John Furlong

John Furlong is the leader behind the team that organized and staged the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. From the very beginning of the project, John envisioned that the Games could be a true nation builder, helping to improve the fabric of Canadian society by touching the hearts and souls of every Canadian.

Many said it was a grandiose vision, and urged John to set his goals at a more attainable level. But John refused, and went on to deliver what have now been recognized by the International Olympic Committee and others as the most successful Winter Games in history.
 
As not only the longest serving Olympic president, but in fact  the very first employee of VANOC, John guided the growth of the organization overseeing a staff of 55,000 during his ten-year-tenure, to ultimately host 2,600 participants from 82 nations throughout the Games. John led his staff to secure a record $760 million in domestic sponsorship amidst a global economic crisis, and successfully navigated all levels of government to stay true to his desire to have the Games to connect with the hearts and minds of all Canadians.

John continues to bring the same level of passion and focus to each of his keynote addresses, working hard to craft a speech that will resonate with his audience. Whether your goal is to better understand the importance of a compelling vision; finding the courage to stay the course in times of adversity; values based leadership; effective teambuilding; community engagement; deeper partnerships; understanding sustainability; crisis management; or you simply wish to gain a glimpse behind the Games to hear some of the remarkably inspiring human stories, you can be certain that John has the depth of material and speaking skills to powerfully connect with your group.

In addition to his business career, John was the Canadian Squash Champion in 1986, and has also competed at the international level in basketball and European handball.

Always a passionate ambassador for Canada, John was awarded The Officer of The Order of Canada and Member of the Order of British Columbia, for his exceptional leadership of the Games, and other recent honours include Canadian of the year, Marketer of the Year, Sport Executive of the Year, The Globe and Mail's Nation builder of 2010 and most recently was voted as one of the top 25 most transformational Canadians alive.

John also holds two Honorary Doctorate Degrees in Law and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Technology from the University of British Columbia, The Justice Institute of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Institute of Technology respectively.

John is currently the volunteer Chairman of the highly successful Own The Podium program and continues to be a powerful advocate for amateur sport.

• Living Leadership

  VANOC had five core values to achieve success: Team; Trust; Excellence; Sustainability; Creativity. John shows audiences these values are integral to developing an inspired, dedicated team.
  
  Trust: If you are asking employees to do things that they don't believe they can do, they have to trust you and be truly connected to a meaningful vision.
  
  Team: In teams, is everyone is not equal. The strongest teams permit diverse opinions to be heard.
  
  Excellence: Employers have time to teach people new skills, they do not have time to build character. Before considering a person's skill set, every VANOC employee was first screened against a values assessment.
  
  Sustainability: Empower people to do the right thing every time.
  
  Creativity: Innovative thinking cannot exist in a culture of fear. Under John's leadership, VANOC built a resilient and supportive team culture where curiousity flourished and egos were left at the door.

• The 2010 Olympic Winter Games: Celebrating the Possible

  John shares his views on the inspiration that can be drawn from the Olympic and Paralympic movements. John provides an overview of the Games and offers insights into the human legacies that resulted.

• I have had the pleasure over my 20-year career of hearing and hiring many great speakers, but John Furlong stands out as one of the best. His message was outstanding and his passion is absolutely incredible. He is truly an inspiring individual and I would put my personal guarantee on it that an audience would not be disappointed no matter what part of the world you are from.

  Angie Pfeifer, C.M.M. Assistant Vice-President, Corporate Meetings, Travel & Incentives Investors Group Financial Services
• John's speech truly touched our group. His words were both moving and motivational. I believe history will show John to be one of our most inspirational leaders and the most passionate Canadians of our time.
  David Bodnar, Terasen Gas, Director, Community, Aboriginal & Government Relations
• Expectations were high, but John hit this way beyond expectations. This is not a group of people who get often to their feet...and many were in tears. It was perfect!
  Lisa Vogt, McCarthy Tetrault

• 
  February 2011

  Patriot Hearts: Inside the Olympics that Changed a Country

  Working with Globe and Mail columnist Gary Mason, Furlong recounts the lead­up to the Games and describes how he handled seemingly insurmountable setbacks—such as the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, a global recession and the washed­out snow at Cypress Bowl—to achieve a runaway success and, ultimately, a pivotal moment of nationhood.