Dr. Richard (Rick) J. Goossen, Chairman
Dr. Richard (Rick) J. Goossen is Chairman, ELO Group, which serves over 100 clients per year, maintains an active network of 10,000 business leaders and provides online resources annually for over 400,000 leaders.
This network has been built over decades of client work, collaboration, research, lecturing and volunteering. It is one of Canada's largest networks of high net worth entrepreneurs and family / business owners.
This extensive base of clients and contacts provides an unmatched and confidential reference point for best practices and proven principles.
Rick is a sought-after strategic counsel, chair / advisory board contributor with specific expertise working with family business owners and entrepreneurs on transition, governance and strategy. His clients range from millions to billions of dollars of revenue per year.
Dr. Goossen founded the annual "ELO Forums,” premium business conferences, in 2005. ELO has had had over 100 of the world’s top speakers, having attracted over 15,000 attendees since inception. The ELO Forums are held regularly in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Dr. Goossen is Founder and lead instructor in the ELO Oxford Leadership Program, an annual executive education program delivered by the world’s leading faculty to a top international cohort.
Dr. Goossen has extensive experience doing business in Asia and previously worked in Hong Kong for five years. He worked for the largest law firm, a merchant back and started his own entrepreneurial ventures.
He has taught entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, strategic management, business law, international business and ethics as an adjunct professor (BBA and MBA programs) and guest lecturer at universities around the world.
Dr. Goossen has edited five books and authored ten books related to entrepreneurship available in six translations.
In terms of credentials, Rick earned a Ph.D. from Middlesex University, London, UK; a Masters of Law (LL.M.) from Columbia University, New York City; a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from McGill University, Montreal; and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (Hons.) (First Class) from Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
With respect to professional credentials, Rick was admitted as Barrister and Solicitor of the Province of British Columbia, Canada and voluntarily withdrew his membership to focus entirely on business pursuits.
Rick is proprietor and head barista of home-based Rick’s Café. He is a self-proclaimed and self-accredited global expert in afternoon tea. He is a voracious reader and, like the British Library, has “a thirst for the world’s knowledge.”
What Others Say
“This is the only conference around that caters to Christians in the business world, helping them to exercise their God-given gifts and know that they are really worshipping and glorifying God Monday to Saturday in their marketplace mission field. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn, share and network.” ~ Mike Reinders, President, Maple Reinders Constructors
"The 1:1 coaching sessions provided within the context of the Peer Advisory Group are a valuable component of the program. As a business leader, it can be difficult to press “pause” and take time for introspection. These sessions both encourage and challenge by guiding personal development, providing accountability, and creating a safe space from which to assess current challenges and strengths within the business." ~ Family Owner/Senior Executive of a Canada-wide retail business with over 30 locations and 350 staff
“[The Oxford Leadership Program] has exceeded my expectations by 500%! The cohort of people were wonderful, we had great discussions together. I would encourage anyone to come to this course that’s looing to really deepen their experience with Christ and in the leadership they’re involved in.” ~ Rod Bergen, Director, Damascus Road Foundation
“[Richard Goossen] represents both a practicing businessperson and academic professor. He is himself an entrepreneur; he knows what he is talking about from experience. Yet he is also a careful student, well-read in a variety of areas including marketplace theology….We need individuals who can straddle the two worlds, who can speak the language both of the boardroom and the classroom. Such people are rare, but Richard Goossen is one of them.” ~ Dr. Richard Higginson, Ridley Hall Foundation, Cambridge, UK
"Our guest speaker this year was Dr. Rick Goossen, who contributed to our tradition in a wonderful way. In a presentation that exuded passion for thinking about and doing business in ways shaped by his Christian faith, he challenged and stimulated those of us who had the privilege of attending. Dr. Goossen is a valuable resource for the church as it deals with what it means to be followers of Christ in our daily work, including the field of business." ~ Gerald Gerbrandt, Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, CA
“Reading this book [Public Speaking Laws of Success: For Everyone and Every Occasion] has made me realize what an honour it has been for me to participate in several ELO events, and I wish to heartily recommend it to all who aspire to public speaking, no matter how competent they think they are. It makes for compulsive reading, being a delightful distillation of years of experience that is full of (sometimes hilarious) illustrative stories of what can go right, and, more importantly, what can go wrong with attempts to communicate to an audience. Its practical wisdom rings true to experience to such an extent that if I had read it fifty years ago, it would have saved me from having to learn many things the hard way. Reading it now may well save me from many more!“ ~ John C. Lennox, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics & Associate Fellow, Said Business School, University of Oxford
Engage Further
To learn more about Dr. Goossen, watch the two-minute video below.