UNews - KPMG /unews/company/kpmg en Spoulos keeps finding his way back to the U of L /unews/article/spoulos-keeps-finding-his-way-back-u-l <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-0bc70964c1095cc2ae4c7bf01837563f"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">June 15, 2012</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>If it wasn&#39;t inevitable that Doug Spoulos (BMgt &#39;87) would eventually return to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge, at the very least it wasn&#39;t surprising.</p><p>The Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬&#39;s associate vice-president (finance) has a deeply rooted history with the U of L, so it seemed only right that circumstance aligned to bring him into the fold once again in spring 2011. He graduated from the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ in 1987, previously worked for the U of L, met his wife on campus and has a stepson who chose to come to the U of L from their home in Calgary.</p><p>So when it was time to get away from the busy Calgary lifestyle and apply the experience he&#39;d gained in private sector positions, the U of L was there once again.</p><p>&quot;We were looking to Lethbridge and this was the perfect job,&quot; says Spoulos. &quot;It was a good experience for us in Calgary. I had the chance to work in a couple different industries and when I left I was the vice-president of finance, so I was getting the experience I wanted. But our kids were at an age where we wanted something a little slower and a little more relaxed &ndash; this opportunity was too good to pass up.&quot;</p><p><div class="image-caption-container" style="width:500px;"><img alt="Doug Spoulos" src="/unews/sites/default/files/main/articles/spoulos.jpg" title="Doug Spoulos is instrumental in bringing people to the table to discuss priorities in the new budget process."><div class="image-caption">Doug Spoulos is instrumental in bringing people to the table to discuss priorities in the new budget process.</div></div></p><p>A chartered accountant by trade, Spoulos had worked the last several years acquiring the broad business experience he&#39;d need for his new role at the<br /> U of L.</p><p>&quot;In my last position, I had the chance to work beyond the accounting side of things and look at the business aspect as well, how businesses run and how they operate. That&#39;s the more interesting part, because you can sit there and just work on the numbers or you can take those numbers and figure out how to apply them and determine what the business should be doing.&quot;</p><p>His first order of business at the U of L was to play a key role on the President&#39;s Task Force on Budget Process, the mandate of which was to review the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬&#39;s budget process and make recommendations to the executive team supporting both short and long term planning.</p><p>Consisting of President Mike Mahon, executive director representatives Carrie Takeyasu and Chris Eagan, dean representatives Chris Hosgood and Rob Wood, Spoulos and the group sought input from throughout the U of L community on the budget process.</p><p>&quot;The number one thing that came out of those meetings was a consensus that people wanted to tie budget priorities to the Strategic Plan,&quot; says Spoulos. &quot;They wanted to see a rationale as to why money was going where it was going.&quot;</p><p>Another emergent theme came from the existing budget committee, its members expressing that the three-year sitting term was not long enough to gain a full understanding of the process to make their contributions effective.</p><p>&quot;The basic conclusion we came to was that we already have a group of people who have a good understanding of the budget process,&quot; says Spoulos. &quot;Those on the committee should be the people who are responsible for the budgets in their units, the deans and executive directors.&quot;</p><p>In not wanting to exclude the rest of the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ community from the process, the task force recommended that business units and faculty members have input through priority presentations, within their units and faculty councils, that speak to their specific areas.</p><p>&quot;It&#39;s a build-from-the-ground-up approach when it comes to setting priorities,&quot; says Spoulos. &quot;Priority presentations are not about dollars, they&#39;re about what priorities you&#39;ve established in your area. We look at them, the themes, and prioritize them in relation to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬&#39;s Strategic Plan and decide whether they should be funded. These presentations are open to the entire Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ community. It gives everybody the opportunity to see what is being funded and why. You might not agree with every decision but at least the process is transparent and you can see the rationale behind the decision.&quot;</p><p>A third key theme of discovery centred on the timing of the budget process. Having always worked on a September to March cycle, Faculties indicated that to hire the most desirable candidates, they needed to start looking for people in November and December, far before they had any idea of what budget dollars were available to them. The cycle has now been adjusted to work from April to October.</p><p>&quot;This first year will be a pretty difficult transition year because by the time this recommendation was made, we&#39;d already put ourselves a month behind in the new system,&quot; says Spoulos.</p><p>As a result, the priority presentation process has been pushed back from June 25 to September.</p><p>&quot;At the end of the day, our goal is to make the entire budget process transparent and accessible, so that everybody understands what goes into the creation of the budget,&quot; says Spoulos. &quot;We want to make it equitable, so that not only do people have input into the process, but the right people have input.