TORONTO, ON – January 12, 2012 – The Women’s Executive Network is pleased to announce that the Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Top 100 Vancouver Summit & Awards taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver on February 1^st, 2012.

The Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards is Canada’s most recognizable distinction for the country's highest achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.  The complete list of 2011 Winners can be found at www.top100women.ca.  Premier Clark’s address will be the highlight of an event consisting of three Breakout Summit panels featuring current Top 100 Winners as well as an Awards Luncheon and Presentation.

“We are thrilled to have one of Canada’s most distinguished and visible female leaders at our event,” said WXN Founder Pamela Jeffery.  “Premier Clark is a role model to many of our valued members and symbolizes the accomplishments that so many of them have achieved.”

Premier Clark’s attendance marks the beginning of WXN’s 2012 programming agenda in Western Canada.  Coming off a highly successful 2011 in which WXN hosted such luminaries as the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, as well as legendary Canadian Author, Margaret Atwood, at the Toronto Top 100 Awards Gala, WXN aims to deliver the most inspiring female role models to its members.  The morning Top 100 Summit features Top 100 Winners as panelists in Breakout Sessions, which allow participants the opportunity to learn from distinguished Award recipients and enjoy an opportunity for networking and professional development.    Following that, the Top 100 Awards Luncheon is a celebration of the 2011 Award Winners from British Columbia and the Territories capped off by an address from Premier Clark, which fits perfectly with the theme of this year’s Top 100, ‘The Power of Connected Leadership.’  Details regarding this event are available at http://www.top100women.ca/?w=top100.vancouver

WXN thanks the Co-Presenting Partners KPMG and the Beedie School of Business/SFU, Presenting Partner of the Awards Luncheon Best Buy Canada Ltd, Platinum Partners CIBC, Ernst & Young and TELUS, Gold Partner ICBC, and the Official Venue Partner Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

 

About the Women's Executive Network

Since 1997, WXN has created and delivered innovative networking, mentoring, professional and personal development to inspire and applaud our community of 17,000 smart women and their organizations in the pursuit of excellence. 

WXN is Canada’s leading organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of women in management, executive, professional and board roles. WXN enables our partners and Corporate Members to become and to be recognized as employers of choice and leaders in the advancement of women. WXN is a Founding Member of the Canadian Board Diversity Council, dedicated to increasing the diversity of Canada’s corporate boards.   In the fall of 2008, WXN launched in Ireland, a first step in creating an international community of female leaders.

More information and details are available at www.wxnetwork.com or www.top100women.ca

About Premier Christy Clark

Christy Clark was sworn in as British Columbia’s 35th Premier on March 14, 2011 and was elected Vancouver-Point Grey MLA in a by-election on May 12, 2011.

She previously served as the MLA for Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain (1996-2001) and Port Moody-Westwood (2001-2005). She has served as Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, Minister of Children and Family Development and vice-chair of Treasury Board.  During her first term, she sat on the Select Standing Committee on Environment and Tourism and on the Official Opposition Caucus Committee for Children.

She took a break from government in 2005 to spend more time with her family. She worked in the media during her time from government, including as a columnist and commentator and host of the “Christy Clark Show” on CKNW.  Premier Clark brought the anti-bullying “Pink Shirt Campaign” to British Columbia to raise awareness of issues related to bullying in our schools, workplace and communities.

She has received several awards, including the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and the 2009 Woman of the Year in BC by the Consumer Choice Awards. She attended Simon Fraser University (SFU), the Sorbonne (France) and the University of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK), studying Political Science and Religious Studies. She was born and raised in Burnaby and graduated from Burnaby South Senior Secondary.