Adam Flatt [BComm(Hons)/24]

New Bachelor of Commerce alum Adam Flatt completed his undergraduate degree with a double major in supply chain management & logistics and international business. Despite a degree interrupted by pandemic closures, Flatt is grateful for the networking opportunities he had throughout the program, connecting with colleagues and business leaders.

He also completed co-op terms at The Dufresne Group (TDG) as a logistics coordinator, all while balancing his career as a competitive curler.

Flatt shares how the Asper co-op program allowed him to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to the workplace in a way that fit his life and priorities.

“The flexibility of the Asper Co-op program, combined with the support from TDG, enabled me to balance my work with my competitive curling schedule. As a competitive curler traveling across North America to compete in World Curling Tour events, I was able to train and compete at the highest level while still participating fully in the co-op program and gaining valuable skills on the job!”

Flatt recently accepted a new role as Operations Supervisor at Larsen’s Memorial.

Adrian Barreda Rosell [MSCM/24]

Graduating with a Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics, Adrian Barreda Rosell enrolled in the program to advance his manufacturing background with a focus on improving processes across the workplace. While he looks forward to bringing refined technical knowledge back to work, he also notes that the program offered key leadership insights.

“I really enjoyed the people-oriented courses such as Managing People in Organizations, Executive Leadership Responsibilities, and Negotiations,” he says. “A good understanding of communication and motivation is essential for any leader.”

He is excited to continue his career in manufacturing, bringing an enhanced global supply chain view to his work.

“Being conscious about the unique demands of procurement and manufacturing departments will help me influence collaboration within the organization to increase the competitiveness and agility of the organization and the supply chain I am a part of,” he says.

Gagan Pahuja [MBA/24]

Recent MBA alum Gagan Pahuja has lofty goals of leading in the supply chain management industry in Manitoba, with a particular focus in procurement (a fitting aspiration given his MBA focus areas of supply chain and leadership).

Pahuja joined the MBA program in Fall 2022 and got involved quickly, joining the case competition team for the MBA Games 2023/24, benefiting from the mentorship program, and balancing work as a procurement advisor at Manitoba Hydro for a year during his full-time studies.

As he celebrates convocation this Fall, he reflects on how his varied Asper experience has set him up for success.

“The MBA program has been a rewarding journey that has advanced my career goals by enhancing my business acumen and leadership skills. Through coursework and networking opportunities, I’ve developed valuable analytical and problem-solving abilities. My experiences in case competitions and team projects have further equipped me with the confidence and skills needed to excel in my career path in the supply chain management industry,” he says.

He is already putting his procurement acumen to work close to home in his current role as a Purchasing Consultant with Procurement Services at UM.

Julie Xue [MBA/24]

After beginning her MBA at the Asper School of Business in Fall 2022, Julie Xue found plenty of experiential learning opportunities to enrich her in-class work. This October, she receives her MBA with focus in finance, and she reflects on how the program helped move her professional goals forward.

“As a newcomer and woman in my late thirties, it felt impossible to break into the finance industry in Winnipeg before I pursued my MBA. However, after my Asper experience, anything feels possible. The program has opened a lot of doors for me already!”

Xue completed a co-op term with Grant Thorton and participated in prestigious case competitions (Creative Shock, CFA Research Challenge), where she could develop her critical thinking skills and ability to work under pressure. She graduates feeling ready for more after learning from distinguished guest speakers in her executive leadership course and connecting to the Asper alumni network as well as The Associates and Young Associates.

Marissa Troia [BComm(Hons)/24]

Marissa Troia will receive her Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree at Fall Convocation, concluding her Asper student experience even as she stays connected as an alum and debate coach.

Troia, who majored in accounting, filled her years at Asper with involvement through volunteering, co-op, and debate competitions. “The most impactful part of my Asper journey were the extracurriculars I participated in. Not only did they get me out of my comfort zone, but they also enabled me to meet some of my closest friends,” she says.

These experiential learning opportunities seem to have informed Troia’s next steps as a new alum. During her degree, Troia completed three co-op terms with MNP, where she now works as a full-time associate in assurance services, and she will start the CPA program this month.