&quot;</p><p><strong>GET THE FACTS</strong></p><p>&middot; The final report from the President&#39;s Task Force on Budget Process can be viewed at <a href="http://www.uleth.ca/president">www.uleth.ca/president</a><br /><br /> &middot; Spoulos met his wife, Bev, when they both worked at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ previously. She just started a new position at the U of L as an administrative assistant in the Department of Native American Studies<br /><br /> &middot; Spoulos and his wife have three children, two daughters aged 12 and 13, and a son who is entering his second year of psychology at the U of L<br /><br /> &middot; Prior to his first term at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬, Spoulos worked at KPMG as a chartered accountant, auditor and manager</p><p><em>This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this <a href="http://issuu.com/ulethbridge/docs/thelegend_1110_june2012" rel="nofollow">link</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/calgary" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Calgary</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-industryterm-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">IndustryTerm:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/finance" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">finance</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/task-force-budget-process" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Task Force on Budget Process</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/chris-eagan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Chris Eagan</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/prior" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Prior</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/mike-mahon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Mike Mahon</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/bev" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Bev</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/doug-spoulos" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Doug Spoulos</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/rob-wood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Rob Wood</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/carrie-takeyasu" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Carrie Takeyasu</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/chris-hosgood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Chris Hosgood</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/wwwulethcapresident" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">www.uleth.ca/president</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/associate-vice-president" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">associate vice-president</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/director-representatives" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">director representatives</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/administrative-assistant-department" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">administrative assistant in the Department</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/executive-director" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Executive Director</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/president" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">President</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/dean" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">dean</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/vice-president-finance" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">vice-president of finance</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/chartered-accountant" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">chartered accountant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/chartered-accountant-auditor-and-manager" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">chartered accountant , auditor and manager</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-url-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">URL:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/url/wwwulethcapresident" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">www.uleth.ca/president</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Spoulos keeps finding his way back to the U of L" class="rdf-meta"></span> Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:30:08 +0000 trevor.kenney 3144 at /unews Von Heyking recognized with merit award /unews/article/von-heyking-recognized-merit-award-0 <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-ff20e2dfcd786742506a310efe98eb03"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">April 19, 2012</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>Sonya von Heyking (CA, CIA, BMgt '03 Great Distinction) is one of 22 Alberta-based chartered accountants being honoured with a 2012 Merit Award from the <a href="http://www.albertacas.ca/" rel="nofollow">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta</a> (ICAA) for making significant contributions to charitable and community causes, as well as to the CA profession.</p> <p>An internal auditor with the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge since May 2006, von Heyking is being awarded an Early Achievement Award, presented to CAs who, within the first 10 years since qualifying, have demonstrated excellence in professional, civic, charitable, community or other services. Von Heyking received her CA designation in 2006, and prior to joining the U of L, worked at KPMG in Lethbridge.</p> <p>Reporting to the Audit Committee of the Board of Governors, von Heyking has worked on numerous projects that have helped to streamline processes or affect savings or efficiencies for the U of L, including H1N1 preparedness, supplier selection processes and analysis of various activities related to strategic priorities.</p> <p><div class="image-caption-container" style="width:400px;"><img title="Internal auditor Sonya von Heyking is a 2012 Merit Award winner." alt="Sonya von Heyking" src="/unews/sites/default/files/main/articles/von-heyking_2.jpg"><div class="image-caption">Internal auditor Sonya von Heyking is a 2012 Merit Award winner.</div></div></p> <p>"We are extremely proud of Sonya's achievement," says Bob Turner, the U of L Board of Governors Chair. "Sonya is a valuable member of our administrative team, and has an excellent working relationship with the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ community. In her position, she looks at many different aspects of our business and financial environment, and has a varied skill set that enables her to advise the Board and our senior administrative group with a high level of confidence. This recognition by the ICAA affirms what we already know, and appreciate, about her service to the U of L."