a physical disability results. Through her fledgling one- about it. My life is totally different because is like any other disability, emotional or woman organization, aptly named of the Paralympics. I have travelled the psychological; you can allow it to rule “GOALD,” she hopes to share her experi- world many times, seen and met so many your life or you can overcome it to ences in life and sport, and mentor people and had support from great achieve great things. Holmes doesn’t need young people, disabled or able-bodied, to companies,” she says. to search far for inspiration—Stephen achieve their dreams. So, when Holmes’ ululemon Sponsorships from both Lululemon Hawking may appear trapped within a racing days are over, she might be a little Athletica and Royal Bank of Canada have body racked by amyotrophic lateral less competitive, but she’ll be just as made it possible for her to focus on sclerosis (ALS) but his brilliant mind has motivated—she’ll simply be channelling

Photo courtesyPhoto L training and competition, as well as hone soared to heights few of us can imagine. that energy in new directions. BC

18 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 Casting a new ‘net’ You can hang your diploma on the wall without your iPhone level app, but you can’t do it without a nail

By Nathan Weathington, MBA ’07

I have worked with several UVic BCom grads over the past three years. To generalize, they are young, eager and excited about all things Internet. In fact, not one of them can fathom any other possible career path. There are several reasons new gradu- ates are excited about the Internet. First, it’s novel, exciting and changing rapidly. Second, they live and breathe it in their day-to-day lives. Third, the lure of easy money is hard to resist. The Internet industry perpetuates this easy-money excitement with thrill- ing tales of broke dudes in basements inventing websites whose popularity starts spreading by word of mouth on Monday, making them gazillionaires by Tuesday. What they don’t tell you is that “word of mouth” cost millions of dol- lars, that venture capitalists with deep pockets backed Bill and Ted and that the team actually included 250 engineers. because no one else is doing it, and let’s just say that if small-town democ- I’m not naive enough to think the because I analyzed the market with the racy isn’t a fad, I’m feeling pretty good Internet is some fad; I worked in high knowledge I acquired at UVic versus about being uninteresting. I don’t have tech for three years. If everyone is doing Googling “Are newspapers a good busi- to stare at a computer screen all day, the new thing, it ceases to be new. ness?” to plan my career. Our competi- which is a plus in my book. And Thousands of successful entrepreneurs tive landscape is improving every day believe it or not, it’s actually a ton of are retiring from all types of indus- as radio and television become more fun to boot. tries. Who is taking over for them? The fragmented than my son’s Tinkertoys Would you rather be one of the mil- Internet isn’t going to replace things like and our print competitor dies under a lions of geeks all over the world trying septic tanks, food, spark plugs, backhoes, mountain of debt. to come up with the next iPhone level bricks or nails. These are things grads In addition, the Internet doesn’t really app or a 28-year-old who owns 75 per use every day, but they don’t realize it affect us. The barriers to entry keep out cent of the world’s nails? If you were because they find the use of them boring. the riff-raff; compare this to the Internet the latter, you could buy yourself a I left the exciting world of the Inter- where you are competing with eBay, truckload of interesting. Moreover, net to run a small-town newspaper. Microsoft, 100 Stanford PhDs and some what would be more unique than a Newspapers! Yes, I keep hearing they’re brilliant kid in India in his mom’s 28-year-old nail tycoon? Think about boring and a dying industry. Why would basement—all at the same time. I’m not it: “Welcome to my yacht; I call her

Photo: i S tockphoto Photo: I do something so stupid? Well, mainly going to tell you all of my secrets, but ‘10-Penny.’” BC

Business Class | uvic business 19 | Alumni in profile Karen Jawl By Krista Boehnert, MLIS, Alumni Officer

There’s a new kind of The projects focus on reducing energy consumption, as well earth mother out there— as water and waste management. Jawl says they’ve fi nished she’s business-savvy, she’s environmental upgrades on 12 of their buildings and have two passionate about mak- in progress. ing meaningful changes Her role isn’t always easy. Often at odds, environmentalists in the environment and and businessmen can make strange bedfellows. she’s carrying her own “There’s this leftover notion that being environmentally reusable bag. Meet Karen friendly is more of a charitable notion as opposed to real- Jawl (BCom ’03). When izing that it actually makes some business case sense too,” she talks energy her face Jawl says. lights up, and when she She adds it’s important to show the fi nancial worth of talks about saving energy, green projects—they help save the planet, but they can also she can’t contain her improve your bottom line, and that’s the key to getting cor- enthusiasm. Her passion porate buy-in. And once you have that, projects can move is infectious—when she along quickly. discusses her current sustainability projects, it’s easy to get Says Jawl, “If we can [meet energy targets] in 14 months swept up in the excitement. and we didn’t know anything about it when we started, then I Jawl is responsible for overseeing energy effi ciency upgrades think there are a lot of opportunities for change.” at Jawl Properties Ltd., her family’s commercial property Next up for Jawl? She’s found her niche in the sustainabil- management company. And her hard work and dedication ity sector and plans to keep focusing her energies there. And is paying off. The company was recently awarded a Power lucky for us—by combining her business acumen and love of Smart Excellence Award from BC Hydro for retrofi ts that nature, Jawl is saving the planet, one building at a time. Now will result in a 22 per cent reduction in energy consumption. that’s an earth mother we can all cheer for. Class notes

