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PERSONAL OVERVIEW

 

A dynamic senior-level executive with: extensive international expertise, internationally-focused education, accomplished leadership abilities, highly regarded communication skills, innovative business savvy, diverse industry/stakeholder experience, staunch fiscal responsibility, a humourous and compassionate persona, acute cultural and political sensitivity, commitment to philanthropic/community initiatives, a persistent drive for achievement, an unwavering commitment to strong ethics and personal character growth, and a unique ability to develop and maintain key, strategic relationships.

 

 

 


AREAS OF EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

 

 

  • International/Domestic Business Development & Operations

  • Public Relations & Communications

  • Athlete Management

  • Marketing & Sponsorship

  • Licensed Products

  • Team Leadership and Motivation

  • Budgeting/Forecasting

  • Strategic Planning

  • Event Management

  • Staff, Agency and Volunteer Management

  • Government Relations

  • Financial Planning & Compliance

  • Political/Fundraising Campaigns

  • Public Speaking/Official Spokesperson

  • Stakeholder Relations

  • Foreign Currency Trading

  • Project Management & Evaluation

  • Non-Governmental and Philantrhopic Organizations

     

 

 

EDUCATION

 

University of Wales       Masters of Business Administration (2010-12)

  • Focus on Strategic Planning, Marketing, Business Development and International Business

  • GMAT Scores include results in the 83rd percentile (Verbal) and 90th percentile (Written)
     

University of Toronto   Bachelor of Arts (1998-2002)

  • Concentration in Canadian Studies and Political Science

  • Twice elected as a director of the student government, representing 55,000+ students

  • Served as a director on the Arts and Science Student Union, New College Student Council, and Political Science Students Union

  • Chaired a committee involving members from six Ontario universities exploring opportunities for Athletic Scholarship programs at Ontario Universities

 

 

PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY

National Hockey League Players’ Association             2007 - Present

Director, International Affairs

 

The NHLPA is an international trade union representing 700+ professional hockey players from 19 different countries. This executive role functions as the organization’s head of all operations outside of North America, both on the labour and business side of the organization, responsible for the NHLPA’s entire international development strategy and implementation, and requires the adept management of various individuals and agencies in a diverse range of capacities.

 

Direct responsibilities and accomplishments include:

 

  • Executing the self-proposed mandate for an entirely new international department that develops business, philanthropic, and labour programs across more than a dozen European countries; approved by the NHLPA Executive Board and the Executive Director

  • Reporting directly to the Executive Director

  • Leading direct reports internally and an extensive group of external agents/agencies in several European countries, as well as dozens of project/event-specific promoters and staff to implement a self-constructed European business plan earning several million dollars in sponsorship, event and licensed product revenue

  • Achieving 600% growth in international business revenues since assuming the role in 2007

  • Leading the strategy, development and implementation of annual NHL hockey games and marketing events in European countries as part of a complex joint-venture with the NHL

  • Managing and fiscally directing seven and eight-figure budgets for events each year, totaling over 50 public events in 12 different countries in the past six years

  • Forming relationships with international governmental and non-governmental organizations, corporate sectors, athletes, and media

  • Being tasked with understanding and embracing the unique cultural interests and sensitivities of over 200+ European NHL players, and the stakeholders that are partnered with throughout many foreign countries

  • Showing comfort with official protocol, enjoying a personal audience with political dignitaries such as the Canadian Prime Minister, Russian Prime Minister, Czech Republic Prime Minister, King of Sweden, and dozens of foreign Ambassadors and senior government officials

  • Responsibility for negotiating, organizing, managing and implementing the logistics for NHL player participation in international competitions, including the Winter Olympics, World Championships, and NHL Premiere Games

  • Serving as the NHLPA’s lead for an exhaustive international program for the Winter Olympics, executing a comprehensive plan for NHL players, their guests, corporate sponsors, partners, and staff; the 150 NHLPA members under the position’s direct responsibility represents a larger number than what most countries organized for their entire athlete delegation at the Olympics

  • Negotiating several types of complex legal, financial, and cooperative agreements with European dignitaries, politicians, Olympic/sport federations and business leaders

  • Active involvement in a leadership capacity with unions from other sports in countries around the world as part of a collective effort to strategically utilize leverage and growth for athlete rights

  • Serving as a main spokesperson for the NHLPA in Europe, including over ten major press conferences and dozens of newspaper, radio and television interviews

