Section 1: About the Board of Directors
The ACE Canada Board of Directors consists of a small group of undergraduate student leaders from different post-secondary institutions across Canada who embody the organization’s values and support a network of over 1,300 members nationwide. The short abbreviation of the Board of Directors shall be BoD. This team, also referred to as the Board or the Executive Team, plays an important role in shaping ACE Canada’s direction, retaining organizational knowledge, enhancing its programs, and serving as role models for members. Each year, the incoming President(s) appoints the Board for a one year term, entrusting them with decision making responsibilities that lead the organization forward. Within the Board, the terms Board member and executive member are used interchangeably.

Section 2: Board of Directors Positions
The ACE Canada Board of Directors consist of the following appointed positions:

• President (1) or Co-Presidents (2)

• Executive Vice President (1)

• Vice President of Strategy and Operations (1)

• Vice President of Chapter Development (1)

• Vice President of Partnerships (1)

• Vice President of Delegate Experience (1)

• Vice President of Marketing (1)

• Junior Vice President (1)

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The short abbreviation of the Executive Vice President position shall be EVP. The short abbreviation of the Junior Vice President position shall be JVP. The structure of these roles may be adjusted at the discretion of the President(s). Positions may be combined or split to better align with organizational needs. For example, the Vice President of Strategy and Operations and Vice President of Chapter Development may be merged into a single Vice President of Chapter Development and Strategy role. Alternatively, the Vice President of Strategy and Operations position may be divided into two distinct roles: Vice President of Strategy and Vice President of Operations. Additionally, roles may be shared by two Board members. For instance, the Vice President of Marketing position could be held jointly by two individuals as Co-Vice Presidents of Marketing.

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Section 3: Duties of Each Position

President or Co-Presidents

• Provide strategic leadership and set the overall direction for ACE Canada

• Facilitate monthly Board meetings, setting clear agendas and ensuring productive discussions

• Establish and oversee the execution of short-term and long-term organizational goals

• Represent ACE Canada in external relations, including corporate sponsors, university partners, and industry professionals

• Oversee the Board of Directors application and selection process, ensuring strong leadership transitions

• Preside over Board meetings, Advisory Board meetings, Nationals, and networking events

• Maintain ongoing check-ins with the Executive Vice President to review Board progress and address challenges

• Provide mentorship and support to Board members, ensuring accountability and alignment with ACE Canada’s mission

• Drive the growth and impact of ACE Canada by expanding its chapter network, 
  strengthening programming, and building long-term partnerships

• Lead the review and amendment of the ACE Canada Constitution to ensure it remains relevant of the organization’s evolving goals

• Act as the final decision maker on organizational challenges

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Executive Vice President

• Fill as the acting President in their absence, assuming leadership responsibilities as needed

• Serve as the primary liaison between the President(s) and Board members

• Provide regular portfolio updates to the President(s), identifying successes and areas for improvement

• Maintain ongoing check-ins with Board members, ensuring that all portfolios are progressing effectively

• Assist in the planning and execution of Nationals, the Annual General Meeting, and the Board Retreat

• Support cross-functional collaboration between portfolios, ensuring smooth operations and project execution

• Help troubleshoot challenges within Board portfolios, ensuring solutions are implemented effectively

• Ensure all Board initiatives uphold ACE Canada’s values, mission, and strategic goals

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Vice President of Strategy and Operations

• Collaborate ongoingly with the Vice President of Marketing and the Executive Vice President

• Leading operational strategy and smooth planning and execution of Nationals

• Co-developing a social media schedule with the Vice President of Marketing

• Communicate directly with sponsors on Nationals logistics

• Creating new and creative ways to increase delegate engagement with the Board of Directors

• Managing the logistics relating to events (i.e. networking sessions, Nationals)

• Leading the Annual General Meeting, Nationals, and the Board of Directors Retreat

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Vice President of Chapter Development

• Conduct structured chapter development meetings to hand-tailor chapter level communication and success

• Support the transition of new chapters into the ACE Canada family

• Maintain regular communication with chapter Presidents to foster relationships and provide ongoing support

• Work with chapter executives to resolve issues at the chapter level

• Add contributions to the Chapter Development Guide

• Provide guidance for new and existing chapters

• Address simple inquiries and requests from chapters and delegates

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Vice President of Partnerships

• Advance the programming goals of the organization and upholding the ACE Canada reputation

• Develop and maintain corporate relationships with longstanding sponsors of ACE Canada