An avid competitor for ASBAA’s Internal Accounting Case Competition and JDC West, Troia will also join a team of coaches in support of the Team Asper JDC West debate team.

Maureen Agwuncha [MFin/24]

Graduating with a Master of Finance, Maureen Agwuncha is now a member of KPMG’s Corporate Finance team in Winnipeg, where she will be providing financial advisory services to businesses across Canada.

She completed her professional graduate degree in just under a year, taking advantage of the flexible, concentrated programming while still getting involved with Asper Professional Graduate Student Association (APGSA) events and competing in the CFA Business Valuation Case Competition and Creative Shock.

Agwuncha is excited to continue building her career in finance, stating that the Asper MFin has already greatly supported her career goals. “The MFin program has significantly enhanced my visibility on the job market and provided hands-on experience in applying and understanding key finance concepts. I received coaching on navigating the Canadian job market, building meaningful connections, and leveraging existing relationships,” she says. She also plans to pursue CPA exams to further enhance her expertise.

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With nearly 100 new BComm alumni, and over 70 new alumni from the Stu Clark Graduate School, the Asper School of Business’ alumni community of 22,000 continues to grow. Stay connected as an alum no matter where your education and career take you.

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UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 1,429 degrees are being awarded at Fall Convocation, bringing the number of graduates in the class of 2024 to just over 5,500. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, contributing high-demand skills to the labour market and injecting nearly $300 million into the province’s economy each year.

CTRF, an annual conference that promotes the development of research in transportation, has operated since 1965 and hosts professionals in railway, trucking, airlines and more to share their expertise and build community.

Narendra Malalgoda, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Asper School of Business, presented work that explored rail ridership in the US as well as a paper examining the boom and bust of air cargo as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Asper colleagues Barry Prentice (Professor of Supply Chain Management and Director of the UM Transport Institute) and John Wilms (Sessional Instructor in Supply Chain Management) are also authors of this paper.

Malalgoda explains the value of connecting with transportation experts across Canada.

“By building these professional relationships at conferences like CTRF, I’m able to stay informed about industry trends and best practices. Learning about innovative solutions to practical problems in the transportation industry also enables me to incorporate more real-world examples and case studies into my teaching,” he says.

Maryna Klymchuk, Visiting Scholar in Supply Chain Management at the Asper School of Business, presented work comparing opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel in Canada and Ukraine. Robert Parsons (Sessional Instructor of Supply Chain Management) and Paul D. Larson (CN Professor of Supply Chain Management) are also listed as co-authors.

Klymchuk describes the collaborative research environment at Asper that supported this paper.

“Asper is a community that inspires and promotes professional development and research collaboration for faculty members. Thanks to the extraordinary support from our leaders and administrators, we achieve more innovation, more efficient processes, increased success and improved communication in scientific and teaching activities,” she says.

Klymchuk, Prentice and Malalgoda at the CTRF.

Prentice, in addition to presenting research about the potential for airship cargo service to address housing crises in Northern Canada, participated in and won the annual Bison Transport Debate alongside Michael Haughton (Professor of Supply Chain Management, Wilfred Laurier University).

Since 1996, the Bison Transport Debate has been sponsored by Bison Transport of Winnipeg, which also donated the coveted trophy. This prestigious event, conducted in conjunction with the CTRF Annual Meeting, invites distinguished transportation professionals to weigh in on some of the timeliest issues in the sector.

Prentice and Haughton won the debate by arguing that a government mandate requiring electric vehicles would be disastrous for consumers. Prentice explains that nuance of their defense.

“Technology evolves and mandates are blunt policy instruments with arbitrary dates. Before 2035, hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines may be a better option. Peeling away at the underlying issues of EV cars is like peeling onions, the more we peel, the more we cry,” he explains.

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The Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics from the Asper School of Business connects students and professionals to influential minds in the field, from transportation and logistics to supply chain and operations, preparing students for leadership positions within a broad range of fields. Learn more about the program here.

