Corporate Profile

Mission Statement

To expand the economy of the Greater Toronto Area by raising the profile of the region internationally to attract new investment and employment.

Vision Statement

To be recognized as the primary marketing voice for attracting international investment and employment to the Greater Toronto Area.

Staff Members

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Board Members

The 20-member private/public sector Board of Directors has the full authority for the management and strategic direction of the affairs of the Corporation.

To view our Directors’ profiles, please click on the names below:

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Board Committees:

Executive Committee:
The six member Executive Committee may at times be delegated the responsibility, as deemed appropriate by the Board, to deal with issues respecting the management and direction of the affairs of the Corporation. The Committee provides more immediate decision-making support to Management on matters that arise between regularly scheduled Board meetings.

Audit Committee:
The Audit Committee has the responsibility of recommending the appointment of an auditor and the fee, reviewing the auditor's report and recommending approval of annual audited financial statements.

Nominating & Governance Committee:
The Nominating & Governance Committee is responsible for soliciting and nominating new Directors and for ensuring that an orientation program is provided for each new member. The Committee also periodically reviews and makes recommendations on the Board's approach to governance, and existing committee structure.

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Director Profiles

LOU MILRAD, CHAIR AND CEO

ASSOCIATE COUNSEL

MILLER THOMSON LLP

In addition to his role as Chair and CEO at the GTMA, Lou Milrad is an also an Associate Counsel to the cross-Canada law firm of Miller Thomson LLP and practices out of its Toronto office.

Lou has devoted almost 30 years advising public and private sector management on a variety of business, policy and legal issues that include public private partnerships and associated alliances. Among Lou’s clients are a wide selection of Canadian municipalities, provincial governments and IT services companies as well as industry, professional and trade associations.

In public procurement initiatives, Lou has been a resource and sometimes member of the client’s team and has participated in most aspects of RFP preparation, proposal review and evaluation, and on occasion, assisting in preparation and presentation to Council, Committees and Boards, of staff reports and recommendations.

Lou is also counsel to MISA Ontario (Municipal Information Systems Association), CIPS Ontario (Canadian Information Processing Society, Ontario Chapter), and to URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association) of which he is also a past president. He also provides services to AMCTO (Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario) and for 12 years acted as general counsel to ITAC (Information Technology Association of Canada).

A graduate of the University of Toronto (BA) and of the Osgoode Hall School of Law of York University (LLB), Lou has been listed in LEXPERT as a leader in Computer and IT Law. For a number of years, Lou has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environmental Science on “GIS and the Law” and launched an extended “GIS and the Law” graduate level course at Ryerson University. Lou is a member of the Board of KINSA (Kids Internet Safety Association) is a also member of the Executive Committee of the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Public Sector Lawyers Section and often presents at OBA educational seminars on public procurement and ethics issues. Over his career, Lou has also written extensively in a cross-section of professional, industry and trade publications and given hundreds of lectures, speeches and presentations at domestic and international conferences and seminars around the world addressing a wide variety of technology and law-related topics and issues. He is also the editor of Canada Law Book’s O’Brien’s series of Legal Precedents for “Computers and Information Technology” as well as specific chapters in other volumes.

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DON EDMONDS, VICE-CHAIR
PARTNER, PRIVATE COMPANY SERVICES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

Don is a partner in our Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Private Company Services practice and specializes in audit and general advisory services.  Don has been involved with private companies for over 25 years.  He understands the many needs of growing and mature private businesses, particularly those needs far beyond the basic compliance services of audits, review engagements and tax returns.

Don is responsible for providing a full range of assurance and advisory services to a number of privately held businesses in a variety of industries covering distribution, manufacturing, steel processing, and some retail.  In addition to the core audit services, he has been involved in many business advisory services, including: succession planning, information system selections and implementations, process improvement, financing, accounting and other special projects.

Don is a Chartered Accountant and is a graduate of the University of Manitoba Commerce program.  He joined PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in 1977 in Winnipeg, did a two year secondment in Stockholm, Sweden (1983 to 1985), and then joined the Assurance practice in GTA.  He has been actively involved in our Japanese practice since 1990 and from 1999 to 2003 Don was the leader of our e.business advisory service practice.  Since early 2003 Don has been providing leadership to the PwC Private Company Service practice in GTA.

