As Ivey continues to commemorate 100 years of business leadership, there was even more reason to celebrate when alumni reconnected for this year’s Global Ivey Day.
The 14th annual Global Ivey Day celebration included five School-run events and 30 regional events across 11 countries. From a beach clean-up in Bermuda and planting trees with ReForest London, to volunteering at a soup kitchen in New York City and running a used glasses donation drive in Toronto, alumni all over the world came together to not only celebrate Global Ivey Day, but to also give back to their communities. Alumni were also encouraged to give back by giving blood during the week of May 8-12.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Ivey community at such an exciting time in the School’s history,” said Melanie Devereux, EMBA ’15, this year’s Global Ivey Day Committee Chair for the Ivey Alumni Network (IAN). “We have an amazing team of dedicated volunteers who have ensured this year’s festivities are extra special as we celebrate Ivey’s centennial across the globe.”
In total, more than 1,100 Ivey alumni from around the world came together to celebrate. Some traditional Global Ivey Day events took place again this year, like the Power Lunch held in Toronto to honour 2023 Ivey Alumni Achievement Award recipients David Dobrowolski and John Stelzer, both HBA ’04, a livestream panel discussion hosted by the Ivey Academy, conversations about Ivey’s international LEADER Project, and a virtual session around EDI in the workplace.
The Global Ivey Day Committee saw a rise in in-person events this year – with five events happening in Toronto alone – including the Celebration at the Rec Room with over 300 alumni in attendance. Other Toronto-based events included a real estate industry event, a panel discussion on pursuing careers in sustainability, and a Senior Alumni Breakfast at the Old Mill, hosted by IAN Chair Lisa Dymond, MBA ’06, and Dean Sharon Hodgson.
“I am extremely grateful to the alumni volunteers and numerous Ivey staff and faculty who made this year’s Global Ivey Day celebration a standout,” said Jenni Denniston, HBA ’04, Director of Alumni Relations at Ivey. “We have an incredible alumni community who continue to engage with each other and the School, and I’m proud so many of us gathered from all corners of the world to give back to our communities and celebrate 100 years of Ivey!”
Mark your calendars for next year's Global Ivey Day on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Highlights from the 14th annual Global Ivey Day:
Power Lunch honouring IAAA recipients David Dobrowolski and John Stelzer
Ivey hosted its annual Power Lunch at One King West Hotel in Toronto to celebrate this year's recipients of the Ivey Alumni Achievement Award, David Dobrowolski and John Stelzer, both HBA ’04 and Partners at Solon Capital Partners. During the lunch, Dean Sharon Hodgson led a fireside chat with David and John to learn more about their remarkable story of leadership and resilience.
Empowering People in the New World of Work
More than 200 alumni and Ivey community members joined the livestream, hosted by the Ivey Academy, to engage in conversations on the evolution of work. Panellists included Ivey faculty members Martha Maznevski, Professor, Organizational Behaviour; Janice Byrne, Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship; and Romel Mostafa, Assistant Professor, Business, Economics, and Public Policy.
Entrepreneur Podcast: Legends with Trent Kitsch, MBA ’07
A serial entrepreneur, Kitsch joined the Entrepreneur Podcast’s Legends Series to share his journey of building a brand during his MBA, and how his ability to recognize opportunity has helped him be at the right place, at the right time.
The LEADER Project: Taking Ivey around the World
The LEADER Project hosted a panel of LEADERites and entrepreneurs who developed local business solutions. Panellists included Nadine de Gannes, HBA ’09, Faculty Director of the HBA Program and an Assistant Professor in Managerial Accounting and Control, and Sustainability; Vincent Bonus, an HBA2 student serving as LEADER’s Curriculum Lead; Zuhayr Abbas, HBA ’22, Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company and a former Executive Director of The LEADER Project; and Sagar Gurung, an entrepreneur who was a student last year based at the Nepal site.
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