By Donna Collins, FCIRP (ret.)

In any given year, a high percentage of CAIRP’s members volunteer their time and expertise in some capacity. These volunteers have discovered the secret of volunteerism which is:  You get back much more than you put in.  When you volunteer with CAIRP, in addition to the satisfaction you get from contributing to the Association and/or Canada’s insolvency and restructuring system, you develop a network of lifelong friends that stretches from coast to coast.

Each year CAIRP formally recognizes a few extraordinary members. The challenge is identifying the extraordinary among the exceptional.  To meet this challenge, CAIRP needs the help of its members and other insolvency and restructuring professionals.

If you know a member that you believe has provided CAIRP with extraordinary service, take the time to nominate him or her for one of CAIRP’s awards: Fellow, Keith G. Collins Memorial Award, New Member’s Award, or an Outstanding Volunteer Award. The detailed criteria for each award along with the nomination forms can be found on the CAIRP website: https://cairp.ca/cgi/page.cgi/awards-and-research.html. If you need assistance completing an application, CAIRP’s staff would be pleased to assist you. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2023.

CAIRP proudly recognized the following members in 2022: 

Fellow Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (FCIRP)

Marla Adams, CPA, CA, FCIRP

Marla is not a professional who is about herself, she is about the profession. Since receiving her CIRP designation in 1994, Marla has been active within the association. She was on the Executive Committee of CAIRP’s Board of Directors from 2017 to 2022 and held the role of Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee during the Covid-19 pandemic, an unprecedented time for CAIRP and the industry. Marla’s steady leadership and astute insights ensured CAIRP’s financial position remained strong during this time. She has also been active with the Governance Committee and Professional Conduct Committee.

Over the years Marla has also been active on the SAIRP Board including in the position of President. She is known for her thoughtful and thorough advice and counsel, which is appreciated and valued by her peers and staff. Marla is a great ambassador for CAIRP and the profession, and is known for her mentorship within the industry, particularly for women. Her advice to others is to “always be your authentic self, as soon as you get up in the morning.” For those of you who have had the pleasure of working with Marla, you know she walks the talk.

Tim Carson, FCIRP (ret.)

Since becoming a member of CAIRP in 1990, Tim has been an active volunteer and ambassador for CAIRP and the profession. His passion for education is demonstrated through his championing of the CQP Program and the countless hours he has contributed to it as a CNIE assessor, a CNIE item developer, a tutorial presenter, and as a two-term Chair of the CQP Committee. Tim is also the main architect of the CQP renewal project. Always looking for opportunities to share his wisdom and knowledge with candidates, Tim has authored course materials and exam questions, and has developed and delivered tutorial sessions and discussion boards. He has been instrumental in recruiting new volunteers to contribute to the Education program, including the recruitment of insolvency practitioners from other disciplines.

Through the years, Tim has sponsored many candidates in the program and has provided guidance and counsel to other candidates on an ad hoc basis. Tim has imparted his respect for the insolvency process and the key role of a CIRP in its implementation. In addition to his extensive work in education, Tim has been active on the Professional Conduct Committee. He models high ethical standards and expects the same of candidates and peers.

Keith G. Collins Memorial Award

Guylaine Houle, BCL, FCIRP, LIT

Commitment to the industry, integrity, professionalism and courtesy immediately come to mind when you think of Guylaine Houle. Since becoming a member of CAIRP, Guylaine has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the profession through her active and engaged volunteerism in all aspects of CAIRP’s operations. She leads by example in every Committee meeting she attends and on every issue she approaches, and is quick to offer her time, expertise and assistance. In 2002, Guylaine received a Fellowship in recognition of her extensive volunteerism and, since receiving that Fellowship, Guylaine has, for an additional twenty years, continued to give back to the profession.

