Corporate Advisory Board

The establishment of the Corporate Advisory Board marks yet another exciting step forward for an organization which adds impeccable value in developing business interests and aptitudes in Canadian university and high school students. Striving to deliver true value to DECA, the Board was introduced in early 2010 as a non-authoritative strategic advisory body that will continue to evolve and expand as its role becomes more defined and its value becomes more entrenched.

Mandate

To act as a support network to the missions of DECA Ontario and DECA U in a strategic advisory capacity, while fostering increased collaboration between DECA and corporate Canada for the benefit of the DECA student experience.

Role

While reinforcing the unity and supporting the sustainability of DECA Ontario and DECA U, the Corporate Advisory Board is designed around four pillars:

1. Network. Board members leverage networks of contacts and facilitate mutually beneficial relationships, while providing mentorship to student leaders.
2. Strategy. Board members introduce a long-term and strategic perspective to the operational activities carried out by the DECA leadership teams.
3. Expertise. Board members provide, and bring access to, diverse and readily available expertise in a variety of areas.
4. Ambassadorship. Board members act as ambassadors in promoting DECA across corporate Canada.

Matthew Price (Chair)

Senior Consultant, Monitor Group
Matthew Price graduated as Valedictorian and Permanent Class President of the Queen’s Bachelor of Commerce Class of 2009. During his time in university, he served as President of the Commerce Society (2008-09) and progressed from Frosh Rep to Co-Chair of the Queen’s Leadership, Excellence and Development (QLEAD) Conference. Matthew also had the good fortune to study abroad at the HEC Paris School of Management in 2008, igniting a passion for travel that has taken him to over 30 countries. From 2005 to 2008, Matthew was President of DECA U, tasked with re-branding and re-launching the organization that has evolved into what we see today. His involvement with DECA began at Sir William Mulock Secondary School in Grade 10 and has extended to workshops and motivational speaking for DECA and other student-focused organizations, including training students for case competition, something he has experience with having finished top five at DECA ICDC, representing the Queen’s School of Business in international competition and in his current capacity as a Management Strategy Consultant with the Monitor Group. Matthew is excited to give-back to DECA and fulfill the promise and value in his latest initiative, the DECA Corporate Advisory Board.

Pari Chowdhary

Adobe Youth Voices Program Coordinator, Free the Children
Pari Chowdhary graduated from McMaster University with an Honours degree in Psychology and a minor in Biology in 2009. While at university, Pari was involved in many student leadership activities including acting as the volunteer coordinator for McMaster’s Career Services department, and advocating for Leave The Pack Behind, an organization committed to increasing awareness of the dangers of smoking and offering support to students looking to quit. Her experience working with orphans and high-risk youth in India during a trip she organized with the Rhodes Society of McMaster University inspired her to work with Free the Children (FTC) following graduation. At FTC, Pari develops and implements programming that engages youth and educators in learning and action. Over the last seven years, Pari has devoted much of her time and passion to DECA Ontario and DECA U. In 2004, she assumed the role of Bayview Secondary School’s DECA Chapter President, helping fellow students develop their marketing and business skills by training them for case competitions. After having graduated high school, Pari found that she missed the DECA experience far too much and thus founded McMaster’s DECA U Chapter in 2007 hoping to continue to hone her leadership and marketing skills and conduct meaningful service in the community as well. Pari is excited to contribute her talents to the DECA Corporate Advisory Board (CAB). DECA has provided her with the skills and means to achieve her potential and she is looking forward to what the CAB will bring to the DECA experience.

Photo Gallery

Competitive Categories

DECA U offers many categories for teams and individuals to compete in. This is a complete list of all the competitive categories this year.

What is DECA U?

Established in 2005, DECA U is a rapidly expanding, co-curricular, undergraduate business association with 2,000 engaged business minds spanning 16+ Ontario & Québec universities. Our members are involved leaders who crave a challenge, and are committed to personal and professional excellence.

As an organization, we constantly strive to create an experience unlike any other: one that our leaders, members, and partners would agree is the leading undergraduate business experience.