Don is a Director on the Board of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance and the Board of the Living Arts Centre of Mississauga.  Don is also a past Chair of the Board of Directors of Erinoak, a Halton Peel based treatment centre for children and youth with physical, developmental and communication disabilities.  Don has also been involved with the United Way of Peel allocation process in the past.

Don and his wife Lori reside in Mississauga with their two daughters, Lisa and Stacy.

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JOHN JUNG
PRESIDENT AND COO
GREATER TORONTO MARKETING ALLIANCE

John was appointed President & COO of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance on December 7, 2007. John joined the organization in 1998 as its Vice President of Corporate Development and later as its Vice President of International Marketing to start-up and manage global strategic initiatives to attract investment, jobs and talent to the GTA.

The GTMA is a public-private partnership among the 29 municipalities and regions in the GTA, together with the Provincial and Federal governments and a broad cross section of private sector corporations. Its mandate is to raise the profile of the GTA internationally to attract new investment and employment to the region.

John began his career over 30 years ago as a professional urban planner and urban designer, but he is also a professional economic developer and chairs an international think tank on intelligent communities called the Intelligent Community Forum, headquartered in NYC. John was the President and CEO of the Calgary Economic Development Authority prior to joining the GTMA.

John has degrees in urban planning and development from the University of Waterloo as well as a post graduate degree in Urban Design from the School of Architecture at the University of Manchester in England. He’s married with three children and lives in Toronto.

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JIM E. CHAPMAN

VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE BUSINESS GROUP

DELL CANADA

Since July 2003, Jim Chapman has managed the Corporate Business Group within Dell Canada. CBG manages relationships with large commercial clients across Canada. These customers are served by a highly experienced team of professionals located in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. Prior to assuming this role Jim successfully assumed increased responsibilities in management and executive positions with organizations such as IBM Canada, DataCrown, and Grid Systems Inc. These assignments addressed both Canadian domestic and International markets including corporate acquisitions in Australia and the U.S.A. Jim also served as President & COO of a startup company leading it through a successful IPO while being nominated for Canada's "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1994. Jim is a graduate of Ryerson University's School of Business Management. He also serves on NTG Clarity Inc.’s Board of Directors.

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PATRICK DRAPER

DIRECTOR ECONOMIC STRATEGY & TOURISM

REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORK

Patrick Draper is a prominent business leader with broad sales, marketing and general management experience gained in corporate, public sector and entrepreneurial organizations in Canada, the United States and Internationally.

He has over 25 years experience leading organizations including: Marketing Director Pepsi Cola USA, VP Sales & Marketing Nielsen Cadbury, VP International Chiquita, President L&F Products Canada, Deputy Minister Economic Development, Trade & Tourism Ontario and Owner/President of The Webcasting Network and Paramount Travel. Presently, he is the Director of Economic Strategy and Tourism for the Regional Municipality of York.

Patrick is a graduate of McGill University, Faculty of Commerce, past member of The Young Presidents Association and former board member of the Canadian Tourism Commission, Ontario Place and the Grocery Products Manufacturers of Canada.

 He is Chair of the Greater Toronto Economic Development Partnership and has memberships in the Economic Developers Association of Canada and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario.

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MAYOR SUSAN FENNELL
CITY OF BRAMPTON

Elected Mayor in 2000, Susan quickly established herself as a 'peoples politician' through her open, communicative and participative style. Her enthusiasm, energy and unmatched ability to engage her citizens in the pursuit of practical solutions to community issues is a hallmark of her back to basics approach as Mayor.

During her tenure as Mayor, the City of Brampton has taken its rightful place as one of Canada's pre-eminent unicipalities. The city has achieved debt-free status and has approved a ten-year business and strategic plan delivering a secure financial future for the community. Under her watch, Brampton's precedent-setting Growth Management Plan was approved; giving Council the practical tools it needs to manage the city's unparalleled rate of growth. This plan is widely recognized as the 'model' for smart growth in Ontario.

In addition, Susan was the founder and Commissioner of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), a national association of elite calibre women's hockey clubs from British Columbia to Quebec. Created in 1998, the NWHL is the premier league in the world for women's hockey.

