Business Advisory Council

Partner, PwC

Anna is a partner at PwC where she provides assurance services to the Edmonton marketplace including the real estate, insurance, healthcare, hospitality, energy, utilities, manufacturing, and biotech, sectors. This broad range of experience in many different businesses and industries provides her with strong insights to a variety of business issues.

She is a graduate (Bachelor of Commerce, 1994) of the University of Alberta and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1997. Anna joined the firm in 1994 and was admitted to the partnership in 2006.

Anna is a member of the PwC National not-for-profit Leadership Group and served as Learning and Development partner for 7 years. She has also been a presenter for the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Directors Education Program. Anna previously served on the Board of the Edmonton Humane Society (formerly Edmonton SPCA).

Retired

John Cotton is a retired Assistant Deputy Minister, International Relations with Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations (IIR). The International Relations division is responsible for Alberta’s international trade and investment activities in key markets, as well as the Government of Alberta’s bilateral relations with foreign jurisdictions at both the national and sub-national level. The division also manages Alberta’s nine international offices.

John Cotton has over twenty-five years experience in the international trade and relations field. In addition to IIR, John has also worked in an international marketing role with Economic Development, and Agriculture and Food. From 1988 to 1994 he served in the Alberta Japan Office in Tokyo. Prior to joining the Government of Alberta, he also worked in the area of federal-provincial relations with the Government of Canada.

Mr. Cotton has an Honours B.A. from Trent University and a Masters in Public Administration from Queen’s University. He has also completed courses at the University of Alberta and Sophia University in Tokyo.

CEO, Rupertsland Institute

Lorne Gladu works on the supply side of the labour market by providing education and training supports to Métis Albertans and assisting individuals to prepare for, find, and keep employment. As a founding member and CEO of the Rupertsland Institute Métis Centre of Excellence, he oversees client services for a community of 100,000 Métis throughout Alberta.

Lorne has established or leveraged support from various sectors of industry, post-secondary institutions, all levels of government and local agencies, to ensure client services and individual investments convert to positive transitions in the labour market. The Rupertsland Institute is an affiliate of the Métis Nation of Alberta and is governed as a non-profit company funded in whole, or in part, by the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta. Lorne is also a graduate and distinguished alumnus of MacEwan University; he sits on the Faculty Council of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, and is a former member of the RCMP.

Partner, Edmonton, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP

Andrew’s primary focus is to provide corporate and commercial advice to Alberta businesses whether operating locally, nationwide or internationally. He is experienced in a variety of corporate transactions, including public equity and debt offerings, transfers of ownership of companies, international financing transactions and acting as general counsel for companies listed on the Alberta, Vancouver, Toronto, U.S. and NASDAQ Stock Exchanges.

A significant and growing area of practice for Andy consists of providing advice to computer software development corporations and assisting them in their software development contracts and all aspects of maintenance, internet service, software repair, escrow agreements and other types of agreements appropriate to this area.

Andy has lectured extensively, appeared on the Global and CTV Television Networks, CBC Radio and provided interviews to print media.

LEED AP Principal, President Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd.

Vivian has successfully led her team in numerous LEED® certified projects, and is also one of Canada’s leading educators in the LEED® rating system. She has completed courses for major developers, contractors and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, and is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Calgary.

Vivian is a past-president of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, past vice-chair of the Canada Green Building Council, founding member of the Sustainable Buildings Symposium and Member of the National Capital Commission Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Realty (ACPDR). Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd. Is the leading LEED® Certified Professional ‘green’ architectural firm in Alberta, and has been recognized nationally and internationally with awards for design excellence

Corporate Director

Maureen McCaw is past Executive Vice-President (Edmonton) of Leger Marketing, formerly Criterion Research Corp., a company she founded in 1986.

Ms. McCaw holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta and an Institute of Corporate Directors certification (ICD.D). In addition to being president of Tinnakilly Inc. and a managing partner at Prism Ventures, Maureen is a director of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Edmonton International Airport, as well as a member of the Alberta Securities Commission.

Maureen also serves on a number of Alberta boards and advisory committees, including the EPCOR Community Essentials Council, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (Alberta) and Royal Alexandra Hospital and is past chair of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. McPherson received his medical degree from the University of Alberta in 1962, and his PhD from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 1969.

He served as the President & CEO of Biomira Inc. from 1991 to 2006, as a professor at the University of Alberta for 25 years, Director of Medicine at the Cross Cancer Clinic, Deputy Minister of Alberta Hospitals and Medical Care, and Deputy Commissioner and Executive Director of the Premier’s Commission on Future Health Care for Albertans. He has also been the president of both the Alberta and Canadian Medical Associations and has, and continues to hold, several director appointments to industry, academic, and charitable organizations.