In 2011, after serving as Vice Chair, Guylaine became Chair of CAIRP’s Board. To name just a few of her contributions, she has been active on the Insolvency & Restructuring Forums Committee, the Consumer Practice Committee, the Honours and Awards Nominating Committee, the Communications Committee, the Consumer Advocacy Committee, the New Members Committee, the ARIL Conference Committee as Past Co-Chair, and served as Chair of the Consumer Standards Committee and Co-Chair of ARIL 2022. She has mentored numerous LITs over the years and will take the time to provide background and context on issues for anyone who asks. Guylaine is respectful and knowledgeable of the profession’s past and optimistic and open-minded about the industry’s future. She is known within the industry for her measured and thoughtful responses to challenging issues. These qualities, along with her high degree of professionalism, are why Guylaine is respected and often called upon when CAIRP is undertaking advocacy efforts with key stakeholders.

Given her continued outstanding contributions, it is fitting that Guylaine is the first FCIRP to be awarded the Keith G. Collins Memorial Award following the criteria change which allowed a Fellow to be nominated.

New Member’s Award of Merit

Alana Orrell, CPA, CA, CIRP, LIT

Since becoming a member of CAIRP in 2017, Alana has been very active with the Association on a number of fronts. Alana was the New Member Representative on the CAIRP Board of Directors from 2019 to 2021, and in 2021 she became an active member of the Finance Committee.

Alana is quick to share her knowledge and experience, whether through her participation in the New CIRP webinar for the CQP Tutorial where she shared her experience in the CQP, or through her participation in the CAIRP Representativeness Roundtable with the OSB, or by sharing the experience and knowledge she gained during her 11 year involvement in an active accounting practice prior to becoming a CIRP. Alana actively promotes the profession and can always be counted on to provide thoughtful comment on a broad range of issues.

Samuel Gignac, CPA, CIRP, LIT

Since becoming a member of CAIRP in 2016, Samuel has been very active within the industry at a provincial and national level. He is thoughtful and insightful in his comments and actions. Samuel leads by example and steps up to the plate. This is evidenced by the trust his fellow members placed in him by appointing him President of the Quebec Association over two years ago. At a national level Samuel was a speaker at the 2019 Quebec Annual Conference and a member of the 2021 CAIRP Nominating Committee. This past year Samuel became a member of the CAIRP Finance Committee and is one of two Quebec representatives on CAIRP’s Board of Directors.

Outstanding Volunteer Award

Bridget van Wyk, CPA, CA, CIRP, LIT

Bridget is dedicated and committed to the future of the Insolvency and Restructuring profession. This commitment has driven Bridget to go above and beyond by generously giving her time and expertise since becoming a member in 2013. Education is a passion of Bridget’s and she has been engaged with the Exam Oversight Committee for a number of years. In addition, she was a member of the 2017 Annual Conference Organizing Committee which advances CAIRP’s Professional Development opportunities for its members. In 2019, Bridget joined CAIRP’s Executive Committee as the Executive-at-Large. In 2021, she became the Secretary of the Board of Directors and in 2022, she became CAIRP’s Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, CAIRP’s Executive Committee had to meet frequently, sometimes daily, to discuss and resolve urgent matters. The pace continued through 2021 when the OSB’s regulatory review got underway, and then continued into 2022. Bridget is always at the table providing her observations and offering thoughtful advice on the way forward.

Bonnie Bryan, CIRP, LIT

Bonnie has been an outstanding volunteer at CAIRP, having contributed to the area of Education for more than 25 years. She has been an active participant in every CNIE Assessment Centre since 2007. As you may know, the CNIE Assessment Centre is a multi-day commitment each year and Bonnie can always be counted on to engage in the rigorous process. She has been a long-term member of the Core Knowledge Exam Board which meets monthly, and is always rolling up her sleeves to ensure the multiple-choice exam bank is well stocked with relevant questions. Bonnie has also volunteered outside of our profession, having supported various organizations involved with issues close to her heart, including Autism, Juvenile Diabetes, Mended Hearts, and the Special Olympics.

We would like to congratulate all our 2022 award winners and we thank them for their outstanding contributions to the Association and our profession. For more information about CAIRP Honours and Awards, please visit our website noted above.