MONTREAL/October 2, 2003—
The first of this year's Benoit Pelland Distinguished Service Awards is presented to Nicole FaurÈ, BComm 84.
It's doubly appropriate for Nicole to be the recipient of the Benoit Pelland Distinguished Service Award, awarded for ìongoing commitment to the CUAA or the university.î She was a key player in advancing the Association during her many years of yeoman volunteer service for the CUAA, and she helped shape it into the strong organization it is today. Furthermore, Nicole was a close friend and worked side-by-side with Benoit Pelland, who preceded her as the CUAA's president. It would be hard to find a more worthy recipient of an award named after Benoit than Nicole.
Nicole first joined the CUAA board in the late 1980s, recruited by the late Laurie Brodrick, L BA 74, and remained for more than 10 years. She was on the board when the CUAA first introduced these recognition awards in 1990. Nicole was the CUAA's president from 1994 to 1996, and she served as the its representative to Concordia's Board of Governors from 1996 to 1998. During that period she also found the time to co-chair of the Montreal Alumni Phonathon, in 1997-98.
But Nicole's titles don't fully describe the importance of her role. When Nicole joined the board, at around the same time as Benoit, Tony Bertucci, BComm 82, and, soon after, Michael Di Grappa, BA 84, the CUAA was trying to define itself. Nicole, Benoit, Tony and Michael were essential in helping to formalize the CUAA's structures and by-laws, establish its role within the university, set up revenue streams and look at the future through succession. Nicole always provided a strong guiding hand, and that the CUAA came out of that period stronger and healthier than ever testifies to her leadership. Perhaps most impressive about this group was their youth: this gang truly represented the young age of Concordia and its alumni. They were determined to make the CUAA an important player ó and they did.
For Nicole, this commitment was a way to show her appreciation to the university from which she received her education. At Concordia, Nicole studied human resources and international business, and since graduating with her BComm in 1984, she's worked mainly in the hotel and executive search businesses. Beginning in 1997, Nicole started her own company, FaurÈ, gestion conseil, offering her clients human resource services and executive searches. Nicole brings the same attributes to both her professional and volunteer life: a will to work hard, a sense of humour, the ability to stay cool in difficult situations, a keen intellect, graciousness and warmth ó and a bit of a tough streak, something I'm told that was necessary to get through some of those CUAA board meetings!
Nicole also volunteers for other worthy causes, and her dedication to bettering our society is deeply rooted in her values of family and community. In case this isn't enough to assure you that Nicole is devoted to the university, she even married a Concordia alumnus, George Paulez, BComm 77, a former member of the Loyola Alumni Association board. They have twin 13-year-old boys, Philippe and Robert ó future Concordia students, no doubt. The boys are also a testament, I'm sure, to her strength and fortitude!
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