Community Leaders

Feb 2019

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C M Y K 6 COMMUNITY LEADERS WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2019 TINA JONES: ONE OF CANADA'S TOP 100 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN What do author Margaret Atwood, astronaut Roberta Bondar, and entrepreneur Tina Jones all have in common? These trailblazers have all been named among Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women. In November 2018 Jones was named to the Women's Executive Network (WXN) Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada Award by KPMG. She received the Award in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters category, sponsored by CIBC. "I never saw myself as breaking new ground; I saw myself chasing ideas," Jones says. "Success for me is a combination of ideas and vision, passion and plain old hard work, a continual reach for excellence and a constant openness to be challenged. I believe my award to the Top 100 list is a recognition of my work in building relationships and teams of great people. If you build an exceptional team the sky is the limit, whether you are working for new funding for our health system or building a hockey program or selling wine!" For Jones, success is about caring, and caring is about our actions and our generosity. "Whether she is talking about her partners in business, or her employees, or potential community workers or benefactors, or her customers, Tina cares — and she lets people know that she cares," says Mike Muirhead, general manager of Banville & Jones Group of Companies. Canada's Top 100 Awards are selected by an independent panel, and they celebrate the career and community achievements of select women across the country. Jones received her award in Toronto in November 2018. It is well known that internationally-accredited wine and drinks programs are available here in Manitoba thanks to the vision of Tina Jones. But Manitobans might also be surprised to learn that Jones was behind the work that brought new cutting-edge, life-saving technology here to the Health Sciences Centre. Young aspiring athletes who dream of attending elite hockey training right here in Manitoba might be equally surprised to learn that Jones is part of an innovative hockey skills training program. This remarkable Manitoban, whose business projects range widely and whose time is incredibly precious, has for the past five years devoted countless hours in community building as chair of the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Foundation. "Tina is a remarkable leader," said Jonathon Lyon, President and CEO of the HSC Foundation. "She brings an uncommon passion to the board because she cares deeply about community health and well-being. "Tina loves to roll up her sleeves and work for the good of the Foundation, the hospital, and the community," adds Lyon. "For us, she has indeed blazed some trails and set some trends. The impact of her very skilled leadership will be felt far into the future. The work she does for us changes lives." Since Jones joined the board, the HSC Foundation's revenues have grown substantially. She became Chair in 2015. The HSC Foundation has raised more than $50 million in the past five years alone. Dozens of other charitable organizations have also benefited from her energy and care. Through Jones' businesses she has donated time, energy and work in countless community projects. She has been recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Manitoba as Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year 2017; and by the University of Manitoba with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018. Jones' contribution to the life and well-being of Manitoba is equally evident in her business projects. In a highly regulated and complex industry, Jones has built Banville & Jones, with a successful wine store, internationally accredited Wine & Drinks College, and award-winning Cellar Door magazine. "Working with Tina Jones means always being engaged in great ideas, great vision and great energy," says Mike Muirhead, general manager of Banville & Jones Group of Companies. Another great idea started from a conversation with her friend Obby Khan, retired CFL player. Together they realized the benefits of cold-pressed juices and whole foods, and together created and built Winnipeg's successful Green Carrot Juice Company. Jones has also had the vision that Manitoba has the potential to lead in the sports industry. She and her partners, Brad Rice and Mike Keane, have developed The Rink training centre for innovative hockey skill training, education and team development. The Rink programs have grown to see construction of a major $20 million Centre of Excellence project — the first of its kind. Scheduled for completion this year, the project will be home to a new arena complex as well as the specialized science-based hockey training and education partnerships. An exciting outgrowth of this hockey passion has been the recently-announced WHL Winnipeg Ice team, of which Jones is also a partner in ownership. "Manitoba is a great place to showcase excellence in all facets of hockey development, from Timbits to the WHL. This new training centre business model is the first of its kind in Canada and is blazing trails unlike the hockey world has seen before," she says. Manitoba is also a great place for family, according to Jones. She is always thankful for the support from her own mother in her growth as a community builder. Jones also recognizes that the inspiration for her entrepreneurial spirit has been her father Pierluigi Tolaini, who immigrated from Italy and built the largest privately held transport company in Canada. "Both my parents helped me understand the value of people as well as the importance of courage and hard work." For her part, Jones has embraced the value of family by supporting her two "fabulous kids" as they grew up in Winnipeg. Jones knows that Winnipeg is a world-class city, and Manitoba is a destination. "We live in an incredible place with great opportunities," she says. "If you have good ideas and work to nurture them, those ideas will grow." ❚ Phone: 204-948-9463 Email: tina@tinajones.ca Website: tinajones.ca She's a trailblazer and a trendsetter "If you build an exceptional team the sky is the limit, whether you are working for new funding for our health system or building a hockey program or selling wine!" - Tina Jones Top: HSC Foundation President and CEO Jonathon Lyon says Tina Jones brings an uncommon passion to her charitable efforts. Above: Tina Jones with her daughter Julia at the University of Manitoba's Distinguished Alumni Award.

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