Business leaders unite to thank former Invest Ottawa CEO Michael Tremblay

Key players in Ottawa’s business community gathered last night at Bayview Yards to celebrate Michael Tremblay and the effective leadership he’s had on Ottawa’s innovation and tech scene for the past seven years.

Up until this month, Tremblay was president and CEO of Invest Ottawa, a non-profit organization that drives sustainable economic growth and job creation in the knowledge-based sector of Canada’s capital. He stepped down from the role Nov. 30 after accepting an irresistible offer to join Calian Group, one of Ottawa’s great success stories, as its new president of IT and cyber solutions. 

Sonya Shorey, who, like Tremblay, joined the leadership team at Invest Ottawa in 2017, is serving as interim president and CEO. She welcomed guests to last night’s reception, which included a few short speeches. There was also a continuous display of photos serving as a nostalgic backdrop for the event.

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Shorey and her colleagues, along with their board of directors, were not about to let Tremblay leave without saying a proper goodbye and wishing him the best on the next chapter of his career. As well, they invited about 200 friends to join them, including: Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and his predecessor Jim Watson. Former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, who’s serving as chair of the Ottawa Heart Institute board, was there. So was younger brother Brendan McGuinty, who’s chair of the Ottawa Board of Trade.

Calian Group’s award-winning CEO, Kevin Ford, attended with members of his team, including chief information officer and chief technology officer Michael Muldner, chief human resources officer Sue Ivay and Calian board chair George Weber.

High-tech adviser, mentor and investor Jennifer Francis, who’s on the board of Invest Ottawa, said it was important to the organization that it recognize Tremblay for his years of transformative service. “Invest Ottawa is such a different place now from when he started seven years ago,” she told OBJ.social at the event. “It’s bigger, there are more programs, there’s more support, there’s much more energy. It’s had an enormous impact in the last seven years on the Ottawa tech ecosystem.

“That’s Mike. He came in, and the first thing he did was set up strategy meetings. He then listened, implemented the strategy, made the changes that were necessary to make, and really turned this into a place where startups want to be.”

The Invest Ottawa board is co-chaired by Ottawa’s mayor and former HEXO exec Adam Miron, the latter of whom described Tremblay’s leadership style as inclusive, collaborative and visionary. “Under Michael’s leadership, Invest Ottawa has flourished,” said Miron.

The mayor came bearing a framed Letter of Commendation to present to the man of the hour, recognizing Tremblay’s role in further positioning Ottawa as an innovative international technology and business hub, and an attractive centre for foreign business and venture capital investment.  

Sutcliffe expressed his gratitude to Tremblay for his years of dedicated service to Invest Ottawa. “I can’t say enough about the work that Mike did,” said Sutcliffe while acknowledging Tremblay’s deliberate choice to transition from a successful career in the private sector to a leadership role at Invest Ottawa that promised community impact. “We were all so grateful that Mike agreed to take this on.

“I really want to thank you, Mike, for everything you’ve done for our city.”

The mayor, who has a strong background in small business and entrepreneurism, was a member of the board at Invest Ottawa when it was first created more than 10 years ago. Last night, he lauded Jim Watson for creating the lead economic development agency. “It’s because of Jim’s leadership and the leadership of so many great business people and board members, at the time, that Invest Ottawa got off the ground.

“Over the last seven years we have seen extraordinary progress with economic development in our city and with activity at Invest Ottawa, and we’ve seen amazing work by the team here,” said Sutcliffe. “We’ve seen Ottawa grow and flourish, not just as a government town.”

Tremblay, who was the last to speak, modestly acknowledged the collective efforts of everyone in the room, rather than attribute the organization’s success to personal achievement. He spoke of what an “honour and privilege” it was for him to be part of Invest Ottawa and to help work toward building a brighter future economically for the city.

“When I came into the role it was not intended to be forever; it was intended to be for a period of time where we could have impact together,” he said. “While it’s wonderful to have a celebration for me as a person, I want everyone to understand: this is about all of us together, coming together, and making an impact in the city because we all believe in the future of the city of Ottawa.”

Looking around the room at all the familiar faces, Tremblay spoke of the connection he felt with each individual. “The amount of impact you’ve all had on our city, and to be part of that for almost the last seven years, it means the absolute world to me,” said Tremblay.

“God bless you all.”

caroline@obj.ca