Mackie I. Vadacchino

Perseverance has paid off for Mackie Vadacchino, BComm 82, MBA 84.

In the early ’70s, Mackie worked full-time while pursuing her undergraduate degree part-time at the John Molson School of Business. She eventually became a full-time student and in 1982, after 10 years of dedicated effort, Mackie graduated Magna Cum Laude. She immediately began her MBA and graduated one year later, landing on the Dean's Honour List.

Mackie then entered the Bank of Montreal's executive training program and climbed the executive rungs. Over the next 20 years she held positions that included Vice President, International Business Development, of Teleglobe Canada Inc., President and Chief Executive Officer of Murray Axmith Inc., Executive Vice-President of Gildan Activewear and CEO of Les Aliments Soyummi Foods Inc.

Mackie recently became CEO of Bioforce Canada, the Canadian pioneer and leader in high-quality natural products and phytopharmaceuticals marketed under the A. Vogel brand.

A staunch advocate and volunteer for Concordia, Mackie was a member of Concordia's Board of Governors for six years, a lead judge and board member for the John Molson MBA International Case Competition for 10 years, on the Advisory Board to the Dean for many years and taught a graduate-level marketing class at the school.

In 2004, she and her husband established the Mackie Vadacchino and Michel Robert de Massy MBA Bursaries. She and her family were the first to sponsor a classroom in the new John Molson Building in honour of their father, Antonio Vadacchino. She is an active member of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and has also been a member of Equitas, a past board member of the Montreal Board of Trade and a past president of the International Women's Forum.