Thompson Rivers University's school of business and economics gained an influential consultant last week.

Michael Graydon, president and CEO of the B.C. Lottery Corporation (BCLC), is lending his standing and experience to the creation of a new advisory board for the school.

"Michael's experience and business connections throughout the country and world will help create opportunities for our students' education and our faculty's research," said Dr. Russell Currie, dean of TRU school of business and economics.

Graydon also brings a wealth of corporate experience, according to a TRU news release, including sales and marketing with Carling O'Keefe, advertising with Vickers & Benson, franchise restaurant management with The Keg and grocery retail at Sobeys.

And in 2005, Graydon participated in the Ivey School of Business Quantum Shift program that brought 40 of Canada's top entrepreneurial CEOs together in an intensive business leadership development program.

The pairing may not seem an obvious one to outsiders, but the university and the provincial Crown Corporation are actually a good fit, said Graydon.

"TRU and BCLC's operations are similar in that both organizations are grounded in the Kamloops community, but have a scope that reaches far beyond the local level."

The rest of the advisory board will bring together "exceptional management and entrepreneurial professionals chosen for their experience and expertise in leading businesses or public and nonprofit organizations," according to the release.