Inspiring Excellence

A Unique Initiative

In 2003, ARC created a partnership with the Canadian Sport Centre of Calgary (CSCC), one of the top Olympic sports training environments in the world. The partnership embraces the relationship between Olympic athletes and ARC’s culture of passion, commitment, balanced lifestyle, team effort and innovation. The partnership was developed to offer ARC employees opportunities to learn from successes, attitudes and behaviors of Canadian Olympic athletes and their support teams. The fundamental goal of the ARC/CSCC partnership is to enrich the lives of ARC employees and their families while providing funding to the CSCC through involvement with Olympic athletes events and facilities. In order to steer this initiative ARC created an Inspiring Excellence (IE) committee dedicated to developing the partnership and bringing the culture of athletes in to the ARC community.  Each IE committee member is a full-time employee of ARC and takes time out of their own personal schedules to continually foster and develop the initiative. 

In 2004 ARC held its first ‘Winter Games’, which featured such athletes as Summer and Winter Olympic medalist Clara Hughes and gymnast Kyle Shewfelt. The games provided ARC employees the opportunity to interact and learn from the Olympic athletes. As part of the games ARC donated $50,000 to the Canadian Sport Centre for future development.  Once again in 2005 ARC held the 'Winter Games' and donated another $50,000 to the Canadian Sport Centre. Kyle Shewfelt returned to the event in 2005 after his success at the 2004 Olympic games, which was very exciting for employees. The 2005 event was capped by a key note address by Catriona Le May Doan.

ARC Employees and Olympians (Dana Antal and Clara Hughes) at the first "ARC Winter Games".
Inset: John Dielwart addresses employees, family and friends.

In 2006 ARC co-hosted an event with ARC Financial, "Celebrating Excellence: An Evening with Canada's Top Olympians". The event raised funds for both the Canadian Sport Centre and Right to Play. The evening was a huge success with net proceeds in excess of $300,000 going to these organizations.

ARC also held its Olympic Games in 2006 with the first ARC 'Summer Games' taking place at Canada Olympic Park.  ARC had its largest field of Olympic athletes attend and participate in this event.  With a total of 20 Olympic athletes in attendance it was a great opportunity for employees to interact closely (much more closely than in previous years) with the Olympic athletes.  The 2006 event was capped by a key note address from Olympic wrestler and school teacher Christine Nordhagen and the evening events were emceed by Olympian and Media Consultant Karen Clark LePoole.

About the IE Initiative

Inspiring Excellence (IE) is an ARC initiative that embraces the relationship between Olympic athletes and ARC’s culture of passion commitment, balanced lifestyle, team effort and innovation:

• At the heart of IE is a partnership between ARC and the Canadian Sport Centre Calgary (CSCC), one of the top Olympic sports training environments in the world.
• The fundamental goal of IE is to enrich the lives of ARC employees and their families.
• IE offers ARC employees opportunities to learn from successes, attitudes and behaviors of Canadian Olympic athletes and their support teams.
• IE aspires to be an enduring part of life at ARC; fostering a desire for personal excellence at work and at home.
• IE events are intended to be fun, informative and inspiring. Although fully supported by ARC, participation is voluntary.