National Board of Directors

Ian Banks

Vice President, Global IT

Ian Banks joined PMC-Sierra a leading provider of broadband communications and storage semiconductors for metro, access, fiber to the home, wireless, and customer premises equipment in 2006 and  is responsible for global networks, infrastructure, applications and information security.  Bringing a diverse background of experience in Operations, Sales, Marketing and Information Technology Ian had previously led the Western Canadian IT services and software solutions team at an $8B telecommunications company,  the BC-based Management Consulting Practice at Fujitsu (formerly DMR) Consulting, and was Chief Information Officer (CIO) at a major transportation services Crown Corporation.  He also served as Visiting Professor in Simon FraserUniversity’s Masters in Business Administration Program.

Ian received a Bachelor in Economics degree from University of British Columbia in 1992, and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Western Ontario in 1999.  He is on the Board of Directors of the CIO Association of Canada (Vancouver Chapter), and the Saint James Community Service Society – a large Vancouver-based charitable organization.

Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie

CEO & Senior Vice President, IT

Dr. Boivie is the CEO of Inventure Solutions and senior vice-president, information technology at Vancouver City Savings Credit Union. She was previously senior vice-president of IT at Pacific Blue Cross. Dr. Boivie is also the founding President of the Chief Information Officers Association of Canada and is on the Boards of the YWCA Vancouver, BCIT Foundation and the Information and Communications Technology Council. She holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, and a Master’s degree and PhD from the University of Toronto.

In June, Dr. Boivie was awarded the 2008 Chief Information Officers Leadership Award by the 28,000-member Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance for excellence in managing enterprise-wide information systems that yield the greatest returns and for community engagement and team leadership. In 2003, she received the IT Executive of the Year Innovation Award for Midsize Enterprises from Gartner, Inc.

Carole Briard

Chief Information Technology Services

Carole Briard is Chief of Information Technology Services at the Bank of Canada. Since February 2007, her department has led a large-scale renewal of the central bank’s technological infrastructure.  She serves on the Bank’s Corporate Management Committee, overseeing corporate operations and policy; on Management Forum, concerned with information sharing and management initiatives; and she chairs the IT Review Committee, delineating the motivation, consequences, risks, and tradeoffs involved in strategic IT decisions.

Before joining the Bank, Ms Briard held several executive positions with CGI Inc., both in the Global Business Engineering Group and in Client Partnership Management. Prior to CGI, she was Senior Vice-President, Information and Technology at Standard Life, where her mandate included the development and growth of information systems, as well as the technological infrastructure of the company’s Canadian operations.  Ms. Briard has also held executive positions at Laurentian/Imperial, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Montreal Urban Community Transport Commission (MUCTC).

Ms. Briard holds a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS) in computing and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.  She was honored by the Businesswomen in Action Committee of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. She regularly participates in and presents at seminars and conferences, including the Governor General’s Canadian Study Conference.

Mark Brown

V.P. Information Technology

Mark has been helping businesses grow by getting the most out of information technology for over 20 years. He joined the NSLC in 2003 to lead their renewal of technology systems. The NSLC has recently completed a multi-year transformation based on improved processes and SAP software. Prior to joining the NSLC Mark spent two years in Melbourne, Australia helping the Victorian Workcover Authority get started with document and knowledge management.

Mark has also helped the Worker’s Compensation Board of Nova Scotia implement a multiyear business transformation program and held a number of IT positions in the financial services sector in Toronto. Mark holds a degree in Computer Science from McMaster University. 

Kelvin Cantafio

CIO

Kelvin Cantafio has over 20 years of senior-level national and international experience in IT for Business and the Non-Profit Sector, including 13 years as the Chief Information Officer and Director of IT for a multi national NGO.  In addition to providing IT management consulting , Kelvin is a Visiting Scholar for the University of Waterloo where he assists with various projects related to the MMSC Online program in Management of Technology.
 
As the CIO for Plan International, an international children’s development agency, Kelvin used his knowledge in Organizational Development to successfully lead IT transformation in a complex, global, multi-cultural environment. He also implemented a secure IT infrastructure and operating model to securely connect over 8,000 staff in 300 offices in 66 countries, and developed an integrated IT strategy to ensure alignment of IT with business goals and objectives.  This included implementing SharePoint for use throughout the organization.

Previously, as the Chief Information Officer for Foster Parents Plan of Canada, Kelvin was responsible for the overall strategic and operational management of information systems.

Prior to his involvement in non-profit sector, Kelvin served as the Project Director for the Management of Information Processes and Systems (MIPS) initiative at Canadian Tire. The initiative revolutionized the way Canadian Tire sold over 56,000 of its products. Cantafio has been credited as the developer of the MIPS concept.
Kelvin is the recipient of several prestigious international awards for IT innovation, including the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Global IT Excellence Award.

A case study presented by Kelvin in the category of Visionary Use of IT, was included in the Permanent Research Collection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

Board Appointments:

Kelvin is President of the CIO Association of Canada and previously served on the Advisory Board for the CIO Executive Council of Canada.  

Kelvin is a founding member of NetHope and current serving as vice chair. NetHope is an information technology consortium of 27 leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with combined annual revenue of over US$30 billion. 

Kelvin is a member of the IT advisory board for Oxfam Canada.

Ward Chapin

Senior Vice President, Technology & Systems

As VANOC’s Chief Information Officer, Ward Chapin is leading the team that will implement and manage all the technology and systems critical for staging the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Chapin’s scope of responsibility is as diverse as the technology and the systems he oversees, spanning day-to-day office requirements for 1,200 staff to systems that manage the accreditation, communication, security and transportation functions for all Games’ participants.

A longtime executive with HSBC Bank, Chapin built a progressive career with the financial services company in Canada and abroad. Prior to joining VANOC, he was responsible for Information Technology Operations for the HSBC Investment Bank in London, England. He also spent more than three years in Paris as director of IT Operations, assisting with the integration of HSBC’s acquisition of CCF Bank, a federation of 11 banks. During his tenure with HSBC Bank Canada, Chapin served as Vice President, Technical and Corporate Services, and also held various IT-related roles in information systems auditing, systems development and IT operations.

Chapin began his career in audit while at Montreal Trust, moving on to operational and information systems positions for CitiBank, Toronto Dominion Bank and Bank of BC. As one of the first experts in automated teller machines, he quickly became a popular figure on the North American IT speakers’ circuit.

Dave Codack

VP, Employee Technology & Network Services

Experience in entrepreneurial as well as large multinational organizations within the Automotive, Health Care, Aerospace, Computing, Telecommunications, Insurance, Construction, Retail and the Financial Services sectors.  Performed work in 29 different countries in various capacities.  International responsibility in managing staff in 4-5 continents simultaneously.  Performed roles in Finance, Technology and Operations/Manufacturing/Supply Chain.  Developed and designed companies and systems and built companies around Technology. Competency in all areas of Infrastructure, Architecture, Development, Maintenance, Testing, and Integration.  Delivered many large scale integration and consolidation programs delivering substantial multi-million dollar savings.  Performed various roles as  VP, EVP, President, CEO, COO and CIO. Active in Colleges and Universities in Mentoring, Advisory Boards, Judging and Awards.

Andrew Dillane

CIO

As Group CIO, Andrew Dillane leads the overall e-business strategy for the Randstad Canada Group of companies including Randstad Canada, Sapphire Canada, ATS Reliance, OriginHR and GMS Canada. Andrew’s management experience in business and technology has focused on client-centered technology solutions. His leadership role in Sapphire Canada’s CONNECT™ technology solutions has resulted in the company being a two time recipient of a Canadian Information Productivity Award (CIPA). Andrew holds a BCOM from Ryerson University, is the National President for the CIO Association of Canada, serves on the Program Advisory Council for Ryerson University’s Information Technology Management (ITM) degree programs and is an expert member of the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills. Andrew also serves on the Advisory Board for Kids Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA).

Susan Doniz

Director IT and Global Business Services Canada

Susan leads the Canada Strategy end-to-end on Information Technology and Global Business Services (including Business Analytics, Global Project Management, Financial Services, Employee Services, Capital, and Real Estate) reporting directly to the CEO of P&G Canada. She is part of the Core Leadership Team in leading the P&G Canadian business. Additionally, she is responsible for the North American Business Intelligence Strategy from AC Nielsen to Executive Information Systems.

Educated both undergraduate in Canada and Graduate in Europe (Netherlands). She also sponsors various cultural networks. In her personal time she has been involved in such adventures as swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines, negotiating exchanges with Mursi tribes in Ethiopia, eating frozen whale blubber to keep warm in an arctic snowstorm and sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert. To top this off she climbed the CN Tower 2007 for WWF in 14 minutes.

