Certified Executive Coach from Royal Roads University
CEO of 4 National Trade and Professional Associations, over 30 years,
International Development Administrator working in Developing Countries, over 16 years;
Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Army, over 8 years.
Certified Executive Coach (CEC) – Earned Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University (2013)
Held senior leadership positions in international development, living and working in Africa and traveling extensively around the world over a period of 16 years
Served as CEO of three national professional and trade associations for a total of 27 years (see biographical note and CV below)
Served for eight years as Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Army, traveling to military bases across Canada
As an executive coach, I am passionate about supporting people in reaching their full potential.
Executive coaching can make a significant difference in the success of any organization. The ultimate goal is to engage, enlighten and empower current and emerging leaders to not only achieve their immediate performance objectives, but to go far beyond that and prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for them and their organization.
If you need that additional external support to make your organization and your people even more innovative, even more viable and even more successful, then do reach out to me at ClaudePaulBoivin@gmail.com.
I look forward to putting my coaching skills and extensive work and leadership experience to support you and your team.
Having served in senior positions both in Canada and abroad, Claude Paul has acquired extensive leadership experience in professional and trade associations and in international development.
CEO of 4 National Associations over 30 years: Claude Paul served for 30 years as President and CEO of 4 national associations. He most recently served as Interim President and CEO of the Hotel Association of Canada to ensure the smooth transition from one CEO to the next CEO. Prior to that, Claude Paul was for 12 years CEO of the Canadian Dental Association which represents Canada’s 21,000 dentists. Before that, he served for seven years as President of the Association of Canadian Engineering Companies, representing the interests of a $30 billion a year industry, and for 10 years as CEO of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
International Development for 16 Years: Before going into national association work, Claude Paul held key positions with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) over a period of 16 years, working and living in Africa and traveling extensively around the world.
Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Army for 8 years: In 2011, Claude Paul was appointed by the Minister of National Defence as Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Army which, for 8 years, brought him to military bases across Canada.
International Scientific Conference: In 1989, Claude Paul was the Executive Director and chief organiser of the V International Conference on Aids in Montreal which brought together more than 11,000 delegates, including 1,300 journalists.
Board Chair: Claude Paul served as Board Chair of different associations including: CARP Ottawa (Canadian Association of Retired Persons), the IDRC Alumni Association (International Development Research Centre), the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and for nine years, he was on the Board of the Government Relations Institute of Canada (GRIC) as Treasurer and Secretary.
Executive Coach: In 201, Claude Paul earned a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University and he has been providing coaching and mentoring services to American and Canadian clients through his own practice and in association with the San Francisco based Torch Leadership Labs.
Professional Designations: Claude Paul holds the professional designation of Certified Executive Coach (CEC) from Royal Roads University and Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE).
Awards: In 2005, Claude Paul was the recipient of the “Executive Member of the Year” award of the National Capital Chapter of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and in 2011 he was appointed Honoured Life Member of the CSAE. In 2002, Claude Paul was made Honorary Life Member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and became the first non-veterinarian recipient of the organization’s President’s Award. Claude Paul is an Honorary Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and of the International College of Dentists, and in 2023, after 12 years as CEO of the Canadian Dental Association, he was made an Honorary Member of the Canadian Dental Association.
Direct and administer the national association of a $30 billion industry to ensure a smooth transition from one CEO to the next CEO.
Direct and administer the national professional association representing Canada’s 18,000 dentists and lead its public policy advocacy.
Lead and administer the national trade association of consulting engineering firms, which generate annual revenues of $30 billion and employ 85,500 people.
As Chief Executive Officer, administer the national professional association representing Canada’s more than 7,000 veterinarians, and direct the organization’s certification programs.
Administer the Board’s communications, public relations and administrative services, and act as resource to the Board and the CEO for strategic planning and government relations.
Plan, organize and administer the largest scientific conference ever held in Canada, and direct fund-raising and a multi-faceted cultural program.
Senior Advisor to the President and Coordinator, Regional Offices (May 1985 to September 1988)
Liaison Officer with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) (April 1984 to May 1985)
Program Officer, Social and Economic Information (1981 to1984)
Regional Director and Deputy Director, Regional Office for Central and West Africa, Dakar, Senegal (March 1978 to January 1981)
Assistant Corporate Secretary (November 1973 to March 1978)
Responsible for five departments: house rentals, security, information, tours and house services, in total 120 staff members.
Honored Life Member of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and “Executive Member of the Year” of CSAE’s National Capital Region.
Recipient of the 2002 “President’s Award” of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, an award never before given to a non-veterinarian.
Honorary Life Member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) 2023.
Appointed Honorary Colonel of the Canadian Army in 2011 and reappointed in 2014, serving for 8 years travelling to military bases across the country.
