Episode 18: Giving Back Through a New Charity Career with Joan Fisk
Synopsis
Joan Fisk is learning a whole lot as a non-profit CEO of the United Way in the Waterloo region. It has given her a unique perspective around the “underbelly” of the community and a chance to see all the people who fall through the cracks differently.
Joan’s career is full of great stories. In the 1970s and 1980s, she battled stereotypes and sexism in her position, while the fashion industry was being transformed as China built up its industry to eventually take-over. Still, as President of Tiger Brand Knitting she ran a successful company for many years until eventually when the company had to be sold.
In this interview with host Greg Martin, she describes the state of the charity sector in Canada along with the thirst for talent, money and all the people in need. Joan calls the current job at the United Way as a “giving back” role. What’s best and rewarding - it allows her to have an impact on the community in a completely new way.
Key Takeaways
Began career working in the family business at Tiger Brand, which was in need of transformation to become modern and to adapt to the changing brands in the 80s and 90s
Appointed President of the company ahead of her other siblings who were also involved in he family business
Sold the business in the 2000s when it could no longer compete with China
Now runs the United Way, and is similarly thinking about how to modernize the organization (like she did with Tiger Brand)
New level of support that is needed in the community, especially since Covid-19 - can sometimes lose that sense of community
The way we live today is mostly an insular life where people don’t know what’s going on in the world - journalism isn’t helping
Always a struggle to get the current generations to see the community and how they can be a part of it and can help
Joan’s Background
Joan Fisk is CEO of United Way Waterloo Region Communities
Former President & CEO of Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
Spent nearly 30 years at Tiger Brand Knitting Company including serving as its President
Completed various director roles including Director at Gore Mutual Insurance, Cambridge Hospital Foundation and Canada’s Technology Triangle