BURLINGTON – After 37 years in community programming, Cogeco’s senior director of communications and programming, Maureen Tilson-Dyment, called it a career this week.
A tireless worker and community proponent, Tilson-Dyment (pictured) began as a cable channel volunteer and her career culminated in a standing-room only retirement party Monday evening at the company’s Burlington headquarters which drew just about every community leader and politician from the region.
She has held a number of roles over the years and in her most current one, she was responsible for provincial community relations and information, media and government relations, company outreach and event programs, sponsorships and donations, and local advertising and promotions. She was also responsible for twenty-one local television stations operating under the TVCOGECO brand in Ontario.
Cogeco CEO Louis Audet, who spoke at the event, called Tilson-Dyment “a person of exception” who oversaw local channels which aired programming "created with passion to reflect the community to itself,” he said.
(Ed note: We’ve often been called upon to judge the TV Cogeco Star Awards and we’ve been impressed every year by the quality of the programming made by Cogeco’s team of community channel employees and volunteers.)
In an emotional, funny speech, Cogeco vice-president Tom McCutcheon called Tilson-Dyment “Cogeco’s main ambassador,” while Bob Balint, senior director of operational support and planning called her “a strong advocate for community television for Cogeco, and nationally.”
Her work was recognized by the Canadian cable industry in 1997 when she was presented with the CCTA Award of Excellence for outstanding contributions and industry leadership.
Tilson-Dyment has also been actively engaged with community committees such as Performing Arts Burlington and the Halton Round Table on Funding Matters, and is currently a member of the Hamilton Tiger Town Council, Canadian Women in Communications, president of the Board of TV Hamilton and a member of the Oakville Chamber Board of Directors. She is a recipient of the Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellowship for her contributions to the community, as well.
When it was Tilson-Dyment’s turn to speak, she said: “I've been called a missionary and I'm proud of it… What we're about is telling the stories of our communities… It's a privilege. It's a joy. Everybody has a point of view and wants to be heard. Everybody has a story."
– Greg O’Brien
