Headquarters:
Executive House, 275 Ontario St., 3rd Floor, Kingston, ON
Year founded:
1937
Number of employees:
15
Phone:
1 888 858 7838
Email:
irc@queensu.ca
Website:
irc.queensu.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/queens-university-irc
“Our most important strategy has been our ability to remain nimble and attuned to the needs of our clients and the industries we service”
Alison Darling,
QUEEN's UNIVERSITY IRC
Alison Darling
Director, Professional Programs
Stephanie Fischkohl
Manager, Operations
Jennifer McGann
Program Team Manager
Leadership
As the IRC’s Director of Professional Programs, Alison Darling leads the Centre’s strategic direction.
She is a long-time Queen’s University employee with a demonstrated history of successfully leading teams within the higher education sector. Her expertise lies in the areas of cross-cultural leadership, maximizing operational effectiveness, training delivery, management of multinational teams, coaching, and teaching.
Darling is a strong business development professional who is passionate about leading with compassion and prioritizing team well-being. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration honours degree and an Executive MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.
Director, Professional Programs
Alison Darling
Stephanie Fischkohl is the manager of operations and is responsible for growing the IRC’s business operations, recruitment and selection, financial modelling, labour management and engagement, and program development.
Prior to joining the IRC, Fischkohl held other management positions in the private sector and internally at Queen’s University, including senior sales manager at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre and program manager, Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Health Sciences. With over 15 years of management experience in quality improvement, team building, and event production, she leverages her real-world experiences to create an inclusive, positive culture and high-performing teams.
Fischkohl is a graduate of the Business Administration program at St. Lawrence College and is currently pursuing her Professional Master of Industrial Relations at Queen’s University.
Manager, Operations
Stephanie Fischkohl
Jennifer McGann brings over 17 years of experience in event and program management to her role of program team manager. Throughout her career, she has contributed to a diverse range of organizations, including the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Second Harvest, the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, and CAUBO.
McGann is deeply passionate about professional development, valuing its power to transform lives across professional and personal realms. She holds a BA(H) in History and Film from Queen’s University and a postgraduate certificate in Public Relations from Humber College.
Program Team Manager
Jennifer McGann
“Our most important strategy has been our ability to remain nimble and attuned to the needs of our clients and the industries we service”
Alison Darling,
QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IRC
“Our proven methodologies and research focus mean we are continuously working to understand the workplace as it evolves, and applying our research to programs that are forward-looking”
Alison Darling,
QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IRC
Leadership
“Our proven methodologies and research focus mean we are continuously working to understand the workplace as it evolves, and applying our research to programs that are forward-looking”
Alison Darling, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IRC
“Our most important strategy has been our ability to remain nimble and attuned to the needs of our clients and the industries we service”
Alison Darling, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IRC
Leadership
Lindsay Van Zuylen
Sales and Marketing Manager
Lindsay Van Zuylen is a seasoned sales and marketing manager who leads strategic initiatives to bolster business growth and optimize organizational performance.
Leveraging her extensive experience, Van Zuylen collaborates with senior leadership to devise and execute comprehensive plans for new business recruitment and course development. Her previous roles as a client advisor and proposal writer honed her client-centric approach, which enables her to foster robust partnerships and elevate client engagement.
Van Zuylen dedication extends beyond professional endeavours, as she actively contributes to community welfare through volunteerism, notably as the volunteer coordinator for a local children’s thrift sale supporting military families. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Kennesaw State University and a Professional Master of Education from Queen’s University.
Sales and Marketing Manager
Lindsay Van Zuylen
Urs Uhlmann
Managing Director
Global, Corporate, and Specialty (GCS)
As managing director, GCS, Urs Uhlmann is responsible for the GCS and Surety teams, as well as supporting Aviva’s Global GCS ambitions. A strong property leader with more than 35 years of experience and a track record of driving profitable growth, Uhlmann brings tremendous amount of experience and expertise to the role.
Managing Director
Global, Corporate, and Specialty (GCS)
Urs Uhlmann
Queen’s University – Industrial Relations Centre (IRC) is a leading provider of professional development programs in the human resources, labour relations, and organizational development industries.
