Brock University’s Board of Trustees is heading into the fall term with a new Chair and Vice-Chair, and some fresh faces around the table.
At its annual meeting earlier this summer, the board elected business executive Joe Robertson as Chair for a two-year term that runs to June 30, 2014. Robertson served the past year as Chair-Elect and has been a trustee since 2006. He succeeds Rudi Kroeker, who will now serve a two-year term as Immediate Past Chair.
A Niagara-on-the-Lake resident whose résumé includes an MBA from Harvard Business School, Robertson is the former president of Canada’s largest dental supply company and is currently chairman of Toronto-based Asbury Building Services Inc.
He is also chair of the Council of Chairs of Ontario Universities (CCOU), an organization of all the chairs, vice-chairs, and immediate past chairs of Ontario’s 21 universities.
“It is a very exciting time at Brock,” said Robertson. “I am delighted to be working with such an experienced and knowledgeable group of trustees as we have at this university, as well as with the strong internal team led by Jack Lightstone.”
Joe Robertson, seen here with wife Anita, is the new chair of the Brock University Board of Trustees.
Brock President Jack Lightstone, who along with University Chancellor Ned Goodman, is an ex officio member of the board, said Roberston has worked tirelessly and diligently for the University, including serving as chair of major board committees.
“Joe Robertson brings a wealth of talent and experience to his new position of Chair,” said Lightstone. “We are fortunate to have him lead our Board for the next two years.”
Trustee John Suk was elected as Vice-Chair for a one-year term. Suk is a pharmaceutical industry executive and a Brock graduate (1973) who has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by Brock’s Faculty of Mathematics and Science. He has served on the board since 2007.
New board members elected for three-year terms are faculty trustee Mary-Louise Vanderlee, staff trustee Mike Sawyer, and public trustees David Blackmore, Glen Fell, Kristine Freudenthaler, Dennis Hewko, Carolyn Hurst, Laura Menechella and Hugo Sorensen. New student trustees are Tomasz Wierzba (one-year term) and Roland Erman (two-year term).
Public trustee Maureen Sabia, Chairman of the Board of Canadian Tire Corporation, was re-elected to a three-year term.
Board members returning to continue their current terms include public trustees Jeffrey Cairns, Aurora Di Fruscia, Paul House, Catherine Mindorff-Facca, Betty-Lou Souter, Terry Seuss, Helen Young, Allan Cole, Nick DiPietro and Abe Schwartz.
Returning trustees from faculty are David Vivian and Susan Sydor, who is also Chair of Senate.
Also returning are staff trustees Sheila Young and Geraldine Jones, and student trustee Sohail Ahmed.
