Impact Award

Yvonne Barthel FCPA, FCA

Yvonne Barthel FCPA, FCA joined the CPA Education Foundation’s Board of Governors in 2016. She played a crucial role in advancing the strategic goals of the CPA Education Foundation, advocating for Indigenous student support through the No Limits campaign and overseeing the creation of the Hesje CPA Knowledge Centre. Yvonne leveraged her CPA expertise to ensure the Foundation was accountable to donors and stakeholders through her involvement on the audit committee. 

Yvonne’s contributions extended beyond the Foundation and have had an impact throughout her community and the profession. Among other roles, she served the Society for Christian Education in Southern Alberta, where she found innovative solutions to make specialized education accessible to low-income families.

As a champion for women in the CPA profession, Yvonne mentored aspiring female leaders and established the KPMG Women’s Interchange Network in Lethbridge. After a 40-year career, Yvonne is retiring from KPMG. Her longstanding commitment to the accounting community reflects the significant impact she has had as an Alberta CPA. 

Dave Bodnarchuk FCPA, FCA

Dave Bodnarchuk joined the CPA Education Foundation’s Board of Governors in 2012, culminating in the role of Chair until his departure from the Board in 2021. In Dave’s two years as Chair, he steered the Foundation through unprecedented times. With the onset of a global pandemic, while some non-profits were unfortunately forced to close their doors, the CPA Education Foundation continued to support students, educators, and educational institutions with enthusiasm and integrity. Under his leadership, the 2020/21 fiscal year was one of innovation and creativity for the Foundation. In-person events moved to virtual platforms; community initiatives were organized and executed via videoconferencing; stakeholder relationships were cultivated without ever meeting in person; and CPA subject matter experts shared their knowledge and wisdom from the comfort of their homes. 

Dave’s passion for what CPAs have the potential to contribute can be summed up in two words: Stepping Up. He stepped up himself, putting forth a personal challenge to all members to get involved with the Foundation, either through a donation of their time or hard-earned dollars. And leading by example, Dave lent his knowledge and support, and personally funded projects that will have lasting impacts. Through his support we created the Inside Track website and accompanying scholarships benefiting high school students across the province.  

Dave is also passionate about involvement in the Alberta community. In addition to previously chairing the CPA Education Foundation, he has sat on many non-profit boards, including the Rural Alberta Development Fund, Caritas Hospitals Foundation, and Crimestoppers. He currently is the Vice-chair of CPA Insurance Plans West. 

Dave is the President of ElectionBuddy Inc., a cloud-based voting platform that has run 250,000 votes for board positions, bylaw amendments, motions, approvals or ratifications by remote election and onsite and virtual meetings for member-based organizations including professional associations, homeowner associations, unions and universities.  

Prior to ElectionBuddy, Dave was the founder and President of RightLabs, which was acquired by a US-based private equity group focused on schools. He has also led the IT Team at Lilydale Foods, worked with Oracle and Apple, and started his career as a computer audit specialist with KPMG after obtaining his CPA designation. He was a tech entrepreneur from an early age, founding both a software implementation consultancy and a development firm that created applicant forms software for university students.  

Dave enjoys time in Edmonton with his wife as his two kids have left the nest. He also enjoys spending time at his home in Arizona, running, other sports, and the occasional technology gadget! 

Claire Dallaire CPA, CGA

Claire is a shining example of the fact that it’s never too late to pursue one’s passions. At the age of 50, she received her designation— a milestone she considers her proudest accomplishment.

Early in her professional journey, Claire was fortunate to have supportive mentors who recognized her talents and encouraged her to chase her dreams. This instilled the confidence she needed to persist and thrive, a valuable lesson she now imparts to the next generation of aspiring accountants.

Today, Claire leverages her own success to make a difference in the lives of others. Through her dedicated award at the CPA Education Foundation, she offers vital support and encouragement to candidates who may require support to overcome obstacles. Named the Claire Dallaire CPA, CGA, CPA PEP Encouragement Award, her scholarship aims to empower students returning to education, enabling them to thrive in the face of adversity.

For Claire, education extends far beyond mere academic credentials—it is an opportunity. Through her scholarship, she opens doors for students, providing them with a pathway to their own credentials. Since first being granted in 2018, Claire has continually increased the value of her scholarship, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to supporting older students.

Above all, Claire hopes that her award will provide accounting students a path to their designations, especially those who may be facing challenges on their path to achieving their goals. With her generous support, she hopes to inspire and empower individuals to stay determined and forge ahead on their journey to professional success.

