Susie Grynol knew from a very young age that everyone in life has a purpose, including herself. She worked, persevered, and climbed up the ladder until she was a leader.
Women hold 25 per cent of vice-president positions in Canada and only 15 per cent of CEO positions are held by women, according to the Canadian Women’s Foundation. While women currently make up 27 per cent of the House of Commons, this is the highest percentage recorded in Canada’s history.
Grynol, 39, is a Devlin native who is now the president of the Hotel Association of Canada. Her journey to becoming a leader was full of determination and ambition.
Having grown up in Devlin and gone to Fort Frances High School, Grynol said she is a small town girl at heart. Grynol said her determination stems from her upbringing in the Rainy River District.
“We lived in the country so we had to do chores,” Grynol said. “I had to cut the grass, clean the house and feed the chickens. We had horses that needed to be looked after and we had a garden that needed to be harvested.”
Grynol said growing up, her parents instilled an incredible work ethic in her by teaching her how to contribute around the household.
“Everybody does their part,” Grynol said. “I learned how to work hard and how to be resourceful. There was a true sense of community in that region. When you grow up there, whether you realize it or not, it becomes part of who you are. I remember my childhood with such fondness because I just think we had the right mix of freedom and responsibility.”
As CEO, Grynol’s job is getting political and legislative solutions to complex industry problems.
“I’ve now worked on international trade files, tariffs, free trade agreements and price gauging. Today I am at the head of one of the hardest hit industries in the pandemic,” Grynol said. “We’ve been instrumental in helping the government design the support programs that they needed to keep our industry alive and we’ve secured $11.2 billion for the hotel industry, so far, which is more than any other G7 country.”
After high school, Grynol studied political science and history at the University of Ottawa. In tandem with her studies, she was also working as a researcher at the House of Commons. This is when Grynol fell in love with being on the frontline of legislation.
Grynol then moved up the leader ladder, from being coordinator of government relations to vice-president of different associations.
Grynol said she last visited the Rainy River District in 2017, but has not been able to come again because her parents moved away. However, she said she is always longing to go back and revisit because this is where she made childhood memories.
“I love the outdoors,” Grynol said. “We had a cabin on the Lake of the Woods. I spent a lot of my youth playing sports and being out in nature and doing what people do in Fort Frances and Devlin, which is just enjoying the great outdoors.”
Grynol said she believes that everyone has potential to achieve something special in life.
“Whether that is to be a mom, a wife, or a career woman, I think it’s so important to unpack that and understand the skills you have,” Grynol said. “In my case, wanting to be a career executive and reaching my full potential was important to me. It has made me a better mom and a better wife because I feel like I’m doing something where I’m contributing to something every day that’s bigger than myself.
Grynol said her one piece of advice is make sure that every day you are using your skills and talents to build something bigger.