Honorary Fellow of the International College of Dentists
Honorary Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy
Honorary member of the Canadian Dental Association
President of C.A.R.P. Ottawa (Canadian Association of Retired Persons, Ottawa (2021 to Present)
Chairman of the National Board of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) (2008-09) and President of the CSAE National Capital Region Chapter (2001-2002).
Secretary, Treasurer and Member of the Executive Committee and Board of the Government Relations Institute of Canada (GRIC) (2001-September 2010).
Acting Executive Director RedR Canada (Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief), a humanitarian organization providing engineering expertise for front-line relief work (2002).
Publisher of a quarterly magazine on family and education with a print run of 50,000 and sold throughout Francophone Africa (1978-1980).
Assistant Concert Manager for the Ottawa Choral Society responsible for technical production (1974-1978).
Founding Chairman of the Government Relations Leadership Institute which provided training to public policy advocacy practitioners (2004-2008).
Chairman, CEO Conference of the 60 member countries of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), Geneva, Switzerland (2003-2004).
President and Founding Board member of the Alumni of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) (2002 to present and President since 2021).
Member, Governance Committee, Green Building Council of Canada (2006-2008)
Bachelor of Arts, Carleton University, Ottawa (1981)
Certified Association Executive (CAE), the professional designation of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE)
Certified Executive Coach (CEC) from Royal Roads University
Languages fluently spoken and written French, English.
10 Top Things Association CEOs Must Never Forget
by Claude Paul Boivin, CAE, CEC
When I am asked what it's like to head an association, I respond by saying that it's very much like managing a small business that you don't own , but which has a governance structure that could run a multinational company . Consequently, collaborative strategy making and managing the expectations of widely different stakeholder groups becomes the central part of a CEO's professional life. Reflecting on my more than 28 years as an Association CEO, in two professional associations and one trade association, I offer my top 10 list of things to never forget.
1 You exist to make your members more successful
Understand your real mission: Regardless how socially responsible your official mission statement might look like, your real mission is to serve, protect and promote your members interests and advance their cause. Forget that and you will veer perilously off the mark.
2 Dream your way to Success
You need a vision: have a clear and easy to communicate ‘willed future’ - that is the destination you ultimately want to reach. Create a simple image of where you want to be. Do not be afraid to dream - remember, Martin Luther King Junior did not say ‘I have a strategic plan’, he said “I have a dream”. This is what vision is all about.
3 Priorities exist so you can say ‘no’ to good ideas
You cannot be all things to all people: Strategic planning is as much about clearly articulating what you are not going to do as it is about what you will do. Focus on what is important and don't let anyone hijack the association with a good idea that does not fit the strategic goals. Without clear priorities you will end up a mile wide and an inch deep. Learn to do less with more. You are better off doing a few things really well than a lot of things poorly.
4 Always have your finger on the pulse of your stakeholders
Make certain that your members feel ‘seen, heard and understood’: If you want to meet your members needs, first, you need to clearly understand what those needs are. Make sure that you are in constant touch with all your stakeholders, and especially your owners. Take their pulse often.
5 Embrace the fact that you are in the people business
Respect people: Be nice and kind. Nurture harmonious relationships with everyone - not just with those that have power over you. First, it's more fun that way, and much more productive in the long term. It is those who work with you that will bring your mission, vision and strategies to life – make sure that they feel valued.
6 Lead from the bottom
Know your place and be a servant leader: As an association CEO, you are at the bottom of an inverted pyramid that is populated with your owners and stakeholders. Learn to manage their expectations.
7 You are not the only boss
Adhere to the laws of good governance: Remember that the members are the owners and they have a say in how their needs are being met and how their association is being managed. Yes, the old adage is true: ‘the board manages tomorrow and the staff manage today’, but sometimes there is an overlap and you need to manage that too.
8 The bottom line is… the bottom line counts
Always meet the highest accounting standards: Unless your finances are well managed, none of the good things you do will matter to your political bosses. When it comes to money matters and sound financial administration, you need to be totally responsible and completely transparent.
9 You need your staff more than they need you
Be a Team player: You can't conduct an orchestra without the musicians. Build a team of talented people and value individuals who are always looking for a better way to do things. Be open and fair and celebrate success as often as you can. Also, give the team members a chance to shine and to take a bow.
10 Be the strategy champion
Be known as the one who is driven by strategy: Be clear on purpose and vision and become the guardian of the priorities who ensures that the association leadership stays on course.
The Golden Tip
If I were asked to choose only one of the above tips as the one that has been most influential in my career, it would be # 3, Priorities exist so you can say no to good ideas. An association cannot be the force of good for everything. The toughest part of implementing a ‘do less with more’ strategy is learning how to say ‘no’. It is not easy to shut down programs or dissolve committees. It is even harder to turn down the many well-intentioned ideas from well-meaning people that simply don't fit. Failure to do so, however, puts an Association at risk of being sidetracked or worse yet, hijacked.