George Cornell, President

George is a graduate Civil Engineer from the University of Toronto. After over 25 years of working in the oil and gas sector, he is now semi-retired and a year round resident of Tiny Township. George has been involved in the community working for physician recruitment, as a former Township of Tiny Councillor and most recently with the Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre.  “Huronia Communities Foundation offers an excellent vehicle for giving today and forever. Donations can be tailored by the donor to match a specific interest or left to the discretion of the foundation to help meet the needs of our changing community.”

Anita Dubeau, Vice President

I was delighted when asked to sit on the Board in the fall of 2010.  I have long admired the ‘Vision’ of the foundation: to bring donors and charities together to enrich lives in Huronia.  It’s a very powerful statement and purpose.  Volunteering is a way for me to honour my parents’ memory and to continue to give back to my community.  I am grateful for this opportunity to serve with Huronia Community Foundation.

Doug Jackson, Treasurer

Doug moved to Victoria Harbour in 1970 and has been involved in many and varied community organizations over the years, including currently the Simcoe County Aids Committee and the Midland Reading Council. Doug retired from a career in the financial services sector with CIBC Wood Gundy. As an organization that helps so many other community organizations, Huronia Communities Foundation is a natural extension of Doug’s community work.

Garry McPhail, Secretary

Garry moved to the Midland area in 1992 with his wife Doreen. Since his retirement from the Canadian Air Force in 1999 he has devoted much of his time to community service. He was actively involved with 724 (Lions) Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets as chairman of the sponsoring committee, the Masonic Foundation of Ontario and most recently as a board member and President of the Midland Area Reading Council.  “The great strength of the Huronia Communities Foundation is the ability it affords to have a positive impact on a wide range of needs in the community. I believe that consolidating the management of charitable donations enables significant financial support to worthwhile causes on an ongoing basis.”

Dwayne Frans

Dwayne is married to Tanya and they have three lovely daughters who are 14, 11 and 8 that keep them very busy. Dwayne and Tanya own the ServiceMaster franchise in Midland and also Orillia. Dwayne has been a member of the Midland Rotary club for over 13 years and enjoys giving back to the community. The Huronia Communities Foundation is a “great way for people or corporations to give a gift that benefits the community now and into the future.”

Ellie Kirby

Elinor Kirby joined HCF after serving seven years as a Director of the Cedar Ridge Pops Festival, a highly unique and innovative concert event hosting up to 500 guests each year.  Since its inception, the Cedar Ridge Pops raised over one million dollars for charities in Huronia. Elinor’s professional career as an academic in both the university and college worlds lasted for over 20 years before she early retired to her home on Georgian Bay.  She is frequently invited both as a guest speaker to organizations and also to develop and implement corporate training for business and government agencies.

Ron Crane

Ron Crane is the managing partner of Hacker Gignac Rice LLP a firm of sixteen lawyers with offices in Midland, Orillia and Penetanguishene. Ron has been active in community service both locally and when he lived and practiced in the GTA before moving to the area six years ago. A past president of the Rotary Club of Toronto, and of the Rotary Foundation, he’s past chair of the Cheshire Home Foundation. Ron is a board member and founding chair of the Pine River Institute, a therapeutic school for severely addicted youth. He has volunteered with many other organizations including the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Huronia District Hospital Board, and emergency transitional shelter programs.

“Canadians are a very generous people. Every year a large percentage of us give time, effort and money to many worthwhile charitable activities. Obviously the time and effort stop when we die, but the monetary contribution to the charitable sector need not end as well. “You gave during your lifetime, maybe you should think about giving after you have gone. The decision is yours. The results could change someone else’s life.” Huronia Community Foundations provides a simple and powerful and highly personal approach to giving.

Joslyn Biggins

Joslyn agreed to volunteer for HCF because of her belief in community volunteerism and the importance of grassroots movements, “I’ve seen a lot of disparity in the world and became attracted to the Community Foundation movement when I lived in the United States. To me it’s a terrific vehicle for communities to create their own safety net in which funding for community initiatives will remain secure forever.”

Claude Marchildon

Born in Penetanguishene, Claude graduated in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1982.  He worked at Schneider Electric the next 20 years, his last position as Vice President of Inside Sales and Business Improvements. In 2002, Claude joined CSA International as a Director. He later worked 2 years with Ceridian Canada before finding his way home in 2006.  After working with NEBS and Franke Kindred he made a career shift to financial services. He has been an advisor with Sun Life Financial since early 2010.

“HCF provides an ideal method for supporting charities all the while being assured the funds will be allocated locally.  The grant committee approach also ensures funding is spread across broad areas of need.  What a terrific way to give back to our community.”

Garry Morehouse, Executive Director

Garry chose Huronia as a weekend retreat for the quality of life it offers. He left his job in Toronto as a Director for Visa Canada Association to live full time in Midland.  ”I bought into the concept of community foundation ‘endowments’ as a way to make charitable donations last forever. This has significant appeal to me personally and I see it as being very good for the future of the community in which I live. I would like to look back and say that I played a part in generating assets in excess of $2,000,000 that enable the Huronia Communities Foundation to make grants of more than $100,000 each year, forever.”

Betty Valentine, Financial Officer

Betty worked for the Town of Penetanguishene for 31 years, retiring as Treasurer in 2004. She has  a deep interest in philanthropy and has been involved in several community groups as a volunteer for a total of more than 40 years. The Huronia Community Foundation is a wonderful organization for promoting philanthropy in our area. Betty is past President of Probus Club and the Vice-chair of the Board of Directors for the Mental Health Centre Penetanguishene.