Larry Shelley's decades of volunteering recognized with Management Alumni Excellence Award

Looking back at his career in finance and his long track record of volunteering, Larry Shelley, BComm’80, says he was taught the importance of community involvement and interaction in the early stages of his career.

He sums up the lesson this way:  “We want to leave the world in a better condition than what it was in before we got here by virtue of the activities and actions that we involve ourselves in our lives.”

Volunteer gives back to community

His passion for volunteering began as an award-winning coach for his children’s sports teams, coaching over 27 teams in sports including hockey, soccer, lacrosse and baseball.

In 1993, he received an invitation to join the Rotary Club of Calgary. “It is an absolutely fantastic, principle-based organization whose focus is strictly to give back to the community. I am very proud of the work that I’ve done with them.”

Shelley’s most recent community endeavour is as chair of the board for Beakerhead, which he boldly predicts will be one of the city’s top events.

“This organization is the marriage of art, engineering and science and has the potential to contribute to Calgary’s culture and entertainment base equivalent, I believe, to the Calgary Stampede.”

17th winner of Arch management excellence award

His alma mater also benefits from his involvement with the Haskayne School of Business. He was a founding member of the Haskayne Founders’ Circle — a group of alumni who contribute $10,000 every year to the school — and sits on the Management Advisory Council for the school.

Shelley will receive the Management Alumni Excellence Award presented by the Haskayne School of Business as part of the University of Calgary Arch Awards on Nov. 9. He is the 17th winner of the award.

 “Larry Shelley embodies all of the qualities that make a true leader in the community and exemplifies the giving spirit of generations before him,” says Jim Dewald, dean of the Haskayne School of Business.

“I am delighted to recognize this fifth-generation Calgarian and Haskayne School of Business alumnus’ achievements in both his career and work in the community with the 2016 Management Alumni Excellence Award.”

When Shelley learned he had won the award, to say he was surprised is an understatement. “I am delighted! It is a really nice thing to do and I am really appreciative of it. There are a lot of people leading companies in Calgary and all over the world that got their start at Haskayne,” he says.

'I have met some of my closest friends in my first semester of year one'

Since graduation, Shelley has enjoyed a successful career in finance. Starting as an audit technician at Touché Ross and Company, he has held senior roles in several companies including as founding partner and CEO of Barr Shelley Stuart; founder and president of Tamarack Capital Advisors Ltd.; external director and treasurer of Golder Associates Corporation; executive vice-president, Meyers Norris Penny LLP; and president and CEO of Coril Holdings Ltd. He is currently managing partner of Citrus Capital Partners Ltd.

He attributes his success to being empowered by the foundation of knowledge he received at Haskayne. Shelley was not only highly involved as a student — and one of the first winners of Canada’s long running Inter-Collegiate Business Competition — he also took time to build many lasting relationships. “When students come into the university, they should look around the room because the people in those classes are going to be in their lives for the rest of their life. I have met some of my closest friends in my first semester of year one. Knowing that, you need to put effort into building your relationships.”

Great respect for city of Calgary

Shelley’s contributions to the community on a variety of levels stem from his passion for the city. “Calgary is a very special city — I love it. It has something for everyone. It is sophisticated, and it has an entrepreneurial base here that is incomparable.

“Calgarians are risk takers who are devoted to their community. I just want to be part of that commitment to the community in any way I can because it makes us better people.

“When we allow ourselves to put the community first, the community is better for it. The volunteer culture was developed generations ago, and we have to honour that.”