Nancy Southern is one of the most influential women in Canadian business. A successful leader, she is bold and passionate about creating a better future and is a staunch advocate for human rights. Despite managing some of the world’s most successful companies, Nancy has remained committed to the southern Alberta community and has been involved in numerous charitable initiatives. Learn more about her journey to success on calgaryski.net.
Daughter of the Famous Southern Family
Nancy was born and raised in Calgary, in the family of Ronald and Margaret Southern. In 1947, while still in high school, Ronald, along with his father, founded ATCO (then known as Alberta Trailer Co.) in Calgary, each investing $2,000. The company began with just five people, initially renting 15 trailers in the city and surrounding areas, before they started selling them. After graduating from the University of Alberta, Ronald began working full-time at ATCO, where he scaled the company into a global corporation with thousands of employees. By the early 1960s, ATCO was already operating across North America and in Australia.
In 1968, the company became publicly traded. In the 1970s, it expanded into the natural gas and oil industries, and in the next decade, into electricity. Among its subsidiaries are power generation companies, natural gas production and distribution companies, and construction companies. ATCO provided various services in gas and electricity distribution, drilling, pipeline construction, logistics, workforce housing sales, leasing, and more.
By 2016, ATCO employed more than 8,000 people worldwide. Ronald had grown from a startup entrepreneur to a respected giant in Canadian business. His story proves that a company can be created with minimal startup capital and transformed into a business empire.
Ronald actively participated in the boards of some of Canada’s most prestigious companies. He represented Canada in the Trilateral Commission, which consists of representatives from North America, Western Europe, and Asia, focusing on global issues. In 1986, he was awarded Canada’s highest honor, the Order of Canada.
Margaret Southern, early in her career, joined the University of Calgary, becoming the first female physical education instructor at the campus. Over her career, she participated in various business, community, and nonprofit boards.
For 61 years, Ronald and Margaret worked on the Spruce Meadows equestrian center. Construction of the complex began in 1973, and it opened to the public two years later. The first equestrian tournament took place in 1976. Spruce Meadows hosts both outdoor and indoor equestrian tournaments, various conferences and exhibitions, and show-jumping competitions. The center also has its own film studio that produces a series on equestrian competitions, aired in over 100 countries, along with other special programs.
Spruce Meadows is also a breeding, training, and sales center for Hanoverian horses. From 1975 to 2022, the world-class center welcomed athletes from more than 60 countries. The Southerns proved that equestrian sports could be accessible to the public, not just the elite.
In 1987, Margaret was honored with the Order of Canada. The couple lived happily together until Ronald’s passing in 2016 at the age of 85. Ronald led a vibrant life full of adventure. A competent and passionate businessman, he was also fair and demanding, completely devoted to both his business and family, and of course, to Alberta.
Nancy’s Career
Nancy Southern studied economics and commerce at the University of Calgary and built a successful career. In 1989, she became co-chair of Canadian Utilities before being appointed CEO in 2012.
Canadian Utilities is a subsidiary of ATCO that generates electricity, provides utility services (transportation and distribution of natural gas and electricity), and manages global operations in technology, logistics, and energy services. On a global scale, the company provides energy to homes, businesses, and industries, offering reliable, customer-focused solutions.
In 2003, Southern also became president and CEO of ATCO. Over the years, she held positions as Executive Vice President at Spruce Meadows, Director of AKITA Drilling (a North American land drilling contractor), Sentgraf Enterprises (providing industrial services), and Honorary Director at BMO Financial Group, one of Canada’s largest banks.
Southern is a member of the U.S. Business Council, the American Society of Corporate Executives, and a Canadian representative on the Trilateral Commission. She is also a member of the Business Council of Canada, the Business Council of Alberta, the Advisory Board of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, and the South Australian Minerals and Oil Experts Group.
Philanthropy and Social Issues
Nancy Southern has made numerous charitable contributions to various organizations. She has been an advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples, and in 2012, she was made an honorary chief of the Kainai (Blood Tribe of Alberta) and given the name Aksistoowa’paakii.
Nancy is a passionate advocate for women’s rights in business. In 2015, at the request of then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Southern joined 100 other global leaders at the G7 Forum for a dialogue with women. Additionally, former Canadian Finance Minister James Michael Flaherty appointed Nancy to the Economic Advisory Council and a committee led by Minister for Women, Kellie Leitch, to provide consultation to the federal government on how to encourage more women into leadership roles within Canadian companies.
Recognition
In 2011, Alberta Venture Magazine awarded Nancy the title of Entrepreneur of the Year, and in 2005, Nancy was named Businesswoman of the Year by the Consumer’s Choice Awards.
In 2012, she received the Peter Lougheed Award for leadership, and the following year, she was awarded the T. Patrick Boyle Founder’s Award for entrepreneurship from the Fraser Institute. In 2014, the University of Calgary awarded Southern its highest academic honor, an honorary law degree, in recognition of her significant achievements and active public service.
In 2016, Fortune magazine named her one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, and in 2017, she was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and awarded an honorary law degree from the University of Western Ontario.
In 2018, the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy awarded Southern the Distinguished Policy Fellow Award in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Canadian public policy, and the University of Alberta’s School of Business presented her with the Canadian Business Leader Award.
In October 2020, Southern was awarded the British Empire Medal for her contributions to British equestrian, military, and commercial interests in Alberta.
