Celebrating 20 years of the Executive MBA

Barbara Black

Concordia’s Executive Master’s of Business Administration program is 20 years old.

Current students, alumni, faculty and friends gathered in the atrium of the posh Intercontinental Hotel on Oct. 22 to celebrate. They needed a big venue, because they’ve graduated 600 students over the years.

Concordia’s John Molson School of Business, then called the Faculty of Commerce and Administration, was one of the first business schools in the country to offer this demanding program, thanks to the drive of Steven Appelbaum, who was then dean of the faculty. Dale Doreen, Charles Draimin, Alan Hochstein, Christopher Ross and William Taylor were also on the founding committee.

The program has achieved top ranking among EMBA programs in Quebec, and is rated third in Canada.

In 2001, the EMBA went international, through a partnership with the Institut Français de Gestion in Paris.

EMBA students are demons for work. Typically, they’re mid-career executives with previous degrees and considerable experience who feel the need to top up their qualifications with an MBA. They don’t want to break the continuity of their careers, so they do their studies in what is laughingly called their spare time.

One of the benefits of the program is the extraordinary adventure of collaborating with one another on intense research and casework.

Another reward is the final study trip to a faraway country. Over the years, students have been to Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Brunei, Australia, India, and Eastern Europe.

The dinner guests heard from President Claude Lajeunesse, Kathy Assayag, Vice-President Advancement/Alumni Relations, and JMSB Dean Jerry Tomberlin. A presentation was made to founder Appelbaum, and there was a draw for a trip for two to China. Then everybody started dancing!