Stacey Allaster, EMBA ’00, LLD ’14, an internationally renowned sports leader and advocate for women, has been named a companion of the Order of Canada, which is the highest of the honour’s three tiers recognizing Canadians’ contributions.
The U.S. Open Tournament Director is being honoured for her advancement of gender equality in women’s professional tennis and dedicated mentorship in the sports management industry. She will be invested into the Order of Canada at a ceremony at a later date.
Considered one of the most successful women executives in sports, Allaster first entered the world of tennis cleaning courts at her local club in Welland, Ontario before venturing out as an aspiring tennis professional. She then worked her way up the corporate ladder in tennis, holding almost every position imaginable.
Inspiring women athletes
Allaster made her mark as an executive with Tennis Canada where she was the only woman tournament director within the Association of Tennis Professionals Masters Series. Later as Chair and CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association, she worked to secure equal prize money for women tennis players at all four Grand Slams. She again made history as the first woman chief executive of professional tennis at the U.S. Tennis Association and, in 2020, became the first woman to hold the role of U.S. Open Tournament Director.
Allaster is among a high-profile group of Canadians on the list of 85 Order of Canada appointees, including Emmy-nominated actress Sandra Oh and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Donovan Bailey.
