Deane wins first WRC award

Deane honoured by Women's Resource Centre

The U of C's Women's Resource Centre held its inaugural gala on October 18, an event marked by the announcement of Debra Deane, MBA'97, as the first recipient of its Distinguished Alumna Award.

Deane is a successful businesswoman with a strong background in strategy, business development, marketing & communications, and operations. She is a member of the executive team at Zedi, an oil and gas servicing company that designs advanced well monitoring and production operation solutions that deliver meaningful information directly from the wellhead to the desktop. Since joining Zedi in 2004, Deb has served the executive leadership team as vice-president customer service, investor relations and most recently has taken on the role of vice-president marketing. Deane's skill and approach to business along with her positive character contributes to the high respect her employees, coworkers, peers and members of the community at large hold for her. She is a true leader, whose opinions and values people often seek out before they make important business decisions.

Away from the office, Deane gives back to the community with her numerous volunteer commitments. She is past president and director of the Board of Directors of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta. Deane began volunteering with the House in 2003 and joined the board as a director, co-chairing the fund development leadership committee in 2004. As president, Deane sat on the capital campaign cabinet, is chairing a committee to develop a Ronald McDonald House Family Room in Red Deer and is co-chairing the organization's inaugural Rock the House Run event. In 2006 Deane contributed approximately 650 volunteer hours to the Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta. There are many weeks where she would have easily spent 40 hours volunteering as well as balancing her career and family.

Debra's other current volunteer work in the Calgary community includes being a member of the global advisory committee for Ronald McDonald House Charities in Chicago and director on the Salvation Army board of governors for community services (Calgary).  She also volunteers her time speaking in the Haskayne School of Business MBA, EMBA and BComm classes. Debra is also a member of the Calgary Masters Swim Club and recently completed a marathon.

Debra was a member of the inaugural class of the Alberta/Haskayne Executive MBA. Her no-nonsense style and respect for individuals are trademarks of her success that exemplified her contribution to the graduating class of 2007. After graduation Deb volunteered for the Haskayne School Alumni Association. Seeing the value of the programs offer at the school and a need to keep alumni informed and involved, Deb took on the role as president of the HSB Alumni Association in 2004.