Dr. Ray Muzyka, CM
Winner of the Sixth Annual Rod Charko Service Award
November 18, 2019 | Calgary, AB
Dr. Ray Muzyka, CM is the winner of the sixth annual Venture Capital Association of Alberta (VCAA) Rod Charko Service Award. The Rod Charko Service Award has been established to recognize on an annual basis an individual that has gone above and beyond to build on the legacy Rod left in this Province.
Rod had a vision for the Alberta Technology Ecosystem where technology companies, investors and mentors would collaborate and work towards a common goal of enhancing the ecosystem in Alberta. Rod was instrumental in the formation of many of the groups that have gone on to continue his work, including the likes of the A100, AccelerateAB, the Accelerate Fund and the VCAA. Rod passed away mid 2012, before he could see his vision come to fruition.
Dr. Ray Muzyka, the 2019 recipient, is an active leader and mentor in Alberta’s technology ecosystem, continuing on with much of the work started by Rod. He is recognized by his peers in the investment community for his steadfast and enduring dedication to growing the Alberta startup entrepreneurship ecosystem, and for being a constant champion of the province and country. Ray is the founding Chair of the UAlberta ThresholdImpact Venture Mentoring Service (www.ualberta.ca/vms) and a mentor Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab Calgary (CDL Rockies), was the past chair of the Alberta Research and Innovation Advisory Committee (ARIAC) and serves on the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta, among other activities in the Alberta ecosystem.
Dr. Muzyka originally trained as a medical doctor at the University of Alberta, serving as a rural ER GP for a decade across Northern Alberta and was co-founder and former CEO of Edmonton-based BioWare (www.bioware.com), now a division of Electronic Arts. He is currently focused on sustainable, profitable impact investing - mentoring and angel investing in information technology, new media and medical innovations with social entrepreneurs at ThresholdImpact (www.thresholdimpact.com). He is an active angel investor across North America, and active entrepreneurial mentor.
The VCAA Rod Charko Service Award is presented on an annual basis.
Media Contact: Rebecca Giffen