  • Trusted to provide government relations expertise to the organization, and responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with high-level foreign dignitaries, government officials, sporting organizations and national federations

  • Selected to serve on an internal executive committee tasked with running the NHLPA’s entire operations while without an Executive Director

 

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario            2007-2009

Political Candidate

 

  • Recruited by the Party’s executive staff to run as their candidate in downtown Toronto for the 2007 Provincial General Election

  • Developed relationships with senior management at many of Toronto/Canada’s largest corporations through the campaign and fundraising initiatives

  • Following the 2007 Election, continued to serve as ‘Candidate of Record’, representing the Party’s downtown riding in an official capacity at community events, fundraisers, and speaking engagements

  • Have continued until present as an executive on the downtown riding’s Board of Directors, directly responsible for fundraising strategy/campaigns, recruitment of candidates, and relations with citizens and the Party’s executives
     

 

National Hockey League Players’ Association                 2002 – 2007

Manager, Communications

 

This managerial role was executed in a high-pressure, high-profile atmosphere, involving territories across the world. The role was particularly demanding during the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout where a cancelled NHL season was chosen by media as the 3rd biggest news story of the year (CTV), and as the biggest sports story of the year (ESPN), requiring significant communication and strategic development with media both in North America and abroad.

 

  • Reporting to the Director of Communications, the managerial responsibilities involved two direct reports within the department as well as several consultants, agencies, contractors, and internal departments on particular projects

  • Fostered relationships with hundreds of media outlets globally, including both traditional ‘hockey following markets’ and untraditional markets in several continents

  • Promoted NHLPA charitable initiatives in countries across the world, working with media, partners, and organizations in both smaller and larger communities throughout the world

  • Served as the NHLPA’s lead on all communications related to the World Cup of Hockey. Over two years, this involved preparing for a high-profile tournament that involved 8 different countries, media from several countries around the world, and partners throughout both Europe and North America

  • Showed a diversity of communication skills by managing all media, community and public relations as well as internal, corporate and crisis communications

  • Conceptualized and managed the NHLPA’s external website (NHLPA.com), as well as its internal websites for NHL players and certified hockey agents

  • Arranged over forty media scrums and conference calls, and over ten nationally and internationally-covered press conferences

  • Wrote, edited and distributed dozens of press releases and public statements on a wide variety of issues, tailoring several to European markets and working with translation companies to ensure accuracy

  • Provided media training for NHLPA executives and the 750+ NHL hockey players, including the 200+ European members who required assistance unique to their domestic needs

  • Trusted to safeguard tremendously sensitive internal information, strategies, documents, and communications

  • Composed and/or edited a plethora of speeches and presentations for staff and players for a diverse range of audiences, from testimonies to U.S. Congress to speeches at professional trade conferences

 

 

Time 4 You Concierge                                                   2000 – 2002

Marketing Coordinator

 

This position served as a local corporate/personal concierge company’s sole marketing employee, establishing corporate identity, advertising campaigns, brand development, and strategy input for Time 4 You’s initial business efforts.

 

 

OTHER ACTIVITIES

 

 

  • Board Member: Invest Toronto (appointed by City Council)

  • Board Member: Art Gallery of Ontario fundraising committee

  • Board Member: Ontario Trinity-Spadina Ontario PC Association

  • Co-Chair (with honourary chair, Joe Carter) of the Grand Slam Celebrity Softball tournament for Toronto East General Hospital

  • John Tory 2014 mayoralty campaign

  • Former Board Member (3 years): University of Toronto Governing Council’s Academic Board (Alumni Representative)

  • Former chair of student government committee, across 6 Ontario universities, to explore the advancement of athletic scholarship opportunities

  • Very involved in a number of charitable programs through the NHLPA, including the Goals & Dreams Fund, Hockey Fights Cancer, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and several others

  • Big Brother to a young boy from 2006-2010, as part of the Big Brothers, Big Sister of Toronto program

  • Sponsor of a child through Plan Canada’s ‘Because I Am A Girl’ program

  • Former coach of both boys and girls in sports such as minor football, baseball, and basketball

  • Involvement and management roles in several political campaigns at each level of government

  • Guest speaker and lecturer to community groups on a variety of issues, from sports to politics

  • Actively studying the Russian language; aspirations to continue on to German and French

  • Member of Under-14 Junior team representing Team Canada in baseball at the CABA World Series

  • Offered a book deal for an annual release relating to the sport of hockey

  • Currently writing a screenplay for a major motion picture company

 

 
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