Henderson inspired by her dad and Churchill by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff 21 | Wednesday, November 13, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Community service is simply a way of life for Christie Henderson. The Oakville mother of three attributes her strong sense of community to two very important men: her father and Winston Churchill. "Growing up, my father was always involved in the community -- decades and decades with the Rotary Club and always talking about community service," she said. "I've always had an interest in Winston Churchill and my favourite quote from him is, `You make a living by what you get, and you make a life by what you give.' That has always resonated with me." Henderson has been the vice-chair for the Oakville Hospital Foundation for the past year and a half, and will be the organization's incoming chair in June 2014 -- but her relationship with the hospital doesn't end there. She says she's been involved with the foundation for the past four years in several capacities, including serving on various committees and co-chairing its Candlelight Ball Gala in 2012, which netted $1.35 million in donations. Henderson was also the top fundraiser for the 2013 Tour de Halton, a cycling event that raised money for the new Oakville hospital. A chartered accountant (CA) since 1998 and managing partner at the accounting firm Henderson Partners LLP since 2005, Henderson was recently among 59 colleagues given a fellowship designation by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO). She now has the titles of Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA) and Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA). The designation is the highest the ICAO gives in recognition of career achievements and leadership contributions to the community and profession. "It's a huge honour and I feel very lucky," said Henderson, who is also serving the second of her two-year term on the ICAO governing council. In 2011, Henderson's father, Ren, who founded Henderson Partners, received the FCA designation, making the pair one of two father/daughter CAs to ever be awarded the Henderson Partners Managing Partner Christie Henderson speaks during the annual Oakville Toy Tea hosted by Henderson Partners LLP at the Oakville Club last year. For the past seven years, Henderson Partners has organized the event that has provided more than a thousand toys annually to help families in Oakville. | Oakville Beaver file photo honour. Humbled by the recognition, the 41-yearold says she feels she doesn't deserve the honour as it is traditionally handed out as a lifetime achievement award to accountants much later in their careers -- less than three per cent of Ontario's more than 36,000 chartered professional accountants have been elected to the fellowship. "Being elected an FCPA, FCA by their peers is an indication of the esteem these outstanding individuals enjoy in their profession and communities," Rod Barr, ICAO president and CEO. "It is also testimony to how much each has contributed to both the profession of accounting and their respective communities." Henderson was nominated by Tom Sakellaris, her partner at her firm, and found out in July she would be awarded the fellowship recognition. "Christie provides dynamic, innovative and creative leadership," said Sakellaris. "She is never afraid to try new things and to challenge herself and others. Christie is open to fresh ideas and different perspectives and has developed an ever-evolving strategic plan that has and will continue to take the firm forward in a very positive direction of growth, profitability and unmatched client service ex- cellence." In addition to her list of accomplishments, Henderson was the only female recipient of the 2009 ICAO's award of distinction, which "honours those CAs who have made an early impact, bringing distinction to themselves and to their profession through leadership and achievement in the professional, community and personal lives," stated a press release. Henderson also founded the Henderson Partners' Toy Tea in 2001 -- an annual event that collects and provides new, unwrapped toys for underprivileged children in the community. Thousands of toys have been distributed during the holiday season since the event's inception and Oakville MP Terence Young recognized Henderson's efforts last year for the impact the Toy Tea has on the community's children. FCPA and FCA elections are held every two years and are done by a secret ballot vote by the ICAO council. Having the right camera is only half the picture. 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