Who Was Your Most Inspiring Teacher?

Daniel Shapiro, Amiee Chan, and Gregor Roberson, on the teachers that inspired them most. DANIEL SHAPIRO, dean, faculty of business ?administration, SFU?

daniel-shapiro-amiee-chan-gregor-robertson_5.jpg
From left: Daniel Shapiro, of SFU’s Facilty of Business Admin.
; Amiee Chan, of Norsat International Inc.
; and Gregor Robertson, mayor of the City of Vancouver

Daniel Shapiro, Aimee Chan, and Gregor Roberson, on the teachers that inspired them most.


DANIEL SHAPIRO, dean, faculty of business 
administration, SFU


“Ms. Jago, my high-school math teacher, always struck me as being very old, but I don’t know that she really was. She was an exceptionally talented person. She ran the class like a drill sergeant and was known for her discipline, but she also conveyed an incredible sense of accomplishment when we succeeded. She consistently challenged all of us to be better and taught me that failing was OK, as you actually learn from it.”

AMIEE CHAN, president and CEO, Norsat International Inc.


“Before I graduated from my bachelor’s program, I was trying to decide my career path when the professor for my PhD project, Dr. Kharadly, told me to follow my passion and not just do what’s in vogue. I am where I am today because of the path I selected. During my PhD, it was the thinking process that he really taught me: how to solve a problem. So now, whenever I have an impossible task, I think back to how I would have accomplished it then.”

GREGOR ROBERTSON, mayor, City of Vancouver


“My friend and business partner Randal Ius who I started Happy Planet with. We went to high school together, but our relationship really transformed when we went into business. Randal is a passionate guy about his work and that spirit was infectious. The “follow your passion” maxim definitely applied. That inspiration really creates success. It’s a driving force. It was a big influence for me in pursuing work that I really wanted to do in the world.”