2009 Liz Fosdick, BCom loves event planning, and after organizing a Daniela Alusik, MBA (GMBA) is working in the international trade range of events in the public and non- section of the Embassy of Canada in Beijing, China. pro t sectors she has opened Liz Fos- dick Weddings & Events. She is quickly Aurian Stark, MBA is working for the Government of Nunavut as establishing her place in the Victoria a senior policy analyst for devolution, which involves the transfer wedding market and is working with of federal powers and authority to the territorial government. He is clients from various parts of Canada. also involved in federal-territorial negotiation and human resource She is also looking for opportunities capacity-building. to plan events for corporate clients. If you’ve got a special event coming up, 2007 she would love to hear from you. Check Cynthia Cameron, BCom is set to carry out her website, www.lizfosdick.com, or the Olympic ame as an o cial torch- send her an email at [email protected]. bearer in the Winter Games Torch Relay. Liz Fosdick Her portion of the run will take place in Sidney, BC. The torch will travel more Christian Kittleson, MBA, wife Chelsea and children Kennedy and than 45,000 kilometres across Canada Chase are excited to welcome Charlie John Kittleson, born June 14, 2009. before making its way to Whistler, BC. 2003 2006 Cyril Elbers, BCom got married this summer and is moving to London, Dino Celotti, BCom recently started UK to do a master’s in international development management at the a new position as national food and London School of Economics. Most recently Elbers was a manager with beverage director for Opus Hotels. Deloitte Consulting in Calgary, AB. Dino Celotti

20 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA | FALL/WINTER 2009 Jason Hennebury By Dianne George

Jason Hennebury (BCom “Individuals must have at least 20 per cent equity (30 to ’03), is feeling pretty 50 per cent is preferred) built up in their home and be in a good these days, helping 35 per cent or higher tax bracket. Because it takes a while Canadian homeowners to get to this level of fi nancial security, we believe it’s best pay off their mortgages suited to individuals who are at least 35, and no older than faster. He is a partner 55, so if the stock market does take a tumble, they have time and vice-president of to recover before they retire. Because of these strict rules, all sales and marketing for of our existing clients survived the stock market meltdown at Tax Deductible Mortgage the end of 2008.” Plan—a company that TDMP viewed 2009 as an opportunity and modifi ed its placed 88th in Profi t offerings. “Previously, the TDMP product was strictly an in- magazine’s annual top- house service offered by our company’s own mortgage bro- 100 ranking. kers. We’ve since transformed our mortgage product into one “This product allows that is available to all mortgage brokers across the country and homeowners to pay their clients. In what some would consider a challenging year, off their mortgage in less than two-thirds of the time, while we’ve built a network of over 300 independent, TDMP-certifi ed generating thousands of dollars in free tax refunds,” says mortgage brokers that promote our product across the country, Hennebury. TDMP participants sell their non-registered securi- from Saint John’s to Victoria.” ties and use the proceeds to pay off their mortgage; they then Hennebury says he applies a number of lessons from busi- re-borrow the money to repurchase the securities and create a ness school every day: “Understand the market, never be legal tax-deductible debt. For a fee, TDMP manages the process afraid to reinvent yourself, grow your business by reinvest- for the client. ing the profi ts and strive for continuous improvement.” To Hennebury says homeowners must meet stringent guide- budding entrepreneurs, he says: “Fully commit yourself to lines to help them weather the risks of this product. whatever you are doing. Commitment drives success.”

2001 2000 Jennifer Koershuis (née David Kidd, BCom started a new Hufnagel), BCom (Ent.) and Ryan position in the Power Business Koershuis, BCom ‘99 (Ent.) met Unit for Schneider Electric. This is while working together at TAP a global position and his new role Solutions (thanks to BCom co-op will be strategy director, power work terms) in 2002 and were solutions for data centres. He will married in 2008. They currently be reporting to the vice-president live in Vancouver, BC, where Jennifer of power solutions for data centres. spent  ve-and-a-half years work- ing at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and then Jennifer Koershuis Kidd is responsible for de ning joined VANOC as a training specialist technical solution architecture in January. After years of travel- for the Power Business Unit’s data David Kidd ling for work with TAP, Ryan took centre o ering. This includes  nal the plunge and founded his own distribution, low voltage, medium volt- management consulting  rm, age, enclosures, energy metering, protection devices and software. Helios Services Group, with two As part of this role, he will be travelling throughout the US, Canada, colleagues (www.heliosgroup.ca). Europe, Asia and Australia to attend conferences, spend time with various Schneider organizations and meet customers. Shannon Gallaugher, BCom was recently promoted to marketing Kidd currently lives and works in San Francisco and was married manager at Mustang Survival. June 6, 2008.