“During my years as a student, I had family, friends, and colleagues who were always there to support me. Some of them were mentors and very good role models. I am grateful to each one of them who contributed to my success.”

Robert Andrews CPA, CMA

Robert Andrews, CPA, CMA is no stranger when it comes to creating an impact. As the Executive Director for the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Alberta (AFOA Alberta), he has worked tirelessly to support Indigenous people who wish to join the business and accounting professions or enhance their management practices to improve their communities. He is a passionate mentor, educator and leader who has worked hard to build stronger ties between the CPA profession and Alberta’s Indigenous students, while creating learning opportunities for those interested in accounting. Over the years, he has achieved remarkable success in his commitment to strengthening diversity and inclusivity in the profession.

Creating those types of opportunities is at the heart of the CPA Education Foundation’s mission, and Robert’s commitment to helping the Foundation achieve its goals is unparalleled. He was not only instrumental in the success of No Limits – the Foundation’s recent initiative to provide information and support to Indigenous peoples in Alberta interested in pursuing careers in business and accounting – but also in raising awareness in the CPA community of the obstacles faced by Indigenous peoples seeking educational and career opportunities.

Whether it’s through his leadership and support of the Foundation, or his work as an educator and advocate for Indigenous learners and communities, Robert is a committed, passionate, and visionary leader in the CPA profession, and has been an inspiration to many.

The CPA Education Foundation congratulates him on his successful nomination as the 2021 Impact Award recipient.

Robert (Bob) Young FCPA, FCA

Each year, the Foundation presents its Impact Award to an individual who has shown a long-time commitment to the Foundation, its mission and its work. In 2020, the Impact Award was presented posthumously to the late Robert (Bob) Young FCPA, FCA, who sadly passed away in late 2019.

Over the course of his life, Bob dedicated literally thousands of hours of his time to the goal that underpins the Foundation’s mandate: strengthening the future of the CPA profession through supporting students and education. Bob was a teacher and mentor to an untold number of young Albertans (and other Canadians) who had embarked on earning their accounting credential.

For many years, Bob was a keynote presenter at the Foundation’s annual Conference for Accounting Educators. He was also a frequent volunteer at the Foundation’s student networking events. At these functions, Bob was a popular figure who effortlessly connected with students of all ages and backgrounds. He was an excellent ambassador for the Foundation and the profession, and he left a strong impression on every student with whom he chatted. He combined an unparalleled depth of knowledge with a rare personableness and humility that instantly put even the most nervous student at ease.

Bob’s belief in the Foundation and the value of its work led him to also be a regular donor, and to encourage others to contribute, as well. He made the Foundation stronger through his commitment, generosity, and deep belief in the value of education. His legacy will live on in the Foundation’s work for many years to come.

Brian Hesje FCPA, FCA

In December 2018, Alberta business leader and FCPA, FCA Brian Hesje approached the CPA Education Foundation with an idea. His hope was to make the knowledge and insight of CPAs more readily accessible to the public and to create opportunities for young Albertans to learn about leadership, success, and personal achievement, as well as about careers and opportunities in the field of accounting.

It was a great idea, and a timely one. But, for Brian it was more than an idea: he stepped up with a $1 million gift to the Foundation in order to make it a reality. And so, in 2019, the Foundation’s Hesje CPA Knowledge Centre was created.

The Hesje CPA Knowledge Centre functions as a virtual hub of resources. With the launch of the profession’s first podcast, the release of a video series, and the sale of books written by Brian himself, the Hesje Centre is providing informative and practical content for students and the public in accessible and engaging ways. In addition to this, various initiatives such as high school contests, symposiums, and conferences seek to facilitate discussion and learning between CPAs and the public and to increase the involvement of students in the profession.

The CPA Education Foundation is not the only beneficiary of Brian’s generosity, however. As a dedicated community member, Brian has donated his time, attention, and resources to many initiatives in educational, professional, and recreational spheres. He has served on the boards of organizations such as ATB Financial, NAIT, and STARS Air Ambulance in many capacities, and his donations have met needs in places from his small Saskatchewan hometown to the nation-wide Rick Hansen Foundation School Program.

It is in light of his dedication to the advancement of the CPA designation and to learning that Brian was awarded the CPA Education Foundation’s 2019 Impact Award.

Alex Tutschek FCPA, FCA

The CPA Education Foundation is proud to announce Alex Tutschek FCPA, FCA as the recipient of the Foundation’s 2018 Impact Award. Each year, the Foundation has the honour of presenting the Impact Award to an individual for his or her contributions to the mission and vision of the CPA Education Foundation. It is fair to say that Alex has made some big waves when it comes to benefiting the Foundation.

