by Gordon Nary
Gordon: When did you attend Campion College at the University of Regina, what degree did you earn, and what is one of your favorite memories when you were there?
Henry: I first attended Campion High School, a Jesuit boys school in Regina, Saskatchewan in the 60s. Later I attended Campion College which is a federated college on the University of Regina campus and earned a BA Honors Degree in Economics in the 70s. Great memories of these days were the excellent education received from classically trained Jesuits.
Gordon: When did you take The Queen's University Negotiation Seminar, what certificate did you earn, and what is the most important information that you learned?
Henry: I took the Queen’s University Negotiation Seminar in the 80s. This was part of executive development training I received at the Government of Saskatchewan prior to my appointment as Deputy Minister of Social Services and, later, Deputy Minister of Economic Development. This seminar provided me with high level negotiating skills for labor negotiations as well as for financial negotiations.
Gordon: When did you attend Purdue University and University of Calgary, what degree did you earn, and what did you study?
Henry: The certification I received from this joint program between Purdue and University of Calgary was called “Certified Destination Management Executive”. It was useful in the 90s when I was CEO of Tourism Calgary. I was in the very first graduating class.
Gordon: When did you attend the University of Regina and what did you study?
Henry: I attended the University of Regina in the 70s and I participated in post graduate studies in Economics..
Gordon: When did you attend University of Saskatchewan, what degree did you earn, what was your favorite class, and why was it your favorite?
Henry: I attended the University of Saskatchewan in the 70s and earned a Bachelor of Arts Honors Degree in Economics. My favorite subjects pertained to money and banking. This focus has always assisted me in my role as an angel investor and a real estate investor.
Gordon: When did you work at the Government of Saskatchewan, what positions did you serve, and what were your primary responsibilities of each position?
Henry: I worked in the Government of Saskatchewan from 1976 to 1991. I held various positions. Policy Analyst at Urban Affairs; Director of Property Tax Rebates; Senior Treasury Board Analyst; Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Assistant Deputy Minister of Labor; Deputy Minister of Social Services; Deputy Minister of Economic Development; and President of the Saskatchewan Diversification Corporation.
Gordon: You currently are CEO of The Executive Advisor. What services do you provide?
Henry: Consulting services to business. Peer leadership and coaching services for executives. Board governance consulting. Business crisis management solutions. General business consulting.
Gordon: You are also Managing Partner Kutarna Consulting
Henry: This was a later development at The Executive Advisor. In addition to the specialties of The Executive Advisor, we added services pertaining to capital, investment readiness, and other services related to investment pitch preparation, angel investing, and a contract role as Vice-President of Investment and Market Development at Innovate Calgary, at which I ran an angel investment group.
Gordon: Tell us something about the parish that you attend.
Henry: I attend parishes in Vancouver, BC and Houston, Texas, both of which are home to my children and grandchildren. The parishes are traditional Catholic parishes with a vibrant community, many young families, and powerful preaching that sustains me in the Catholic faith. I have been a Parish Council chair at two different parishes, one for five years and another for more than twenty years. I was a chief fund raiser and I provided advisory services to priests, particularly through the “Parish Management 101” course we offer at our recent start-up, The Catholic CEO.
Gordon: Thank you for a great Interview