At Doane Grant Thornton, we’re guided by our purpose to help our clients, colleagues, and communities thrive. I’m honoured to help lead the strategy and direction that brings our purpose to life across Canada alongside our National Management Committee.
For me, this Firm has a unique and personal distinction as there’s been a Ladner family member working here since 1953. My Uncle Mark and father Cecil both received their accounting training with the Firm and were my role models. Carrying that legacy, I assumed my present role on April 1, 2016, marking an exciting new chapter in a career that began with the Firm in 1985. As a graduate from the University of Prince Edward Island, I was thrilled to land a job with Doane Grant Thornton (then called Doane Raymond) where my Uncle Mark was a Partner, in my hometown of Charlottetown. It was extremely rewarding to help my clients achieve their goals, particularly in the areas of valuation, financing, and litigation support. From our early beginnings, I’m proud to have played a part in shaping the award-winning culture that we have today. I remember my time there fondly—we cared deeply for our colleagues and that extended to our clients, too. We were—and still are—a team of people connected by our values of building strong, trusting relationships in all that we do. No matter the size, no matter the industry, people are the heart of every business.
Doane Grant Thornton’s culture of shared leadership allowed me to grow my career within the Firm. I became a Partner in 1997, Managing Partner of Prince Edward Island in 2003, and Regional Managing Partner for Atlantic Canada as well as a member of the National Management Committee in the fall of 2006. I also served on the Firm’s policy board, including a term as Chair.
My role as Executive Partner and CEO brought me to the national office in Toronto, where I’m a member of our Partnership Board. We have a strong legacy of growth and innovation that I’m proud to build on. Our common goal is to be recognized by our clients for the quality of our advice, the care with which we deliver it, and the emotional investment we make in their success.
We’re also committed to giving back to our communities—as a company and as individuals. I’ve served on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, United Way, Holland College Advisory Group, and the 1991 Canada Games. I’ve also enjoyed working with the Charlottetown Boys and Girls on the Club Celebrity Golf tournament committee for 15 years, helping to raise funds in support of the club’s programming.
My passion for sports and personal development also led me to coach minor hockey, baseball, and soccer. Coaching instills important values like teamwork, commitment, and dedication to excellence that serve people well throughout their lives—and it’s a lot of fun, too. That’s the kind of environment we strive for at Doane Grant Thornton, because it allows us to bring our best to our clients, our colleagues, and our communities.