Yikun Wang [MSCM/23, BComm(Hons)/17]

Now a double-Asper alum, Yikun Wang graduates this year with one of the first MSCM degrees from the Asper School of Business.

Currently working as a transportation coordinator at Richardson International, Wang describes how the MSCM prepared her for industry leadership, highlighting the program’s curricular knowledge and emphasis on collaboration.

“The MSCM program advocates teamwork and cultivates our cooperation skills. This has been one of the most impressive parts of my Asper experience and has helped me integrate into my current team seamlessly,” she says.

Read more about Wang’s career journey and innovative approach to teamwork.

Meet even more exceptional Asper School of Business graduates!

Chisom Ike [BComm(Hons)/23]

An international student from Nigeria, Chisom Ike receives his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) majoring in accounting, completing three terms with the Asper Co-op Program and representing UM on the football field as a Manitoba Bison.

Ike credits his Bison experience for teaching him unwavering discipline and commitment, which allowed him to balance the demands of student athletics and his business degree. 

“Rain, snow, cold—in a harsh climate like Winnipeg’s, we show up to practice no matter what,” he says. “That discipline is what got me to show up for class, to study and to give my all at Asper.”

Currently employed as an accounting analyst at Richardson International, Ike acknowledges the Asper Career Development Centre (CDC) for supporting his career goals through co-op. “Meredith [Wood] was amazing. She worked with me to develop my resume-writing and interview skills, and her guidance helped me secure my first co-op placement at KPMG.”

Ike graduates knowing that his professional skills and discipline will be invaluable over the next few years as he pursues his CPA designation.

Nicole MacIntosh [BComm(Hons)/23]

Nicole MacIntosh began her university journey about eight years ago with the drive to get a business degree. An ADHD diagnosis became a turning point in her academic career, and as MacIntosh began to access resources and develop strategies to work with her neurodivergence, she also found community at Indigenous Business Education Partners (IBEP) at the Asper School of Business.

This fall, MacIntosh gradates with her Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Asper, proving that resilience, community and an investment in student success across the university make a resounding difference in the lives of our future leaders.

Read more about MacIntosh’s journey to graduation and her connections to IBEP and the UM Indigenous Student Centre.

Sage Weselowski [MBA/23]

Sage Weselowski receives an Asper Master of Business Administration with concentrations in Leadership and Organizations and Health Administration.

Weselowski reflects on what she has gained since beginning her degree in Fall 2021. “My time at Asper served to bolster my confidence to sit and actively participate at tables with professionals of all backgrounds and to know that my contributions have merit,” she says.

A dedicated healthcare professional and registered nurse, Weselowski pursued the MBA hoping to broaden her ability to effect change within the healthcare system. She began a new healthcare management position this summer that is already putting her MBA training to good use.

“This new role along with my MBA feels like a first step in becoming a more well-rounded healthcare professional,” she says. “There are so many possibilities in this field, and I’m embracing each new experience as a chance to grow.”

Solomon Schlegel [BComm(Hons)/23]

Graduating with a double major in Leadership and Marketing, Solomon Schlegel developed an aptitude for research during his BComm experience. He received an undergraduate research award in Summer 2021 and had the opportunity to work with Dr. Bruno Dyck studying sustainable business.

He combined this experience with co-op work, engaging his business theory and practice skills early.

“The Asper Co-op Program provided me with hands-on work experience while the concepts and theories I was learning were freshest in my mind,” says Schlegel. “I also began to develop a professional network that I would not have been able to achieve at this stage in my young career without co-op.”

Schlegel now works full-time for his previous co-op employer, IntegrateIT, as a program manager, where he gets to share his knowledge with a small team that includes current Asper Co-op students. Planning to continue gaining work experience for now, he hopes to return to research and pursue a master’s degree in the future.

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Congratulations to all students graduating from the Asper School of Business this fall!

Wang, who is also a practitioner of Chinese calligraphy and director of the Association of Chinese Calligraphers in Manitoba, understands the value of expressing her individuality and recognizing her strengths to create more productive collaborations.

