TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
Canada’s Outstanding CEO honours our top business leader
Bright lights and business leaders headed to the RitzCarlton in Toronto recently to celebrate Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year with an exclusive gala and awards ceremony. The top honour was presented to Dean Connor, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sun Life Financial.
Now in its 28th year, the award was founded to recognize outstanding leadership and achievement by a Canadian Chief Executive Officer. Each year, the prestigious honour is given to an executive in Canadian business who exemplifies integrity and has built a globally competitive organization.
“I am very pleased to offer the congratulations of the Advisory Board of Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year to this year’s recipient, Mr. Dean Connor of Sun Life Financial.” said Hugh MacKinnon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bennett Jones. “Since becoming CEO in 2011, Mr. Connor has taken this respected financial institution – one of Canada’s first truly international businesses – from strength to strength, delivering consistently rising revenues, income and dividends. He is also a model for personal and corporate responsibility, giving generously of time and treasure to help improve the social fabric of our country. It is with great pride we congratulate Dean on being chosen Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year for 2017.”
Past recipients include Calin Rovinescu, Air Canada; George Cope, BCE Inc. and Bell Canada; Donald Walker, Magna International Inc.; Edward Sonshine, RioCan REIT; Alain Bouchard, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.; Patrick D. Daniel, Enbridge Inc. and Ed Clark, TD Bank Group. This year’s ceremony was presented by Bennett Jones; founding sponsor Caldwell Partners; media sponsors BNN and National Post; and gala sponsors BMO Financial Group and Deloitte.
An eclectic crowd descended on the Royal Military Institute for a meeting of two different groups. Officials with grand titles such as Ambassador Kerry Buck, Hon. Hugh Segal, British Consul General Kevin McGurgan, NATO Association of Canada President Robert Baines, Major Kristian Udesen and Major Sonia Connock joined the millenial set to promote awareness and celebrate the #WeAreNato campaign.
The idea behind the campaign is to improve the understanding of the organization and its values among citizens of member countries. #WeAreNATO focuses on the benefits of solidarity between NATO allies, and the role the alliance plays in maintaining security.
“With today’s headlines, it’s essential for Canadian millennials to become familiar with NATO,” enthused Baines. “It was created after the Second World War to ensure that liberal democracies could maintain peace and security. NATO members agree to protect one another and consider an attack on one member as an attack on all. Canadians should know we’re a part of something remarkable in the history of the world: 29 countries dedicated to maintaining peace through strength and unity, that’s NATO.”
While sipping cocktails, many of the guests had the opportunity to meet the incredible, Madge Trull, a 96-year-old former code-breaker at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. What a thrill! Canada’s outstanding CEO of the year in gold ● #WeAreNATO in red ●