alumni report spring 2012

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Also in this issue:Giving a voice to the expanding force of contract workers Distinguished Alumni Award recipient David Williamson

DeGroote celebrates

The Alumni Report is a publication of the DeGroote School of Business and is managed by the External Relations Office.

Editor: Leah Rosenthal

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063416

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:DeGroote School of Business,McMaster University1280 Main Street West, DSB-116Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4E-mail: [email protected]: degroote.mcmaster.ca

ALUMNI OFFICER MESSAGE ........3

EVENTS CALENDAR .......................4

DEAN ON DECK ..............................5

DEGROOTE NEwS ..........................6

MAIN STORy ...................................8

ALUMNI PROFILES .......................11

RESEARCh @ DEGROOTE ...........13

ALUMNI COLUMN ........................15

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Faculty of Business meeting

Alumni profiles

Are you or do you know another alumni member who has taken a ‘road less traveled’? Someone who has carved out an interesting career off the beaten path? Did your professional adventures take you to one of the far-flung corners of the world? Please contact Leah Rosenthal [email protected] to share the details of where you’ve found yourself since you graduated.

Keep in touch

In the flurry of all the details to keep track of when you move or change jobs, you may not think to connect with DeGroote to let us know about your address, business or email changes. Please drop us a quick email and we will update your information so you won’t have to worry about missing an Alumni Report, event invitation or e-newsletter. Email Kellie Rabak [email protected] to make any updates.

Help! There’s a hole on our wall!

Help! Our Commerce 1996 class composite is MIA! Under the cover of darkness, someone has absconded with the class photo! If you are a member of that class and would like to loan your copy, we can scan it and return it unharmed. We would be most grateful to display it on our ‘wall of fame’. For more information, please contact Kellie Rabak [email protected].

Get Involved

Construction on the new DeGroote School of Business building in 1991. The building officially opened on April 13, 1992.

DeGroote School of Business Alumni Report - Spring ‘12 3

2012 is a very exciting year for the

DeGroote School of Business and

McMaster University. Did you know that

this year marks the 125th anniversary

of the University? On March 15, 1887, a

bill was introduced to unite the Toronto

Baptist College and Woodstock College and

incorporate them as McMaster University.

Originally located in Toronto – the current

site of the Royal Conservatory of Music – it

would be more than 40 years before the

campus made Hamilton its permanent home.

Since that time our campus has continued

to grow and has become a dynamic location

where academic careers has launched, life-

long friendships are forged and indelible

memories are made.

At the School of Business we are

thrilled to celebrate several of our own

important anniversaries this year. For our

MBA alumni, it is the 50th anniversary of

the program! We are looking forward to

wonderful gala in September with a recep-

tion and dinner (dancing too!). Mark your

calendar for Friday, Sept. 28 and be part of

the celebration. If you’re interested in being

part of the planning committee or assisting

with outreach to your classmates, please

send me an email. It’s going to be a great

event!

It’s also the 20th anniversary of our

DeGroote building and our Faculty as a

named business school. We are so grateful

for the generosity of Michael G. DeGroote

who supported our building and gave us

the privilege of associating his name with

McMaster’s Faculty of Business. Many of

our alumni will recall classes held in vari-

ous areas of the campus - the basement

of Kenneth Taylor Hall seems to come

to mind for many. In 1992, our faculty

finally had its own building to call home.

Our doors officially opened in April of

that year, and students who started the

MBA and Commerce programs in the fall

enjoyed brand new facilities and were the

first of the classes who graduated from the

DeGroote School of Business.

Our growth continued over the years

with the addition of our state-of-the-art

Gould Trading Floor in 1990 and the open-

ing of our AIC Wing in 2002. And of course

in 2010 our Burlington campus, the Ron

Joyce Centre, became a reality. A special

thank you to all of our donors whose

significant support made these expansions

possible.

It’s a great time to be part of the

DeGroote community. We have continued

to grow and have so much to celebrate!

We have world-class alumni who are

our valued ambassadors who proudly

promote the School both professionally and

personally. Our amazing students personify

energy and pride and continually strive

for and achieve success in their initiatives.

Thank you to each and every one of you –

we celebrate you! n

Kellie Rabak, Hons. BA ‘90

Alumni Officer, DeGroote School of Business

[email protected]

905-525-9140 ext. 26971

Alumni Of f icer Message

The DeGroote community gathers to participate in a panel discusion

Events Calendar

Cup o’ Joe with Alumni

There are various opportunities throughout the spring for DeGroote alumni to come and speak to current MBA students in an informal setting. Enjoy a light breakfast and a cup o’ joe!

Please contact [email protected] for more details.

MBA Spring Open House

Thinking about taking your MBA? Come experience the DeGroote MBA firsthand diriving our ‘MBA for a day’ event. Ron Joyce Centre

For more information contact [email protected]

May at Mac

Learn about the diverse undergraduate programs offered at McMaster University. McMaster University

For more information visit http://bit.ly/AoE3pe or email [email protected]

Commerce Class Reunions 1987, 1992 and 2002

McMaster University Reception: 6 p.m. Dinner: 7 p.m.

