About the author
Robert Patzelt is the Past-President of the Nova Scotia Canadian Bar Association and was the CBA’s national Treasurer. In addition to this volunteer activity he is the past Chair of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and past-Chair of their environment committee and was the industry representative on the Minister's Task Force on Contaminated Site Management for Nova Scotia. He is also on the national board of the CME and sits on its Executive Committee. Also, he is a Scout leader for First Clayton Park Scout Troop and is the past provincial President for Scouts in Nova Scotia and presently sits on the Board of Governors for Scouts Canada and is a member of their Audit Committee. In 2002 received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for his contribution to Scouting.
During the day he is General Counsel and Group Risk Manager and a member of the executive team for Scotia Investments Limited a diversified holding company operating in 6 provinces in Canada and in one state with over 1500 employees. Activities include pulp & paper, food processing, transportation, floral production and real estate development. Robert has written papers and spoken to groups all over North America on a variety of legal and risk management issues including directors & officer’s liability, risk management, insurance, institutional sexual abuse, the environment and assorted topics of an educational and motivational nature. He has spoken to such groups as the Nova Scotia Insurance Women’s Association, Risk & Insurance Management Society, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, The Canadian Bar Association, Insurance Brokers Association of Newfoundland, Canadian Insurance Congress, Purchasing Managers Association of Canada (NS), Society of Risk Management Consultants, Technical University of Nova Scotia, Canadian and Nova Scotia School Board Association and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators.
He also has his Fellowship in the Insurance Institute of Canada and is a recipient of the Don Stuart Award, which is the highest Canadian designation, awarded to a person recognising their outstanding contributions to risk management.
He completed his Masters in Law with a thesis on Directors & Officers liability in 1996 from Dalhousie University. He has an undergraduate degree in Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Alberta as well as an Arts degree (Economics/Psychology) from the same university where he graduated with distinction as a member of the Dean’s List. In 1998 Robert brought home to Nova Scotia the Insurance Institute of Canada’s top award in Canada for public speaking. Most recently, Robert was involved in Tall Ships 2000, the largest tourism event in Atlantic Canadian history. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive of Tall Ships Nova Scotia and was the Chair of the Tall Ships 2000 Events and Marketing Committee, which was responsible for such activities as the management of the events, their promotion, and public relations.
Robert grew up in British Columbia where his parents still live on the family farm and has had a number of jobs including farmer, a member of the RCMP, schoolteacher, payroll clerk and was even in the accounting department of the Calgary Zoo. He has travelled to every province and territory of Canada and travelled extensively in Europe. Robert lives in Halifax with his wife Tracy, who is an actuary, and their four children aged between 13 and 8. As a result of his corporate duties, volunteer activities and his family commitments he has no free time but if there is some his family tries to go camping, weather permitting.
Robert can be reached by e-mail at rpatzelt@scotiainvestments.ca.