Mayor Fennell is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Hon. B.Sc. in Environmental Science) she and her husband John have raised two sons (Michael and Joey) in Brampton.

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DAVID GAVSIE
CHAIR
ALCOHOL AND GAMING COMMISSION OF ONTARIO (AGCO)

David attended university in Montreal receiving his law degree from McGill University in 1967. He practised law there with Ogilvy Renault from 1968 to 1970 when he moved to Ottawa. In Ottawa he worked for the Federal Government in several capacities in the tax field. In 1974 he joined Gowling and Henderson in Ottawa and became a Partner of that law firm in 1978. In 1992 he re-joined Ogilvy Renault as the Partner in Charge of the Ottawa office. In June of 1998 he moved to Toronto with Ogilvy Renault to continue his practise in the area of corporate and commercial law and some taxation matters. He retired from Ogilvy Renault on October 31, 2005.

On November 1, 2005 David became the full-time Chair of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

While in Ottawa David had many community involvements, namely, with the Ottawa Civic Hospital Foundation, the Canadian Red Cross Society, the Ottawa Rough Riders football team and the Canadian Football League. He was Chairman of the Ottawa-Carleton Board of Trade. He served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier Airport Authority for six years until he moved to Toronto in June, 1998.

Shortly after moving to Toronto, David became a Director of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (“OCC”) and worked his way up the executive ladder becoming Chair of the OCC in 2004. He is now Past-Chair of the OCC and as such, a Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Gavsie was a Director of the Institute of Corporate Directors (“ICD”) and was Chair of its Education and Accreditation Committee until May, 2005. He was responsible for implementing the 12 day comprehensive Directors’ Education Program as Chair of the ICD Corporate Governance College in conjunction with the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. This Program started in November, 2003 and is now presented not only in Toronto, but also in Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver.

In May, 2003 David was elected as a member of the Board of Governors of Beth Tzedec Congregation in Toronto. In May, 2005 he was elected Chair of the Board.

In June, 2005 he was elected as both a Director and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.

David and his wife Ronnie live in Toronto and have three married sons and two grandchildren.

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PAUL GREEN

DIRECTOR, MARKET DEVELOPMENT

ENBRIDGE GAS DISTRIBUTION INC.

As Director, Market Development since 2005, Paul Green is accountable for marketing functions including mass markets and new construction, business markets, natural gas vehicles and marketing communications at Canada’s largest natural gas distribution utility.

His team develops and implements demand side management, or energy efficiency, programs and load-growth programs (customer addition and/or burner-tip application) across all markets.

Mr. Green began his career at Enbridge in 1976 and returned in October 2005, after three years at a separate energy company, Direct Energy Essential Home Services.

He is a senior management professional with 30 years of sales, marketing, and human resource experience with increasing accountability in both the regulated utility and retail environment.

While engaged in the non-regulated retail Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) environment, Paul was a key team member in the start-up operation of Enbridge Home Services in 1999. Later, he was on the Canada East Operations Management team for the Business Services division at Direct Energy.

Mr. Green holds a Bachelor of Administrative Studies Degree from York University and attended the Queen’s University Executive Development Program and the Graduate School of Sales and Marketing Management at Syracuse University.

He and his wife reside in Mississauga and have three children.

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MAYOR CAM JACKSON

CITY OF BURLINGTON

On November 13, 2006, Cam Jackson was elected the 27th Mayor of the City of Burlington. With over 30 years of elected public service dedicated to the citizens of Burlington, Mayor Jackson has extensive experience with and operational knowledge of government at all levels.

After serving five terms as a Halton School Board trustee, Burlington citizens first elected Cam Jackson in 1985 to serve as their MPP in the Ontario Legislature. He was subsequently re-elected in six more provincial elections.

Following the election of the Progressive Conservative government in 1995, Cam was appointed to Cabinet and served as Minister Responsible for Workers’ Compensation Reform; Minister Responsible for Seniors; Canada’s first Minister of Long Term Care; Minister of Citizenship with Responsibility for Seniors and Minister of Tourism and Sport.

During his 22 years at Queen’s Park, Cam developed a reputation as a tireless worker dedicated to advocating forseniors, persons with disabilities and victims of crime.

