Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 26
26
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
‘People-first’ AGCO champions leadership development
A
s senior advisor,
anti-money laundering oversight,
for the Alcohol and
Gaming Commission
of Ontario (AGCO), Michelle
Pepin is on the front line of the
province’s – and Canada’s – fight
against financial misconduct in
gaming.
Pepin has access to offices in
many of the province’s land-based
casinos, rotating among them
while reviewing their processes
and internal reporting. “It’s
exciting and it’s challenging at
the same time,” she says. “And it’s
great because we build relationships with the operators, enabling
us to educate or guide them while
ensuring they meet the standards.
“It’s one of those jobs where
there’s a lot of variety. It’s not the
same Monday to Friday.”
Pepin is part of the AGCO
network of inspectors covering
alcohol, lottery and gaming,
cannabis, and horse racing.
Since joining as an electronic
gaming inspector in 2014, she has
steadily moved through the ranks,
including stints in all these areas.
Last year, she was selected for the
commission’s first ever Emerging
Leaders program.
“I’m someone who likes to learn
and move on to the next level,”
she says about applying for the
program. “We did in-person and
online workshops, had mentor
programs, and learned about
important areas like diversity,
inclusion and accessibility. We
also learned about decision-making and how to improve our
assessments and challenge our
biases.”
While still in the 12-member
program early in 2024, Pepin was
appointed to her current role. She
is now pleased to mentor the next
15 entrants in the 2024-25 program.
AGCO CEO and registrar Dr.
Karin Schnarr says the Emerging
Leaders program was created to
ensure “employees have the skills
they need to grow and flourish.
We are not a static organization.”
“When I started here in 2023,
it was incredible to see
people who’ve spent their
entire career at the AGCO
because they are passionate
about the organization.
There’s a real sense of
collegiality here.”
— Dr. Karin Schnarr
CEO and Registrar
Employees at the AGCO volunteer together at the Feed Scarborough Food Bank.
A year later, Schnarr says,
“We’re already seeing the benefits.
There’s been a huge amount of
interest in participating in the
next phase, and 50 per cent of the
program’s graduates have already
had lateral or promotional role
changes. They’re actively applying
those new skills.”
Schnarr says the AGCO has
long maintained a “people-first”
culture. “I’ve worked in the private
sector, I’ve worked in academia,
and when I started here in 2023,
it was incredible to see people
who’ve spent their entire career
at the AGCO because they are
passionate about the organization.
There’s a real sense of collegiality
