The chief executive of one of Ottawa’s largest publicly traded companies suffered a “temporary health setback” over the Easter weekend and is expected to spend up to six weeks out of the office recovering, his company said.
The Calian Group said in a statement that the prognosis for Kevin Ford, who was named Ottawa’s 2017 CEO of the Year by OBJ and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, is “good” and that he’s expected to make a full recovery following a “cardiovascular event.”
The company has initiated its emergency succession plan and established a CEO operating committee made up of Calian executives Jerry Johnston, Pat Thera and Jacqueline Gauthier.
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For Ginger Bertrand, some of her earliest childhood memories in Ottawa are centred around healthcare. “I grew up across the street from what was originally the General Hospital,” she explains,
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Zaahra Mehsen was three years into a biology degree at a local university when she realized she wanted to take a different path. “I realized that it’s not my thing,”
Ford said in a statement that he “looks forward to being able to touch base with my team as I recover.”
The Calian Group is a highly diversified firm with health care, training, IT, engineering and manufacturing operations.
The Kanata-based firm reported its 65th straight quarterly profit – as well as a record $75.8 million in revenues – earlier this year.
Ford joined the company as head of its business and technology services division in 2010 and was named CEO in 2015.
Under Ford’s leadership, Calian has continued its acquisitions streak and guided the firm to the biggest contract win in its 35-year history – a renewed 12-year deal to provide health-care services to the Canadian Armed Forces that could be worth up to a billion dollars.
Ford plays an active role in the community and spearheaded the drive to create the Kanata North BIA six years ago and served as the organization’s first chairman. The father of four adult children continues to coach youth hockey and support various charitable causes.
His popularity within Calian’s ranks was on full display at last November’s Best Ottawa Business Awards when a dozen employees joined Ford on stage, wearing matching blue T-shirts proclaiming that they “work for the most freakin’ awesome CEO in Ottawa.”
