‘USask was amazing’

Seven American presidents. Talk-show hosts Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. Businessperson and philanthropist Warren Buffett. Golf legend Phil Mickelson. Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Musical icon Elton John.

Those are just some of the famous people that University of Saskatchewan (USask) alumnus Andy McCreath (BA’99) has met or worked with during his inspiring and impactful career as a Canadian entrepreneur and event producer.

For more than two decades, McCreath and his business partner, Christian Darbyshire, have organized high-profile events through their Calgary, Alta.-based company tinePublic Inc., which they co-founded in 2004. These events have included the Ellen DeGeneres Super Bowl event in Miami in 2020; a conversation with former U.S. President Barack Obama in Calgary and Winnipeg in 2019; an evening event with former First Lady Michelle Obama in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, and Quebec City in 2018 and 2019; and an evening with renowned physicist and author Stephen Hawking in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, China, and in Cambridge, UK, in 2017.

Other notable events have included an afternoon event with former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in Calgary in 2018; an afternoon with boxing legend Mike Tyson in Toronto in 2016; an afternoon with legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson in Los Angeles in 2014; a forum with former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Abu Dhabi in 2013; an afternoon with Gene Simmons of the rock band KISS in Saskatoon in 2010; the Vancouver Peace Summit with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Calgary in 2009; a conversation with former U.S. President George W. Bush in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Montreal in 2009; and many more high-profile events held in cities and facilities around the world.

While McCreath has a stellar resume, he admits that getting to this point in his career wasn’t always easy; it took determination, dedication, and a willingness to face potential rejection. His advice for USask students and recent alumni is to “work hard, be resilient, and don’t be afraid of failure—especially when you are young in the first few years of your career, as this builds character.”

“I have had much more no’s than yeses in my career, and you just have to keep going,” he told the Green&White. “It makes getting ‘yes’ that much more significant and rewarding when it happens.”

When asked about the start of his successful career, McCreath said he was always determined to prove that he could reach his goals.

“People have said, ‘Well, you’re never going to land President Bush to speak at your event.’ (I said) ‘Well, want me to show you?’”

McCreath and Darbyshire started their company in their twenties, as “two pretty low-key Prairie kids” who also happened to be “very tenacious” when it came to producing events, McCreath said. That tenacity, as well as their friendliness and an unflinching desire to succeed, were assets; as McCreath and Darbyshire built their business, each high-profile event led to another significant opportunity.

“Our big break was when President Clinton agreed to do his first event with us,” McCreath recalled. “They said no to us a bunch of times but saw that we had been doing these super successful young professional and entrepreneur events and then they were kind of like, ‘OK, we think we might give you guys a shot.’ ”

After McCreath flew to New York for a meeting to seal the deal, what resulted was a multi-city tour with former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2005. That successful tour helped McCreath and Darbyshire go on to land events with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and economist Alan Greenspan, the former chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, among many others.

One of McCreath’s favourite clients to work with over the years has been former U.S. President George W. Bush, whom he said is “the nicest person.”

“We actually became friends. I would receive his Christmas card every year, and we’d hang out with him. He was so friendly. (Former U.S. Secretary of State) Colin Powell was another guy that stood out as someone who was extremely friendly,” McCreath said.

“George Bush Sr. was great, but George Bush Jr. was definitely the favourite. I would say the most unique experience was going and filming with Stephen Hawking in Cambridge at his office in the Physics Department. That was wild.” 

After completing high school in Salisbury, Connecticut, in 1994, McCreath was encouraged by his parents, USask graduates Grit (BEd’91) and Scott (BComm’69) McCreath, to pursue post-secondary education. Andy McCreath had played soccer and tennis at his prep school, and he had subsequently been offered college scholarships to play tennis in the U.S., but he couldn’t decide if he wanted to continue “playing tennis at that level of commitment.” 

Ultimately, MCreath looked outside of the U.S. to Saskatchewan, where he had vacationed at Waskesiu Lake each summer with his family for years. At the last minute, he applied to attend USask for what he thought would be just one year of studies—but he ended up staying at the university for several years, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics at USask’s College of Arts and Science in 1999. McCreath was inspired to study economics because of his father’s successful career in business and finance.

“I understood economics, the markets, finance,” he said. “It was an area, because of growing up with my dad, that kind of resonated with me and I understood.”

Attending USask was also a natural fit for McCreath, whose parents continue to have strong and enduring connections to both Saskatchewan and to their alma mater. For example, McCreath’s mother Grit McCreath served as USask’s 16th chancellor, from 2019 to 2025. She has also served as a member of the University Senate and the Board of Governors and has held the role of USask’s first honorary ambassador of the Alumni Association since 2015. 