Cam has long been recognized as a community leader and is an active member of numerous local community associations. The Mayor also sits on the boards of Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington Hydro, the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, Tourism Burlington, as well as the GTA Marketing Alliance and the Council of GTA Mayors and Chairs.

Prior to serving as an elected official, Cam worked in the real estate profession and became the Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Hamilton and Burlington Real Estate Board. He was born in Hamilton but moved to Burlington in 1962 where he attended Nelson High School and McMaster University.

Cam is married to Elaine (Cuthbert) and they have three daughters Amy, Lauren and Michelle.

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ANTHONY KNILL (Associate)
DIRECTOR AND SENIOR TRADE COMMISSIONER

INTERNATIONAL TRADE CANADA

Tony joined International Trade Canada as Director of Team Canada Inc., Trade Liaison Division  in 1999. In 2001 he was appointed Senior Trade Commissioner and Consul at the Canadian Consulate in Miami. In 2003, the Miami Consulate was upgraded to a Consulate General and Tony was named the Consul General. Prior to his employment with International Trade Canada, Tony was Executive Assistant ( Chief of Staff ) to the Honourable Sergio Marchi, in his Government of Canada portfolios as Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, Minister of the Environment, and Minister for International Trade. He has also held the positions of Executive Assistant and advisor to the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, and to the Honourable Raymond Garneau.

Tony’s earlier career includes positions with the Royal Bank of Canada, the University of Western Ontario, and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada (PMAC).

Tony assumed his current responsibilities as Director and Senior Trade Commissioner for International Trade Canada, Ontario Region, in September of 2005.

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CARL KNIPFEL
MARKETING MANAGER

CITY OF TORONTO

As Manager of Marketing for Toronto's Economic Development Office, Carl is responsible for all City of Toronto marketing initiatives aimed at investment attraction, business retention, film promotion and International alliances. These initiatives include advertising, publications, events management, media relations and communications as well as electronic messaging. Carl is also the Brand manager for Toronto unlimited, the brand identity shared by the City of Toronto, Tourism Toronto and the Province of Ontario.

Carl graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture and holds memberships in the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada , the Ontario Association of Architects and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute.
His career has spanned the fields of architecture, city planning, urban design and marketing. Before joining Toronto's Economic Development Office he worked as Policy advisor to the Toronto Transition Team recommending service delivery and organization models for planning, building, economic development, heritage, arts and culture.

Carl has served on the Board of Opera Atelier and currently sits on the Board of the Canadian National Exhibition Association, the Ontario Association of Architects Honours and Awards Task Force, the Marketing Canada Awards Jury and the Awards Committee of the Economic Developers Council of Ontario.

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DON MACINTOSH
PARTNER
FRASER MILNER CASGRAIN LLP

Don is partner at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, one of Canada’s leading business law firms, with over 500 lawyers and offices located in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal and New York.

Don practices in the area of corporate and commercial law, and specializes in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital transactions, joint ventures, and outsourcings. In addition, Don works with numerous public and private companies (including entrepreneurial and start-up companies) advising them on business strategy and day-to-day commercial law matters.

Being actively involved on an ongoing basis in the acquisition programs of a number of clients, Don has often been responsible for managing the legal aspects of large and often complex transactions involving multiple parties and many levels of professional advisors. Don provides advice on a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters in many industries, including energy, manufacturing, transportation and technology.

Don has served, and continues to serve, on the Boards of Directors of numerous private and not-for-profit companies.

As a volunteer with the “Integrative Management Challenge” course at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Don was a member of the Board of outside business and professional advisors which interacts with MBA students, working with the students to design, implement, control and monitor their business strategies for a fictitious company that operates in a virtual world using a computer-assisted business simulation.

He has spoken at business law conferences, and is a former lecturer on business law at the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Bar Admissions Course.

Don obtained his law degree from Queen’s University in 1986. He articled at Fraser & Beatty (as it then was) and has practiced at Fraser Milner Casgrain as an associate and partner since.

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REBECCA MCKINNON
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
TIMOTHY'S COFFEES OF THE WORLD INC.

Since the company’s establishment in 1975, Becky McKinnon has been an essential part of Timothy’s Coffees of the World Inc. As a partner to founder Timothy Snelgrove, she has played an integral role in all aspects of the company’s development and success. In 1985, the McKinnon family bought control of the company, and Ms. McKinnon was named President.

