- President
- Senior Counsel, Communication & Crisis Management
Mark Towhey is an experienced strategist and general manager who has worked throughout Canada and in Afghanistan, Mozambique, Israel, Syria, Cyprus and Germany. With over 20 years strategic management, communication, human resources and crisis management experience in a broad range of functions, he brings a wealth of experience and capability to every client challenge.
Prior to forming his own company, Mark worked in both the private and public sectors. As the senior communication professional for Canada Trust and CT Financial Services Ltd, he developed and implemented strategic communication for one of Canada's most respected financial services brands. He spent more than 13 years with the Department of National Defence as a general manager with operational, human resources, communication, crisis and change management responsibilities around the world.
A former magazine publisher and editor, he is well versed in all aspects of print design and production. A skilled speaker and highly effective spokesperson, he has been quoted by or appeared in print and electronic media from coast to coast. He is an accomplished facilitator, instructor and coach who has facilitated hundreds of professional development programs, executive retreat sessions, management planning events and staff training sessions.
An accomplished crisis manager with global experience, he pioneered the crisis management techniques at the heart of our CAPER Crisis Management Framework.TM He is a military-qualified Nuclear Biological and Chemical warfare instructor and a certified Emergency Search Manager. He has developed crisis management plans, doctrine and/or training programs for the Department of National Defence, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, UN Peacekeeping forces, McCain Foods Ltd., MDS Pharma Services, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Canada Trust.
Mark is a Certified Management Consultant and holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and the American Society for Industrial Security. He is a past chair of the board of directors for the Etobicoke Chamber of Commerce, currently chairs the board of TOWHEY Consulting Group Inc. and is Vice-Chair of the board of Youth Challenge International. He also sits as a director on the board of the Etobicoke Lakeshore Electoral District Association of one of Canada's major federal political parties.
- Vice-President
- Senior Counsel, Organizational Development
Carol Ferguson is an accomplished Human Resources consultant who brings to each client initiative over 20 years of general, operational and HR management work experience. This experience as a front-line business leader, together with her specialization in human resources, allows her to quickly understand business strategy and tactical support requirements. She then works with clients to create the best HR solutions to support their business objectives.
Carol's diverse business and HR background includes experience with large well-known corporations of 40,000 plus employees as well as entrepreneurial small businesses and not-for profit organizations with as few as 12 employees. She has worked with locally focused organizations as well as multi-divisional, multi-cultural companies with global interests. Recently, she has worked extensively with a number of ministries of the Ontario provincial government, helping them identify areas for improvement, develop and implement solutions to improve organizational performance.
Helping clients manage major change is a particular strength. With hands-on experience on both the "buy" and "sell" sides of mergers and acquisitions, Carol has helped a number of business leaders navigate the detailed people processes necessary to ensure each business deal delivers maximum value for all parties concerned.
She is experienced in strategic HR planning, organizational design, strategic restructuring, competency modeling, employee relations and succession planning. She has provided one-on-one coaching to senior executives, helping them maximize the all levels of employee performance in their business units and lead effectively through change. Recent client engagements include: a major organizational analysis and review project for one of Ontario's leading public-private partnership organizations; a review of a government issues management unit; and a review of a government-operated major attraction in northern Ontario.
A Certified Human Resources Professional and member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontariio and the Association of Career Professionals International, Carol chairs the Board of Directors of Re-Connect Mental Health Services Inc. in Toronto.
