Pat founded APEX Public Relations (www.apexpr.com) in 1998 and built a strong business and a roster of blue chip clients. As a leader with more than 25 years’ experience within both corporate and consulting communications environments, she has provided senior client counsel in consumer marketing and corporate reputation management.
In eighteen years, Pat built APEX from a two-person firm to over 30 staff. She sold the firm two her two most senior employees in 2016. Prior to founding APEX, Pat worked for several consulting firms as well as Polaroid Canada.
She has counseled several leading corporations including Bank of Montreal, Coca-Cola, FujiFilm, Jamieson Laboratories, Kellogg’s, Levi Strauss & Co., Molson, Breweries, Nike, Samsung, UPS and Walmart. APEX has been acknowledged by Canadian and international public relations societies with several awards in the areas of corporate communications, special events and marketing communications, including the IABC Toronto Agency of the Year award.
A recipient of national and local mentor recognition awards (including the CPRS Award of Attainment, CPRS Mentor Recognition Award and the CPRS ACE Award: PR Professional of the Year), Pat has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Women Business Owners for 14 years in a row. She was also the founder and Chair of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms.
Fueling her passion for entrepreneurism and running a business, Pat founded Ignite Capital Community Fund (www.ignitecapital.ca) in 2013, a non-profit organization which helps aspiring Canadian entrepreneurs in underserved communities who have limited access to capital. The organization provides an opportunity to compete for start-up funding and support programming and has distributed over $250,000 in grants and loans since its inception.
Pat is also Chair of Business In The Streets, which helps low-resource youth by providing business training, micro-financing, and ongoing business supports.
She divides her time between Toronto Ontario and Scottsdale, Arizona.