Suzanne B. Labarge CM (born 1940) is a Canadian businesswoman, and past chancellor of McMaster University. Labarge is a member of The Coca-Cola Company's board of directors, and was the vice-chairman of the Royal Bank of Canada.

Suzanne B. Labarge
18th Chancellor of McMaster University
In office
1 September 2013 – 30 August 2019
Preceded byLynton Wilson
Succeeded bySantee Smith
Personal details
BornOttawa, Canada
Alma materMcMaster University
Harvard University
OccupationVice-Chairman of Royal Bank of Canada[1]
Independent Director of Bank of China[1]
Independent Director of Novelis Inc.[1]
Director of The Coca-Cola Company[1]
Director of XL Group plc[1]
ProfessionBusinesswoman

Career

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Labarge was born in Canada.[2] Labarge received a B.A. in Economics from McMaster University, and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Then she worked in the federal public service, including 2 years as assistant auditor general and 8 years in the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.

She joined the Royal Bank of Canada where she became the first woman to be appointed as a Royal Bank executive in 1979, and Executive Vice-President in 1995. In 1999, she became RBC's Chief Risk Officer.[3][4] During her time with RBC, she served as the chief risk officer of RBC Capital Markets Corporation and RBC Capital Markets. Labarge served as the chief risk officer of Royal Bank of Canada until September 2004 and its executive vice president and corporate treasurer from 1995 to 1998. Labarge had served as the chief risk officer at RBC Financial Group and the vice chairman at RBC Capital Markets Corporation and RBC Capital Markets. She served as the vice chairman at RBC Financial Group. Labarge served as vice chairman of Royal Bank of Canada until September 2004.[1]

Labarge assumed the role of chancellor at McMaster University on 1 September 2013, and served a three-year term.[5] In the previous year, Labarge contributed C$10 million to the university in an effort to fund inter-disciplinary research into the subject of aging.[6] The university operates the Labarge Optimal Ageing Initiative.[7] In 2007, she had endowed the Raymond and Margaret Labarge Chair in Research and Knowledge Application for Optimal Aging.[8]

Labarge made a second gift to the University in October 2016. This gift, valued at C$15 million, established the Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging. The focus of the Centre is to fund "interdisciplinary research into ways seniors can live more independently through greater mobility, better health and fitness and increased social connection."[9]

Other roles

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Distinctions

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Suzanne B. Labarge". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. 2014. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Suzanne Labarge". Forbes. 2014. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Women at Royal Bank". Rbc.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Onto the Global Stage: The 1960s and the End of Parochialism". Rbc.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  5. ^ "McMaster names businesswomen Suzanne Labarge as chancellor". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  6. ^ Davis, Steven Spencer (7 September 2012). "With $10-million gift, McMaster embarks on study of 'optimal ageing'". The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative Home". McMaster University. 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  8. ^ "I'm extremely proud: Suzanne Labarge reflects on her time as Chancellor". Mcmaster.ca. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Preparing for the Aging Tsunami Target of $15 million Gift from Chancellor Labarge". McMaster University. 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Suzanne B. Labarge". The Coca-Cola Company. 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Awards of distinction". Concordia.ca. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  12. ^ "Governor General Announces 83 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". 20 June 2019.
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of McMaster University
1 September 2013–30 August 2019
Succeeded by