Tanya Oliver: Leading the Hub for Innovation and Mentorship
Thursday, February 20th, 2025
Tanya Oliver, inaugural director of NWP’s new Side Family Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Tanya Oliver wasn’t looking for a career change. She loved her work as CEO of the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce. But when she heard about a plan for a dedicated space to accelerate entrepreneurship and grow business in the region, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Fast forward a few months, and Tanya is now settling into her role as the inaugural director of Northwestern Polytechnic’s new Side Family Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CEE).
“Creating something like this from the ground up is super exciting,” Tanya says. “While there’s already a well-connected and supportive ecosystem for small business in Grande Prairie, building this hub will help so many businesses.”
With funding secured from the Side family, NWP and the federal government, Tanya’s first order of business is leading the Centre into reality. Their physical space will be ready in about a year when renovations transform NWP’s Trades building into the Centre’s home base (and the Trades programs finish relocating to the main campus.) In the meantime, Tanya and team are wasting no time in getting started.
“We have lofty goals,” she laughs, “and we can’t wait for the building to be ready.”
Top of the to-do list is getting the word out about the CEE and what it means for businesses. “The potential is limitless for what we can offer,” says Tanya. The Centre will be a physical hub offering a broad array of supports for small and midsize enterprises: business innovation services, mentoring, collaboration, navigators, and connections to help companies innovate, grow and compete.
The CEE’s first program is an accelerator program for established businesses, launching at the end of February. The six-week program will be led by CEE’s first entrepreneur-in-residence, Dirk Brown, a U.S.-based tech executive with expertise in digital media, international business and more.
Tanya plans to attract a second, local entrepreneur-in-residence soon. These experts will lead programming, coach, and connect one-on-one, collaborating and sharing knowledge to help boost the wealth of innovation and entrepreneurship already flourishing in the region.
When Tanya pictures the future of the Centre, she sees a space buzzing with activity. “I want it to be known as the place to connect to be successful in business. I want people to be proud to be connected with it.”
CEE will also build connections with NWP students. Tanya sees them supporting student research projects, connecting with student innovators, linking job seekers with employers, and more. Logistics and ideas continue to emerge as the Centre takes shape.
Tanya herself is a graduate of the NWP Business Admin program who discovered a love for supporting the business community after a start in banking. “I really love collaborating with a collective to arrive at the best outcome,” she says. “I know it’s a cliché, but people are better together.”
Her advice for the students of today is that it’s okay not to know what you want to do, saying, “It’s just as important to learn what you don’t want to do.” Also important? “Stay in our region. I challenge students to see that there are so many good reasons to stay.” Tanya praises the diversity of industry in and around Grande Prairie, noting that it allows people to access different opportunities earlier in their careers. “Potential can be realized faster here.”
Tanya’s passion and appreciation for Grande Prairie are obvious. She loves being part of a community and is working to make it better for future generations, including her three children. She’s excited to help build the Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence into a place that nurtures growth and innovation in an area already rich with opportunity.
“In Grande Prairie, we know what makes us special,” she reflects. “Any chance to share that is welcome.”