Shannon Gallaugher

BUSINESS CLASS | UVIC BUSINESS 21 | Alumni in profile Lorne Neil By Connor Edwards, BCom student

When you fi nd your way In 2005, Neil completed his MBA at UVic. The skills he to the business world, learned in the classroom translate every day to his work at you never look back. Caorda Solutions. That’s the attitude Lorne “UVic Business provided me with a global perspective on Neil (MBA ’05) had as an organizational management, human resources, fi nance—a broad undergraduate at the Uni- wealth of disciplines—to be able to run your company more versity of Puget Sound in effectively,” he says. Tacoma, Washington, and In a fast-growing, competitive industry, Neil has risen to the one he maintains today challenge and fi rmly established Caorda in the marketplace as as vice-president of sales a local leader in technology solutions. Working on a number and marketing for Caorda of projects with clients such as , McAllister Media and Solutions, a growing Scotiabank, Caorda Solutions became a 2009 VIATeC Online Victoria-based tech fi rm. Strategy of the Year Finalist and has grown to 13 employees, with Originally planning a new offi ce at the corner of Saanich and Blanshard in Victoria. to study physiotherapy, But profi ts aren’t the only focus at Caorda. Over half of the Neil got into the business world after a stint as president and company’s team is UVic graduates, and the company gives treasurer of his undergraduate fraternity, where he gained back to the school by taking BCom co-op students and work- leadership experience and realized he had an ability to solve ing with the UVic Student Society and Commerce Student complex issues and make tough decisions. Society on their websites. Neil lived and worked in Tacoma for fi ve years after graduat- When he’s not working with clients, the Greater Victoria ing before moving back north of the border. He settled in Victo- Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Victoria, Neil competes in ria in 2000 with a job at ACD Systems. marathons and triathlons. Class notes

with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Vancouver, earning her CA in 1999 2003, before moving to Ireland to work in PwC’s Audit and Assur- Patricia Low, BCom (IB) served as a ance Group in Dublin from 2004 to 2007. Currently the Controller of manager at TD Canada Trust for  ve Aura Minerals, Bubb is responsible for  nancial reporting, corporate years after graduation, then left to budgets and transitioning the company from Canadian GAAP to IFRS. become a yoga teacher. She has just Aura is a publicly listed mining company with an operating mine in completed her studies. She recently Mexico and properties in the development stage in Brazil. got married in To no and is now a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, When she isn’t travelling for work Bubb enjoys vacations, the out- a registered acupuncturist and a cran- doors and completing renovations on her townhouse. iosacral therapist. Her business name Patricia Low is Circle of Healing and she practises in Amy Perron, BCom is rarely sitting still these days. Perron, a senior Vancouver, BC. Visit her website at www.circleofhealing.ca. manager in the Private Company Services, Audit and Assurance Group with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, balances a busy career with Shelley Bubb, BCom is hiking the local coastal mountains around volunteering and athletic pursuits. Vancouver whenever she isn’t in Mexico for work. “You have to have something to ground you,” says Perron, who “We’re spoiled in Vancouver with the mountains right at our door- started working at PwC after graduating from UVic. Perron articled step. Hiking, for me, is a great escape from the city and work,” says with PwC as she worked towards a CA designation, which she Bubb. This sentiment is reinforced by time Bubb spent in Dublin on obtained in 2004. secondment. Between managing a number of audit teams and providing business A chartered accountant (CA), Bubb completed the Diploma in advice to clients’ key decision-makers, Perron also chairs PwC’s social Accounting program at UBC after graduating from UVic. She articled committee and is a coach and mentor to junior sta . She sits on the

22 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA | FALL/WINTER 2009 Bob Aura By Tiana Mah, BCom ’01

Answering the call of developing pricing strategies for its lodging division. the mountains, Bob “Developing reporting that has been adopted corporate- Aura (BCom ’96) joined wide, and being involved on a team that has a direct impact the fi nance department on the success of our lodging business has been a very of Tourism Whistler rewarding experience,” says Aura of his current role as after graduating with manager of revenue analytics and reporting. His team is a specialty in tourism responsible for delivering revenue management strategies management. for the company’s resorts, accounting for a $125-million “Having grown up in lodging budget. Revelstoke, and being “Find a job that you truly enjoy and you’ll never have to an avid skier and golfer, ‘work’ another day in your life,” says Aura, “I was given this the chance to live and bit of advice early on in my career and as a result I’ve tried work in Whistler was to work for companies that align with my values, and sell a one that I couldn’t pass product that I enjoy and believe in.” up,” says Aura, who Continuing education has also been key to Aura’s success; spent four years in Whistler before joining Maxxium Canada, recently he completed a CMA accounting designation and a an importer and distributor of fi ne wines and spirits, as a fi nancial management certifi cate from eCornell. logistics manager in Vancouver. In his spare time Aura skis, mountain bikes and plays His love for tourism pulling him back into the indus- volleyball. Also an avid traveller, he has been to Southeast try, Aura joined ULC, a company that develops Asia, Japan and Europe with wife, Julia. He has also taken and manages destination resorts, including BC’s Whistler on a new role, as dad, with the arrival of his daughter, Blackcomb resort, in 2005 as a revenue management analyst Maya, in February. BC

