Coleen McKeon:
CLASS OF 1983
Chatham Collegiate InstituteClass of 1983
Chatham, ON
Queen's University - BusinessClass of 1992
Kingston, ON
University of Western OntarioClass of 1986
London, ON
Merlin District High SchoolClass of 1980
Merlin, ON
Merlin Area Public Elementary SchoolClass of 1977
Merlin, ON
Coleen's Story
Life
After graduating from Western University, I went on my first trip abroad - Europe and I was officially hooked on travelling. I worked for a year at Union Gas and then decided to pursue my Master's degree. Four months later I found myself living in Calgary and I've never looked back. That first year I started downhill skiing, then back-country skiing. That summer I climbed my first mountain and have since summitted many of Canada's mountains. When I finished my Master's, I headed for the climber's meca - Nepal and Mt Everest. Four months in Asia, SE Asia and Nepal will always remain a highlight for me. I have also cycled around Ireland, travelled extensively through Canada's arctic and in '96 eloped in New Zealand with my best friend, climbing partner and now husband, Andre. Our children had their own climbing harnesses by time they were 4 and are avid little skiiers, hikers and campers. We spend much time introducing them to the beauty of nature and an active lifestyle. They seem to be growing into well balanced and happy little souls. I can think of nothing that I would change!
Workplace
One year three months and eight days - my first full-time job after University at Union Gas. And I promtly returned to the comfort of academia - but not for long. A co-op program at McMaster U took me to a work term in Calgary from which I would never return. It was 1988, the winter olympics, mountains snow and me needing to ski then climb. I worked for Gulf Canada Resourc...Expand for more
es and soon found myself on recruiting trips throughout Western Canada as well as taking a helicopter out to the drilling rigs on the Beaufort Sea off the shores of Tuktoyaktuk in Canada's north. And the only other woman on the rig the first day grew up in Merlin Ontario! Imagine that!
After a brief stint working in the health care industry, I soon knew it was time to return to private sector work, and more specifically, oil & gas.
In 1992 I finished my Master's degree in Business at Queen's U. and returned to the west. I began human resource consulting at Sobeco Ernst & Young - predominantly in rewards and people strategy. I soon moved to Towers Perrin where I worked in their reward practice - and found myself on more projects in the north!
By 1998, now married and with a new daughter, I returned to an old favourite - Gulf Canada Resources where I led the reward practice. With worldwide operations and 5 different companies, I had my hands full. Many corporate acquisitions later, another baby, and a new home - it seemed time to leave the corporate world and return to consulting. This time I decided I should own the company. No more feeding the partners of some firm.
I now happily work out of my home office or spend time in client offices when it makes sense to. I have great clients. And more importantly, I now walk the kids to school everyday. They can come home for lunch if they want or stay at school.
As with the rest of life, I wouldn't change a thing!
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