On March 18, 2009, a group of 100 individuals and company representatives gathered to publicly announce the “Hazel Gillespie Community Investment Leadership Award" and the accompanying fund established at The Calgary Foundation in honour of Hazel Gillespie, Petro-Canada’s manger of community partnerships.

This award fund was created to recognize the important and growing discipline of community investment within established business best practices. How a company invests in the communities where it operates, and the impact of those investments to the educational and social fabric of a community, depends on the skill, strategy and heart of the community investment professional leading the charge.

Creating this fund was a community initiative. Eight individuals involved in the community investment, fundraising and non-profit sector came together last fall with a vision to award excellence among community investment professionals and create a fund to support professional development.

All agreed, hands down, the “poster-professional” for this award was Hazel Gillespie. Having served in the Company for more than 30 years, Hazel developed the role of community investment and led the creation of strategy and accountability during the past 20 years.

Along the way, she has mentored countless others in Calgary and beyond, providing advice, sharing learnings, and always, done with grace and great humour. She was the lone Canadian to serve on the advisory board of Boston College Centre for Corporate Citizenship and thereby grew in her role and contributed to others.

When Petro-Canada leadership was approached about this award, the Company provided a $25,000 contribution to establish the fund at The Calgary Foundation. The original goal was to raise $75,000 but, to date, more than $80,000 has been received. To raise that much in a difficult economy is a true testament to the respect and admiration the community holds for Hazel and the community investment function itself.

“We have an outstanding leader in our midst, one recognized by our peers and the community at large. What a privilege to honour Hazel for her distinguished career and all she is doing to bring business and communities together for the benefit of all,” said Andrew Stephens, senior vice-president of Corporate Relations.

Now that the fund has been made public, Hazel will be named the first official recipient at National Philanthropy Day in November 2009 in Calgary. She will receive a silver medallion inscribed with her name and the characteristics she demonstrates, by example, of generosity, strategy, and commitment. She will also sit on the jury selection committee that will review nominations in future years.