'NOT ROB FORD'

Would you hire a leader who killed a dynasty?

Don’t feel too sorry for Jim Prentice.

Last time the now-former Alberta premier left politics, it was on a high note. In 2010, Prentice resigned as federal environment minister to take a job as vice-chairman at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, with a salary widely reported as being in the seven-figure range.

One year ago, he went back through the revolving door, giving up that salary along with lucrative corporate board positions at Canadian Pacific

I think he’ll be respected and coveted

Railway Ltd. and BCE Inc. for a premier’s comparatively measly annual compensation of about $211,000.

Sure, he presided over the spectacular collapse of the 44-year Alberta Progressive Conservative Party dynasty in Tuesday’s election.

No, welcoming floor-crossing members of the Wildrose party was not a move that will go down in history for its tactical brilliance.

Certainly, Prentice’s “look in the mirror” comment will not win any awards for public relations. And resigning immediately — despite winning his seat — once he realized the scope of the bloodbath won’t either.

Is he kicking himself now for leaving that plush CIBC job? Maybe. But executive recruiters said Prentice is not likely to have any difficulty lining up a new position in the private sector, despite the very public nature of his electoral failure.

“Will he have opportunities? The answer is yes. Will he have opportunities of size? I believe the answer is yes. With that comes appropriate compensation,” said Elan Pratzer, managing partner of Canada at the executive search firm Caldwell Partners. “He’ll land on his feet. I think he’ll be respected and coveted.”

Prentice has years of experience in high-profile federal cabinet positions, including Minister of In - d us try and Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and the Ottawa connections that come with that. Before he announced his bid for the Alberta PC leadership, he was working to boost aboriginal support for Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway pipeline.

Pratzer said employers will pay more attention to those lines on his resume than his more recent, less-than-successful role.

He said it’s impossible to speculate about whether he’ll be able to find a job that pays as well as the one he held at CIBC, but he’s sure to be rewarded for his experience and network.

“A man like this with the distinguished career he’s had, with many, many successes in his background, companies will look to those successes as evidence of what he can bring to them,” Pratzer said. “People will seek him out.”

Robert Hebert, managing partner with the executive search firm StoneWood Group Inc., said the election loss doesn’t reflect badly on Prentice’s character.

“He’s not Rob Ford. He doesn’t seem to be damaged goods from a personal perspective,” Hebert said. “He still appears to be well-regarded.”

Pratzer said there are plenty of examples of politicians who lost elections and were welcomed into the private sector regardless.

“The private sector has a demonstrated history of looking past a failure,” Pratzer said. “Anyone who’s ever taken on a tough task has experienced failure. This one is more high-profile.

“But those of us in the private sector, if we were to dismiss everyone who’s failed, none of us would be here.”

JEFF MCINTOSH / THE CANADIAN PRESS Leader Jim Prentice enters his headquarters to speak to party faithful in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday. Prentice has resigned as leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives.