Results

You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
— Henry Ford

For the past 30 years, David Irvine has built his reputation by delivering results.

David’s clients tell us that his organization — at every level — embodies what it means to be both authentic and accountable. He lives what he teaches. While his presentations and workshops are inspiring, engaging, and life-changing, his real message is not in his words; it is in his authentic and accountable presence. When you hire David, his candidness makes it easy for your group to be open. He connects and interacts; he listens before he talks. When it’s wrapped up, you will leave with valuable, practical ideas and techniques you can apply right away to improve quality and productivity regardless of economic ups and downs — or the usual or unusual challenges.

David clarifies complex issues and offers pragmatic solutions. He offers an authentic experience that will renew and rekindle the vitality of your organization, your work, and yourself. You will leave excited about building and sustaining a productive, engaged organization — starting from within.

The best way to understand the results of David’s work is in the testimonials of those who have participated in his life-changing experiences.

Testimonials

Corporate Clients


Carmen Stang, President, MoverOne Group
“Having attended a session with David as the Keynote, we knew his approach to authentic leadership would resonate with our team. We were delighted to have David speak to all staff and bring out the “Leader in All of Us” through authentic leadership, accountability, and respect. Our entire team thoroughly enjoyed the seminar and David was able to engage and identify with all of them throughout his time with us.”
Ron Dickson, Senior Vice President, Sales, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada
“David Irvine is the key driver to my pathway to becoming my best self. As an Entrepreneur, authentic leadership is not only my passion, it is my purpose. David has taught me that the the journey is more relevant than the destination in my growth as a leader and a human being. Since one on one coaching with David, I have more certainty about my purpose. …. I highly recommend that any business owner or company leader looking for a fresh approach, work with David. …. David gave me the tools to put my past aside … and identify my purpose … Becoming the best human being I can possibly become is all the closure I need. Thanks David. I’m forever grateful.”
Dion Kostiak, Vice President, Human Resources & Corp. Services, Keyera Corp
“David Irvine has worked with our executive team and leaders providing insights, guidance and practical ways to re-engage with our people as we return to the workplace. David’s perspective on the people side of leadership has been incredibly thoughtful and meaningful to all of us at Keyera. His practical roadmap for leaders goes beyond traditional leadership principles and brings in the human element to help leaders connect with their people and focus in on what matters most. I highly recommend spending time as an executive team with David to explore his perspectives on effective leadership.”
18th Annual HealthCare Service Excellence Conference 2018 Testimonial
Michael Simms, Vice President Retail , Kent Building Supplies, a Division of J.D. Irving Limited
“Our team spent a full day with David being instructed, guided and challenged in the area of leadership and accountability. David’s personal approach and deep insight kept us engaged and energized for a full day and we left that room as better leaders and more importantly, better people. If your team is looking for a challenge that will make a “real” difference in your business, David is the guy to help you.”
Dean Koeller, President, Calvert Home Mortgage Investment Corporation
“David Irvine is an exceptional speaker, writer, educator, and human being. His work in assisting businesses, owners, families, and employees to live a life passion, clarity and certainty is inspiring and adds tremendous value to the culture your organizations. My family has personally benefited from David’s caring, and thoughtful advice and my business has excelled as a result of his thought leadership.”
Matthew Ng, P.Eng., MBA, FEC, PMP, Manager, Chapters, Professional Engineers Ontario
“Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) hired David Irvine as our Leadership Navigator and Moderator for the PEO 2017 Volunteer Leadership Conference.

I am normally the most critical one with regards to how well the organizing committee did their job for any given conference. This year however, I was really impressed with how well the material is fitting in to our programming and theme. I believe in a baseball analogy, David Irvine “brought his A game” to the VLC and had “knocked it out of the park” in terms of his performance as Leader’s Navigator. Very impressive! I have received numerous comments from my volunteers in attendance citing what great job David did moderating, how relevant were his material and how adaptive David was as a speaker.

