After 25 years of dedicated volunteering, Sam Thiara continues to bring richness to Leaders of Tomorrow program

Sam Thiara is a storyteller, educator, and coach dedicated to helping individuals uncover their unique paths.

Among founding Ignite the Dream Coaching and Consulting and working as an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University's Beedie School of Business, Sam is a devoted volunteer with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) program, which he has been involved in ever since its inception in 1999. 

LOT pairs post-secondary students in their final year of studies (the mentees) with an experienced local business professional (the mentors), bridging the gap between education and the professional world and setting students up for success after graduation. 

At the LOT 2024-2025 cohort graduation and 2025-2026 cohort welcome event, Sam was awarded a certificate recognizing his dedication to the LOT program over the past 25 years and commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders. 

In recognition of this achievement, GVBOT asked Sam to share his LOT story and insights into growing and becoming a leader.   

Why did you choose to get involved with LOT 25 years ago and what has motivated you to stay engaged?

When I graduated from university many many years ago (not a typo), I never had support and very little support was provided at the time to navigate jobs, careers or life. I remember, after graduating, writing letters to companies looking for work and sending out letter after letter. I wound up with 86 rejections letters that I still keep as a reminder of my challenging time. My first job did happen, and it was being a janitor in a hospital. That was my starting point.

Within the last 25 years, I have worked at ICBC, the Olympic Bid, and now SFU. I saw the value that LOT provides to students, and I needed to be a part of it so I could share my lessons. I would not have believed that after 25 years I would be able to continue to engage and support the individual journey of not just my mentee but the cohort itself. I will always make myself available to speak with anyone who needs help navigating life and career.

I also learn so much from the participants of LOT. They bring so much richness, experiences and ideas forward. I have stayed engaged because of them and being in the company of doers and those who will not be bystanders in life. I share with each mentee I engage with, or conversation with a mentor, that if you ever see me at an LOT or GVBOT event, ask me for a piece of the puzzle and its meaning. The analogy represents why I have been part of the LOT program for so long and it brings comfort to those I share the story with.

Tell us about the various roles you've played in LOT over the years, from volunteering as a mentor to serving on the committee.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to receive mentees from various post-secondary schools. Equally, I have been a pseudo mentor to anyone who needs a conversation, and I don’t take away from their assigned mentor. I have always been available to promote the program at institutions, and, more recently, the last two years I have been the Vice Chair and now Chair. It has been an amazing ride because of the organizers of LOT, the mentees, mentors, and partner agencies and schools who support the program. I live by the words, ‘One must not only be visible but equally memorable.’ So, whatever capacity LOT needs, I will be there to support the tremendous work they do.

I am also called upon to be an ambassador for LOT, and I will always be out in the community sharing the benefits of the program. For the last many years, I have been doing an information session on mentorship for the orientation and interviews for incoming mentees. I will always attend as many events as I can to engage with the mentees, mentors, school representatives, and partners who attend.

What is one accomplishment you are most proud of from your time with LOT?

If I may, there are two accomplishments that I appreciate. The first is that in 2010-2011, I nominated my mentee for the Mentee of the Year Award. He ended up winning the award that year, and I was so proud as he had demonstrated so much growth. What surprised me is that he also nominated me, and I was the recipient of the Mentor of the Year Award, so we both swept the categories. I was pleased to see him receive the award and surprised that I won.

The other accomplishment I am proud of, and equally surprised by, was the certificate awarded for 25 years of being a part of LOT. This one surprised me and it was presented to me by the Immediate Past Chair, Sarah Munro.

Given that you've been with LOT for 25 years, how have you seen the program affect the local business community, especially when it comes to the next generation of business leaders?

What I have seen is a transition and rise in the different schools that have embraced the LOT program. In the beginning, it was really only SFU, UBC, and BCIT entering in at the ground floor. But over time, we saw Langara College, KPU and private institutions like New York Tech Vancouver, Ascenda School of Management, Fairleigh Dickinson University Vancouver, and University Canada West. There has been a richness in the participants of LOT.

The LOT program has four pillars—leadership, volunteering, networking, and mentorship. Those four areas engage our communities through events and community initiatives. With six active committees that focus on communication, campus connection, community outreach, regional civic affairs, diversity equity and inclusion, and engagement, our members of LOT are active participants.

Our mentors come from all sorts of industries, and some are long standing mentors to those who are coming for the first time. The mentors realize the importance of supporting the student who is about to graduate, so they have brought a depth and wealth of information from various sectors.