Article for Courage Magazine - November 2010

By CAROLINE PHILLIPS

Rob Imbeault writes a blog, Bucket Listing Adventures: My Experiences and Philanthropy (www.robimbeault.com), on what he wants to accomplish in his lifetime. There's swimming with great white sharks (done), earning a degree from Harvard University (he's working on it) and walking on fire (better him than us).

What's not included on Imbeault's actual list is all the work he does for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. At age 38, Imbeault is the youngest member of the foundation's 15-person board of directors.

"To be honest, it's intimidating," the Montreal-born man says of working on the foundation's $50-million Courage Campaign alongside the likes of Peter Charbonneau, a former senior executive with Newbridge; retired broadcasting icon Max Keeping; and fellow philanthropic entrepreneur Jody Campeau. "I've never been on a board of directors before, let alone a charitable one. I hope to learn a lot from these guys."


Imbeault is president and director of strategic initiatives for 10Count Group of Companies, an IT consultancy and service provider firm. Imbeault founded his company in 2003 and built it into an Ottawa success story at times electing to work out of his Barrhaven home he shares with his wife, interior designer Rnea Imbeault (RAI Design). Don't let his occasional business-by-the-pool manner fool you; he's as tenacious as they come. This past June, he was one of the Ottawa Business Journal's Forty Under 40 award recipients.

Now, Imbeault is looking to share his success with others. 10Count recently donated $120,000 to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Half of the donation was monetary while the other half was for professional services to help the foundation develop its website and social media.

"I don't believe in giving back," Imbeault says. Wait, wait, let him explain. "I only believe in giving. I don't do it for a reason. I think it's more sincere just to give. When I was younger I didn't really have a lot. Now I have it. I believe I earned it on my own. It was my decision to go to the next level, which is to help give it all away."

Imbeault also believes in the "inspire out loud" approach to philanthropy. "When I donate to charity, I yell it out. It's going to do well for business, absolutely; I acknowledge that. But, you're also going to encourage other people to step up and do the same."

For the past three years, Imbeault has been one of the driving forces behind the successful Fight for the Cure charity boxing gala in support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. He, along with his co-chairs, Matt Whitteker and Eric Belanger, are partners in the Final Round Boxing Club, a boxing training centre located in the city's south end.

Last March, the gala attracted 500 guests to the Hampton Inn Ottawa & Conference Centre and raised over $80,000 for the cancer foundation. Imbeault brought the Heart & Crown Irish Pubs on board as the event's main sponsor.

The gala includes a cocktail reception, four-course dinner, prizes and silent auction. Organizers set up an Olympic-style ring in the middle of the ballroom for national-level fighters, creating an atmosphere that is intimate yet electric. One of the evening highlights has always been the "white collar" boxing. It involves well-known businessmen and community leaders donning headgear, gloves and mouthpieces and spending three, 90-second-long rounds duking it out in the ring. The "white collar" boxers train for months and they train hard, although probably not to the point of gulping back raw eggs a la Rocky Balboa. Walter Robinson, past chairman of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation board and philanthropic mentor to Imbeault, hung up his boxing gloves this past spring as an undefeated Fight for the Cure champ.

The gala is returning to the Hampton Inn on Saturday, March 26, 2011. To learn more about the event, check the website, fightforthecure.ca.

Imbeault says it was his admiration for his late grandfather, George Imbeault, of Greely, that originally motivated him to take up cancer as his cause. His "Papa" was in his early 70s when he passed away from liver cancer. George had been a pilot in the Second World War and one of the "Original 6" Canadian Tire owners. As well, George belonged to a Lions Club and Kiwanis Club and was a devoted family man, married 54 years. (Left: George Imbeault presenting a cheque to Terry Fox)

"He always inspired me," said Imbeault.

That inspiration lives on with Imbeault's ongoing generosity in the Ottawa community and beyond. Also on his bucket list is the building of a women's literacy centre in the west African country of Cameroon. It's a volunteer initiative Imbeault is working on with twin brothers Matt and Andrew Morrison.

So, what happens when Imbeault completes his ambitious list, when he's visited the Great Wall of China, mastered Salsa dancing and learned the disciplined art of origami? "There's always something new," Imbeault responds.