FACILITYCalgary

He gets things done. He isn’t shy, so who is this guy, this Guy Mallabone guy?

I first met him in 2000; I was on a committee at the Chamber of Commerce, he was at SAIT – and suddenly together with Bow Valley College, we were doing a joint initiative and Guy was driving the process. I saw him in action – and saw others reacting to him, saw him as confident, influential, respected, relentless, maybe a bit pushy. Never shy …

Recently I sat down with him between travel junkets (his) and found that he’s not slowed down – doesn’t slow down, even when he’s sitting down, the animation and passion are like an energy drink with legs – but with sense and sensibility. Let’s begin at the beginning:

Guy was born in Calgary, first born (he has a younger brother and sister). Mom stayed home. She came from a farming background. Dad grew up in Canmore, his family were in coal mining – but he went into law, was at TransCanada. Like most first born types – he sought to follow in dad’s footsteps. He did high school in Montreal (dad worked there during the FLQ crisis ..yikes!). The family returned to Calgary. A B.Comm from University of Calgary did NOT lead to law school. After graduation, a career in banking or the oil patch looked like a logical route …

But, first some background and context. Guy was not a jock. He admits to being a fairly average student. C’s & B’s. A professor said he got ‘gentlemanly C’s’. Music was his thing. Piano and trombone. The Calgary Stampede Band. A marketing course excited him. A music world mentor offered him a job: Executive Director of the Canadian Band Association (their offices were hosted at U of C). A seven-year gig. He learned about boards, met his wife – a music story/interview there someday perhaps – and then wanderlust/opportunities took him away. Calgary Chamber of Commerce (manager of programs) two years, Red Cross (fundraising for Alberta) eight years – then to the University of Alberta in 1995, which led to, among other things, establishing U of A offices in Calgary. $145 million raised at U of A. Not too shabby! Then Irene Lewis called, recruiting, and Guy said no. On the second call she made the sale – and Guy returned to Calgary as VP & Chief Development officer at SAIT. He chaired the World Skills Competition – hosted in Calgary, in 2009. A $60 million event.  “We did well, inspired by Irene’s vision, we were punching way above our weight. We secured a lot of large gifts.”

It was eleven years, time for change. Guy says, in terms of looking for the next opportunity, “I wanted something that turns me on – good causes. I knew an organization based in Hong Kong that wasn’t in Canada, so I brought them here. We sell management expertise to not-for-profits. Universities, hospitals – large and small, across the country.”

His company is – Global Philanthropic – he’s CEO for Canada, has four offices across the country and associate relationships where it doesn’t.

Why are you successful? “I’m driven by outcomes, not outputs. I want to see impacts. I’m collaborative. I enjoy sucking the marrow out of life!”

What has held you back? “Only 24 hours in each day. My life expectancy of 102. And I wish I’d reached out more, sooner, not waiting for life to come to me … finding my calling in the not-for-profit sector – it’s what holds this country together.”