In November 2007, the Vanier Cup (Canadian University Football Championship) was played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto as part of the Grey Cup Festival because of the passion, innovation and drive of Mohawk graduate Ward Dilse. As Executive Director of Ontario University Athletics, Ward was instrumental in bringing together both championship football games to be played in the same city, in the same venue and on the same weekend for the first time ever in Canadian history.

For 13 years. Ward was the Executive Director for Ontario University Athletics where he led strategic operations, programs and partnerships for 20 institutions representing 9,000 student-athletes competing for 40 provincial championships in 23 sports. During this time, Ward was integral in the creation and development of the University Rush football telecast on The Score Television Network which aired coast to coast from 2002 to 2013.

Ward worked as the Senior Project Manager, Stadium Programming and Marketing for the City of Hamilton, responsible for policy development, programming, revenue generation and community engagement for Tim Hortons Field including the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games soccer competition.

Ward was contracted by Golf Canada to lead event management in collaboration with Live Nation and RBC for the inaugural 2019 RBC Canadian Open Concert Series featuring Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons. In addition, he managed the talent acquisition for the
2018 Molson Canadian Olympic Team Send-Off featuring July Talk and the 2017 North American Indigenous Games Opening Ceremonies featuring A Tribe Called Red.

Currently, Ward is a Program Consultant with the Ontario Music Office at Ontario Creates. Ward promotes and enhances the business development and market potential of Ontario's music industry, by coordinating program and marketing initiatives and providing consultative services in order to contribute to the domestic and international growth of Ontario music companies through the Ontario Music Investment Fund.

Ward was actively involved on the Board of Athletes for Africa, a charitable organization that uses the power of sport to educate and engage Canadians in Africa's fight against poverty, famine and disease. Ward was Co-Chair, Marketing and Pageantry for the 2015 Juno Awards Hamilton Host Committee and was recognized for his efforts with a City of Hamilton Public Service Excellence Award. In addition, he has been on the Selection Committee of the 5 to Watch Sport Business Awards since 2014.