Paul Alofs joined The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation as President and CEO in September 2003. Since joining The Foundation, Paul has helped raise over $550 million for cancer research and clinical care at The Princess Margaret. The vision, mission and ambition of The Princess Margaret is To Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime. Paul has helped lead and fund The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute, the de Souza Oncology Nursing Institute, the Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre and is on the board of Ozmosis Research, a company specializing in clinical trials and new drug development. In 2010, Waterstone Human Capital recognized The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation as one of Canada’s Ten Most Admired Corporate Cultures, and as a result of that honour, Paul was invited to join the Corporate Cultures Board of Governors.
After graduating from the University of Windsor in his hometown, Paul joined Colgate-Palmolive Canada in 1978. He obtained his MBA from Toronto’s York University, then worked with a marketing firm called The Marketing & Promotion Group. In 1989, Paul was named President of HMV Music Stores Canada, and during his tenure with the music retailer, increased the company’s annual revenue from $30 million to over $200 million. Joining BMG Music Canada as president, Alofs was named Music Industry Executive of the Year in 1996.
On accepting an executive position with The Walt Disney Company, Paul relocated to Southern California and oversaw 500 Disney Stores and 15,000 employees throughout North America. He left Disney to contribute to the initiation of MP3.com. In his role as President, Strategic Business Units, Alofs helped launch one of the more successful IPOs of the Internet age. After selling his MP3.com shares in November 1999, he became a private investor, board member and not-for-profit volunteer.
Through his extraordinary marketing successes, Paul has earned a succession of accolades. He was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40TM business leaders in 1995, and in 2005, was voted one of the ‘Best of the Best’ by his fellow Top 40 alumni. He has received the Outstanding Progress and Achievement Award from the Schulich School of Business at York University. The Retail Council of Canada named Paul Innovative Retailer of the Year, and he also served on the Board and Executive Committee of that organization. In 2005, Alofs was an inaugural inductee into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends.
The University of Windsor honoured Paul in 2002 with the Alumni Award of Merit, and in 2007, he was awarded an Honorary Ph.D. from his alma mater. He also received the Bryden Alumni Award from York University in 2007. Paul is a member of the board of the International Cancer Foundation in Geneva and was previously Board Chair for Covenant House in Toronto.