The company operates a total of 175 retail stores across Canada under the Timothy’s World Coffee, mmmarvelous mmmuffins and Michel’s baguette banners. In addition, the company operates a coffee roasting plant and bakery commissary to guarantee the superior quality and freshness of all of the coffee and bakery products served in the retail stores and by co-branded partners.

A native of Philadelphia, Ms. McKinnon received a Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College in 1968, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto in 1970. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband Ian, who is President of the company. The McKinnons have three grown children and five grandchildren.

In May 2007, Ms. McKinnon will receive an award for Outstanding Achievement by the Specialty Coffee Association of America at its annual convention in Long Beach, CA. In 2005 and again in 2006, Timothy’s received the Sustainability Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America for two of its Partnership Coffee Programs. In 2004, the Consumers’ Choice Institute recognized Ms. McKinnon as Businesswoman of the Year for Toronto. She was also recognized in 2003, 2004 and 2005 by the Women’s Executive Network and the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women. She has ranked among the top 100 Women Business Owners in Canada by PROFIT and Chatelaine magazines in 2001 through 2006. In 2005 she and her husband, Ian, were finalists among nominees for Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2000, the New York chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) named Ms. McKinnon “North American Woman Business Owner of the Year” and in 1999, the Ontario Hostelry Institute selected her as “Foodservice Chain Operator of the Year”.

In addition to the integral role she plays at Timothy’s, Ms. McKinnon has been involved with numerous trade and business associations and charitable organizations, including the current Chair of the Toronto Board of Trade, and Directorships on Sheridan College, University Health Network foundation, the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Shaw Festival and numerous other coffee industry associations.

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DR. RICK MINER
SENECA COLLEGE

Dr. Rick Miner is President of Seneca College. He began as President in August, 2001, after serving as Vice- President, University of New Brunswick for seven years.

Prior to his term at UNB, he was at Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia where he served as Director of the Canada/China Language and Cultural Program from 1989 to 1993, Dean of Commerce from 1982 to 1987, and MBA Director from 1978 to 1981. Dr. Miner has also held faculty positions with the University of New Brunswick, the University of Toronto and Saint Mary’s University.

Dr. Miner holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Gettysburg College, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Utah and a Doctorate in Management from the University of Minnesota.

He has written books and papers on the subjects of management and organizational behaviour, and has spoken extensively in Canada and abroad on these and related topics.

Amongst the awards he has received are the President’s Award, Saint John Board of Trade, a CIDA Professional Award, MBA Professor of the Year (Saint Mary’s University) and various community and student recognitions.

Dr. Miner is Past Chair of the Committee of Presidents of Ontario Colleges and serves on its executive. He is also on the Board of Ontario Innovation Trust, Polytechnics Canada, the Toronto Regional Research Alliance, The Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance and RC-2000 (an association of urban colleges). He is a member of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Millennium Scholarship Foundation and the Transportation Advisory Committee of the Greater Toronto Transit Authority. He is also actively involved with the Toronto Financial Services Alliance.

Dr. Miner works closely with various federal government departments on issues that impact on immigration, the skills shortage, innovation and commercialization.

In January 2007, New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham appointed Dr. Miner as commissioner of the province’s Commission on Post-Secondary Education. The Commission reviewed the entirety of the province’s post-secondary system, including public and private universities and colleges. The report (Advantage New Brunswick)

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COUNCILLOR CASE OOTES

CITY OF TORONTO

Case Ootes is the elected municipal Councillor for Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth, which is home to approximately 46,000 residents.

Mr. Ootes graduated from York University with a Masters in Business Administration, and had a distinguished management career with Imperial Oil, serving in such positions as Corporate Credit Manager, and Manager of Accounting Services.

