Richard Seres named university’s Executive Director, Communications and Marketing
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is pleased to announce Richard (Rich) Seres as the university’s new Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, effective Monday, November 5.
Rich joins the university from Manulife Canada where he served as a senior marketing leader in various capacities, most recently as Head of Marketing, Wealth and Asset Management. He led the marketing transformation of Manulife’s investment business, launching various new products and campaigns across Canada.
Prior to joining Manulife, Rich held a number of senior marketing and communications leadership roles. He was Global Marketing Leader at Finning Digital, a digital centre of excellence for the world’s largest dealer of Caterpillar heavy equipment. There he built integrated marketing and communication plans, a new global social media strategy, and communications around a digital strategy.
Over a seven-year period, Rich served as Vice-President of Marketing at Vancity, Canada’s largest credit union based out of Vancouver. Here, Rich developed and launched a new brand strategy Make Good Money, which served as a catalyst to the organization’s transformation journey while delivering increased brand awareness/consideration. He also led Vancity’s digital presence, online/mobile banking, and the launch of various new financial solutions.
Prior to joining Vancity, Rich was the Executive Director, Marketing and Communications at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Over an eight-year period, he built a new marketing and communications organization from the ground up, launching a new university-wide branding program, the university’s digital strategy (website, digital signage, iTunesU). He also developed an integrated internal/external communications strategy in support of strategic enrolment objectives, stakeholder engagement, and the highly successful Campaign for Queen’s, which raised more than $260 million for university priorities.
Rich holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Queen’s University as well as two Master of Business degrees―one from the Johnson School of Business (Cornell University) and the other from the Queen’s School of Business.
Having grown up in Oshawa, Rich and his family have returned to Durham Region after many years away and now reside in Whitby. His broad marketing and communications experience will help elevate the university’s image and reputation.
