Kevin Ford performed on stage with his sons, from left, Tristan, Liam, Skyler and Cody during his well-attended Calian Group retirement party at the Rainbow Bistro on Thursday night. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The Man, The CEO, The Musician, The Legend: Kevin Ford’s chart-topping goodbye
Kevin Ford got the rock star send-off he so richly deserved on Thursday at the Rainbow Bistro, where colleagues, friends and family celebrated the beloved business leader’s retirement from Calian Group with an incredible night of live music.
The invitation that Calian sent out to guests was headlined: “The Man, The CEO, The Musician, The Legend” alongside an electric guitar graphic. Everyone got to be his groupie — for one night anyway.
“Welcome to the ‘Kevin Ford Musical’,” the man of the hour joked as he welcomed a packed room to the live music venue, located in the ByWard Market, that he and others saved from permanent closure during the pandemic by raising funds and making improvement to its business model and operations.
Former Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford’s retirement bash was held at the Rainbow Bistro live music venue in the ByWard Market on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The Rainbow Bistro was packed with friends, family and Calian Group colleagues for the farewell party for Kevin Ford, the company’s former CEO. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Also part of those efforts to rescue the Rainbow were Boyden Canada managing partner Jim Harmon, MDS Aero Support president and CEO John Jastremski, and Sicard Holdings CEO and Senators Community Foundation board member John Sicard, all of whom are also very musically talented. They joined Ford on stage that night.
As well, Ford played with his four adult sons, Cody, lead guitarist for SOEN, Tristan, Skyler and Liam, calling it a “dream come true” afterward. Liam wowed the audience on vocals in only his second-ever live performance.
Another touching moment came when Ford shared the stage with singer and musician Chelsey June, who, like Ford, is in a period of career transition. Together they opened with The Tragically Hip’s Grace, Too.
Singer and musician Chelsey June on stage with Kevin Ford, performing The Tragically Hip’s Grace, Too. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Liam Ford performed vocals alongside his father Kevin Ford and three brothers (not seen) during the retirement party held for Kevin at the Rainbow Bistro to celebrate his time as CEO of Calian Group. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Ottawa Board of Trade president and CEO Sueling Ching and Erin Benjamin, president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, were among the roughly 125 guests of a send-off held at the Rainbow Bistro for Kevin Ford, who recently stepped down as CEO of Calian Group. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Business and community leader John Sicard on drums during an evening of live music to celebrate Kevin Ford at his Calian Group retirement party, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Jim Harmon from Boyden with his band, Dead Pennies, during a celebration for Kevin Ford. Photo by Caroline Phillips
John “JJ” Jastremski, president and CEO of MDS and a member of the band Faux Confessions, performed at the Calian Group retirement party for Kevin Ford. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Ford proudly showed off the new guitar gifted to him by Calian. “Had I known there would have been a guitar in my departure, I would have left years ago,” he joked.
From the Calian board were chair George Weber and director Jo-Anne Poirier. Calian is an Ottawa-based public company that works in defence, space, health, government services and critical infrastructure.
Ford also serves as volunteer co-chair of The Ottawa Hospital’s Campaign to Create Tomorrow, supporting the modern new hospital campus that will replace the aging Civic Campus. Hospital president and CEO Cameron Love attended, along with a team from The Ottawa Hospital Foundation that included president and CEO Tim Kluke and chief development officer Jennifer Van Noort. As well, Ford serves on the board of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition led by Melanie Brulée, with board president Colin Mills also in attendance.
Ford says he isn’t retiring so much as “rewiring” for his next chapter. After leading Calian for more than a decade, he felt it was time to move on. “I want you to know how comforting it is to me to hand over the reins of an $800-million global company to Patrick Houston,” he said on stage. “CEO roles are not given; they’re earned, and there’s nobody that’s earned it more than Patrick.
“I can tell you, the company is about to soar under that guy’s leadership,” said Ford.
