Chris Clark

“Having been on Startup Laurier for 3 years, I learned the most when I was working directly with Chris. He taught me how to be an effective manager and leader. We are both people who like things done our own way, but as Co-Presidents, we had to adapt and strategize how we could work together and lead our team to achieve Startup Laurier's mission. Chris taught me, as well as other student leaders of the Lazaridis School, that letting go of things you want to control and do yourself was not our job as Presidents. We were there to lead our executive team to success, but measuring it in a way which they were able to learn, grow, and have control of their team and their own role(s). Chris wanted to ensure every single one of our executives was enjoying their work, was happy with their role, and was getting value from their experiences at Startup Laurier. As Co-Presidents, we were simply there to support, guide, and inspire our executive team, and help them when they needed us. Our Vice Presidents were the leaders of their respected portfolios and we were not going to take over and do their job for them. These entrepreneurial and leadership skills, to "let go" has Chris Clark's name written all over it. Chris is a dedicated leader who exuded passion to Startup Laurier, the Waterloo Region startup scene, and fostering entrepreneurship at Laurier. I just know he will have success in his future endeavours and will always bring new and innovative ideas to the table. Working with Chris has been an absolute pleasure and I would definitely do it again.”

“Chris' passion and dedication, not just to Startup Laurier, but to entrepreneurship, technology, and the startup scene is contagious. It is evident when you talk to him and you are able to carry on long, engaging conversations, leading to him talking about ideas he wants to implement. Chris' role as Vice President of Events required lots of leadership and planning. Working alongside the Events Team, Chris not only planned out large-scale entrepreneurial events, but these events were executed to its full potential as he turned his visions into a reality. Entrepreneur's Exchange, a Startup Laurier event running since 2011, helped Laurier become named 'Canada's Most Entrepreneurial Campus' from Global Entrepreneurship Week Canada & Futurpreneur. Startup Consulting Case Competition was the highlighted event of the Winter semester. Some top-notch business students who have attended a majority of Business Case Competitions at Laurier said that SCCC was the best Laurier case competition they have participated in thus far. It was a pleasure to work with Chris as Vice Presidents for different portfolios, and I am happy to work with him for our upcoming co-presidency at Startup Laurier. Just from the initial ideas we have already been discussing, I can't wait to see the great things that he will accomplish.”

“Determined. DRIVEN. Reliable. I had the privilege of working with Chris as the Program Manager of the Communitech HYPERDRIVE program. As an Startup Services intern, he showed tremendous drive, a deep commitment to Fundamentals Program Strategy and a true desire to make a lasting impact. Chris brings an invaluable amount of passion and energy to his work. Despite challenges that may come his way, Chris is an enthusiastic and positive problem solver. He always produces innovation solutions and creations while being a fantastic team player. I wholeheartedly recommend Chris in any endeavour and would consider it a privilege to work with him again in any capacity. Should you have any questions, I may be reached directly.”

“Chris and I began working together on the events team at Startup Laurier, where we organized entrepreneurial events of various sizes. We also competed in the Manulife Smart Tech Challenge together where we won first prize. Overall, my experience working with Chris has been absolutely phenomenal. Not only is he a warm and caring friend, but he is a driven self starter, passionate leader, and dedicated entrepreneur. His ability to inspire his team with ideas for new projects and ideas is unprecedented. To me, Chris is a person I look up to as a good friend and intelligent, conscientious, and outgoing businessperson. I would strongly recommend Chris for any position he may be pursuing because I know that he will work tirelessly to reach great new heights. Thank you for your mentorship and support! All the best!”

“Chris is a self-starter who was able to take charge of a large program concept and distill it into something actionable and implementable. He has excellent work ethic and always quick to ask for help if needed. Without Chris, the Startup Services Group would be without a new critical program (The Fundamentals Course). Chris would be an asset to any team and I hope to work with him again in the future.”