For more information or to register, please contact Kellie Rabak: [email protected]

Convocation

Hamilton Place

For more information contact [email protected]

MBA Gala Reception and Dinner

Oakville Conference Centre 6:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Dancing to follow dinner.

For more information or to register, please contact Kellie Rabak: [email protected]

New Product ManagementPeter Vilks

Human Resources: The First 100 DaysFiorella Callocchia

Social Media Bootcamp for ExecutivesAlex Sevigny

Human Resource EssentialsFiorella Callocchia

Executive Leadership Brand in a 2.0 WorldDianne Carmichael

Women’s Breakfast SeriesTeal McAteer

Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence

Execution Management: Key Success FactorsMark Baboolal

Aligning Marketing and Sales for GrowthBrian Meagher

4 DeGroote School of Business Alumni Report - Spring ‘12

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Executive Education at DeGroote School of BusinessUpcoming Programs in Spring 2012!Executive Education at DeGroote School of Business offers a number of programs designed to provide managers and business leaders with the skills, capabilities, and a network to improve their skills and reach their professional goals!

For more information, or to register for an upcoming program, contact Danielle Farronato, Program Manager at 905-525-9140 ext. 23917 or [email protected] execed.degroote.mcmaster.ca


Dean’s Message

Take pride in your part of history

At DeGroote, we speak with pride about

the accomplishments of our students and

alumni. We talk about how our commerce

students are in the 95th percentile in North

America on the Major Field Test, how

our MBA students on average see a 99%

increase in salary when they graduate,

how our PhD program has grown from 21

students 10 years ago to 56 students today

and how our alumni are shaping business

in Canada and around the world.

This year, we will have many opportu-

nities to show our pride in DeGroote as

we celebrate several important milestones

in the School’s history, most notably the

50th anniversary of the MBA program and

the 20th anniversary of the naming of the

DeGroote School of Business.

All members of the DeGroote com-

munity – alumni and students, staff and

faculty, donors and employers – are part

of this history.

For some, your memories of the

School of Business predate its time

as “DeGroote.” You may remember

connecting with students and faculty in

the hallways and classrooms of Kenneth

Taylor Hall. For other more recent

graduates, your memories of DeGroote

are filled with hours spent in the Gould

Trading Floor.

Whatever our own personal experi-

ences, we are all part of the whole that

is the DeGroote School of Business. The

DeGroote community is comprised of

16,000 alumni, more than 3,000 students,

employers – including some of the most

recognizable corporate names, staff, facul-

ty and numerous other partners. Together,

it is our responsibility to tell the story of

DeGroote and show our pride.

Anniversaries are a time to look back

and remember. They are also a time to

look ahead.

The MBA program of 50 years ago is

not the same as the program today, and

50 years from now the program will be

different again. Likewise, when McMaster

announced in January 1992 that the

Faculty of Business would henceforth

be known as the DeGroote School of

Business, the business environment was

vastly different from that of 2012.

The future of the DeGroote School of

Business holds new programs and new

people. Over the next year, the University

will announce a new dean for the busi-

ness school. In September, approximately

750 new students will begin their studies

at DeGroote, following in the path of so

many alumni who have come before.

To all of the members of the DeGroote

community, I thank you for the part you

have played in the history of this School.

And I challenge you to continue to be

involved in building the future of the De-

Groote School of Business. n

Bob McNutt, Acting Dean

Construction on the new DeGroote School of Business building in 1991. The building officially opened on April 13, 1992.

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DeGroote News


Social mediaDo you have an account on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter?

So does the DeGroote School of Business! Join the con-

versation and stay engaged with the DeGroote community.

Share your experiences and network with other alumni.

Stay up-to-date on DeGroote news and events.

n Become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/degrootebiz

n Join the official LinkedIn group at www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=44151

n Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/degrootebiz

Connect with DeGroote and each other today.

“News of Edison’s or Bell’s death would have travelled slowly…In today’s world, we are so socially connected

24/7, and Steve Jobs is so fundamental to that.”

Nick Bontis, discussing the passing of Apple visionary Steve Jobs in The Toronto Star

“Some of the most important decisions are made by a group and we do that because we think the group will make better

decisions. But that only happens if there is some conflict – as there will be if everyone is contributing and not being

complacent and just going along with the majority.”

Catherine Connelly, discussing the value of constructive conflict within group work in The National Post

“If you want to make a decision to be a strategic philanthropist…it has to be something you’re deeply passionate about. It’s not sustainable unless you’re in it for your emotional connection.”

Maria Antonakos, discussing the DeGroote School of Business’ philanthropy and leadership course and the role of corporate philanthropy in The Globe and Mail

“Workplace bullies are often hard to identify. They can be socially manipulative, targeting weaker employees and kissing up to those they need to be in the good graces of at work. Thus, an upper-level manager may say, ‘That person seems to get me.’”

Aaron Schat, discussing workplace bullying and offering anti-bullying tips in The Globe and Mail

“[The Occupy movement has] resonated with people and created awareness of the difficult economic inequality of the middle class….however, the banks and financial institutions are focused on their stakeholders. Leadership won’t come from the financial industry; leadership will come from political institutions.”