board of directors of the Potluck Café Society, which provides local Remembering Kyle McMillan long-term employment and a ordable meals for residents of the By Je Bay, BCom student Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver. For those of you lucky enough to have known Kyle McMillan, you will remember him as a kind, generous and friendly person who always When she isn’t working or volunteering, Perron golfs, outrigger- wore a smile and had a kind, supportive word for anyone he met. In paddles and travels; recent trips include Morocco, China, Peru and December 2007, Kyle was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare Indonesia. and aggressive form of cancer that grows in the soft tissue. Kyle passed away just 11 months later after a courageous battle. He will be dearly 1997 missed and never forgotten. Matthew Scott, BCom, LLB left Kyle will graduate posthumously from UVic Business in 2009. He was Crawley Meredith Brush LLP in June proud to be a UVic student and worked hard to prove to himself and to 2009 to join CI Investments Inc. as everyone else that he belonged in the world of academia. He believed vice-president, chief litigation counsel. in a good education, a good school, a great city and wonderful friends CI is a diversi ed wealth management and faculty.  rm and one of Canada’s largest inde- As a tribute to Kyle—to honour his memory and spirit—his friends pendent investment fund companies. are establishing an award designed to support other students. We think Scott is looking forward to a trip back this is a great way to remember him, as he made such an impact on the to Vancouver with his family to enjoy faculty and the student body. We are now fundraising toward a goal of a men’s quali cation playo hockey $10,000. If we can raise that amount, a scholarship, the Kyle McMillan Matthew Scott game at Canada Hockey Place, as well Award Fund, can be paid out every year in perpetuity in Kyle’s memory. as freestyle skiing at Cypress, during the 2010 Winter Olympics. For information, email me at [email protected]. To donate go to: external. Matthew is married to Meghan Scott, an assistant crown attorney uvic.ca/development/givenow/online_login.php (the login ID allows a with the downtown Toronto Crown Attorney’s o ce, and has two tax receipt to be mailed to you). Kyle, the young man with the old soul, children, Turner, 5, and Alexandra, 3. BC taken from us too soon. Forever 22, forever loved. BC

BUSINESS CLASS | UVIC BUSINESS 23 | Degree at work Steve Bocska By Charlotte Ellan

What would you do if your crazy Roads course, and somehow I managed between. “The interest item in the game uncle decided he had too much money to never miss a hockey game I wanted is as crucial to the game play as the and was going to give you $80,000 a year to watch.” Bocska was developing and checker pieces are to a checkerboard,” to do whatever you wanted for eight hours teaching curriculum for an MBA program says Bocska. a day, five days a week? It was this ques- at Royal Roads University, so it seemed These days, everyone and their mother tion that got Steve Bocska (MBA ’02) into natural for him to get his own MBA. (and in some cases, grandmother) is on making video games. Luckily, he’s had great success with Facebook or Twitter. Social networking Nine years ago, Bocska was running a his choice. After his stint at Disney, he has become a part of everyday life. But retraining program for displaced fisher- relocated to Vancouver and worked at Pug Pharm hopes to make that network men on Vancouver Island. He would pose (then known as Black Box) even bigger by connecting people who this question to his clients as a stimula- and , and started have similar interests. Unlike Facebook, tor and eventually someone turned the in 2006. Today, he’s the it’s about reaching people you don’t question back to him. Within a few weeks, CEO of Pug Pharm Productions, a game already know but have something in com- Bocska had applied for a job as a game developer launching a revolutionary social mon with. And it’s a game, so it’s fun. designer with the now defunct Disney networking game, Through his UVic coursework and case Interactive in Victoria. “SNOGET,” this fall. studies, Bocska learned to identify and “I never thought I could combine my “Our game assess opportunities. His time at UVic love of technology and video games and requires you to find helped him see how industries evolve, get paid to do it,” he says. other people with especially in today’s online world. Pug Bocska was already enrolled in the MBA the same inter- Pharm can make changes to and adapt program at UVic when he got the job at ests as you, then SNOGET depending on how the game is Disney. The part-time option at UVic collaborate and received, he says. “What we’re actually cre- appealed to him. “I co-operate with ating is more like a service, not a product, was doing my MBA those people,” where we can ship the first version of it, part-time, and explains Bocska. and if it’s not quite right, we can address working at Disney The game play is the audience as we need it. That’s another part-time. I centred on inter- thing I learned through the MBA program: was teaching est-based connec- there’s a very real distinction between a a Royal tions, so it’s social product and a service.” networking in order It’s the first true online social network- to win. Interests range ing game, so there’s nothing to look to from Madonna to gour- for inspiration. Bocska recognizes the met cooking to the Tour de difficulty in trying something new with France, and everything in Pug Pharm, but his MBA showed him the value of having an alternative plan in case issues arise. “If you’re faced with something unexpected, you can enact one of those other options,” he says. “The program taught me the need to put that kind of work into keeping options open and making them more viable, and I’ve instilled that belief in Pug Pharm.” Although it’s a lot of work, Bocska hopes to harness the massive poten- tial of the convergence between social networking and video games. “I had this real revelation that there’s an amazing opportunity right now,” he says, “and if I don’t do something about it I’ll be kicking myself.” BC

