The 2018 Awards Ceremony was held in June in Toronto, Ontario, at the CIRI Annual Conference.
And the winners are...
Award for Excellence in Investor Relations
Pat Marshall was chosen as the 30th recipient of the Award for Excellence in Investor Relations. The Award is given by CIRI to honour individuals who have made a significant contribution to the investor relations profession and to the Institute.
Marshall is well respected and admired in the investor relations profession and has been a significant contributor to CIRI and the issuer community as a member of the CIRI National Board and supporting Committees, a mentor and a frequent speaker.
"Pat has always been a bright light in the IR profession. She radiates enthusiasm for IR and communications. Since I’ve known Pat, she has always been generous with her time, advice and knowledge. She is so well deserving of all the accolades and awards she has received throughout her career,” said Chaya Cooperberg, 2017 recipient of the Award for Excellence and Chief Communications Officer & Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, AmTrust Financial Services Inc. “I am so glad to see the 2018 Award for Excellence go to Pat for all of her contributions to CIRI and for being an outstanding representative of our profession to the broader business community.”
Marshall just retired as Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations of Cineplex Inc. In her role she oversaw all corporate and employee communications, as well as media relations, and was the company’s Investor Relations Officer. “To be recognized by CIRI for the work I have always loved is especially poignant for me,” said Marshall. “Being selected by my industry peers to receive this award means a great deal. I am truly honoured and privileged to have been part of such a great community of professionals.”
“As an active member of the IR community, Pat has volunteered countless hours through her involvement on the CIRI National Board, the Resource & Education Committee, as a speaker at CIRI events and as a mentor,” said Yvette Lokker, President and CEO, CIRI. “Her passion for investor relations is contagious and she inspires others in the profession to deliver best-in-class investor relations programs.”
Pat Marshall (left) accepts the 2018 Award for Excellence in Investor Relations from Colleen Vancha (right).
The 2018 Award - a dancing bear.
Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations
The Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations is given by CIRI in honour of the late Belle Mulligan to recognize individuals who have shown singular leadership in one or more aspects of the practice of investor relations.
The Award’s 2018 recipient is Megan Hjulfors, who recently joined MEG Energy Corp. as Senior Analyst, Investor Relations. Prior to joining MEG, Hjulfors was Supervisor of Investor Relations and Communications at ARC Resources Ltd. and a member of the IR team since 2010. At ARC, Hjulfors was an early adopter of social media technologies, providing stakeholders with more comprehensive, timely and engaging information than would otherwise have been possible. The value of her progressive approach to the overall IR and communications program helped ARC garner awards for outstanding IR year after year, setting an example for other issuers.
Hjulfors has enhanced the IR community’s understanding of how people consume information and why companies and their IROs should pay attention to the opportunities created by new technologies and platforms. The work of early adopters like Hjulfors to improve the quality of disclosure will also help to advance the transparency of our capital markets.
“It is a great honour to receive this award. I would like to express my gratitude both to CIRI and the selection committee,” said Hjulfors. “Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work with exceptional leaders and inspiring colleagues who are willing to give their time to mentor, are open to new ideas and who are committed not only to transparent communications, but also to continuously raising the bar. It is this combination that has made it possible to create work that leverages technology and expands how we communicate with investors.”
“Through her innovative approaches, Megan has demonstrated that she is a leader in the use of technology for investor relations. By introducing videos of management, she has made leadership and their views on the company more accessible to the investment community, thereby increasing transparency,” said Yvette Lokker.
CIRI Recognizes Three Distinguished Investor Relations Professionals
The CIRI Fellowship Program, launched in 2015, recognizes leaders in the investor relations profession who, by their achievements, bring distinction to the profession and serve as role models for others. CIRI Fellows have made significant contributions to the advancement of the investor relations profession and to CIRI throughout their careers. Earning the designation of F.CIRI, the CIRI Fellow, is the highest honour for investor relations professionals in Canada.
The 2018 CIRI Fellows are:
(Left) Tom Enright, Former CEO & President, CIRI and Former President & CEO, CNW Group
(Middle) Pat Marshall, Former Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations, Cineplex Inc.
(Right) Roberto Sbrugnera, Vice President, Treasury, Risk & Investor Relations, Metro Inc.
Congratulations to 20-Year Membership Pin Recipients:
Isabelle Adjahi Barbara Joan Barry
Bruce Mann John Pearson
Grace Pollock Elisa Schupp
Congratulations to 10-Year Membership Pin Recipients:
Dennis Alvarez Gareth August
Heather Colpitts Kettina Cordero
Courtney Craib Alice Dunning
Lisa Maestas Michael O’Connor
Clayton Paradis David Salmon