Giri Kanagaretnam, discussing the political significance of the worldwide Occupy protests in The Hamilton Spectator

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Alumni speaker seriesThe fall 2011 DeGroote Alumni Speaker Series was proud to showcase a dynamic group of guest speak-ers that included: Ed Minich ‘72, MBA ‘74 speaking on “Lessons from the Trenches”, Adam Felesky ‘99 speaking on “Corporate Leadership” and Robert A. Donaldson B. Com. ‘61 speaking on “Creating a New Business from Scratch to a Successful Publicly Listed Company.” The upcoming Alumni Speaker Series for spring 2012 is set to deliver a similarly influ-ential roster, including Red wilson ‘62 on March 14 discussing the topic “Compete to Win.”

Quarter century club inducteesOn Nov. 14, 2011, five DeGroote faculty members were inducted into The Quarter Century Club. The club recognizes McMaster employees and faculty who have achieved 25 years of service with the University. DeGroote is proud to recognize its new inductees:

• Yufei Yuan, professor of information systems • Lilian Chan, professor and chair of accounting and finan-

cial management services• Rick D. Hackett, professor and Canada research chair of

human resources management• Mahmut Parlar, professor of operations management• Wayne Taylor, professor of strategic market leadership

and health services management

Top 100 femalesFor the ninth consecutive year, The Women’s Executive Network (WXN) has launched its Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards, recognizing the highest achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. In December 2011, DeGroote MBA alumni Janet Holder ‘83 and Leslie Gales ‘80 received the esteemed award. Holder was appointed to executive vice-president of Enbridge Inc. in September and is the first woman to hold the position of president in the company’s long-spanning history. Gales is president and chief investment officer of the Midland Group of Companies and is very active in the community, sitting on the boards of the AGO Foundation, the United Way To-ronto and Mount Sinai Hospital among others.

MBA gamesOn Jan. 8, 2012, the DeGroote School of Business came in first place at the MBA Games national competition in Ed-monton, Alberta, ahead of its closest competitor by nearly 20 points. After finishing in the 7th spot in 2011 and having last won in 2007, the DeGroote team was determined to domi-nate in 2012. DeGroote claimed first place in all three divisions of the competi-tion: spirit, athletics and academics. Since the winning school typically has the honour of hosting the Games in the following year, the 2013 competition will be held at DeGroote with more than 600 people expected to attend.

n Become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/degrootebiz

n Join the official LinkedIn group at www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=44151

n Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/degrootebiz

Connect with DeGroote and each other today.


DeGroote News

“I don’t think it’s good for the organization. Usually when you hire a new CEO, there is an opportunity for you to make significant changes in the first 18 months of that person’s career. Having the old CEO hang around advising can quite often dampen that initiative to make big changes.”

Wayne Taylor, discussing Hamilton Health Science’s decision to pay two CEO salaries until the former CEO retires in The Hamilton Spectator

“Everybody is looking to distinguish themselves somehow and this [international experience] adds an element that becomes a little hard to beat because it requires you to put yourself out there [and] invest extra effort, time and money and take some calculated risks.”

Mandeep Malik, discussing the value of DeGroote’s BizX international exchange program in The Globe and Mail

“Set-ups like Jigsee’s are a growing model among Canadian start-ups. Such ‘transnational enterprises’ are out to capture the market

potential abroad while preserving the advantages of home.”

Benson Honig, discussing start-up business ventures in foreign markets in Maclean’s

“They need to once again find themselves among the top technology firms. Until they do that, they would have to keep

Goldman Sachs on their pay roster for a long time.”

Anna Danielova, discussing Hewlett-Packard’s hiring of Goldman Sachs to ward off threatening investors in IBTimes

“Pursuing a traditional MBA would have adequately equipped me in achieving my mission but the MBA co-op program at

the DeGroote School of Business was a better option.”

Gloria So, MBA, discussing her pursuit of work in the non-profit sector and the fit she found with DeGroote’s MBA program in The National Post

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Alumni who recruited for January 2012 Diamond Hill-Watson, ‘94, William Osler Health System

Scott Sherwood, ’10, Teva Canada

Rosalee Lahaie, ’10, Ontario Renal Network

Mark Bleiwas, ’01, CresaPartners

Mike Heenan, ’08, and Angie Yeung, ’11, The Credit Valley Hospital

Aman Dhaliwal, ’07, Hamilton Health Sciences

Lesley Moody, ‘10, Royal Victoria Hospital

Gia Marasco, ’05, William Osler Health System

John Nashid, ’10, St. Joseph’s Home Care

Bryan Herechuk, ’09, St. Joseph’s Healthcare

Martin Beraldo, ’07, Mercer Consulting

Nick Lal, ’05, Britt Haddy, ’11, Deanna Heroux, ’04, Jamie Barnes, ’08, KPMG Advisory

Rhonda Chou, ’95, TELUS Health and Financial Solutions

Beena Tharakan, ’03, Deloitte Canada

Neil Shah, ’07, St. Michael’s Hospital

Julie Nicholls, ’02, Grand River Hospital

Peter Brenders, ’91, BIOTECanada

CA/DeGroote centre for the promotion of accounting education and research A joint venture between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) and McMaster University was announced on Nov. 1, 2011. A newly-planned research centre at the DeGroote School of Business will encourage research, scholarly development and professional activities in the field of accounting in order to advance the profession.

