On April 29, 2014 at 19:30 hours, David Quick – and more than 53 members of the True Patriot Love organization plus guides and TV crew – arrived at the Magnetic North Pole.
Next?
Ivey’s EMBA program may be the next chapter in the life of Quick, who retired in January 2014 as a Lieutenant Colonel and Commanding Officer for the 3rd Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment.
But as demanding as the program will be, it is just one more leg of a long journey the veteran soldier has taken.
From Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti and Afghanistan with the Canadian military, to the corporate world of SYNEXXUS Canada and, most recently, as team leader with the True Patriot Love’s epic expedition to reach the Magnetic North Pole, each chapter of Quick’s life has been about succeeding in the face of adversity.
Let’s pick up his journey in the Zharey district of Afghanistan.
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During a tour of Afghan in 2007, he served as commander of India Company in the Royal Canadian Regiment’s 2nd Battalion. Two months into his tour, he was wounded in combat by an improvised explosive device (IED) that left him with a traumatic brain injury and damage to his cervical spine. Despite his injuries, he continued to lead his troops through many more battle operations and was awarded the Star of Military Valour for his exceptional courage.
From battlefield to boardroom and beyond
Quick officially retired from his military career in January 2014. He finished as a Battalion Commander overseeing more than 1,000 soldiers and support staff.
Off came the uniform. On went the business suit.
Through Canada Company – a charitable organization that serves as a bridge for soldiers into the business world – Quick was recruited to SYNEXXUS Inc a computer software and hardware engineering firm, where he specialized in systems integration in military vehicles and the commercial market.
Fast forward to April 2014: Twelve wounded soldiers, including Quick who was the team leader, were paired with 24 business leaders on an unsupported cross-country ski journey to the Arctic Circle as part of the 2014 True Patriot Love Expedition. The cathartic journey also helped each group understand the other, function as a team and overcome past injuries and current mental and physical challenges to achieve their goals.
Sub-zero weather, rough terrain and uncertain conditions certainly levelled the playing field between soldier and business leader. But each group learned something about leadership.
“These leaders are all alpha individuals,” said Quick. “But humility is a great part of leadership and there were times during the expedition where all were humbled from time to time. They certainly came back as stronger leaders.”
In total, there were 53 people on the expedition, including guides, camera crews and “Street View equipment” from Google. The results: A documentary on the journey this fall; and, the furthest north that Street View on Google Maps has ever ventured. In addition, a total of $1.8 million in support was raised for military mental health causes and support to military families.
Enter Tim Hodgson, MBA ’88, Ivey Advisory Board Member and expedition member.
“Tim was my mentor as I transitioned out of uniform. We met through the True Patriot Love organization and we really hit it off.”
It was Hodgson who directed Quick to the EMBA program.
“I was blown away by Dave’s natural leadership skills,” Hodgson said. “I told Dave, ‘Ivey can teach you how to speak civilian and lead in a business context’. It’s a match made in heaven.”
Class begins shortly on the next chapter in Quick’s life.
And, like the ones he has already faced, the EMBA challenge will surely lead to new successes for Quick.
“The EMBA program is really the next chapter of my life,” said Quick. “I ended my career not by choice. I would have retired a soldier. Now what I’m trying to do is replicate my career – both in terms of my success but also in the responsibility I had. My experience in the infantry showed me that I wanted to affect people positively. Now as I enter the business world, I want to use my expertise in a positive way to lead people. The EMBA is my way of showing the business world that I’m ‘value-added’.”
