From national union and government leaders to local entrepreneurs and visionaries, Business Day has had them all.

The annual event is led by graduating commerce students at Memorial University and, this year, Business Day marks 60 years.

“There’s definitely some pressure when you’re leading something with such a strong history,” said Kathleen Staubitzer, co-chair of the 2025 Business Day committee. “You want to do it justice. But it’s an exciting challenge. There’s an opportunity to leave a lasting mark, to ensure that Business Day continues to evolve in ways that reflect the needs of the business world and our students.”

Tickets now available

Business Day will be held on March 7 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland. The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday, Feb. 28.

The luncheon keynote speaker is Kim Peddle-Rguem, a commerce Class of 1995 graduate who’s returning to St. John’s from her role as head of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream in the U.S. Ms. Peddle-Rguem leads a $4-billion portfolio of brands like Häagen-Daz, Drumstick, Skinny Cow and OREO.

Adam Keating (B.Eng.’17), founder and chief executive officer of CoLab Software, is the morning keynote speaker. CoLab is a St. John’s-based tech company that has closed millions in series B funding from venture capitalists and private equity investors.

Career catalyst

The 60-year history of Business Day has helped many students launch their careers.

Greg Power (B.Comm.(Co-op.)’99) was co-chair of the 1999 Business Day committee. That year featured Buzz Hargrove, then-national president of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union, and Harvey Smith, then-president of Hibernia, as speakers.

The connections Mr. Power made that day helped land him his first job at CAW and led to a lifelong career in labour relations. He’s now a partner at Hicks Morley, the largest management-side labour and employment boutique law firm in Canada.

“My passion for labour, employment and human resources started at Memorial,” he said. “But Business Day gave me exposure to a national, if not international, figure, who offered me an amazing opportunity. I haven’t looked back.”

Marlayne Hardy (B.Comm.(Co-op.)’94) was co-chair of the 1994 Business Day committee and returned 30 years later as a panellist in 2024.

“I was so impressed with how they presented themselves and the seamless event that they delivered,” Ms. Hardy said. “I highly recommend taking any opportunity you get to engage with students. They bring so much fresh enthusiasm, and I always leave energized.”

Tickets for 2025 Business Day can be purchased here.

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For more information, please contact Susan White, communications advisor, Faculty of Business Administration, at susanwhite@mun.ca or 709-689-7988; or Kathleen Staubitzer, co-chair of the 2025 Business Day committee, at kestaubitzer@mun.ca or 709-697-1022.