Profile of Doug Hildebrand, CGA


Originally from Port Colborne, Doug Hildebrand, CGA, began his career at the Canada Cement Company—known today as Lafarge Canada. Fresh out of secondary school, Doug’s first position was that of a shipping clerk. While working with the company’s internal auditors, Doug showed some interest in accounting and one of the auditors suggested he look at the CGA program. At that time there was no uniform course of study, and Doug entered the program in 1955. The study group formed within his area and along with taking accounting courses together, the group helped him get through the examinations.

All of his hard work paid off and Doug received his designation in 1959, by which time he was the office manager at the Port Colborne plant. He would spend the first 23 years in various positions within the financial area of the company and ultimately he moved into general management. Doug’s career with the company would take him to five different provinces across the country. In 1985, Doug retired as the vice-president of corporate development, and subsequently served as an active member of the board of directors for Lafarge Canada for 15 years.

In the mid-1950s, Doug met Herb Perry, FCGA, who had organized a study group in the Niagara Region. It was the contacts made in this study group that helped Herb organize CGA Ontario Niagara Chapter, one of the first chapters outside of Toronto and Ottawa. At that time the number of members within the area was quite small, six to eight in total! Herb contacted everyone in the chapter to get involved; Doug joined the group and acted as the treasurer before leaving Niagara in 1962 for a job opportunity in Montreal.

While working in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in the mid-1960s, Doug received another call from Herb. Herb was working as the executive secretary for CGA Ontario at the time and was looking to re-establish CGA Manitoba. Manitoba Chapter of the General Accountants Association had disappeared in the early-1950s after an aborted merger with the CPAs. Doug took on the challenge and obtained the necessary financing for the start-up costs. He would take out advertisements to attract new students and even had the course materials delivered to his home where he would sort and distribute it to students. By the time Doug left Winnipeg in 1967, a nucleus of a chapter had been formed with the help of two additional CGAs and a number of enrolled students. Regular meetings were once again being held and CGA Manitoba was re-born.

When I asked Doug about the current issues facing CGAs today as compared to the perceptions of the designation in the early years, he agreed that comparisons existed between the designations. When asked what he would say to students beginning their studies and careers as certified general accountants today, Doug said, “It’s a great program that will help you with your career; it’s a real door opener that allows you to take control over your career.” Doug also reminded me that it is up to each of us individually to recognize and act upon opportunities that will allow us to advance and develop professionally.

Since his retirement Doug has kept busy satisfying his many interests including traveling, woodworking, curling and golf. Currently living in Dundas, Doug enjoys studying genealogy—specifically the origins of his family. This hobby has taken him and his wife, Beverly, to Scotland where Doug located his maternal great-great grandparent’s final resting place and to Poland (formerly West Prussia, Germany), where they visited many of the places from where his paternal ancestors originated. This proud father and grandfather is clearly enjoying a retirement equally as satisfying as his career!