Zonta international scholarship for women in business Zonta International’s Jane M. Klausman scholarship is awarded annually to women pursuing a business or business-related degree and who demonstrate outstanding potential in the field. Scholarships of US$750 each are given at the club level, US$1,000 each at the district level and twelve scholarships of US$5,000 each at the international level. DeGroote MBA students Nida Jabrani and Vivian Trinh were both awarded the club-level schol-arship in October, 2011, and Vivian was also the recipient of the district-level and international-level awards.

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Main Story


McMaster opens the Michael G. DeGroote School

of Business building

McMaster’s Faculty of Business is renamed the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business and becomes

the first named business school in Canada

McMaster breaks ground for the $10 million new home for the School of Business

The Faculty of Business is established

The Faculty moves from its quarters in Gilmour Hall

to Kenneth Taylor Hall

First year of the PhD program

Co-op MBA begins at McMaster

McMaster offers a variety of courses, such as distribution, business organization, corporate finance, accounting, trade & commercial law within the Department of Political Economy

Courses in commerce as a set curriculum are offered at the undergraduate level in the Department of Economics

First year of the MBA program

Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael G. DeGroote gives $3 million to the McMaster Faculty of Business

1930s April 13 1992

1950s JAN. 1992

1962 SepT. 1990

1968 1987

1971 1974

1973

Main Story


Looking back on his academic and profes-

sional career, Lloyd Smith, MBA ‘63

would most certainly be considered a

pioneer. Born in Toronto in 1918, Lloyd

has forged a fascinating path for himself

like no other. After graduating from high

school, he joined the RCAF Auxiliary with

110 Army Cooperation Squadron in To-

ronto and was assigned as a photographer

in the fall of 1938. One year later, war was

declared and Lloyd was called to active

duty in both Canada and England where he

served for the next six years.

A notable experience during his time

overseas, Lloyd was among the first to

learn to develop colour film outside of a

Kodak lab as a Warrant Officer in charge

of all base photographic units. “For night

bombing, the cameras were set with some

time exposure. To assist with the images, a

magnesium illumination flare was dropped

with the bomb load,” Lloyd explains. “To

separate the view of the flares from the

fires that were started by the dropped

bombs, we took one colour photo to iden-

tify the fares and another to identify the

destruction.” A pioneer in a time of war,

Lloyd and his photographs remain a part of

our Canadian history.

Upon returning to Canada at the end of

the war, Lloyd focused on his academics

by upgrading his high school courses at

Ryerson College and then enrolling in the

Engineering Physics program at the Univer-

sity of Toronto. There were approximately

2,000 students registered in the class im-

mediately following the war, with only 13

of them women. As he was completing his

undergraduate degree, Lloyd met his future

wife, Margit, who was one of these few en-

gineering women. They were married after

graduation on May 26, 1951.

Lloyd accepted a position at then-named

Steel Company of Canada (later renamed to

Stelco), and he and Margit moved to Hamil-

ton. Lloyd launched his engineering career

in metallurgy with a gradual progression

to industrial engineering. During his time

at Stelco, Lloyd became a pioneer in data

tabulation using an IBM 607 card program

calculator. Setting the bar high, compet-

ing industrial companies came to Stelco to

learn from Lloyd on his processes. In 1955,

Lloyd traveled to IBM’s Watson Research

Centre in New York City for training where

he saw the biggest computers in the world

and witnessed the early stages of computer

technology.

In 1957, Lloyd began taking part-time

MBA courses at the University of Toronto.

By Leah Rosenthal ‘07

A pioneers’ legacy

In 1992 the School of Business

expanded due to the generous support

of Canadian entrepreneur Michael

G. DeGroote. Thanks to his support,

McMaster became home to the first

named business school in Ontario.

Our benefactor’s financial leadership,

along with that of other major support-

ers, ensures that the DeGroote School

of Business continues to be recognized

as an international leader in innovative

approaches to teaching, learning and

service to the business community.

As the DeGroote and McMaster

community celebrates the anniversary

of the naming of the business school,

the future of the DeGroote School of

Business, its faculty, staff and students

remains bright.

Celebrating 20 years as the DeGroote School of Business

City of Burlington and McMaster announce their intention to enter into discussions aimed at

bringing a post-secondary campus to Burlington

DeGroote opens the Allen H. Gould Trading Floor, at that time just the second such facility in Canada

CIBC donates $1.4 million to fund the CIBC Chair in Financial Markets, along with the supporting the educational trading centre and a Trader in Residence program

Milli Gould donates $500,000 towards the educational trading centre in the new School of Business. The donation is in memory of her husband Allen H. Gould, a self-taught investor who was passionate about the stock market

AIC announces a $5 million gift to create the AIC Institute for Strategic Business Studies

in the DeGroote School of Business

Construction begins on the AIC wing at the DeGroote School of Business

McMaster opens new AIC wing. The addition adds three floors, 17,000 square feet, four new classrooms, 19 new offices, open graduate and shared work spaces and a plethora of state-of-the-art equipment to the University

Conference Board of Canada and the DeGroote School of Business announce The Directors College, the first corporate governance initiative of its kind in Canada

DeGroote benefactor Michael G. DeGroote gives McMaster $105 million. The donation is the largest single cash gift in Canadian history

DeGroote’s first Canada Research Chair is announced. The CRC in Organizational Behaviour & Performance is held by professor Rick Hackett

April 2004

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July 29 2004

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It was a small class comprised primarily of

students who were working full-time. They

gathered in Hamilton and, unique to the

time, the professor from Toronto commut-

ed to Hamilton to provide instruction. As it

happened, the University of Toronto’s sen-

ate subsequently discontinued the Master’s

degree program and that is when Lloyd’s

ties to McMaster University began.

