Jason Drew Harrow better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent hip hop producers during the 2000s and is distinctive for his reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.

A native of Toronto, Harrow began his career in the city's mid-1990s underground hip hop scene, when he formed the hip hop group the Circle. He released his debut studio album, Eye & I (1997) and extended play (EP), Husslin' (2000) independently before signing with MCA Records in 2000. His second album and major label debut, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 (2001), moderately entered the Canadian Albums Chart and was supported by his first Canadian Singles Chart entries: "Ol' Time Killin'" and "BaKardi Slang"—the latter of which popularized Toronto's nickname "T-dot". He failed to release the album's sequel on MCA, in part due to the label's absorption by Geffen Records prior to its release. Harrow's third album, Fire and Glory (2003), was released by Virgin Records; despite widespread critical praise, it was met with commercial stagnation and became his only release with the label.

He then signed with Senegalese-American singer Akon's record label KonLive Distribution, an imprint of Geffen Records in 2007 to release his fourth album, Not 4 Sale (2008). Its lead single, "Dangerous" (featuring Akon) peaked at number two on the then-newly established Canadian Hot 100, number five of the US Billboard Hot 100, and received quadruple platinum certification by Music Canada (MC). The song yielded his furthest commercial success, and was followed by his guest performance alongside Colby O'Donis on Akon's single "Beautiful" that same year, which peaked within the top 20 of the latter chart. Not 4 Sale debuted at number eight on the Canadian Albums Chart, number 40 on the Billboard 200, and spawned the Canadian Hot 100-top 40 single "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)" (featuring Keri Hilson or Rihanna), which received gold certification by MC. His 2010 single, "Body Bounce" (featuring Akon), peaked within the top 20 of the chart and received platinum certification, although he parted ways with KonLive later that year.

An independent artist once more, he formed the record label Black Stone Colleagues shortly after, although in 2013, Harrow was named the creative executive director of Universal Music Canada's A&R division. Two years later, he released his fifth album, Kardi Gras, Vol. 1: The Clash (2015) to moderate success. In April 2021, he was promoted to senior vice-president of A&R for Universal Music Canada.

Dr. Mark Beckles has over 30 years’ experience in financial services. He has global executive leadership experience in banking, insurance, risk management and non- profit leadership.

Mark is a retired executive of RBC Royal Bank. In his most recent role he was responsible for RBC’s community investment initiatives and leading stakeholder relations to cultivate and maintain key relationships across Canada including policy makers, partners and stakeholders to advance RBC’s community investment priorities.

Mark previously served as Head, RBC Insurance Advice Centre, responsible for over 500 licensed insurance advisors who provide insurance advice and solutions to 750,000 RBC Insurance clients across Canada and served as Regional Vice President, Retail Banking at RBC with market responsibility for North Mississauga and Scarborough. He also has significant non-profit leadership experience, most notably as President & CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (Canada).

He currently serves as a board member of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and chairs the audit and finance committee. He is serves on the board of Fulbright Canada. He also serves on the advisory committee of the Lincoln M. Alexander Award, Global Skills Opportunity and The Canadian Multicultural LEAD Organization. Most recently, he was Vice Chair and Board member of the William Osler Health System.

In 2011, Mark received the City of Toronto Bob Marley Award for his commitment to diversity and City Building. He was also recognized for his work in support of the Canadian Sickle Cell Network. In 2012 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for community volunteerism.

In 2015, Mark received the Harry Jerome Award for Professional Excellence. In 2016 Mark received the Barbados 50 Independence honors for community service and in 2017, Mark was awarded the African Canadian Achievement Award for Leadership and Management.

Mark holds an MBA in International Business from the University of Bradford and has completed executive programs with Richard Ivey School of Business and holds the Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D). In 2024, Mark was conferred Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by York University in recognition of his decades of transformational business leadership and impact to community organizations across Canada.

Mark was honoured with the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for his outstanding contributions in leadership, philanthropy, and community service. This accolade not only celebrates his commitment to positive change but also cements his legacy as a transformative leader.

Onyx Initiative is a non-profit organization founded by entrepreneurs and philanthropists Wayne and Nigela Purboo in the wake of the 2020 global social justice movement and the subsequent call to action. The organization was established on the simple premise that anyone seeking meaningful employment and advancement, who is equipped and eager to fulfill the duties of a role, should have an equal opportunity to do so. Onyx's purpose is to expand the recruitment pipeline by offering comprehensive career development resources and forging mutually beneficial corporate, educational, and community partnerships to close the systemic gap in the hiring, retention and promotion of Black college and university students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada.

Onyx's model is based on a dual and complementary value proposition - leverage post-secondary educational resources to create an expansive supply of high potential Black talent and collaborate with prominent businesses to nurture a growing demand for more inclusive internships and full-time placements. In short, the Onyx Scholars Program is designed to ensure participants are equipped with critical decision-making support before they land an opportunity and the essential skills to thrive in a range of work environments throughout their career journey.
Some of the resources that Onyx provides include Mentorship, Career Coaching, Scholarships, Employer Discovery Sessions, Career Development Webinars, a LinkedIn Learning Club Series, Career Exploration Meetups, and Executive Fireside Chats. Our signature event is a Black Professionals Career Fair, which allows scholars from across the country to visit our corporate partners’ virtual booths, network with recruiters, and interview for jobs on the spot.
Since inception, Onyx has received more than 1000 applications for the Scholars Program and have welcomed over 900 participants; many of whom have secured internships and full-time positions and often tout the fact that the resources have made a tremendous difference in their lives, personally and professionally.