Saint Mary’s announces prominent alumna as new RBC Talent Hub Entrepreneur-In-Residence

Saint Mary’s University alumna Shannon Byrne Susko BComm’89 BSc’92 is joining the university as the newest RBC Talent Hub Entrepreneur-In-Residence.

"I'm excited to begin working with students as the RBC Talent Hub Entrepreneur-In-Residence,” says Susko. “Being a Saint Mary's University alumna myself, it's an incredible feeling to be able to give back to the community and share my experience and business expertise, helping students reach their entrepreneurial goals."

Shannon Byrne Susko BComm’89 BSc’92

Shannon Byrne Susko BComm’89 BSc’92

Susko is a successful serial entrepreneur and is the founder and CEO of Metronome United. Recognized in March 2020 as one of Canada’s Top 25 Inspirational Women Leaders, Susko was also named as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2018. Susko has built and led high-growth tech companies in the financial services industry. In six years, she co-founded, managed, and sold two companies: Subserveo, Inc. and Paradata Systems Inc.

“As we welcome Shannon and her extensive business expertise to the team, I want to express our gratitude to RBC for driving entrepreneurship at Saint Mary’s,” says President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This initiative launched a year ago and is funded by the RBC Foundation as part of the RBC Future Launch program. They have invested $695,000 over three-years in work-integrated learning at Saint Mary’s, and I want to thank them for their continued support.”

As home to the RBC Talent Hub, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC) hosts two Entrepreneurs-In-Residence (EIR), giving students access to some of Canada’s top entrepreneurs. The EIR are selected based on their passion for entrepreneurship, as well as their ability to provide a breadth of advice and information.   The RBC Talent Hub also includes an entrepreneurial mindset success certificate, multi-level skilled entrepreneurship training workshops, a student consultant team and a talent fund for co-operative education.

“We are delighted that Shannon will be joining the RBC Talent Hub as the newest entrepreneur-in-residence,” says Kellie Sauriol, RBC’s Regional Vice President, Business Financial Services, Atlantic Canada. “Students fortunate to have her as a coach will no doubt benefit greatly from her valuable experience, business acumen and entrepreneurial mindset. We’d also like to thank Gregg Curwin for his past and future contributions.”

Saint Mary’s inaugural entrepreneur-in-residence, Gregg Curwin BComm‘90, has had such a great time creating impact through one-on-one coaching, connecting students to resources, and supporting other campus events, that he is staying on for a second term.

"This past year as the entrepreneur-in-residence has been incredibly exciting and very dynamic," says Curwin. "From the students and the faculty to the awesome SMUEC team, this program truly provides a world-class entrepreneurial experience. "

Curwin will continue to focus on general one-on-one coaching and virtual student drop-ins. In contrast, Susko will focus on a small cohort of student entrepreneurs, meeting with them regularly as a group and coaching them through her strategic processes.

“Shannon is an experienced entrepreneur and CEO, whose impact we have seen first-hand,” says Michael Sanderson, director, SMUEC. “We are ecstatic to add Shannon to our team. The knowledge she can share and the advice she can provide to our community will be a significant boost to the great work already underway through this program.”

Executive-In-Residence

Ian Smith headshot.jpg

Ian D. Smith | Chief Executive Officer

Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership

Ian D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Seafoods.  Mr. Smith joined Clearwater in May 2010 and has over 33 years of international experience in the food and consumer products industry.  Prior to joining Clearwater, Mr. Smith held senior leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Company within Canada, the United States and China.  Prior to his time at Campbell’s, Mr. Smith held various marketing, sales and international business development positions with Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive and the Gillette Company.

Mr. Smith currently participates as a director on a number of boards and advisory councils focused on international trade and public policy including; The Business Council of Canada and the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation.  He is a graduate of McGill University (BA Economics, MBA), a former Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and currently serves as Honorary Colonel of 36 Canadian Engineer Regiment located in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Alumni-In-Residence

Wendy Luther | President and Chief Executive Officer

Halifax Partnership

Wendy Luther Proud Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. EMBA’08

Wendy Luther is a leader in economic and export development, with vast experience promoting Nova Scotia and its assets globally. Halifax Partnership is Halifax’s public-private economic development

organization. Wendy joined as President & CEO in 2019. In 2023, Halifax

Partnership was honoured with four Excellence in Economic Development

Awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)

including Gold for Economic Development Organization of the Year. Prior to joining Halifax Partnership, Wendy was President & CEO of EduNova, a co-operative association of public and private-sector education providers committed to promoting Nova Scotia’s knowledge economy internationally. Under her leadership, EduNova was honoured with the prestigious international PIEoneer Association of the Year Award in 2017. Earlier in her career, Wendy worked in export development with the Atlantic Canada World Trade Centre and Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) where she led trade missions to over twenty countries and has mentored and advised hundreds of Nova Scotian exporters on how to be competitive in international markets. At NSBI, through her role as Nova Scotia’s first Private Sector Liaison Officer (PSLO), she was appointed by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to connect entrepreneurs and institutions to opportunities funded by International Financial Institutions. Wendy has served on and led numerous boards and committees including advisory boards for two private sector companies (Canada and U.S. based). Currently, Wendy serves on the Board of Directors and the Management Resources and Compensation Committee of Canadian-owned LED Roadway Lighting; the Board of Directors and as Vice Chair of the Governance Committee of Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization focused on increasing Canada’s innovation competitiveness; and is Membership Chair on the Executive Committee of the International Women's Forum (IWF) Atlantic Chapter. Born in Vancouver, Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and an MBA from Saint Mary’s University. She holds a Certified International Trade Professional designation (CITP) and is an alumna of the Caribbean Canada Emerging Leaders Dialogue and Royal Canadian Navy Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS) Program. In November 2023, she attained her ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors, Director Education Program and is really geeking out on governance! In March 2023 Wendy was honoured with Atlantic Canada's 25 Most Powerful Women in Business award.