17 Facts About Gina Cody

Gina Parvaneh Cody is a Canadian-Iranian engineer and business leader.

In 1989, Cody became the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in building engineering.

Gina Cody's father owned a boy's high school, where she would teach during the summer.

In 1978, Gina Cody completed a Bachelor of Science degree in structural engineering at Aryamehr University of Technology.

In 1989, Gina Cody became the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in building engineering, from Concordia.

Gina Cody then moved to the private sector, where she performed tower crane inspections at Construction Control Inc, an Ontario-based engineering consulting company, making her the first woman to climb Toronto construction cranes as an inspector.

Gina Cody worked her way up through CCI to become its president.

Gina Cody eventually became the executive chair and principal shareholder of CCI Group Inc She sold CCI Group Inc and retired in 2016.

Gina Cody's support fosters gender equity, diversity and inclusion through 100 undergraduate and 40 graduate entrance scholarships across the faculty.

Gina Cody became co-chancellor of Concordia University on May 1,2024, alongside fellow alumnus Jonathan Wener.

Since retiring and making her landmark gift to Concordia University, Gina Cody has become a vocal advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Gina Cody has been invited to speak at dozens of events for major corporations, universities, governments, conferences and women's groups.

Gina Cody was named to the Order of Montreal in 2019 and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2021.

Gina Cody was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2019.

Gina Cody was named one of Canada's Top 25 Women of Influence in 2020 and a Woman of Distinction by the Women's Y Foundation of Montreal in 2023.

In 2022 Gina Cody was awarded an honorary doctorate in engineering by the University of Sherbrooke and named outstanding major donor for 2022 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Quebec.

Gina Cody is an honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 34 Combat Engineer Regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces.