The Twenty-Four
Stepping up
Celebrating Alberta’s women business leaders | ATB Economics and W by ATB
6 March 2025 3 min read
It’s International Women’s Day on Saturday so we reached out to our teammates at W by ATB* to get their perspective on where things currently stand for women business leaders.
In a nutshell, while progress has been made, there is still lots of work to do to remove the barriers women in business face, including women in management positions and at the board level.
More than ever, bold and effective leadership is needed amid heightened global uncertainty and a trade war underway.
For International Women’s Day, we partnered with W by ATB to profile three female business leaders in Alberta who are making a difference for their organizations and community in this special edition of the Twenty-Four.
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Linda Dalgetty, Chief Financial Officer, STARS
Linda has over 30 years of experience as a financial professional in both the private and public sectors. Prior to her journey at STARS, Linda was the Vice President, Finance and Services at the University of Calgary, and was also the Vice President, Finance and Chief Information Officer at Nutrien (formerly known as Agrium). She is also an independent director of an Alberta-based oil and gas company. Including Linda Dalgetty, STARS has strong female representation with over half of the board of directors being women and 50% of the leadership team being women as well (including the Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Financial Officer).
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Eleanor Chiu, Chief Financial Officer, Trico Homes
Eleanor Chiu is a prominent leader in Calgary’s business and philanthropic communities, deeply committed to making a significant impact. She has held numerous volunteer roles, including positions on the boards of Mount Royal University, Alberta Children’s Hospital, YWCA, International Women’s Forum Calgary, and the Telus Community Board. Alongside her husband Wayne, she co-founded the Trico Charitable Foundation, which fosters innovation and capacity-building in social entrepreneurship to address social gaps. As CFO of the Trico Group, she played a key role in growing the company from a small business into one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, showcasing her business acumen and leadership. Eleanor has also served on various public and private company boards.
Eleanor holds the prestigious FCPA, FCA designation, awarded to CPAs who demonstrate exceptional achievements and leadership in their profession, as well as the ICD.D designation. Her passion for entrepreneurship and creative solutions has driven the direction of both the Trico Group and the Trico Charitable Foundation. The Chiu family has contributed to numerous educational initiatives, including the Bow Valley College’s Chiu School of Business, Calgary Stampede Youth Programs, Mount Royal University’s Entrepreneurship Hub, and the Social Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Calgary.
Eleanor has been widely recognized for her achievements, receiving the 2021 Management Alumni Excellence Award from the Haskayne School of Business, being named one of Calgary’s Influential Women in Business in 2022, and being inducted into the JA Alberta Business Hall of Fame alongside her husband. In 2022, she was invested in the Alberta Order of Excellence, the province’s highest honor. Most recently, in 2024, Eleanor received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Royal University, cementing her legacy of leadership and community impact.
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Camille Weleschuk, Vice President, Office of the CEO, ATB Financial
Camille Weleschuk is a purpose-driven executive at ATB Financial, recognized for consecutive years as one of the Best Workplaces for Women by Great Place to Work Canada™. Camille currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the President & CEO and leads the organization’s government and client relations teams. Her leadership at ATB has also spanned enterprise communications, strategy, and economics. Previously, Camille worked in newsrooms across the province and was a member of the Public Affairs Bureau for the Government of Alberta. She is a strong advocate for the company’s W by ATB program, which supports women-owned and women-led businesses, redefining the role of the financial industry in empowering women. Camille also mentors women across various industries, championing their career development.
*The “why” of W by ATB
At W by ATB, we are dedicated to fostering the growth of Alberta's women business leaders. Our commitment begins with truly understanding the woman behind the business, recognizing her unique journey, and meeting her where she is.
We take pride in partnering with our W by ATB clients, walking alongside them, and celebrating their successes. Support for our women in business clients includes sharing information from the depths and breadth of experts at ATB.
Answer to the previous trivia question: The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “accelerate action for gender equality.”
Today’s trivia question: As of the July 1, 2024 population estimates, did women outnumber men in Alberta or vice versa?
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