HALIFAX and MONTRÉAL – Bell Aliant president and CEO Karen Sheriff and Mary Ann Turcke, Bell's Executive Vice President of Field Operations, have been recognized among Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence.
The Top 25 Women of Influence program honours women who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in business, health care, non-governmental organizations, professional services, and the public sector.
Sheriff was appointed president and CEO of Bell Aliant in 2008, and has led the company in its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network build. In 2012, she was named Woman of the Year by Canadian Women in Communications (CWC) and has been recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women three times. She was named to the Women's Executive Network (WXN) Top 100 Women Hall of Fame after several repeat wins. She is a director of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, and a member of the New Brunswick Business Council.
As Executive Vice President of Bell Field Operations, Mary Ann Turcke is responsible for all installation, repair and support of Bell TV, Internet and business communications products, including the company's Fibe TV service. A three-time WXN Top 100 award winner, Mary Ann was inducted into the WXN Top 100 Hall of Fame in 2013. Mary Ann is a director of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) and serves on the advisory board of the Queen's School of Business.
"Karen and Mary Ann are respected leaders in Canadian business widely renowned for their strategic vision and insight, team building skills, and ability to execute in a competitive and fast-changing communications marketplace," said George Cope, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, in the announcement. "On behalf of the national Bell team, I thank Women of Influence for recognizing these two talented leaders and extend sincere congratulations to Mary Ann and Karen."
