2011 Speakers

Paul Beeston

President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays and Rogers Centre

Without batting a single inning or throwing a single pitch, Paul Beeston helped shape the Toronto Blue Jays and was instrumental in securing their back-to-back World Series Championships in 1992 and 1993.

Beeston was first hired as an accountant by the Jays upon the formation of the club in 1976. He served in a number of different roles through the years before assuming the role of President and Chief Operating Officer in 1989 and President and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. Known for his enthusiasm, charm, and personable manner, Beeston was highly respected by officials, managers, and players alike. It was these qualities, in combination with his keen business sense and his love of the game that made him an integral part in the success of the Blue Jays franchise.

Beeston obtained his degree in Economics and Political Science at the University of Western Ontario in 1967. He was awarded an honourary Doctorate of Laws degree in 1994 and, in 2001, also received an honourary Doctorate of Social Sciences from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. He began his professional career with the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand in 1968 and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1971.

Beeston remained with the Blue Jays until his appointment as President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball in 1997. Beeston’s loss was greatly felt in Toronto; the day he took the job with MLB was said to be a “great day for baseball and a sad day for the Blue Jays.”

For his contributions to Canadian baseball, Beeston was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998. The Toronto and Montreal chapters of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) honoured Beeston as the “Canadian Baseball Man of the Year”, in 1994. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Tuan Nguyen

President and Founder of Open Space Marketing

Tuan Nguyen is a partner and VP Marketing for multi-million dollar Internet portals – www.CanadianTourismNetwork.com, www.Autocatch.com and www.Healthgenie.ca. These portals span across 100 cities in Canada representing tourism, businesses, used-cars, and health care. He is the founder of OpenSpace Marketing, a marketing firm that provides consulting services specializing in customer retention strategies. However, his passion is in the community. Tuan co-founded in 1998, an NPO called CASCO with chapters at the University of Ottawa and McGill University, and has raised over $500,000. By 30, Tuan raised millions for communities across Canada and the globe. His name appears on the Wall of Inspiration at the Ottawa’s City Hall, and received many awards including Top Forty Under 40, United Way`s Community Builder Award and Top Philanthropist Under 40, Philos Award, Community Excellence Award from Heart and Stroke Foundation, and he was inducted into the Order of the Good Bear at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Ted Moroz

President of The Beer Store and Brewers Distributor Ltd.

Ted Moroz was appointed President of The Beer Store and Brewers Distributor Ltd. in 2009. Mr. Moroz has over 27 years of experience and is responsible for managing Retail Sales, Wholesale Logistics, Finance, Information Technology and Human Resources. Mr. Moroz joined The Beer Store in 1983.

He began working part-time at The Beer Store in 1983 while attending Carleton University in Ottawa, where he received his Master’s Degree in Political Science in 1988. In 1989 Mr. Moroz was hired as a full-time management trainee and he then moved on to work in Inventory Control, Finance, Human resources, Wholesale Field Operations and Retail Operations. Under Mr. Moroz’s leadership, The Beer Store has been recognized by the Canadian government for its environmental efforts to reduce the amount of glass bottles sent to landfills in a recycling program called Bag It Back.

Janet Davidson

President & CEO of Trillium Health Centre

Janet Davidson was appointed President and CEO of Trillium Health Centre in 2007. Before this, she was COO with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Canada’s largest integrated health region. Her portfolio included Vancouver General Hospital, G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre and UBC Hospital. Ms. Davidson earned a BScN from the University of Windsor and a MHSA from the University of Alberta.

Before working in Vancouver, Ms. Davidson served as the President and CEO of Toronto East General Hospital. She has over 30 years health care management experience in the voluntary, hospital and government sectors in BC, Ontario and Alberta. She also serves as COO for the Alberta Mental Health Board and was COO of the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

Ms. Davison has received a myriad of awards. In 2004, she was a recipient of an Alumni Honour Award from the University of Alberta in recognition of her leadership role in health care in Canada, and in 2006, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of her lifetime of outstanding achievement and dedication to the community and service to the nation and the world.

