TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI), Canada’s national association representing investor relations professionals, is pleased to announce that Pat Marshall has been chosen as the 30th recipient of the Award for Excellence in Investor Relations and Megan Hjulfors has been chosen as the ninth recipient of the Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations. These individuals were honoured at CIRI’s 31st Annual Investor Relations Conference in Toronto, Ontario.
Award for Excellence in Investor Relations
The Award for Excellence in Investor Relations is given by CIRI to honour individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the investor relations profession and to the Institute.
Pat Marshall is well respected and admired in the investor relations profession and has been a significant contributor to CIRI and the issuer community as a member of the CIRI National Board and supporting Committees, a mentor and a frequent speaker.
"Pat has always been a bright light in the IR profession. She radiates enthusiasm for IR and communications. Since I’ve known Pat, she has always been generous with her time, advice and knowledge. She is so well deserving of all the accolades and awards she has received throughout her career,” said Chaya Cooperberg, 2017 recipient of the Award for Excellence. “I am so glad to see the 2018 Award for Excellence go to Pat for all of her contributions to CIRI and for being an outstanding representative of our profession to the broader business community.”
Ms. Marshall just retired as Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations of Cineplex Inc. In her role she oversaw all corporate and employee communications, media relations and was the company’s Investor Relations Officer. Prior to that role, she was Vice President Marketing and Communications for Galaxy Entertainment Inc., before the company merged with Cineplex Odeon Corp. Ms. Marshall has more than 25 years’ experience in the motion picture exhibition industry. Before joining Galaxy, she was Vice President, IMAX Theatres for IMAX Corporation, where she was responsible for the company’s worldwide corporate theatre operations, marketing and communications. Before this she held management positions at Westin Hotels and Commonwealth Holiday Inns. Ms. Marshall was a member of the Board of Directors of the Movie Theatre Association of Canada and is a founding member of Access2Entertainment. She is also the recipient of IR Magazine’s Best Investor Relations Officer in Canada Award in 2007 and 2008 in addition to numerous other IR Magazine awards in subsequent years. In 2013 and again in 2016, she was awarded the Canadian Investor Relations Institute’s Ontario Professional of the Year award. In 2013, Ms. Marshall was honoured to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work with Easter Seals developing programs to assist people with various abilities. In 2017, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from IR Magazine for her significant contributions to the investor relations industry through professional activities within both the IR and investment communities.
“To be recognized by CIRI for the work I have always loved is especially poignant for me,” said Pat Marshall. “Being selected by my industry peers to receive this award means a great deal. I am truly honoured and privileged to have been part of such a great community of professionals.”
“As an active member of the IR community, Pat has volunteered countless hours through her involvement on the CIRI National Board, the Resource & Education Committee, as a speaker at CIRI events and as a mentor,” said Yvette Lokker, President and CEO, CIRI. “Her passion for investor relations is contagious and she inspires others in the profession to deliver best-in-class investor relations programs.”
Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations
The Belle Mulligan Award for Leadership in Investor Relations is given by CIRI in honour of the late Belle Mulligan to recognize individuals who have shown singular leadership in one or more aspects of the practice of investor relations.
Belle Mulligan (1940-2009) will long be remembered as a leader and standard setter in the IR profession and as a founder of CIRI. Her passion for IR began through her association with NIRI in the early 1970s, and in 1981, she joined a small cadre of IR leaders to help develop NIRI Canada, now CIRI. She served on both the CIRI and NIRI Boards and was cited by one analyst as “adding 10% to the valuation” of the senior gold mining company she represented. Her professionalism won her many admirers, and her engaging personality and generous heart won her a wide circle of friends. She was a mentor to many IROs, urging them to set their sights high within their organizations.
Megan Hjulfors has been an early adopter of social media technologies, providing stakeholders at ARC Resources with information that is not only more comprehensive, it is more timely and engaging. The value that her progressive approach has brought to the overall IR and communications program has helped ARC garner awards for outstanding IR year after year, setting an example for other issuers.
Ms. Hjulfors has created a better understanding within the IR community of how people consume information today and why issuing companies and their IROs should pay attention to the opportunities created by new technologies and platforms. The work of early adopters like Ms. Hjulfors to improve the quality of disclosure will also help to advance the transparency in our capital markets.
Ms. Hjulfors is Senior Analyst, Investor Relations at MEG Energy Corp. Prior to joining MEG Energy, she was Supervisor of Investor Relations and Communications at ARC Resources Ltd., where she had been a member of the IR team since 2010. Prior to joining ARC, Ms. Hjulfors held various public relations, communications and investor relations roles both in Canada and in Europe. She holds a B.A. from York University, an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics and an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary.
“It is a great honour to receive this award. I would like to express my gratitude both to CIRI and the selection committee,” said Megan Hjulfors. “Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work with exceptional leaders and inspiring colleagues who are willing to give their time to mentor, are open to new ideas and who are committed not only to transparent communications, but also to continuously raising the bar. It is this combination that has made it possible to create work that leverages technology and expands how we communicate with investors.”
“Through her innovative approaches, Megan has demonstrated that she is a leader in the use of technology for investor relations. By introducing videos of management, she has made leadership and their views on the company more accessible to the investment community, thereby increasing transparency,” said Yvette Lokker.
About CIRI
CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For further information, please visit CIRI.org.
