At Any Given Time.

Sometimes the most difficult thing about writing a portrait about a prominent citizen in our community, is knowing you do not have enough space to fully describe the picture in words. Sometimes there is just too much to paint and not enough canvass.

Pat Soulliere, president and CEO of Soulliere Financial Group is one of those individuals whose life sum-total is impossible to squeeze on to a few pages in a magazine. After more than 30 years in business, Soulliere Financial Group specializes in Wealth Management and creative Estate Planning, using insurances, and investments with guaranteed life time incomes and estate protections, for peace of mind.

After decades of community involvement she has helped, advised and touched the lives of countless people. Her rise to acclaim from an unemployed mom to a top member of the “million dollar table” is a story of determination and perseverance. A story about strength of character, about setbacks and success; and about the “don’t be wimpy” attitude of one intrepid woman.

Born and raised in Toronto, Pat moved to Windsor in 1962. She was embarking on a new business venture with her (then) husband while eventually raising their four children here in the Rose City. And for a time, everything was coming up roses for Pat and her family. The business was doing well, the kids were doing well, the future looked promising but then the vagaries of life turned sharply for the worse. In 1976 her marriage (and career) was at an end. Suddenly all her hopes and security were gone and she faced the life of a single, unemployed mom with four very young children.

Feeling lost and frightened, Pat could have succumb to self-pity and resign herself to a life of struggles but giving up has never been in her nature. Her sense of responsibility, her dedication to her family; her inner strength and self esteem have long been the pillars of her character. As the oldest of five growing up in Toronto, responsibilities and obligations became a part of Pat’s life at a very early age.

“I have always been described as a mother hen,” she smiles. “My parents were both working in the family business and since I was the oldest, it was left to me to watch over my brothers and sisters.” Where other children might have found resentment, Pat welcomed her role. It was a way to help her family. Even as a child she was always self-reliant and self-motivated. Even more unusual, she was remarkably dependable.

Mature beyond her age, she not only welcomed obligations and challenges, she sought them out. At age 8, she started delivering newspapers for the Toronto Star. In the beginning she had only 17 customers but in the course of the next couple years she knocked on a lot of doors and convinced a lot of people to take out a newspaper subscription. By the time she was 11 she had expanded her operations to cover an area of more than 4 square kilometers with 240 customers and was delivering several different newspapers at the same time. Her Brother later delivered the Toronto Telegram.

She also needed to ‘hire’ five other kids to help out with the deliveries, including another Brother and her Sister.

“There were some times when things were a bit hectic,” she recalls ruefully. “I would have to get the deliveries going, then run home, help out with the family business, study and look after my siblings.” But it was during this time she said that she “developed a very strong work ethic.”

Sometimes her work ethic was perhaps too strong. Indeed! Not rain, nor sleet, nor snow or even Hurricane Hazel could stop Pat and her team from delivering her newspapers.

“I would not think to do such a thing today and I certainly would never send my grandchildren out in those conditions,” she said shaking her head, “but I just felt so responsible to the newspaper and equally obligated to my customers. The day Hazel struck Toronto, and the storm struck hard, my brother and I were out delivering papers!”

Fast forward a few decades and we find Pat at her office building at the corner of Ouellette Avenue and Shepard Street in downtown Windsor. Her office itself is nice - not a very large room in comparison to some other Presidents and CEOs - but nice. Comfortable with a quiet décor, nothing  flashy, nothing ostentatious!

She sits straight and poised at her desk, hands folded in front of her, the morning light flooding in through the wall of windows behind her. She is conservatively dressed and presents an image of strength and determination. And there is no mistaking her professional bearing, the hallmark of an accomplished individual. Her presence stirs one’s interest and invites respect, if not a bit of intimidation too. My own first impression was that she reminded me of a strict, no-nonsense school principal. But there is also an aura of success surrounding her and a strong pulse of confidence one can almost feel vibrating through the room. Her eyes reflect both wisdom and compassion but her countenance offers no hint of her many accomplishments, achievements or her contributions to our community. It is also immediately evident that Pat Soulliere has earned her way through life. She has persevered through adversity and followed her own path even when it cut against the grain of the status quo. She has spent many years building her company and establishing herself as one of the best financial minds in the business. Highly respected by her peers and colleagues; trusted by a legion of clients; she is a role-model for women and admired by a community thankful for her involvement and generosity.

Although one can only glimpse at the complexity of her character it is obvious that she is a very smart lady, and one who wields considerable clout. And though she might appear to be ‘hard as nails’ after just a minute of speaking about her grandchildren she softens. With her guard down it is easy to see that just behind her penetrating gaze and beneath the professional surface she is kind hearted, caring and humble.

But back in 1976, Pat was nearly devastated by the dramatic changes occurring in her life. With no job and four kids to care for the question persisted: “What am I going to do?”

