Message from the CBUAA President

The cornerstones of the Cape Breton University Alumni Association are to advance the institution, and to celebrate and form connections with our 17,000 member family in 80 countries around the world.  We continue to support and host events that provide members the chance to network and form lasting relationships and connections. These events truly cannot happen without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers from both our alumni family and staff from CBU’s External Department.

As with any family, we want to celebrate your successes in both your personal and professional lives. We do so each year with our Alumni Awards gala. The award recipients to date are second to none and exemplify all that we want our members to become. My sense, on a go forward basis, is that the quality of candidates will continue. Our alumni have and continue to bring recognition to Cape Breton University, and make lasting impacts on their professions and home communities. 

In closing, I am excited to work with such a talented group of individuals as those with the present Alumni Board and CBU’s External Department. This superb combination of individuals will undeniably allow us to accomplish any plans set forth over the next few years to connect with Alumni, support and encourage current students and to grow the association with CBU.

 

2011-2012 Board of Directors

Derrick Hayes (BBA’81, MBA(CED)’05)

President

Derrick Hayes is an Assistant Professor of Accounting in the Shannon School of Business at Cape Breton University. Derrick received his Chartered Accountant (CA) designation from the Institute of Charted Accountants of Nova Scotia and his Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation from Society of Management Accountants of Nova Scotia.

Derrick's primary area of research is in community economic development and not-for-profit activities in Cape Breton. He sits on Council for the Institute of Charted Accountants of Nova Scotia, and is the chair of the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy.

Derrick holds over 18 years of service at CBU and has been a member of numerous boards and committees within the University such as the CBU Research Ethics Board, AUS championship committees for women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, and men’s soccer. He also volunteers his time with several community organizations such as the Sydney Ports Corporation, Savoy Theatre and Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association.

A great sports enthusiast, Derrick is the chair of the 2013 Canadian Little League Championships, coach coordinator for Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association, and coaches in local hockey, soccer and baseball minor systems.

Derrick presently resides in Glace Bay with his wife Kelly and two children Kaitlynn and James.

Keith MacDonald BBA’95, BACS’96

Past President

Keith is the Executive Director of the Cape Breton Partnership. Keith is the coach and manager of the CBU Women’s Hockey Club and is actively involved in the Sydney River Kinsmen Club and Sydney Rotary Club.

 

 

 

 

Darlene Sponagle (HATM’89, BACS’98, BBA’00)

Vice-President

Darlene works as a Trade and Investment Officer at Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and has been an active member of the Board of Directors for the past three years.

 

 

 

 

Mike MacDonald (Dip.HATM’01, BBA’06)

2^nd Vice President

Mike completed a Dip. HATM in 2001, and after several years working in the hospitality industry in Banff and Victoria, he returned to CBU and completed his BBA.

Mike strongly believes his education and experience at CBU has helped guide his career to his current position as Environmental Services Manager for Shannex in Cape Breton.

He remembers fondly his time at CBU where he met his wife, Maureen. Together they have two daughters, Emily, 3 and Kelsey, 2.

 

David Alderson (MBA(CED)’10)

Secretary

David is the Program Development Scientist at Cape Breton University’s newly-established Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment (CSEE).

He holds a Certificate in Applied Science from Acadia University, a Bacehlor of Mechanical Engineering from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Business Administration in Community Economic Development from CBU. David is also a registered Engineer-in-Training with Engineers Nova Scotia.

 

 

Laura Martin (BBA’07)

Treasurer

Laura Martin is a Manager at Grant Thornton LLP, an accounting and business advisory firm that provides audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations.  Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd. and employs approximately 4,000 people in offices across Canada. 

Laura joined Grant Thornton in 2007 as a CA student and passed her Final Evaluation in September 2009.  She completed her experience requirements and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia in May 2010.  Laura also acts as a monitor for new CA students in the Sydney office, helping them to successfully complete the program set out by the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy. 

Laura has served as Treasurer of the CBU Alumni Association since September of 2010.  In addition to her CA designation, Laura holds a BBA from Cape Breton University.  Laura currently resides in Sydney.

Cindy Butler (BA’08)

Cindy Butler is a CBU Bachelor of Arts graduate and obtained her Bachelor of Education degree through a CBU co-hort with MUN.  She is currently a substitute teacher with the Cape Breton Regional School Board.

