Employee Spotlight
Ken Heckbert
Chief Financial Officer - Retired
“I had always wanted to work at Holland College, so it was an exciting day,” recalled Ken. “Meeting so many people, learning about how everybody worked together – it was a fun day. I was very happy.”
When asked about his favourite memory about Holland College, Ken said it would be impossible to narrow it down to just one.
“After 22 years, I have had so many great memories. So much has happened,” said Ken. “What I’ll remember most are the many great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with along the way.”
“A lot has changed at Holland College since 1999,” said Ken. “All I have to do is look out my office window to see some of the significant changes. Where the CAST building stands now, that was a parking lot. Glendenning Hall stands where a gas station used to be. Over the years I’ve witnessed so much growth across all campuses and centres. We opened the Summerside Waterfront Campus, the Atlantic Police Academy, the West Prince Campus, and the Georgetown Centre. And with all that came an incredible amount of new programming along with new faculty and staff.”
Beyond his work with Holland College, Ken also plays a major role in the work of the Holland College Foundation. He has been the Secretary/Treasurer on the Holland College Foundation Board of Directors since 2011.
“The Holland College Foundation has grown significantly in my time,” said Ken. “Over the years, the work of the foundation has improved supports for students and has helped enhance the college. The number of scholarships, bursaries, and awards has grown leaps and bounds. There’s been a tremendous increase in student financial aid across the board.”
On a personal note, Ken and Alison Ann have been donors to the Holland College Foundation since 2003.
“Alison Ann and I believe that Holland College is a special place,” said Ken. “This institution affects the lives of so many people individually, and it makes a difference in the businesses and industries of our Island and beyond.”
“When I was in university, scholarships and awards helped me significantly and I give now because I want to pass that on. There are highly talented people out there and some of them just need a boost,” said Ken. “With our support we are making a positive impact. I encourage everybody who can contribute to the Holland College Foundation to do so. We are all fortunate to work in a unique place where we can really make a difference.”
Ken has a few more weeks on the job before retirement officially begins. Originally, he envisioned retirement to include travel to a warmer climate for the cold months, followed by a return to the Island when the weather warms up and the golf courses open. Plans have changed slightly, until it is safer to travel.
“The day after I retire, I hope to sleep in,” said Ken. “I don’t have any concrete plans and I’m not worried about that at all - I’m actually looking forward to the unknown and figuring it out as I go. I have a lot of interests that I’d like to spend more time on, including golfing and woodworking. Alison Ann and I want to travel - I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, Scotland, and Britain. What I really want out of retirement though is to remain healthy and engaged with our family and community.”
When asked if he had any parting words for the staff and faculty at Holland College, he left us with this: “Stay within your budget!”
When asked about his favourite memory about Holland College, Ken said it would be impossible to narrow it down to just one.
“After 22 years, I have had so many great memories. So much has happened,” said Ken. “What I’ll remember most are the many great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with along the way.”
“A lot has changed at Holland College since 1999,” said Ken. “All I have to do is look out my office window to see some of the significant changes. Where the CAST building stands now, that was a parking lot. Glendenning Hall stands where a gas station used to be. Over the years I’ve witnessed so much growth across all campuses and centres. We opened the Summerside Waterfront Campus, the Atlantic Police Academy, the West Prince Campus, and the Georgetown Centre. And with all that came an incredible amount of new programming along with new faculty and staff.”
Beyond his work with Holland College, Ken also plays a major role in the work of the Holland College Foundation. He has been the Secretary/Treasurer on the Holland College Foundation Board of Directors since 2011.
“The Holland College Foundation has grown significantly in my time,” said Ken. “Over the years, the work of the foundation has improved supports for students and has helped enhance the college. The number of scholarships, bursaries, and awards has grown leaps and bounds. There’s been a tremendous increase in student financial aid across the board.”
On a personal note, Ken and Alison Ann have been donors to the Holland College Foundation since 2003.
“Alison Ann and I believe that Holland College is a special place,” said Ken. “This institution affects the lives of so many people individually, and it makes a difference in the businesses and industries of our Island and beyond.”
“When I was in university, scholarships and awards helped me significantly and I give now because I want to pass that on. There are highly talented people out there and some of them just need a boost,” said Ken. “With our support we are making a positive impact. I encourage everybody who can contribute to the Holland College Foundation to do so. We are all fortunate to work in a unique place where we can really make a difference.”
Ken has a few more weeks on the job before retirement officially begins. Originally, he envisioned retirement to include travel to a warmer climate for the cold months, followed by a return to the Island when the weather warms up and the golf courses open. Plans have changed slightly, until it is safer to travel.
“The day after I retire, I hope to sleep in,” said Ken. “I don’t have any concrete plans and I’m not worried about that at all - I’m actually looking forward to the unknown and figuring it out as I go. I have a lot of interests that I’d like to spend more time on, including golfing and woodworking. Alison Ann and I want to travel - I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, Scotland, and Britain. What I really want out of retirement though is to remain healthy and engaged with our family and community.”
When asked if he had any parting words for the staff and faculty at Holland College, he left us with this: “Stay within your budget!”