If I could score David Irvine a 11 out of a scale of 10, I would. I think David Irvine is a truly remarkable speaker and person. His material is relevant and the delivery is just at the right pace. David’s adaptability as a speaker is what take this conference to a whole new level as PEO can be a very confusing place for anyone from the outside looking in. Not for David. It was truly my honour to have met and selected David Irvine and to be able to learn so much from him. “

Dallas L Ballance, CMP, GoodwinBallance Communications
“David Irvine is an amazing speaker. Through laughter, personal experiences, and a strong knowledge background, he captured our audience’s attention – more than 350 attendees including producers, government, academics, and industry representatives – in each of his two sessions at the Manitoba Swine Seminar. The first, a customized presentation on mental health in the workplace, dealt with stress-related issues and practical ways of dealing with those challenges. The second focused on building strong teams through motivation and development of a positive work environment. The impact and value to our audience was most apparent as I watched attendees deliberately not answer their cell phones to listen to David’s presentations!”
François Laurin, Executive Vice President - Information Technology, Sobeys Inc.
“I had the pleasure of having David speak at our recent Information Technology Directors Summit. David did an extraordinary great job linking culture excellence and leadership engagement. He took a very smart approach in adapting the presentation to the context of the off-site goal and objectives. This allowed the leadership team to reflect and have some perspective to think forward. David’s genuine approach and passionate presentation gave the team food for thought in strengthening our culture and accountability. A motivational strategy that can be applied both in our personal and work life.”
D.W.(Bill)Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer, AGLC
“As the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission I was seeking a high level Strategic Thinker and Innovator to lead AGLC through a significant change management process. David worked with our senior teams and the Board of Directors to create a focused and professional way forward for the corporation. His contribution was significant and recognized as excellent by our Executive Team and Board of Directors.”
Gerry Labossiere, Former Chair, AIS Inc.
“David is a well-known inspirational and knowledgeable speaker on Cultural Change, Leadership, Authenticity and Accountability. Many of us have been able to witness David first-hand in helping organizations navigate through turbulent and difficult transitions and change. His calming yet direct approach, complemented by his practical wisdom, helps management and staff recognize that change, growth and transformation begins with “them”; that it begins “within”. Notwithstanding all the above, what has impressed me the most in the twenty years that I have known David, is his ability to think from his heart with openness, authenticity and consistency, and to conduct his work and live his life in alignment with his values. His caring nature, his willingness to be of service to others and his humility are genuine and deep-rooted. Our society greatly needs gifted transformation leaders like David Irvine if we are to move towards creating a society and organizations that foster Cultures of Compassion and Peace.”
Maureen Kewley, Managing Director, The Crossing at Ghost River Ltd.
“From our first meeting it was apparent that David was genuinely invested in working with us to understand our company, our culture, and help us define conference goals and outcomes. Always eager for more information in order to tailor his facilitation specifically to our wants and needs, David did an outstanding job of connecting our team, not only to each other, but more deeply to themselves as well. Approachable, relatable, kind, authentic and positive are all words that could describe David; he truly made a deep and lasting impact on our company and we look forward to continuing our work with him.”
Brian Vaasjo, CEO Capital Power Corporation
“David Irvine has been working with Capital Power and me as a session presenter at our CEO Summit program which we use to develop the leadership competencies or our management team. David takes us through a day-long interactive leadership journey that engages the participants in discussions from leadership principles to being an accountable leader. David’s presentation is practical and his leadership stories are inspiring”
R.R. (Rod) Knecht, Former Edmonton Chief of Police
“The feedback on your presentation was second to none… your presentation was the best part of the meetings… it was exceptional once again. Dare I say that this was the very best. What makes your presentations so great is that you have clearly done your research, you understand our business from the client level, and it is reflected in the slides and your narrative. …. One indication of interest in the speaker is the amount of time people spend on their Blackberry’s….Needless to say, nobody was on the Blackberry for your presentation. I learn more and more every time I hear you. The stories resonate with everyone – either from a personal or a professional perspective. It really serves to connect with an audience such as ours. I am proud and humbled to be associated with you. You really blew everybody away. The Commissioner… and others referred to many of your comments and quotes throughout the balance of our meetings. I believe it was some great philosopher that said the height of praise is to be quoted or copied. You certainly have the praise of the Senior Management Team of the RCMP.”
Sean Durfy, Former President and CEO, WestJet
“David’s works have meant a tremendous amount to me, both professionally and personally, as I manage my way through life as a father, husband, and leader in one of the most incredible and diverse industries imaginable. I recommend David highly to anyone who believes they are a student of life and career.”
Ed Rodenburg, Former President & CEO, Lilydale Inc.
“You can do all you want in an organization about team building and training but accountability and authenticity can only start with the individual. An individual’s values, knowing who you are, need to be in sync with the values of their organization. This is David’s strength – helping us get the internal alignment. David speaks to business, but you get the feeling that he is really speaking to society – we need more accountability and authenticity. It is easy to see his personal commitment to these two principles. His message is very simple, almost intuitive, but so valuable in today’s world where we often look to somebody else to solve our problems for us. Many of us think of accountability and think of blame, of the negative side. David helps us see that it is something to get enthusiastic about. Our work with David has helped shape our leaders and impact our culture.”
Ray Nelson, Founder, Nelson Lumber Company Ltd.
“I have been around for a lot of moons and a part of many seminars, both our own and others. We have had various contact with speakers over the years. I found your presentations at our seminar to be one of the most rewarding experiences that we have encountered because of the depth of your message. I can say with deep sincerity that when people ask me about a potential speaker, the name of one individual will stand out and that’s David Irvine. We have a good organization, David, and it’s a better organization because of what you shared… It was Max DePree who said, “Leadership Is An Art.” David, you have it.”
Doug Sherman, CEO, Pharmasave Drugs (Ontario) Ltd.
“Our employee team and the store owners who attended the retreat with David are still talking about his presentation and the impact it has had on their lives. David’s message continues to provide sustenance and encouragement for myself, my senior team and, most importantly, for our store owners. The ideas shared with all of us are helping us navigate the corridor we find ourselves in with persistence and optimism. David is truly a friend of the Pharmasave family.”
Dale Palmer C.A. CFO, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries and Kincaid Home Furnishings
“As a result of working with David Irvine, I am less stressed, have a great work/life balance, enjoy my career more and contribute to the organization more effectively and with more energy. The company is growing faster, profitability is up, and my mind is focused, as is my management team.”
Ray Adamson, Former National Director, Practice Development, Great-West Life
“Accountability is one of today’s greatest business issues. Fortunately I have been introduced to David Irvine and have benefited first hand from his remarkable insights into not only how to be accountable, but why. He and his organization embody what it means to be accountable and they have been fantastic to work with. David’s work with staff and independent advisors has been warmly received, and has supported positive change.

