Aviva Canada, Mills Brokers Insurance Solutions and the Ivey Business School are advancing women in insurance

September 11, 2017 (Toronto, ON) – Exceptional women in the insurance industry are poised to enhance their careers with leadership skills. Through the Women Creating Legacy in Insurance Scholarship Fund, Aviva Canada and Mills Brokers Insurance Solutions have partnered with the Ivey Business School at Western University to offer two women trailblazers a scholarship to attend the Ivey Leadership Program.

The scholarship fund honours a leader in the insurance industry, Christie McKechnie (formerly Mills), who opened her own insurance brokerage in 1979 with a determination to succeed. With integrity, innovation and a customer-first focus, she went on to inspire women and men in the insurance sector.

As a tribute to her accomplishments, the Women Creating Legacy in Insurance Scholarship Fund is dedicated to promoting the advancement and leadership of women in insurance. Nominations are open to women aged 40 and under across Ontario who share Christie’s pursuit of excellence, commitment to innovation and dedication to putting customers at the heart of every decision.

Nominations are open until October 2, 2017 for the November Leadership Program course. Nominations for the April 2018 program will be accepted in early 2018.

“[Christie] was successful because she built her business and her relationships around the principles of integrity and accountability. She grew the business and made all business decisions based on these principles and it earned her tremendous respect from peers, employees and clients,” said Amy Mills, daughter of Christie McKechnie and President of Mills Brokers Insurance Solutions.

“We’re proud to honour Christie’s accomplishments in the insurance industry by offering other exceptional women the opportunity to advance their careers and create an extraordinary legacy,” said Jason Storah, Executive Vice President, Broker Distribution of Aviva Canada. “Our hope is that these scholarship recipients will become ambassadors for the values of this award.”

To learn more about the Women Creating Legacy in Insurance Scholarship Fund, click here and watch what inspired the scholarship fund or visit https://www.avivacanada.com/women-creating-legacy.

Notes to editors:

  • Ranked as one of the top executive education providers globally by Financial Times, the Ivey Leadership Program is a one-week enrichment course that teaches recipients to think more strategically, enhance their leadership abilities and address complex management issues.
  • Ivey Business School offers the Ivey Leadership Program to leaders who want to develop their leadership potential and make the shift from managing to leading. Through case studies, team-building exercises, a 360-degree assessment and post-program coaching, students form a deeper self-awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses as a leader and develop skills to drive performance, orchestrate change and develop a leadership culture within their organizations.


About Aviva Canada:

Aviva Canada is one of the leading property and casualty insurance groups in the country, providing home, automobile, leisure/lifestyle and business insurance to 2.9 million customers. A subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, Aviva Canada has more than 4,000 employees focused on creating a bright and sustainable future for our customers and our communities.

Aviva Canada invests in positive change through the Aviva Community Fund, Canada’s longest running online community funding competition, which has awarded $7.5 million to over 250 charities and community groups nationwide since its inception in 2009.


For more information visit Aviva Canada’s Corporate Responsibility page, Aviva Canada’s blogTwitterFacebook and LinkedIn pages. 

Media Contacts:

Liz Wood
Aviva Canada Inc.
Mobile: 437-346-1924
Email: elizabeth.wood@aviva.com