"Winnipeg is way more than an old hockey team, an old rock and roll band, or an old folk singer from Kelvin High. Winnipeg is about its people and there is no better place to experience the people for over 100 years than at Assiniboine Park."
Grant Nordman, Assiniboine Park Conservancy Board Member
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Responsible for creating the future vision for one of Manitoba’s most prized treasures, Assiniboine Park Conservancy (the Conservancy) is the not-for-profit organization that is planning to redevelop and manage Assiniboine Park’s operations and ensure its ongoing financial viability. Transformational plans are underway to enhance the green space, create best-in-class facilities, and become a model of conservation – while protecting the park’s cherished character for the benefit of all citizens. Chaired by Hartley Richardson, the Conservancy’s board is composed of influential leaders, who have a deep sense of responsibility for this community-owned asset. The Conservancy will rally the help of citizens, government, and the private sector, to raise the capital required to bring this vision into reality.  Margaret Redmond, President and Chief Executive Officer, Assiniboine Park Conservancy, brings extensive experience in senior leadership positions, leading transformative change to specific results, developing and implementing strategic plans and implementing governance best practices. Margaret served as a Chief Strategic Officer at the Canadian Wheat Board as well as Executive Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary over an eleven year period. Margaret’s not-for-profit board work includes serving as Board Chair, Manitoba Theatre Centre, from 2006-2008 as well as serving on a variety of MTC board committees and officer positions. Her board experience also includes the City of Winnipeg Exchange District Business Improvement Zone, the Young Associates and the United Way’s Corporate Campaign Cabinet and Planning and Allocation Committee. Margaret has a Bachelor of Laws and Arts degrees from the University of Manitoba and has continued her executive education studies and training at the Niagara Institute, Queen’s School of Business, and Western University. Margaret and her husband Greg are life-time Winnipeggers. They live near Assiniboine Park with their two daughters and are avid Assiniboine Park enthusiasts. Joan Blight, Vice President, Resource Development, is a graduate of the University of Manitoba and has over 30 years of extensive voluntary-sector development experience. An independent consultant since 1989, Joan has provided organizational and fund development services to local, national and international charitable organizations in education, health, human services, the arts and international development. This includes facilitating strategic and operational planning processes.
Leanne Burkowski, Chief Financial Officer, graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree in 1983 and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba in 1986. During a career that has spanned over 20 years in the private and not-for-profit sectors, Leanne has held senior positions with KPMG, an international accounting firm, Scarrow and Donald LLP and the University of Manitoba. Much of Leanne’s career was spent working in education. She joined the University of Manitoba in 1991 as the Director of Internal Audit and then assumed more senior roles as the Comptroller before becoming the Associate Vice-President (Finance). In addition to rebuilding the finance function at the University to meet the ever changing needs of students, faculties and staff, Leanne was heavily involved in the University’s $300 million capital expansion as it related to strategic planning, capital funding and financing. Leanne brings strong leadership and a solid financial background to the Conservancy with the ability and desire to build the finance function of a world-class organization, which is both accountable to its constituents yet progressive and future oriented. Don Peterkin, Chief Operations Officer, graduated from the University of Guelph in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Environmental Horticulture. After starting his career in the commercial greenhouse buisness, Don joined the Calgary Zoo as Curator of Horticulture in the Fall of 1981. Over the next 28 years, Don assumed an increasing range of responsibilities as a member of the Zoo's Senior Management Team. In his most recent position as Director, Facilities & Horticulture, Don's focus included capital development of over $120 million in construction and facility improvements in the past decade. Don's unique experience combining horticulture, zoological operations and facilities management are well aligned with future plans for Assiniboine Park and he looks forward to contributing to the success of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Hartley T. Richardson - Chair, is the seventh family President of James Richardson & Sons, Limited, a private, family-owned corporation, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada. The company has interests in agriculture and food processing, financial services, real estate and energy sectors. James Richardson & Sons has over 150 years of experience in Canadian agriculture and specifically the international grain distribution industry. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, James Richardson International, operates the largest privately-owned network of grain facilities in Canada. Richardson Capital Limited is the company’s private equity arm, investing in Canadian companies in a range of industry sectors outside of the company’s core business. Another entity, Richardson Partners Financial Limited, is responsible for providing highly personalized family wealth management services and advice. Other businesses include subsidiaries in energy and real estate. Tundra Oil and Gas Limited is involved in oil exploration and production in Canada’s Williston Basin, where it owns and operates over 500 wells and related pipeline infrastructure. Real estate interests controlled through Lombard Realty Limited are currently concentrated in the ownership and management of office towers in Winnipeg, and have included a variety of commercial, industrial and resort ventures across North America in the past. Mr. Richardson serves as a Director of Canadian Pacific Railway, Co-Chairman of Assiniboine Park Conservancy, Co-Vice Chairman of TransCanada Trail, and member of the Board of Governors for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. He is Past-Chairman of the Business Council of Manitoba and Vice-Chairman of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Other affiliations include The Trilateral Commission, the World Economic Forum Global Leaders of Tomorrow, and the Young President’s Organization. He is also actively involved in a number of charitable endeavours and community organizations. The University of Manitoba conferred upon Mr. Richardson the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 2004. Mr. Richardson was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2007, and to the Order of Manitoba in 2008.
