Twelve Queen’s Alumnae Among Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women

The CEO of Vale Canada and the head of Canada’s leading premium chocolate retailer are among the 12 Queen’s University alumnae named to this year’s list of Canada’s 100 most powerful business women.

The top 100 list is produced by the Women’s Executive Network, an organization with 17,500 members dedicated to the advancement and recognition of women in management and executive roles.

Jennifer Maki, Com’93, made the list for her work as CEO of Vale Canada – a division of Vale, the third largest mining company in the world. She was named to the job in November 2014 after serving as Vale Canada’s Chief Financial Officer. Before joining Vale in 2003, she spent a decade at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Purdy’s Chocolatier CEO Karen Flavelle, Com’79, was recently honoured with the Kathleen Beaumount Hill Award – the highest honour bestowed by the Vancouver Branch of the Queen’s University Alumni Association.

“This list of impressive alumnae shows that Queen’s is a school that produces the leaders of tomorrow,” says Queen’s Principal Daniel Woolf. “Congratulations to all our alumnae on this list for continuing to build Queen’s reputation as one of the top universities in Canada.”

Queen’s University Alumni Association Vancouver Branch president Allan McGavin, Com’08, Law’12, is pleased to see Karen Flavelle on the list. After she was honoured by the branch a few months ago, Karen offered to take 10 lucky alumni on a tour of the Purdy’s chocolate factory.

“Our Branch members received a private tour with an alumna who is one of the top businesswomen in Canada. We feel very lucky that Karen is willing to share her secrets of success and give advice to fellow Queen’s alumni. It was an amazing opportunity,” Allan says.

The other Queen’s alumnae on the list are:

• Sandy McIntosh, MIR’92, MBA’05, EVP, People & Culture & Chief Human Resources Officer, TELUS
• Patricia Perras Shugart, Com’86, Managing Director & Head, Corporate Banking & Global Credit, RBC Capital Markets
• Jennifer Tory, Artsci’77, Group Head, Personal & Commercial Banking, RBC
• Benita Warmbold, Com’80, Senior Managing Director & CFO, Canadian Pensions Plan Investment Board
• Sarah Saska, Artsci’07, Co-Founder & Partner, Feminuity
• Samanatha Horn, Law’91, Partner, Stikeman Elliott LLP
• Ann Mellema, Sc’88, Director, Programs Governance, Irving Shipbuilding

Three Queen's alumnae were bestowed a special honour by being inducted into the Women’s Executive Network Hall of Fame, which happens after a women has already appeared on the list three times and is nominated for a fourth time:

• Judy Goldring Law’91, EVP & COO, AGF Management
• Karen Meades MBA’15, President, Ottawa Health Services Network
• Mia Pearson Artsci’90, Co-Founder, North Strategic

There were 16 Queen’s alumni on the 2014 list of Canada’s 100 most powerful women.