</p> <p>Von Heyking has also earned her CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) designation, making her one of the few CAs in the province with that distinction. As well, she presents at numerous conferences, recently earning a trip to the Institute of Internal Auditors 'All Stars' international conference &ndash; an opportunity based on positive feedback from colleagues, audiences and conference organizers.</p> <p>Among other projects, von Heyking designed assurance engagements that allowed U of L students to conduct actual audit work under her guidance, and present their reports to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬'s Audit Committee. This project was extremely successful and benefitted both the students and Internal Audit.</p> <p>As an Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta Centennial Ambassador, von Heyking also volunteered extensively in 2010 to establish a long-term fund supporting academic awards in local high schools. Through contributions by Lethbridge and area chartered accountants, the project ultimately raised sufficient funds to provide 60 annual awards to local high school students.</p> <p>"The ICAA is, once again, honouring a tremendous class of Merit Award recipients," says Blair Nixon (Q.C. FCA), president of the ICAA. "Each of this year's recipients, including Ms. von Heyking, have left a positive impression on those around them. Throughout the profession's history, CAs have been known for making a difference in Alberta's communities &ndash; and within the profession. As always, this year's recipients live up to that reputation."</p> <p>In total, 22 Alberta recipients will be officially recognized at the 2012 Merit Awards Gala, which takes place June 22 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton.</p> <p><em>This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this </em><a href="http://issuu.com/ulethbridge/docs/the_legend__1107_march2012" rel="nofollow"><em>link</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/edmonton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Edmonton</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/facility/institute-chartered-accountants" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/shaw-conference-centre" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Shaw Conference Centre</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-industryterm-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">IndustryTerm:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/internal-auditor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">internal auditor</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/audit-committee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Audit Committee</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-chartered-accountants-alberta" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/central-intelligence-agency" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Central Intelligence Agency</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-internal-auditors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Internal Auditors</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-chartered-accountants-alberta-centennial" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta Centennial</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/universitys-audit-committee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬&#039;s Audit Committee</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/board-governors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Board of Governors</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/bob-turner" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Bob Turner</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/blair-nixon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Blair Nixon</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/sonya-von-heyking" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Sonya von Heyking</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/internal-auditor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">internal auditor</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/president" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">President</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/ambassador" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">ambassador</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-provinceorstate-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">ProvinceOrState:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/province-or-state/alberta" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Alberta</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Von Heyking recognized with merit award" class="rdf-meta"></span> Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:33:19 +0000 trevor.kenney 3732 at /unews Von Heyking recognized with merit award /unews/article/von-heyking-recognized-merit-award <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-185fcdcc9216c4c56bc0a5415c8cc2bc"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">March 20, 2012</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>Sonya von Heyking (CA, CIA, BMgt '03 Great Distinction) is one of 22 Alberta-based chartered accountants being honoured with a 2012 Merit Award from the <a href="http://www.albertacas.ca/" rel="nofollow">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta</a> (ICAA) for making significant contributions to charitable and community causes, as well as to the CA profession.</p><p>An internal auditor with the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge since May 2006, von Heyking is being awarded an Early Achievement Award, presented to CAs who, within the first 10 years since qualifying, have demonstrated excellence in professional, civic, charitable, community or other services. Von Heyking received her CA designation in 2006, and prior to joining the U of L, worked at KPMG in Lethbridge.</p><p>Reporting to the Audit Committee of the Board of Governors, von Heyking has worked on numerous projects that have helped to streamline processes or affect savings or efficiencies for the U of L, including H1N1 preparedness, supplier selection processes and analysis of various activities related to strategic priorities.