Halifax 2011 Canada Games Host Society Announces Chair and Board of Directors

NOTE: A list of board of director members immediately follows this release. Member biographies are available upon request.

Nova Scotia business leader Jean-Paul Deveau will lead more than 75 staff, 5,000 volunteers and will welcome Canada's best athletes to Nova Scotia as chair of the Halifax 2011 Canada Games Host Society.

The Halifax 2011 Canada Games Host Society board of directors officially announced Mr. Deveau as chair today, March 27.

Mr. Deveau is president of Acadian Seaplants Limited, a bio-tech company specializing in manufacturing, cultivating and processing marine-plant products. Acadian Seaplants exports to more than 70 countries and has more than 300 employees in eight countries.

Chuck Bridges, also of Halifax, will serve as vice-chair. Mr. Bridges is vice-president of External Affairs at Saint Mary's University. He has extensive community experience, serving on the boards and management teams for the United Way of Halifax and Neptune Theatre.

"We're so pleased to have a chair and vice-chair of this caliber leading the 2011 team," said Canada Games Council CEO Sue Hylland. "Their combined background and expertise will be a great asset for HRM and for the province in putting on the best possible Games for our country's finest athletes."

With representatives from the community, Canada Games Council and all three levels of government, the board of directors is responsible for governing the host society. They oversee the staff and volunteers who will plan, organize, finance, promote and stage the 2011 Canada Winter Games.

As chair, Mr. Deveau today announced members of the host society's board of directors.

"We have an excellent pool of talent prepared to lead the 2011 host society and its army of volunteers over the next four years as we prepare to host the Canada Winter Games," said Mr. Deveau. "These are the individuals who represent the foundation of our organization."

Over the next several months, a committee will be recruited to begin the detailed planning, development and staging of the 2011 Canada Winter Games. Senior planning volunteers will be recruited to fill leadership roles in 10 operating departments for the host society.

About 3,500 high performance athletes, coaches and managers from Canada's 10 provinces and three territories will come to Halifax to participate in 20 sport competitions over an 18-day period in February 2011. The Games will also showcase an impressive arts and cultural exposition with participants from across Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

The 2011 Canada Games Host Society board of directors is as follows:

Community Representatives:

• Jean-Paul Deveau (chair)
• Chuck Bridges (vice-chair)
• Louis Comeau
• Brian Lane
• Lois Dyer-Mann
• Pat O'Regan
• Mervyn Broome
• John Rogers

Canada Games Council Representatives:

• Sue Hylland (president)
• Wayne Trask (board member)

Halifax Regional Municipality Representatives:

• Dan English (chief administrative officer)
• Mary Wile (councillor)

Province of Nova Scotia Representatives:

• Duff Montgomerie (deputy minister, Department of Health Promotion and Protection)
• Pat Dunn (Member of Legislative Assembly)

Government of Canada Representatives:

• To Be Determined