Alex has been one of the Foundation’s most significant supporters over the last decade. Whether as a Board member, a donor, a volunteer, a mentor, or an advocate, Alex has exemplified what the Foundation stands for – commitment to education, to the profession, and to the community.

Alex breathed life into the Foundation’s No Limits initiative with one of the biggest individual donations in the Foundation’s history. His gift created three annual scholarships for Indigenous Albertans and seed-funded other No Limits projects. Just as importantly, his generosity inspired others to donate to the initiative. He lent his name, image and personal thoughts to a fundraising campaign that caught the attention of CPAs across the province, which led to many CPAs making their first-ever donations to the Foundation.

During his two years as Chair, Alex devoted hundreds of hours to the work of the Foundation. His term as Chair coincided with the unification of the accounting profession and the subsequent creation of the Foundation in its current form. This required bringing together the charitable and education-related work of three legacy bodies – a task that Alex approached with a strategic vision, strong leadership skills, and personal commitment.

His contributions to the Foundation also include something less tangible: his time. Alex contributed countless hours before, during and after his time on the Foundation Board, always making himself available to talk about the Foundation with students, donors, CPAs, post-secondary representatives, and other Foundation stakeholders. Alex’s gift of time has been perhaps as impactful as his financial gifts.

Alex has been a leading force in making the Foundation an intrinsic part of the CPA landscape across Alberta and we are proud to present him with the 2018 Impact Award.

David Bentley FCPA, FCA and Janet Bentley

Throughout their lives, David and Janet Bentley have exemplified what it means to be caring and involved citizens; they have been pillars of support and generosity in both the CPA profession and the community. In their philanthropic and professional activities, the Bentleys’ work ethic, compassion and commitment have shown others what it means to be positive influences and inspirations.

The Bentleys’ keen interest in the CPA Education Foundation led them to establish four substantial annual awards through the Foundation for students at various stages of their education and careers. The Bentleys place a high value on volunteerism and philanthropy, and the scholarships that bear their names emphasize community service. These scholarships provide opportunities for students that might not have otherwise been possible.

The Bentleys support for the Foundation is but one example of their record of philanthropic and community achievement. They have also volunteered with the Citadel Theatre for over 50 years in various capacities; Mr. Bentley has served as Treasurer, President, Past President and Chair of the Board of Governors. They have also been instrumental in raising financial support for the Citadel.

In addition, Mrs. Bentley acted as a member of the Board of Governors and Senate for the University of Alberta, and Mr. Bentley served on the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta, including a term as President, and on the Board of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. The Bentleys have also funded annual doctoral fellowships at the University of Alberta’s School of Business, starting in 1987. These fellowships support three or four candidates annually.

The Bentleys have also lent their volunteer services to the United Way, several projects associated with the University of Alberta, and the Edmonton Community Foundation.

Garry Cook FCPA, FCA

Garry is a partner and former chair of Crowe Mackay LLP. He has had a successful and extensive career in public accounting, working as a senior partner in a local Calgary firm for over 20 years before founding his own practice, which he merged with Crowe MacKay in 2005. In addition to his professional endeavours, Garry has volunteered extensively within the profession, including currently serving on the CPA Canada Private Enterprise Advisory Committee, and the community. For these contributions, he was awarded Fellowship in 2007 and a Distinguished Service Award in 2010.

Garry’s commitment to the work of the Foundation has been integral to the organization’s success. In addition to supporting the Foundation, he served as a member of the Board for eight years, including a term as Chair from 2009-2011. During the period under Garry’s leadership, the Foundation launched a number of major initiatives, including 'Paying it Forward,' which supported financial literacy education for young Albertans; the annual Conference for Academics; and the Foundation’s 'Bridges to the Future' fundraising campaign.

Congratulations, Garry Cook!

Ronald Fath CPA, CA

Ronald Fath CA has made significant and regular contributions to the CPA Education Foundation for numerous years. Because he requests that his donations be used for priority areas from year to year, Ronald’s contributions have made a substantial impact to the accounting profession and the CPA Education Foundation, particularly the Foundation’s financial literacy campaign.

Ronald’s consistent and generous donations have allowed the Foundation to fund special projects that advance accounting education and raise the profile of the accounting profession. These contributions have had a significant impact in enhancing the success of the CPA Education Foundation and through his exemplary efforts, Mr. Fath has also encouraged colleagues to contribute to the Foundation.

His long history of involvement in the Alberta accounting community include serving as past president of the Edmonton chapter of the Society of Industrial and Management Accountants, and acting as a role model for other Alberta CAs and business leaders. Ronald has also dedicated himself to various charitable and non-profit boards and agencies including the Rotary Club of South Edmonton (where he served as president for numerous years) and his church community.

