january-2012

horizontal. If one element is out of sync with the others, the whole
organisation is off balance.’ Quennec’s mix of drive, passion and
humility is a large part of how he gets the best out of his staff .
‘Th ere’s no such thing as being the best, but we strive to be
considered among the best sports organisations in the world.’
Th e tip of the iceberg is Quennec’s philosophy. It could have
been applied to any number of organisations, it didn’t have to be a
sports club. But Quennec chose GSHC, and the reason behind this
was for more than just the challenge of turning the club into a
successful sporting team and entertainment enterprise. For him and
Chris McSorley being the best means much more than simply
winning games. GSHC is a vehicle, a launching pad for projects
that can make a real diff erence to the
community, thanks to its reach through
its fan base and corporate sponsors,
through the media attention it generates
and through the infl uence of its players.
Th e GSHC message goes beyond the
rink: the club aims to be a model for
youth hockey development and to
provide a positive impact on the local
community. ‘It’s not about money, and
it’s not just about winning games. It’s
about all this positive energy, and how
far that can go,’ says Quennec.
GSHC devotes much of its time and energy into Geneva’s
children. In Switzerland today there are kids of all ages and from all
across the city who are discovering and enjoying ice hockey. Some
may even be the hockey stars of the future. Th anks to the Genève
Future Hockey Association (GFH), a non-profi t organisation set
up by GSHC, both aspiring athletes and kids who just want to
have fun playing the sport have the opportunity to play hockey with
their peers, get professional coaching and interact with star hockey
players who act as mentors and role models to educate them about
the positive attributes of the sport. GFH will even give career
advice to help promising players think about their future both
inside and outside the rink.
Eighty-Two
Below: a GSHC player mentors a young child.
Bottom: Hugh Quennec (left) and PrivatAir’s
Victor Grove (right) enjoy a big match
But that’s not all. Th anks to GSHC’s overwhelming popularity
and media attention, the club is able to organise a number of
high-profi le charity fundraisers and events through the Genève-
Servette Foundation for Children and Humanity. A great example
is the Teddy Bear Night when fans throw stuff ed animals onto the
rink after the fi rst goal of the home team is scored. Th e bears are
then collected and delivered by the players to local children’s
hospitals. And on Pink Night in support of breast cancer charities,
players don pink jerseys as they play. Th eir kit is then sold off at
auction and the proceeds given to charity.
Hugh Quennec’s Sport for Life Foundation illustrates how
sport can benefi t the community in a variety of diff erent ways. Take
the Community Rinks programme for
example. Th e foundation provided funding
that was instrumental in helping several
communities in the Geneva area to build
outdoor rinks. Th ese rinks have become a
meeting point for family recreation, social
events, school outings as well as venues for
hockey initiation programs for boys and
girls, that are managed by GFH. Th e Sport
for Life Foundation’s Le Petit Sport
programme aims to allow children as
young as four to learn good manners,
follow rules, work as a team and stay focused on a task, all through
the use of stories and games. ‘We’re getting four-year-olds to shake
hands when they say hello, look you in the eye when they’re talking
to you, and accept time-out when they’ve not followed the rules,
respected the other participants or the equipment. It’s not just about
sport, it’s an education for life,’ says Quennec.
GSHC is already changing the face of sport in Geneva. And it’s
not just thanks to good business sense or solid sporting performance.
It’s largely because everyone involved wants to work towards the
positive ideals that the club believes in. Quennec’s drive is contagious
because his values are sound, and you can bet he gained these through
his love of sport. ‘It is about sport,’ he says. ‘But more importantly, it’s
about good people doing good things for good reasons.’
AMEETINGOFMINDS
When Victor Grove, senior vice-president for training and customer
service at PrivatAir, met GSHC president Hugh Quennec, their joint
appreciation of sport was just a starting point for a friendship that is
based on many shared values. ‘In my role at PrivatAir, it’s all about
people. We aim for that heightened level of excellence among our staff .
When we talk about customer service, we call it our Service
d’Excellence. I’m a great believer in the values people can learn
through sport, and apply to every area of life: the team spirit, hard
work, focus and discipline. There are many ways to communicate those
values to our staff and our customers. Highlighting role models like the
GSHC is a fi ne example.’
IMAGE©BOMBARDIER