Mark Olson
Managing Partner & Principal
Value Proposition
Mark provides leadership during a period of transition, rapid growth or change operating as Interim CEO, President or Executive Director. He has demonstrated success over 15 years offering interim management services and executive advisement to private sector businesses, not-for-profit and social enterprise organizations. Mark has built a reputation for growing both people and revenue with three decades of business development leadership across Western Canada. A dynamic communicator and strategic thinker, he bridges short term gaps in senior management or adds capacity on a fractional basis long-term. He communicates with stakeholders at all levels internally and externally in assessing opportunities for organizational improvement.
Selected Achievements
- Played a key transitional leadership role in bringing three operating entities together into one provincial not-for-profit organization.
- Served as Interim CEO of an established residential addiction treatment and recovery centre instituting administrative controls and working to rebuild relationships within the community whilst leading a process to identify and transition a new full-time CEO.
- Following the sudden departure of the long-term Executive Director/CEO, successfully transitioned a medium size not-for-profit charity in the immigrant services sector, enhancing its performance, increasing its funding and sourcing new leadership.
- Led a not-for-profit through a feasibility assessment study for a new social enterprise that resulted in their IT services company receiving the operating funding it required.
- Worked alongside senior management and shareholders of an independent ag retail company to build capacity and effect a succession plan that transformed the organization to where it was named Canadian Ag Retailer of the Year.
- Led a senior management team in developing strategies for business partnerships with First Nations.
Prior Experience
- Osborne Interim Management
- 4-H Foundation Alberta: Interim CEO and Senior Advisor (February 2020 – August 2020)
- MP&P Engineering: Change Management Lead (December 2019 – Present)
- Gowan Canada Ltd: Business Advisor (June 2019 – November 2019)
- CANTERRA Seeds Ltd: Strategic Planning (November 2017 – March 2019)
- CMHA Calgary: Board Facilitation (January 2019)
- Barr-Ag: Business Advisor (October 2017 – June 2018)
- Stockmen Memorial Foundation: Strategic Planning (January – April 2018)
- Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation: Interim CEO (January – September 2017)
- Syngenta Canada: Business Development Advisor (March – September 2017)
- Regina Economic Development: Business Development Advisor (September 2016)
- Canadian Constitution Foundation: Executive Advisor (March 2016)
- Simon House Recovery Centre: Interim President & CEO (March – November 2015)
- Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth: Interim Executive Director/CEO (June – November 2014)
- Meticulon/Autism Calgary: Gap Analysis/Strategic Planning (July – September 2013)
- In the Line of Fire: Interim Director of Corporate Development (July 2012 – August 2013)
- SeedWorks (The Mustard Seed): Gap Analysis/Strategic Planning (March 2012)
- DynAgra Agri-Services: Interim Marketing Manager (January 2005 – February 2010)
- Radio Marketing Bureau: Educational Advisor (April 2004 – August 2010)
- Petroleum HR Council of Canada: Business Development Consultant (July – December 2010)
- O&T Farms/Oleet Processing: Business Development Advisor (April 2004 – December 2011)
Qualifications
- Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth – Past Chair
- Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation – Director
- Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Corporate Circle – Former Co-Chairman
- Spanish Level B2 Competency
Articles Written by Mark
Staying a Step Ahead of Trouble to Achieve the Unbelievable
Okay, over the holidays I admit I did some Netflix binging. What caught my attention was “The Money Heist”, a series released in 2017 that ran for three…
The Thankless but Critical Role that is the Not-for-Profit Board Chair
Cop or coach; manager or mentor; facilitator or fan, gatekeeper or go-getter, buffer or builder? Or all of the above? Today’s Board Chair is working harder under a…
The Importance of Leadership in Agriculture Today
By definition, leaders set direction and help themselves and others move forward. During periods of rapid change and transformation it becomes increasingly difficult to know what the "right…
10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make
They fall in love with their idea. It’s said “love is blind” and that often applies to the entrepreneur. Don’t confuse love with passion, a pre-requisite for success.…
Giving Tuesday – Engage Your Board
What is Giving Tuesday? Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that happens each year after the American Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a time when Canadians, charities…
The Sometimes Ugly Disconnect Between Sales and Marketing
Back in my early days on the street, I thought Marketing was Sales. There was no social media or website. The Marketing Coordinator prepared collateral and presentations and…
“Permatemps” Are Here to Stay
I came across a new term recently, used in this article to describe the employment trend in Europe. “Permatemps” describes those permanently in temporary or contract work. It…
UK Survey Shows Interim Managers Make Businesses More Competitive
Our UK partners, Alium, recently surveyed 100 senior business figures on a range of topics, including how and why they have worked with Interims. Although the practice of using Interims is…
A Summer of Reminders for Successful Negotiation
This summer has been full of significant sets of negotiation in the political arena at home and abroad. These events illustrate some of the key dynamics of negotiation…
Damage From “A Different Direction”
Next time you decide to fire a senior executive or make a significant change in the operation of your organization, avoid stating the reason as “we’ve decided to…
When RFP Stands for Real Flawed Process
RFP’s are a way of life in the public sector, and I get that. When it is truly a transparent process, there is an opportunity for the vendors…
Managing the Two Worlds of Social Enterprise – Collaborate or Collide
With the world social enterprise forum having taken place in Calgary last week, it’s an appropriate time to step back and take a look at the challenges such…
Industry Experience Needed…Really?
When you are in the business of providing human capital at the executive level, one of the misperceptions you uncover over time is how little impact industry experience has…
All Interim Management Models Aren’t Created Equal
As someone who has lived interim management for the past eight years, it has been intriguing for me to see how other professional services or consulting firms have…
The Courage to Get It Right
I didn’t ask Shaw Communications Inc. CEO Brad Shaw who was a greater influence on his decision to pull the plug on Shaw’s wireless network, Kenny Rogers or…
The Hidden Potential in Any Organization
When an organization isn’t achieving its revenue potential, the worst case scenario may be that it is meeting its goals and is nicely profitable. That’s because much of…
To learn more about Mark, please contact him directly.
Phone: (403) 264-8195 ext.1003
Toll Free: (888) 282-8450
Email: molson@osborneinterim.com
