Pearson’s new VP a naval veteran

Tyrone Pile

Danielle Pope, Pearson College ~

Tyrone Pile is accustomed to leading. He served Canada and the Royal Canadian Navy for more than 35 years in various capacities, from Commander of the naval frigate HMCS Regina, to Rear-Admiral and Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific.

While the military lifestyle left Pile and his family used to moving locations rather than staying in one place (17 moves, to be exact), he finds a surprise twist in his new position at Pearson College as he will be working very close to home.

Since marrying his Metchosin-raised wife, Debra in 1980, Pile and his family have bounced between various locations across Canada with the hope to someday settle down on Vancouver Island. Now, as Pearson’s Vice President of Operations and Administration, he’s set his anchor firmly in a most favoured location.

His career started near Pearson back in 1975 when he left the small gold-mining town of Geraldton, ON, to attend Royal Roads Military College (now Royal Roads University) in Victoria. His interest in engineering was overtaken by a love of writing, history and the humanities, leading to an Honours Degree in English and graduation from Royal Military College in Kingston, ON, in 1979.

He believed great lessons sat waiting in those history texts, but it would be a decade before Pile returned to school on a navy scholarship, earning his Master’s Degree in History at the University of Victoria.

“A lot of wisdom can be gained in trying to learn from those who’ve learned before you,” he says. “Integrated learning includes learning from the past.”

In his new role, Pile will report to the President and be responsible for finance, operations, human resources, revenue generation and legal matters at Pearson College.

“What I see at Pearson is tremendous potential,” he says. “It’s a talented, committed and resourceful community of educators and mentors who are located in one of the most natural and beautiful settings in Canada. It is a privilege to serve alongside a great team with a common goal — to preserve and promote Lester B. Pearson’s vision of tolerance, understanding and acceptance, and to instill these values and the confidence into class after class of Pearson graduates.”

“In many ways,” he adds, “Pearson is like a small town enclosed in a confined space, just like a ship at sea. Whether on ship or on campus, things are constantly moving and changing, from weather to sea state to surroundings, so you have to constantly plan and prepare to reach your destination safely. You really do need to understand how to get along and how to work with each other to achieve your goals.”