Gaming, recycled: a background in the video-game industry, social media savvy and a UVic MBA gave Steve Bocska (MBA ‘02) the tools to create SNOGET, a new online networking platform

24 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 | Alumni report Building your future Alumni Professional Development Conference June 23, 24, 25, 2010, Victoria, BC, www.uvicbuildingfutures.ca

The Business of Climate Change—a special session preview Thursday, June 24, 2010

The climate is changing, both metaphorically and physi- The pressing challenges businesses face today revolve around how to: cally. Businesses can no longer ignore the unprecedented • align corporate and social responsibility goals with strategic uncertainty associated with climate sensitivity—nor decisions; can they ignore social movements driving consumers, • cost effectively shift to a low-carbon economy; and producers, investors, policy-makers and corporations • adapt to a growing regulatory regime that has increased global to make more informed and environmentally based investor and reputational risks. decisions. Forward-thinking businesses are develop- This special speaker session will address these concerns and use ing mitigation and adaptation strategies to prepare for common themes of sustainability and climate change to engage, economic, social, and environmental changes anticipated educate and connect distinguished professionals within the UVic in the near future. Business alumni community.

Session organizers

Daniel Hegg (BCom ’06) and Jacob Stein (BCom ’08, IB) are climate change services consultants with Stantec Engineering. Hegg, who originally specialized in accounting, returned to UVic in 2007 to follow his interest in triple-bottom-line constructs, pursuing a master’s of science in geography. He will be funded by a National Sci- ence and Research Council Industrial Post Schol- arship award (NSERC–IPS) and Aqua-Tex Scien- tific Consulting Ltd. His current work at Stantec focuses on applying his knowledge of climate change markets and ISO 14064-3:2006 green- house gas verification certification—including regulatory and voluntary offsetting schemes and protocols—to the development of an emerging climate change service line for Stantec’s Western Canada region. In September 2009, Stein begins a master’s of science in carbon management at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom. Since join- ing Stantec, Stein has participated in a range of climate change projects, working with a variety of stakeholder groups, including private-sector firms, unions, municipalities, provincial and federal governments and non-governmental organiza- tions. His work is currently focused on applying his knowledge of international climate change markets—including regulatory and voluntary offsetting schemes and protocols—to industry and government clients. Stein has also been directly involved in the development of an emerging cli- mate change service line for Western Canada. BC Jacob Stein (BCom ’08) (left) and Daniel Hegg (BCom ’06)

Business Class | uvic business 25 | Faculty news and notes

Faculty locks in ‘coach’ Wolfe By Dianne George

After a 13-year hiatus, Dr. Richard advantage and compete with big teams Wolfe has returned to coach UVic such as the New York Yankees and Business students in business strategy. Boston Red Sox. A former university football player and In other research, Wolfe finds that coach, Wolfe uses sports as a lens to leadership exerts more influence on study and teach corporate strategy, team performance in football than in innovation and leadership. baseball, since football is a considerably “Everything is very transparent in more interdependent sport—a finding sports,” says Wolfe. “We can learn a lot with relevance for non-sport organiza- about key determinants of organizational tions as well. success, such as strategy, teamwork, Wolfe has countless similar examples communication and leadership by at his fingertips that draw on 21 years of studying sports.” teaching experience and an academic A case in point, he says, is Starbucks background that includes a PhD in owner Howard Schultz’s adaptation of a organization theory, a master’s degree in major-league baseball player-rating physical education and an MBA. He was system to his own human resource drawn back to Victoria because of the strategy as his firm faces current market innovative nature of UVic Business and challenges. Sabermetrics, as the system Victoria’s beauty and lifestyle. He is called, is credited with helping the shares his passion for management and Oakland Athletics find a competitive sports with his wife, cat and two dogs. Briefs New PhD program in management Partnership with CMA program expanded UVic Business has launched a new PhD program to train researchers in Executive Programs has broadened its partnership with the BC Society of the field of international management and organization. Applications Certified Management Accountants and now delivers the first year of the are being accepted now for classes beginning in September 2010. two-year CMA Executive Program. Paul Levie, CA and honorary CMA, is “Our focus is on developing a global mindset,” says Dr. Ali Dastmal- the ECMA program chair for UVic Business. chian, dean of UVic Business. “We do that through course content, “The CMA Executive Program is for experienced business and govern- interaction with an international faculty and direct experiences in ment executives who require a professional accounting designation,” non-English speaking countries.” says Levie. “Candidates in the CMA Executive Program are exempt from Key features of the four-year program are: writing the National Entrance Examination and yet still receive the same • A focus on international business well-respected CMA designation as those who choose a different path to • Integration with the UVic academic community, which allows students the CMA.” to take courses across disciplines UVic Business professors teach the classes in Vancouver and Victoria • Opportunities to study and research abroad over an eight-month period from September to April. For program • Potential for internships to improve connections between theory and details visit: www.business.uvic.ca/executive/development/ecma. practice. “Our goal is to develop management researchers through rigourous Dr. Don Rowlatt retires training that has an integrated and international perspective, that will “Don is a wonderful colleague, friend and mentor,” says Dean Ali help them address current global issues,” says Dr. Anthony Goerzen, Dastmalchian of Dr. Don Rowlatt, former assistant dean of finance associate professor and PhD program director. “There is a worldwide and resources. “Not only does he put his heart and soul into his teaching, shortage of PhDs in management, so we believe our responsibility is he has also been instrumental in guiding the faculty through challenging to provide training to the next generation of management researchers financial times. We will all miss him.” and teachers.” Rowlatt taught corporate and management finance in both the