Jeff Adams

Olympian, Paralympian and World Champion

Jeff Adams is no stranger to overcoming challenges and daring himself to be the best. He is a survivor and a fighter. He is a competitor and winner. Today, Mr. Adams is a three-time Olympian, five-time Paralympian, and six-time World Champion. Mr. Adams has been an actor, spokesperson, and CBC reporter and commentator. He’s served as Chair of the Accessibility Committee for the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid Committee, and as the Chair for the Ontarians with a Disability Advisory Council. In 2002, Adams climbed the 1776 stairs of the CN Tower in a specially designed wheelchair for an awareness event called “Step Up to Change”.

His journey is powerful and influential. Mr. Adams’s message is pertinent to the business reality as it shows his audiences how the power of focus can make a winner out of anybody. Mr. Adams focuses on methods that students can use to win “gold medals” in every aspect of their life.

Steve Ralph

President of adidas Canada

Steve Ralph is the President of adidas Canada Limited, a position he acquired in April of 2008. In this position, Steve is responsible for the Canadian brand operations of adidas and TaylorMade. This includes sales, marketing, merchandising, finance, operations, and retail. Working with adidas Canada for 20 years, Steve has a diverse background and has held positions in finance, marketing, and more recently, the senior management positions of Vice President of Supply Chain and Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Steve obtained his Certified Management Accountant (CMA) professional designation in 1988.

A devoted family man, Steve enjoys spending his time off with his family- wife Penny, daughter Adrienne (12), and two sons, Liam (10) and Brendan (8). Steve is also a dedicated community volunteer – coaching both of his sons’ hockey teams in King Township as well as holding the role of President of the NobleKing Minor Hockey Association.

Steve graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in Finance in 1983 and from Laurentian University with a degree in Commerce in 1996.

Kim MacGregor

Founder, “I Believe She’s Amazing” Flash Mob and Global Movement

Kim MacGregor is a leader in the realm of personal transformation, self-improvement, and cause marketing. Kim has been studying the fields of human physiology, brain science, energy healing and self-development for over two decades, applying what she has learned to experience countless breakthroughs in her life and the lives of her loved ones.

She has worked in marketing, sales and communications for the past fifteen years creating marketing strategies and promotional campaigns with Fortune 500 companies, including Walmart, McDonald’s, Hasbro, Disney, Revlon, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Look Good Feel Better, Colon Cancer Canada and Novopharm among others.

Kim’s first child, a beautiful baby girl, was whisked away at birth, hooked up to tubes, placed in an incubator and rushed to Sick Kids Hospital. She underwent emergency surgery at one-day old and was diagnosed with the genetic, incurable condition cystic fibrosis, at two weeks. She decided to pursue her long time dream of writing, using her books to raise awareness and money to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis. She secured a special message in her books by super star Celine Dion, the celebrity patron for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She has served as a Spokesperson for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for the past ten years, along with her young daughter, who became an inspirational speaker, artist and fundraiser at the age of eight. Their family has raised over $165,000 for CF to date.

In 2008, Kim co-created and wrote the International Award Winning, inspirational book, Be a Woman: expressions of life. She created the national Be a Woman Award and co-hosted two powerful awards ceremonies.

Today she is the leader of the grassroots movement “I Believe She’s Amazing” an empowering global campaign she launched to celebrate, unite and honor amazing girls and women around the world, in memory of her best friend Erika Heller. In just nine months her campaign had amassed a loyal following of over 310,000 people around the world, including the likes of Mariel Hemingway, Dr. Christian Northrup, Cheryl Richardson and Jess Weiner-the Global Ambassador for the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

Kim has been featured in national magazines, newspapers, and on national and local TV, Radio shows, and blogs across North America.