For the next two years Pat searched for an answer. She enrolled in part time classes at St. Clair College and then full time at the University of Windsor. She had been offered jobs but nothing she wanted and then, while trying to figure out how she could afford to attend intersession at the university, a friend suggested she try the insurance business.

It was a suggestion that would change her life!

She began at Great West Life Insurance in 1978, stepping into a male dominated industry that was scary, but almost immediately fit her like a well tailored suit. Within four months she was being recognized for her dedication and ability to “close the deal.” Then it was just a matter of time, a natural evolution for her to look beyond working for others and strike out on her own. In 1982 she opened Soulliere Financial Group, working with leading financial institutions including Manulife, as her main supplier of product.

For any woman to gain prominence in a “man’s world” requires not just a strong personality, extensive and thorough industry knowledge but also the constant reminder that nothing comes from nothing.

“There are no free lunches.” Pat exclaimed. “No one is going to give you anything and as a woman, the expectations for results are even higher.”

Again, this is not something that discourages Pat but rather it inspires her. “I have always encouraged a high level of work ethic.’ She insisted. “I have high expectations for myself and certainly my clients deserve the best of my time and effort, ...and that of my associates and staff.”

Expectations are one thing but Pat also recognized that negotiating your way through the world of men takes a certain amount of tact and diplomacy, or in her words: “you can’t be wimpy, ...you need to be strong but not pushy.”

She has faced gender barriers and male chauvinism. “But I refused to acknowledge it.” She said. “I ignored it and moved on.”

She is assertive but not aggressive; resilient and resourceful with unwavering determination to accomplish whatever she undertakes. But it is not just her business acumen that makes her successful. Nor is it just her well organized and superbly trained staff and team. Pat is genuinely empathetic toward her clientele and has an innate ability to clearly see both sides of any issue. Above all else, it is her dedication to the people she has known and advised for more than 30 years.

As accomplishments go, besides undertaking “some of the largest insurance financing arrangements in Canada”, in 2002 Pat was the first woman to attain the prestigious “Five Star Master Builder Award” in recognition of her qualifications, company status and over 20 years in the business. She continues to rank as one of the top ranked advisors for Manulife Financial, for all of Canada.

She is a Benefactor and Paul Harris Rotarian, the current president-nominee for the Rotary Club of Windsor Roseland and a member of the judging panel for Business Excellence Awards, industry and Manulife Awards. As a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table, Court and Top of the Table, Pat was also the first woman in Canada to be a qualifying member of the prestigious Top of The Table.

Her further community involvement includes past Chair of the Windsor Essex County Development Commission and more recently is a member of the Board of Governors for the University of Windsor. She is also a member of the Assumption Heritage Trust Foundation-Corporate Board. Pat has been awarded both the Windsor and District Chamber of Commerce

“Entrepreneur Recognition Award” and the “Certificate of Excellence” for Company of the year.

What Pat is most proud of is her family and business team.

“At the office it has been great watching how everyone has grown together; building a knowledgeable Resource Team, and being able to delegate with complete confidence ...it is all very satisfying and rewarding.”

Pat remarried in 2000, her eyes beam when she speaks of her husband. And there is no denying a mother’s pride when she talks about her children. Throughout her life, she has relied on her close family ties to keep everyone involved with each other. And it is easy for her to separate work from home life.

“Communication, and making time for family is the key to keeping things balanced.” Pat said. Her calendar includes time set aside for the grandchildren and Facebook helps her keep in touch with her grown kids living across Canada.

But of all the acknowledgments and accolades Pat has received for her accomplishments, one of her most satisfying recognitions and one of her greatest joys occurred just recently. “I received the degree “Doctor of Laws” honoris causa, from Assumption University. I was very proud and overjoyed especially because my entire family was at hand for the ceremony.”

Pat enjoys time away from the office as much as she enjoys being there. Ice Dancing is an old love she hopes to rekindle, and ballroom dancing is still a favourite. She likes to read, business, industry and financial news, world affairs, Futuristic and once in a while, a romance novel. Traveling is second nature for Pat. She flies across the country and the U.S. attending seminars and personal speaking engagements in support of her industry as well as to participate in her long time Study Group, made up of 10 likeminded individuals with similar financial businesses across the country. But she also likes to travel on vacation and this coming summer she plans to visit one of her top of the list destinations: the Moscow to St. Petersburg journey.

And when she has the time away from her career, her business, her clients and her family, Pat is working on a couple of books, one for industry and one for her grandchildren. Surely, if you look up the word “intrepid” in any dictionary you will find a picture of Pat Soulliere … a picture worth far more than a (couple) thousand words.

“At any given time you are only the sum of the books you read; the people you meet and experiences to date.” Pat said. It is one of her favourite expressions and a philosophy she holds dear. It means (I think) that we never stop learning or maturing, that each day, there is something new to discover. Every person we encounter brings something special into our lives and we should always be receptive to all those things that touch and teach us.