Mr. Ootes entered public service as an East York Councillor in 1988. He was elected to Metro Council in 1994 and to the newly amalgamated City of Toronto in 1997. He was appointed as the first Deputy Mayor of Toronto and held this position for six years. He has served, and continues to serve, on many Committees, Agencies, Boards and Commissions. Currently Mr. Ootes serves on the Economic Development Committee and on the Toronto and East York Community Council. He also sits on many local boards, such as Greektown on the Danforth BIA, the Danforth BIA, the Pape Village BIA, the Todmorden Mills Museum Board of Management, the Don Valley Brickworks Advisory Committee and the East York Community Centre Advisory Board. In 2005 Mr. Ootes was appointed as one of two Executives in Residence to the Seneca College Centre for Financial Services (and Centre for Excellence), as a resource to students and staff. He is also closely affiliated with the Toronto Financial Services Alliance.

Mr. Ootes has had the privilege of serving on many other Committees, Boards and Agencies, most notably: the Toronto Transit Commission, GO Transit, Greater Toronto Services Board, Provincial Central Smart Growth Panel (and Traffic Gridlock Sub-Panel), Ontario Regional Chairs Board. Other significant appointments have included the following agencies: Toronto Hydro Corporation, Toronto Police Services Board, Toronto and Region Conversation Authority, Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO), Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). Additional municipal committees that Mr. Ootes served on include: Policy and Finance Committee (Chair), Planning and Transportation Committee, Striking Committee, Labour Relations Advisory Panel, Economic Development and Parks Committee, and Telecommunications Steering Committee. In his local community, he has been actively involved with the Toronto East General Hospital, and the East York Kiwanis Club.

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MICHAEL RAS
VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLIC AFFAIRS
HILL & KNOWLTON CANADA

Michael Ras joined Hill & Knowlton in November 1999 as Senior Consultant, Public Affairs. He brings with him more than ten years of public affairs and strategic communications experience from both the private and public sectors. He has provided services to a wide range of clients in the areas of issues management, stakeholder relations and government relations and now manages the H&K Toronto “B2G” Service Offering and its municipal-government offering. He also works on a variety of files involving economic development, regulatory issues, energy and environmental issues.

Previous to his work in the private sector, Michael spent two years as Executive Assistant to MPP Frank Sheehan. Mr. Sheehan was Chair of the government’s Red Tape Review Commission – a body established by the Premier that reported to and advised Cabinet on ways to reduce government barriers to economic development and business growth. As a senior advisor to the Chair and the Commission, Michael helped develop policy, communications strategies and legislation that eventually eliminated over 1,500 unnecessary regulations and more than 300 pieces of redundant legislation.

In 2001-02, Michael honed his political organization skills and spent five months away from Hill & Knowlton to serve as Campaign Manager in the Ontario PC Leadership campaign of Jim Flaherty, then Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance.

Prior to joining H&K, Michael was a Senior Consultant for three years with another, boutique government relations agency based in Toronto and Ottawa.

Michael is active in charitable endeavours with KINSA – the Kids’ Internet Safety Alliance – an organization dedicated to creating a safe environment for kids on the Internet. Michael serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of KINSA and a member of the Board of the proposed KINSA Centre for Child Rescue and Cybercrime Investigation. He has been a leader in efforts to raise over $400,000 in public and private support so far for KINSA.
Michael is also presently a Board member and Treasurer for the Public Affairs Association of Canada – a national industry association representing public affairs professionals.

Michael received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.

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DR PAMELA RITCHIE
DEAN, FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Prior to joining UOIT, Dr Ritchie was Professor of Accounting at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. She also served as Associate Dean (Research and Outreach) for the Faculty of Business Administration at UNB. At that time she was responsible for setting up BBA partnership programs in Trinidad and Egypt. She also oversaw the development of an undergraduate co-op program in business and an MBA internship program.

While at UNB Pamela was an active member of the committee for Senate Reform, the small group which designed the interface for the implementation of Datatel at the University and of Team Renaissance which created UNB’s innovative Renaissance College in leadership using with funding from the McConnell Foundation.

Pamela has a BA in Economics from the University of New Brunswick, a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan and a Ph.D. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lancaster where she focussed on the interaction between regulation and the market and the role of accounting disclosure.

Her current publications are primarily in the areas of transportation, particularly aviation, mergers and acquisitions, and economic efficiency. She is currently Vice-President (Awards) for the Canadian Transportation Research Forum and is a founding member of the editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Transportation.

Dr Ritchie is a former treasurer of the New Brunswick Craft Council and the New Brunswick Craft Foundation.