The PhD program is closely tied to the unique vision and strategy of undergraduate and graduate programs. In retirement, he will continue ervices UVic Business, which emphasizes an international, integrated, innovative contributing to the community through his role as a commissioner with

and socially responsible/sustainable approach to education. For more the BC Securities Commission. Rowlatt won numerous awards, including S ic Photo information contact Dr. Goerzen at 250-853-3872 or [email protected], or three UVic Business Excellence in Teaching awards in 10 years.

Wendy Mah at 250-721-6060/[email protected]. Rowlatt joined UVic Business in 1999 after 14 years as a university U V Photos:

26 University of Victoria | Fall/winter 2009 New prof set to teach—and learn By Dianne George

The business faculty’s east-west ties got than people and the motivations and even stronger this year with the appoint- emotions that drive them?” she says. “I ment of Dr. Marilyn Uy to the entrepre- also like to draw a parallel between neurship program teaching team. academics and entrepreneurs. Like “I’m excited to be at UVic because of its entrepreneurs, academics must generate paramount focus on entrepreneurship and research that has value and contribute to its genuine global perspective,” she says. “It the field— there is no step-by-step has a nice blend of local and international formula—both of us must find our way. I and I really like the student interaction. treat my ideas like a new venture and “For me, learning is a two-way street. I want to produce information that is novel regard my students as co-learners. In a and useful.” class of 65 students I get 65 times wiser as Uy’s spare time is filled with writing a result of the interaction. I tell them they and research. So what’s on her bedside are not just there to consume my lectures, table? Along with two research journals, but to engage, and their active participa- Barry J. Moltz’s Bounce!: Failure, Resil- tion is crucial to make learning possible.” iency, and Confidence to Achieve Your Uy’s research focuses on organizational Next Great Success. “I like it because the behaviour (OB) and motivational and stories can apply to everyone,” she says. emotional processes entrepreneurs “In life we have both success and failure, experience during start-up. “OB is about and being able to manage both is a part of people, and what could be more exciting the whole cycle.” BC

received an honorary Doctor of Laws in the 2009 spring convoca- tion. She is the first UVic Business recipient of this honour. MacDonald is a self-made entrepreneur who exemplifies success in the face of adversity. Born in Yugoslavia, she came to Toronto in 1974 with training in Dr. Don Rowlatt, speaking with students prior to his retirement medicine and classical piano, but vice-president, first at the University of Saskatchewan and then at the few resources and limited English. Entrepreneur Rebecca MacDonald University of Victoria. Prior to his time in finance and operations at She discovered she had a natural the university, he was a senior public servant with the Government of flair for sales and started a door-to-door marketing company. Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan. In the 1980s, when Ontario opened natural gas retailing to competition, MacDonald launched Energy Marketing. It grew to become the largest New assistant dean appointed energy marketer in Ontario. Then, in 1996, she started Ontario Energy Chris Graham, CGA began a three-year term as assistant dean of finance and Savings Corporation, which now has annual sales of approximately resources July 1, 2009. His expertise will be a great benefit to the faculty $1.5 billion and 600 full-time and 600 part-time employees. in helping manage finances, as well as budgetary and other resource- MacDonald raised two children as a single parent, following her related matters. Graham joined UVic Business on a full-time basis in 2003. He husband’s death in a 1992 car accident. She has also overcome severe teaches accounting and finance, championing the management specializa- rheumatoid arthritis. In 2002 she gave $3 million to help build the tion in both the bachelor and master’s programs, and recently completed a Rebecca MacDonald Centre for Arthritis and Autoimmune Disease at one-year term as director of the undergraduate program. Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital. BC

Honorary degree for entrepreneur (Extracted from an article written by Mike McNeney for the June 2009 issue For her achievements as an entrepreneur, Rebecca MacDonald of The Ring.)

