Guyanese Online

Leyland Muss awarded Durham Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award in Human Resources 

Leyland Muss

Guyana-born Leyland Muss, a Queen’s College alumnus, and one of the founders of the Queen’s College Alumni Association of Guyana – Toronto Chapter, was recently awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Human Resources Professional Association – Durham Chapter in recognition of his demonstrated excellence in leadership and contribution to the human resources profession. He is the first non-Canadian born professional to receive this honour.

The criteria for the award includes advocating excellence in the leadership of Human Resources, providing opportunities of professional development and advancement of others in the HR profession, demonstrating influence or achievement in the workplace or private practice, demonstrating a contribution to the community at large and demonstrates personal integrity.   

Leyland Muss receiving his award from presenter and Past President Mary Norton

In Guyana, Leyland started his H.R. career with the Guyana Graphic newspaper and moved to Demerara Tobacco Co. as H.R. Manager.  During this time he was the Secretary of the National Personal Officers Association.  Leyland owes a lot of his knowledge in the Human Resources field to two of his mentors, Harold Davis and Earl John.

His industry experience has been in manufacturing, food and hospitality, retail, mining, professional service, education and healthcare.  He worked in Guyana as Manager Human Resources, Demerara Tobacco Company and was seconded to the corporate head office in the United Kingdom as Asst. Personnel Advisor with British American Tobacco Co.(B.A.T), based in Millbank London.  He was responsible for advising the B.A.T. companies in Central and Latin America and the Caribbean on Human Resources issues.

He immigrated to Canada in 1977 and was Vice President, Human Resources for a large Food and Hospitality Company with responsibility for Canada and the eastern seaboard of the United States.

He was a participant in the Management Training Program at the Administrative Staff College at Henley England and received the Certificate in Personnel and Labour Relations and the Diploma in the Advanced Program in Human Resources Management from the University of Toronto.

During his H.R. Chapter membership career he was Co-Chair, General Topics Group, chaired both the Mentor Program and the Recognition and Awards Committees and provided ongoing advice to several up-and-coming Human Resources professionals.

He has been involved in a number of business and community committees.  In terms of business, he served on the Council of Human Resources Executives of the Conference Board of Canada, the International Society for Strategic Management and Planning and the Business Consortium Committee on Employment Equity. He was appointed a member of the Employer Committee on Healthcare to study and make recommendations to the Ontario Government on reducing total health care costs to businesses in the province.  He was also a member of the Canadian Compensation Association and the Whitby Chamber of Commerce.

His community involvement included President Jaycees South Georgetown, President Kaiteur Lions Club and District Zone Chairman, Toronto.  He received the District Governor’s Awards for Leadership Development, International Relations and the USA-Canada Forum.  He was also the recipient of three International President’s Awards in recognition of Exemplary Humanitarian Service, Leadership Development and International Relations.

Leyland was elected District Deputy Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario in 2010 responsible for twenty one lodges in the Toronto East District and is currently a Member of the Board of General Purposes.  He has designed and implemented a number of strategic initiatives requested by the Strategic Planning Committee.

He is the Past Chairman and currently member of the Governance Committee of the Board of Kennedy House Youth Services, a not-for-profit organization committed to providing care and treatment to at-risk youth in a safe and structured environment.

He continues to share his wealth of knowledge as the Senior Principal of L.A. Muss and Associates, a Human Resources Consulting Company offering H.R. services to start up, small and medium sized companies.  Some of the organizations he consulted for were The Faculty Club-University of Toronto, Kinross Gold Corp., Cadbury Adams Inc., KPMG Consulting, Manulife Financial Services and Sears Canada.

Leyland has contributed to the H.R. profession giving presentations on various topics.  As a lifelong learner, he gives back to the HR profession through the gift of time as a dedicated volunteer for the Durham Chapter.

Leyland Muss can be contacted by email at:  mussandassociates@gmail.com