She is now working as a transportation coordinator at Richardson International. She credits the MSCM’s course material, mentorship program and built-in co-op placement for her success in the role.

“The courses in the MSCM program provided industry knowledge that helped me adapt quickly to the job. The mentorship program is also super valuable! I’ve learned so much and built my soft skills thanks to my first mentor, Alexander Zlatin, and my current mentor, Brad Fulham,” she says.

In her current role, she works closely with her team while making many moving parts work together effectively and efficiently.

“In the rail department, my responsibilities include coordinating rail cars, inbound and outbound, forecasting and analyzing the inbounds across the long- and short-term while managing yard space and new crops especially during harvest,” she says.

Fortunately, Wang’s time at the Asper School of Business has prepared her for the fast-paced, multi-tasking and team-driven work of coordination.

“The MSCM Program also advocates teamwork and cultivates our cooperation skills. This has been one of the most impressive parts of my Asper experience and has helped me integrate into my current team seamlessly,” she explains. “The courses are purposefully designed around teamwork, so they also worked as a strong base to prepare us for case competitions.”

Wang signed up for a competition after a classmate suggested it and gave her only one night to apply. The decision paid off, as Wang and her team became gold medalists at the 2023 APICS London and District Case Competition and have experienced continued success since.

In teams across Asper, Wang learned how these group efforts really work.

“Teamwork is not simply about co-operation, but also about identifying what each of us brings to the project. It is about contributing your strengths to the group and finding the best way to make those strengths work together,” she says.

At Asper, Wang worked with Narendra Malalgoda, assistant professor of supply chain management at Asper, as a research assistant and case participant. Malalgoda comments on how her approach to teamwork always elevated her team.

“I must say that Yikun truly stood out as an exceptional student. Her ability to work effectively within a team was remarkable, as she not only contributed her own insights and expertise but also went above and beyond to support her teammates and help them excel,” he says.

Wang’s approach to teamwork embraces but also goes above and beyond the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and her definition of teamwork explains why collaboration is more than effective, it’s necessary.

Chinese calligraphy by Yikun Wang

As Wang describes it, teamwork creates conditions for optimizing our own capabilities by requiring that we support and be supported in turn, improving on weaknesses and continuously learning through collaboration.

In all her work, Wang understands how every team member brings something new to what is familiar. “A calligrapher’s handwriting expresses their personality,” she says.

Today at Richardson, Wang is leveraging her personality, her strengths and the support of her team to see current supply chain challenges as opportunities, rather than problems.

“These challenges are a bit like a double-edged sword,” she says. “It depends on how companies approach and control them. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the whole global supply chain, and we felt how vulnerable it is. This realization prompted supply chain professionals to rethink sourcing and planning strategies, as well as how we adopt technology and approach sustainability.”

As an emerging supply chain expert, Wang is ready to rethink previous systems, confront new challenges and leave her unique mark in a dynamic and crucial field.

Greidanus steps into the role while Dr. Suzanne Gagnon, Associate Dean, Professional Graduate Programs and Executive Education, and Canada Life Chair in Leadership Education is on research leave.

Within the position, Greidanus will be responsible for leading Asper’s professional graduate programs within the Stu Clark Graduate School, which include the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Finance (MFin) and Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics (MSCM).

He will also oversee the James W. Burns Executive Education Centre, which provides an extensive range of executive training and professional development programs designed to support advanced leadership skills.

Dr. Bruno Silvestre, Dean of the Asper School of Business, will work closely with Greidanus to advance the School’s priorities during his term. “I am pleased to welcome Nathan to this role, and I am excited for what he will bring to our leadership team,” he says. “I look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to grow our graduate programs and as we welcome our largest ever MBA intake this fall.”

A skilled and dedicated administrator and educator, Greidanus brings his years of experience serving on the Professional Graduate Programs Committee and teaching MBA and Executive Education courses to this acting role.

He chaired the MBA committee between 2013 and 2015, serving on the ad hoc MBA curriculum redesign committee during this time. The result of this committee work led to a newly designed and even more successful MBA program.