Business Class | uvic business 27 Gold-medal grads A Q&A with VANOC’s UVic Business contingent

We recently caught up with two grads working for the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), Jennifer Koershuis (BCom ’01) and Arda Ates (MBA ’06) for a chat.

Business Class (BC): What is your role JK: If I had to pick two, I would say at VANOC? ice sledge hockey (Paralympics) and Jennifer Koershuis (JK): I am a training skeleton (Olympics). What surprised specialist. In a nutshell, our main focus me about ice sledge hockey was the is to design, develop and deliver train- intensity of the games—there is hit- ing to volunteers. This ranges from ting, one-time passes and slick moves general orientation to [training for] you can only pull off if you have two specifi c venues. sticks! Skeleton impresses me because it’s one of those sports where I can’t Arda Ates (AA): I am working as an picture myself doing it and that makes overlay commodities coordinator, it seem exotic. responsible for the planning and devel- opment of the event-specifi c temporary BC: What about the upcoming Games products and services required for the are you proudest of? Olympic and Paralympic Games. AA: I’m thrilled that Vancouver, one of the best cities in the world, is host- BC: What are you most excited about ing the Games. Vancouver has so much for the Games? to offer with its international cultural JK: I have a strong feeling this will be mosaic perfectly fi tting in the goal of Jennifer Koershuis (BCom ‘01) one of our best showings in history. the Olympic movement to promote There are many promising athletes to friendships between the nations and watch. I can’t wait for that moment contribute to a better world. when we break our home fi eld Olym- pic curse and win a gold medal in front BC: What do you think will surprise of a home crowd. Many people will people the most about the upcoming remember where they were when that Games? happens for a long time. JK: The sheer size and scope of the games. I’m from a small town of AA: Working at VANOC, I’m part of one around 700 people (Sointula, BC) great big team, consisting of people and I can’t even begin to imagine with different skill sets from different just how big this really is. There are parts of the world, creating a dream. thousands of athletes and officials, I’m so excited to see the end result of and thousands of spectators from all this teamwork and the dream come over the world. This is the biggest true. When the competition starts thing many of us will be involved and spectators cheer, I will step up to in, ever. celebrate my share and contribution in the journey. AA: I wouldn’t like to ruin any surprises. We should all wait and see BC: What are your favorite Winter what the Games will bring into our Games events? lives. BC Arda Ates (MBA ‘06)

28 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA | FALL/WINTER 2009 Postcards from abroad

Last issue we asked alumni to Duncan Christie, BCom ’00 send us stories about living and I took a position at State Street Bank working abroad. We got post- in Luxembourg directly following cards from so many UVic grads exchange terms at the University of and former exchange students Mannheim as part of my BCom stud- with amazing stories to tell that ies back in 1999. I married a fellow we decided to feature a few exchange student who was at Mannheim more here. from Alabama. Following completion I couldn’t survive without my beloved of her army obligations, including 15 Marcus Vinicius Coimbra Vegemite—luckily I brought some with me. months in Iraq, we settled in a small The most challenging thing I remember was town in the Luxembourgish country- Campos, MBA ’06 adjusting to the weather—the fi rst time it side, complete with a castle on a hill I studied at UVic while taking the MBA snowed I was so excited because I’d never program through Business School Sao seen snow before, but everyone was so mis- Paulo in Brazil. The structured classes erable! I have now fi nished my degree and at UVic prepared me for new challenges, am working as an associate sales representa- and I made quite a few moves after the tive at Oracle Corporation in Melbourne. Saulo Quirino, PMP I did a summer studies program in entre- preneurship, international management and international business at UVic in 2006. I now work as an IT quality man- ager in Brazil. For me, the classes at UVic were very important, but my time at UVic and a town square with a butcher and was really about human relations. For baker (but no candlestick maker). It’s instance, when the other students discov- a 20-minute commute to work (still ered we were Brazilian, they organized a at State Street Bank after nine years) soccer game against us—as if we were all through rolling farmland to get to work Brazilian soccer players, instead of execu- course. First I was appointed global after walking the kids to school. I have tives. The game was very nice and we buyer leader at General Motors, and then no complaints about moving here from won, preserving Brazil’s soccer status. I moved to Embraer as a contract admin- Canada. There are a few things I miss Some time later we hosted some UVic istrator. After one year I was promoted though: Tim Hortons, shopping on students in Brazil. We went to a steak- to supervisor, leading a team responsible Sundays and my parents and siblings house (Brazil’s specialty), and took some for indirect purchasing and the supply (although they do visit us here often). of them to see a real Brazilian soccer chain. It’s a great company to work for. I love my new home. It’s where I’ve game at the stadium. I was so amazed by My wife Nathalia and I had our fi rst baby settled and started my family. Work-wise, Canada during the time I spent at UVic in August. She joined me during my stay I’ve grown a great deal in the fi rm and that I’ve started the process of immigrat- at UVic, and we defi nitely plan to get back been given fantastic opportunities, manag- ing to Canada. to that wonderful and beautiful place. ing new clients and products totalling over €65 billion under administration Megan Wilson and custody—the most recent being the I worked in the Business Co-op and Career fi rst cross-border tax-transparent pension- Centre at UVic in 2006 on a 12-month pooling vehicle with over €5 billion under exchange co-op term from Swinburne administration. State Street supported me University, Australia. Canada was always through my CFA studies directly following a place I wanted to travel to, so when the graduation from UVic and also in my cur- opportunity arose to work abroad for 12 rent MBA studies, at Oxford. It has been a months, I jumped at the chance. Adjusting great place to learn and launch to life in Canada wasn’t hard, except I knew a career. BC