David believes that accountability is a philosophy for living, and he has made himself accountable to help others understand and embrace this message. Take the first step towards refocusing your own accountability – hear his message, then implement his strategies. You and those you care about will be better off for it.”

D.A. (Dale) Kelly, P.Ag., CEO, POS Bio-Sciences
“Many years ago I attended my first session with David — a presentation with significant personal impact — and many similar opportunities followed. He influences the organizations I lead through my own actions as well as through his sharing at facilitated internal team events. David respects an individual’s journey without judgment, while helping others to be authentic and accountable. His presence is real; he walks the talk.”
Darshan S. Kailly, President and CEO, Canadian Freightways
David Irvine’s message provides everyone with common sense measures on balancing life in our fast-paced world.”
Rick Ehlers, Executive Vice President Transmission & Distribution Services ENMAX Corporation
“I am always inspired when hearing David Irvine speak, which I have done on several occasions.”
Jim Ward, Founder, iomer internet solutions inc. (software services company), entrepreneurs organization forum moderator
“David is a leader’s leader. His writing and teachings have made a difference in my family’s life, and have transformed ‘accountability’ in our organization from a dirty word into a foundational concept. His perspective on accountability is profound, and his practice of it transforming.”
David Stuart, Senior Director, Environment, Health, Safety and Security, Petro-Canada (retired)
“I have been involved with David for about five years. In my professional role as a senior leader, I worked with him with my leadership team. His teachings provide a major roadmap forward for leaders everywhere.”
Daryl Ritchie, CEO, MNP
“Over a five year period, David Irvine worked with our firm on several occasions, both as a keynote speaker and session presenter, to develop the leadership and management capacity of our senior team members. David provides significant knowledge in the area of accountable leadership and his presentation skills have been met with respect and admiration with our senior team. David is a knowledgeable, committed writer and presenter with the ability to help others begin the process of enhancing their leadership style.”
H. Sanford Riley, Former President and CEO, Investors Group
“David’s attention to detail ensures that he can facilitate a positive and realistic outcome when working with people – it has been the key to his credibility.”
Wayne McFarlane, Human Capital Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers
“I found your presentation to be entertaining, stimulating and provocative… and you can quote me.”
Alan Christie, Wildrose Territory Manager, United Grain Growers
“Morale has increased ten-fold. We are having fun in the workplace again… I have a renewed understanding of my position to help us be the best we can be.”
L & L Gravel and Ranching Company
“Since our session with David the communication at Board meetings and family meetings has improved substantially. More importantly everyone has bought into the accountability concept and we will become a stronger family and a stronger company. Would we hire David again for any follow-up sessions? He is already booked.”
Brian Maunula, CEO, Battlefords Credit Union
“Your message brought into perspective why the staff was feeling the way they were, and the steps needed to advance to the next level. We were inspired by your message and it created the perfect foundation for a high-energy development weekend.”
Patricia J. McNeil, Manager of Operations, Caisse Horizon Credit Union Ltd.
“While attending the Credit Union Central of Alberta Annual General Meeting event, I had the good fortune to attend your presentation called “Deep Accountability; The Power of Agreement.

