Thomas Van Zuiden, 2008 Winner
FEI Canada is pleased to honour Thomas Van Zuiden of the Hamilton Chapter as the recipient of the 2008 Frank S. Capon Distinguished Service Award.
Thomas Van Zuiden has been an active member of FEI Canada since 1965. He was a Clarkson Gordon CA in 1948, being awarded the FCA in 1979. In the mid-1970's, Thomas was Chairman of the Hamilton-Dundas Branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses and in 1980, Chairperson of the Hamilton District Chamber of Commerce. In 1952 he joined Dofasco and rose to the position of CFO, which he held at his retirement in 1991.
Since retirement he has been active in ProBus, a Hamilton business organization for retired Professionals, serving as President in 2003-4. He has been active in fund raising activities with the Hamilton YWCA and Chairman of the McMaster University Hospital Board of Trustees. Thomas has been a leader among leaders in his community.
Over the course of his 43 years of membership in FEI Canada, Thomas has contributed to and been instrumental in many areas of the organization. He was a member of the National Executive during the 1970's and he was one of the founding members that were instrumental in the move towards establishing a separate administration structure in Canada. He is a Past Chair of FEI Canada and one of the few Canadians to ever be the Chair of a North East Area Conference of FEI in 1974/75. Thomas served as a member of FEI Canada's Committee on Corporate Reporting (CCR) as well as a member of the Steering Committee of FEIsters. In 1991, FEI U.S. recognized Thomas with the Distinguished Service Award for his work in building the FEI franchise in Canada. Thomas served as the Auditor of the Hamilton Chapter from 1998 until 2003.
His knowledge of the Canadian Business community and his personal network of friends and associates built over long years of dedication to Canadian industry in an exciting period of Canada's growth, have made Thomas a role model for FEI Canada leadership.
Robert Normand, 2007 Winner
FEI Canada is pleased to honour Robert Normand of the Quebec Chapter as the recipient of the inaugural Frank S. Capon Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Normand is an exceptionally talented senior financial executive, highly respected not only in Quebec, but throughout Canada and the US. A member of FEI Canada since 1976, he remains an active member and is recognized as a mentor among many of the leaders within the Quebec Chapter. He has served as both Chair (1992-1993) and vice Chair (1991-1992) of the Board of Directors of FEI Canada, a Director of the Board and as a member of the Compensation Committee. He chaired the Conference Committee in 1985 and was a member of the Conference Committee in 1993. Within the Quebec Chapter, he has held the position of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Program Chair. From 1992-1995, Mr. Normand represented Canada on the Board of Directors of FEI in the United States. Mr. Normand is currently a professional director for a number of publicly traded and private companies. Previously, he held several positions at Gaz Metropolitain Inc., retiring as Chief Financial Officer in 1997.