Sure, we’ve all heard about the Hockey Hall of Fame… Rock and Roll Hall of Fame… But what about Calgary’s own Business Hall of Fame? It was established a few years ago (2004) by Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta (that’s right, JA) and acknowledges the business achievements of some of Alberta’s most esteemed individuals. This was the second year I was privileged enough to attend the induction ceremony a few weeks ago.
As a Junior Achievement Ambassador, I helped talk to the guests and introduce them to the Smart Technology that Junior Achievement now uses (other Ambassadors helped seat guests, give introductions, etc.). Once everyone was in the main ballroom (at the Hyatt Hotel – how’s that for fancy?), we were introduced to our keynote speaker. Drumroll please? Arlene Dickinson! None other than the Dragon’s Den celebrity and CEO of Venture communications. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to personally speak with Arlene, but I like to think that it was her who so kindly smiled at me as she left the reception hall.
As the dinner progressed we were able to listen to and watch background videos on each laureate and their journey to the hall of fame and their incredible experiences. In between each laureate we were served with a splendid meal consisting of salad, lamb, mashed … vegetables? I’m not going to lie – the food was so extravagant that I honestly can’t remember the names of them all. I do remember the honey ice cream though – delicious. And who else can say that they’ve had beet and goat cheese cookies before?
Now, you may be wondering how you can check out this event. Well – I’m not going to lie – it’s probably fairly hard to get tickets unless you sign up with Junior Achievement and their company program. It’s a little late to join this year, but next year, be sure to sign up. The Calgary Business Hall of Fame is but one of the many wonderful opportunities you may have the chance of experiencing with Junior Achievement. Who knows – maybe next time you’ll get to meet Kevin O’Leary.
