Accountant gives his all to community

Don Zinyk win’s Newman’s Kevin Carr Leadership Award

Don Zinyk

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Businessman Don Zinyk, a dedicated community volunteer, has been named the 2008 recipient of Newman Theological College's Kevin Carr Christian Leadership Award.

The award, named after Newman's seventh president, is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the Christian community.

Zinyk, a married father of two sons and a partner in the business group KPMG, has been quietly serving the Catholic community for many years.

His extensive community involvement has included service as treasurer and president of the Ronald MacDonald House of Northern Alberta, committee chair for the Institute of Chartered Accountants, provincial general of the Friars, treasurer and chair of the Foundation of Newman College and St. Joseph's Seminary, and member of the national board of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise.

He currently serves on the board of governors of both St. Joseph's University College and Newman College.

Zinyk, 59, said when Newman president Bryn Kulmatycki phoned to tell him he had been chosen for the Kevin Carr Award he couldn't believe his ears.

No joke

"I honestly thought he was playing a joke on me," Zinyk said in an interview. "To be perfectly honest, when he told me, I was absolutely flabbergasted because I do this out of a sense of obligation."

Added Zinyk: "I think those of us who are fortunate enough to rely upon the public for our well being have an obligation to put something back into the community that supports us. I feel that very deeply."

Tim Spelliscy, manager of Global TV and a former Carr Award winner, described Zinyk as a great leader.

"We started working together in the Friars and since that time we've worked on a lot of fundraising projects within the Catholic community. He is the greatest leader," Spelliscy said Aug. 26.

"He really leads by example when he gets involved with these things. He really rolls up his sleeves and he gets the work done and he makes sure that everyone else is directed in the right way.

"When you are involved in a project with Don you always know it's going to be a success."

Added Spelliscy, who nominated Zinyk for the award: "I've learned so much from watching Don and the way he goes about building the team, making the project work, just getting everything done. He is a 'can-do' kind of a person. He is really a leader by example, I guess, and people like me we just follow his lead."

What does Zinyk get out of his volunteering? "It's going to sound like a clich‚ but I have gotten far more out of my volunteering than I ever put in," he said.

"I've met some absolutely incredible people that have become very, very good friends.

Sense of satisfaction

"Secondly, you get a sense of satisfaction from helping people. You'd like to think that when you go home and put your head on the pillow that you've made a difference in somebody's life that day.

"Fortunately or unfortunately I am an accountant. God didn't give me any musical ability or athletic ability or medical ability or stuff like that.

"So the only thing I can do is use the talents that the good Lord gave me to hopefully help organizations become financially stronger or more effective in a business sense - whatever it is that my skills will allow me to do."

The Kevin Carr Christian Leadership Award will be presented to Don Zinyk at a luncheon in his honour on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 11:45 a.m. at the Royal Glenora Club, 11160 River Valley Road in Edmonton. For ticket information call 780-447-2993, ext. 221.

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