Marjolaine Hudon’s time in Ottawa is coming to an end, but the women of the local business community saw fit to send her off with one final honour Thursday night.
Hudon, the former RBC regional president for Ontario North and East who is moving on to another senior position in Quebec, received the 2024 lifetime achievement award at the Businesswoman of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Women’s Business Network of Ottawa at the Infinity Convention Centre.
Fifteen Ottawa businesswomen were finalists across five different categories, recognizing their contributions to the community and their organizations, as well as their dedication to leadership and innovation.
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The lifetime achievement award recognizes a woman who is seen by her peers and in the community as a leader and an inspiration.
“I just wanted to help people – that’s what I wanted to do with my life,” Hudon said in her acceptance speech. “I feel so privileged because that is what I’ve been doing for 30 years and I had that opportunity to do this with amazing colleagues.”
Hudon’s career spans three decades with RBC, holding senior leadership roles in personal and commercial banking, operations, risk management, and human resources in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. She served as employee ombudsman for a time, then was appointed a senior executive in 2013.
Her career most recently brought her to Ottawa, where in her role as regional president for Ontario North and East she led a team of 2,000 financial advisers serving clients across Eastern Ontario.
Now, she is preparing a move to Montreal to serve as RBC president for the Quebec region.
“At the time when I started at the bank, there was only one woman that was an executive and now 50 per cent of the executives at the bank are women,” said Hudon.
Hudon added that, although she is leaving, Ottawa “will always have a very special place in my heart.”
The same goes for the award: “This is the first recognition that I’m getting outside of the organization. So let me tell you, just like Ottawa, it will have a very special place in my heart.”
Local businesswomen honoured
The awards received a record number of nominations this year, according to chair Mira Yasiri.
“The selection committee had an incredibly hard time trying to decide on who the finalists are,” she said. “Every year, they’re absolutely fantastic, the best of the best. I think what occurred in the last few years is that the reputation, the calibre, the recognition and just the expansion of the categories has allowed more individuals to be recognized and, as a result, it opens up the door to some of the women in our community that we otherwise never heard about.”
While women have made significant strides over 41 years since the awards began, they still make up only a fraction of those in executive leadership positions and corporate boards, said Karen Wilson, president of the Women’s Business Network of Ottawa.
The awards, she said, are an opportunity to bring businesswomen together and celebrate their successes within the community.
“There’s so much talent and creativity,” Wilson said. “I did a bit of a happy dance when I saw the list of finalists and it’s because I know so many of their names and their stories. This is a group of women who are just phenomenal and they deserve to be known for what they’re doing. That is, I think, one of the reasons why this is my favourite event of the year.”
Of the record number of nominations, 15 were named finalists and the winners across five categories were announced at the gala Thursday.
Wendy Leung, volunteer executive director of Foodsharing Ottawa, received the community impact award, which recognizes the volunteer efforts of women who enact positive change on their organization and community. She was a finalist alongside Michèle Corriveau, a chiropractor and technical lead at Curavita Health Group and founder of a chiropractic clinic at The Ottawa Mission; and Christine Romulus, a hospitalist at Queensway Carleton Hospital and owner of Dr. Christina MD Clinic.
Tonya Bruin received the emerging entrepreneurial leader award, which recognizes women operating growing, profitable businesses for 10 years or less. Bruin is the founder of two companies, To Do Done Renovations and Evolta Electric Inc. She was a finalist alongside Michelle Massunken, co-owner of MindSpa Mental Health Centre; and Natalie Cox, president and co-owner of CPI Interiors.
Jenny Mitchell, founder of leadership company Chavender, won the established entrepreneurial leader award, which recognizes women with more than 10 years of experience running a successful, profitable business. She was nominated alongside Sue Hameed, founder of Platinum Mortgages Ottawa under Mortgage Architects and Mortgages with Sue; and Diana Lidstone, a coach and consultant for entrepreneurs.
Delphine Haslé, executive director and chief development officer of Perley Health Foundation, received the award for enterprise leadership. The category recognizes exceptional leaders who drive innovation in their organization and make a difference in their field or community. She was a finalist alongside Sue Perron, the first female CEO of Intersol Ltd.; and Laura Tippett, global mobility adviser and partner at KPMG.
In the lifetime achievement category, Hudon was nominated alongside Karla Briones, founder and principal of KB Consulting; and Nancy Graham, who is transitioning from a 20-year tenure with PWL Capital.
