THE CANADIAN PRESS

During the 2003 Pan American Games in the Dominion Republic, Chris Rudge invited several Canadian reporters out to dinner.

In a small restaurant, the new chief executive officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee asked for advice on increasing the exposure of Canada's athletes and wondered how the COC could do its job better.

At that time you could sense Rudge was going to do things differently. A businessman with a sports background, he understood you needed funding to win, but you also had to win to attract money.

Rudge announced his resignation Tuesday as the COC's CEO and secretary general. His seven-year term ended in the wake of Vancouver hosting a successful Winter Olympics where the best-funded and prepared Canadian team ever won a record 14 gold medals.

Changing attitudes within the COC, and creating programs to give the athletes the support they need, are two of the achievements Rudge feels the most pride over.

"At one time when I first got here, I think we were trying to be all things to all people," he said. "The COC was trying to do too much without focusing on three or four key priorities or objectives.

"I think we are a much more focused organization now on what we are about. Success in sport and our contribution to success in sport."

Dick Pound, a member of the International Olympic Committee and a former COC president, praised Rudge for moving the Olympic committee in a positive direction.

"He had a sense of the big picture," said Pound. "He understood the financial aspects of what we were doing.

"He communicated well with the public at large. He was good about getting talent in the organization and giving the talent the opportunity to do a good job without being in their face all the time."

Marcel Aubut, the COC's president-elect, said Rudge leaves a strong foundation for the organization to build on.

"He has left lots of good things," said Aubut. "We have to capitalize on those things to bring the organization to the next level.

"We are going to take it from the basic platform we have now and do lots more things. The COC is ready for that now. One of the reasons is that the people were there before us."

Canada's Winter Olympic success can be attributed to Own the Podium, a $117-million program designed to supply money for training, coaching and sports science. Rudge was chair of the program's steering committee the last two years.

He also worked with the federal government to ensure continued support for both summer and winter athletes.

"This organization needed to take more of a business approach to what it did as a leader of sport in this country," Rudge said. "It needed a much closer relationship with government and government agencies.

"They are very important for success."

By setting medal targets, and helping to find money to reach those goals, a new attitude grew among the country's athletes. It was no longer considered un-Canadian to say you wanted to win.

"I think Canadians have come to recognize that you can be aggressive in establishing your goals, as long as they are realistic and as long as you support the people that have to execute on those goals," Rudge said.

"It doesn't mean you compromise the fine values Canadians have always held in the past. You can win with humility and grace and you can be a wonderful person."

Rudge was a board member of the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee, known locally as VANOC. He also helped southern Ontario land the Pan American Games, sitting on the Toronto 2015 board of directors.

John Furlong, VANOC's chief executive officer, called Rudge a tireless advocate for athletes and the Canadian sports system.

"We benefited greatly at VANOC from his dedication and passion," Furlong said in an e-mail. "He was a strong and engaged member of our Board, always putting sport first."

Prior to joining the COC in January 2003, Rudge was a senior executive and member of the Office of the CEO of Quebecor World Inc., which was the world's largest commercial printer. In 12 years with the company, he held several executive positions.

He began his professional career teaching physical education in Toronto.

His sport background included competing as a player with the Syracuse Stingers of the National Lacrosse League, holding the position of director of personnel with the NLL's Les Caribou de Quebec and coaching the Canadian national field lacrosse team in 1976.

Rudge came to the COC at a time when the organization was still reeling from the 2002 death of CEO Jim Thompson, who suffered a heart attack just seven months after being hired. Thompson had filled a post that had been vacant since the February 2001 death of Carol-Anne Letheren.

At the time, some people perceived the COC as a "bureaucratic ivory tower," Rudge said.

"I think the organization was not at the time closely focused on athletes. It could and should have been."

Rudge credits much of the COC's success to current president Michael Chambers, who he calls "a terrific colleague and a terrific leader."

Rudge's resignation is effective April 15.

Aubut said a committee has been working for the last three months to find a new CEO. He expects the person to be named soon.

One name mentioned for the job is Jean Dupre, the director general of Speed Skating Canada.

Rudge said he has no immediate plans. He may write a book. There also have been some feelers about running for political office.

He may return to the business world and might work in sports again, but not at the Olympic level.

"There are too many people who try and rule from the grave and that is a disaster," Rudge said. "My successor has to build their team and their dream."