Alumni Profile
ALUMNI NEWS MAGAZINE | Fall 2021
Seniors are growing rapidly in number – in 2020 there were 727 million persons aged 65 years or over around the globe. Over the next three decades, that number will increase to over 1.5 billion, and the share of the population will grow from 9.3 per cent in 2020 to around 16.0 per cent in 2050.
That story is especially true in New Brunswick, where an aging population is playing an increasingly large role in the economy and within communities. Our province maintains the second oldest demographic in the country. This ‘silver economy’ is the arena where Aimée Foreman (MBA’01) does her best work.
Foreman is the founder and CEO of Silvermark, an advisory firm that specializes in working with aging care leaders in private business, not-for-profits, and all levels of government to define challenges and design solutions that improve the quality of life of the older adults they serve. She founded the company in 2018 as a way to merge her real estate, sociology and business backgrounds with her passion for redefining what is possible in caring for older adults.
As a young person craving a new experience, Foreman found herself leaving her hometown of Fredericton to attend Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario where she studied sociology, combined with business. She was drawn back to New Brunswick to work in her family’s business and continue her business training through a part-time MBA at UNB. Before graduating, she set her sights on working with Greenarm, a regional real estate and property management firm where Bob Skillen (BPE’79, BEd’81, MEd’88) had been building a strong, collaborative culture. Within her first year at the company, and still in her mid-twenties, Foreman stepped into a newly-created role of chief operating officer.
“I was fortunate that the principals at Greenarm were willing to give me a front-row seat,” says Foreman. “It was so valuable to me early on in my career. When the company was sold, I led the due-diligence process which was a tremendous learning opportunity.”
The transition out of the company timed perfectly with welcoming her children, and a desire to have more flexible time to spend at home, so Foreman created her own consulting firm. “I had been doing a lot of volunteer work in the community related to homelessness and poverty reduction. I started getting approached by non-profits for consulting work. The idea of concentrating on social advocacy in my work emerged around this time. Social enterprise and social impact were beginning to be more widely understood, and I found I could converge my business perspective and community perspective in a purposeful way.”
Her own family experience solidified her desire to narrow in on aging care. “My husband and I live close to all four parents, who are active grandparents for our kids. We place a high value on that. I was close to my own grandmother who developed dementia. I held her hand as she passed away three days before our wedding. It had a lasting impact on me and I knew I wanted to help develop better ways to care for older adults.”
That realization led Foreman to become COO for Alleira Living, a start-up company pursuing senior living operations and development. “The position allowed me to build a network and develop deep knowledge in aging care. It became very clear during this time that I was meant to be in this space.”
So, Silvermark was born.
“I’m encouraged by the focus on investment in this space to support aging-in-place and aging in care. I’m optimistic about moving the needle in our continuum of care and transforming our communities. We’re harnessing research, best practices, and innovation to inform policy, progressive programming, and design through a user-centric approach.”
Foreman says that through her advisory firm – which now comprises eight employees and is doubling over the next few months – she works with business, government and non-profit partners and collaborates with sector experts outside of the province as well. “I’ve been able to travel to other jurisdictions to learn the most innovative ways to redefine the continuum of care. I have been able to build an international network. It fuels me because I strongly believe that older adults deserve the same level of investment in innovation as everyone else.”
Foreman says that it’s incredibly rewarding and “an absolute gift” to be in the position of helping transform the aging care space in our communities. As chair of Ignite Fredericton, she’s also able to help other entrepreneurs get to that place of transformation as well. In addition, she’s a contributing author on a new book, The 100 Women of Inspiration™, which features inspiring women in diverse industries who are visionaries and leaders driving change across Canada.
“I’m fortunate to be part of the conversation and I hope to make an impact. The older adults around us have shaped the world we live in today. I hope to help shape their future world and ours as well.”
Check out Women Driving Change, which Aimée contributed to, a compilation of stories of more than 100 "inspiring, resilient, and influential women from diverse backgrounds.”
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