First Nations Executive Education celebrates first anniversary, welcomes new founding member, TD Bank Group
Friday November 18, 2022
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal) – First Nations Executive Education (FNEE) is proud to announce that TD Bank Group has stepped up to partner as the School’s new founding member which celebrated yesterday its first anniversary.
This partnership between FNEE and TD Bank Group has been made possible through a generous $1,250,000 donation from the financial institution to the HEC Montréal Foundation. This amount will be used over the next five years to expand FNEE programs and ensure the school’s long-term viability.
“At TD, we believe that education paves the way to a world of infinite possibilities. We are proud to support First Nations Executive Education and contribute to providing elected officials, administrators, managers, entrepreneurs and young leaders in First Nations communities with access to high-quality learning experiences so they can build stronger and more resilient communities.”
“It is with great pride that we welcome TD as a partner. We appreciate the vote of confidence and the opportunities that this collaboration brings. A project of this scope would be impossible without partners. Through this contribution, TD will be helping to accelerate FNEE’s growth and thus strengthen the political and economic leadership of First Nations in Quebec,”
“The HEC Montréal Foundation is very grateful for the TD Bank Group’s donation, which will allow FNEE to continue to focus on supporting First Nations leaders and increasing the impact of this innovative program within our community,”. “By renewing their commitment, TD is showing that the unwavering support of our corporate partners has powerful and vital repercussions on our entire society.”
The partnership was announced at HEC Montréal during an event celebrating FNEE’s first anniversary on November 17, 2022. The evening featured a panel discussion where four FNEE graduates shared their views on the challenges and strategies for true economic reconciliation, in addition to indigenous artistic performances by Innu poet Maya Cousineau Mollen, dancer Don Barnaby and the traditional drumming and singing of the Buffalo Hat Singers.
In attendance were Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador; Ian Lafrenière, Quebec Minister Responsible for Relations with the First Nations and the Inuit; Pascale Déry, Minister of higher Education; Federico Pasin, Director of HEC Montréal; Serge Lafrance, Director of Executive Education HEC Montréal; and representatives of First Nations partners, Hydro-Québec (a founding member of FNEE), the Government of Quebec and BDC (a partner of FNEE’s entrepreneurship programs).
Five programs have been set up since First Nations Executive Education admitted its first students in December 2021. Each has been co-created and co-delivered by First Nations trainers and HEC Montréal faculty. Through these programs and customized training solutions, FNEE aims to empower elected officials, administrators, entrepreneurs, managers, future leaders and women from First Nations communities and raise awareness of Indigenous issues among non-Indigenous people.
About FNEE
First Nations Executive Education (FNEE), propelled by Executive Education HEC Montréal, is a new management school built for and by First Nations, offering university-level short programs in First Nations communities, online and in Montreal.
The objective of current and upcoming FNEE programs is to hone leaders’ skills by combining traditional knowledge with the best in contemporary management practices to cater to the needs of First Nations elected officials, administrators, managers, entrepreneurs and potentially other groups in the future. The one-of-a-kind approach brings together HEC Montréal faculty and trainers from First Nations communities.
Information and interview requests
Éric Duguay
Media Relations Manager
514 377-1980
e.duguay@seize03.ca