Established businesswoman looks to support young women entering the field
- Angela Hill | March 19, 2018
Patricia Cook really enjoys going to work.
“I’ve had great opportunity, I think it’s a great organization and I really enjoy what I do, so that keeps me coming back that’s for sure.”
On any given day, the vice president of corporate affairs for the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), could be working with her team to create a community event, prepare an executive report or go out to a community to see where financial support is really needed.
Cook has recently met with Saskatoon’s mayor to invite him to a charity pancake breakfast set for August. She also talks with excitement about SIGA’s second year of sponsorship for a summer basketball tournament in Saskatoon that will see more youth from the north attend.
“So that’s something that I think is a high priority for us is making sure our children are included in different types of activities coming through the province.”
Work hard, stay focused on goals, get good supports in place, Cook said about what she would tell youth. There are many good role models out there right now, she said mentioning basketball player Michael Linklater and hockey player Brigette Lacquette.
“We have lots of young people who are doing great things out in our community.”
While SIGA has an employee volunteer program that has Cook and her team serving lunches at the Friendship Inn, she also donates her time outside of work. Cook sits on several boards including the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Cook said early in her career she received a good piece of advice from a friend and professor about the importance of setting boundaries.
“She said, ‘don’t let work consume you, don’t become a workaholic,’” Cook said.
“Because family is critically important to me, I think that helps keep me balanced.”
Cook and her husband recently celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary, with their two adult children, five grandchildren and one great grandchild.
“I recognize how important family is and so I try and make sure I balance my work life with exercising and sleeping well and trying to eat well.”
Another thing that Cook said she thinks is incredibly important is to keep growing and challenging yourself. Two years ago, at age 56, Cook went back to school on Fridays and Saturdays to work towards receiving her MBA.
“It was a bit of a challenge going back to school, but it was so fun to be part of a great cohort. It really gave me a different perspective of community economic development,” she said.
Cook is currently working on her final paper with the plan to graduate in April.
Being a woman in business presented some challenges in her career over time, but Cook said she was lucky to have good supports. Cook says among her role models was her mother, someone she truly admired, and the president and CEO of SIGA, Zane Hansen. Now that she is established, Cook said she looks to support young women coming into business.