Lloyd Axworthy (University of Winnipeg), President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Winnipeg, graduated in 1961 with a BA from United College (now The University of Winnipeg), and received an MA and PhD from Princeton in 1963 and 1972 respectively. At The University of Winnipeg, Dr. Axworthy is working to renew the campus and its downtown community with the view to making post-secondary education more accessible to inner-city, Aboriginal and New Canadian students. He is also expanding the University’s outreach in the areas of Aboriginal education, environmental studies, and human rights. Dr. Axworthy’s political career spanned 27 years, during six of which he served in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly and twenty-one in the Federal Parliament. He held several Cabinet positions, notably Minister of Employment and Immigration, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, Minister of Transport, Minister of Human Resources Development, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1996-2000. Upon leaving public office, Dr. Axworthy served as Director and CEO of the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Colombia prior to his appointment at The University of Winnipeg. In the Foreign Affairs portfolio, Dr. Axworthy became internationally known for his advancement of the human security concept, in particular, the Ottawa Treaty - a landmark global treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. For his leadership on landmines, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. For his efforts in establishing the International Criminal Court and the Protocol on child soldiers, he received the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe. Since leaving public life in the fall of 2000, Dr. Axworthy has been the recipient of several prestigious awards and honours. The Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation presented him with the Senator Patrick J. Leahy Award in recognition of his leadership in the global effort to outlaw landmines, to ban the use of children as soldiers, and to bring war criminals to justice. Princeton University awarded him the Madison Medal for his record of outstanding public service, he received the CARE International Humanitarian Award, and he was elected Honorary Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Axworthy has been named to Order of Manitoba and to the Order of Canada and has received honorary doctorates from 12 universities. In 2004, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appointed Lloyd Axworthy as his special envoy for Ethiopia-Eritrea to assist in implementing a peace agreement between the East African countries. In 2006, the Organization of American States appointed him to lead the OAS Electoral Observation Mission that monitored the 2006 general elections in Peru. He recently served as a member of the UNDP Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor which released its report, Making the Law Work for Everyone, in 2008. Dr. Axworthy currently serves as a commissioner on the Aspen Institute's Dialogue and Commission on Arctic Climate Change. He is a Board member of the MacArthur Foundation, Human Rights Watch, the Educational Policy Institute, and the University of the Arctic, among others. Lloyd Axworthy remains involved in international matters and lectures widely in Canada, the US and abroad. His book Navigating a New World - Canada’s Global Future, Knopf Canada, was published in the Fall of 2003. Mark Chipman (University of North Dakota) was born and raised in Winnipeg and attended St. Paul's High School. He received an Honors BA in Economics as well as a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of North Dakota. Upon graduation, Mark received his call to the Florida Bar in 1985 where he began his practice as an Assistant District Attorney before entering private practise. Mark returned to Winnipeg in 1988 to work for the Birchwood Automotive Group and assumed the position of president in 1992. Under his leadership, the Financial Post recognized Birchwood as one of Canada's fifty best-managed private companies from 1996 through 1998. In September of 2001, Mark was named President of Birchwood’s parent the Megill-Stephenson Company. In addition to these responsibilities, Mark is the President of the Manitoba Moose Hockey Club, is the Past Chairman of the Executive Committee of AHL Board of Governors and a recipient of the James C. Hendy award as the AHL’s Executive of the year in 2005. He is also the founder and Chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd. who own and operate the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. Mark has participated in several community non-profit boards and charitable concerns. He currently sits on the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, the Pan Am Clinic and the Hockey Canada Foundation. Mark has also been very active in coaching minor hockey in Winnipeg for several years. Mark and his wife Patti of twenty two years have three daughters, Sarah, 16, Anne, 14 and Mary, 11. (Fineline Solutions) As President and CEO of FineLine Solutions, Polly provides her