• Constant and consistent accountability through team meetings, and corporate points of contact

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Marketing and the Vice President of Strategy and Operations to integrate sponsors to Nationals

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Delegate Experience to write any case studies or materials sponsored by partner firms

• Secure funds and partnerships for the school year

• Lead the planning of networking events

• Connect to industry professionals to be speakers at workshops and professional development events

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Vice President of Delegate Experience

• Work with chapters hosting Invitationals to relay advice and ACE Canada writing standards

• Make updates to the case formats and expectations as seen fit

• Review and verify the cases of all chapters hosting Invitationals and provide feedback

• Ensure the integrity and originality of all chapter-level case materials

• Act as the ongoing case-related resource for chapters and delegates

• Develop the case material for individual, teams, and special cases for Nationals

• Correspond with the Vice President of Partnerships for special categories

• Writing cases by collaborating with sponsors

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Vice President of Marketing

• Build a creative vision with the Board of Directors in ACE Canada’s strategic positioning

• Guide and build the public image of the organization, advance the programming goals of the organization

• Serve as a direct resource to chapter presidents and the Board of Directors

• Collaborate with the Vice President of Partnerships and Vice President of Strategy and Operations to keep synchronous flow of branding materials

• Create and produce tangible and intangible media for conferences, such as PowerPoint presentations (videos included), scheduled social media, and conference materials (lanyards, padfolios, T-shirts, etc.)

• Managing social media accounts including Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and website

• Organize and facilitate marketing operations and communications at Nationals

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Junior Vice President

• Rotate between portfolios on the Board of Directors based on the season

• Develop new initiatives and provide feedback on current ideas

• Provide the perspective and advocate for younger year interests

• Diversify skills by systematically working with all portfolios to determine strengths and area(s) of interests

 

Section 4: Term of Office
The term of office for all Board members shall commence on March 1st of the current year and conclude on February 28th (or 29th in a leap year) of the following year. Board members may be dismissed from their role at any time throughout the term with the approval of at least 66% of the Board members. In the event of a dismissal vote, a confidential voting form from the President(s) shall be sent to all Board members, excluding the Board member in question. The excluded Board member shall not participate in the vote and will not be provided with the voting form. All votes must be submitted within a specified deadline, after which the results will be tallied and communicated to the Board.

Section 5: President(s) Election Procedure
Immediately prior to the ACE Canada Nationals Conference, the Board of Directors will conduct an internal election to select the incoming President(s) for the following BoD cycle. This election process must be completed before Nationals.

 

• Eligibility to Run:

  • Any current Board member is eligible to run for the position of President as an individual candidate. Those wishing to run as Co-Presidents must do so jointly with another current Board member as a pair.

• Election Presentation:

  • Candidates must present to the Board of Directors, outlining their qualifications, vision for the organization, and what they aim to contribute in the role.

• Voting Process:

  • After all presentations are complete, a majority vote is held among the Board of Directors to determine the incoming President(s). All candidates and the current President(s) are excluded from voting.

    • ​The election will be facilitated and monitored by the current President(s).

    • If the current President(s) wishes to re-run, the Executive Vice President will oversee the election and will also be exempt from voting.

    • If both the current President(s) and Executive Vice President are running, a Board member who is not participating in the election will be appointed to oversee the process and will also be exempt from voting.

• Tied Vote:

  • In the event of a tie, the election monitor (i.e., the President(s), the Executive Vice President, or Board member) will cast the deciding vote.

• Single Candidate Scenarios:

  • If only one Board member declares interest in the presidency, they may be automatically elected.

  • If no Board members are interested, the election may be opened to Chapter Presidents. If only one Chapter President declares interest, they may also be automatically elected.

• No Candidates Scenario:

  • If no candidates from either the Board or Chapter Presidents express interest, the current President(s) may determine an appropriate course of action for selecting the next President(s).

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Section 6: President(s) Impeachment Procedure
If, at any point during the academic year, the Board of Directors determines that the President or one of the Co-Presidents is unfit to fulfill their role, the following process must be followed:

• A formal letter of impeachment must be written, clearly outlining the reasoning behind the proposed removal.

• This letter must be signed by at least 2/3 of the Board of Directors, indicating a collective agreement to proceed with the impeachment.

• This signed letter must be submitted to the Advisory Board for record and review.

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If there is only one President:

• Upon successful impeachment, the Executive Vice President will assume the presidency for the remainder of the presidential term.