</p><p><div class="image-caption-container" style="width:500px;"><img src="/unews/sites/default/files/main/articles/von-heyking_2.jpg" alt="Sonya von Heyking" title="Internal auditor Sonya von Heyking is a 2012 Merit Award winner."><div class="image-caption">Internal auditor Sonya von Heyking is a 2012 Merit Award winner.</div></div></p><p>"We are extremely proud of Sonya's achievement," says Bob Turner, the U of L Board of Governors Chair. "Sonya is a valuable member of our administrative team, and has an excellent working relationship with the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ community. In her position, she looks at many different aspects of our business and financial environment, and has a varied skill set that enables her to advise the Board and our senior administrative group with a high level of confidence. This recognition by the ICAA affirms what we already know, and appreciate, about her service to the U of L."</p><p>Von Heyking has also earned her CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) designation, making her one of the few CAs in the province with that distinction. As well, she presents at numerous conferences, recently earning a trip to the Institute of Internal Auditors 'All Stars' international conference – an opportunity based on positive feedback from colleagues, audiences and conference organizers.</p><p>Among other projects, von Heyking designed assurance engagements that allowed U of L students to conduct actual audit work under her guidance, and present their reports to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬'s Audit Committee. This project was extremely successful and benefitted both the students and Internal Audit.</p><p>As an Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta Centennial Ambassador, von Heyking also volunteered extensively in 2010 to establish a long-term fund supporting academic awards in local high schools. Through contributions by Lethbridge and area chartered accountants, the project ultimately raised sufficient funds to provide 60 annual awards to local high school students.</p><p>"The ICAA is, once again, honouring a tremendous class of Merit Award recipients," says Blair Nixon (Q.C. FCA), president of the ICAA. "Each of this year's recipients, including Ms. von Heyking, have left a positive impression on those around them. Throughout the profession's history, CAs have been known for making a difference in Alberta's communities – and within the profession. As always, this year's recipients live up to that reputation."</p><p>In total, 22 Alberta recipients will be officially recognized at the 2012 Merit Awards Gala, which takes place June 22 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton.</p><p><em>This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this </em><a href="http://issuu.com/ulethbridge/docs/the_legend__1107_march2012" rel="nofollow"><em>link</em></a><em>.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/edmonton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Edmonton</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/facility/institute-chartered-accountants" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/shaw-conference-centre" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Shaw Conference Centre</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-industryterm-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">IndustryTerm:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/internal-auditor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">internal auditor</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/audit-committee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Audit Committee</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-chartered-accountants-alberta" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/central-intelligence-agency" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Central Intelligence Agency</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-internal-auditors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Internal Auditors</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/institute-chartered-accountants-alberta-centennial" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta Centennial</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/universitys-audit-committee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬&#039;s Audit Committee</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/board-governors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Board of Governors</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/bob-turner" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Bob Turner</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/blair-nixon" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Blair Nixon</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/sonya-von-heyking" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Sonya von Heyking</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/internal-auditor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">internal auditor</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/president" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">President</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/ambassador" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">ambassador</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-provinceorstate-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">ProvinceOrState:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/province-or-state/alberta" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Alberta</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Von Heyking recognized with merit award" class="rdf-meta"></span> Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:40:34 +0000 trevor.kenney 3245 at /unews Spoulos to take over associate VP role /unews/article/spoulos-take-over-associate-vp-role <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-12237ee988392af428f4ff80c1767228"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">March 21, 2011</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>The Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge Board of Governors recently approved the appointment of alumnus Douglas (Doug) Spoulos, CA, (BMgt '87) as the new Associate Vice-President (Finance).