Thirty years ago, I made the commitment to always pursue a continuous learning strategy for self improvement, believe me when I say; I have attended my share of presentations. Your presentation made the hair on the back of my neck stand up! In a relaxed fun environment you brought a clear, concise, understanding of living a life built on the principles and philosophy of accountability, the mind set required to achieve this and the tool needed to make it happen.
WOW…it is a small world, and you have continued to touch people and contribute opportunities for affirmation and to create opportunity for significant life changing impacts on people.

We agreed if we had to choose one presenter to attend a presentation it would be you hands down! Thank you…you articulated what I have been trying to live personally and professionally; with your tool I will now be able to improve my consistency and become more successful both personally and professionally.”

Bill Marshall and Tom Tittemore, Marshall Tittemore Architects
“Accountability agreements now exist between the firm’s partners, directors, team leaders and project managers, and are reviewed at least once per year on employees’ employment anniversaries. David Irvine’s accountability process, which has now replaced the outdated ‘job-description/employee performance’ models has, without question, been wholeheartedly and enthusiastically endorsed by the participants. It has led to a higher degree of respect between them relative to their individual and collective business goals within Marshall Tittemore Architects.

We now have clearer goals and success measures as well as more meaningful discussions on consequences (i.e. compensation). MTA is now filled with greater purpose at all levels of our firm’s activities; we have a more integrated group of leaders in a highly creative and competitive business environment. For that we thank David Irvine.”

Greg Stewart, Former President and CEO, Farm Credit Canada
“When I heard David Irvine say that leadership is a personal choice, I had a hunch that his messages would resonate with FCC’s leadership team. I was right.

David Irvine is an inspiring teacher and a dynamic speaker. With insights grounded in personal experience, David’s messages about authenticity, accountability and balance are both practical and profound.

David is one of very few speakers who connect emotionally with their audiences. His stories are real and leave a lasting impression on those lucky enough to hear him. In today’s world, where change is the norm and leaders are needed at every level, of organizations, David’s messages are powerful.”

Xiaofang Li, Instructional Designer, Oklahoma University Center for Public Management
“It was an amazing journey to work with David in our Executive Development training program. He is extremely authentic, compassionate and empathetic. He demonstrates excellent skills in what he is doing as a leadership speaker and facilitator, but he is so humble and pleasant. He respects everyone he talks to, and he touches people’s heart. I would recommend David to any organizations I know for employee development and leadership development.”
Larise Skoretz, Administrator, Saskatchewan Emergency Medical Services Association
“David’s presentation was well received by our membership and guests. David’s stimulating talk provided the attendees with information and knowledge to enhance and further their roles and responsibilities as leaders in emergency medical services as owners/operators, as well as their personal lives.”

Public Sector / Non-profit Clients


Richard Svoboda, Superintendent, Human Resources, Calgary Catholic School District
“We asked David to speak to our District Leadership Council on Authentic Leadership as part of our Fall Leadership Conference. David made an immediate impression with all our district leaders and it was evident that he had spent time researching and doing his homework on our organization. From the outside looking in, you’d think that David had been working with us for years based on the alignment of messaging and the connection he made with the entire group.

Never have we had such positive feedback about a keynote speaker; David’s message was current and was what the team needed. Right place, right time = great results. We have already begun looking at other opportunities to engage with David over the next year to build on the great start at our annual conference.

Many thanks for what you have done for our leadership.”