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If there are two Co-Presidents:

• If only one Co-President is impeached, the remaining Co-President may choose to:

  • Continue as the Sole President, or

  • Appoint the Executive Vice President to serve as Co-President alongside them for the remainder of the term.

• If both Co-Presidents are impeached, the Executive Vice President will assume the presidency for the remainder of the presidential term.

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Section 7: Board of Directors Appointment Procedure
The hiring process for the incoming ACE Canada Board of Directors will take place anytime after the ACE Canada Nationals Conference and before the last day of February of the same year. This process is led by the incoming President(s). Application Process:

• An official recruitment email must be sent to all ACE Canada delegates via their registered email addresses. This email will include the ACE Canada Board of Directors Application Form.

• Eligibility: Any current ACE Canada delegate or Board member may apply.

• Note: All current Board members who wish to return for another term must re-apply through the same application form.

• After the application deadline, a selected group of applicants will be invited to proceed to the interview stage based on the quality of their applications, at the discretion of the incoming presidents.

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Interview Process:

• Applicants will be interviewed by the incoming President(s).

• At the discretion of the President(s), Advisory Board members may be present during the interviews.

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Final Selection:

• Upon completion of all interviews, the incoming President(s) will assign successful candidates to their respective Board of Directors roles for the upcoming term.

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Section 8: Board of Directors Meetings
All members of the Board of Directors are required to attend monthly Board meetings, which serve as a platform for each portfolio to present updates on their progress and initiatives. These meetings are chaired by the President(s). In the event that the President(s) is unavailable, the meeting will be chaired by the Executive Vice President. If a Board member is unable to attend a meeting, they must notify the President(s) or the Board member chairing that meeting at least 48 hours in advance, providing a clear explanation for their absence. Any Board member who misses more than half of the scheduled Board meetings during the academic year will be automatically dismissed from their role.

Section 9: Quorum
A quorum for Board of Directors meetings is defined as at least 50% of current Board members. For any vote conducted during a meeting to be considered valid and binding, quorum must be met at the time of the vote.

Section 10: Board Retreat
At the start of the Board of Directors’ term, the President(s) will organize a Board Retreat with a goal of fostering team bonding and building a strong working relationship among Board members. The retreat also serves as a strategic opportunity to plan operations and set priorities for the upcoming academic year. Attendance at the Board Retreat is mandatory for all Board members. Advisory Board members are welcome to attend at their discretion.

Section 11: How to Remain in Good Standing within the Board of Directors
Board members are required to sign the ACE Canada Board of Directors Contract in order to fulfill their role during the academic year. By signing the contract, the Board member agrees to the full understanding of responsibilities and satisfactory execution as a Board member. Failure to execute responsibilities to a satisfactory standard may result in removal with the approval of at least 66% of the Board members. A confidential vote will be conducted among all Board members, excluding the Board member in question. Board members are expected to always act in the best interests of the chapters and greater organization, attempting to maximize stakeholder value as well as ensure the organization provides values to delegates. Any Board member who fails to act respectfully and professionally while representing ACE Canada will undergo disciplinary action, and potential removal of their duties at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Professional Responsibilities:

• Board members are expected to act in the utmost professionalism while in their role. They are not free to publicly speak negatively of ACE Canada members, chapter executives, Board members, Advisory Board members, sponsors, or any stakeholder that they represent, in any capacity. They will refrain from disparaging actions and keep  personal views out of the professional realms of the ACE Canada community. Failure to do so could result in potential removal from position at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

• It is expected that Board members treat others with common courtesy and respect, and maintain professional relationships with all chapter executives and Board members; if a Board member acts or is perceived to act in a manner that is not to the highest standard of professionalism, the individual may be removed from their role. This includes but is
  not limited to the following expectations:

  • Not violate the law

  • Represent someone else’s work as their own

  • Engage in any manner of sexual conduct/harassment that may discredit the organization including

    • Written and verbal comments and any unwanted physical conduct whether they are acting as a Board member or not

  • Discriminate against others for any reason

  • Failing to disclose a conflict of interest

  • Excess drinking of alcohol at ACE Canada events

  • Using profane language with chapter executives or corporate partners

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Duties:

• The Board of Directors is expected to meet the responsibilities for their respective role.

• It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure that all emails and communication is responded to within 24 hours of being received.

• Any communication that is labelled as urgent must be responded within 12 hours of being received.