<br> <br> Spoulos follows Karen Clearwater, CA, who is retiring as the Associate Vice-President (Financial Planning) after a 24-year career at the U of L.<br> <br> "We are very pleased to have Doug back at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ and in the community," says Nancy Walker, the U of L's Vice-President, Finance and Administration.<br> <br> "As a former Lethbridge resident, a U of L graduate and also as a former employee, he knows our Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ environment well, and also brings a wealth of knowledge from his public and private sector experiences."<br> <br> Spoulos, a Charted Accountant since 1992, was most recently the Vice-President, Finance and Administration at Sigma Explorations Inc., a Calgary-based geophysical data service provider with five business divisions.<br> <br> He has significant additional experience working with national and international publicly&ndash;traded manufacturing firms, previous experience at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge as the Manager, Research and Trust funds, and with the local KPMG office as a Chartered Accountant, Auditor and Manager.<br> <br> Spoulos says he is looking forward to returning to Lethbridge for a variety of reasons, in addition to the position at the U of L.<br> <br> "I was born and raised in Lethbridge and all my family still lives there. My wife, Bev, is also from Lethbridge. Our son is currently attending the<br> U of L, and our two daughters are just entering junior high. I really enjoyed my first time at the U of L - it has a great atmosphere and great people."<br> <br> Spoulos begins his new position on April 11, 2011. Clearwater will be retiring from her position on June 30, 2011 but will remain at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ until the end of the year as the project manager of the Student Recruitment and Retention Project.<br> <br> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/calgary" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Calgary</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/company/sigma-explorations-inc" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Sigma Explorations Inc.</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge-board" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge Board</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-industryterm-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">IndustryTerm:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/manufacturing-firms" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">manufacturing firms</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge-board-governors" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge Board of Governors</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/nancy-walker" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Nancy Walker</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/douglas-doug-spoulos" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Douglas (Doug) Spoulos</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/karen-clearwater" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Karen Clearwater</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/bev" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Bev</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/project-manager-student-recruitment-and-retention-project" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">project manager of the Student Recruitment and Retention Project</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/manager-research-and-trust-funds" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Manager, Research and Trust funds</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/associate-vp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">associate VP</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/vice-president" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Vice-President</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/vice-president-finance-and-administration" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Vice-President , Finance and Administration</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/charted-accountant" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Charted Accountant</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/vp-role-march" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">VP role March</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/position/chartered-accountant-auditor-and-manager" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">chartered accountant , auditor and manager</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Spoulos to take over associate VP role" class="rdf-meta"></span> Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:52:51 +0000 trevor.kenney 4023 at /unews Gaining a global perspective /unews/article/gaining-global-perspective <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-b1e7e8d13468b1df30bf5fd23c6c5654"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">July 22, 2010</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>Throwing the first pitch at a <a href="http://www.mlb.com" rel="nofollow">major league baseball</a> game and travelling the world are just a few of Jason Lee's ambitions. The Calgary native and bachelor of <a href="http://www.uleth.ca/management" rel="nofollow">management</a> student has accomplished much in the last few years, and says his time at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge has given him a world of opportunities, equipping him with the knowledge and confidence necessary to make his dreams a reality.</p> <p>Lee is majoring in <a href="http://www.uleth.ca/ross/acadprog/undergrad/mgt/intl_mgt/index.html" rel="nofollow">international management</a> combined with <a href="http://www.uleth.ca/fas/pol/" rel="nofollow">political science</a>. He came to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ in fall 2007 after a year at what was then <a href="http://www.mtroyal.ca" rel="nofollow">Mount Royal College</a>. He lived in Peru serving a mission from 2004-2006.</p> <p>"It was a life-changing experience," says Lee of his time in Peru. "It was a chance to look inward and figure out who I wanted to be."