Margaret Redmond, the very recently retired CEO of Assiniboine Park Conservancy, was awarded the inaugural Padraig Leadership Award at the Padraig client appreciation and tenth anniversary celebration event held February 15, 2023 at The Leaf.
“Margaret is the ideal person for this first recognition,” Patrick O’Reilly, President and CEO of Padraig told clients, employees and friends who had gathered at the new indoor horticulture attraction at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba to celebrate Padraig’s past 10 years of leadership and development.
The celebration kicked off with a cocktail reception where guests were treated to hors d'oeuvres and drinks. As the night progressed, guests were introduced to Padraig's Canada-wide team of certified executive coaches who — for the past decade — have built a reputation for providing executive coaching and innovative programs that help their clients achieve their goals for personal growth and professional excellence.
Patrick announced that the Padraig Leadership Award will be awarded annually to recognize clients who have gone above and beyond, modelling exemplary leadership. He said Margaret’s exemplary leadership of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC) earned her the inaugural award.
Patrick explained that APC was established in 2008 as a not-for-profit organization working at arms-length from the City of Winnipeg. The conservancy was to be responsible for day-to-day operations of the park and zoo and, more importantly at the time, to ensure its survival.
Back then, the zoo was teetering on the brink of closure. The conservatory was nearing the end of its life. Every part of the park, it seemed, was in some form of disrepair.
The Herculean task of not just rehabilitating Assiniboine Park but transforming it into a financially viable hub to be enjoyed for generations to come couldn’t begin until a board and CEO were appointed and that’s when they found Margaret Redmond.
“Margaret, as the founding president and CEO of the conservancy, was tasked with not only leading this brand-new organization in realizing that vision, but also winning over the hearts and minds of a community who didn’t always see that vision right away,” said Patrick. “To do that she first had to win over the staff who had been here with the city and then begin hiring additional team members from the executive who develop and lead the massive changes to the staff who would deliver on it.”
In 2009, the APC unveiled its 10-year, three-phase redevelopment plan. Phase 1 focused on improvements in the heart of the park, such as to the Duck Pond. The second phase focused on modernizing the Assiniboine Park Zoo with the establishment of the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre in 2012 and opening of the award-winning Journey to Churchill exhibit in 2014. The third phase has just been completed with the opening of The Leaf, which replaced the old conservatory that was demolished in 2018.
“After 14 years, Margaret stepped down from the role of CEO last month after the opening of The Leaf. The Assiniboine Park that Margaret inherited is unrecognizable compared to the one she has left to her successor,” said Patrick.
He explained that Padraig has had the pleasure of working with Margaret and her team for a number of years now.
“I have to say, despite the massive successes and huge infrastructure projects brought to life, I think Margaret’s greatest legacy at Assiniboine Park has been as a mentor and a leader to the people here. I’ve watched Margaret help talented new leaders grow as accomplished executives, I’ve seen her find new ways of looking at challenges, help others find their own solutions and I’ve seen her lead by example while standing strong for the values this organization lives by.”
Patrick noted that one of the things good leaders have to do occasionally is to make difficult decisions where no option will make everyone happy.
“Many leaders fall either to one end of the spectrum, avoiding the decision – or the other end of the spectrum, blundering into it with little regard for the consequences. It is great leadership when someone can make the decision, implement the tough choices and still have people praising her for doing the right thing. That’s the sort of praise I hear, all the time, from the leaders around Margaret, and it’s one of many reasons why we have selected Margaret Redmond as the inaugural recipient of our Leader of the Year Award."
After the award presentation, guests were invited to explore the four different biomes that comprise The Leaf. They enjoyed the Hartley and Heather Richardson Tropical Biome, the Mediterranean Biome, Babs Asper Display House, and the Shirley Richardson Butterfly Garden.
