eventually hired as a counselor. When the
organization opened a new division called
Business Improvement and Training Ser-
vices, Birjandian was hired to manage it.
Four years later in 1994, he made his way
to his current post as CEO.
MULTICULTURAL,
MULTILINGUAL AND
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Despite the name, CCIS is not part of the
Diocese of Calgary. Although it began as a
church-led movement, the group is multi-
cultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary,
and helps newcomers regardless of reli-
gion. Out of a staff base of 300 people,
about 10 per cent are Catholic. The rest
are Muslim, Jewish, Baha'i or other faiths,
and come from 120 different countries
and speak over 60 languages. Accordingly,
CCIS board contemplated a name change
many times, but eventually ruled against
it. The name is a reflection of the organiza-
tion’s past, said Birjandian.
Despite the growth and success of CCIS,
running a non-profit organization is not
without challenges. Birjandian cites two
main sources: managing newcomers’ ex-
pectations and community expectations.
Immigrants have invested a lot of money
and resources to come here, he says, add-
ing, “They come with a lot of hope, but it
is not easy to settle here. This is a knowl-
edge-based society, a beautiful environ-
ment, but the people coming here have no
social capital.”
Margaret Chisholm, Founder
50 business elite canada
H
DECEMBER 2016
