Alumni Notes

Richard Francki (EMBA) is Assistant Vice-President, responsible for Campus Services and Business Operations, at York University, a position he’s held since Nov. 2010. He and Joan still enjoy sailing vacations on Lake Ontario and ski vacations in the Laurentians, where they’ve acquired a chalet. They recently celebrated the christening of their third grandchild, Juliette.

John Lynch (EMBA) has been appointed Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Monsanto Canada Inc. Monsanto produces seed brands in large- and small-acre crops, and develops seed traits and technologies to benefit farmers. It also manufactures the world’s best-selling herbicide, Roundup®, and other herbicides used by farmers, consumers and lawnand-garden professionals.

Jamie Leong-Huxley (EMBA) reports that QSB professors Elspeth Murray and Peter Richardson were in Calgary to deliver the Leading Organizational Change course for QSB Executive Education. MBA alumni took the couple out for dinner on September 13 and all enjoyed the wonderful conversation, food and drink. Pictured, from left, are Jack Hoogstraten, Cathy Grant, John Nesbitt, Jamie Leong-Huxley, Catherine Bell, Professsors Murray and Richardson, and Michael Bishop (Absent: Corinne Wilkinson).

Michael Zinay (EMBA, Artsci’77) reconnected at Homecoming 2001 with Yvonne Hiemstra (PHE’77), whom he had dated during his undergrad years (’72-’76). Fast-forward to 2005, when they decided to live together. Yvonne quit her job as a marketing research guru with Cadbury Adams, sold her Toronto home and moved to Montréal (Beaconsfield). She has since set up a consulting company – whY Marketing – and has learned to cheer for the Habs “en français.” Keenly interested in boating, they purchased an old trawler – Yankee Zulu – in 2006 and are refurbishing it. So far they’ve cruised the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario from Montréal to Toronto, as well as the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal. This summer they will be cruising the Bay of Quinte from their base in Kingston. If you’re in the area, they would love to hook up.

Sophia Arvanitis, BCom’99, AMBA’08, is working in London, England, after being appointed Ontario’s agent-general there to build on the province’s international presence in key markets around the world and to raise Ontario’s profile in the U.K. As the province’s primary representative in the U.K., Sophia positions Ontario as a top-tier destination for investment and job creation. Before this, Sophia was the director, Covid-19 response, economic development and culture for the City of Toronto.