Greidanus also served on the Professional Graduate Programs Committee during the approval phase of Asper’s most recent professional graduate programs: the MFin and MSCM. As academic director for Manitoba’s Director Education Program, he oversees the selection and evaluation of instructors for the Executive Education program while contributing to the cohesion of program content.

His courses at the MBA level all have a strong experiential component giving students opportunities to apply their in-class learning to real-world contexts, with many projects linking students to issues facing companies, not-for-profits, government and First Nations.

Greidanus speaks to the significance of the MBA and Executive Education programs at Asper and his hope for the term.

“For over 10 years I’ve been involved in, and a champion for, our Executive Education and MBA programs. I find teaching in the professional programs is both challenging and extremely rewarding. These programs are also incredibly important to the school as they provide Asper the highest level of connection to the business community,” he says.

With his years of experience, Greidanus’s role as Acting Associate Dean promises to continue strengthening these connections between the School and the business community of Manitoba.

The Asper School of Business welcomes Dr. Nathan Greidanus to this position!

Manitoba’s transportation dominance and its corresponding opportunity for growth at the University of Manitoba is one of the main reasons Dr. Barry Prentice, Professor of Supply Chain Management at the I.H. Asper School of Business has decided to return to the role of Director of the University of Manitoba Transport Institute (UMTI).

Prentice returns to the position of UMTI Director on September 1, 2022, after previously serving in this role from 1996 to 2005.  

As Director, Prentice will lead UMTI, an institute recognized for defining the future direction of and scholarly research in transportation, logistics and supply chain, while training graduate students, policymakers and practitioners in the industry.

“I am delighted and grateful for the opportunity to return as the Director of the Transport Institute,” said Prentice. “The Asper School is one of only a handful of business schools across Canada with a strong presence in transportation and supply chain management. The University of Manitoba has also held its unique position as a center for transportation economics and policy research since the 1960s. The Transport Institute is recognized nationally as an important voice for the transport issues in Western and Northern Canada.”

Prentice has extensive experience in transportation and logistics, with a long list of accomplishments. He was named the 1999 Manitoba Transportation Person of the Year by National Transportation Week and was made an honorary life member of the Canadian Transportation Research Forum in 2005. Since 2015, he has been a Fellow in Transportation at the Northern Policy Institute.

Among his industry accomplishments, Prentice was also instrumental in founding the Department of Supply Chain Management at the Asper School of Business in 2003. The department has expanded since its inception and now offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. This includes supply chain concentrations in the BComm, MBA and MSc programs along with the development of the Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics program in 2021 and the PhD supply chain concentration in 2022. According to application statistics, supply chain is now the fastest-growing major in the Asper undergraduate program, with an almost 40% increase in student interest in the last two years.

“There are only a few places in Canada that have a supply chain management program. I worked for over a decade to get this educational program started and it has been a great success,” noted Prentice. “I would say that as I look back on my career, it’s the most important thing I ever did.”

Like the growth of supply chain and logistics at UM, over the past 30 years the UMTI has trained countless transportation, logistics and supply chain scholars and has facilitated the transfer of knowledge to professional communities. However, Prentice noted there is room for growth.

“If we can recruit the right people, we can build the Institute and become the foremost centre for transportation in the country.”

One of Prentice’s goals is to find these right individuals to teach and support students that enter the industry prepared with industry knowledge and the ability to speak intelligently about transport.

“Our number one job is to turn out really good graduates,” said Prentice. “Students can expose the industry to new, fresh ideas and come into the workforce with ideas that are at the cutting edge of supply chain management.”

Dr. Bruno Silvestre, Dean of the Asper School of Business, CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership and CN Professor in Supply Chain Management has a close affinity for the Transport Institute as the former Director.

Silvestre noted that Prentice’s extensive industry experience and research expertise make him the ideal individual to help the Institute succeed at a time when the demand for trained transportation, logistics and supply chain professionals has exploded.