McMaster University agreed to honour

the U of T credits earned by the students

working toward their MBA and Lloyd grad-

uated with his 15 classmates in 1963. As

one of the earliest members of McMaster’s

MBA graduating class, Lloyd is considered

a pioneer in the field of graduate education

that came out of McMaster University. This

was the second MBA class to graduate from

McMaster which followed the inaugural

class in the spring of 1962 which had only

one graduate.

Much like today, earning his degree

was a balancing act at its finest, as Lloyd

worked towards his MBA while working

full-time and raising two young boys with

his wife Margit. When he completed his

MBA degree, Lloyd’s eldest son Tom was

11 years of age and his youngest son Peter

was eight.

“While I had no expectations of what

an MBA would get me professionally,”

recalls Lloyd reflecting back on his time

at McMaster, “I have dedicated my life to

continually learning. The MBA program at

McMaster satisfied my appetite for personal

and professional growth and opened many

doors for me upon graduation.”

His quest for continual learning led to

another pioneered move in Lloyd’s life.

In September 1963 he left Stelco for a

teaching master position at the Hamilton

Institute of Technology which is now Mo-

hawk College. Graduating with his MBA

from McMaster University opened the door

for this teaching opportunity which lasted

almost 30 years.

Lloyd taught industrial management

courses which later evolved into the com-

puter studies program and did so until his

retirement in 1983 at the age of 65. Lloyd

continued to instruct part-time until 1990.

He also pioneered the Saltfleet campus

computer lab and taught manpower retrain-

ing programs at the Mohawk campus in

Brantford, Ontario. Through these experi-

ences, he witnessed tremendous growth

in Hamilton, McMaster University and at

Mohawk College.

It is said that engineers are born, not

made. Lloyd and his wife Margit contin-

ued that legacy as both of their sons, Tom

and Peter, followed in their footsteps and

became engineers. And like his father,

Peter graduated with his MBA in 1987 from

McMaster University. Similar to the path

forged by his father, Peter worked part-time

towards his degree with a wife and two

young children at home. Upon graduation,

his family expanded and they welcomed

two more children.

“I was of a similar mind-set as my father

as I had no real expectations about what

I would get from my MBA,” recalls Peter,

managing partner, The Meaford Group.

“However, I understood that there was a

gap in my knowledge. I recognized that

I needed to upgrade my skills and learn

about general management and become

more familiar with accounting, marketing,

and people management. My MBA at Mc-

Master University provided me with exactly

that.”

The legacy of the Smith family as engi-

neers continues with Tom’s daughter who

has also graduated with a degree in engi-

neering and Peter’s son who is currently

completing his engineering degree . The

legacy that began back in 1918 with the

birth of a pioneer continues. n

The DeGroote School of Business at

McMaster University is excited to host a

gala reception and dinner to celebrate

the occasion of the 50th anniversary

of our MBA program on September 28,

2012 in Oakville, Ontario. For more

information please contact Kellie Rabak,

alumni officer, [email protected]

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Ron Joyce donates $10 million to McMaster Burlington campus

DeGroote alumnus John Marinucci ’80, former President and CEO of bus manufacturer New Flyer Industries Canada, and family donate $1 million to

fund the Marinucci Family Auditorium at the Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington

DeGroote alumna Teresa Cascioli ’83, former CEO of Lakeport, donates $1 million to fund the Teresa

Cascioli Chair in Entrepreneurial Leadership

Investment executive Russell C. Boychuk donates $500,000 to DeGroote to support the continued delivery of market data to the School’s Allen H. Gould Trading Floor

McMaster announces the DeGroote School of Business will have a major presence at the Burlington campus

McMaster earns accreditation from AACSB International – The Association to

Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Burlington council invests $5 million in McMaster plan

Halton Region invests $5 million in McMaster plan

McMaster begins construction on DeGroote School of Business in Burlington

Classes begin at the DeGroote School of Business Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington

Celebrating 20th Anniversary as the DeGroote School of Business and 50th Anniversary of the MBA

Program and looking ahead to a bright future

JAN. 27 2006

JuNe 18 2007

April 18 2006

DeC. 11 2007

NOv. 16 2005

SepT. 2010

2012

JAN. 21 2009

JuNe 17 2009

JuNe 21 2010

OCT. 21 2008

Alumni Profile


As iconic as the Tilley Hat has become

for adventure-seekers across the globe, so

too has DeGroote graduate Mary Coleen

Shanahan ’76 become a symbol of Tilley

Endurables. As the president and CEO of

Tilley, she has been able to expand upon

founder Alex Tilley’s vision for the brand

and add her own passion to the company.

