With the appointment of eight new members to its board of directors, Skills Ontario welcomes an experienced and diverse group of respected and passionate experts to help lead Skills Ontario into its fourth decade of positive impact. Furthermore, four directors’ terms are ending this year; Cheryl Manuel, Jim Madder, Louie Leombruni, and William Chan will be departing the Skills Ontario board of directors, leaving a legacy of strong leadership and great achievements.

“As a testimony to Skills Ontario’s legacy of delivering on our mandate, we have experienced incredible success—the organization is looking forward to continuing to inspire the next generation of skilled professionals,” says Karen Creditor, Past Board President/Chair at Skills Ontario. “On behalf of the organization, thank you to Cheryl, Jim, Louie, and William for providing their time, expertise, and skills in leading us, and a warm welcome to our newly appointed directors. We’re thrilled to work together to meet our collective goals.”

“Skills Ontario plays an essential role in filling the labour gap, and it is through the leadership of our board of directors and team members that we can continue to deliver on Skills Ontario’s mission to do so,” says Darryl Spector, Skills Ontario’s incoming Board President/Chair. “Our amazing slate of new directors brings a unique and invaluable mix of experiences and admirable competencies to Skills Ontario that empowers our critical work towards delivering on our mission of helping young Ontarians recognize their potential and explore their career paths.  I’m absolutely delighted and privileged to be welcoming each of these respected leaders to the team!”

“Thank you to Karen for her guidance, wisdom, and leadership during her term; we are delighted to have her staying on the board as Past President.  Karen’s expertise and experience are extremely valuable,” says Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario. “And I’d also like to extend a welcome to Darryl, as he moves on from the position of Vice President/Vice Chair to President/Chair.  As a past Skills Ontario alumni coupled with Darryl’s experience in engaging with the skilled trades throughout his career, coupled with Paul Armstrong, COO of Mohawk College as the incoming Vice President/Chair, along with the incoming slate of new Board Members, Skills Ontario has a fantastic team leading us and I’m very excited to see the success to come.”

The new directors are experts with histories of success, and they will ensure that Skills Ontario benefits from perspectives across different sectors and regions. The newly appointed directors are:

Name	Organization	Portfolio
Andrew Pariser	Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON)	Construction
Alex Hocevar	The Hocevar Group	Technology
Bryan Arnold	Eastern Construction Co. Ltd	Construction
Carlee Bannister	Deloitte Corporate Finance Inc.	Financial
Clarice Ward	Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc.	Construction
Jody Lundrigan	Centre for PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions	Communications
Mary Fuke	Skilled Trades Six Nations Polytechnic Inc.	Education
Michael Sherrard	Sherrard Kuzz LLP	Legal

As Skills Ontario continues to deliver educational and interactive programs and initiatives, the board of directors is setting its sights on the next stage of success. Skills Ontario looks forward to continuing to be the leader in delivering learning opportunities to Ontarians across the province in order to build a strong and robust workforce. To learn more and connect with the Skills Ontario board of directors, visit skillsontario.com/board-of-directors.

About

Skills Ontario has been growing a portfolio of programs to inspire and engage youth since 1989, including presentations, career exploration events, competitions, summer camps, and Young Women’s and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit workshops and conferences. To see how you can partner with Skills Ontario and help make a difference in the lives of Ontario youth, visit skillsontario.com/get-involved.