Larry Smith

Canadian Senator and former President of the Montreal Alouettes

Highly regarded President and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes Larry Smith is no stranger to successfully managing people within an ever-changing environment. After a successful CFL career, he held senior positions in the corporate world, was CFL Commissioner and President and Publisher of The Gazette in Montreal - in times of rapid expansion and growth. How you sell change, a vision and your mission is key to building a team and your business. Smith will show you how mastering these important elements can make a true difference to your organization and help you bring out the best in your people.

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Larry Smith spent 12 seasons as the leader of the Montreal Alouettes and is one of the most recognized figures in the Quebec community. The Montreal fans first got to know him as a star fullback from 1972 to 1980, and then as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1997 to 2001, when he led the Alouettes' organization through one of the most important periods of the franchise history.

Smith reassumed the presidency of the Alouettes in March 2004 after a period as publisher and president of The Gazette. He has worked tirelessly for professional and amateur football over the last 30 years, playing a key role in reviving the tradition and glory of football in Montreal and the province.

In June 2010, Smith was named to the Order of Quebec as Chevalier de Quebec. That December, Smith made the decision to retire from the Montreal Alouettes when he was offered to hold a seat in the Canadian Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Always a leader, he took a short break to run in the 2011 federal election in Quebec before returning to the senate in June.

As a speaker, Smith delivers measurable process tools in his keynotes, combining his powerful and successful leadership models with interesting anecdotes and humour from his years as a leadership legend in the CFL.

Smith has received many honours and awards for his outstanding vision, marketing and leadership over the years. He was named a 1994 American Marketing Association-Toronto chapter Marketer of the Year; Sports Personality of the Year at the Quebec Sports Gala in 1998; and Marketer of the Year in 1999 by the International Association of Professional Communicators (Montreal). Smith also received the Accomplishment Award at the 2000 Marketing Personality Gala; the Equinoxe-Homage Award from the Société des relationnistes du Québec in 2002 and an Integrated Marketing Award from the Association Marketing de Montreal in 2003. In 2001, Smith received the Commissioner's Award for his incredible service and dedication in preserving and promoting the CFL, and in 2009, McGill University presented Smith with the Desautel Management Award.

Larry Smith is no stranger to successfully managing people within an ever-changing environment. How you sell change, a vision and your mission is key to building a team and your business. Smith will show you how mastering these important elements can make a true difference to your organization and help you bring out the best in your people. His highly customized presentations are very spontaneous and animated.

Topics include:
- Knowing why "we're here"
- Strategic vision
- Building a cohesive team
- Managing change
- A strong sales philosophy
- Generational differences

Your talk was both entertaining and enlightening. Our membership was truly hanging on your every word, as your presentation style was truly engaging. Surely, we have not had such a presentation in several years, and future speakers will be hard-pressed to match what will be considered a Lord Reading for years to come.

The Lord Reading Law Society
The quality of your presentation during "The Coach Pep Talk" played a key role in the success of BIOMEDEX 2007. The comments we have heard from numerous life science and health industry scientists, professionals and managers who attend your presentation were most flattering.

BioQuebec

Bio

Le 20 décembre 2010, il a été appellé à sièger au sénat du Canada par le premier ministre Stephen Harper.

Larry Smith, qui a été à la tête des Alouettes de Montréal pour 12 saisons, est une des figures les plus reconnues dans la communauté québécoise. Les partisans montréalais l'ont d'abord connu comme centre-arrière étoile de 1972 à 1980, puis comme président et chef de la direction de 1997 à 2001, alors qu'il a habilement mené l'organisation des Alouettes dans une des périodes les plus importantes de leur histoire.

Après avoir quitté l'équipe pendant deux ans pour devenir président et éditeur du quotidien The Gazette, il est revenu avec l'organisation le 19 mars 2004, prêt à contribuer à nouveau à l'essor du football au Québec. Le premier séjour de Larry Smith à la présidence des Alouettes faisait suite à cinq années au cours desquelles il occupait le poste de Commissaire de la Ligue canadienne de football. Depuis 30 ans, Larry Smith a œuvré sans relâche à la renaissance et au développement du football à Montréal et au Québec. Smith a joué neuf saisons avec les Alouettes, de 1972 à 1980, et a remporté la Coupe Grey à deux reprises, en 1974 et 1977. Choix de première ronde des Alouettes en 1972 au repêchage des joueurs canadiens, Smith a pris part à 140 matches consécutifs en saison régulière, 13 rencontres éliminatoires et cinq classiques de la Coupe Grey.

Gradué de l'Université Bishop en 1972 avec un baccalauréat en économie et affaires, il a ensuite été promu bachelier en loi civile à l'Université McGill en 1976. Il a débuté sa carrière dans les affaires alors qu'il était encore joueur de football, acquérant une solide expertise dans la vente, le marketing et les ressources humaines. En 1983, il se joignait à la firme de services techniques «Industrial Life» comme directeur général de la succursale montréalaise. En 1984, on le retrouvait à la division des produits multiples et, en 1985, il devenait premier vice-président de la région centrale. De 1985 à 1992, il a occupé plusieurs fonctions importantes au sein de l'entreprise John Labatt Ltée. Il a ensuite été président de la division des produits congelés de boulangerie de Ogilvie Mills Ltée, avant de devenir commissaire de la Ligue canadienne de football.

Smith a reçu de nombreuses récompenses au cours de sa carrière dans le monde des affaires: En 1994, il était nommé personnalité marketing de l'année par le chapitre torontois de l'American Marketing Association (produits de consommation); en 1998, il était choisi personnalité sportive de l'année au Gala du Mérite sportif québécois; en 1999, l'Association Internationale des communicateurs professionnels (Montréal) le nommait Personnalité marketing de l'année; en 2000, il recevait le prix d'excellence au Gala Personnalité Marketing; en 2002, la société des relationnistes du Québec lui remettait le Prix Équinoxe hommage; et enfin, en 2003, il obtenait le Prix Marketing Intégré (grande entreprise) décerné par l'Association marketing de Montréal.

En 2001, Larry Smith se voyait décerner le Prix du Commissaire en reconnaissance de son dévouement et ses efforts consacrés à l'essor et la promotion du football canadien. La remise de cette récompense a eu lieu au cours de la semaine de la Coupe Grey 2001, présentée à Montréal et orchestrée par Larry Smith, à qui revient une grande partie de l'immense succès remporté par cette grande fête du football.

Smith est impliqué au sein de nombreux organismes de charité. De plus, en 1976, il a occupé la présidence de l'Association des Anciens de l'Université Bishop et de 2001 à 2009 fut président du Conseil des Jeux du Canada. Il est membre du Comité olympique canadien 2009.

Larry et son épouse Leesa habitent Hudson et sont les fiers parents de Wesley, Ashley et Bradley.

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