Throughout completing his undergraduate and graduate academic studies, Walter Perchal has engaged in three concurrent careers. Academically, he has long been affiliated with York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Over the course of his teaching time there, he has served as both undergraduate and graduate faculty in a number of programs and departments.
Among his academic activities, he was part of the founding faculty group in the then new graduate program in Disaster and Emergency Management. Earlier he taught in The Schulich School of Business at York University. Currently, there, he is a Director of the Executive Education based program in Complex Crisis Management at the Schulich Executive Education Centre. Additionally, he has been a guest Professor in a number of universities around the world and there has been honoured with foreign academic distinctions.
At York University his academic work has also been recognized with numerous distinctions including: The York University – University Wide Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence, the Schulich School of Business Award for Teaching Excellence, and, the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching.
In a second career he served as an Officer in the Canadian Forces. During his period of service he previously commanded The Royal Regiment of Canada and later was appointed Special Advisor to the Canadian Army Commander. In the course of those latter duties he also served as a Military Advisor to Senior NATO Allied Commanders. His work in this field was recognized for exemplary service.
Finally, throughout this period he has also been engaged in number of companies. Among these is an international interdisciplinary consultancy where he has served as, Managing Director, which has provided solutions to both governments and the private sector. Additionally, during this period he has been actively engaged in various roles in the biotech industry including a term as President of a research based biotech firm. Currently he serves as a principal in the Complex Crisis Management Group. Throughout this period he has also served on the Board of Directors of various firms.
Finally, he has been very active in various community based and other organizations as in the North Atlantic Organization of Canada where he has been a long serving Director. Most recently he has completed a second full term of service as a member of the Board of the York Regional Police Service.
In his own words he is a transdisciplinarian by background, a professional by experience, and a country boy by choice.