• It is expected that the Board provides their phone numbers and makes themselves available to receive urgent communication.

• It is the responsibility of the Board to attend all monthly Board meetings. Board members must notify the President(s) or the Board member chairing the meeting 48 hours prior to the meeting if they cannot attend and an explanation as to why they are unable to attend. Any Board member who misses more than 50% of the monthly meetings will be automatically removed from their role.

• All Board members are expected to attend all ACE Canada events which are deemed to be mandatory by the President(s); and actively represent the Board and its interests at events run by local chapters.

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Confidentiality:

• Board members must understand that there will be information shared with them by the organization members and external parties that will be sensitive in nature, and it is expected of them that the information will be contained in the professional realms of the ACE Canada community and will not be shared with inappropriate parties. If sensitive 
  information is shared to inappropriate parties or there is reason to believe slander, libel, or defamation has occurred, removal from position will take effect immediately.

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Refundable Role Deposits:

• Members of the Board may be asked to deposit $250, per Board member, to be reimbursed in full upon successful completion of their respective role. Deposits are to be held by ACE Canada.

• Successful completion of a Board role is defined as the fulfillment of the role’s duties to the satisfaction of the President(s) throughout the entire term, and the absence of termination for causes outlined in the agreement, subject to dismissal procedures and reasonings listed herein.

• In the event of forfeiture due to termination, the $250 deposit will compensate ACE Canada for financial expenditures from the Board Retreat, and other miscellaneous expenses incurred to ACE Canada on behalf of the Board member.

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Reimbursements:

• Any Board member that is caught abusing funds, lying about expenses or helping others deceive the Board’s process will be removed from their role immediately.

  • All expenses the Board members incurs while in their role for the organization’s operation will be reimbursed upon providing adequate receipts and records.

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Enforcement:

• Any Board member found to have been in violation of the ACE Canada Board of Directors Contract including the Vice President Professional Code of Conduct could be subjected to disciplinary action, up to and including termination from their position at the discretion of the President(s).

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Conflicts of Interest:

• Academics are paramount and as a Board member, it is important to remain a positive role model for the students, and remain in good academic standing.

• It is always expected that Board members meet position requirements, with limitations as discussed with the President(s). Failure to do so could result in removal from office.

• It is prohibited for members of the Board to participate in Nationals or chapter Invitational events. Members of the Board are barred from holding any chapter-level office that has decisive capacity. As representatives of ACE Canada, Board members are expected to remain objective in all chapter-related matters, especially those concerning their home school.

• Each Board member shall not pursue operations substantially similar to, or in direct competition with ACE Canada during the term of their position at ACE Canada.

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Section 12: Conflict
Conflict must be reported through official documentation. The steps when faced with conflict are as follows:

1. Send an official complaint or notice to the respective party outlining the conflict.

2. If the behaviour does not change in a suitable time frame, progress the process by filling out the Conflict Reporting Form (CRF) and sending it to the ACE Canada President(s) by email. Once this CRF is submitted, the ACE Canada President(s) will give an official written warning to the respective party; and if behaviour continues, there will be a conduct meeting between the ACE Canada President(s) and the appropriate parties to discuss disciplinary action.

 

Conflict within a chapter level executive team must be reported through official documentation. The steps when faced with conflict are as follows:

1. Send an official complaint or notice to the respective party outlining the conflict.

2. If the behaviour does not change in a suitable time frame, progress the process by escalating to the chapter’s governing business student association (BSA).

3. Should the issue persist, and no action is taken accordingly, proceed by filling out a Conflict Resolution Form (CRF) and sending it to the ACE Canada President(s) by email.

4. Once this CRF is submitted, the ACE Canada President(s) will give an official written warning to the respective party; and if the behaviour continues, there will be a conduct meeting between the ACE Canada President(s) and the appropriate parties to discuss disciplinary action and possible chapter probation or removal of the chapter President(s)

   • Any and all communication about an individual or group of individuals outside an official conflict meeting between the ACE Canada President(s), VP of Chapter Development and the respective parties is considered to be a breach of trust and will be in violation of the Code of Conduct and will be removed from their position.

   • In addition to the prior point, individuals may consult with the President(s) or VP of Chapter Development about any conflicts or challenges. Such parties are held to a higher code as explained below.

   • In order to mitigate conflicts, the President(s) of ACE Canada and the Board members will initiate management meetings with their teams to ensure team morale is adequate.