MRS. YINKA OLADELE
A woman with many hats!  A wife, mother, sister, aunty, friend, server, counselor, advisor, event coordinator, business woman, etc.

In 2006, she became the first African/Nigerian woman to join the UPS Store franchise network in Canada.  She then went on to establish a few other businesses including Ola Consulting, an event/wedding management consulting firm and she is currently the President/CEO of EXPO Africa, the first multicultural African-Caribbean business trade show in Calgary.

She is also a tireless volunteer; she gives her time even when it’s not convenient! She is very known and prominent within the African and Nigerian community because of her willingness to serve, advise and encourage others. In 2011, she joined Mentorship Program at the Centre for Newcomers where she helped to organize mentors and mentees, encouraged new and old immigrants in their chosen fields.  She also mentors practicum students while providing job opportunities for new immigrants to Calgary.

 

She has received several awards for volunteering and for entrepreneurship from different organizations including the Nigerian Canadian Association of Calgary (NCAC), the Yoruba Foundation, Calgary (YFC), Centre for Newcomer; Calgary for her volunteer activities.  The BlackGold Award for Small Business of the Year;  the Afro-Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Women category and the entrepreneur Heroes of Heroes Award organized by the Diversity Magazine in Edmonton (formerly Afro-Canadian Magazine). She was also nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards in 2014.