About
ARLENE DICKINSON
CEO
Venture Communications Ltd.
Arlene Dickinson is a 20-year veteran in marketing communications, and is president and CEO of Venture Communications Ltd.
After joining Venture as a partner in 1988, Arlene took over sole ownership in 1998. Her vision has driven Venture’s growth, successfully building it from a local firm into one of Canada’s largest independent marketing firms, with offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa.
Her accomplishments, vision and leadership have been recognized with several honours and awards. They include: Global Television Woman of Vision; the Calgary Business Owner of the Year Award; PROFIT magazine’s TOP 100 Women Business Owners, 2001 to 2006; a winner of the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence; Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100, 2003 to 2006; Ad Rodeo’s Lifetime Achievement Award; and Marketing Magazine’s Power List. Venture has been recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies.
As an entrepreneur, Arlene understands her clients’ focus on the bottom line. She believes strongly that marketing’s efforts must be accountable to senior executives against the same business goals and objectives as all other business units. She has led her company to change the landscape of marketing by developing a unique methodology and software reporting tool which provide clients with a means of understanding marketing’s contribution to their business. This is a revolutionary concept in an industry not known for speaking in the language of business.
In addition to her busy roles as president of Venture, mother of four children and grandmother of one, Arlene finds time to lend her skills and leadership to benefit the industry and the community. She served for many years and in various board roles – including chair – with Ad Rodeo and is past co-chair of the National Board for Kids Help Phone. She is a director of the Calgary Municipal Lands Corporation, 2016 Homeless Foundation, a member of the International Women’s Federation (IWF) and a director of the Recreation for Life Foundation. As well, Venture does extensive pro bono work for several non-profit organizations.