Her past involvement with CBU includes working for the CBUSU as Tutor Coordinator and assisting students in the campus Writing Centre. Cindy was the Class of 2008 valedictorian and received the Glen Moore Memorial Trophy and Scholarship for outstanding leadership.  She played a key role in various activities and events which focused on bringing the B.Ed. program to CBU and is the Chair of the Alumni Awards Gala Committee. 

Cindy resides in Glace Bay with her husband Bruno McInnis, also a CBU alumnus, and their three children, Jeremy, Sophia, and Roen.       

Becky Chisholm (BBA’06)

Becky Chisholm is the Communications and Public Relations Officer at Cape Breton University, where she is responsible for supporting projects linked to campus wide initiatives such as research, student recruitment, fundraising and athletics, as well as focusing on external and internal communications.

In addition to being a member of the CBU Alumni Association Board of Directors, she also volunteers with the Cape Breton Fiddlers Run Committee as the Sponsorship Coordinator.  A strong supporter of Cape Breton Island and its unique lifestyle, Becky sits on the Cape Breton Partnership NextGen Advisory Board with a group of likeminded individuals, who work to showcase the numerous opportunities in Cape Breton for young people to live, work and play.

Becky graduated from Cape Breton University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and holds a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University.   She is currently enrolled in the Master of Public Relations program at Mount Saint Vincent University.  She resides in Sydney, N.S.

Billy Crowley

President CBU Students' Union

Billy Crowley is the President Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Breton University Students’ Union. Prior to taking office within the Union, he was a member of the CBU Track & Field Team, President of the History Society and a Residence Director on campus. In addition, he is the Chair of the By-laws and Procedures Committee of the CBU Senate, and holds a seat on the CBU Board of Governors.

He is the Students’ Union’s primary delegate to the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Association, and has represented the CBU Student Body at the Canadian Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations lobbying conference in Ottawa, ON.

Billy is the recipient of the Marquis Scholarship and Fraser Scholarship, and will complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in History this April. Next year, Billy will be pursuing an MA in Political Science at Dalhousie University before attending Law School. He is originally from Margaree Forks, CB, but currently resides in Alumni Hall at Cape Breton University.

Darrell Flynn (BA’78, BBA’01)

Darrell has been a partner in the Swiss Chalet franchise in Sydney for the past 24 years.

In addition to his role as Chair of the Alumni Association’s golf tournament committee, he is an executive member of the CAPE Society, Treasurer of Bay Days, a member of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce, and is an elected member of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board.

He is married to his high school sweetheart, Eileen Gilday-Flynn (BACS’09, Bed’11), and has two children, Patrick and Emily-Grace.

 

Susan King (BBA’98)

Susan is the Executive Director at ACAP Cape Breton, a non-profit charitable environmental organization. She graduated from CBU with a BBA and also holds a BA from Queen’s University.

Susan has worked for more than twenty years in the non-profit sector and held senior staff positions with Laubach Literacy Nova Scotia and Community Links. Volunteering is an integral part of her life. She was a member of the Canadian Volunteer Initiative NS Coordinating Committee, served six years on the board of the Adult Learning Association of Cape Breton and is a past chair of the Cape Breton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and the Sydney Area Each One Teach One Council. Currently Susan is a member of the NS Community Volunteer Advisory Council and served on the committee which developed the Collaboration Agreement between the Voluntary Sector and the Government of NS. Susan is also a member of the Central Cape Breton County Community Health Board. She lives in Howie Centre with her husband and two daughters.  .

 Lowell MacLeod (BACS’06)

Photo and bio to come.

 

Jonathan MacNeil (BBA’07)

Jonathan graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a concentration in Finance & Economics. Jonathan soon began to work with small businesses in a commercial credit role.

In 2012 he moved back to Cape Breton and is working as an account manager with the Business Development Bank of Canada

Kenneth MacQueen (BBA’08)

Kenneth graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a concentration in Finance. Kenneth soon began work at Freedom 55 Financial as a Financial Advisor.

In June 2010, he obtained his Certified Financial Planner designation and in August of 2010, was appointed Director of Business Development in the Sydney office.

 

Cora Moriarty (BBA’11)

Cora Leigh Moriarty began her career upon graduation with Scotiabank. She was accepted into their Manager Customer Service Trainee Program, and while waiting for it to begin she is working as a Customer Support Representative in the Glace Bay branch.

