Inaugural Canada’s Best Private Boards Summit (aka The Boardies) Debuts with Resounding Success, Setting a New Standard for Private Company Governance
Session One: The Private Company Governance Journey
On stage from left to right: Jennifer Mondoux, MondouxRollins Partners Inc. (Moderator), Angela Santiago, The Little Potato Company, Tristan Armstrong, Rocky Mountaineer, Kerry Gerber, MTE Consultants Inc., and James Nguyen, Quantropi Inc.
November 7, 2024
Toronto, ON
The inaugural Canada’s Best Private Boards Summit was a success. Attendees walked away not only with an exclusive “how-to playbook” of private company governance shared by this year’s award-winning boards, but also with a powerful network of connections from across Canada. The caliber of leaders in the room — from diverse industries and regions — was inspiring.
From left to right: Sophia Ku, Theresa Hannah, Jennifer Mondoux, Tennyson Kainz-Potter, and Nolan Holmes, MondouxRollins Partners Inc
Participants of the program (attendees, sponsors, winners, etc.) praised both the Summit’s rich content and the unique networking opportunities with an impressive roster of leaders.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
“Incredibly powerful event with passionate, nuanced and insightful perspectives. So happy to be included. Thanks to Jennifer Mondoux [CEO and Managing Partner of MondouxRollins Partners, and Founder and Chair, Canada’s Best Private Boards] for dreaming big and making all of the attendees better tomorrow.”
– Allan Malcomson, Co-Founder of Meerby.“Powerful discussions, passionate leaders, memorable moments.”
– Heather McLachlin, Independent Director.“To think that this was just an idea not long ago. From that idea, you have created something special and have been able to gather support, sponsors and perhaps most importantly, meaningful submissions and participation. Governance is one of those often-overlooked dynamics. Yet if one traces the success or failure of a business (private or public), one will find that governance is often at the root of the success or the failure of that business. Thanks for bringing attention to this critical area.”
– Jerry Bouma, Chair of the Advisory Board, The Little Potato Company (Canada’s Best Private Boards winner in the Best Advisory Board category).“From the start, Richter recognized Canada’s Best Private Boards as a much-needed platform to demonstrate how well-defined and focused boards can drive the performance of private companies. The energy in the room, the winners’ inspiring stories, and the chance to connect with like-minded individuals at this inaugural event reaffirmed just how essential this program is. Private company boards across Canada should learn from one another’s successes, and we’re proud to support an initiative that’s driving such meaningful conversations and connections.”
– Bill McLean, Partner at Richter (Gold Sponsor) and Vice Chair of the Canada’s Best Private Boards Voting Committee.
Session Three: Step Outside Your Echo Chamber
On stage from left to right: Jennifer Mondoux, MondouxRollins Partners Inc. (Moderator), Jerry Bouma, The Little Potato Company, Marco Pagani, Quantropi Inc., and Doug McDonald, Trusted Strategic and Financial Advisor
This inaugural event marks a new chapter for private governance in Canada. MondouxRollins Partners, a human capital advisory and leadership talent solutions firm, and the founders of the Canada’s Best Private Boards program, is committed to continuing the conversation around governance and its impact on private company performance. For those who missed this year’s event, look out for more information on next year’s Summit in the months to come.
Session Two: The Sticky Question of Succession
From left to right: Ted Rowe, MTE Consultants, Vi Becker, The Little Potato Company, Ronald Richardson, James Richardson & Sons, Limited, and Bill McLean, Richter (Moderator).
Nominations for the 2025 Canada’s Best Private Boards (AKA The Boardies) are now open! If you know of or have a private company board that’s doing great things, now’s the time to submit a nomination.
Session Four: Founders and Investors Unite
From left to right: Janet Bannister, Staircase Ventures, David Au-Yeung, CollectiveXP, George Rossolatos, Riverdale Capital Corporation, and Abdullah Snobar, DMZ and DMZ Ventures.