She earned her Bachelors degree at Ryerson in Business Administration-studying Marketing and Communications, paying her way through university with money earned from modeling and acting. Kim has appeared in television, film, commercials and print work in the U.S., Canadian and European markets from the age of five. She has gone from model to role model, using her unique perspective in the media, as a self esteem expert, empowering young girls and women to believe in themselves, their voice and the power they hold to make a difference in the world. With over a decade of work in female-centric marketing, Kim understands what this powerful consumer needs, wants and what makes women buy. She consults with corporations looking to reach the female market, and helps companies and non-profits create winning cause marketing strategies and campaigns.

Kim lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and three amazing little girls, including a set of identical twins, who inspire her everyday to make the world a better place.

Mira Sirotic

Certified Management Accountants of Ontario

Mira Sirotic, CMA, is CMA Ontario’s Regional Director of Marketing and Communications for GTA Universities. Mira joined CMAO in Sept. 2007 after working 10 years for Imperial Oil Limited. During her time at Imperial, she held eight diverse roles in six different business units. From process improvement, product costing and capital budgeting to financial reporting & analysis, business reorganizations and major systems implementations, Mira has had many opportunities to apply her broad set of CMA competencies. Prior to IOL, Mira applied her skills at HBC’s Internal Audit Dept., Manulife Financial and The McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Mira loves to share her career insights, and the lessons she learns from industry, to help students better understand their career options and maximize their potential.

Mira welcomes any questions / comments regarding the dynamic CMA designation. Please contact her at 416-482-5556, msirotic@cmaontario.org or visit www.becomeacma.com.

Donna Messer

Author, Speaker and Coach, an Inspiring and Passionate Motivator

Donna Messer is an author, speaker and coach, an inspiring and passionate motivator, who has addressed thousands of people on three continents.

She is a former broadcast journalist and the author of more than 4,000 articles that have been published in magazines and newspapers around the world. Her book Effective Networking Strategies is a Canadian best seller.

Messer has played a critical and active role in introducing networking training to the curriculum of colleges and universities throughout the Canada, the United States and Europe.

She serves on the Executive Board for Women in Food Industry Management. Donna is also an active Rotarian, and on the board for The United Way of Oakville. She volunteers her time to support charities directed towards improving the status of youth, those with disabilities, women and new Canadians.

ConnectUs International Inc. www.ConnectUsCanada.com
Toronto Entrepreneurs. www.torontoentrepreneurs.ca.

George Chuvalo

Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion

George Chuvalo was the reigning Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion for 21 years, from 1958 until 1979. Ranked in the top 10 of the World Boxing for much of his career, George faced many of the best fighters of this century: Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Floyd Patterson, Ernie Terrell, Joe Frazier, Jerry Quarry and many others.

George retired from boxing in 1979 as the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of Canada. In 1990, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. After his boxing career, George took various parts in a number of movies, including “The Fly”, “Prom Night Three”, “The Untouchables” and most recently, “Dirtyworks”.

Today, George speaks to students, parents and other groups about drugs and how they have impacted his life. He lost 3 sons and a wife as a result of substance abuse. His graphic recollection of events and his expressive nature enable him to convey his powerful message. The feedback he receives has been positive, appreciative and encouraging. Being a father to drug addicted sons provides him with the insight and wisdom required to capture any listener. His presentations are in demand from coast to coast. He de-glamorizes drug use by giving examples of what he has witnessed first hand. One fact is true – addicts always begin with experimentation. He also stresses the fact that in the criminal system, the majority of crimes are committed as a result of substance abuse. In most cases, addicts turn into criminal, not criminals into addicts.

Diane Francis

Editor-at-Large of the Financial Post, Entrepreneur, Author, Broadcaster, Speaker and Columnist

Diane Francis is well known across the country for her hard-hitting newspaper columns and daily blog. She is Editor at Large with the National Post and Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada’s largest undergraduate business school.

