Zita Cobb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zita Cobb, CM, is a Canadian businesswoman and social entrepreneur.[1][2] She launched Shorefast, a Canadian charity, with her brothers, Anthony and Alan Cobb, on Fogo Island.[2][3][4]

Early life[]

Zita has seven brothers and her father was an inshore fisherman. She battled and survived tuberculosis at the age of six which she credits for her confidence which she has carried with her later into her career.[5]

Education[]

Zita studied Business at Carleton University, Ottawa.[6]

Career[]

She started working with various oil companies in Alberta. She worked with JDS Fitel for ten years, and became the CFO, before the company merged with Uniphase in 1999 becoming JDS Uniphase.[7]

Fogo Island Inn[]

Cobb founded Shorefast, a registered Canadian charity, in response to the economic and cultural difficulties her outport home had experienced over the past decades.[8] Shorefast built the Fogo Island Inn, which opened in 2013. Fogo Island Inn continues to be operated by Shorefast Social Enterprises Inc.[9][10] The Inn is a 100% social business: all operating surpluses are reinvested in the community of Fogo Island through the projects and programs of Shorefast.[11] The Inn aims to build another leg on the existing economies of the island and to provide employment.[12]

Honours and awards[]

On June 30, 2016, Cobb was made a Member of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston for "her contributions as a social entrepreneur who has helped revive the unique rural communities of Fogo Island and Change Islands through innovative social engagement and geotourism."[13]

She has been recognized with honorary doctorate degrees from Carleton University,[14] Memorial University of Newfoundland,[15] McGill University[16] and University of Ottawa.[17]

Cobb was inducted into Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame in May 2018.[18]

On November 12, 2019, Cobb interviewed 44th President of the United States Barack Obama for a public event hosted by the St. John's Board of Trade in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at the Mile One Centre.[19] More than 5,000 people attended their discussion, which covered topics of community, climate change, and democracy.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ Paterson, Lisa (25 October 2015). "Fogo Island economic success 'absolutely transferable,' Zita Cobb says". CBC News. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Zita Cobb's 'social entrepreneurship' recognized with honorary degree". CBC News. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Shorefast Foundation". Shorefast Foundation. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  4. ^ Mohamed, Farah (3 September 2012). "Millionaire returns home to Fogo Island to help". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  5. ^ Bartlett, Steve (2008). The Grit and the Courage: Stories of Success in an Unforgiving Land. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Creative Publishers. pp. 99–118. ISBN 978-1-897174-29-6.
  6. ^ "Zita Cobb Delivers Lessons from Fogo Island - Carleton Stories". Carleton Stories. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  7. ^ "2015 Festival of Architecture > Speakers". www.raic.org. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  8. ^ "The Possibility of an Island in Canada | New York Times". Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  9. ^ "Zita Cobb Delivers Lessons from Fogo Island - Carleton Stories". Carleton Stories. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  10. ^ "Social Enterprise: Fogo Island Inn". Shorefast. Shorefast.org. Retrieved 9 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Social Enterprise: Fogo Island Inn". Fogo Island Inn, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Zita Cobb's 'social entrepreneurship' recognized with honorary degree | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  13. ^ Globe and Mail Staff (June 30, 2016). "Canada's Honour Roll". Globe and Mail.
  14. ^ "Carleton Presents Honorary Degrees to Zita Cobb and Annette Verschuren at 2013 Fall Convocation". Carleton University. November 3, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  15. ^ "Zita Cobb's 'social entrepreneurship' recognized with honorary degree". CBC. May 28, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  16. ^ "Honorary degree recipients announced". McGill Reporter. April 19, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  17. ^ "Meet uOttawa's Fall 2019 Honorary Doctorates". uOttawa Gazette. November 7, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  18. ^ "JANL Business Hall of Fame |". janlbusinesshalloffame.org. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  19. ^ a b "Welcome to the Rock, Barack: Thousands fill Mile One for evening with Obama". CBC. November 13, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
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