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Onwards from TWU and into the marketplace: Margaret Tam applies faith and leadership to organizational management

“Ms. Tam has played a significant and supportive role here at Trinity Western. Her leadership, care, and commitment to TWU employees was particularly evident and genuinely appreciated as we navigated the various challenges of COVID-19. Margaret is a gifted professional and a person of integrity and deep faith."
  
—President Mark Husbands


Margaret Tam is leaving Trinity Western a changed and better place. During her four years at the University as Executive Director of Human Resources, Tam established a customer-centric employee service model, which has helped to enhance trust and foster a positive performance culture within the organization.

Considering Tam’s contributions, President Mark Husbands commented, “Ms. Tam has played a significant and supportive role here at Trinity Western. Her leadership, care, and commitment to TWU employees was particularly evident and genuinely appreciated as we navigated the various challenges of COVID-19. Margaret is a gifted professional and a person of integrity and deep faith. Not only will Margaret make a positive contribution to Royal Columbian Hospital, but she leaves TWU with our heartfelt prayers, gratitude, and best wishes."

Provost Bob Wood added, “Margaret is a warm person with strong professional skills. I have worked with Margaret on several large organizational change projects over the past few years and have appreciated the thoughtful insights that she has provided. I have also valued her willingness to be available when I was seeking guidance on personnel matters. She has been a valued colleague and I wish her the very best as she moves into her new position."

Tam hopes that TWU employees continue to build trust and contribute in shaping the University’s future. “I find the new vision statement very inspiring,” she said, referring to TWU’s newly launched vision. “This will be my vision when I leave TWU for the marketplace, as I want to remind myself ‘to think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully for the good of the world and the glory of God.’”

TWU’s community support in times of crisis

Tam’s most memorable experiences at TWU include helping the University plan and carry out its COVID-19 pandemic response. Despite the myriad challenges, Tam recalls that the support of TWU employees was “tremendous.”

“Their faithfulness, generosity, and love to the University deeply touched me,” she said.

The past year has also been a time of personal challenge for Tam and her family, in matters relating to health.

She said, “However, the prayers from the community sustained me and my husband through that time. I cherished the care and compassion from TWU and hope to be part of this community continuously.”

HR mentorship, and industry impact

The TWU community is not the only community where Tam has had a positive impact. As a volunteer with Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR), Tam has invested time to mentor and speak to HR students in TWU’s School of Business and HR students from institutions in B.C. “The experience of walking alongside students in their journey to explore learning, career and life definitely humbled me,” she said.

Among those who received mentoring is Isabel Lopez, HR Generalist. She said, “I have been very blessed to work alongside Margaret over the past year and a half. She is inspiring, joyful, and so supportive. I am so thankful for how she has shaped me and the different ways she has pushed me to grow.”

“Margaret is an inspirational and caring leader who has positively impacted the TWU Community in significant ways,” said Johnny Fwu, HR Business Partner. “It has been a true honour for me to have been given the opportunity to work alongside such an amazing leader and she will be very deeply missed.”

Andrea Escobar, HR Administrator, added, “Margaret, I have admired your servant leadership...You truly are an inspiration to me and I’m so happy I was able to be part of your team in HR.”
 

Faithfulness to the call

Tam remembers that her own journey to TWU has been full of meaning. As she recalls, “Years ago, my husband first had his heart health issue where he needed to undergo a long emergency surgery. While waiting for his surgery result in the hospital, I had a ‘long conversation’ with God and He confronted me on my priorities in life.”

“God reminded me that He would like to be my number one priority and He will be with me always no matter what happens. God’s grace is sufficient for me to overcome challenges.”

Tam’s husband recovered and their lives continued as usual. Yet Tam’s faith had grown, and she felt a new sense of calling. “I started researching about Master of Divinity [programs] with different institutions such as Regent, Carey and ACTS, as I thought it was a pastoral calling. That was when I started reviewing Trinity Western University regularly to look at educational programs and eventually, the job board.”

 When Tam first saw a posting for TWU’s HR leadership position, she was not certain it was a fit for her. “I kept telling myself I did not have sufficient experience or understanding of TWU,” she said. “I found myself many reasons not to give it a try.”

God kept stirring my heart that it was a path He had for me,” she said.

After a month of contemplating, she finally decided to put forth her application. The next day, she received a call from TWU.

“I still recalled the interview process where my HR colleagues welcomed me so warmly and prayed for God’s discernment,” Tam said.

Soon, Tam felt affirmed of her next step, “When I first set foot on TWU’s campus, I felt God’s presence, and I was overwhelmed with peace and joy. And I rejoiced on this Bible verse, as that was what I ran into often during my onboarding, as a reassurance from God on His presence with me: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ (Jeremiah 29:11)”

Under Tam’s leadership, TWU implemented a complete cloud-based platform for payroll, recruitment and benefits (ADP Workforce Now) within six months’ time. Tam and her team also implemented Employee Engagement surveys to better understand organizational needs, and strengthened business processes to better support the University. These steps laid the foundation for future innovation at TWU.


About Trinity Western University

Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca