A recruiting campaign that attracted nearly two dozen applicants has produced an SA国际影视传媒渆xcellentSA国际影视传媒� new executive director, according to the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.
The hiring committee whittled that list down to three and made their selection: a 17-year military veteran with high-level management experience, a graduate degree in communication and a QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Jubilee Medal to boot.
But there was a wrinkle: the successful applicant was Melissa Syer, who is married to Tim Syer, the now-former president of the Chamber (another way to say the chair of the board of directors).
The outgoing executive director, Deneen Everett, explained that having both Syers in those positions would have represented a conflict of interest as defined by the ChamberSA国际影视传媒檚 policy on the subject, which is spelled out on page 10 of its Board Governance Policy.
So, Tim stepped down to SA国际影视传媒渕itigate any of those perceived conflicts.SA国际影视传媒� CloudWorks co-founder Rob Warburton took over as president Oct. 12.
SA国际影视传媒淲e had a separate hiring committee and Tim was not involved in the hiring process whatsoever,SA国际影视传媒� Everett said. SA国际影视传媒淚n fact, we established a hiring committee with board members to review all the applications that were received to choose candidates that we interviewed and then to actually conduct the interview and make the selection.
SA国际影视传媒淭he goal was to have a transparent and competitive hiring process and we selected Melissa because sheSA国际影视传媒檚 the best candidate and sheSA国际影视传媒檚 going to make an excellent addition to our team.SA国际影视传媒�
Critical timing
Everett said the transition takes place at a critical time for Yellowknife businesses which can be seen as both a difficult and a time of opportunity.
SA国际影视传媒淲hether it is the Covid-19 pandemic or the labour shortages or supply chain issues that businesses are facing, this is a difficult time,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut itSA国际影视传媒檚 also an exciting time because we are seeing that businesses are changing how they operate.
SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e changing how they deliver their products and services and what those products and services are.SA国际影视传媒�
Everett is leaving at the end of December after eight years at the helm, which is a metaphor Syer will probably identify with: during a 17-year career in the Royal Canadian Navy, she worked on the bridges of the HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Calgary and is a specialist in SA国际影视传媒渦nderwater warfare.SA国际影视传媒�
She graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 2005, holds a masterSA国际影视传媒檚 degree in professional communcation and was awarded the QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Diamond Jubilee medal for demonstrating excellence and leadership in that field. She also spent six years recruiting for the military in Vancouver and Calgary.
Her military career brought her to Joint Task Force North in 2016, where she led a team that planned and executed operations. Since 2019, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 been a capital planner with the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Department of Infrastructure.
Syer starts on Nov. 8, so sheSA国际影视传媒檒l have time to learn the ropes with Everett before she sets off on her own course.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been looking for something to do that would be sort of a more dynamic role, where ISA国际影视传媒檇 get to meet lots of different people in the community,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think ISA国际影视传媒檓 really interested in SA国际影视传媒� growing whatever successes that Deneen has overseen. She was one of the reasons I was interested in the role and she has done a fantastic job for the organization.SA国际影视传媒�
Syer was SA国际影视传媒渢hrilledSA国际影视传媒� to hear it was mission accomplished.
SA国际影视传媒淚 have a very good job ISA国际影视传媒檓 in right now,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 am compensated handsomely. I have responsibilities commensurate with my seniority and experience. I work with very smart, hard-working people, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 sad to be leaving this job but ISA国际影视传媒檓 excited about the opportunity to work with business owners.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒� with reporting from Ethan Butterfield
