Alumni Notes

David Court, BCom’79, has been appointed chair of the Queen’s Board of Trustees, the governing body responsible for the overall operations of the university. David is a senior partner emeritus with McKinsey & Company. He joined the Queen’s board in 2020 and has since served as both vice-chair and chair of its finance, assets, and strategic infrastructure committee. He is also the former chair of Smith’s Advisory Board. “Queen’s holds a special, enduring place in my life, first as an alum and more recently in my current capacity as a trustee. I look forward to taking on this added leadership responsibility and am eager to support the university in its mission to deliver research excellence and an exceptional education to its students.” David will begin his four-year term June 1.

Karen Flavelle (BCom), President and CEO of Purdy’s Chocolates, is delighted that the company continues to thrive and move into new markets in Canada: 55 stores now in BC, Alberta and Ontario, with more expansion expected shortly in the Greater Toronto Area. Purdy’s was given the honour of being an official licensee for the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Winter Olympics. With more than 100 years of chocolate-making history, and being a local, family-owned Canadian business, it was a good fit for the Olympic Committee. (Roger’s Chocolates in Victoria is sharing the boxed chocolate category.) Purdy’s eye-catching Olympic boxes are available now. It also pleased Karen that Purdy’s financial aid through Winrock International is really paying off for the cocoa farmers of Africa’s Côte D’Ivoire and their families. She plans a trip in the coming months to see, first-hand, the villages her company is supporting and the good work being done there.

Douglas Flood (MBA) was recently given a lifetime achievement award by the Board of Directors of the Canadian Sporting Goods Association. During his career, he served with the CSGA for 11 years – 1993-98 as vendor representative Board Director, 2001-02 as Chairman of the Board, and 2003-05 as Past Chairman. During his tenure, he was instrumental in directing many difficult but necessary changes and also charting the future direction of the organization. Douglas was recently the company’s unanimous choice for a Lifetime Achievement award, making him only the ninth winner of this honour.

Stephen Graham, BCom, was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends by the American Marketing Association. Stephen was cited as “one of Canada’s most awarded marketing and transformational business leaders, recognized for bringing passion, inspiration, game-changing innovation and a trademark sense of humanity to everything he does.”

Jim Keohane (MBA) is now President and CEO of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), for which he has worked since 1999, most recently as Senior Vice President, Investment Management, and Chief Investment Officer.