Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

🎉 We’re still basking in the glow of our 2025 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. It was a special night – made more so by the fabulous people in the room. From all of us at the Gustavson School of Business: a big thank you to our incredible sponsors for making the 2025 DEYA gala such a meaningful celebration. Our sponsors’ support not only honoured our recipients, Tiny co-founders Andrew Wilkinson and Chris Sparling, but also helped spark new connections, conversations and ideas among the next generation of business leaders. We’re so grateful for their partnership, presence and belief in the power of entrepreneurship to create lasting impact. With heartfelt thanks to: Premier Sponsor: BMO Private Wealth Program Sponsor: RBC Technology Sponsor: Alacrity Canada Student Session Sponsor: The Wealthy Life with Sybil Verch at Raymond James Event Sponsors: MNP Proline Management Ltd., CIBC, Reed Pope Law Corporation Mocktail Sponsor: Heart Pharmacy Group Photobooth Sponsor: Devon Properties Media Sponsor: The Globe and Mail And last but not least, a big thank-you to all our table sponsors, whose guests brought the room to life! Here’s to building a thriving business community, together. 💼✨ #DEYA2025 #Entrepreneurship #UVicGustavson

On June 12, 22 students graduated from the MBA in Advancing Reconciliation—a first-of-its-kind program co-developed by the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres and UVic’s Gustavson School of Business. A graduation and recognition ceremony honoured the hard work and commitment to reconciliation shown by students throughout the two-year degree, which combines core business education with specialized coursework in decolonization, Indigenization and community-led leadership. Among the grads: 15 Indigenous students and 11 from the Friendship Centre Movement. Every student completed a Capstone Project grounded in their day-to-day work, focused on meaningful systems change in the social services sector. “Journeying alongside the students, our partner BCAAFC, and the instructors has been a deeply rewarding experience — one rooted in relationships, learning, and the shared hope of a more just future," says François Bastien, Gustavson School of Business professor, incoming associate dean Indigenous, and academic director of the MBA AR. Two more cohorts are on the way—continuing this important work. 🔗 Read the full story: https://ow.ly/4pK550WbZPv

“We don’t need more multitasking. We need multi-thinking—to consider the consumer, the citizen, and the land as stakeholders.” – Brad Liski, CEO at Tru Earth Environmental Products and panelist at Reimagining Business Education for Regenerative Futures Last week, Gustavson’s Centre for Regenerative Futures (CRF) hosted educators, students and community leaders to explore how business schools can move beyond sustainability and toward regeneration. From systems thinking to land-based learning, the event challenged us to rethink what—and who—business education is for. Thank you to all who join us in imagining—and building—a new path forward. Special thanks to our panelists: Frank Bastien, Academic Director, MBA in Advancing Reconciliation, Gustavson School of Business Jill Doucette, Founder and CEO of Synergy Enterprises Katie Gamble, Founder and CEO of @Nature Bee Brad Liski, Founder and CEO of Tru Earth Environmental Products Jie Z. Zhang, Associate Professor, Gustavson School of Business We left the event feeling inspired by the passion for regeneration in our community and can’t wait to convene this group again soon. mail crf@uvic.ca or contact CRF Director Natalie Slawinski or Associate Director Simon Pek to hear about future CRF events and initiatives!

On June 10, we gathered at Gustavson’s 21st annual Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award (DEYA) gala to celebrate two local visionaries who are reshaping what entrepreneurship means today—right here in Victoria. Andrew Wilkinson and Chris Sparling, co-founders of Tiny, were celebrated for their bold, values-driven approach to business—building a holding company based on simplicity, longevity and trust. Throughout the evening at the Victoria Conference Centre, guests heard stories that underscored the importance of long-term thinking and investing in people. As two entrepreneurs who grew up in Victoria, they also spoke about the importance of creating meaningful projects in a place where they could nurture their families, business and their community. The co-founders have shown that you can build thriving global businesses while staying deeply committed to the local business community by showing up, refining the process and believing that no dream is too tiny.  Our warmest thanks to Andrew, Chris, their families, our honoured guests, sponsors and the many supporters who helped make this night one to remember. Here’s to building boldly with heart—with a partner who balances you. #DEYA2025 #GustavsonUVic #DistinguishedEntrepreneurs #TinyCapital #UVicBusiness

Meet Jaanvi Garodia 🌿 During her time at the University of Victoria, Jaanvi combined business studies with a clear purpose: driving sustainability forward. Her journey was shaped by climate-focused co-op placements, an exchange in Thailand and entrepreneurship classes that challenged her perspective. The result? A foundation rooted in impact—and a future in corporate sustainability.🌍 If she had to sum it all up in one word? Empowering. Congrats, Jaanvi—and to the entire Class of 2025! 🎓✨ Read Jaanvi’s convocation Q+A: https://ow.ly/28Ck50W6McU 📸: One Island Media

As of May 2025, the Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation is now the Centre for Regenerative Futures. The new name reflects a shift in focus—from sustainability to regeneration—as the Centre responds to today’s pressing ecological, social and economic crises and the need for deeper systems change. This evolution builds on over a decade of work at Gustavson to integrate sustainability into research, teaching, culture and operations. Learn more about the name change and renewed purpose from CRF Director Natalie Slawinski and Associate Director Simon Pek: https://ow.ly/1JX650W5fhu

Biometric technologies like facial recognition and fingerprint scans are becoming more common in workplaces, but at what cost?  In their latest Harvard Business Review article, Andrew Park and Jan Kietzmann (Gustavson School of Business), along with Jay Killoran (Smith School of Business), unpack the growing risks of collecting employee biometric data.  They explore the unique nature of biometric data, the gaps in current legal protections and the key questions organizations should ask before using this technology.  🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gQ5AktjD  #WorkplacePrivacy #Biometrics #EthicalTech #GustavsonResearch #FutureOfWork 

An interdisciplinary team led by Gustavson researcher Roy Suddaby recently received $2.1M in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research | Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (CIHR) for their five-year project exploring how healthcare bureaucracy impacts Indigenous Historical Trauma and creates barriers to care. “Healthcare bureaucracies often replicate colonial structures, forcing Indigenous patients to navigate systems that echo historical oppression and may retraumatize them,” says Roy. “Addressing these systemic harms is not just a matter of equity—it is a necessary step toward reconciliation, restoring trust and honouring Indigenous self-determination in health and well-being.” Working with the Chemawawin Cree Nation, Quest Health, and the Indigenous Health Institute, the team (which also includes Gustavson researchers Cheryl Mitchell, PhD and Francois Bastien) is analyzing the social and economic costs of these barriers—and identifying solutions that support reconciliation and improved health outcomes. 🔗 Read more: https://ow.ly/XuVc50VU6ss

🌍 We're thrilled to welcome a new partner to our Master of Global Business (MGB) program: ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics & Management | University of Lisbon, in Portugal 🇵🇹 Starting January 2026, MGB students on Path 4 will now experience Portugal as part of their international academic journey—alongside Canada and Thailand. 📍Path 4: Canada → Portugal → Thailand Learn more about MGB: https://ow.ly/9haM50VSTIv

BCom student Henry King is UVic’s business co-op student of the year. Congratulations, Henry!