Shanahan points to a strong foundation

from McMaster and her diverse professional

background as key components of her

success.

Tilley Endurables is one of the leading

manufacturers and retailers of high-quality

hats and travel clothing in Canada and

across the globe. Created by avid traveller

and sailor Alex Tilley in 1980, the Tilley

team has been designing and manufactur-

ing functional and stylish apparel in Canada

for more than 30 years, appealing to globe-

trotters and backyard adventurers alike.

Shanahan, originally from Winnipeg,

came to McMaster for her second year of

undergraduate study after her father was

transferred to Hamilton for work. She

became president of the Commerce Society

and helped introduce the idea for a Com-

merce Society business directory to help

members keep connected in the future.

This continual connection to McMaster

remains especially important to Shanahan.

After graduating from McMaster, Shana-

han received her chartered accountant and

certified management accountant designa-

tions and worked as an audit partner for

KPMG before transitioning into marketing.

Portfolio diversification is something that

Shanahan strongly encourages for current

undergraduate and graduate students, as

her own path to senior management in-

cluded unexpected opportunities.

“My commerce degree gave me the busi-

ness basics upon which I built my career,

and further studies and work experience

provided me with insights into Canadian

and international businesses both large and

small. All this varied experience gave me

key skills and insights which are essential

in my current role as president of Tilley

Endurables.”

A retired KPMG coworker introduced

Shanahan to Alex Tilley in 1998. She was

first brought on as CFO of Tilley Endur-

ables Inc. and ultimately took on the role

of president and CEO. Because sales are

vital for a consumer-based company, her

marketing experience from KPMG helps

her with sales initiatives for Tilley. Shana-

han also notes that it is important for those

in senior positions to have strong financial

knowledge in order to understand why

they are getting certain results. As a past

audit partner, Shanahan is well equipped

with the tools to understand the details of

her company’s finances.

Aside from the skills within her diverse

portfolio, Shanahan states that the strong

foundation she gained from DeGroote

constantly re-emerges in her work. For

example, she uses concepts from cost

accounting classes on a regular basis,

returning to the basics she learned during

her undergraduate degree frequently in her

professional career.

As her early business directory initiatives

predicted, Shanahan values her continued

connection to the DeGroote School of

Business. She says that this sentiment stems

from her father’s ongoing relationship with

the University of New Brunswick, from

which he graduated in 1948. He continues

to attend all reunions and remains in con-

tact with his university roommate.

“I’m proud to be a Mac grad,” Shanahan

states. “I often meet McMaster graduates

and we instantly share a common bond. If

I can give back to the business school by

helping today’s students, then I am pleased

to share my experience and point of view.”

Shanahan has generously given back to

the school and recommends the Executive

Education programs at DeGroote to keep

skills current. Her advice to students is to

take every opportunity they can. “Seek

the transferable skills you need to achieve

for the future in every role you take on,

whether that is in a formal working envi-

ronment or volunteering in the communi-

ty,” she notes. “These experiences will give

you new skills and hone others, and will

allow you the flexibility with your career to

work anywhere with anyone.” n

By Kim Wojtczak

Wearing many hats to find the perfect fit

Alumni Profile

On March 1, 2012, the DeGroote School of

Business hosted an Evening of Accolades

and presented its 13th consecutive Wayne

C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award to

David williamson ‘83.

Reflecting upon his time at McMaster

University, Williamson recalls it was an eye-

opening experience. “I was exposed to a

whole new world of ideas, experiences and

people,” says Williamson. “The business

school curriculum required me to study

subjects beyond just numbers, such as

psychology, politics and astronomy. These,

and other topics, which I hadn’t focused

on before, acted to expand and open my

mind. My time at McMaster set the tone for

my career and for my life.”

“I did well academically at McMaster

which increased my confidence. But I also

became acutely aware of having gaps. I

had summer jobs at Stelco, a farm, and at a

golf course, which were all interesting but

they provided very little practical knowl-

edge about business. Also, growing up in

Burlington and going to university next

door in Hamilton hadn’t resulted in a great

breadth of life experiences.”

After graduating in 1983, Williamson

did two things. He traveled to Europe and

earned his CA designation knowing that

both would help fill the gaps he had identi-

fied. Travelling across Europe with two

other McMaster graduates gave Williamson

the life experiences he was looking for and

his CA designation exposed him to busi-

ness. Both ventures would merge in 1986

when he joined PriceWaterhouseCooper’s

United Kingdom audit office which led to

a successful career providing advice on

financial risk management as a consultant

to European based banks.

After working in the UK and in Swit-

zerland, Williamson came back to Canada

in 1990 as a financial services consultant.

Shortly thereafter he joined Derlan Indus-

tries, a highly diversified manufacturing

company with operations in Canada, Mexi-

co, the US and Germany. “Derlan presented

a substantial learning experience. I started

in a fairly junior finance position and over

time took more senior roles eventually

becoming the President and CEO of the

company.” Derlan also provided William-

son with his first exposure to M&A related

activity as he had a leading role in the

sale of 11 companies and the acquisition

of aerospace assets during an 18 month

period when Derlan was transformed into

a more focused aerospace based manufac-

turer.

