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Don Cyr has always been a man of many interests and has never shied away from wearing multiple hats.

The Professor of Finance and Chair of Brock University Senate has become an expert at juggling professional commitments and personal passions, while also making time for community involvement.

Cyr said his desire to dabble in different fields began as a teenager growing up in Montreal, where the school system encouraged students to explore a wide variety of subjects.

At that age, his sights never firmly settled on a single career path, although for a time he believed he was destined to become a trumpet player.

Unsure of the economic stability his musical talents could provide, he ultimately shelved that dream — although he still pursues music today — and turned his attention first to engineering, then psychology before landing on geology.

It was his love of the outdoors that drew Cyr to earth sciences, leading him to earn his Bachelor of Science in Geology from Concordia University. During his geology days, he also took some business courses that would help shape his decisions down the road.

After graduation, Cyr worked as a uranium exploration geologist for a few years, spending months at a time in Saskatchewan’s remote north­, sleeping in a tent with little but a HAM radio to keep him company.

When he grew tired of spending his days in areas accessible only by helicopter, Cyr opted to return to school to get his Master of Business Administration from the University of Saskatchewan.

“A lot of what drove my choices was probably where I was going to make some money,” he said lightheartedly, adding economics have always played a role in his professional decision-making.

Soon after obtaining his master’s degree, Cyr found himself working as a financial analyst at Shell Canada.

“By that time, I had developed a real interest in finance, statistics and econometrics,” he recalled, adding it led to his continued educational journey.

Cyr went on to complete his Master of Arts in Economics and PhD in Finance, both from the University of Alberta.

After receiving his doctorate, Cyr began working in academia, first at the University of Saskatchewan, and then at the University of Northern British Columbia.

In 1995, he was drawn to the charm of Brock University and the Niagara region and made the cross-country move to become a faculty member at the Goodman School of Business.

Cyr has since served as the School’s Dean from 2013-15, and the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research from 2002-09, including when Goodman’s MBA program was initially launched.

He has been honoured with multiple awards for his work in the classroom, where he now teaches courses in corporate and international finance, and investments. Cyr has also taken his expertise into the community as Chair of the Niagara Industrial Association, which represents about 260 small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the region.

Cyr said the Goodman School has seen “tremendous growth” in his more than two decades among its ranks.

Over that time, he has worked to find applications of econometrics and statistics related to his other areas of interest.

Since 2008, his research has focused on financial and economic aspects of the grape and wine industry, including financial contracts called weather derivatives and their potential application to the grape growing sector.

“That has been an interesting area for me because it sort of brings me back to the earth sciences and the outdoors to some extent,” Cyr said. “I do advanced statistical analyses on weather data and the risk, particularly with climate change, that it can cause for grape-growing agriculture.”

His path illustrates that connecting your passions is possible — if you get creative.

“When you have varied interests, you make choices that balance those interests and the economic reality as well,” he said. “You always have the option to maintain those interests if you feel strongly enough about them.”

Despite concentrating on crunching numbers for decades, Cyr has never given up on his love of music.

That was especially challenging during his travelling days, before he permanently settled in St. Catharines.

“It was hard to practise the trumpet when you’re moving around the country living in apartments, so at one point I picked up an electric keyboard,” he said.

His affinity for the keys stuck and saw him work his way towards becoming a seasoned jazz piano player.

Prior to the pandemic, he made regular appearances alongside singer-songwriter Sophia DeLuca (BSc ’20) at weddings, parties and other local events.

Having classes during the day and gigs in the evenings helps to keep life interesting, Cyr said.

“The music puts variety into the mental stimulus that goes on. Every new song is a new project, and new projects are always good.”