Linda Hohol
President, TSX Venture Exchange

In her three years of leading the TSX Venture Exchange, president Linda Hohol has helped restore the Calgary-based stock exchange's respectability that had been tarnished in the eyes of investors by a series of scandals and dot-bombs. The one-time CIBC banking executive advocated ethics training for managers and corporate officers of junior companies rather than inflicting the crushing burden of paperwork required by post-Enron legislation such as Sarbanes-Oxley. Investors have responded positively as the junior bourse saw its index break the 2000 mark in late February for the first time in its history. The University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business recognized Hohol's contribution to the corporate world by naming her as the winner of its 2004 Distinguished Business Leader Award. In addition to her duties with the stock exchange, Hohol also co-chairs the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology's capital campaign and sits on the boards of ATB Financial, the Calgary Airport Authority and the Calgary Olympic Development Association. - WG

Why have Alberta-based companies performed so well on the TSX Venture Exchange?
One of our predecessor exchanges, the Alberta Stock Exchange, started in 1913 as the Calgary Stock Exchange and had a track record and history of helping junior oil and gas companies raise much needed capital for exploration. As the TSX Venture Exchange, we have continued with that tradition. And since those early beginnings, Alberta has developed an infrastructure - investors, lawyers and investment dealers - that has the expertise to support junior companies. When you throw into the mix a provincial government that has been very supportive of junior companies, you have an environment that breeds successful junior public companies. Many of them have gone on to become Canada's leading corporations.

Who do you think is the greatest Albertan ever?
Peter Lougheed. He had a vision of Alberta for Albertans. He raised Alberta's profile and voice at the national level and he had the good sense to create a legacy for future generations of Albertans.

In 100 years, will you warrant your own chapter in the history books, a footnote to great events or a single Google hit?
Perhaps a single Google hit. Plus many healthy happy and productive grandchildren and great grandchildren.