LYNDA PARTNER

Chief Communications Officer

REDLINE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

An experienced business executive with a track record in turnarounds and growing tech firms, Lynda Partner repositioned Redline and returned it to profitability within three years. She was named Technology Innovator of 2014 by WCT.

“Starting a digital technology company from an idea sketched out on a napkin and turning it into a multi-milliondollar business in a few short years, and working with people I respect and admire.”

“When I was just starting my career, I read about Sandra Kurtzig, who started Ask Computer Systems with $2,000, grew it while balancing a family and, in 1981, became the first woman to take a technology company public. She stepped down from Ask in 1985 but returned as CEO in 1989 to revive the company and help it reach the $450 million mark by 1992. She was tough and determined yet totally feminine, and her dedication and success inspired me to do my first startup.”

Brenda Andress created the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), the world’s first professional women’s hockey league. For the past three decades, she has been instrumental in building an inclusive and diverse hockey culture in North America.

“Building the CWHL into a professional women’s hockey league through our commitment to the development of female sports leaders, and our belief that these women should be paid a living wage for choosing a career in sports. At the same time, reinforcing the message that every girl can achieve her dreams and should never doubt her own worth in this world.”

“Jacqueline Kennedy: She was committed to living a meaningful life even though hers was lived exclusively in the public eye. She carried herself with poise and conviction and lived her life as she chose, despite the judgment of others. And, it doesn’t hurt to add, that she had an amazing sense of style!”

“My ‘ aha’ moment in the world of hockey came when I realized that I was not ‘ who the hockey establishment told me I was,’ but rather ‘who I was born to be.’ Then, taking 20 seconds of courage — which can change your life — and saying out loud that I was worthy and deserving of the awards and recognition I had received and entitled to be at the ‘Table of Hockey.’”

“Gut instinct balanced with extensive analysis are two of the most important ingredients in being a good decision-maker,” says Lisa Borsook. Those attributes have propelled her to become one of the few women to have served as managing partner of a law firm in Canada and her current position as executive partner.

“I am hopeful that my tenure as managing partner of a major Toronto law firm has inspired other women lawyers to pursue leadership positions in their firms.”

“Lawyers become credible in their workplace not just by doing good work but also by being profitable. I broke through the profitability barrier by learning to stick out my hand and ask for work. I did it for the first time in an elevator, with a colleague whom I had not seen for years who was starting up a new business. I asked

“My biggest professional accomplishment was when I hired my first few employees. Knowing that I could have a positive impact on other people and their families by creating a great workplace for them was a big moment for me. In a world where the average person spends over 50% of their waking hours at work, commuting, returning calls and emails or thinking about work, creating a great work environment is critically important.”

“1. Be willing to sweep the floor. No one can be above any task or the culture starts to break down. 2. Confidence. Everyday, I still try to do one thing that scares me. Confidence is built by stretching boundaries and working outside of one’s comfort zone, so I try to do that as much as possible. 3. Embracing failure. Some of the best growth I have experienced has come when I have failed. I always encourage my team to plan for failure as well as success — that way, if it does happen, they know how to handle it.”