Shereen Coward

Executive Assistant to Mac Van Wielingen

Shereen is the Executive Assistant to the Founder and President, Mac Van Wielingen. She is an administrative professional who is responsible for providing administrative support for all of Mac’s business, philanthropic and personal endeavors.

Shereen joined Viewpoint in 2014 after developing her administrative skills in various industries, such as technology, property management and the regulatory not-for-profit sector. She values community and engagement in the workplace, which she believes are organizational strengths at Viewpoint, and she has developed a keen interest in investment management and organizational development in the leadership area.

Shereen is originally from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and although her family is still there, Calgary has been her home for over 15 years. She enjoys yoga, traveling, reading (non-fiction), and spending time with her cat, Tyson. She is terrified of heights but loves zip lining and rollercoasters, which continues to confound her co-workers.

Mac Van Wielingen

Founder and President

Mac is a veteran energy executive, private equity investor, corporate director, and philanthropist. His unconventional corporate idealism has been developed through extensive experience in building businesses and by his knowledge as a self-described “student of business.” As the Founder and President of Viewpoint Group, his role is to oversee the entire team, and offer support, guidance and thought leadership. He embodies the values that Viewpoint was built on, and his vision continues to underpin and guide the team. Within the office, Mac spends his time primarily in two areas: Viewpoint Investment Partners and Viewpoint Research.

Mac increased his efforts in advancing ethical leadership after the 2008-2009 financial crisis, when he felt an urgent sense of concern and responsibility for the current state of business. This interest led to the philanthropic donation and co-founding of the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership at the Haskayne School of Business in 2012. His lifelong passion for learning and sharing keeps him actively involved in speaking engagements, writing pursuits and community events, with the goal of advancing dialogue and catalyzing positive change among directors and business leaders. Since 2010, Van Wielingen has participated in over 65 speaking engagements and has published two articles with The Conference Board of Canada (2015; 2017) focused on “The Evolving Role of the Corporate Board.”

While Mac is somewhat of a modern-day philosopher in the leadership field, and has enjoyed being able to devote more time to Viewpoint in this capacity in recent years, his knowledge, expertise, and primary experience is the product of over 35 years in the financial and energy sectors. He is a founder and Director of ARC Financial Corporation, a private equity investment management company focused on the Canadian energy sector with approximately $5 billion of capital under management. ARC Financial has invested in over 170 businesses, with ownership control in most, providing Van Wielingen with a unique foundation of experience and understanding relating to the challenges and realities of building businesses.

He is also a founder and former Chair of ARC Resources Ltd. In 2015, ARC Resources was ranked #1 in Brendan Wood International’s Shareholder Confidence Index in the Energy and Power Group, and was selected as the TopGun Board of the Year in 2015/16 when Van Wielingen was Chairman of the Board. ARC Resources remains recognized as a top Board, ranking among the top 1% of 1400 companies surveyed globally by Brendan Wood International in 2017. In addition, the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance selected ARC Resources as the 2016 recipient of the Governance Gavel Award, presented for the Best Disclosure of Corporate Governance and Executive Compensation Practices.

Mac is an honours graduate of the Ivey School of Business in finance and has studied post-graduate economics at Harvard University. He has received numerous forms of recognition, including: Fraser Institute Founders' Award, 2017; Calgary Business Hall of Fame Laureate, 2016; Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors, 2016; Chairman of the Year, Alberta Oil, 2015; Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Calgary, 2014; Distinguished Business Leader Award, 2014; Calgary Ivey Leadership Award, 2013; and Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Prairies, 2011.

While Mac is as busy as ever, when he is not working, he is spending time with his wife, children, and their families. He also enjoys travelling, golfing and reading.

Publications

Van Wielingen, M. (2015). “The evolving role of the corporate board: Governance, strategy and the imperative of performance.” Conference Board of Canada, Stewardship Review, 2-21.

Van Wielingen, M. (2017). “Culture as governance and the link with performance: The evolving role of the corporate board.” Conference Board of Canada, Briefing.

Karen Macdonald, CPA, CA, FEA

Chief Operating Officer

Karen is the Chief Operating Officer of Viewpoint. In her role, she is responsible for leading a professional, dedicated team who ensure stewardship of the family’s capital for future generations and for the community. This includes oversight management and strategic planning for the Foundation, Research, and Family Office business areas. 

Karen has been with Viewpoint since 1997, after holding various financial related positions with private equity, manufacturing and accounting firms. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Alberta, is a Chartered Accountant, and most recently graduated from the Family Enterprise Advisor program.

Karen grew up in Edmonton surrounded by entrepreneurs and has always had a keen interest in helping families manage their financial and human capital. Karen loves to be involved in her community and is a past and current volunteer for various not-for-profit organizations. She is currently a director and secretary for the Fernie Alpine Ski Team and was a past director of Westside Recreation Centre. Karen loves to stay active, enjoying the outdoors and spending as much time as possible skiing, cycling, and hiking with her husband and three sons.

Chris Stephens

Senior Administrator, Finance

Chris provides financial and administrative support for all areas of Viewpoint.  She works closely with the Controller, managing the accounting and transaction processing for the Family Office. She also acts as Secretary for Viewpoint Foundation and provides administrative services as needed.  Her hardworking nature and willingness to learn has allowed her to expand her knowledge into several areas of the business.

Originally from Edmonton, Chris has been with Viewpoint since 2006.  Her enthusiasm and passion in fostering relations allows her to fit in perfectly at Viewpoint.  She also spent time in Vancouver and enjoyed several years of office management with KPMG and the Vancouver Canucks, where she gained valuable experience in the area of human resources and office management.

Chris prides herself in building relationships – for over 35 years she has maintained relationships with friends from across Canada. Her pastime favourites include golf, travel, reading, scrabbling, cooking and entertaining. Her retirement aspirations are to spend time between golfing and on the beach.

Alida Holt, CPA, CA

Accounting Manager

Alida is the Accounting Manager at Viewpoint Group. She joined the team in November of 2016 after eight years in audit at a big four accounting firm where her previous work experience was with varied clients in multiple industries. This included public and private companies, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, and post-secondary institutions. Her work with the Viewpoint Foundation, as well as the Family Office include being responsible for financial reporting, cash and treasury management, GST and information returns and investment related reporting. She is proud to be a part of an organization that has such a dedicated focus of philanthropic leadership, and looks forward to the future.

In 2009, Alida graduated from the University of Calgary having obtained both a Bachelor of Commerce degree with Distinction in Accounting, as well as a Bachelor of Kinesiology degree with Distinction. In 2012, she also attained her Chartered Accountant designation after being named to the National Honour Roll on the 2011 Uniform Final Examination.

Alida took time between graduating school and starting full-time work to travel through Europe. She also spent time living and working in the Netherlands before returning to Calgary where she was born and raised. She is passionate about sports of all kinds, having played many different ones growing up, and continues to play competitive soccer. Her main focus now though is on family, and spends as much time as possible with her husband and young daughter.