Kathy O’Rourke wants communities to thrive.
“If you don’t have a healthy community you don’t really have much from my perspective,” says the managing partner of Grant Thornton Limited on P.E.I.
O'Rourke was one of more than 300 people in Charlottetown recently for the accounting firm’s annual partner’s conference.
The conference’s theme, Vibrant Communities, explored how to build and support the communities of both Grant Thornton employees and their clients. This theme has been part of the firm’s annual strategy since 2018, which was based on feedback from people within the firm.
“Just having the vibrancy in community is important to people,” she said. “How do we give back?”
It’s the first time in about 35 years the conference was held on P.E.I. and it turned out to be a very appropriate location to explore this theme, she said.
Part of the conference had attendees splitting into groups and visiting several Island communities, particularly those with organizations creating and fostering community.
This includes Camp Gencheff in Stratford, Island Hill Farm in Hampshire, and the P.E.I. BioAlliance in Charlottetown.
“They were just amazed at some of the things that Prince Edward Island was accomplishing.”
O’Rourke said these examples have had a ripple effect on the communities they’re based in, and are recognized across the province because of it. Several speakers from P.E.I. also presented during the conference, such as chef Michael Smith of the Inn at Bay Fortune.
“Prince Edward Island is an amazing community," said O'Rourke.
P.E.I. is the first province to employ the strategy, which consists of events called Live Labs. The labs and the conference are less about defining how to improve community and more about being the catalyst and providing the space for people to discuss how to improve their own.
“Just to connect people and bring them together,” O’Rourke said. “To make a difference.”
Grant Thornton firms across the nation will continue to host these labs, based on insights gleaned from P.E.I.