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MAYOR DAVID RYAN

CITY OF PICKERING

David J. Ryan was first elected to Pickering City Council in 1994.  In 2003, he was elected Mayor and re-elected for a second consecutive term in 2006.

Mayor Ryan and his wife Anne have raised their two daughters, Laura and Colleen in Pickering since 1985. In 2003, he retired from a 33-year career in general business and management at IBM. He is also a past Director of the American Marketing Association Toronto Chapter and a past member of the Advisory Committee at Seneca College Business Administration Faculty.

Mayor Ryan is the Ex Officio on all City Committees and sits on the following Ad Hoc Committees:

• Vice-Chair, Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities
• Director, GO Transit Board
• Durham Regional Police Services, Board of Directors
• Veridian Corporation, Board of Directors
• Durham Strategic Energy Alliance, Board of Directors
• Rouge Valley Ajax-Pickering Hospital Physician Recruitment Team
• Honourary Chair, Durham West Art Centre Foundation

Mayor Ryan has identified Business Development and Responsible Growth as the priorities for his office. In 2004, he established the Business Advisory/Development Committee which is comprised of key Pickering businesses and corporations to strategize on economic development activities. In the June 2006 issue of Profit Magazine, the City of Pickering received nation-wide recognition as one of the Top 10 Cities in Canada to Start and Grow a Business.

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STEVE SHAW (Associate)
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

GREATER TORONTO AIRPORTS AUTHORITY

Steve A. Shaw has been with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) since December 1994 and is currently Vice President, Marketing and Business Development. Areas of responsibility include marketing and all property leases and land development. Prior to this he held the position of Vice President, Corporate Affairs and oversaw government affairs, community and media relations, and all corporate communications. He was closely involved in the transfer negotiations with the federal government and the development of corporate policy and structure for the GTAA. Mr. Shaw has served on the Board of the Canadian Airports Council and has chaired committees related to the development of international air services.

From August 1991 to December 1994, Mr. Shaw was Senior Development Officer in the Economic Development Division of the Office of the Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto. He held responsibility for the promotion of economic development through major infrastructure projects. In this position, Mr. Shaw supported the Greater Toronto Area initiative that led to the establishment of the GTAA.

Previous work has been in the transportation/planning field, both as a consultant and with municipal government. Projects include Toronto’s Skydome, the Railway Lands, Harbourfront and reviews of the Gardiner Expressway.

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REGIONAL COUNCILLOR TONY WONG

TOWN OF MARKHAM

Tony C. Wong was elected as Markham Regional Councillor for a third term in November 2006. He is presently chair of the Markham Economic Development Committee and vice-chair of the York Region Planning and Development Committee. He served in the Ontario Legislature as the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the riding of Markham from October 2003 to September 2006. During that time, Tony was appointed Parliamentary Assistant in the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade until July 2005, when he was then appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Premier Dalton McGuinty in the newly created Ministry of Research and Innovation. He was vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills and sits on Cabinet's Legislation and Regulations Committee. Tony was also appointed by Cabinet as the founding chair and member of the Small Business Agency of Ontario (SBAO).

Prior to being elected to the Ontario Legislature, Tony served for six years as a Markham Regional Councillor. As a municipal representative, Tony served on a numerous Markham and York Region committees and was vice-chair of the York Region Character Council. He also chaired the Markham Task Force on Affordable Housing as well as the York Region Task Force on Homelessness. In addition, he has served on the board of many community organizations including The United Way (York Region), Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, East Metro Youth Services (EMYS) and St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.

In 1996, Tony founded Markham's Give-A-Gift Project that has provided over 1,000 wrapped Christmas gifts to children in need. He is also a strong supporter of Dreams Inc. and Spirit of Life, groups which raise awareness about individuals with developmental disabilities and works with them and their families to eliminate barriers.

A lawyer by profession, Tony has served on the York Region Police Services Board and understands law enforcement issues well. He has acted as advisor to an array of community associations including the Asian Business Network Association. Before pursuing a career in law, Tony was a computer professional. He obtained his B.A. in Mathematics from the University of San Diego, M.S. from the University of Missouri and his law degree from the University of Toronto. Tony lives in Markham with his wife, Ellee, and their daughter, Daphne

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