International management and financial specialist Gary Comerford was confirmed as the Chair of Brock University’s Board of Trustees during the board’s annual meeting on June 22.
Comerford begins a two-year term in succession of John Suk, who had been Chair since 2014, seeing the University through a chapter characterized by campus growth and presidential change. Suk will now serve a one-year term as Immediate Past Chair before stepping down from the Board.
“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair these past three years,” said Suk. “As we turn it over to Gary, Brock is in a strong position academically, financially and with excellent leadership. I only see very positive developments for Brock and Niagara as we move ahead.”
Tom Traves, the University’s Interim President for the past nine months, praised Suk’s leadership qualities.
Gary Comerford
“Being the board chair is a very demanding job, and John’s service has been outstanding,” said Traves. “He has been supportive and wise in his counsel, and I see why people across Niagara respect him so much.”
Comerford is a Niagara native who has worked around the world and now divides his time between Oakville and Niagara-on-the-Lake. In the 1970s he was a lecturer at Brock, and was elected to the Board in 2014. This past year he chaired the Advisory Committee on the President, which oversaw the recruitment and hiring of Gervan Fearon, who will take office as Brock’s next president on Aug. 1.
“As a Niagara native, I am honoured to be given this role,” said Comerford. “John and my other predecessors worked hard with the Brock community, getting the University to where it is today. There’s opportunity in front of us, and good people to work with. It’s an exciting time to be at Brock.”
Comerford has an honours BA in History and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, as well as Institute of Corporate Directors certification from the Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto.
Currently the CEO of Comerford Management Consultants, his career has included appointments as Vice-President of Marketing for Canada Permanent Trust, and Senior Vice-President (International) for Sun Life of Canada. He served as Sun Life’s general manager for India, and is past president of the Canada India Business Council. He is also a past chair of the Shaw Festival Board.
The Board’s Governance/Nominating Committee also approved other nominations:
- Trustee Kristine Freudenthaler was elected to a one-year term as Vice-Chair of the Board
- Community members Mario De Divitiis, Beverley Morden and Robin Williams were re-elected for a three-year term
- Faculty member and Chair of Senate David Whitehead was appointed as an ex-officio member for one year
- Chris Phillips, President of the Brock University Alumni Association, was appointed as a new ex officio community member of the Board
- Staff member Giulia Forsythe was appointed to a three-year term
- Student member Faisal Hejazi was appointed as an ex-officio member as President of the Brock University Students’ Union
- Shannon Kitchings was appointed as an ex-officio member as President of the Brock University Graduate Students’ Association
- Trustees William Rickers and Elisabeth Zimmermann were elected to one-year terms as Board representatives to Senate
Concluding their terms as trustees and stepping down from the Board were community member Marco Marrone, staff representative Gloria Gallagher, faculty (Senate) representative Scott Henderson and student member Patrick Foster.
All new appointments take effect July 1.
