Biography

H. J. (Tom) Thompson, Ed.D
President, Olds College
Olds, Alberta

H. J. (Tom) Thompson, President of Olds College, is passionate about excellence, whether in leadership, post-secondary education, community service, athletics or life-long learning.

During his tenure as president of two Alberta colleges – Olds College since 2001 and Grande Prairie Regional College, 1997-2001 – Dr. Thompson has drawn on a rich background in education and sports-related coaching, marketing and administration. His personal commitment has galvanized the faculty, staff, students and alumni of Olds College to achieve a broader educational and community role for the College. With the backing of a strong team, Tom is working with government, industry and communities to achieve the Community Learning Campus (CLC) goal of a seamless and integrated learning environment, one which will help rural students remain in rural Alberta.. The CLC learning outcomes include preparation for digitization, globalization, sustainability and connection with the rural community. Under Tom’s leadership, Olds College has launched a new capital campaign which has already garnered significant funding and support to transform the College and significantly enhance learning opportunities in Olds, Calgary and throughout Alberta.

Raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Tom adopted early on the work ethic and values of a prairie rural community, including determination, contribution to community and working cooperatively to achieve shared goals. He began his career as a teacher and principal in the Saskatchewan public school system in the mid-1960s. By the mid-seventies, his career aspirations motivated a change to athletics, where over the next decade he held head coach and front office management positions with university and professional sports teams, including Director of Public Relations for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, Vice President of Marketing for the USFL’s Michigan Panthers, and Director of Marketing for the Calgary Stampeders Football Club. While Sports Information Director for the University of Saskatchewan in the mid- 1970’s, he completed a Master of Education degree at the same university. In 1986, he joined post-secondary education as a business administration instructor and within a year became Chairperson of the department at Grande Prairie Regional College. His administration experience over the next fifteen years culminated in positions as Vice-President of Academic Affairs in 1996-97 and the following year as the President of Grande Prairie College.

As an education leader, Tom has fostered a number of regional, provincial, national and international post-secondary education initiatives. In Alberta, he has promoted economic and educational programs as founding Director of the Olds Institute for Regional Economic Development and Founding Member of the Community Learning Campus Steering Committee. A strong supporter of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), Tom has played significant roles in its governance and advocated post-secondary education’s integration within rural communities. Holding positions on the ACCC’s Executive and Board of Directors, Tom presently chairs the Rural Conference of the Americas Leadership Team responsible for the bi-lateral agreement developed between Canada and USA rural colleges. Other contributions to provincial post-secondary education include positions as Chairperson of the Council of Presidents, Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes, and Founding Vice-Chairman of eCampus Alberta, whose mandate is to provide learners with access to online courseware supplied by participating post-secondary institutes.

A proponent of life-long learning, Tom obtained his Ed.D in higher education administration, with a governance research focus, at the University of Calgary in 2008. As part of professional development, he has successfully completed educational management and leadership programs at Harvard University, WestPoint Academy and other renowned institutions.

Public speaking engagements at national and international events have extended his influence and brought recognition to Alberta’s post-secondary system. In 1999 he represented Canada at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Conference on Re-engineering Technical Vocational Education in China and has contributed to exchanges of education “best practices” in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In 2002 he was honoured to be invited to be a member of the Prime Minister’s Committee for Teaching Excellence Awards.

A longtime believer in community service, Tom has contributed his coaching and management expertise to a variety of not-for-profit organizations. He served with distinction as President of the Host Organizing Committee for the 1995 Canada Winter Games heldin Grande Prairie and as board member and chair of numerous organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, Alberta Special Olympics Board, the Hockey Alberta Foundation, Rotary and the United Way. In addition, he has advised the provincial government through membership on committees such as the Minister’s Committee on Rural Development, Minister’s Committee for the Review of the K-12 Outcomes, Minister’s Sub-Committee for Post Secondary Transformation, and Minister’s Veterinary Medicine Steering Committee. Named Grande Prairie Business Citizen of the Year in 1995, Tom has also received recognition with two commemorative medals for community service from the Government of Canada.

Tom’s skill at nurturing a network of community leaders and his enthusiasm for individual learners has created a desire for excellence and growth that continues to change the post-secondary landscape in Alberta and Canada.