organization strategic leadership that fosters an open and innovative environment with a focus on results. Polly is passionate about customer service and FineLine partners with clients to deliver high-performing customer contact services and solutions to both non-profit and commercial industries. Polly, a veteran in the outsourcing industry has presented at industry shows and conferences on subjects such as Customer Service, Retention, Loyalty and Building Lasting Relationships. Polly has completed the "Birthing of Giants" and "Advanced Business Program" both sponsored by MIT. This combined 5 year educational program is limited to 60 entrepreneurs from around the world and designed to teach business owners how to turn good companies into great companies. Boards, Associations and Community Involvement • Chair of the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship • Past Chair, CentreVenture Development Corporation • Board Member of The Manitoba Business Council • Member of Premier’s Economic Advisory Council • Member of Entrepreneurs' Organization Awards • Awarded 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year, Manitoba Business Magazine • Named by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity to its 2007 list of Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity Personal • Married, David Rattray • (2) Children: Claudia and Will (Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co.) Education: University of Manitoba BSc 1972 University of Manitoba BComm 1974 Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba 1976, FCA 2008 Professional Career: After graduation from the University of Manitoba, I joined Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) in Winnipeg. I was admitted to partnership in 1982 and was the Managing Partner in Winnipeg from 1984 till 1996. I transferred to KPMG in Warsaw in 1996 and assumed the role of Senior Partner of the Polish practice. While in Poland was mainly involved with the audits of international banks and other major foreign investors in Poland. I also served on the Board of KPMG Europe and the Board and Executive Committee of KPMG Central and Eastern Europe. I retired from KPMG at the end of 2002 and returned to Winnipeg in 2003. Since retiring I have accepted appointments to several Boards, both corporate and non-profit. Current Corporate Board Positions of Toronto Stock Exchange Companies: • Bird Construction Income Fund - Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee • Huntingdon Real Estate Investment Fund - Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee Current Non Profit Positions: • Assiniboine Park Conservancy - Board Member • Catholic Heath Corporation of Manitoba – Board Member • Prairie Theatre Exchange -Board Member and Vice - President • Frontier College Foundation - Board Member, Executive Committee Member • Walker Theatre for the Performing Arts - Board Member and Treasurer • Dorais Charities - Chairman • Manitoba Cardiac Institute (Reh-Fit) Inc. - Chairman of the Audit Committee • International Centre for Infectious Diseases – Member of the Audit Committee. Personal: Married to Carol (Bellringer) with three children aged 16 to 28. Interests include golf, the arts and travel. (Councillor, St. James / Brooklands Ward) Born and raised in St. James, Scott Fielding graduated from the University of Manitoba with an Advanced Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Studies at the University of Manitoba. Early in his career, Scott worked for the Government of Manitoba in a variety of capacities, including Special Assistant to several Cabinet Ministers and as a Corporate Development Manager. Scott also has 10 years experience working in sales and marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. Scott and his wife Michelle co-own a retail store and manufacturer of natural personal care products. Scott has always been an active member of the community. Scott served as Bourkevale Community Club’s fund-raising chairperson for three years. As a small business owner, Scott is an active member of the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce. Scott also served on the Winnipeg Convention Centre Board of Directors from 2005-2006 and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the St. James Biz. Scott’s desire to give back to the community brought him into the race for the City Council seat of St. James-Brooklands in 2006. He won the four person race by earning 48% of the vote. In 2007, Scott was appointed as the Chair of the Economic Opportunity Commission, a commission tasked with creating ideas to eliminate the business tax. Recently, Mayor Katz appointed Scott to sit on the Executive Policy Committee and Chair the Standing Policy Committee on Property & Development. Scott and his wife Michelle live in the ward with their daughters Paige and Brynn. David Johnston (The Johnstone Group Inc.) is the President and owner of Johnston Group Inc., a Winnipeg based administrator of group insurance benefits. Johnston Group administers benefits for over 27,000 Canadian companies. In addition Johnston Group is also a partner in Payworks Inc. a Winnipeg based payroll service