She is also a broadcaster and author of nine best selling books. In addition she is a sought-after speaker, host of events and participant in conferences around the world. She has been honored with many prestigious awards from associations, publications and universities across the country. She has been a Fellow at Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Policy at the Kennedy School of Government and a Media Fellow at the World Economic Forum held annually in Davos.

Her nine books are: Who Owns Canada Now; Immigration: The Economic Case; BRE-X; The Inside Story; Fighting for Canada; Underground Nation; A Matter of Survival; The Diane Francis Inside Guide to Canada’s 50 Best Stocks; Contrepreneurs; and Controlling Interest –Who Owns Canada.

Diane Francis serves on the board of directors of Aurizon Mines Ltd. of Vancouver, listed on the Toronto and American Stock Exchanges, on two advisory boards of private corporations, one in software and another in health care and the Canadian-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. In recent years, she has served on the boards of CANFAR, the Canadian Foundation for Aids Research, CARE Canada, the George Brown College Foundation Board and was Chair of the successful $22-million campaign for Ryerson University’s Community Health Centre which opened in fall 2002.

Robert Olsen

Partner & Americas Leader, Deloitte & Touche

Private Equity Buy-Out Panel Moderator

Olsen, with over 21 years of experience in investing and project financing has in-depth experience with MBO’s, LBO’s, growth acquisitions, PIPE’s, shareholder disputes, and distressed financings.

Robert’s background includes three years of leading Goldman Sachs’ on balance sheet investing business for Canada where he invested senior debt, mezzanine and 2nd lien debt, as well as minority equity and control equity into North American public and private businesses.

Paul Renaud, CA

President & CEO OMERS Private Equity

As president and CEO of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), Renaud heads one of Canada’s largest pension funds with over $52 billion in assets including investments in Porter Airlines, Nelson Education, Marketwire, and Golf Town.
Renaud’s experience includes a previous stint as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of OMERS, and as CFO of CAE, a global supplier of simulation and training products with a presence in over 15 countries.

His in-depth knowledge of financial reporting, risk management, mergers and acquisitions and private equity
Renaud holds an honoursBComm from the University of Windsor and obtained a CHA designation in 1977.

ViponGhai, CMA

Managing Director, Manulife Financial

With almost twenty years experience in the banking industry, Ghai has become one of Canada’s leading experts in private equity at Manulife Financial. Manulife Financial is one of the largest global life insurance companies, by market capitalization.

Ghai’s previous experience includes being a corporate and investment banker at Scotiabank, and director of Bank of Montreal’s capital corporation.
Ghai received a Bachelors’ in Business Administration from Wilfred LaurieUniversity in 1991, and became a member of the Society of Management Accountants in 1994.

Richard Kinlough

Managing Director & Group Head, CIT Corporate Finance, Canada

Prior to joining CIT, Mr. Kinlough was the Co-President of CCFL Mezzanine Partners, where, during his 16 year tenure, he was instrumental in forming two Subordinated Debt Funds ($106 million and $150 million in 1997 and 2001 respectively) and he supervised investments totaling $364 million to 25 Canadian mid-market companies operating in 18 different industries.

Prior to 1990, Mr. Kinlough was Executive Director, Corporate Finance Division of NZI Securities Australia Limited, and prior to that he was Executive Director – Lending for Macquarie Bank. Prior to 1985, Mr. Kinlough established AMP-AMEX Leasing Limited in Australia. Prior to 1981, Mr. Kinlough was Regional Manager, Eastern Canada, of Manufacturers Hanover Leasing Canada Limited.

Mr. Kinlough holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola of Montreal (now Concordia University). He is a Director of the Association for Corporate Growth (Toronto Chapter) and the Chair of the ACG Canadian Debt & Equity Marketplace. He is a Vice President of the CVCA and Chair of the CVCA’s Awards Committee and served as a Director from 2003 to 2008. He also holds the ICD.D certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors and the CF (Corporate Finance) designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.