Empire state of mind: Concordians take on Manhattan

May 2, 2012

By Simona Rabinovitch

Digital media is evolving at awesome speed, according to Gary Regenstreif, BA 83. The journalist and special projects editor at Thomson Reuters was the guest speaker at a geographic chapter event, organized by Concordia's Advancement and Alumni Relations, at the Quebec Government Office at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan on April 26.

John McNab and Paul M. Levesque | Photo credit: Simona Rabinovitch

"Digital products and services have become integral parts of our daily lives and the way we consume news," he said, noting his recent participation in a World Economic Forum steering group that explored the effects of technology and other trends on media of today and tomorrow.

John McNab, Director of Operations at Privy Council Office and Paul M. Levesque

Important trends include content personalization, digital convergence, social media -- a new form of content creation and democratization. "Millions of people can create and share their own content," Regenstreif explained.

As such, traditional media corporations must drastically rethink their business models, he explained, as digital news sources gain traction. A case in point, he said, was the Huffington Post's recent Pulitzer Prize win.

Rochelle Rego; Russell Makovsky and Gary Regenstreif | Photo credit: Simona Rabinovitch

Attendees laughed with nostalgia as Regenstreif recalled days when the Concordia Department of Journalism was housed in "third floor annex on Mackay Street in a room full of typewriters." The department is now located in the modern Communication Studies and Journalism Building on the Loyola Campus.

When he earned a C in his first university journalism assignment, a professor implied: "If you're going to make it, you're going to have to pick up your game."

Regenstreif did just that, over the years, as a foreign correspondent during the first Gulf war and lead at bureaus in Buenos Aires, Caracas, Rome and Paris.

"Why leave such a fine city as Montreal," Regenstreif mused about his early years in the business, before answering his own question: "A passion for the profession that matters deeply and a bit of wanderlust."

Manon Boucher and Marie Claire Morin | Photo credit: Simona Rabinovitch

Manon Boucher, acting delegate general of the Quebec Government Office in New York, co-hosted the alumni event for the second year in a row. Concordia representatives included Marie Claire Morin, vice-president of Advancement and Alumni Relations; Dominique McCaughey, associate vice-president, Advancement and Alumni Relations, as well as alumni officer Lina Uberti.

Guests included the executive committee of the Concordia New York Alumni Chapter: Russell Makofsky, BComm 07 and Alexandra Wong, MBA 04, as well as financier Paul M. Levesque, BA 57, and Raymond Jolicoeur, BAdmin 1990, co-founder of GURU Energy Drink.

Politicians, business executives, entrepreneurs and artists, ranging from recent New York residents to those who have called the Big Apple home for decades, rounded out the balance of attendees.

Manon Boucher, Gary Regenstreif, Marie Claire Morin, Paul M. Levesque, and Dominique McCaughey | Photo credit: Simona Rabinovitch

Boucher also addressed the crowd and explained the Quebec government's priorities include fostering trade with the American market -- especially New York. Boucher shared details about the government's strategy and its focus on energy efficiency, culture and maintaining direct relationships with its ex-pat community.

The audience buzzed as she referenced examples of the province's U.S. successes such as Quebec artist Robert Lepage's Ring performances at the New York Metropolitan Opera and film director Denis Villeneuve's Oscar-nominated Incendies (2010).

The mingling between generations of Concordia alumni delighted Concordia VPs Morin and McCaughey. After speaking about the university's growth and "unique urban footprint," Morin encouraged guests to act as ambassadors for Concordia's fortieth anniversary, in 2014.

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Empire state of mind: Concordians take on Manhattan

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