Williamson then became the executive

vice president and CFO of Clarica Life

Insurance. “It was a fascinating time to join

as a change in financial services legisla-

tion was being introduced which permitted

mergers within the insurance sector.” In ad-

dition to being CFO, Williamson managed a

process which led to Clarica’s merger with

Sun Life. This appointment was followed

by Williamson having an executive role

at Canada Life where he led the team that

responded to an unsolicited bid and com-

pleted a successful merger with Great West

Life. Thereafter Williamson became the

President and CEO of Atlas Cold Storage

the second largest cold storage and logistics

company in North America. “Atlas was a

great company that had run into financial

and operational difficulties. Over a two

year period we got the company turned

around and back on very solid footing.”

Williamson joined CIBC in 2008 as the

CFO and was recently appointed the group

head of retail and business banking. Wil-

liamson is responsible for CIBC’s Personal

and Business Banking operations, which

serve more than 10 million clients across

the country through a team of approxi-

mately 22,000 employees.

Upon acknowledgement of winning

DeGroote’s Distinguished Alumni Award,

Williamson had two pieces of advice for

students, young professionals and alumni.

“First, make choices that add branches to

your tree. Always look for those opportuni-

ties that will give you more experience and

more options in the future. Second, and

most importantly, value your reputation. It

is your most valuable asset and you need

to increase its value through your actions,

who you associate with and what work you

do.” n

By Leah Rosenthal ‘07

DeGroote’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner


Research@DeGroote


Although non-standard employment and

contract work is on the rise, there remains

a lack of research that has been done

on this segment of the workforce. This

is where McMaster graduate and current

DeGroote associate professor Catherine

Connelly comes in. Connelly teaches orga-

nizational behaviour and human resources

management at the DeGroote School of

Business, and she has a passion for the

contingent worker’s experience.

Often treated in employment studies as

permanent workers, non-standard employ-

ees and their distinct experiences have

been often overlooked. Connelly hopes

to shed light on the challenges as well as

benefits to their work, along with their in-

dividual attitudes and conduct. Her current

research includes a study on the workplace

behaviours of non-standard employees

entitled Predicting temporary workers’ be-

haviors: Justice, volition, and spillover.

In her study, Connelly states that contin-

gent workers are frequently treated differ-

ently than permanent employees. “Depend-

ing where they work, contingent workers

may find that they are excluded from office

social events, don’t receive appropriate

safety training, or aren’t provided with the

information that they need to do their jobs

properly,” she states. She explores how

both agency and employer treatment can

influence employee behaviours and cause

spillover effects.

However, Connelly also finds that many

see value in non-standard work, pointing

to newcomers testing the waters or older

employees exiting the workforce and seek-

ing flexibility.

Connelly is particularly interested in

cross-cultural differences among percep-

tions of contingent workers. In North

America, she notes that temporary work-

ers are often stereotyped as evading office

duties, while in parts of Europe they are

viewed as the hardest working, most

dedicated employees. Connelly remains

devoted to researching contingent workers

in any way she can, and her forthcoming

follow-up study will compare independent

contractor experiences in Sweden and

North America. n

The full article on Catherine

Connelly’s contingent employment

research can be found in the latest

issue of Research @ DeGroote.

Catherine Connelly Associate professor of organizational behaviour and human resource management

Giving a voice to the expanding force of contract workers

1

v o l u m e 2 | j a n . 2 0 1 2

I N S I D E

Faculty Profi les

PhD Profi le

14 What’s new @ Innis?

15 Publications17 Conference Proceedings &

Presentations

21 Research Grants22 Awards & Recognitions

23 Appointments 24 Books & Chapters

24 PhD Defenses

CJAS Profi le

3Giving a voice to the

expanding force of contract workers

Catherine Connelly

4The art of behaviour

and fi nanceRichard Deaves

5Protecting the rights of participants

Brian Detlor 7Do the Big 4 increase the

value of your privately-owned business?

Justin Jin

8Newfound research

focus a result of sabbaticalChristopher Longo

9The importance of

being on time counts in

supply chain scheduling

George Steiner

11Strong governance

structures make for strong

shareholder relationsUmar Butt

12Advanced Theory

and Practice at the DeGroote School

of Business Strong governance

structures make for

strong shareholder

relations

Do the Big 4

increase the value

of your privately-

owned business?

Giving a voice to

the expanding

force of contract

workers

117

3

V o l u m e 2 | J a n . 2 0 1 2

The 2012 issue of Research @ DeGroote

features profiles of studies on research

ethics at McMaster, the significance of

supply chain scheduling, behavioural

finance and temporary employment.

A closer look is taken at the effects

sabbaticals have on research focus, along

with “Big 4” auditors and their influence

on private companies.

The issue includes publications, books/

chapters, conference proceedings, re-

search grants, PhD defenses, awards and

recognitions of DeGroote faculty for the

2011 year.