The Centre’s programs are designed to evolve and adapt to today’s trends and tomorrow’s possibilities, as well as being regularly evaluated by participants and facilitators.
“Our most important strategy has been our ability to remain nimble and attuned to the needs of our clients and the industries we service,” says Alison Darling, director of professional programs at Queen’s IRC. “The approach itself is not new, as it has been the key to our success for over 87 years.”
Client organizations enjoy several benefits, including:
“Our proven methodologies and research focus mean we are continuously working to understand the workplace as it evolves, and applying our research to programs that are forward-looking”
Alison Darling,
QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IRC
Lisa Butler
Chief People Officer
Cheryl Graden
Chief Legal & Enterprise Corporate Affairs Officer and Corporate Secretary, TMX Group
Jay Rajarathinam
Chief Operating Officer, TMX Group
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Lisa Butler is the chief people officer for Aviva Canada. As part of the Canadian executive committee, she is responsible for the development and execution of all people and culture strategies that help enrich the lives of employees throughout the organization.
Before joining Aviva, Butler provided strategic leadership for a broad range of HR functions globally. Her wealth of HR experience and knowledge have made her a trusted and dynamic leader known for driving positive transformational change and fostering inclusive workplaces.
Chief People Officer
Lisa Butler
Cheryl Graden is chief legal and enterprise corporate affairs officer and corporate secretary, TMX Group. She is also an officer of TMX Group Limited and its subsidiaries and a member of the TMX Group executive committee.
Graden has responsibility for advising TMX Group on all legal and regulatory issues that arise out of its operations and business initiatives. Over the last few years, the scope of her role has expanded to include the oversight of enterprise risk management, government relations, and corporate communications to ensure alignment in our enterprise approach across all stakeholder groups.
Graden began her legal career at Torys LLP in 1996 and joined TMX Group in 2004 as chief legal officer at NGX in Calgary. Her role expanded over the years to encompass additional responsibilities, including the Canadian Depository for Securities’ legal and regulatory affairs.
In January 2013, Graden was promoted to vice president, cash clearing and energy. She is an acknowledged expert in energy and clearing and has been a regular speaker on these topics across North America.
In addition to an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta, Graden earned Bachelor of Laws and Masters of Law (Securities) degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and is called to the Bar of Ontario. She is a Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Chief Legal & Enterprise Corporate Affairs Officer and Corporate Secretary, TMX Group
Cheryl Graden
Chief operating officer Jay Rajarathinam is responsible for the development and execution of the overall enterprise strategy for TMX, focusing on enabling business growth through technology, innovation, and optimizing operations. He oversees TMX Datalinx, the enterprise’s data division, with a focus on the design and delivery of new client-centric, data-driven solutions, and TMX VettaFi, a leading US-based, indexing, digital distribution, analytics and thought leadership company, acquired in January 2024. His mandate also includes enterprise technology and integrated operations.
Since joining the organization as chief information officer in July 2016, Jay has helped TMX to take important strides as a technology-driven solutions provider. From 2019 to 2021, he served as president of CDCC and CDS, TMX’s derivatives and cash equities and fixed-income clearing businesses, where his responsibilities included strategic planning and execution, as well as technology operations and incident management.
Rajarathinam has more than 20 years of financial services technology experience and has managed global teams across a wide range of infrastructure and application domains, including trading, clearing, e-commerce, security and surveillance systems, and networks. Prior to joining TMX Group, he served as senior vice president, global head of infrastructure at NYSE/Intercontinental Exchange and earlier in his career, he held senior technology leadership positions at Barclays and at Wells Fargo.
Rajarathinam holds an MS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois and an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the University of Chicago.
Chief Operating Officer, TMX Group
Jay Rajarathinam
Kimi Shah leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic, and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
“Despite the challenging claims environment, QBE’s coverage and risk appetite have remained consistent. Brokers and customers know and understand our risk appetite and the cover we offer, providing them with certainty for the future,” says Erica Kofie, head of cyber proposition. “We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions.”
Kofie adds, “Through 2022, QBE successfully delivered significant growth in the cyber sector, reflecting the depth and strength of our team. We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations.”
