D. Hugh Gillard grew up in the heart of Central Alberta, Canada, near the small town of Coronation. Born in 1948 with a cleft lip and palate (CLP), and raised on a cattle ranch, he gained a unique perspective on life.
Hugh in Grade 2
Mr. Gillard started his education journey attending a one room country school before moving to the larger school in Coronation until Grade 11. His parents, having sold the ranch, retired near Okotoks, Alberta where he finished his high school. In 1972 he graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. The next year saw the start of a career in the oil and gas industry beginning as a junior accountant and rising to being President of three different companies. Mr. Gillard has served on multiple public boards of directors including Crescent Point Energy, an $18 billion dollar oil and gas company. He is a past President of the Okotoks Lions Club, past Chairman of Hospice Calgary and past Chairman of the Calgary Zoological Society.
In 1984 he married his wife Rosemary bringing with her an instant family of two teenage daughters, who have since given them the gift of five grandchildren. He and Rosemary currently reside in Calgary, Alberta.
Looking for an inspirational speaker?
Mr. Gillard has given many speeches over his career and is also available to speak at conferences, conventions or special meetings on the topic of growing up and successfully meeting the challenges of “being different”. His theme is “the challenges of CLP from the “the other side”. If you would like him to speak at your next occasion please email him at hughgillard@shaw.ca
Recently he was the Key Note Speaker at the International VPD Symposium hosted by the Nation Wide Children’s Hospital of Columbus, Ohio as well as the Guest Speaker for the Grand Rounds comprising 250 doctors plus a live TV feed to doctors at four other Children Hospitals. Comments included: “Eye opening“, “Great choice for a Key Note Speaker“, “Presentation was awesome and courageous“, “Excellent- made me much more understanding and empathetic“, “Hugh did an amazing job! Definitely a highlight of the conference!’
He also spoke at the Speech Pathologists conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “Your presentation was extremely well received by all attendees. The feedback, both written and oral, was tremendously positive.” Lori McKietiuk, RSLP, M.Sc. Registrar
All attendees at the Alberta (2014) and Manitoba (2016) College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists conference and the 2017 American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Annual Meeting (150) received a complimentary copy of the book. Recently 66 books were donated to Children’s Craniofacial Association of Dallas, Texas.
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