Andy McCreath’s father, Scott McCreath, earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree at USask in 1969. He had a successful career in finance with The McCreath Group at BMO Nesbitt Burns, as senior vice-president of Canadian Commercial Bank, and as chair of the Alberta Stock Exchange. He currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Edwards School of Business and has served as an executive-in-residence there since 2014, having taught more than 100 lectures to Edwards students.

Andy McCreath followed in his parents’ footsteps by attending USask, and the university has become a special place for him. He continues to value the friendships and connections he made at the university, which honoured him in 2007 with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

“I love the University of Saskatchewan. It’s just such a great community atmosphere,” said McCreath, who remembers, as a student in the 1990s, hanging out in the Tunnel—a well-known hallway connecting Place Riel and the Arts Building—as well as going to Louis’ on Friday nights, and buying coffee at the popular shop known as Treats.

“I think, from a social standpoint, USask was amazing,” he said. “Still, to this day, so many of my good friends, my best friends, are a lot of people that I met at USask. It was a great school for relationships. I had a great time.”

As a USask student, McCreath’s interest in soccer continued and he played with the Huskies soccer team for three years. McCreath now gives back to his alma mater by serving on the USask Huskie Athletics Board of Trustees—a position he’s held since 2025. McCreath said it’s “a huge honour” to take on the role and he’s happy to work alongside other caring and dedicated trustees who also take pride in the Huskies. 

“I think it’s a great thing for a school to do—it adds that extra level of corporate governance into an athletic program,” he said.

Sports have long played a big role in McCreath’s life. After earning his degree at USask, McCreath worked for the NHL's head office in New York and as a players’ agent before starting tinePublic Inc. with Darbyshire. The pair started their company in 2004 because they wanted to produce events for young professionals after observing a lot of existing events at the time were priced beyond what most young people could afford. Since then, McCreath and Darbyshire have produced and co-produced dozens of events across Canada and internationally, with more than a million attendees and tens of thousands of tickets given away to charities and not-for-profit organizations.

McCreath said his work as an event producer and his volunteerism in the community “go hand in hand.” For example, he recently joined the board of directors of the Canada Soccer Foundation, an organization dedicated to growing the game and creating opportunities for all Canadians to experience the power of soccer. This summer, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams and three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. McCreath said it’s an exciting time to be a part of the Canada Soccer Foundation as the countdown to the World Cup begins.

“Once again—great group of people on the board,” he said. “There’s a lot of successful people there who want to strengthen the backbone of the sport in Canada.”

In addition, McCreath is a member of the Board of Governors with Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. He is also known for initiating and creating the “Hangin’ in the Dome Chillin’ with Jarome” t-shirt campaign for the 2004 and 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, featuring a young picture of former Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla on the front of the shirt. Thousands of those shirts were sold, with all proceeds going to KidSport Calgary.

“I guess I have always enjoyed giving back and felt a certain level of responsibility to the community through fundraising events, serving on boards, and not-for-profit work,” McCreath said.  

In 2017, McCreath served as the national co-chair of the Invictus Games in Toronto, leading the fundraising efforts and sponsorship of the games. The Invictus Games, the brainchild of Prince Harry, is an international athletics competition for active duty and veteran service members who have become ill or injured during, or resulting from, their service. The 2017 games welcomed more than 550 competitors from 17 countries, including Canada.

More recently, McCreath was involved in a 2025 Calgary fundraising event for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

“The Canadian Olympic Foundation and Committee are great to work with—really professional and friendly,” he said. “Our event went well as we were able to raise money for the Olympians heading to Italy.”

McCreath lives in Calgary with his wife, Camille, and their two sons, Jack and Max. In addition to being a partner in tinePublic Inc. for more than two decades, he has served as the president of McCreath Capital since 2004 and as a partner in McCreath Holdings since 2009. For more than a decade, McCreath has also co-owned Cowboys Dance Hall in Calgary and the Cowboys Music Festival, an event that hosts guests from around the globe during the Calgary Stampede.

McCreath is proud of his career, which has given him the opportunity to travel around the world, but he remains a personable and approachable person who takes his achievements in stride. Over the years his great work has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and being included on a list of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People. In 2011, both McCreath and Darbyshire were named to The Globe and Mail’s Top 40 Under 40, a list recognizing the achievements of young leaders who are shaping the future of Canada. 

McCreath describes such accolades as “very humbling.”

“I don’t often think about awards that I have received over the years, but it is obviously an honour to be recognized,” he said.

While McCreath has a busy career and a busy family life, he still finds time to volunteer in Calgary by co-chairing several events each year. He also gives back by serving on numerous boards and supporting non-profit organizations and fundraising events, which have included U SPORTS, Tourism Calgary, the TELUS Community Board, SaskPower, KidSport Calgary & Area, and many more.

Working with charities and boards and organizing fundraising events are a great fit for McCreath’s passions and skillset.

“I realized that’s kind of my calling because I don’t see it as work. I enjoy it,” McCreath said.

“When things are going well and you’re contributing, it feels good.”