Beverage company co-founder loves to bring neighbours together

For Dan Allard, BComm’09, it’s all about building vibrant gathering places. Whether it’s in the Inglewood brewery’s eclectic taproom or Gopher Park (unused green space across from Cold Garden) or during Car-Free Sundays (one of his initiatives, whereby 9th Avenue S.E. became a pedestrian stroll on Sundays during August) — Allard is unstoppable when it comes to getting people to mix with their neighbours.

Allard is co-founder, Cold Garden Beverage Company, and chair, Inglewood Business Improvement Area.

Do you remember any classes or professors who were standouts?

This is my highlight reel due to profs, classmates, interests, but definitely not due to good grades: Intro to Business 291 with Prof. Norm Althouse; Foundations of Marketing 317 with Prof. Marc Boivin; Business Law 395 with Prof. Peter Bowal; Strategic Global Management 591 with Prof. Teri Bryant; Mergers & Acquisitions 659 with Dr. Alfred Lehar.

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Where did you hang out on campus?

The gym, playing basketball; the Den, procrastinating; MacKimmie Library, cramming until close (due to the aforementioned procrastination), then finding an open classroom in the Education Tower to continue cramming. The Haskayne club’s trailer to change the world with our fellow ISEEESA [Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy Students’ Association] members… and to nap.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Building a basketball court and park in the community that supports Cold Garden.

Where do you hope Cold Garden is in five years?

Adding value to another community through Cold Garden 2.0, in a surprising location.

What is the most satisfying thing about your job?

Thinking through all the variables of a challenge and creating a solution plan with a great team.

What do you wish you knew more about?

Human history … all of it! There’s so much to learn from all parts of the world so we can reapply past successes and learn from mistakes.

Any advice for students or new grads? 

Hang onto the connections you make. You will need those big brains around you at some point — professionally and personally.

Why is mentorship important?

Good mentorship is the most important way our society can elevate with purpose and intelligence. Mentor others so we aren’t spinning our wheels as a society.

When you are not working, what do you do? 

Basketball, snowboarding, landscaping.

What’s your favourite board game?

At the moment, Dominion. Before I get called out on a technicality, Catan is up there for a game that has an actual board.

With files from Avenue Magazine