provider that was launched in 2001. Johnston Group employs 180 people across the country with 150 of these in Winnipeg. In 2001 Johnston Group was named as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Private companies and has been awarded that designation for the past 8 years, now been named a member of their Platinum Club. Johnston Group is very active in the community with on going major support to virtually every major organization. Johnston Group is one of the United Way top 50 campaigns for both employee and employer participation and was awarded United Way’s 2003 and 2008 Campaign Chair’s award. Mr. Johnston has been personally involved with many aspects of the community and served on a number of boards. He was president of the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg Foundation for 3 years, a founding Director of the Foundations for Health campaign for what is now the John Buhler Research Center, a board member of the Business Council of Manitoba and the Campaign Chair for the 2001 United Way of Winnipeg Campaign. He currently is a member of the board of Arts Stabilization Manitoba and the board of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Dave is married to Diane and has two sons; Matt age 24 who is professional golfer based out of San Antonio, Texas and Will age 22 who is a student at the University of Winnipeg. Marilyn Kapitany (Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Western Economic Diversification Canada) joined the federal government department of Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) in February 2004 as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Manitoba Region. Prior to arriving at WD, she spent three years as the Regional Director General for Indian and Northern Affairs. Ms. Kapitany grew up in western Canada and started her career in the public service in 1981 with Statistics Canada in Ottawa and Winnipeg. She subsequently held various positions with the Canadian Grain Commission where she was the Director of Industry Services at the time of her appointment to Indian and Northern Affairs in 2001. Ms. Kapitany has extensive experience in policy development, economic development, leadership and management. She has an Honours Science degree and a Master’s degree in production economics from the University of Manitoba. Ms. Kapitany is also active in the volunteer sector. She is a long-time supporter of the United Way including service on the 2006 and 2007 Campaign Cabinets of the United Way of Winnipeg and on the 2009 National Cabinet for the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign. She is also a member of the National Board of YMCA Canada. Angela Mathieson (Secretary to the Community & Economic Development Committee for the Manitoba Government) holds the position of Secretary to the Community and Economic Development Committee of Cabinet (CEDC) for the Manitoba Government. In her role as Secretary to CEDC, she coordinates major community and economic development projects for the Province. Previously, she was Assistant Deputy Minister in the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade, responsible for urban strategic initiatives and the City of Winnipeg. She has a Master's degree in city planning and prior to joining the Manitoba government she worked in consulting on numerous projects dealing with urban management, strategic planning, and economic development, with clients in government, non-profit and private sectors. Grant Nordman (born January 19, 1950, in Santa Monica, California, Councillor, St. Charles Ward) is the City Councillor for St. Charles Ward in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Along with City Council Grant sits on the Standing Policy Committee on Protection and Community Services, the Assiniboia Community Committee, and the Secretariat Committee. He is also the city council representative to the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Board, the Mayor’s Seniors Advisory Committee, Heritage Winnipeg, the St. James-Assiniboia Museum Board, Take Pride Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Convention Centre and HMCS Winnipeg. Councillor Nordman is the member of council responsible for Corporate Sponsorship In the community, Grant is a director of the Red River Exhibition Association, a member of the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce, the Optimist Club of Assiniboia, the ANAVETS 283, the St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg and the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club. Councillor Nordman is a long time resident of the Westwood community of West Winnipeg and has been involved in politics from a very young age. Grant’s late father, Ric Nordman, served as the city councillor for the original St. Charles Ward from 1974 to 1981 and as the provincial MLA for Assiniboia from 1981 to 1988. Grant has been involved in a number of careers throughout his life. He served as President and CEO of the Assiniboia Chamber of Commerce from 1996 to 2006, both assisting and leading efforts to construct the Charleswood Bridge. He worked with other community leaders to create the regional business