Ryan Horner

Background

About Ryan Horner

I started working at 16 in HVAC, then washing meat bins at a local butcher shop, the boss yelling “this isn’t summer camp, boy!” was my early lesson in what not to do as a leader. Over the next six summers, I moved into landscaping, where I rose to supervisor: training teams, estimating jobs, managing social media and overseeing every project from start to finish. Those early roles taught me that adversity builds character, and leadership is about coaching, clarity, and motivation. I loved hockey growing up and dreamed of the NHL, but that path shifted in 2016 when I enrolled at Wilfrid Laurier University to study Psychology & Communication. After graduation, I completed George Brown’s Sport & Event Marketing Post‑Grad program, where I discovered the power of sport to unite communities. During COVID, I put that passion into motion, training for and documenting a solo marathon that raised for Crohn’s & Colitis Canada. That campaign ignited my love for storytelling, grassroots marketing, and measurable impact. That led to an internship with RBC Business Initiatives, where I fine‑tuned client experience and business project planning. Today, I’m at SDImktg, specializing in sport activations across Canada: managing athlete talent, client relationships (mostly Rogers), budgets, and large‑scale staff logistics. I’m widely viewed as a “Swiss Army Knife”, someone who can turn strategy into flawless production at scale. Off‑hours you’ll find me in the gym, training for new athletic challenges, spending time with friends and family, or in the studio recording music. I excel in chaotic environments and my strongest trait is staying calm, cool and collected when stakes are high. Curious how I’d approach your next marketing activation, charity event or campaign? Invite me to connect.