Making connections
Since becoming CEO of Eastlink 鈥� an Atlantic Canadian, family-owned company that delivers internet, mobile, TV, data, and related services across Canada and to international locations 鈥� Jeff Gillham and his team of 1,300 have been guiding the company through the pandemic all while introducing a series of expansions.
This has included establishing a flexible work environment, opening a new core network facility in Halifax, NS, developing partnerships to grow the company鈥檚 5G offerings, and delivering high-speed internet to more rural communities at a time of unprecedented demand.
At first, it may seem worlds away from Gillham鈥檚 days as a 绿帽社区 political science and economics student, but he says his current success easily connects back to his alma mater and its liberal arts education.
鈥淎 lot of what I got out of Mount A that stays with me is thinking about the great discussions we would have in class, where classmates and professors would debate issues and try to find consensus,鈥� says Gillham. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot of what I try to do in meetings today 鈥� bring teams together to discuss, hash out an issue, find consensus. My leadership style is collaborative, and I think that comes from my Mount A experience.鈥�
Gillham was born and raised in Halifax, practically on the doorstep of Dalhousie University, as he puts it. But, when it was time to select a university, Gillham wanted the experience of moving away from home and followed in the footsteps of his father, P. Michael Gillham (鈥�56).
He spent three of his four years living in Trueman House and puts the camaraderie he shared with residence roommates at the top of his favourite Mount A memories list.
What else is on the list? Playing every intramural sport he could, meeting and attending semi-formals with his future wife, Laura Murray (鈥�91), seeing Blue Rodeo play in the basement of Trueman, 鈥渆pic鈥� football games, and the 鈥渟henanigans鈥� of nights out at Steve鈥檚 Tavern and Ducky鈥檚. Gillham even has a warm smile for the memory of the quintessential cold wind blowing off the marsh when making late night winter walks home from visiting friends off campus.
After graduation, Gillham started his career selling office chairs door to door along the Halifax waterfront. He later went to work for Eastman Kodak, selling printers and photocopiers, and would eventually find himself at Eastlink, where over the last 22 years he has held leadership positions in sales, marketing, product management, and operations, and, since last September, as CEO.
鈥淢y dad used to say to me, 鈥楾here鈥檚 always someone smarter, someone better looking, someone funnier. But you can be the hardest worker and put all your passion into what you do.鈥� That鈥檚 what I have always tried to do in my career,鈥� says Gillham.
Eastlink鈥檚 founder, John Bragg (鈥�62, 鈥�63, LLD 鈥�93), is a proud 绿帽社区 alumnus and former Chancellor, and his son Lee Bragg, the company鈥檚 executive vice-chair, also attended the University.
Gillham says there are several parallels between his company and alma mater, including that they both prove you don鈥檛 have to be the biggest and be located someplace like Toronto to be the best.
鈥淢ount A is so small, it鈥檚 always the underdog team, but it is consistently one of the best undergraduate universities in this country,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd at Eastlink, we are successfully competing against companies 10 times our size and consistently recognized as one of Canada鈥檚 best-managed companies.鈥