Throughout her time at CBU, Cora was active in volunteering and served on the Students’ Union Student Representative Council. She was involved in several societies and committees that gave her the opportunity to attend numerous conferences and competitions across Canada.

Cora was one of the founding executives of SIFE Cape Breton (Students in Free Enterprise) at CBU, serving for two years as VP Finance. She was an instrumental element in helping the team win both regional and national awards, including the Best Start Up Team 2011 at the ACE National Exposition in Toronto. In addition, Cora represented the CBU Shannon School of Business at the Excalibur Human Resource Competition in Montreal.

Cora is dedicated to enhancing her community and takes advantage of any opportunity to volunteer. She is an Advisor with Junior Achievement, a Red Cross RWTC Scotiabank team member and participated in the JDRF Ride with Scotiabank.

Cora holds a BBA with concentrations in Finance, Human Resources and Accounting, and plans to pursue her MBA.

 

Bill O’Brien (BBA’02)

As a Mobile Mortgage Specialist, Bill O’Brien brings a wealth of experience to those in need of home equity financing.  For the past four years, Bill has provided top-notch advice and service to his clients in the areas of mortgage financing and residential budgeting.  He was acknowledged with the RBC Rookie Award during his first year with RBC for outstanding sales and service.

A native of Waterloo, Ontario, Bill is proud to call Cape Breton home now.  A graduate of Cape Breton University’s Bachelor of Business Administration program in 2000, Bill maintains strong ties to the university through his activities with the alumni association. He is also an avid supporter of community hockey through his roles as a volunteer coach with Glace Bay minor hockey and a coach-mentor with Hockey Nova Scotia.   

 

 

John Ryan (BBA’05)

John is currently the Director of Athletics at Cape Breton University. John lives in Glace Bay with his wife, Tracy, and daughters, MacKenzee and Kayl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marcie Shwery-Stanley (BA’86, MBA(CED)’00)

Marcie resides Sydney. She  received her BA and her MBA (CED) from UCCB and has co-authored a paper which was published in the Malaysian Economic Journal.  She worked at Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation for 20 years as Small Business Development Officer and Communications Officer and is presently on disability leave.

Marcie’s 33 years of community work is extensive and has included serving on: the N. S. Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Marine Atlantic’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Persons with Disabilities Partnership Association for the C. B. Regional Municipality and Victoria County.  Presently she is Chair of the Society for the Improvement of Accessible Transportation, Past Co-Chair of the C.B. Regional Municipality Human Rights Affirmative Action Committee, and a Commissioner on the Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission.

She has been recognized by being named 1993 Woman of the Year by the Business & Professional Women's Club of Sydney; by UCCB with the Anthony Traboulsee Award for pioneering workplace innovation at Breton Business Center Ltd.; by Marine Atlantic for her contribution to its Accessibility Advisory Committee; by the Cape Breton Tourist Association with its Friendship Award, and most recently by the Canadian Paraplegic Association with its Excellence Award.

 

Nuan Song (MBA(CED)’11)

Nuan Song is currently employed as the Administrative Coordinator of CBU Global.  This position works closely with senior administration, deans, faculty, and administrative staff, to coordinate the administration of international programs and partnership agreements including MOU’s and articulation agreements between CBU and other institutions. 

Originally from Qingdao, China, Nuan graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Information Management from Northwood University (US) in 2008.  While pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at CBU, she worked as an accounting tutor, residence assistant, Caper patroller, and cashier at Caper Convenience.

Over the past three years, Nuan has provided language interpreting services to the President and administrative staff during the Chinese delegation visit to CBU campus. In 2010, she worked as local consultant, participated in the Atlantic-Lobster promotion which was associated with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, and accompanied ECBC officials to Qingdao and Beijing, China for a trade mission.  She also participated in the International Mine Water Association Conference (2010) at CBU and was the only Mandarin-speaking conference supporting staff at the time. Prior to her current position, she was employed with BMO in Sydney. Nuan now resides in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

 

Matt Stewart (BBA’09)

Matt graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Since April of 2009 Matt has worked with the CBU Small Business Development Centre as a Business Counsellor. Matt is also an advisor for the CBU Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team, and the Youth Representative on the Board of Directors for the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority (CBCEDA).