“Barry’s rich background, commitment to transportation innovation and previous experience in the role will provide an extraordinary opportunity for the Transport Institute to advance,” said Silvestre. “We are honoured to welcome him back to play a role in helping define the future direction in transportation, logistics and supply chain research in Canada.”

Having spent most of her career working for her family’s catering business, she had no corporate work experience whatsoever. However, she had an immense amount of curiosity, which was all that mattered to her. With the proper education, Sandhar knew she would not only have all her burning questions answered, but she would also be able to re-emerge into the workforce with confidence.

Sandhar’s new phase in life and career would begin at the University of Manitoba, where a dynamic, AACSB-accredited business school was housed. “I knew it would upgrade my academic credentials perfectly,” Sandhar says.

Furthermore, the University’s Asper School of Business — one of Canada’s leading business schools and ranked among the world’s top 8% — offered a Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics (MSCM) program that complemented her agricultural background and brought her professional aspirations to life. It was also known for offering real-world experiential opportunities other business schools could not.

Sandhar was excited to join the MSCM — however, 2005 was the last time she had stepped foot in a classroom, and she wasn’t exactly sure what she should expect.

She did not have to wait long for her doubts to calm. The program was well designed to help her swiftly connect with like-minded students, taking in their fresh perspectives as she mastered various software tools.

Most importantly, she discovered that the MSCM’s premise was not only centred around enhancing professional skills but one’s application of ethics, sustainability and professional practices in the supply chain industry as well. These lessons were especially intriguing to her.

“Executive Leadership and Responsibilities is the class I like the best,” Sandhar confirms. “In this class, I am learning to question my previous notions of what is ethically right and wrong. I am also coming to realize why things cannot always be categorized as either right or wrong and how sometimes even the most righteous people side with morally wrong decisions.”

Jointly offered by the Stu Clark Graduate School, the MSCM also covers the topics of: Managing People in Organizations; Operations and Supply Chain Management; Executive Leadership and Responsibilities; Quantitative Analysis; Business Processes Management; Negotiation; Global Transportation Principals; Sustainable Lean Management; Logistics Management; Purchasing and Procurement in Supply Chains; Supply Relationship Management: Recent Development in Supply Chain Management; Sustainable Supply Chain Management; and Advanced Supply Chain Management.

This expansive line-up makes the MSCM an unrivalled choice for learners like Sandhar vying for a career in the transport industry. It is just as ideal a pathway into rewarding roles within the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, forestry, mining, hospitality, government organizations, public services, regional health authority, infrastructure, education, or Crown corporations.

Ask Sandhar to summarize these lessons in just one word, and she’ll insist on doing it in three (or five): life-changing, incredible, and academically challenging. She’s already reached a feat she never thought she would ever be able to — bridging the gap between her non-corporate background and her plans for the future.

The International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES) has been a bonus. The award is reserved for international students like her with a minimum admission grade point average of 3.5. Without a financial worry in mind, Sandhar has effortlessly continued caring for her family while independently excelling in her journey to supply chain management mastery.

Soon, she will take on a four-month practicum component as either a co-op or an applied project — an Asper hallmark made possible by the Stu Clark Graduate School’s network of connections within Manitoba and across Canada. Sandhar knows it will prepare her to follow in the footsteps of 40,000 Manitobans who are directly employed in the transportation and logistics sector.

Dr. Silvestre transitions into this new role as Dr. Gady Jacoby, the School’s current Dean and CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership, embarks on a new position as Dean of the School of Economics at the College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel. Dr. Jacoby, originally from Israel, has been a faculty member at the Asper School of Business for close to 20 years and served as the Bryce Douglas Professor in Finance, Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Programs), the School’s Acting Dean, and for the past three years as the Asper Dean.

Dr. Silvestre comes to this appointment with extensive Asper leadership experience. He is currently the Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships & Administration; Director of the Transport Institute; Acting Department Head, Business Administration; CN Professor of Supply Chain Management; and Professor of Supply Chain Management.

He joined the University of Manitoba in 2016, having previously held the position of Research Chair and Associate Professor in Sustainable Supply Chains and Innovation at the University of Winnipeg. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Silvestre spent 13 years in industry leadership positions, most recently in a large multinational company operating in the energy sector.