From left, Calian Group CEO Patrick Houston at the farewell party for his mentor and predecessor, Kevin Ford, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Kevin Ford performed with his sons Tristan, Skyler, Liam and Cody during his Calian Group retirement party at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
George Weber, board chair of Calian Group, and board director Jo-Anne Poirier at the retirement bash for former CEO Kevin Ford, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation chief development officer, Jennifer Van Noort, and its president and CEO Tim Kluke, with Kevin Ford, who’s a co-chair of the hospital’s Campaign to Create Tomorrow. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Donna Logan, a technologist at Arcadis, is also a vocalist with Kevin Ford’s long-time band, the Mannequin @ the Door, which performed during a farewell party for Ford from his role as CEO of Calian Group. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Ottawa Music Industry Coalition board members Tammie Trellert, Tara Shannon, Canadian Live Music Association CEO Erin Benjamin, OMIC board president Colin Mills and executive director Melanie Brulée at the Calian Group retirement party for Kevin Ford, who’s on OMIC’s board. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Houston presented his mentor with a second gift — a guitar case. It was covered with stickers from some of the places Ford had travelled to while CEO at Calian. Houston, who previously served as CFO and chief development officer, also thanked Ford for everything he’s done for Calian, its staff and the community.
“I’m going to miss that Kevin, for sure,” said Houston.
Remembering his time at Calian, Ford shared that he recently laid out all the business cards he’s collected over the years on his kitchen table. “There are thousands of them,” he said, each one representing a person he’s met along the way.
“I’m just so happy to look out in the crowd tonight and see so many who’ve been part of this journey,” said Ford, acknowledging how challenging it is to run a major company, and how everyone’s support has made all the difference. “Whether it’s some relief, a laugh, empathy or encouragement, I want to thank you.”
Ford gave a special shout out to Marlene, his wife of nearly 40 years, while also recognizing several prominent women in the room, including Canadian Live Music Association president and CEO Erin Benjamin, Ottawa Board of Trade president and CEO Sueling Ching, and former Ottawa CEO of the Year Kathryn Tremblay, co-founder and owner of Altis Recruitment and Technology.
By the time the Dead Pennies started playing, Kevin was cutting loose on the dance floor, just as he’d promised.
Kevin Ford on the dance floor during the Calian Group retirement party held for the former CEO at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Former Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford performing on stage during his retirement bash at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Karen Sparks, executive director of Wesley Clover Parks, and Kathryn Tremblay, co-founder and owner of Altis Recruitment and Technology, at the celebration for Kevin Ford, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Kevin Ford with fellow business leaders John Sicard and Sanjay Shah, CEO of ExecHealth, at the retirement bash for Ford as former CEO of Calian Group, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Elliott Bourgeois, senior manager of the private client group at First Avenue Investment Counsel, and Andrea Timlin, director of philanthropy at Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, helped organize a 2022 charity fundraiser at the Rainbow Bistro that included Kevin Ford, whose retirement party they attended on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Rich Rankin, senior associate at Boyden and a member of the Dead Pennies band, brought his powerful vocals to the stage during the send-off for former Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Warren Tomlin, managing partner at EY alongside retired EY Partner Ian Sherman, CEO of Relationship Capital, and Aaron Smith, a partner at EY, at the retirement party for former Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford, held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Kevin Ford on stage with his successor, Calian Group CEO Patrick Houston, during the presentation of a custom-decorated guitar case for Ford’s guitar. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Cody Ford, lead guitarist for Swedish progressive metal band SOEN, performed at the retirement party for his father, Kevin Ford, alongside his dad and three brothers. Photo by Caroline Phillips
James Baker, co-founder and CEO of Keynote Search, and Sanjay Shah, CEO of ExecHealth, were out helping to celebrate Kevin Ford at his retirement party held at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Kevin Ford’s family, friends and former colleagues from Calian Group turned out in droves for his retirement party at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, The Ottawa Hospital’s president and CEO, Cameron Love, alongside Kevin Ford and Aaron Smith, partner at EY, at the retirement party for Ford held at the Rainbow Bistro live music venue. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, MDS Aero Support president and CEO John Jastremski on stage with Rich Rankin during the retirement party for former Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford, which featured an evening of live music at the Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
From left, Kevin Ford, former CEO of Calian Group, and Riaz Sidi, CEO at Sidi.io, at the retirement party held for Ford at the Rainbow Bistro, featuring live music. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Calian Group team members gather for a spur-of-the-moment photo during the farewell party for Kevin Ford (centre) at Rainbow Bistro. Photo by Caroline Phillips
This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.
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