TORONTO – January 29, 2015 – Women in Mining Canada (“WIMC”) and its “Trailblazer Award Selection Committee” (“TSC”), are very pleased to announce Betty-Ann Heggie as the winner of the 2015 Women in Mining Canada Trailblazer Award.
The Women in Mining Canada Trailblazer Award is the first national award in Canada to recognize the achievements of women who have made a significant contribution to Canadian mining and/or the inclusion of women in the industry. The natural resource sector has the poorest representation of women in management, with women representing just 11% of board appointments, making this year’s recipient a true “Trailblazer”.
Betty-Ann Heggie – Author, Mentor and Speaker
Betty-Ann Heggie, member of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame, journeyed up the Corporate Ladder from Beer Rep to Senior VP with the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc., one of the world’s largest fertilizer company.
Betty-Ann has the distinction of also being named Canada’s Top Investor Relations Officer by both her clients and her peers. In addition to being awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, the recipient of the Alumni Mentorship Award from the University of Saskatchewan, Betty-Ann won the “Women Helping Women” award at the 2009 Stevie Awards, and was honored with the YWCA Lifetime Achievement Award. Betty-Ann has also served on multiple boards, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Institute of Corporate Directors of Saskatchewan, which she founded.
After twenty-seven years in the corporate world, Betty-Ann is using her retirement years to promote Women’s mentorship, answering the call to share her lessons learned with other women. Betty-Ann has spearheaded the Betty-Ann Heggie Foundation, including the groundbreaking mentorship program for woman at her alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan and more recently a Canadian mentorship program for the women of Afghanistan.
“Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than to see young women who have come through the Womentorship program become more confident and openly offer their opinions; put up their hands and volunteer for assignments or, take a risk by leaving unsatisfactory positions to start their own businesses,” stated Betty-Ann.
The Trailblazer Award was established by Women in Mining Canada in 2013, as a yearly award which “recognizes women who have taken personal career risks and helped to advance the careers of other women”. The award recognizes individuals working to build a world-class industry which provides attractive career opportunities and enhances the recognition and participation of women in the sector.
Women in Mining Canada will celebrate the announcement of Betty-Ann Heggie as the Winner of the 2015 Women in Mining Canada Trailblazer Award at the Prospectors and Developers Conference. The 8th Annual Women in Mining PDAC Networking Reception in the MTCC North Building – Room 105 on March 3, 2015 between 3:00-5-00pm.
According to the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR), the Canadian mining industry will require 145,000 workers over the next decade. Currently, women in the Canadian mining industry represent roughly 14 percent of the workforce. Mining is an important industry for Canada, yet women are significantly underrepresented at all levels.
Women in Mining branches worldwide are focussed on gender diversity with the objective of attracting untapped talent and breaking the mould in a traditionally male-dominated industry, with the conviction that improving gender diversity will lead to higher performance, growth, innovation and varied skill sets.
The mining industry has the opportunity to take leadership and capitalize on women’s untapped potential by increasing women’s participation on mining boards, in senior leadership positions and entry level positions.
WIMC has placed a strong emphasis on encouraging and empowering women in positions of leadership, representing women through mentorship for the resource sector, with the objective of shaping the industry of tomorrow towards gender diversity.
The WIMC PDAC Networking Reception is an interactive networking reception designed to bring together industry leaders, academia, employers, students and job seekers from around the world. WIMC invites all delegates to connect with the people and personalities who comprise this dynamic industry and celebrate the global contributions that women have made to this vibrant Women in Mining Canada will be represented on the Trade Show floor at Booth 913, pre-and post-reception.
About Women In Mining Canada
WIM Canada is a national not-for-profit organization formed in 2009 and focused on advancing the interests of women in the minerals exploration and mining sector. Women in Mining Canada aims to encourage women to increase their presence in the industry, provide a strong network for women, and for the industry to be proactive in attracting and retaining women in the resources sector.
For more details contact: [email protected]