an entrepreneurial approach and opened a
daycare facility.
“Coming from a technical and entrepre-
neurial background, I try to include many of
those concepts into what we do. I always
feel that we are no different from any oth-
er business,” said Birjandian. He operates
CCIS as a mandate-driven organization,
rather than a fund-driven one. Although
partnerships with the federal government
are a major source of funding for CCIS, the
organization is continually diversifying its
funding.
Today, as the fourth largest immigration
service agencies in Canada, the organiza-
tion is worth $30 million and operates out
of three buildings in Calgary, all of which
it owns. Its various departments special-
ize in everything newcomers need to in-
tegrate themselves into Canadian society
successfully. From family and children's
services to business, employment and
training programs, this organization has
300 employees and 1,500 volunteers who
help not just immigrants, but refugees,
seniors, temporary foreign workers and
youth.
“Coming froma technical and entrepreneurial background, I try to includemany
of those concepts into what we do.”
DECEMBER 2016
H
business elite canada 47