Bruce Campbell, Elementary School Principal, Calgary Catholic School District
“The time and session we had with David was more than perfect! The feedback we received is all positive. Some of the things people said are “David connects with everyone”, “he is real”, and “he is very authentic in his presentation”. We look forward to our ongoing relationship with David and future opportunities to work together.”
Marie-France Pelletier, Chief Administrator, Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada
“The presentations you delivered…. on authentic leadership and leadership responsibilities were invaluable and generated thoughtful discussions among the group. Your presentation truly captured the participants’ attention and the feedback received was very positive. We believe the knowledge you have shared will help better our organization and the services we provide to Canadians and to the tribunals.”
Chad Davies; Manitoba Municipal Administrators’ Association
“David was very well received by our group. He did a phenomenal job on delivering another great session for us. Perhaps it is because he is able to relate so well to families that his content is so applicable to both our work and personal lives. It is amazing to listen to him – the time literally disappears. He is one of the best, no the best, speakers I have heard. ”
S/Sgt William G Laidlaw; Training Branch Manager; 'K' Division RCMP
“I would like to take a moment of your time and offer my recommendation for David Irvine and Associates. David recently completed a full day presentation with a large group of Public Servants and Municipal Employees at ‘K’ Division Headquarters.

David is a skilled presenter who holds an audience throughout his presentation. His topics are current, well thought out, and very enlightening for the people he is presenting to. You will find that his desire to give the best, most relevant information to his audience will shine through as he prepares and as he speaks. When he worked with us, for example, David contacted candidates in advance, learned what their concerns were, and moulded his material to provide what they needed at this time in their careers.

David is a true professional who will bring tremendous value to your company, organization, and your event.”

Bill Halma, Associate Director - HORNS Recreation, University of Lethbridge
“The way David engaged our small planning group in preparing for our sessions ensured a very worthwhile and personalized presentation.  His topics were exactly what we were looking for and were delivered in such a positive manner.  We had a huge demographic spread in the audience and he was able to engage them all.  The cost for this event was very reasonable for the value we got.”
James Bond, Learning & Development Administrator, The University of Oklahoma, Center for Public Management
“Thank you, David for your valuable contributions to the Oklahoma DHS LeadUP leadership development program. From initial contact to delivery, you provided us with a first class professional service. You listened carefully to our detailed needs and collaboratively crafted a program that was both relevant and impactful for our learning audience.

Your enthusiasm and passion were contagious! Your deep understanding and empathy for the challenges these social service leaders face created an atmosphere of trust – opening the door or transparency, open dialogue and inspired learning. In the words of one of the participants, “The last three days have been life-changing for me and I will never view my job in the same way.”

You have a unique ability to open people’s minds, touch their hearts, and teach valuable lessons of leadership and life. We are inspired to be on this authentic journey!”

Greg Bounds, Executive Director, Capital Region Housing Corporation
“David has twice facilitated workshops for CRHC staff and for CRHC Managers. His impact over the two years created a more accountable, committed and authentic work culture. His ability to connect in a personal way to the people and work of CRHC has made an important and substantial difference. His style of planning and involving the organization to focus his expertise is unique and impressive. We are grateful he has honed and shared his leadership gifts with organizations like ours.

We would highly recommend him to other organizations seeking to understand and embrace accountability and authenticity.”

Carla Gregor President and CEO, The Good Samaritan Society
“David spoke at our annual Leadership Forum about strengthening our culture of accountability. He was both instructive and inspiring and the feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive.”
Shirley Labossiere, C.G.A. Vice President and C.F.O., St. Amant
“”David Irvine presented at the Canadian Conference on Developmental Disabilities and Autism in April 2012. David is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about his topics and his delivery is authentic and engaging. He has a way of articulating his message through story-telling in a way that takes what might otherwise be an elusive topic and transforms it into a tool that is very relevant to your work and your personal life.

Our delegates not only raved about his sessions, they came back to work energized and excited about implementing a “Culture of Greatness” within our organization. On a personal level, David took the time to understand our audience and customize his presentation to suit the needs, interests and occupation of the group. He went above and beyond his contract to support our conference and ensure its success. David clearly lives the values and ‘walks the talk’. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from him.””

