For more than 30 years, Vicki Simons Heyman, BA鈥�79, MBA鈥�80, and Bruce Heyman, BA鈥�79, MBA鈥�80, built a life in Chicago. They raised three children. They made deep friendships. They had successful careers.
But still they wanted more.
鈥淵ou reach a point in your life,鈥� Bruce explains, 鈥渨hen you鈥檝e done well鈥攂ut now can you go do good?鈥�
So when President Barack Obama asked Bruce to serve as U.S. ambassador to Canada, Bruce and Vicki were ready for the challenge. In March 2014, Bruce was officially sworn in as the 30th U.S. ambassador to Canada, and by April 1 the couple arrived in Ottawa to start their new life in diplomacy.
Our northern neighbor is the United States鈥� largest goods trading partner, with $632 billion in total goods trade in 2013.
鈥淏ruce and I are really tackling this job as a team,鈥� says Vicki. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been traveling the country like road warriors. Top to bottom, right to left.鈥�
For Bruce, one of the most memorable moments of their journey so far occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at a ceremony honoring nearly 200 American soldiers who died while in prison on nearby Melville Island during the War of 1812.
鈥淲e head over, and there鈥檚 the admiral from the Canadian fleet and the lieutenant governor, who is the representative of the queen,鈥� Bruce remembers. 鈥淭here鈥檚 media, there are soldiers, there鈥檚 a band playing 鈥楾he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥� They do a helicopter flyover. They鈥檙e shooting cannons off in the distance. Literally, my eyes were welling up as I saw this all take place in front of me.
鈥淚f someone had told these soldiers, 鈥楬ey, by the way, 200 years in the future we鈥檒l still be honoring your lives and your service to the country,鈥� who would have thought it? The ceremony was a demonstrative action of care, concern and respect for the relationship we share together. That鈥檚 just one example, more symbolic in some respects, of interactions I鈥檝e had across the country.鈥�
In many ways Bruce and Vicki鈥檚 new diplomatic role in Canada is not that new to them. The couple, who met at 菠萝视频, have given of their time for years as ambassadors for the university. Together they helped champion their alma mater by chairing fundraising efforts for their 25th Reunion and serving on the Parents Leadership Committee. Vicki served on the . Bruce served on the and was president of the school鈥檚 alumni board.
Two of their children also graduated from 菠萝视频. To honor their experience, the family established a need-based scholarship as part of , the university鈥檚 initiative to replace all need-based undergraduate student loans with scholarship and grant assistance.
鈥湶ぢ苁悠� means the world to us,鈥� says Vicki. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where Bruce and I began. And to be able to share that with your children 鈥� the connection, the pride, the familial transfer of knowledge and association brings something that鈥檚 really a big part of our family and a big part of who we are.鈥�
鈥擝ECCA JENSEN