Research @ DeGroote can be found at:

http://degroote.mcmaster.ca/faculty/rad.html

Alum

ni R

epor

t •

Sprin

g 20

12


Alumni Column

On June 28, 2011, an honorary doctor-

ate degree (LL.D.) was conferred upon

Luke Chan, professor of finance, DeGroote

School of Business and also an associate

vice president of international affairs at

McMaster.

The honorary degree was granted by the

Chinese State Council and awarded by the

Beijing Language and Culture University

(BLCU).

This was far from just another ordinary

event, both for Chan and for BLCU. For

BLCU, this was the first ever doctoral

degree that they had ever conferred upon

anyone in 49 years of the university’s

history.

In China, the decision to grant an honor-

ary degree is not an internal or simple

matter within the institution but requires

the approval of the State Council Academic

Degrees Committee and is subjected to

some very rigid and stringent criteria. An

honorary doctorate from a university is a

very special distinction, usually reserved for

those who have a long record of service

and progressive values to higher education,

research and promoting cultural under-

standing and bringing communities of dif-

ferent people together.

BLCU was first established in 1962

and later designated as Beijing Language

Institute in 2002 to become the Beijing

Language and Cultural University. BLCU is

affectionately called the “Little United Na-

tions” as it is the only university of its kind

in China that promotes Chinese culture and

language all over the world and receives

over 14,000 international students.

In December 2008, the Confucius

Institute was established at McMaster

University with BLCU. The Confucius

Institute at McMaster University for

culture, language and business provides

instruction and support to academic

interests in the areas of Chinese language,

history, cultural diversity, artistic traditions,

business practices, social and business

environments.

As for Chan, he said, “this for me is

a great honor and symbolizes what I

have been able to achieve in promoting

Canada-China relationships.” The award

ceremony was followed by dinner at the

Summer Palace at Yun-Ming Yuun Park

and at the Beijing Fenghelou Cultural

Development Center restaurant. There

were approximately 60 high-profile guests

including Dr. Lingtan Kong from the

University of Science and Technology

Beijing (USTB) who is the 76th descendant

of Confucius. Chan was further honored

by an oil portrait of himself by the artist

Xhang Yum (artist who painted the

famous painting of Mao in Tiananmen

Square) which was presented to him at the

reception by the artist’s family.

Honorary degrees are symbolic

moments of institution building and

honor both the grantee and the spirit of

the institution. They serve to bring the

university community together through the

celebration of shared goals and values. n

Chinese University confers honorary doctorate on McMaster University professor By Tamia hakim


Woody Allen said, “90% of everything is

just showing up,” one of the most famous

references to never giving up, but when

you are frustrated, failing or just doing

something you don’t want to do, these

words can sound simplistic. In spite of this,

I quote him all the time because I have

observed countless people prevail in dif-

ficult circumstances by applying this simple

principle. More often than not, the prize

goes to those who just keep moving and

refuse to quit.

Tying efforts to goals that are energiz-

ing or especially worthwhile has a lot to

do with success too, especially for longer

or more difficult challenges. When I coach

people, I will almost always ask “what do

you want or what does success look like

to you?” If someone is struggling, they

often can’t answer this question right away.

When I took my first golf lesson, the first

thing I learned was to pick the spot you

want the ball to go. Not only does this

focus your efforts, but when people know

what you want they can help you and,

perhaps more important, you can recognize

and manage opportunities and hurdles

because you see them.

One of the secrets that top achievers

know is that no one does it by themselves.

It is critical that you have at least a few

trusted people who can help you gain and

maintain perspective, provide you with

feedback and kick your butt when you

need it. It is almost impossible to be totally

objective with yourself, especially in tough

times. A good mentor or coach is often a

game changer.

Finally, chunk big tasks down, prioritize

and reward yourself for small wins. It is

well known that most successful people

identify the critical tasks and generally do

them first. However, it is equally important

to create some time to recharge, reflect on

progress and create many small wins that

add up to the big ones.

Building a robust career is not easy, but

it is vitally important in light of the fast

changing work environment we live in.

What distinguishes top performers is that

they develop the habits of clarifying and

committing to their goals, cultivating a

support system and maintain tools to help

them be effective. I will still suggest though

that the most formidable competitors are

not the smartest, strongest or even the most

skilled, but the one who have a system and

simply will not give up. n

Jim Matthews B.Com ‘91, MBA ‘96, is

senior director of demand management, at

Research in Motion (RIM). Jim builds on

many years of senior customer, operational

and supply chain responsibility, primar-

ily in high tech (IBM, Celestica, RIM). He

brings a passion for the customer and prag-

matism to complex business solutions. He

is a graduate of McMaster University, and

is a member of various volunteer boards.

Jim will be writing a series of articles for the

DeGroote School of Business website.

Building robustness in your career

Alumni Column

By Jim Matthews ‘96

Executive Education at the DeGroote School of Businesswelcomes Disney Institute to

Burlington

Executive Education at the DeGroote School of Businesswelcomes Disney Institute to

the Burlington Convention Centreexeced.degroote.mcmaster.ca/disney

April 25, 2012, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.$495.00 +HST

905-525-9140 x 26372

alumni report spring 2012

Documents

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alumni reportwww

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email kellie rabak

exciting year