When Bonnie Dupont learned she was receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Calgary Influential Women in Business awards (CIWB), her first reaction was surprise. “I didn’t expect it,” she said, admitting she wondered, “why me?”
But after a moment of reflection on a career spanning more than four decades in Western Canada’s energy and agriculture industries, the reason became clearer. Dupont is the seventh woman to be honoured with the lifetime achievement designation by CIWB, a recognition of a career often spent breaking new ground.
“I was, in a number of instances, the first woman in the role and in the position,” Dupont said. “That was an important way to open doors for other women.”
Paving the way for future generations
While she never set out to be a "pioneer," Dupont often found herself in that very position. Her journey into leadership began in earnest in 1981 when she was appointed the first female superintendent at SaskPower. It would be another year before a second woman joined the corporation’s management ranks. She notes that in many cases, she was sought out for these roles by male leaders who recognized that it was time for change.
“I was approached to join the company, and I think that was in large part because of the recognition that some male leaders had that changing up the energy in the organization was timely,” she explained. Possessing strong academic qualifications and a reputation as a compassionate and attentive listener, she brought an evidence-focused perspective that challenged the status quo.
Once she had a seat at the table, Dupont made it her mission to hold the door open for others. She recalls the era when the Calgary Petroleum Club, a long-standing institution in the city’s oil patch, restricted women to entering through a separate back door. When she eventually became the club’s president, she took immediate action.
That was my strategy. I used my position to find other competent women.
Her first move as president was to recruit two other women to the board, a clear and decisive step to dismantle the "boys’ club" culture and create a more inclusive environment. This approach defined her career, using her influence to elevate other capable women and ensure they had the opportunities she had fought for.
A growing and diverse celebration
The CIWB awards, presented by the non-profit organization Axis Connects, serve as a vital platform for recognizing these achievements. “It’s a real celebration of women’s accomplishments,” Dupont said of the awards.
That celebration is growing. Nuvyn Peters, CEO of Axis Connects, which is dedicated to advancing gender diversity in business, noted the remarkable momentum behind the event. This year’s awards gala, held on April 23 at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, sold out for the first time since its inception, with nearly 1,600 people in attendance.
“It keeps growing every year,” Peters says. The expanded interest is reflected not just in attendance but in the breadth of corporate support. “It’s great to see the increase in corporate sponsorship over the years, but also just the diversity of the sponsors themselves. Everything from oil and gas to law firms to tech companies, construction companies, home builders, developers, all have tables at this year’s event.”
Peters sees the event as both a progress report and a call to action. “It’s a reflection of how far we’ve come,” she said. “But an acknowledgement of not only the work that there is still left to do, but a chance to kind of pause and celebrate the incredible impact that our community has on shaping the vibrancy and that collective spirit.”
A diverse field of leaders honoured
Beyond Dupont’s lifetime achievement award, five other distinguished leaders were honoured for their impact across various sectors.
Lara Murphy received the award for a small and medium enterprise. Murphy is the co-founder, president, and CEO of Calgary Wild FC, Alberta’s first professional women’s soccer team, and the owner of the city’s only women-led commercial construction company. Before her success in Calgary, she had a history of successful startups in her native New Brunswick. In a related development, news emerged recently that Monticello Minute Unscripted releases tenth episode of third season, showing a growing trend of accessibility in sports entertainment.
The large enterprise award was presented to Tara Lockyer, who oversees human resources, marketing, and communications at ATB Financial. Her extensive career includes senior roles at CIBC and Manulife, with experience spanning from Eastern Canada to Asia. Lockyer also serves on Alberta’s Premier’s Council on Skills, shaping the future of the province’s workforce.
In the professional services category, Valerie Prather was recognized for her work as a partner in McCarthy Tétrault’s litigation and dispute resolution group. A nationally recognized leader in professional negligence law, she represents physicians in complex medical negligence cases. Prather was appointed King’s Counsel in 2016 and last year received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions to the community.
Saifa Koonar was honoured in the social enterprise category. As president and CEO of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation for the past 17 years, she has been instrumental in advancing child health in the province. Her three decades of leadership also extend to voluntary roles within the global Ismaili Muslim Community.
The male champion award was given to Vern Yu, president and CEO of AltaGas Ltd. With over 30 years of prior experience at Enbridge, including as CFO and president for new energy technologies, Yu has been a key figure in Calgary’s energy sector. He has promoted corporate growth in deals similar to when GFL Environmental bought Secure Waste, and has also contributed to the community through board roles at the Alberta Cancer Foundation and Calgary Economic Development.
A legacy of corporate leadership
Bonnie Dupont’s career after her initial pioneering roles continued to shape corporate Canada. After more than two decades in the energy and agricultural sectors, including with heritage grain companies that formed Viterra Inc., she joined Enbridge Inc. There, she served as group vice-president of corporate resources, with a wide portfolio that included human resources, information technology, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility.
During her leadership, Enbridge was repeatedly recognized for its best practices in governance and corporate culture. In the past decade, Dupont has transitioned to an educational role, becoming a frequent speaker at conferences and teaching at the Institute of Corporate Directors. Her focus now is on mentoring the next generation of leaders, specializing in governance and the role of human resources committees in Canadian companies.
Her journey from being the lone woman in the room to shaping the governance of major corporations and now educating future directors encapsulates the progress made over a lifetime. The CIWB award not only celebrates her past achievements but recognizes her ongoing contribution to building a more equitable and effective business landscape in Calgary and beyond.
