Board
Member Biographies
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Dr. Roberta Bondar
Dr. Roberta Bondar is an eminent Canadian and a nationally recognized hero with the distinction of being the first Canadian woman to fly in space. She is an accomplished neurologist, scientist, pilot, astronaut and photographic artist who holds the NASA Space Medal, is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a laureate of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. She is the recipient of 24 honorary degrees from Canadian and American universities and colleges. Trent University's ninth chancellor, Dr. Bondar's term on the board runs until July 1, 2009.
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Peter Brieger
Peter Brieger is Chairman, CEO and a Director of GlobeInvest Capital Management Inc. He is an H.B.A. graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst's designation. Mr. Brieger is involved with the Institute for Research on Public Policy and a regular guest on the Report on Business Television program. Peter Brieger is a former Trent parent and has been reappointed to the Board for a second three year term ending June 30, 2008.
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Libby Burnham Libby Burnham is a senior, well-respected and nationally connected legal, business and political advisor. Counsel to a Toronto based law firm, Morrison Brown Sosnovitch LLP, she specializes in Government Relations. Educated at Acadia University and Dalhousie Law School, she was called to the Bar in New Brunswick in 1963 and Ontario in 1978 and was appointed a federal Q.C. in 1992. She has been honoured for her outstanding record for leadership, advocacy and community service with an Honorary Doctor of Civil Laws (Acadia University, 2000); the Prestigious Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service (Dalhousie Law School 2001); the Metro Toronto's YWCA Women of Distinction Award (Public Affairs, 1996); the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002); an Honorary Life Director (the Canadian Club of Toronto, 2002); and The Libby Burnham Urban Health Research Award (Wellesley Central Health Corp., 2005). An experienced corporate director, she completed the ICD Corporate Governance College Directors' Education Program 2006, she currently sits on the Board, Huntsman Marine Science Advisory Council, St. Andrews N.B. and Breakout Education Network. Past Directorships include: Minacs Worldwide Inc.; CBC; Life Network; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Foundation; Chair, Wellesley Central Hospital; and Chair, I Channel. Libby's term on the Trent Board of Governors extends from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008.
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Joan Bush
Joan Bush started her career with a major international oil and petro-chemical company. With a background in Mechanical Engineering her career was focused in numerous technical endeavors including leading edge organizational design in a production environment. In later years her career took on a global focus bringing innovative technical design and services marketed in Canada, the first of its kind in the oil industry. Since 1994 Joan has been President of Joint Venture Finance Inc, a company specializing in mergers and acquisitions in high technology and manufacturing sectors. Joan has been involved with many charitable and community causes around the world including Bam Earthquake relief, Tsunami and Oxfam relief funds. Visiting many of these areas, including India, Iran, Iraq and various African nations, her work has primarily focused on women’s issues such as poverty, homelessness and education. As a Director of the Kiani Foundation, she has contributed extensively to the community through numerous charities including local hospitals, scholarship funds and youth and women’s shelters. Joan's term on the Trent Board of Governors extends from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2009.
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Michael Butt
Michael Butt received a B.A. Sc. in Civil Engineering in 1963 from the University of Toronto and his designation as a Professional Engineer in 1965. Michael was with The Mitchell Construction Kinear Moodie from 1965 to 1973. As Managing Director Michael set up operations in Bridgetown Barbados and in South Africa. Since 1979 Michael has been President and CEO of Buttcon Limited and more recently Chairman and CEO. He is also Chairman and CEO of Somers Construction Limited, a related Company in Bermuda. He was formerly a Director of both the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) and the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and served as Chairman of the OGCA in 1998 and as Chairman of the CCA in 1999. Michael was on the Board of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority from its inception in 1995 until 2005. He was the Board Chair from 1997 to 2004. Michael was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees for the Bermuda Biological Station for Research in May 2006 and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering honoured him with the distinction of Fellow in May 2006. He has been on the Board of Aecon Enterprises Inc. since 1995 and presently is Chairman of the Audit Committee. Michael's term on the Trent Board of Governors extends from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008.
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Robert Butterworth
Bob Butterworth was born and raised in Ottawa. He received a B. Comm. from St. Patrick's College in Ottawa in 1967 and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia in 1970. He was called to the bar in 1972 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1984. He practiced law in the Town of Perth from 1972 until 2002 in a general practice with emphasis on Municipal and Education Law. Bob was appointed a full time Vice Chair of the Assessment Review Board in April 2002, having served as a part time Member since 1997. He is a past Councilor of the Township of North Elmsley; past member and Chair, Town of Perth Planning Board; and past Chair, Committee of Adjustments for the Township of North Elmsley. He is a past Governor and Chair of the Board of Governors of Algonquin College; past member and Chair of the Rideau Valley District Health Council; past member of the Ontario Council of Health; past National Vice-President and National Legal Counsel of the Canada Jaycees; and past director of the Lanark Communications Network. He is a director of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators. Bob's term on the Board runs from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2007.
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Michael Gough
Michael Gough recently retired from Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP where he specialized in Public Law and Regulatory Affairs. Prior to joining the firm, Michael spent more than 13 years in the Ontario public service primarily as a lawyer with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario and the Ministry of Treasury and Economics. He is a board member or officer of a number of for profit and not-for-profit corporations including the Canadian Opera Company. He was recently appointed Chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Mr. Gough has been reappointed to the Board of Governors for the term July 1, 2006 until June 30, 2009.
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John Ilkiw
John Ilkiw is Vice President, Portfolio Design & Risk Management at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. John has over 30 years experience in the pension and investment field acquired through his work in Canada, the UK and the United States. Prior to joining the CPPIB in August 2005, he was the Director of Research and Strategy for the Russell Investment Group at its head office in Tacoma, Washington. He also held senior positions within Russell's global consulting practice in London and Toronto. John also worked for William M. Mercer Limited in Toronto and spent 13 years with the Ontario Ministry of Treasury and Economics including a period as Director, Pension Policy and Income Security. John is a CFA, earned an MA at the University of Toronto and a BA from York University, both in economics. He has written extensively on pension plan financing, investment and governance issues and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars. John's term on the Trent University Board of Governors runs from December 2, 2005 until June 30, 2008.
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Pamela Jeffery
Pamela Jeffery is President of The Jeffery Group of Companies which includes public affairs and executive search practices as well as the Women's Executive Network. She holds HBA (1984) and MBA (1988) degrees from Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. A long-time political advisor at the provincial and federal levels, she is also active at the community level. She is a past director of the Ivey School of Business Alumni Association, Bloorview Kids Rehab, Casey House Foundation, Sick Kids Connection and former Vice-Chair of the Donwood Institute (now Centre for Addiction and Mental Health). She is past member of the governance committees of the Toronto Board of Trade and the Institute of Corporate Directors. She currently serves as President of the National Club and is a director of the Canadian Opera Company. Pam's term on the Trent Board of Governors runs from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2009.
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Deborah Kennett (Faculty seat)
Deborah J. Kennett earned her B.A. in Psychology and her Ph.D. from the Faculty of Health Science at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. She is currently a Professor with the Department of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Health Studies at Trent University. Since coming to Trent in 1984, she has served on a wide variety of committees including Senate, Senate Executive, TUFA Executive, Health Services, Academic Development, Academic Personnel, Financial Planning and Continuing Education committees. Her teaching, research and professional interests focus on health promotion, complementary alternative medicine, coping strategies, school and work transitions with special emphasis on program development to promote personal achievement and well-being, and on the personal and social factors influencing lifestyle practices. Deborah's second term runs from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008.
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Peter Lafleur (Faculty seat)
Peter Lafleur has been a professor at Trent since 1988. He is member of and past chair of the Geography Department. He has also been an adjunct professor with Queen's University Geography Department since 1994. Peter's areas of research expertise are climatology and carbon cycling, with emphasis on wetlands and the arctic. He is currently the project leader of the Eastern Peatlands flux station (located near Ottawa) for the Fluxnet Canada Research Network and is the principal investigator for the Canadian Tundra Carbon Exchange Study (located in the central NWT). Peter has authored more than 70 papers published in scientific journals. He is currently a member of the Canadian Association of Geographers, Canadian Geophysical Union and Canadian Meteorological & Oceanographic Society, and he sits on the BIOCAP Canada Foundation's Research and Development Advisory Council for Canada's Biosphere Carbon Cycle Panel. Peter's second term on the Board runs from July 1, 2005 until June 30, 2007.
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Lynn McDonald
Lynn McDonald was the Managing Director of Canadian Credit Capital Markets for CIBC World Markets in Toronto until June 2004. Prior to joining the CIBC in 1986, she was employed in the Ontario Government having a variety of responsibilities mostly related to financial and fiscal policy. When she left the government, she was a Deputy Minister in the Office of the Premier/Cabinet Office. She is a Trustee of Greystone Health Trust with the Ontario Hospital Association. She is Chair of the Robert H. Catherwood Scholarship Committee. In the past Lynn's voluntary activities have included serving as President and a member of the Board of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic in Toronto and a member of the Ontario Pension Services Advisory Board. Lynn graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours BA in Economics. Lynn joined the Board in 2000 and her current term runs until June 30, 2007.
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David Morton
David Morton is a retired President & CEO of the Quaker Oats Co. A graduate of the University of Toronto (B.A.), he received his MBA at York University and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Trent University in 2002. David has served on boards in the private and public sectors and currently is the Vice Chair of Entertainment and Board Member for the Peterborough Festival of Lights, Vice Chair of the Frontier College Board and a committee member for the Peter Gzowski Invitational for Literacy. Previously, David served as Chair of Five Counties Children Centre, Vice-Chair of the Fleming College Board and Chair of the successful Breaking Ground Campaign for a new Regional Health Centre in Peterborough. He received Peterborough's Volunteer of the Year Award in 2002. David is married to Trent Professor Emeritus, Patricia Morton. David's term on the Board runs from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2007.
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Deb Nichols (Staff Seat)
Deb Nichols has worked at Trent for over 16 years, first in the Bookstore and then in the Academic Skills Centre where she assumed her current title of Publications Coordinator. As Publications Coordinator, Deb has had the opportunity to form many relationships both here at Trent and abroad as Trent's representative at conferences and book fairs in Canada and the U.S. Her familiarity with current academic issues for today's generation of students would offer additional insight into student, parent, and faculty expectations. Deb's term runs from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2007.
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Bonnie Patterson
Bonnie Patterson became President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University on July 1, 1998. An accomplished teacher and academic administrator, Professor Patterson came to Trent after serving as President of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), an advocacy and university services group representing the interests of Ontario's 17 universities. President Patterson is currently a Professor in Trent's Business Administration Department. Her academic career includes positions as Dean, Faculty of Business, Professor, School of Administration and Information Management, and Special Assistant to the President of Ryerson University, Toronto. Professor Patterson holds a B.A. and M.L.S. from the University of Western Ontario. She was elected Chair of the Board of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) in October 2005, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities. President Patterson is one of four Canadian University Presidents appointed to the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. In June of 2005, she assumed the Chair of the Board of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. She also serves as Honorary Chair of the ALS Society in the Peterborough Region. The President's second term continues until 2009.
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Larry Popofsky
Prior to his retirement in 2003, Larry Popofsky was the Chief Executive Officer of Greenwin Property Management Inc. Under his direction, the firm grew to become one of Canada's largest real estate management companies administering real estate assets estimated in excess of five billion dollars. In 1998, Mr. Popofsky led the formation of Residential Equities Real Estate Investment Trust, successfully raising approximately $225 million in the public marketplace and culminating with the Trust's listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Previously, Mr. Popofsky was a member of a private consortium, which secured the exclusive rights from the Province of Ontario to build and operate what is now known as the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario. In addition, Mr. Popofsky has sourced, directed and concluded a significant number of business transactions with an aggregate value of several hundreds of million dollars on behalf of The Greenwin Organization. Mr. Popofsky is married with two daughters and together with his wife, Mimi, resides on a farm near Uxbridge, Ontario. Mr. Popofsky's term on the Trent Board of Governors extends from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008.
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Kate Ramsay
Kate Ramsay graduated as a Trent English major in 1975, but has since obtained additional credits in Geography, Canadian Studies, Economics and Business Administration. Since returning to Peterborough in 1979, she has been active in a variety of volunteer sector activities in the fields of agriculture, education, social services and the arts. She has chaired the Ontario Audio Library Service, the Lakefield Police Services Board, and Performing Arts Lakefield. She presently chairs the Imagine the Marsh Conservation group, serves on the board of Lakefield College School, and is a member of the Friends of Kinark, advocating for children's mental health needs. Kate recently retired from the board of James Richardson and Sons Limited, where she served on that company's audit and corporate governance committees. Kate has been reappointed to the Board and her term runs from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008.
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Tyler Roach (Student Seat)
Tyler Roach is a third year student at Trent University majoring in Political Studies and International Development. During the academic year Tyler works as a cook for the Seasoned Spoon which is a not for profit, student run cooperative café at Trent University. In 2005 took on the responsibility of being Ontario’s representative for the Canadian Political Science Student Association. Tyler's term on the Board runs from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2007.
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Fred Sherratt
Fred Sherratt is a Director and member of the Executive Management Committee of CHUM Limited Toronto. Born in Toronto, Fred received his education in Truro, NS where he began his extensive broadcasting career. He co-founded CFRS Simcoe, Ontario and has been associated with CHUM Limited since 1960, retiring as Chief Operating Officer in 2000 and Vice Chairman in 2003. He co-founded the Atlantic Television System with CHUM Limited in 1971 and was its President until 1997. Fred has served as a board member and officer of numerous other corporations, broadcasting associations and non-profit organizations. He has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and was inducted into the Broadcast Hall of Fame in 1995. Fred's term on the Trent University Board of Governors runs until June 30, 2007.
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Linda Smith (Staff Seat)
Linda Smith is the Capital Projects Co-ordinator for the Physical Resources Department at Trent University. Linda has been a staff member at Trent for over 20 years, first as Text Buyer at the bookstore and, for the past four years, working in PRD. Linda's role as parent to twin girls in post secondary institutions, one at Trent and one in the College stream, combined with her extensive knowledge of faculty/staff and student requirements will bring a broad perspective to the Board. Linda has been active in community fund raising, serving as both chair and board member to a variety of non-profit fund raising initiatives from the CNIB to local day-care centers. Linda is pursuing her Project Management accreditation and continues to update her skills in the field of construction project management. Linda's term on the Board runs from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008.
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Patricia Southern
Pat Southern is a chartered accountant and currently General Manager at Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP in Toronto. Prior to joining Gowlings, Pat had been employed as chief financial officer and held other financial management positions in other law firms and private and public companies. She also worked in a major public accounting firm for the earlier part of her career. Pat earned her BMath at the University of Waterloo. She is currently past Chair of the Board of Community Head Injury Resources of Toronto. Over the past 20 years, Pat has served as treasurer, chair and/or director of a variety of not-for-profit organizations, including a home for the aged and a co-ed residential high school. As well, Pat served as a member of the Council of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants. Pat's second term on the Board runs from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2008.
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Colin Whitfield
Prior to enrolling at Trent, Colin attended Simon Fraser University, where he completed a Bachelor of Science, focusing his studies in Environmental Science. Along the way, Colin spent time working for Fisheries and Oceans Canada before choosing to shift research areas and pursue a graduate degree. Originally arriving at Trent to pursue a Master’s degree, Colin became involved with the Graduate Students’ Association during his second year and worked as the Communications Officer. In the following year, he continued his involvement by acting as President. Colin is extremely proud of the progress he and his colleagues have made in their advocacy work for graduate students, and would consider helping to establish the T.H.B. Symons Seminar Series on Graduate Student Research as one of his biggest accomplishments. Colin is currently conducting research in the oil sands region of Northern Alberta and working towards his PhD in the Watershed Ecosystems Graduate Program. Colin's term on the Trent University Board of Governors run from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008.
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Len Vernon
Len Vernon was a member of Trent’s first class. He is a C.A. with extensive experience as a senior financial executive in a number of companies. He is presently Chief Financial Officer of YM BioSciences Inc., a biotech company located in Mississauga. In the past few years he has served Trent as a consultant, on a presidential search committee, and on the Alumni Council. His wife Phyllis (Orvis) is also a graduate of Trent’s first class and their children have all graduated from Trent. Mr. Vernon joined the Board in 1999 and has been reappointed three times. His current term extends to June 30, 2007.
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Douglas Young
Doug Young is currently the Executive Vice President of Fiber Optic Systems Technology, Inc. His last position was Vice-Chairman of Cygnal
Technologies, a company he founded in the communication services field. Mr. Young's extensive business experience includes sales and marketing positions with Christie Brown & Company, Nabisco Foods, and Perkins Paper Products. Doug served as President of Hiram Walker International, Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd., Cleyn & Tinker Inc., and was Managing Partner of Comlink Systems which became Cygnal Technologies. Doug has been reappointed to the Board of Governors for a three-year term commencing July 1, 2004 and ending June 30, 2007.
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