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QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY – INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CENTRE
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Small business
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Turnaround time – claims
BDM support
Broker communication, training and development
Overall service level
BDM support
BDM support
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
Medal
Overall service level
Broker communication, training and development
BDM support
Turnaround time – claims
Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
We welcome those from a variety of backgrounds to help strengthen our Nation, and your career. With a wide range of opportunities, a rich heritage, strong core values, and extraordinary benefits, you’ll find a place to forge a career and be a force for positive change. When you work for the Choctaw Nation, you’re seen as a member of a family.
We constantly strive to improve the health and happiness of our Choctaw associate family and their dependents through our exceptional benefits and resources, which include access to employee health clinics (these function like free urgent care clinics), 12 Choctaw Nation Wellness Centers, a tuition reimbursement program, and a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
Other initiatives Queen’s IRC has implemented include:
Other initiatives Queen’s IRC has implemented include:
· comprehensive curriculum review
· digital infrastructure overhaul complete with Salesforce integration
· introduction to digital badging program
Close relationships with clients facilitate discussions and feedback that guide program and tool development. This, combined with research practices and the real-world experience of Queen’s IRC’s facilitators, results in the creation of innovative new programs and tools.
Some of the issues which Queen’s IRC aims to solve are:
· Management–Union relationships: communication barriers can have a significant impact on the bottom line and on organizational relationships.
· Labour relations: foundational learning, with scenario-based training that gives participants the opportunity to experience the other side of the bargaining table.
· HR certificate: offers a way for organizations to develop the talents of their people while providing professional development opportunities to grow and build their careers.
XXX explains, “Our proven methodologies and research focus mean we are continuously working to understand the workplace as it evolves, and applying our research to programs that are forward-looking, which prepare people and organizations to adapt to an ever-changing work environment.”
Participants at Queen’s IRC have stated that they are among “the best professional development programs they have experienced”.
Even with their proud history and reputation, the organization is focused on continuing that momentum for the long term.
“We are proud of our years working with individuals and organizations to contribute to these industries and we look forward to continuing to build talent for tomorrow,” adds XXX. “They know they can trust their training will be relevant, evidence-based, and valuable for today and in the future.”
professionally trained employees with the latest skills and tools
a way to motivate and retain top talent for succession planning
organizational commitment to human resource development
opportunities to bring cross-disciplinary teams together to problem solve and grow together while improving employee relations
increase productivity through efficient and effective HR/LD/OD solutions, processes, and performance outcomes
more effective relationships between Management and Union
networking opportunities for professionals to collaborate, diversify, and keep up with trends
The Centre regularly develops new programs, which are rigorously tested to ensure they are both evidence-based and purposeful. Feedback data shows:
96 percent customer satisfaction rate
22 percent increase in custom programs in 2024 over the previous reporting period
comprehensive curriculum review
digital infrastructure overhaul complete with Salesforce integration introduction to digital badging program
Close relationships with clients facilitate discussions and feedback that guide program and tool development. This, combined with research practices and the real-world experience of Queen’s IRC’s facilitators, results in the creation of innovative new programs and tools.
Some of the issues which Queen’s IRC aims to solve are:
Management–Union relationships: communication barriers can have a significant impact on the bottom line and on organizational relationships.
Labour relations: foundational learning, with scenario-based training that gives participants the opportunity to experience the other side of the bargaining table.
HR certificate: offers a way for organizations to develop the talents of their people while providing professional development opportunities to grow and build their careers.
Darling explains, “Our proven methodologies and research focus mean we are continuously working to understand the workplace as it evolves, and applying our research to programs that are forward-looking, which prepare people and organizations to adapt to an ever-changing work environment.”
Participants at Queen’s IRC have stated that they are among “the best professional development programs they have experienced”.
Even with their proud history and reputation, the organization is focused on continuing that momentum for the long term.
“We are proud of our years working with individuals and organizations to contribute to these industries and we look forward to continuing to build talent for tomorrow,” adds Darling. “They know they can trust their training will be relevant, evidence-based, and valuable for today and in the future.”