<div class="image-caption-container" style="width:500px;"><img title="Jason Lee has seen his future open up thanks to participating in the Integrated Management Experience program." src="/unews/sites/default/files/main/articles/lee.jpg" alt=""><div class="image-caption">Jason Lee has seen his future open up thanks to participating in the Integrated Management Experience program.</div></div></p> <p>He says he wanted to choose a career that would let him continue to travel abroad and the U of L seemed like a good place to pursue that option.</p> <p>"At the end of first year, I realized post-secondary is a unique experience and it's different from the rest of your working life, and I wanted to make the most of it," says Lee, who enrolled in the <a href="http://fusion.uleth.ca/man-cbp/ime/" rel="nofollow">Integrated Management Experience</a> (IME) program.</p> <p>"I started thinking more seriously about schoolwork in IME and I was involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities that had to do with the program. I liked everything about it. I was the type of person that asked a lot of questions and the program really catered to that."</p> <p>The program encouraged Lee to make the most of his knowledge, and he became a representative in the <a href="http://icbconline.ca/" rel="nofollow">Inter-Collegiate Business Competition</a> (ICBC) as part of the business strategy team. He was also part of a team that won the KPMG Case Competition in March 2009. Lee says he was honoured to be involved with the group.</p> <p>"Most of the time, you just feel like a regular student who's busy studying and doing the normal things, but the odd time in your life you get to feel the thrill of your achievements and there's nothing else like it," he says. "It feels great."</p> <p>Lee previously completed co-ops in Calgary and Botswana, and is in the process of completing his third with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.</p> <p>"Co-op studies have been as important as any class I've ever taken," says Lee. "So many opportunities have risen from that for me; it's an excellent program."</p> <p>When he's not focusing on his studies, Lee enjoys several hobbies including long boarding, playing sports and learning the guitar. He says he's not sure where life will take him, but he's determined to keep an open mind.</p> <p>"I'm a dreamer; I want to do so many things," he says. "I want to get the perspective and experience I need to do something I like, and there's enough success out there for everyone."</p> <br> <p><em>To learn more about the Faculty of Management at the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge, visit this <a href="http://www.uleth.ca/management" rel="nofollow">link</a>.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/calgary" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Calgary</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/facility/mount-royal-college" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Mount Royal College</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/faculty-management" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Faculty of Management</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/mount-royal-college" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Mount Royal College</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/jason-lee" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Jason Lee</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/representative" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">representative</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Gaining a global perspective" class="rdf-meta"></span> Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:15:07 +0000 trevor.kenney 5513 at /unews Williamson always had business in her blood /unews/article/williamson-always-had-business-her-blood <div class="field field-name-field-op-author field-type-node-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="rnews:creator schema:creator"><div class="view view-openpublish-related-content view-id-openpublish_related_content view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-ac9044da0f49d5bc55400a408e2fca64"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="views-label views-label-title">by</span> <span class="field-content"><a href="/unews/profile/trevor-kenney">Trevor Kenney</a></span> </div> <div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content">December 2, 2009</span> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item even" property="rnews:articlebody schema:articleBody"> <p>Looking back, Jessica Williamson (BMgt '02), owner and operator of the successful yoga/active-wear retail business, Hoopla Clothing, can't remember a time when she wasn't hooked on business.</p> <p>"When I was about 13 years old, my brother and I started selling leeches for live bait," laughs Williamson. "I think I edged toward business because my dad had his own seed cleaning operation. I grew up with the entrepreneurial spirit in my home and I always knew I would have a business one day."</p> <p>Williamson grew up in Pambrun, Saskatchewan, a very small town of approximately 50 people. After her high school graduation in 1998, she was offered, but later declined, a scholarship to attend the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Regina.</p> <p>"I had done some research on several universities that were not in Saskatchewan. Coming from such a small community I felt it was time to spread my wings and go where I didn't know everyone and where I would have new opportunities and meet new people," says Williamson.</p> <p><div class="image-caption-container" style="width:400px;"><img title="Jessica Williamson has established a thriving business since graduating from the U of L." src="/unews/sites/default/files/main/articles/williamson.jpg" alt=""><div class="image-caption">Jessica Williamson has established a thriving business since graduating from the U of L.</div></div>Attracted to the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge because of its location, relatively smaller size and the opportunity it provided for management students to specialize in different areas, Williamson enrolled in a bachelor of management degree with a specialization in marketing. Finding a healthy balance between work and play, Williamson volunteered for events run by the Management Students' Society and participated in the Western Business Games. Working with several other students, she also won a business case competition for KPMG.