BUSINESS CLASS | UVIC BUSINESS 29 | Back of the class Getting under the hood The business case for open-source software By Chris Stone

make money by selling support, training, customization and a host of other options that make their product even better. Large software companies have been producing “one size fi ts all” products for many years. If your business needed just a little change you were told it wasn’t possible; to get by with what you had. If a serious issue arose, you had to wait until the next upgrade to get it fi xed. With open-source software, a program- mer can make changes to any part of the program. An in-house information technol- ogy department might have the skills to make changes; another person or company Would you buy a new car that doesn’t from operating systems and offi ce suites might have already made a change you let you open the hood, change a tire or to accounting and database programs. The need and you can freely use it, or you can even hang an air freshener? Would you majority of software companies guard their hire your own programmer or the software buy it knowing that if it broke down, code jealously and protect it at all costs. company itself to make the change for you. you’d have to hope it was still under war- Those in favour of closed-source soft- The fi rst two options save money, and the ranty and the company had a new model ware say the companies have spent more third option returns control of your busi- available to fi x your troubles? Welcome to money in research and development and ness systems to your company. the world of closed-source software. therefore produce superior products— Business has all but ignored open-source All computer software comes from those companies offer support pages and software until recently, but this needs to instructions called source code, which have someone on the other end of the change—it’s a viable option for meeting is written by programmers. Open-source phone who can troubleshoot your issues. business needs. Open-source software software allows anyone to view, modify This may have been a valid argument in may not be the solution for everything, and use its source code, often for free. the past, but not anymore. but forgetting it’s an option could cost Closed source, on the other hand, means One major recent change in open-source your company its competitive edge. BC hands-off. You can’t even pop the hood, software has been a radical rethink of the let alone check the oil. business models involved. Open-source This article was written using open-source Most businesses however, still buy software companies have realized they software by fourth-year BCom student closed-source software for everything can give away their product and still Christopher Stone.

OpenO ce: Similar to Microsoft O ce, this suite includes Writer (Word), Calc. (Excel) and Presentation (PowerPoint) and can open and save  les from Microsoft just as easily as anything else (www.openo ce.com). Examples of Ubuntu: An operating system that can replace Microsoft Windows (www.ubuntu.com). open-source The Gimp: Funny name, amazing program. Adobe Photoshop costs a few hundred dollars, software the Gimp does the same thing, for free. Apache: Did you know that more than 70 per cent of the websites you visit run on Linux with an open-source program called Apache? Now you do. SQL: Pronounced “sequal,” SQL is the backbone of many database applications. Many of these applications are open-source. BC Images: iStockphoto

30 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA | FALL/WINTER 2009 BRINGING CONFERENCES TO VICTORIA

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS

Tourism Victoria photo by Brenda Gibson

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS The Victoria Conference Centre (VCC) has focused on professional association conferences for over two decades and can now accommodate up to 1200 delegate conferences with the recent expansion. The VCC is proud to partner with the University of Victoria to attract national and international conferences to Victoria. The VCC is a proud host/sponsor of the following upcoming UVIC-led conferences: Canadian Forum on Public Procurement - 2009 Canadian Banner Users Conference - 2010 The VCC is also pleased to be a host/sponsor for the UVIC Vikes Awards Banquet and Hall of Fame 2009 Please contact us to find out more about how 720 Douglas Street Victoria, BC Canada we can help you to bring your professional 1.866.572.1151 or 250.361.1000 association conference to the city. www.victoriaconference.com Why settle for a job, when you can have a career?

Becoming a Certifi ed General Accountant won’t just help you get a job; it will launch you on a path to a great career. Recognized around the world, a CGA designation will open a wide range of opportunities by enabling you to advance to senior fi nancial management positions. With a state-of-the-art learning environment, the CGA program has the fl exibility needed to meet any busy schedule. And because real-world experience is a requirement of the program, We see more than numbers. you can still earn a salary while you learn. To see all the advantages of the CGA program, visit cga-bc.org.

LEADERSHIP | EFFICIENCY | PRODUCTIVITY | SUSTAINABILITY | MANAGING RISK