Geoffrey Crampton, Vice President, People & Organization Development Fraser Health Authority
“David is an articulate and engaging presenter. His delivery style, coupled with relevant and intelligent content, makes him a great choice for conference and development programs. He has a wonderful ability to make his comments relevant to the issues and challenges which confront leaders in their daily lives.”
Peter Kruselnicki, Deputy Provincial Treasurer, Province of Alberta
“David’s presentation challenged everyone to look at things differently and focus on our values His presentation stimulated a lot of thinking among our staff of how we can do things differently to achieve a better balance.”
Mary Jefferies, Leader, People Services, Alberta Environment
“As a leader of people services in the public service, I am acutely aware of the need and desire that our organization has to build a culture of accountability. We have worked with David Irvine to link our values, one of which is accountability, to the goal of creating workplace wellness. Our executive team was inspired by this work to develop our own individual accountability agreements as leaders, to help us link our attitudes to our actions. David provides guidance and inspiration and he, along with his books, are a valuable resource on our accountability journey.”
Mary Michailides, Junior High School Principal
“When we hear the word ‘accountability,’ sometimes fear, anxiety and pressure emerge! David’s work addresses the essential essence of transformational leadership … turning accountability from a negative to a positive, moving from an external sense of responsibility to an internal commitment, both professionally and personally.

David’s work will provide you with specific characteristics and processes to guide you in your personal transformation, enhancing your organization through the distributed leadership model, where the focus is on positive accountability and responsibility for all. He will help you build a positive working/living environment, success, and positive control.”

Donna Brunskill, Executive Director, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association
“David, you contributed to nursing leadership in our province… thanks again for such a wonderful sharing and challenging us to find our centers and reflect on what leadership means for not only others or our profession but importantly within ourselves and our families.”
Sherry Ferronato, Executive Director, Big Sisters and Big Brothers of Calgary and Area
“Those who attended the workshop unanimously agreed that it was one of the most worthwhile professional and personal development sessions they had ever participated in. They appreciated your candor, clarity and meaningful personal examples.”
Martin Hume, Former Executive Director, Alberta Children's Hospital
“I have never heard management staff at the hospital laugh as much as they did in the day with you. I know that the fun and learning will translate into better care for kids.”
J. Larry Wilson, Regional Director, Canadian Coast Guard, Maritimes Region
“I hired you to inspire and to motivate. Based on the post-presentation comments received from my staff, you not only met but exceeded my expectations.”
John Charrette, Former Regional Director, Public Service Commission
“Humorous, dynamic, enlightening, practical, down-to-earth, inspiring… I was personally touched by your honesty and sincere desire to help.”
Eleanor Grant, Director, Mental Health, Alberta Mental Health, Capital Health Region
“I have been receiving overwhelmingly positive and rave reviews regarding the workshop and the materials you presented… More importantly for staff was the personal message you shared and your open, narrative style of presentation.”
Ray Noble, Officer in Charge, Grande Prairie & Beaverlodge detachment
“I have worked with David Irvine or attended sessions he provided for the RCMP on a number of occasions since 2009. His presentations are effective motivational tools that leave participants with new skills they can incorporate into their daily routines immediately. When I was planning a seminar on Ethical Leadership I met David and had a brief conversation about the project that turned into a long conversation and then into a collaboration. Our first session was held in Grande Prairie with David as the primary facilitator and presentor. Session feedback reports on his performance are all very positive and he was very willing to continue working to improve and advance the material. David is a pleasure to work with and his insights coupled with an easy-going manner make him a credible and popular presenter.”

Virtual Presentations


Margaret Allan Newell, ATRA President; former APEGA Vice-President
“Not only did you accept the challenge to give a horse-centred talk to the Alberta Trail Riders Association (ATRA) members, you blew us away with a beautiful presentation. Your introduction caught everyone’s attention, telling the story of yourother at age 18 months riding a horse and including the difficult story of you seeking comfort from horses while dealing with your brother’s death. I loved the way you sought stories from the audience; getting them personally involved ensured their focus and attention for the duration of the talk. I’m glad you were able to work in some hooks for your forums and webinars.

Our membership and volunteer base are suffering decline, largely because of demographics. Having your engaging talk likely rekindled interest from longtime members and piqued the interest of some new members, who will be vital to ATRA’s future.