Congratulations, Ronald Fath!

The Foundation recently learned of Mr. Fath’s passing on August 23, 2016. Our deepest sympathies to his family.

Jane Halford FCA

As the former Executive Director of the former Chartered Accountants Education Foundation from 2005 to 2012, Jane’s commitment played an instrumental role in raising the profile and impact of the Foundation among members, government and the public.

It was through Jane’s innovative and energetic leadership that the Foundation took on several special projects that continue to serve the CA profession and community to this day.

One of the most notable projects was the CA Bridging Program, which was designed to help degree-holders who were not accounting majors to earn the necessary prerequisites to enter the CA School of Business. Jane led the development of the program itself, fostered a partnership with the University of Lethbridge to deliver the program and spearheaded a successful fundraising effort to kick start the program.

Jane’s passion and vision also inspired the Foundation’s financial literacy program. Over $225,000 was raised for the project, which launched in 2012. In 2013, the Foundation’s financial literacy web portal, 'The Money Project,' was recognized by the Government of Alberta with an Alberta Consumer Champion Award – a fitting tribute to Jane’s legacy.

Projects like these helped give the CPA Education Foundation an enhanced reputation within the profession and across the province. From the Alberta Legislature to classrooms and universities across the province, the CPA Education Foundation is recognized widely for its commitment to advancing business education and providing valued support to individuals pursuing careers in accounting. That increased recognition over the last decade can be attributed to the Jane Halford’s comprehensive and compelling vision for the CPA Education Foundation, and her success in making that vision a reality.

Her successes to expand the reach and breadth of the Foundation continue to flourish today.

Congratulations, Jane Halford!

Steve Allan FCPA, FCA

A worthy recipient of the CPA Education Foundation Impact Award, over the span of his career, Steve Allan has maintained very close relationships with both the former Chartered Accountants Education Foundation of Alberta and the former Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta (ICAA).

Steve’s involvement with the Foundation became even more prominent in September 2010, with the launch of the Foundation’s youth financial literacy campaign. Recognizing the importance of financial literacy as a business-related educational goal, the Foundation initiated an ambitious, two-year fundraising campaign – 'Paying it Forward' – which aimed to raise a quarter of a million dollars to fund financial literacy education resources for the province’s junior and senior high school students.

With more than 40 years of experience in corporate restructurings, corporate bankruptcies, receiverships and complex corporate litigation matters, Steve Allan was an obvious choice to head the Paying it Forward campaign. When asked if he would be interested in taking on the role of Honourary Campaign Chair, Steve graciously accepted the position.

Over the course of the two years of fundraising, Steve was diligently involved. In November 2012, the culmination of the fundraising efforts was realized with the launch of 'The Money Project' – a one-stop shop web portal designed to connect Alberta youth with the tools and resources they need to have financially-sound futures.

In addition to his involvement with the Paying it Forward campaign, Steve Allan truly exemplifies what it means to be considered a role model for Alberta CAs and other business leaders. As a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA), Steve has achieved the highest designation the CPA confers.

Steve is also a recipient of the ICAA's Lifetime Achievement Award (2008). Not only has he demonstrated his commitment to the CPA profession, including serving a term as ICAA Council President, he also has a proven track record of community involvement. His extensive resume of volunteer activities includes: Honourary Campaign Chair, Paying it Forward; Director of Calgary Stampede Foundation; Director of the McMahon Stadium Society; Director of Compton Petroleum; Chair of the Canadian Tourism Commission; Trustee of the Neyaskewyahk Trust (a trust fund for the Ermineskin Cree Nation; and he also plays an active role in his Rotary Club’s 'Stay in School' mentorship program.

Congratulations, Steve Allan!

Steve Glover FCPA, FCA

In addition to his duties leading the former Institute of Chatered Accountants of Alberta for more than two decades, Steve Glover FCPA, FCA was integral to establishing and building the CPA Education Foundation of Alberta. He recognized a need for a foundation to support accounting education and the advancement of the accounting profession in the province.

Through Steve’s dedication and actions, what began as a vision quickly transformed into a reality. Serving as the Executive Secretary of the Foundation from 1982 until 2006, Steve was very much the driving force behind the success of the Foundation. From operations, to fund development, strategic planning to forging new relationships with post-secondary institutions, Steve was involved in every aspect of making the Foundation a trusted source for CPAs and other donors to impact and influence the professional accounting landscape in Alberta.

Congratulations, Steve Glover!