Supply Manager, North America, Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions

Kim Olesen serves as Supply Manager, North America, responsible for strategic sourcing as well as management of global and regional supply agreements. Prior to joining Pentair, Kim held a senior management position in the chemical and oil field industry where she accomplished her most notable career achievement related to the success of a new startup company. With more than 25 years of Supply Chain experience, Kim also has extensive experience in trade and compliance as well as implementation of EPR systems. 

Kim's educational accomplishments include an Honours Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario); the Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) designation from University of Alberta; Leadership certification from Royal Roads University (British Columbia); and most recently an MBA from the University of Alberta.

Kim is past president of the Edmonton chapter of SCMA ( Supply Chain Management Association) Alberta.

Professor Emeritus, Rotman School of Management - University of Toronto

Professor Dan Ondrack, a former Edmontonian, is a Professor Emeritus at Rotman School of Business - University of Toronto. Previously, he was the Academic Director of Executive Development Programs (EDP), program director of several executive programs with EDP and the Associate Dean of Rotman. Dr. Ondrack has lead a distinguished career with his main research interests focusing on the relationships between corporate strategy and human resource strategy, strategic change management and international human resource management. He sits on numerous committees at the University of Toronto, and in the business community at large.

He has been a visiting professor at the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management in Belgium; Groningen University in the Netherlands; the London Business School; INSEAD in France; ITESM in Mexico; the University of Hong Kong and both Nankai University and Shanghai Jiaotong University in China. He was appointed as a Fellow and Honorary professor of the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management in 2004 and is co-chair of the annual European Strategic HRM Conference.

President and CEO, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

A lifelong Edmontonian, Janet Riopel has deep roots in our community and considerable experience in managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects. She has worked in senior roles in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. She is currently the President and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

Janet has filled many senior roles on boards including Compassion House Foundation, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, Canadian Policy Research Networks, and Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. She was Campaign Chair for the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, Board Chair of both MacEwan University and the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, President of the Urban Development Institute Alberta, and served on the Board of the Canadian Home Builders' Association, Edmonton Region. In addition to her involvement in the Business Advisory Council for MacEwan, she sits on advisory committees for Edmonton Airports and Edmonton Community Foundation.

Janet's community service has brought her much recognition. She was honoured with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, was named one of Alberta's 50 Most Influential People by Alberta Venture Magazine, and was a Global TV Woman of Vision. Janet has received the Urban Development Institute's Merit Award and the City of Edmonton's Outstanding Service Award, and the Canadian Home Builders' Association (Edmonton) Master Member Award. She is a member of the International Women's Forum and Synergy Network.

Principle of Sandbar Coaching and Consulting

Margot Ross Graham, (CHRP, CPCC) is the Principle of Sandbar Coaching and Consulting. She is an experienced senior executive with extensive background inhuman resources, leadership, change management, and organizational development.

Margot provides consulting and facilitation services in areas such as Strategic Planning, Leadership Development, Succession Planning and Change and Transition. She is a Certified Executive Coach and throughout her career has worked with leaders from private, public and non-profit organizations across Canada. She is regularly invited to speak at conferences on topics ranging from Leadership Credibility to Workplace Culture and is currently featured every Tuesday as the Workplace Columnist for CBC Radio’s Edmonton morning show.

In addition to her work with industry Margot is an instructor with the U of A Executive program. She has been a guest speaker in numerous sessions and facilitates half day to multi day sessions in the SEMDP, SICS and custom programs.

A dedicated community volunteer, Margot is a founding member of the Amazing Ladies, sits on the Board of the Citadel, is the past president of the Glenora Rotary Club and is a member of the MacEwan University Business School advisory council.

President & CEO, Sorrell Financial

Peter Sorrell is a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Chartered Financial Consultant.

As the founder and CEO of Sorrell Financial, Peter has built a solid team of professionals, instilling them with his commitment to personalized client care and service. Sorrell Financial has been providing successful business owners, professionals, senior executives, their families and businesses with comprehensive financial planning guidance for over 30 years.

Peter’s primary areas of expertise are business transition arrangements, corporate organization, estate and retirement planning, and insurance. Peter is a member of the Conference of Advanced Life Underwriters (CALU) and Advocis.

President & CEO, Booster Juice

After graduating from university with a Bachelor of Science, Dale worked in international technical sales for Edmonton Exchanger. Dale credits Henry Gusse, the founder of Edmonton Exchanger, with the basis of his business knowledge and focus on business ethics. 



By 1999, Dale was looking for business opportunities. He recognized that Canadians were in search of healthy alternatives in the fast food market and spent many evenings and weekends in his kitchen developing the recipes and the overall plan for Booster Juice. Just like that, a new Canadian franchise phenomenon was born. With no prior restaurant experience, Dale opened 15 stores in the first year. There are now over 300 Booster Juice franchise locations worldwide, including the U.S., India, Brazil, Mexico and the Netherlands.

Dale credits his success to his passion for health and sport, plus living the Booster Juice brand.