I cannot thank you enough for the gift of your time and presentation. I hope our paths will cross again soon.“

Mike Joseph Certified Forum Chair, MacKay CEO Forums
“David is a world class speaker that never disappoints. His vulnerability, passion and authenticity are front and center as he weaves his life experiences through his gift as a storyteller. His message is powerful, and the audience is often overwhelmed with emotion. I have been fortunate to witness this multiple times with my CEO Forum groups and would enthusiastically recommend him to speak to any organization- business or otherwise.“
Monica Haberl, Natalie Arruda, and Leane Swales, Conference Board of Canada
“It was a pleasure to have David Irvine speak to the Council of Labour Relations Executives meeting. We are thankful that we had an opportunity to have David share his personal experiences and wealth of knowledge with the council. David’s presentation was timely, and provided members with tactical resources to help them navigate through this chaotic time. Participants referred to David’s session as “candid”, “moving”, and “provided lots to think about”. We look forward to continuing to work together in the future!“
Richard Brisbois, Principal Research Associate, Human Capital Research Manager, The Councils of Human Resources Executive Conference Board of Canada
“It was a great pleasure to work with David. David’s presentation, personal experiences and valuable insights enabled him to connect immediately with members of The Conference Board of Canada’s Councils of Human Resources Executives. He provided valuable and practical takeaways that members could use immediately. Participants said that David’s session was “amazing”, “inspiring”, and “meaningful”. David we thank you for sharing your insights and look forward to welcoming you again.”
Victor Levee, President, Levee Future Planning
“I have been plying my trade for 42 years and during that time I have been exposed to more speakers (for lack of a better description) than you can possibly imagine.

You name them, I’ve seen them: Covey, Robbins (yeah, I walked on the coals), Leo Bascaglia (41 years ago), the list goes on and on. In those 42 years I can honestly say from the heart that I have NEVER had as positive and enriching an experience as I have in the IrvineStone Masterclass. Never is a huge word but it applies here.

It is all so powerful and valuable. I cannot find the words to thank you enough.”

Dean and Dale Koeller , Calvert Home Mortgage Investment Corporation
“Amidst a global pandemic we are all experiencing grief and fear, and a range of emotions – David offers techniques to ground us so that we can be present and supportive to our families and those with whom we work. David offers a calming and clear perspective for being a leader and managing through the period of chaos we are all experiencing, both personally and professionally. I really value his thought leadership and contributions to the community in his presentations…

David, I really enjoyed your vulnerability and opening the door to a frank discussion with our team. You are a great moderator and listener, and you responded with a great deal of care and empathy and compassion: keep that up as part of your presentations and work.”

Richard Robbins, CEO, Richard Robbins International Inc.
“David Irvine has unlocked the magic of virtual presentations. His deep level of authenticity and leadership presence have transcended our new reality. If you want to be inspired or motivated to develop your leadership capacity, look no further. David is your man. I am thoroughly impressed with his material and online presentation style.”
Cindy Finn, Director General, Lester B. Pearson School Board
“The session with you today was deeply appreciated by our team. The comments so far have been nothing but stellar. Your presentation exceeded my expectations – you set an excellent tone for us, and I am very grateful. Gearing up to restart is stressful for us all but you helped us refocus on what truly matters. Your personal stories really brought home some important messages, and you gave us some very useful tools.”
Rosa Franzese, Director, Human Resources, ICES
“I have to let you know about the incredible impact you are having on our people leaders. The honest, raw conversation you had with us today left many in awe. Over the years in my role I have had many leadership guru’s deliver leadership sessions, but I have honestly never had anyone that comes close to being as amazing as you are. As I had shared with you, I have a friend at Sunnybrook that attended your training and spoke highly of you. I feel so blessed that she connected us, and I was able to have you come to ICES. I have received so many notes of appreciation, our leaders truly feel they connect with you. You share real life skills that they want to bring to their personal and professional lives.”
Linda Crawford, Manager, Corporate Wellness, Alberta Blue Cross
“I have written this email in my head a number of times since the Moving Forward Together webinar that you and Ally hosted. This was the first one in a long time that stopped me in my tracks and had me listen up – it spoke directly to my heart. Your vulnerability in sharing your stories was the radical transformation of leaders I aspire to be and envision as the norm one day and I applaud you for your courage.

Ally was equally as eloquent in her ability to hold my attention and speak to the heart of what truly matters RIGHT NOW.

All the best and keep shining your bright light, more than ever the world needs that now.”