While serving in his administrative roles at UM, Dr. Silvestre has been responsible for partnership development, AACSB accreditation management, strategic planning and strategy execution, and resource planning and budget management. He has spearheaded the development of a new Master of Supply Chain Management, which will welcome its first cohort this fall.

Dr. Silvestre’s research expertise is multidisciplinary and focuses on global supply chain matters. As an internationally accomplished and well-cited researcher, he disseminates his work through peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, conferences, presentations, and reports. His commitment to the profession is demonstrated by serving on multiple editorial boards and as associate editor for several journals.

Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) announced the appointment today in an official message to Asper Faculty, Staff and Students. She noted that with Dr. Silvestre’s strong academic record and administrative achievements, the Asper School of Business will continue to excel under his leadership.

“I would like to thank Dr. Silvestre for his willingness to serve as Acting Dean while we engage in a process to identify the next Dean of the Asper School,” said Hiebert-Murphy. “I look forward to working with him to advance the interests of the I.H. Asper School of Business and the University.”

We started the year with the launch of our Pursuing our Asper-ations Strategic Plan. The values articulated in this plan grounded us in our mission while reminding us that adaptability and agility are essential in preparing for the future.

We also celebrated one of the best performances to date at the 2020 JDC West Competition, reinforcing Asper’s place as a top Canadian business school. Team Toba, won awards in a mix of categories including third overall as Academic School of the Year among 12 of the premier post-secondary institutions across Western Canada.

The Asper community also cheered on our Asper MBA and Asper MFin students as they competed in case competitions in early in 2020 and celebrated an outstanding performance from our MBA students when they placed second overall at the Ivy Haskayne East Meets West Case competition.

In mid-March, when the pandemic abruptly changed our course, we all demonstrated resilience and I am so proud of how all our faculty and staff came together in outstanding ways to move our entire teaching model to the virtual realm while still focusing on providing excellent student experience. We even made history by hosting the U of M’s very first virtual class and this trailblazing example set the tone for the entire year.

Our MSc and PhD students also quickly adapted to the new reality the pandemic imposed on researchers. Throughout the year, our graduate research students resumed active (virtual) participation on international conferences and seminar series where they presented their work and had significant success in publishing their work.

One of our first initiatives following the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic was prioritizing student support by creating an emergency student relief fund for Asper students facing financial challenges due to the pandemic. Through the combined financial support from faculty, staff, and the Associates, I am proud to report that the Asper School of Business created an emergency relief fund for our students. The aforementioned generous giving combined with a School budgetary reallocation allowed us to distribute more than $469,000 to undergraduate and graduate students in need.

To recognize our business connections and most importantly, give back — the Asper School of Business created the Small Business Consulting Course. Recognizing the urgent need within the community, this undergraduate course supported the Manitoba business community by providing students an opportunity to work with small businesses to help find solutions to their current challenges. The course launched in September with 26 students providing consulting work to the 12 local businesses that signed-up to participate. This class was an excellent opportunity for our School to give back to local businesses and we are proud of the interest the program received from the local and national media, from students, from the community, and even from the Prime Minister’s Office.

As a significant win for our school and our community, the proposal for an increased admission capacity for the Bachelor of Commerce Program was approved and applied this fall term. The Asper School was successful in obtaining approval to admit 110 more undergraduate students annually and as a result, the Asper School can admit up to 584 BComm students each year.

As we moved into the fall term, the Asper School of Business took a proactive approach to prioritize equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at our School. We established an Asper EDI Task Force, which will proactively address discrimination and foster a more inclusive learning environment for every single student that attends or interacts with the Asper School of Business. We also held the inaugural session on EDI as a part of the Asper orientation where five Asper students and alumni shared adverse experiences of discrimination and bias at the School. The personal experiences and insights shared by the panel participants will help inspire a cultural shift and raise awareness of the challenges facing our School. I believe this is an important turning point for Asper.

