Alex Bottausci is running for mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. The elections will be held November 5, 2017.
After being in business and having worked for American and Canadian companies, he returned to the university as program coordinator for the Institute for Co-operative Education.
The institute connects about 1,800 work-study students a year to hundreds of employers. During that time, he was also elected as a city councillor for Dollard-des-Ormeaux, a municipality of nearly 51,000 residents.
Bottausci also enrolled in the John Molson School of Business’ Executive MBA program, graduating in 2013.
He took time out of his busy schedule to speak about his decision to run for mayor and his professional life at Concordia.
What is your role as program coordinator at the Concordia Institute for Co-operative Education?
Alex Bottausci: “I have two main roles. My first is to work with the finance and MBA students to successfully guide and mentor them through our program. My second role is to work with industry and set up the partnerships required so that our students are hired for internships. It’s a career-building opportunity for them, and an enriching experience for me.”
Why did you decide to return for an MBA at Concordia after you were already working in politics?
AB: “I had promised myself many years ago that I would obtain a higher education, so I didn’t want to break that promise. I firmly believe in personal improvement, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity.
I wanted to be able to bring something real and tangible to the table and, although I may have great ideas and objectives, ensure that they were realistic and attainable.”
How has your Concordia education helped your career?
AB: “I’ve always believed in real education for the real world and my education here was practical and applicable, both for my bachelor’s and my EMBA. I had outstanding professors backed by years of experience, and they in turn made even the most theoretical classes applicable to my daily reality.
Concordia also taught me how to apply my knowledge across various industries and to be flexible, which helped me navigate different fields. I went from event planning, to CD-ROM manufacturing and back to a career in academics.”
Alex Bottausci with his wife and three children at the 2017 Dollard-des-Ormeaux Canada Day celebration.