Darrell Jones

SVP & CIO

As Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Canadian Western Bank, Darrell holds overall responsibility for the strategic planning, delivery and management of technology across the Canadian Western Bank group of companies. Prior to joining Canadian Western Bank in 2008, Darrell was a partner in KPMG’s Advisory Services practice and prior to that he held senior technology management positions at EPCOR Utilities Inc. and TELUS Communications Ltd.

Darrell holds an MBA, a CMA designation as well as a number of technology-related certifications. Darrell’s current industry and community activity includes serving as a director on the national board of the CIO Association of Canada as well as the president of the association’s Edmonton chapter, board director for Alberta Pensions Services Corporation, and chair of Concordia University College of Alberta’s Advisory Committee for its Master of Information Systems Security Management degree program. Darrell has also previously served on the Edmonton boards of the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) and ISACA, which was formally known as the Information Security, Audit and Control Association.

Min Lee

Chief Information Officer

TBA...

Dr. James Norrie

Director, Faculty of Business, School of Information Technology Management

James L. Norrie, B.Com (McMaster) - Accounting/Systems, M.Ed (Brock) - Adult Education & Organization Development and M.A.Sc. ( Waterloo), Ph.D. (RMIT, Australia), James is an Assistant Professor and the current Director of the School where he teaches in the areas of Introductory IT, Advanced Project Management, IT Strategy, Systems Design & Analysis, Managing Process & Performance Improvement and Business Ethics. James also undertakes applied research, speaks regularly at industry events and consults to numerous companies in these areas with a particular focus on aligning Business & IT strategy to eliminate business risk and improve organization performance.

Prior to joining the faculty, James was both an entrepreneur and successful executive with a 10+ year track record of creating, growing or managing high-tech and e-business ventures, most recently as President of an internet-based company. In addition to his Ryerson appointment, James serves either as an independent member or Chairman of either the Board of Directors or Board of Advisors of several corporate and one charitable Board.

Amyn Somani

Vice President, Corporate Services

Amyn Somani holds the position of Vice President, Corporate Services at Panago.  The Corporate Services business unit includes the company’s enterprise-wide information technology and customer service operations.  Panago is one of Canada’s leading food service companies with over $140 million in annual sales and approximately 170 store locations.

Amyn has a successful track record in creating business value through strategic planning and operational excellence.  Prior to joining Panago in 2004, Amyn held progressively more senior positions for technology product and service organizations.  His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University, as well as executive education at the Ivey School of Business and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Amyn is an active member of the community and currently serves as a Director of the Board with the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Greater Vancouver.

Gabriel Vitus

Vice President Business Information Systems

Gabriel Vitus is currently the Vice President of Business Information Systems at the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada where he is involved in many strategic initiatives most recently leading the implementation of the online education system and leading the implementation of the Knowledge Management initiative.

His previous senior positions include the Director of IT, General Manager of the CGA Shared Services Facility Corp. and the acting Executive Officer Operations of Metro Electricity, Johannesburg.

Professional activities include: member of the GLG Technology Council at Gerson Lehrman Group, member of the Technology Advisory Board of Volunteer Vancouver, member of the Institute of the Electrical and Electronic Engineers, senior member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers and member of the Engineering Council of South Africa.

Jim Williams

Director, Information Services

For the past 12 years, Jim has been directing the Information Services group for A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. A&W is the second largest quick-service hamburger restaurant in Canada by number of restaurants and is recognised as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada. Previously Jim directed the Information Systems group for a North American packaging and paperboard producer with over 25 facilities.

A founding Board member of CIOABC (now known as CIOVAN), Jim was President from 2001-2005 and has guided the association in doubling membership, establishing strategic alliances in both business and technology, and maintaining a positive financial position. Also, as a founding Board member of CIOCAN, Jim brings his experience with associations and business relationships to build a national association of senior IT executives.

As a Board member of a now dissolved chapter of the Association of Systems Management, Jim was responsible for establishing and managing education events and meetings. Jim has also participated on a number of business advisory councils for various technology services related organizations.

Laura Williams

Chief Information Officer

Laura Williams is the Chief Information Officer at the Peel District School Board (PDSB).  With over 150,000 students and 13,000 employees, PDSB is Canada's second largest school board spanning Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon.   Laura has held senior IT positions at several organizations including National Director of IT at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, National Director of IT at Oracle Canada, and IT Director for both the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Training, Colleges, & Universities, Government of Ontario.   She holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science and a Masters degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto.