Judges for the 2011 HR Summit Awards:

Judge and Chair

Corporate Governance Summit Award  Susan Robinson

Judges

HR Professional of the Year  Michael Bach, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG

HR Professional of the Year  Barb Conway, Vice President, Human Resources, Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business

Rewards Innovation Summit Award  Brad Harper, Vice-president, e.hr Workforce Solutions, Telus Communications Inc.

Corporate Social Responsibility Summit Award  Alan Middleton, PhD, Executive Director, Schulich Executive Education Centre

HR Academic of the Year  Mardi Walker, Senior Vice-president People, Maple Leaf Sports

Susan Robinson

Susan Robinson has more than 20 years’ experience as an HR executive. She became Xerox Canada’s first female executive in 1989. She has held senior human resources positions at AGT/Telus, Baxter Healthcare ,Manulife Financial and Securit. Robinson is a founding director of the Canadian Learning Directors Forum and The Learning Partnership.

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Michael Bach

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, KPMG

Michael Bach is the National Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for KPMG in Canada. In this capacity, Michael is responsible for the overarching diversity strategy for KPMG’s operations in Canada, including the development and implementation of all diversity related programs and initiatives. Since taking on the role, KPMG has received several prestigious diversity related awards – including being named one of Canada’s Top Employers for Diversity (2008, 2009 and 2010). In addition, the firm has been named one of Canada’s Best Employers for New Canadians (2008, 2009 and 2010), one of Canada’s Top Family Friendly Employers (2009 and 2010) and the Top 40 Places Gen Y Wants to Work (2009).

Recently, Michael was honored by the Toronto Immigrant Employment Council with the 2010 IS Award Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award. Additionally, in October 2009, Michael was honoured as one of the winners of the KPMG CEO Community Excellent Award for his contribution to community.

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Barb Conway

Vice President, Human Resources, Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business

Barb Conway is the Vice President of Human Resources at Carswell, a Thomson Reuters business. A senior Human Resources professional with several years of experience, Barb has been responsible for developing HR strategies and programs that have supported Carswell’s achievement of being named a Top Employer, Best Employer and/or Best Workplace in Canada in each of the past 6 years. Barb holds a business diploma from Durham College, a CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) designation through the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPA), a Certificate in Human Resource Management through the HRPA and is currently completing a Bachelor degree focused on organization development.

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Bradley J. Harper

Vice-president, e.HR Workforce Solutions
TELUS Communications Inc.

Brad Harper is TELUS Communications’ vice-president of e.HR Workforce Solutions, which includes payroll, benefits, health and wellness, e.HR (HR website and tools development), SAP testing and workforce solutions (management information and reporting development). Harper currently sits on the board for Theatre Calgary and is an advisory member of the Learning Partnership.

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Alan C. Middleton, PhD

Executive Director, Schulich Executive Education Centre

Dr. Alan Middleton is executive director of the Schulich Executive Education Centre. Before joining Schulich he was CEO of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency in Japan, and executive vice-president and a director of the global company, following seven years as president of Enterprise Advertising Associates in Toronto. He is the co-author of Advertising Works, and Advertising Works II.

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Mardi Walker

Senior Vice-president People, Maple Leaf Sports

Mardi Walker is senior vice-president, people at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., where she directs HR, labour relations, training and development, and office administration for a company with more than 500 full-time and 1,800 part-time staff. Prior to joining Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., Walker led the HR team for PetSmart's entry into Canada.

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