2004 ALUMNI RECIPIENTS

Kirk Dudtschak, 38

Biggest achievement: As regional vice-president, I have had the privilege of leading a team that achieved top-quartile rankings in performance improvements, including a more than 80-per-cent improvement in net business growth.

Best skill: Being determined from a vision and goals perspective, while being caring and real from a human perspective

Most admired businessperson: I constantly look to others, including peers, friends, business leaders, spiritual leaders and community leaders to learn and grow. Through my experiences with others, my vision of leadership continues to change and grow.

Biggest business lesson learned: There have been many cases in my career where great business opportunities were missed or complicated due to misinterpretation or emotion between different parties (customers and employees, employees and leaders, etc.). I have learned and continue to learn every day the importance of putting yourself in the other person's shoes, the importance of understanding who they are and where they are coming from. I have learned the importance of being open and objective and flexible in getting to the end goal. It is important to have a vision and even more important to be flexible, adaptable and creative in getting there.

Favourite charity: St. Vincent's Hospital and United Way have been important causes for me given the great work they do in our community and the critical need they address.

Professional recognition that would mean the most: Being acknowledged by employees, customers and peers as making a difference in their lives, for helping them achieve something they had thought was very difficult or not possible.