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Richter (GOLD Sponsor)
The Sutherland Investment Group of CIBC Private Wealth (BRONZE Sponsor)
ACG Toronto (ECOSYSTEM Partner)
Capital Angel Network (ECOSYSTEM Partner)
Private Directors Association (ECOSYSTEM Partner)
2024 Canada’s Best Private Boards Winners:
The Little Potato Company (Best Advisory Board)
MTE Consultants Inc. (Best Fiduciary Board — Employee-Owned or Partnership)
Rocky Mountaineer (Best Fiduciary Board — Family-Owned)
Quantropi Inc. (Best Fiduciary Board — Unrelated Shareholder’s Ownership).
Thank You to Our 2024 Summit Speakers:
Jennifer Mondoux (Host and Moderator), Founder, CEO and Managing Partner, MondouxRollins; Founder and Chair, Canada’s Best Private Boards
Bill McLean (Moderator), Partner, Richter
Lynne Murphy-Rivera (Introduction), Managing Director, Americas, AESC
Suzanne Grant (Introduction), Executive Director, Capital Angel Network
Tristan Armstrong, CEO and Executive Chair, Rocky Mountaineer
Kerry Gerber, Board Chair, MTE Consultants Inc.
James Nguyen, CEO and Co-Founder, Quantropi Inc.
Angela Santiago, Co-Founder and CEO, The Little Potato Company
Vi Becker, Advisory Board Member, The Little Potato Company
Ronald Richardson, Director, James Richardson & Sons, Limited
Ted Rowe, President, MTE Consultants
Jerry Bouma, Chair of the Advisory Board, The Little Potato Company
Doug McDonald, Trusted Strategic and Financial Advisor
Marco Pagani, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Quantropi Inc.
David Au-Yeung, Co-Founder, Flipp; Managing Partner of CollectiveXP
Janet Bannister, Founder & Managing Partner, Staircase Ventures
George Rossolatos, Founding CEO, Canadian Business Growth Fund
Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director, DMZ and CEO, DMZ Ventures
Thank You to Our 2024 Voting Committee:
Jennifer Mondoux (Chair), CEO and Managing Partner, MondouxRollins and Founder, Canada’s Best Private Boards
Bill McLean (Vice Chair), Partner, Richter
David Au-Yeung, Co-Founder, Flipp; Managing Partner of CollectiveXP
Kim Furlong, CEO, Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association
Keith Gillard, CEO, UpperStage.Capital
Sandra Ketchen, President and CEO, Spectrum Health Care
Doug McDonald, Trusted Strategic and Financial Advisor
Karen McKnight, Executive Coach, Advisor and Leadership Consultant
Colette Miller, Partner, Wilde Advisory Group
Robert Olsen, Vice Chair, Private Capital, Nicola Wealth
Ronald Richardson, Director, James Richardson & Sons, Limited
George Rossolatos, Founding CEO, Canadian Business Growth Fund
Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director, DMZ and CEO, DMZ Ventures
From left to right: Theresa Hannah, Tennyson Kainz-Potter, Jennifer Mondoux, Sophia Ku, and Nolan Holmes, MondouxRollins Partners Inc.
About Canada’s Best Private Boards:
Canada’s Best Private Boards is a new annual awards program and summit – the first of its kind in Canada – that recognizes the impact of great governance on the performance of private companies. Also known as “The Boardies”, Canada’s Best Private Boards celebrates how advisory or fiduciary governance has driven growth in mid-market family businesses, investor-backed companies and employee-owned or partnership firms. The vision for Canada’s Best Private Boards is to create a national culture of best practice sharing so that other leaders of private companies can learn the transformational value of governance and how they can build a great board themselves. MondouxRollins Partners Inc., a human capital advisory and leadership talent solutions firm for private enterprises, is the founder of the program.
About MondouxRollins Partners Inc., the Founders of Canada’s Best Private Boards:
MondouxRollins Partners Inc. is a human capital advisory and leadership talent solutions firm. We are a group of specialists, equipped with decades of experience providing talent solutions for private companies. We are risk-mitigators, trusted advisors and relationship-builders, and we are your one-stop-shop through the entire talent lifecycle - for your team, or for your board. We are also the founders of the Canada’s Best Private Boards program, a first-of-its kind national and annual awards program that recognizes the impact of governance on the performance of private companies.
Media Contact:
Tennyson Kainz-Potter, Associate, Marketing and Communications
416.707.8782 x701
613.421.4800 x701
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