and economic development zones (BIZ’s) in the airport area and St. James. Amongst his other career highlights, Grant is the past owner of Travel Options, a very successful full service travel agency and importing company in the 80s and 90s. During his years as a private business owner, Grant was also the Chairman or President of several different travel industry and business association at both the provincial and national level. In 1992, Grant was awarded the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal by the federal government in recognition of his outstanding community service. Councillor Nordman followed in his father’s footsteps and was elected to the Winnipeg City Council on October 25, 2006, replacing retiring Councillor Brigadier Peter De Smedt (ret.). Grant has three sons: Kyle (1983), Drew (1988) and Rory (1993). Following a lengthy career in the retail industry, Harvey returned to university in 1988, graduating with the Gold Medal in Law in 1992. He then spent two years at Harvard Law School receiving his LL.M. and working with the Program on Negotiation. In June 2009 Harvey Secter retired from the University of Manitoba where he had spent 10 years as a Professor of Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and Dean of the Faculty of Law; he continues his practice in mediation and arbitration and serves as a corporate director. In addition to APC, Harvey is Past President of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and a current member of the Premier’s Economic Advisory Council, the Board of the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, and the United Way Advisory Committee. In the past, he has served as Chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Winnipeg, Chair of the United Way Campaign, Chair of the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, a Bencher of the Law Society of Manitoba, a Trustee of the Law Foundation of Manitoba and on the boards of a number of corporate, professional and philanthropic organizations. Harvey received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Winnipeg, the Sol Kanee Distinguished Community Service Award, and, with his wife, Sandra, the Negev Award. Mike Stevens (The Exchange Chartered Accountants) is a Partner with The Exchange Chartered Accountants and President of The Exchange Solutions Inc. consulting and technology firm. Mike has in excess of 25 years experience in public practice and private industry. Mike has industry, risk management, strategic planning, process improvement / reengineering, business continuity planning and information technology experience with both public and private sector organizations. Education • Mike Stevens is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba • Chartered Accountant Specializing in Information Technology (Canada), 2003 • Chartered Accountant (Manitoba), 1986 • Gold Medalist in Auditing Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Economics from the University of Manitoba, 1981 Mike is one of four Chartered Accountants in Manitoba (50 in Canada) with the Information Technology specialty awarded by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Current Volunteer Activities • Chair, Best Practices United Way 2008 Capital Campaign • Member, Assiniboine Park Governance and Nominating Committee • President and Chair, Manitoba Zoological Society of Manitoba • Member, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Finance Committee Bob Williams (Chair, Polar Bears International) was raised in St. James across from Assiniboine Park, which became an extension of his back yard and the start of a lifelong love and concern for the park. Bob attended the Deer Lodge United Church where he taught Sunday school. For twelve years Mr. Williams was a member of the Winnipeg Canoe Club and served on its board for three years. Mr. Williams developed a passion for wilderness canoeing and established a junior wilderness canoeing program. He has led several wilderness canoe trips to the high Arctic and in northwest Ontario and Manitoba. He served for six years on the board of Versatech Industries, a company that helps people with mental disabilities gain contributive and valued roles in society through meaningful employment and other supported activities. Bob was a Chair of the Dinner Committee for Fish Futures and served on their board for fourteen years. Fish Futures is a Manitoba established non-profit organization that raises funds to preserve and protect fish and fish habitat. Bob is the Chairman of Polar Bears International, an international non-profit organization dedicated to polar bears, whose mandate is preservation through education and research. Mr. Williams’ business career is with a family owned corporation that has developed and owned several commercial and residential properties, primarily in Manitoba, with interests as well in Alberta, British Columbia and Texas. Mr. Williams has served on two TSE company boards and is a director of several private business boards in Manitoba. Bob has served on the Partners in the Park board for sixteen years. |
MARGARET REDMOND - PRESIDENT AND CEO
ASSINIBOINE PARK CONSERVANCY
POLLY CRAIK 