</p> <p>"People say that high school is supposed to be the best time of your life, but I seriously felt like university was one of the best times of my life. I always felt like the faculty and staff cared about the quality of education they were providing and about me as an individual," remembers Williamson. "Taking so many different classes opened my eyes to things I had never heard or thought about before and allowed me to learn and grow. The Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ is where I took my first yoga class. In retrospect, I realize that was a pivotal point in my life."<br> After graduating with great distinction in 2002, Williamson moved to Calgary. She began working for Canadian Pacific Railway and continued to dabble in yoga in her spare time.</p> <p>"During my time at CP Rail, I had the opportunity to do some traveling across Canada doing process improvement work. It was a great experience and on the weekends we would travel to the area attractions and it gave me a bit of a travel bug."</p> <p>After five years, Williamson knew it was time for a career change, so she turned in her resignation and took a month off.</p> <p>"I wanted to go on a vacation that had a purpose. I went to a yoga retreat in Costa Rica, earned my yoga alliance certificate and became a registered yoga teacher. The retreat taught me to look inside, do what is in my heart and be happy about what I was doing," says Williamson.</p> <p>Following her heart, Williamson moved to her future husband's hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan to open Hoopla Clothing in 2007.</p> <p>"I applied to the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) for funding. It was a good process to go through.</p> <p>It is not just about giving you a loan; it is about making sure you have done the proper planning. Once I opened Hoopla, CYBF set me up with a mentor, local business owner, Al Norman. He helped me set some long and short-term goals and stay on track with those goals," says Williamson.</p> <p>Stay on track she did. Since opening, Hoopla Clothing has surpassed the $1 million mark in sales. In 2008, Hoopla launched an online catalog, and has expanded to include seven employees.</p> <p>Williamson plans to expand her business to another Saskatchewan city in 2010 and is excited to begin her next adventure in early December when she and her husband have their first child.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field-group-format group_related_topics field-group-div group-related-topics block-title-body speed-fast effect-none"><h2><span>Related Topics</span></h2><div class="field field-name-opencalais-city-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">City:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/city/calgary" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Calgary</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/city/pambrun" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Pambrun</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-company-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Company:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/company/kpmg" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">KPMG</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/company/canadian-pacific-railway" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Canadian Pacific Railway</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-facility-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Facility:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/facility/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/facility/university-regina" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Regina</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-industryterm-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">IndustryTerm:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/online-catalog" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">online catalog</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/industry-term/yogaactive-wear-retail" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">yoga/active-wear retail</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/industry-term/travel-bug" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">travel bug</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-organization-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Organization:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/university-regina" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Regina</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/university-lethbridge" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/organization/management-students-society" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Management Students&#039; Society</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/organization/canadian-youth-business-foundation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Canadian Youth Business Foundation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-person-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Person:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/person/jessica-williamson" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Jessica Williamson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/unews/person/al-norman" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Al Norman</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-position-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Position:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/position/registered-yoga-teacher" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">registered yoga teacher</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-opencalais-provinceorstate-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">ProvinceOrState:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/unews/province-or-state/saskatchewan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel">Saskatchewan</a></div></div></div></div><span property="rnews:name schema:name" content="Williamson always had business in her blood" class="rdf-meta"></span> Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:29:57 +0000 trevor.kenney 4793 at /unews