JA Announces 2021 Business Hall of Fame Inductees
JULY 22, 2021, EDMONTON, AB
NEWS RELEASE – JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA ANNOUNCES 41st ANNUAL BUSINESS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Junior Achievement is pleased to announce its 2021 Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame inductees.
These remarkable business and philanthropic luminaries will be recognized at a gala celebration in Edmonton on Wednesday November 24th, 2021. This inspiring trio of accomplished, community minded entrepreneurs has been chosen by JA’s Board of Governors’ Selection Committee, made up of 12 previous Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame Laureates. They were selected by their peers with the assistance of Grant Thornton LLP, for their contributions to the economy and a demonstrated history of ‘giving back’.
Tickets to the 2021 Northern Alberta Business Hall of Fame Gala are available for purchase now at the Junior Achievement web site: www.janorthalberta.org
CATHY ROOZEN, CM., AOE, LLD, B.Com
Executive Chair, Cathton Investments Ltd.
Honorary Lt. Colonel, SALHR
Cathy Marguerite Allard was born on March 28,1956 and was raised in a closely knit family of four brothers and one sister. Cathy attended French immersion school and as a child enjoyed opportunities to accompany her father to his work at the hospital where she learned from his compassion and care for others. Following graduation from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1977, Ms. Roozen worked with the North West Trust Company until 1981 in the area of Branch Operations and as Vice-President, Investments. In 1981, Ms. Roozen joined Cathton Investments Ltd., a private investment company with interests in banking, broadcasting, ranching and real estate development. In 1983, Cathy became a director and secretary of the Allard Foundation, where she has worked to focus community investments in healthcare, education, social wellbeing and the arts. In addition to her duties at the Allard Foundation and Cathton Investments Ltd. Ms. Roozen has served as a member of the Strategy Council for the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Vice-Chair of Alberta Health Services, board member for the Alberta Cancer Board, board member of STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society), board member of Covenant Health and board member of Corus Entertainment. Cathy sat on the University of Alberta Board of Governors for seven years and also served as a co-chair of the university’s extremely successful millennium campaign.
Currently, Ms. Roozen is a Director and Secretary of the Allard Foundation Ltd., Chair and Director of Cathton Investments Ltd., a director of Melcor Developments Ltd., a director of EPCOR Utilities and a member of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Ms. Roozen’s many contributions have earned her numerous recognitions. She hold the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and Alberta Centennial Medal. She has been honoured with the MacEwan University Distinguished Citizen Award, the U of A Alumni Association Honour Award, the Global Television Edmonton Woman of Vision and the Edmonton Citizens Award. In 2009 Cathy received an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Alberta. In 2013 Ms. Roozen was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence and in 2015 the Order of Canada.
DIANE BUCHANAN
President and CEO, Yorkshire Equities Inc.
Honorary Lt. Colonel MP Regiment 1, Military Services Western Canada
Diane was born in Edmonton and has been involved in the community from a very early age. She is a businesswoman with diverse business activities. All her business interests must have a component of supporting the community. Her view is you cannot simply take out without putting back. Diane’s involvements extend to public companies, hospital boards, the arts, international support projects and private corporations. “Reaching out has to extend beyond our own borders.” A Rotarian for many years opened her view to the world at large. ” Together we hope to provide the vision and impact of giving in a supportive sustainable manner for generations to come. I feel it is most important what you do for others; rather than what you say you will do” … it defines your core values and can change the world
DOUG COX
Chief Executive Officer, Touchstone Holdings Ltd. Nunastar Properties Inc.
Doug Cox is an Edmonton entrepreneur who believes business can transform lives and build better communities.
He grew Nunastar Properties Inc. to become a leading property owner and the largest hospitality and tourism industry participant in Canada’s northern Territories. Over the decades, Nunastar created 1,000’s of jobs for northerners, launching many successful careers in remote communities such as Iqaluit, Nunavut and Yellowknife, NWT. As an individual, Doug is likely northern Canada’s largest investor.
Doug earned his BSc. Mechanical Engineering from the U of A in 1983, becoming a Professional Engineer in 1985. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987.
In 2008, he created the Nunastar Fund for Northern Children; now a multi-million-dollar endowment fund exclusively dedicated to the health, education, and well-being of northern youth. Doug and his wife, Karen, were key benefactors of the Peter Lougheed Leadership College at University of Alberta and recently established the Cox Charitable Foundation.
PAST LAUREATES 1980 – 2020 https://janorthalberta.org/laureates/
$1 INVESTED IN JA RETURNS $45 TO SOCIETY.
Proceeds from the Hall of Fame gala will support JA programs that inspire and teach young Albertans entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness. JA is delivered by trained volunteers from local business communities and is free of charge for teachers, youth organizations, parents and youth. JA equips students to succeed in their personal finances, careers, and the global economy. They also start and run more successful companies than those who do not receive JA programming*.
ABOUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA
JA Northern Alberta has operated based out of Edmonton for over 55 years. As a chapter of JA Canada and JA Worldwide, it teaches youth from Grades 3-12 three key pillars for success in business and in life – financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Half day programs are delivered in schools by volunteer mentors from the local business community, filling a critical gap in the current school curriculum.
JA’s “Company Program” for high school students may be taught by teachers in schools, or by volunteer mentors who lead an 18 week after school program for young people who sign up for it as an extra-curricular activity. In both, young people learn how to start, run and close a business, and donate a portion of their revenues back to their communities. JA’s most famous Company Program alumni are the western Canadian founders of food delivery app, ‘Skip The Dishes’.
All Junior Achievement programs have improved the outcomes for countless youngsters who go on to graduate high school and post-secondary studies more often than non-JA students. As adults, they have less household debt, are more likely to attain middle and senior management positions and when they start companies, they hire more staff and create more revenue.*
*Boston Consulting Group 2010
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT NORTHERN ALBERTA CONTACTS
For more information or for 2021 award recipient interviews, please contact:
President & CEO, Jennifer Martin jmartin@janorthalberta.org
Sr VP, Development, Janice Krissa jkrissa@janorthalberta.org
Director, Marketing & Events, Rochelle Gilmour rgilmour@janorthalberta.org