As an established executive search consultant working in mainstream across Canada, Brenda LaRose, founder of Higgins International, recognized early on that corporations would be competing heavily for “talent”. One key success factor for organizations would be their ability to attract and retain the best and the brightest talent available. As a proud Métis woman, Brenda was actively involved with the Aboriginal community in Canada. She understood over ten years ago when she launched the firm that the Aboriginal community was the fastest growing population segment in Canada and that it possessed strong emerging leaders. It only made sense that the Aboriginal workforce could be one solution to the war on talent that the global economy was facing. It is with this insight that Brenda LaRose pioneered Aboriginal executive search, inspired by passion and with a mission to create a positive contribution to her community and the workforce.

Incorporated in 1999, Ms. LaRose established Higgins International Inc. with the vision and mandate to position the search firm to focus on Aboriginal executive search. The related goal was to contribute to breaking down the barriers and lack of understanding between the Aboriginal and non - Aboriginal communities.

Currently, almost ten years later Higgins International Inc. has been recognized as Canada’s premiere Aboriginal search firm and has completed hundreds of successful search engagements for corporations and organizations across a wide range of public and private sectors. Recently Higgins International Inc. became the first Aboriginal owned and operated business to attain PAR (Progressive Aboriginal Relations) certification through the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and the National Quality Institute and was awarded Gold, the highest level of achievement.