Spiring to receive second annual Ignite Award

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This article was published 06/09/2023 (769 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In her first public appearance since stepping down as CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg, Dayna Spiring will receive the second annual Ignite Award presented by the Young Associates of the Asper School of Business at an event at the RBC Convention Centre on Thursday evening.

It’s organized as an event for first-time students at the Asper School during their first week of classes to get an introduction to the business community and to try their hand at engaging in the important business practice of networking.

Josh Zaporzan, the chair of Young Associates, said there’s lots of excitement about the event.

“It was very successful last year and we’re expecting to fill the room with about 600 people,” he said. “We had phenomenal feedback last year from the business community and students. It can be nerve-racking for new students to come to their first formal dinner. But we heard last year that they felt welcome and the business community loved it as well.”

Students, who are expected to make up half the audience, attend free of charge (it is included in their registration fees) and AnnaMaria Toppazzini, CEO of The Associates — the lead sponsor the event — said it is part of the contribution that the organization provides to the school.

“We want to ensure we have that interaction with students,” she said. “Networking is very important. It’s part of experiential learning.”

The event is also an opportunity for faculty of the Asper School — who also attend free of charge — to connect with members of the business community.

“There are always new faculty and for some it will also be their first opportunity to connect with the Manitoba business community,” said Toppazzini.

Second-year students have also been invited to the event after the last couple of years of disruption caused by COVID. Efforts are made to seat students at tables with members of The Associates and the Young Associates whose professional activity might coincide with the students’ majors or stated areas of interest.

The Ignite Award honours an accomplished local thought leader who has through business, professional and community endeavors made an outstanding impact on Manitoba.

Last year’s inaugural honouree was Ash Modha, CEO and co-founder of Mondetta.

Spiring certainly fits the bill. Although she has recently stepped down as CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg — Aug. 18 was her last day — that didn’t mean she has stopped being involved in the community.

Among other of her ongoing engagements is co-chairing the 2025 Grey Cup committee with Barb Gamey.

She said her speech at the event on Thursday night is intended to inspire some of the students around what is possible.

“For instance, I’m going to talk about what kind of careers you can have in Winnipeg,” she said. “I have had a better seat to witness that than most. Whether it’s companies in Winnipeg who are the best in the world at what they do like Wellington Altus, Price Industries, Mondetta… there are amazing things we can do here.”

She’ll also let those first-year business students know that if they aren’t sure exactly what it is they want to do in their careers, that that’s OK.

“We don’t have the chance to dream about what we haven’t yet been exposed to,” she said in an interview.

“Through The Associates, the Young Associates and the Winnipeg business community — which I believe is the secret sauce in Winnipeg because they are so connected and complementary to each other — these student will have the opportunity to see what is possible.”

Spiring led EDW for seven years. Before that she was chief strategy officer and general counsel at the Canadian Wheat Board where she was responsible for privatizing that organization. She began her career practising law at Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson.

Spiring said she wanted to be courtroom lawyer since she was in her early teens.

“I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do,” she said. “If you had told me I would be in the grain industry or economic development I would have told you you’re crazy.”

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca