New look for Foundation

It’s a new year and a new look for the Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) Board of Directors.

Five new members – Ravina Bains, Peter Brauti, Sean Finn, Jeff Macoun and Ashif Mawji – have joined the board, drawn together by a shared love for hockey and a shared interest in keeping the game strong.

They replace outgoing members Joé Juneau, Jim Treliving and Ryan Walter, who have joined the newly-created Friends of the Hockey Canada Foundation.

The board of directors comprises Canadians from various backgrounds who have been shaped by the game. While Team Canada chases gold on the international stage, the HCF board focuses on the grassroots, ensuring the next generation, through programs like Hockey is Hers, has the tools it needs to be better players and better Canadians.

In all, the Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors is now 11 members strong. It includes:

David Andrews (Chair) – One of the most influential executives in the sport, Andrews has spent more than 25 years as president and CEO of the American Hockey League (AHL), guiding the league to record levels of attendance and exposure. The AHL now includes 31 franchises, each one serving as an NHL affiliate.

Douglas Goss (Past Chair) – Currently the counsel to Bryan & Company LLP, Goss is a long-time believer in community service; his volunteer résumé includes the University of Alberta, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, among others.

Allan Matthews (Treasurer) – A former chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors (2003-05), Matthews also served as president of the B.C. Amateur Hockey Association (now B.C. Hockey) from 1991-94. A retired school teacher, he has given much of his life to the game, from minor hockey associations to the IIHF.

Cassie Campbell-Pascall (Secretary) – A two-time Olympic gold medallist (2002 and 2006), Campbell-Pascall played 157 games with Canada’s National Women’s Team from 1994-2006. An Order of Hockey in Canada honouree, she currently works as a sideline reporter and colour commentator with Sportsnet.

Ravina Bains (Director) – A vice-president with Scotiabank, Bains is a passionate leader with a successful track record of results. She previously worked with the Government of Canada in aboriginal affairs and northern development, and has sat on the board for the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

Peter Brauti (Director) – Brauti is a principal owner of the NHL franchise that begins play in Seattle in 2021, as well as its AHL affiliate in Palm Springs. One of Canada’s top trial lawyers, he practices in the areas of criminal law, regulatory offences, professional discipline and some specialized areas of civil litigation.

Sean Finn (Director) – A long-time CN employee who serves as executive vice-president of corporate services and chief legal officer, Finn is a former chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. A former mayor of Saint-Lambert, Que., he is also currently the only Canadian member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Grant Fagerheim (Director) – The chairman, president and CEO of Whitecap Resources Inc., Fagerheim played junior hockey with the Estevan Bruins of the SJHL. A Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient, he has a passion for combining academics with athletics, serving as chair of the Edge School for Athletes.

Barry Lorenzetti (Director) – Lorenzetti is an entrepreneur, builder and corporate leader in the insurance industry who is president, CEO and founder of BFL Canada. His support of charitable causes includes the YWCA Foundation, Québec Society for Disabled Children and his personal Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation.

Jeff Macoun (Director) – President and COO of Canada Life, Macoun has spent more than 30 years with the company. He is involved with the YMCA of Western Ontario, London Chamber of Commerce and St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, and co-chaired the HCF Gala & Golf in London, Ont., in 2018.

Ashif Mawji (Director) – Mawji is a venture partner with Rising Tide VC who has long been dedicated to giving back to his adopted hometown. His volunteer work includes the Edmonton Police Foundation and Economic Development Edmonton, and he co-chaired the 2019 HCF Gala & Golf with his wife, Zainul.

In addition, six Canadians work with the American arm of the HCF, the Canadian Hockey Foundation U.S. (CHFUS). The members of the CHFUS board include:

Bill Ackerman (Chair) – Owner of an internet-based marketing business targeted on construction and landscape materials – everything from sod to drywall – Ackerman also spent time with Nova Chemicals and Husky Energy. His relationship with Hockey Canada, and the CHFUS in particular, spans more than a decade.

Bill Comrie (Vice-Chair) – The founder of The Brick, Comrie grew the company into one of Canada’s most successful. He has played major charitable roles with the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, and created Comrie’s Sports Bank in Calgary.

Paul Delparte (Secretary) – Delparte joined the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (now Hockey Canada) as an administrative assistant in 1979 and retired as chief financial officer in 2017. During his 38 years with the organization, he twice received the Hal Lewis Award for his commitment and leadership.

Mike Humes (Treasurer) – Humes has more than two decades of experience in the professional sports industry, currently serving as managing director of Donegal Associates. His resume also includes the Arizona Coyotes, Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets, and positions in the NBA, WNBA, AHL and MLS.

Greg Abel (Director) – Chairman, president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Abel oversees a company that provides electric and natural gas service to more than 11.5 million customers. He is active on the board of a number of organizations, including the Edison Electric Institute and Kraft Heinz Company.

Adam Graves (Director) – As a player, Graves won gold at the 1988 IIHF World Junior Championship, and wore the Maple Leaf at the 1993 and 1999 IIHF World Championships, and 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He played 1,152 NHL games, winning the Stanley Cup with Edmonton (1990) and New York (1994).