After an extensive process, the Canada Games Council (CGC) Board has welcomed and announced recent additions to its governance team.
“We were very fortunate to have had a number of accomplished applicants submit their names to stand on the Canada Games Council Board,” says Tom Quinn, Canada Games Council Chairman. “With the term up for a couple of valuable Directors, our Nominations Committee selected five passionate individuals who have an established track record in Canadian sport, government and business. We are thrilled to have them as part of the team and look forward to having each individual contribute to the evolution of the Canada Games property.”
Following a national call for interest and a comprehensive review by the Nominations Committee, the following individuals were welcomed to the CGC Board of Directors at recent meetings in Winnipeg; 2013 Canada Games Deputy CEO of Communications and Human Resources Lynn Blouin, 2015 Canada Games Chairman Anthony Everett, 2011 Canada Winter Games CEO Chris Morrissey, Andrew Gross, former CEO of Giant Tiger Stores Limited and Toronto 2015 Pan/Para Pan Am Senior Vice President Elaine Roper. For complete bios, please see the following section.
During these meetings, the CGC Board also took the time to recognize the immense contributions of two outgoing members which included Guylaine Bernier and Greg Mathieu. Guylaine Bernier has served on the CGC Board for 12 years, lending her considerable insight, passion and dedication to the movement and acted as Chair of the Canada Games Hall of Honour Selection Committee. Greg Mathieu has served the Board as a key leader in the movement, acting as a vital conduit between the CGC and Canada’s National Sporting Organizations through his role as Chair of the CGC Sport Committee.
The Board extends its gratitude to both Guylaine and Greg for their tireless dedication and welcomes the new representatives.
New Board Member Bios
Lynn Blouin
Lynn Blouin joins the Canada Games Council Board of Directors with over 30 years of experience in public relations/communications and over 20 years of experience in politics. Her vast knowledge and experience in these fields helped her during her tenure as Deputy CEO of Communications and Human Resources for the 2013 Canada Summer Games Host Society. As a member of the senior management, Lynn was tasked with the planning, supervising and execution of nine services that were essential to the realization of the Games including Ceremonies and Culture, Linguistic services, Marketing, Host and Protocol, Accreditation and Sustainable Development.
Anthony Everett
Anthony Everett joins the Canada Games Council Board with over 25 years of tourism industry experience beginning with his time at the Butchart Gardens while attending the University of Victoria. He has held positions as manager of travel media relations for Tourism Victoria and account director for Tartan Public Relations, before he accepted the challenge, in 2006, to experience and promote northern British Columbia. As former Chief Executive Officer of Northern BC Tourism Association (NBCTA) (2006-2015), Anthony steered the NBCTA towards its goals. Currently he is consulting with a wide range of organizations in the not-for-profit sector to help them build their governance and strategic plans.
Chris Morrissey
Chris Morrissey brings a wealth of Canada Games experience to the Canada Games Council Board of Directors. He has served as General Manager of the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse and Chief Executive Officer of the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax. This experience gives him a valuable and unique perspective into the inner workings of the Canada Games movement. He has also been involved in many other Canada Games, multi-sport Games and events in Canada and abroad. In fact, he has been involved in some capacity with just about every Canada Games since 1999. He brings specific technical skills and business acumen and he thoroughly enjoys building capacity and transferring his knowledge to Host Societies.
Andrew Gross
Andy Gross comes to the Canada Games Council Board of Directors with vast knowledge and experience as a professional Canadian business leader. Andy graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1979. His 35-year retail career started with the Hudson’s Bay Company, and in 1985 he joined Giant Tiger Stores Limited and participated in its growth over almost 30 years, holding progressive positions culminating in serving as Chief Executive Officer from 2010 to 2014. He is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. Andy’s strong background in strategic planning, governance and strategy execution will greatly benefit the Canada Games movement going forward. Andy’s passion for sport is demonstrated by the many volunteer roles he has taken on in the past; including serving as President of the Capital Crusaders Minor Hockey Association and Director of the Canterbury Minor Hockey Association, while also coaching competitive Ringette and Minor Hockey.
Elaine Roper
Elaine Roper joins the Canada Games Council Board of Directors with over 35 years of experience in the business and corporate fields; notably human capital, organizational development, governance and operations. Her proven business acumen has been demonstrated in roles as an executive, entrepreneur, and consultant in the public, private and not for profit sectors. Elaine also brings with her a wealth of board experience having served in multiple leadership positions for the Royal Ontario Museum, Bishop’s University, both the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Textile Museum of Canada. Her deep appreciation of the extraordinary dedication and hard work of coaches and athletes was initially fostered when she worked as a university student during the 1976 Olympics as a receptionist in the athlete’s village. Many years later, while working for four years with the Toronto 2015 Pan/Para Pan Am Organizing Committee as the Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Volunteers, she experienced first-hand the powerful and lasting impact of the legacy of these multi-sport Games.
