MRU welcomes new vice-president, finance and administration

Mount Royal University is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael (Mike) Lam as vice-president, finance and administration, effective Aug. 25.

Lam comes to Mount Royal following an extensive search and will lead the Finance and Administration Division, which encompasses many aspects of the University’s non-academic operations, including finance, commercial operations, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, internal audit, Event and Theatre Services, and Facilities Management. The division provides a high level of administrative service, enhances the quality of campus life and ensures fiscal responsibility.

Dr. Tim Rahilly, PhD, president and vice-chancellor at MRU, expressed his deep thanks to members of the cross-campus search committee for their time and efforts in the recruitment process while pointing to the attributes and talents of Lam that stood out.

“Mike’s background and expertise, in addition to his affection for MRU, made him a fantastic fit for this position. His extensive experience in public sector service and connections to the community are just some of the attributes that drew us to him. We look forward to welcoming Mike into the Mount Royal University community,” Rahilly says.

As a long-time Calgarian, Lam attended the MRU Conservatory for piano lessons, and now his children are following in his footsteps. Years later, he looks forward to being part of the MRU community again.

“I am excited to be joining the vibrant MRU community and supporting the success of our students, faculty and staff by continuing to provide efficient and exceptional administrative services to the organization. The caring, inclusive and supportive student-first culture and people, the beautiful, centrally-located campus and the vision and plans for the future to support student growth and success are only a few of the things that drew me to MRU," Lam says.

Lam is a finance executive and chartered professional accountant with more than 25 years of experience, particularly in large and complex public sector organizations. Of those 25, he has spent nearly 20 years working for Alberta Health Services as the chief program officer, financial operations, and as the interim vice-president corporate services and CFO, senior director, financial reporting and treasury, and other roles. He is a collaborative and results-oriented leader, committed to developing and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders, as well as developing engaged teams and strong leaders.

Prior to joining AHS, Lam held positions with EY Calgary and the City of Calgary. He also currently serves on various health-care-related boards.