The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Board of Trustees

John E. Oliver

John E. Oliver joined the Board of Directors of Kinross Gold Corporation in 1995 and has served as its Independent Chairman since 2003. A native of Nova Scotia, Mr. Oliver pursued a 41-year career with the Bank of Nova Scotia and its international affiliates while assuming ever increasing managerial responsibilities in domestic and international locations. He returned to Nova Scotia in March 2004 to accept an appointment as Senior Vice President, Retail and Small Business Banking in Atlantic Canada. Mr. Oliver has been involved on the boards of a number of organizations in various capacities, including as Chair of Finance for the United Way of Halifax Region, Director of the Nova Scotia Community College Foundation, a member of the World Wildlife Fund, and Chair of the Pier 21 Society Board of Directors. Mr. Oliver is currently Chair of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Vice-Chair of the Provincial Autism Centre.

Tung Chan

Tung Chan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Sociology) from the University of British Columbia. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., a group of registered charities dedicated to promoting the well-being of all Canadians and immigrants. Mr. Chan emigrated from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1974 and four years later started his 28-year career at the TD Bank. There, he has occupied various positions, from Management Trainee to District Vice-President in charge of 17 TD Canada Trust branches. Mr. Chan is also very active in his community and has been involved on the boards of a number of organizations, including the Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration in the Metropolis, the BC Premier’s Chinese Community Advisory Committee, the Vancouver Foundation, and the Richmond Public Library. He is a frequent commentator in the media on social, multicultural, and immigration-related issues. In 2002, Mr. Chan was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contribution to the community.

Mark Boudreau

Mark Boudreau graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree (political science / history) from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is currently working as a senior consultant for MT&L Public Relations in Halifax, providing strategic planning, communications, and stakeholder relations advice to a variety of clients, including the Halifax Port Authority, The Shaw Group, Labatt, and the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs, as well as a number of federal and provincial government departments. Prior to this, Mr. Boudreau worked as a political advisor to several senior cabinet ministers, both federally and provincially. He also worked as director of communications for Alliance Atlantis. Mr. Boudreau, who currently serves on the first board of the new Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, was a member of the Pier 21 Society Board of Directors.

Ralph Chiodo

Ralph Chiodo is the President of Active Green + Ross Tire & Automotive Centre, which operates 76 franchise locations in Ontario. At the age of 14, Mr. Chiodo emigrated from Catanzaro, Italy, to Canada through Pier 21. In 1967, he started his own automotive services business in Etobicoke, Ontario. An active member of his community, he has served on the board of a number of organizations and associations, including as President of the Rotary Club of Etobicoke, Chairman of the IC Savings Foundation, and Member of the Pier 21 Society Board of Directors, with further responsibilities as the organization’s Fundraising Co Chair. Mr. Chiodo is the recipient of many awards, including the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association’s President’s Award and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.

Ruth M. Goldbloom, O.C., O.N.S.

A graduate of McGill University, Ruth M. Goldbloom has served on the boards of a number of education and community organizations. In 1967, she moved to Halifax, where she pursued her active involvement with several organizations, including the Metro United Way Campaign, Mount Saint Vincent University, Dalhousie University’s Annual Fund, and the Pier 21 Society. As Chair of the Pier 21 Society Foundation, Ms. Goldbloom was responsible for raising $9 million in donations for the original restoration of Pier 21, and she spearheaded the $7-million Nation Builders Campaign. She has received many honours and awards, including honorary degrees from numerous universities and Canada’s 125th Anniversary Commemorative Medal. Ms. Goldbloom is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of Nova Scotia.

Richard LeBlanc

Richard LeBlanc graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Leisure Studies from the Université de Moncton. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2010. Mr. LeBlanc has a strong background in sales management as a result of his association with Moosehead Breweries (1983-1998), where he served in various capacities, including as Promotion Director and Regional Sales Director for the Maritime provinces, the Moncton area, and the Acadian Peninsula. Prior to that, Mr. LeBlanc worked as the Leisure Services Director for the Association des loisirs de Paquetville (1981-1983). Over the years, he played an active role in his community, including participating in the fundraising campaign for the Youth Centre in Dieppe and serving on the Acadian Games Organizing Committee for both Dieppe and the Université de Moncton, on the Administration Advisory Committee for the Moncton Alpines (Quebec Major Hockey League), and as Director of Administration of the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick.

Phuong T.V. Ngo

After obtaining her law degree from the University of Ottawa, Phuong Ngo became a partner in the Ottawa office of the firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP (Gowlings). She is an advocate in the Ontario Court and the Federal Court of Canada, as well as a member of Gowlings’ Advocacy Group and Public Procurement Group. She practises in the areas of civil and administrative litigation, health law, government procurement, bid protests, and judicial review. Ms. Ngo speaks and writes frequently on issues related to public-sector and private-sector procurement. She is a member of the Advocates’ Society, the County of Carleton Law Association, the Canadian Bar Association, and the Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario.

Rosanna M. Saccomani

Rosanna Saccomani obtained her law degree from the University of Alberta and joined the law firm of Biamonte Cairo & Shortreed LLP in 1994. Her areas of practice include personal injury law, corporate and commercial litigation, general civil litigation, insurance law (life and disability), and employment and wrongful dismissal. Ms. Saccomani has lectured and written a number of papers on current legal issues. She plays an active role in her community and has been involved on the boards of a number of organizations, including St. Thomas Moore Lawyers’ Guild, the Alberta Health and Wellness Board, and the Marian Centre, which provides charitable services to the homeless. She is the recipient of many honours and awards, including the Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association President’s Award (2007), in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the profession, the community and the enhancement of the law.

James (Bradley) Stafford

Mr. Stafford is the founder and managing partner of James Stafford Inc., Chartered Accountants, a Vancouver-based accounting firm. Throughout his career, Mr. Stafford has audited numerous publicly traded companies and assisted many privately held companies with general accounting and taxation issues. He has also served as a member on several college boards and as a member of the Finance Committee with the Public Art Exhibitor and Foundation in Vancouver. Mr. Stafford has been a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia since 1990. He holds a B.A. degree in Arts (Political Science) from the University of British Columbia. He is the author of several publications as well as professional development seminar materials and presentations in his area of expertise.

Dr. Frances Ann Swyripa

Frances Swyripa is a professor of history at the University of Alberta. Her areas of expertise are Canadian history, including the West, immigration and ethnicity, ethno-religious identity, Ukrainians, public commemoration and memory, and women. She has written books and articles, and has been a guest lecturer at universities and related venues in domestic and international locations. Ms. Swyripa has been involved on the board of a number of organizations, including the University of Alberta Press Committee, the Provincial Museum of Alberta, and the Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta.