Lunch with a Leader featuring Melinda Park

Melinda Park Updated

Prepare for an exclusive afternoon of strategic insights as we welcome Melinda Park, KC—one of Alberta’s most respected corporate lawyers and the 2021 Professional Services honouree at the Calgary Influential Women in Business awards.

As the Regional Managing Partner of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s (BLG) Calgary office, Melinda seamlessly balances her executive management role with an active, high-stakes M&A and securities practice. A true trailblazer, she made history as the first woman to serve as Chair of BLG’s Partnership Board, shaping the strategy of Canada’s largest law firm while actively paving the way for the next generation of legal talent.

Melinda brings deep practical and governance wisdom to the table. She is a member of the TSX Venture Exchange Local Advisory Committee and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and her exceptional career has earned her prestigious honours, including her 2024 King’s Counsel designation and a place among WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100.

This intimate lunch is your chance to learn directly from an executive who has spent over three decades shaping Canadian boardrooms, navigating complex risks, and redefining corporate leadership.

 

      • Date: April 15, 2026
      • Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM MST
      • (Guests are welcome to stay until 1:30 PM for optional networking)
      • Location: Calgary Petroleum Club
      • Room: Cardium Room
      • Cost: $50 + fees and GST

Melinda Park, K.C.

Melinda Park is the Regional Managing Partner of the Calgary office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) and a Partner in the firm’s Securities and Capital Markets Group. With more than 30 years of experience in securities, governance, corporate finance and commercial transactions, she is a trusted advisor to clients across Canada and internationally. She regularly counsels boards of directors, public and private companies and not-for-profit organizations on governance, strategic planning, risk and complex transactions. A dedicated mentor and leader within the firm, she previously served as Chair of BLG’s Partnership Board, becoming the first woman to hold the role, and has played a key part in developing the next generation of legal talent.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the TSX Venture Exchange Local Advisory Committee. Her past governance roles include 6 years on the Board of Governors of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, where she served as Chair and Vice-Chair. A frequent speaker on public company governance and women’s leadership, she has received numerous honours, including her 2024 appointment as King’s Counsel, the Women’s Executive Network Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award, and the Calgary Influential Women in Business Award for Professional Services, along with longstanding recognition in leading legal directories.

 

Lunch with a Leader featuring Jim Dewald

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Prepare for an afternoon of powerful insights as we welcome Jim Dewald, a leader who seamlessly bridges real-world executive success with academic rigor, and the 2022 Male Champion honouree at Axis Connect’s Calgary Influential Women in Business awards.

Before his transformative 11-year run as Dean of the Haskayne School of Business, where he drove over $100 million in philanthropic funding, built Mathison Hall, and launched the Creative Destruction Lab (Rockies), Jim spent years as a prominent President and CEO for companies like Hopewell Residential Communities and StoneCreek Resorts.

A cornerstone of Alberta’s business ecosystem, Jim brings deep practical and strategic wisdom to the table. He has served on over 30 boards and his community dedication has earned him prestigious honours, including Calgary’s Citizen of the Year and Thought Leader by Alberta Real Estate Foundation.

This intimate lunch is your chance to learn directly from a leader who has spent decades shaping both the boardrooms and the future business talent of our community.

Limited seating is available for this exclusive event—don’t miss out.

      • Date: March 30, 2026
      • Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM MST
      • (Guests are welcome to stay until 1:30 PM for optional networking)
      • Location: Calgary Petroleum Club
      • Room: Wine Cellar
      • Cost: $50 + fees and GST

Jim Dewald, B.Sc., MBA, PhD

Jim Dewald is a professor of strategy and global management at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. He earned a BSc in civil engineering and MBA from the University of Alberta, and a PhD from the Haskayne School of Business. He has several research and teaching awards, three books, two book chapters, over 20 academic papers, and over 60 newspaper and practitioner articles.

Prior to entering academia, Jim held several senior executive positions, including President & CEO of Walker Newby & Partners Inc., President & CEO of Hopewell Residential Communities Inc., President & CEO of StoneCreek Resorts Inc., and President of 411HomeNet Inc.

From 2012 to 2023 he served as dean of the Haskayne School, piloting the establishment of the Creative Destruction Lab (Rockies) and six new Centres of Excellence (leadership, entrepreneurship, real estate, corporate sustainability, business futures, and social entrepreneurship). During his tenure, the school grew in funding, programs, and national ranking, attracting over $100 million in philanthropic funding, and added Mathison Hall, a 100,000 square foot student learning centre.

Jim has served on over 30 boards, including Lead Trustee of Boardwalk REIT, Deputy Chair of the SAIT Board of Governors, Chair of the Business Schools Association of Canada, and the Canadian appointee to the Continuous Improvement Review Committee for AACSB.

He was named Calgary’s Citizen of the Year, Thought Leader by Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Honorary Member of the Appraisal Institute of Canada, and 2022 Male Champion in the Calgary Women in Business Awards. He currently serves on the board of Trico Group Inc. and as an Advisor to several organizations.