What an evening. Wow.

On Thursday, May 20th, St. Francis Xavier University entertained over 500 of Canada’s business and political leaders at the historic Carlu venue in the heart of Toronto.

Hosted by the Honourable Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Financial Group and Chair of the StFX Board of Governors, StFX welcomed Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, as keynote speaker. StFX alumnus Seamus O’Regan was the evening’s emcee.

The night was filled with excitement as guests mingled with a ‘who’s who’ of influential leaders. Photographer cameras flashed and media interviews were abundant as those in attendance welcomed and greeted each other.

“The StFX National Dinner highlights achievements in leadership across the academic, business and public sectors,” said Dr. Sean Riley, President of StFX.  “It was an honour to have Mr. Marchionne as our special guest. His success and achievement exemplifies that of a true leader and we are pleased that he and his family have become part of the StFX tradition.”

Providing remarks on how StFX is able to remain a successful national institution, Mr. McKenna said, “It’s about perseverance. StFX is a small school, in rural Nova Scotia, that continues to persevere and punch well above its weight.”

In his speech, Mr. Marchionne spoke of his optimism for the auto industry as it works to restructure itself for a more sustainable future, but noted challenges that lie ahead in Europe and facing China’s growing auto exports.

Mr. Marchionne delighted the crowd by bringing along a Fiat 500, the first in North America, to display throughout the evening. Mr. Marchionne’s son is currently in his third year at StFX.