Prostate Cancer Centre CEO recruitment was led by Boyden Search Experts, Kevin Gregor, Morgan Campbell, and Kenny Gregor
This press release was originally published by Calgary Herald. Click here to view the original press release.
The Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre board has announced the appointment of Jeff Davison as its new CEO.
The former city councillor brings a wealth of expertise to the role, having served in a number of senior leadership capacities across multiple sectors over the past decade.
Born and raised in Calgary, Davison spent 20 years in communications after graduating from the University of Calgary, serving publicly traded companies primarily in the energy and technology sectors, but always with an interest in film. He took broadcast journalism at SAIT and was managing partner of Paper Movies producing new features.
During the time he describes as being a recovering politician, he has been director of investment, film and media with Invest Alberta.
His skills at connecting people through innovative collaborations, aligning teams to a greater vision, and developing strategic frameworks to scale operations and create opportunities will serve him well in his new position.
“We are excited and pleased to welcome Jeff to the Prostate Cancer Centre,” board chair Keith Steeves says. “His leadership skills in both the private and public sectors will be a great addition to our organization as we continue to expand and grow.”
And that need is significant.
Statistics show that one in six men of all cultures are affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime, and with the ever-increasing number of people moving to Alberta the opportunity to test and detect at the early stages is vital.
The PCC in Calgary is at the forefront of battling the invasive cancer.
“There is no other centre in North America doing the same research and providing the same services under one roof,” says Davison.
The centre is on the roof of the parkade at Rockyview Hospital, and plans are to build and occupy another 9,000 square feet to serve even more than the 22,000 men it helps each year with its rapid access to consultation, diagnosis, information and treatment options.
It relies completely on private contributions, corporate sponsorship and events. Much comes from grateful families who have gone through the process of fighting cancer and are willing to write cheques or raise money for the benefit of others.
Most recently, PCC received a generous donation of $5 million from the Rance and Marilyn Fisher Family Charitable Foundation to expand services and resources related to men’s health.
Davison says much has to be done in persuading men of the need for testing. Today, the centre has two Man Vans, one in the city and the other touring southern Alberta. And there’s lots of catching up to do as the pandemic caused a suspension of the service.
There are none testing north of Red Deer, so that is an important target.
Mental health is also an issue, as Davison says prostate cancer can be overwhelming for patients and their families. “Supportive resources are desperately needed and mental health will be an essential part of PCC’s new initiatives.”
For 10 years, PCC was guided by former executive director Pam Heard, who was responsible for many key relationships with funders. Davison is already busy building support from the community while getting to know and lead a dedicated team of 25 working to make the PCC recognized as a global centre.
The appointment of Davison follows a thorough recruitment process overseen by the board of directors using global recruitment firm Boyden, which saw a wide variety of candidates vetted and interviewed.