As we finish off the year, we are thrilled to launch the Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics (MSCM) program at Asper’s Stu Clark Graduate School. We are excited to introduce this degree to the local, national and international community and to welcome our first student cohort in fall 2021.

I end the year on a note of gratitude. I am grateful to you – Asper students – who showed an incredible ability to adjust to the new (and hopefully short-lived) normal, while practicing agility, resilience, and hard work alongside compassion towards their family members, friends, peers, and Asper professors and staff. I am also grateful to the dedication of our faculty to creating new ways to engage our students and to the support of our staff to ensure we are providing you with the best student experience possible.

While we consider with compassion the suffering caused to many by the pandemic, we should also recognize the rare opportunity for personal growth that accompanied this human tragedy. This year brought opportunities for learning new insights about ourselves as individuals, about us as a community and a society, and about humanity. These insights make us better equipped for future self- and collective-improvement.

I wish you and yours the very best for the season and for safe winter break.

May 2021 bring good health, happiness, and success to all!

Dr. Gady Jacoby

Dean and CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership

I.H. Asper School of Business

The first students will begin taking classes in this unique program starting in the fall term of 2021. The 48-credit hour program will operate out of the Stu Clark Graduate School at the Asper School of Business in the University of Manitoba. The new MSCM program combines academic rigor and real-world relevance.

The MSCM at the Asper School of Business is only the fourth such program offered in Canada, but it stands apart from other Canadian programs through its experiential learning components. Students must excel in the classroom and in a four-month co-op or applied project. Getting real-world industry experience allows students to apply their knowledge practically within businesses that have significant supply chain and logistics operations.  The MSCM degree is best for students seeking leadership roles in supply chain management and logistics – roles which are widespread across many businesses, industries, and government sectors.

“We are thrilled to add the Master in Supply Chain and Logistics to the Stu Clark Graduate School,” said Dr. Gady Jacoby, Dean and CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership at the Asper School of Business. “Launching this program in Manitoba, a continental hub for transportation and logistics, allows our School to bring value to the Manitoba labour market through the development and growth of a professional workforce in the supply chain and logistics sector.”

The past two decades saw a surge in demand for supply chain and logistics professionals. Heightened complexities in purchasing, operations, logistics, transportation and the global supply chain, made abundantly clear with the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the importance of properly trained leaders in supply chain management and logistics. The Asper School of Business MSCM program will train students to be such leaders and help to satisfy the demand for such professionals within Manitoba and Canada.

“We are very excited to see this new educational offering at the Asper School of Business,” said Diane Gray, President and CEO, CentrePort Canada Inc. and member of the Associates. “Local access to skilled labour is an important part of the evaluation process companies go through when selecting sites for investment. Enhancing the depth of knowledge of the talent here in Manitoba will be an important asset for our community and will enable the future growth of the supply chain industry.”

The new MSCM program development could not have come to fruition without the formal support of numerous industry bodies and associations.  Letters of support of the launch of the MSCM program were provided by Bison Transport, NFI Group Inc. (formerly New Flyer Industries), Gardewine, CentrePort, Magellan Aerospace, Price Industries, Princess Auto, APICS, and the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA).

“As a leading global manufacturer of mass mobility solutions driven by 8,000 people across ten countries, and purchasing over $1.5 billion in parts, components, and materials for our productions lines, NFI can attest to the sophistication, specialized knowledge, and logistic expertise demanded today within the practice of supply chain management,” said David White, Executive Vice President of Supply Management with NFI Group, and recipient of the 2020 Fellow Supply Chain Management Professional designation. “Access to highly skilled supply management professionals is critical to the success of our organization – a need becoming more pronounced by today’s evolving challenges associated with the global supply and movement of goods. We congratulate the Asper School of Business on today’s launch, and look forward to celebrating the first graduates of the MSCM program.”

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The new Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics program is part of the Stu Clark Graduate School, home to the Asper MBA, MFin, MSc and PhD programs.  Applications for the fall 2022 term close on May 1. For more information please sign up for the October 20, 2021 info session or  contact: asperprofgrad@umanitoba.ca