And our IABC/Toronto Communicator of the Year is…
Founder and Chairman of the BlackNorth Initiative and Founder and Executive Chairman of Kingsdale Advisors, Wes Hall.
IABC/Toronto is delighted to award Wes the prestigious 2020 Communicator of the Year (COTY) Award because he has demonstrated visionary leadership and communications excellence through his efforts to address anti-Black racism in Canada.
In June 2020, Wes founded the BlackNorth Initiative, whose mission is to end anti-Black systemic racism throughout all aspects of our lives by utilizing a business-first mindset. Less than a year later, more than 400 organizations – including 30% of the TSX 60 – have signed a pledge with the BlackNorth Initiative. The continued success of the BlackNorth Initiative exemplifies Wes’ ability to communicate successfully to positively influence key stakeholders, as well as his strong sense of civic and social responsibility.
Wes is a widely recognized entrepreneur, philanthropist and powerbroker. In 2003, he founded Kingsdale Advisors to help businesses communicate better with shareholders. Toronto Life magazine recently listed him as one of the 50 most influential Torontonians of 2020. The Globe and Mail has called him one of the nation’s most influential power brokers and Canadian Business magazine named him one of the most powerful people in 2016. He also serves as a director of SickKids Foundation, board member of Pathways to Education and Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and is also a member of the Ontario government’s Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce. In 2015, Wes was the recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Award and in 2017 received an Honorary Doctorate, both from the University of the West Indies.
Wes will formally receive the award at the Communicator of the Year Virtual Fireside Chat, where he will discuss the importance of communications in his success, some tactics that organizational leaders can implement to tackle anti-Black systemic racism in Canada, and how we can be change agents within our own organizations and communities.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 9 to 10:30 a.m. EST
Fees:
$20: IABC Member rate ($22.60 with HST)
$30: Non-member rate ($33.90 with HST)
View the full press release here
About Communicator of the Year (COTY)
IABC/Toronto’s Communicator of the Year Award recognizes a Greater Toronto Area executive whose demonstrated leadership and communications skills drive business results, or have had a substantially positive influence on the community.
The Communicator of the Year exemplifies excellence in communications and demonstrates a strong commitment to communication in their professional work.
The honoree must:
- Work in the Greater Toronto Area
- Have a demonstrated ability to communicate successfully
- Have had a positive influence with key stakeholder and the community
- Demonstrates a strong code of ethics
Only one person may be recognized as the Communicator of the Year each year. The winner will receive the award at an event held in their honour where they make an address.
Past COTY Recipients:
Jodi Kovitz, CEO and Founder of #movethedial
Maayan Ziv, Founder and CEO of AccessNow (2018)
Masai Ujiri, President, Toronto Raptors (2017)
Andy Byford, CEO, Toronto Transit Commission (2016)
Stefan Sjöstrand, President, IKEA Canada (2015)
- Alan Middleton, Executive Director, Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC) and Assistant Professor of Marketing, Schulich Business School at York University (2014)
- Ted Garrard, President and CEO, SickKids Foundation (2013)
- Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Education (2012)
- Catherine Zahn, President and CEO of CAMH (2011)
- Peter Aceto, President and Chief Executive Officer of ING Direct (2010)
- Rob Devitt, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto East General Hospital (2009)
- Philip Blake, President and CEO of Bayer Inc. (2008)
- Annette Verschuren, President of Home Depot Canada (2007)
- Mayor Hazel McCallion, City of Mississauga (2006)
- Malcolm Heins of Law Society of Upper Canada (2005)
- Wayne Fyffe of Credit Valley Hospital (2004)
- Edward Marra of Nestlé Canada (2003)
- David Booth of Compaq Canada Corp. (2002)
- Paul Tsaparis of Hewlett-Packard Canada (2001)
- Marguerite Jackson of the Toronto District School Board (2000)
- Rudy Riedl of Enbridge Consumers Gas (1999)
- Jeff Lozon of St. Michael’s Hospital (1998)
- Paul Lucas of Glaxo Wellcome Inc. (1997)