Our People - Staff & Board of Directors

FOCA Staff

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Terry Rees - FOCA Executive Director (& Lake Kasshabog Residents' Assoc.)

terryreesforweb

Terry is a respected and active representative on more than a dozen province-wide and bi-national committees related to water, the environment, and other broad social issues. He brings a unique perspective and background from the mining, minerals and petrochemical industry garnered across North America with several sector-leading organizations. He applies his diverse background within the private sector resource industries to deal with strategic policy and solutions, on a variety of Province-wide forums. His experience comes from a number of progressive roles within technical sales, environmental and hazardous materials management, production planning and public policy development.

Water's Next Terry has been a leader and innovator within the private and not-for-profit sectors for over 20 years. His role as Executive Director of FOCA, one of the largest membership associations in the Province, has allowed him to apply the out-of-the-box thinking that is required to deal effectively with the complex challenges facing our economy, our environment and our society.

**In 2012, Terry received an honour from Water Canada as a "Water's Next" person representing Canadian water excellence**

Michelle Lewin - FOCA Communications & Development Coordinator

Michelle Lewin

communications@foca.on.ca Twitter handle: MichelleatFOCA

Michelle joined the staff in 2010 to beat the drum about the good work being done by FOCA. Her background is in communications and culture. Michelle oversees printed and electronic messaging, and works with our association members to distribute information across the Province.

Contact Michelle if your organization is interested in partnering with FOCA to support our mandate of protecting Ontario's waterfront experience.

Tracy Logan - FOCA Membership & Programs Coordinator

Tracy has been with FOCA since 2009 and has just returned from a year off on maternity leave. Tracy assists FOCA member associations and individuals with membership inquiries and program support.

FOCA Board of Directors

Alphabetical listing (& Association affiliation):

Malcolm Burwash (Lake of Bays Association)

Malcolm_2011 While attending Ryerson, the Lake of Bays area captured Malcolm’s interest as a summer employee at what was known as “Bigwin Inn”. This process fascinated him and consequently he has been a cottager on the lake for over forty years.

In the mid seventies Malcolm joined the Office Leasing Division of A.E. LePage in Calgary and in the early eighties was transferred to the head office in Toronto and later retired as a Vice President of the Toronto Office Leasing Division. Over the years he has been involved with many charitable organizations and is currently a director of the Lake of Bays Association, and The Ontario Camp of the Deaf (The Bob Rumball Group). (Joined FOCA Board Summer 2007)

Bill Cheshire (Baptiste Lake Association)

Bill works for the Hay Group in Toronto, providing Human Resource consulting for clients in the private and public sectors. Bill is active in his professional association, serving on the Professional Standards Committee for the Human Resources Professionals Association. In addition he is a Director for the Mississauga-Kane Road Ratepayers Association, and is a past Director with the Baptiste Lake Association where he was active on their Land Use Planning activities. He is an HBA graduate from the Ivey Business School, and has been an active member of the Toronto Board of Trade and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Scouts Canada, Lakeland Alliance. Bill grew up on the Bruce Peninsula with family cottages at Oliphant on Lake Huron. He has been cottaging on Baptiste Lake since the 70's. All three of their children worked summers at the lake or surrounding area, and the cottage still is the primary home base for family gatherings. Bill currently serves as Treasurer of the FOCA Board. (Joined Board January 2010)

Jeff Clark (Go Home Lake Cottage Association)

Jeff Clark Cottaging has been a very valued part of Jeff’s life. For 16 years at his in-law’s year-round cottage in the sandy beach area of Georgian Bay near Elmvale, and for the last 23 years at a seasonal cottage on a rocky island in Go Home Lake, his family’s passion for the value of experiencing a waterfront environment has grounded their lives. Jeff looks forward to preserving this opportunity for others through contributing to FOCA’s efforts as a Board member.

Jeff is a Professional Engineer, and holds a BASC in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto, as well as an MBA from the Rotman School, U of T. He has over 35 years experience in customer relations, supply chain, facilities, and fleet management, in both the private and public sectors. (Joined FOCA Board 2013)

Robert Cummins (Gull Lake Cottagers Association)

Rob has 15 years experience in both sales and marketing roles in financial services. He has worked with Manulife Bank in Toronto and ING DIRECT Bank Canada. Rob is the current President of the Gull Lake Cottagers Association following several years on the GLCA Board of Directors. His efforts within his own association are currently dedicated to re-evaluating the member value proposition, increasing the association’s member engagement team. While his years have been primarily spent in Haliburton, Rob brings familiarity with a large Ontario landscape through his extensive travels from Thunder Bay to Ottawa Valley, Amerstburg to Tobermory, and Collingwood through Killarney and Algonquin. Rob attended Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. (Joined FOCA Board 2011)

Ken Grant (Big Gull Lake East End Cottage Association)

Ken has been a cottage owner in North Frontenac for 30 years and for the last 26 years has been the Environmental Steward on Big Gull Lake. He has held the position of President of the Association for the last 10 years. Ken is a retired Federal Public Service Executive with 28 years experience in Management and Human Resources. Since retirement, Ken has consulted with several foreign governments including China, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. Ken helped to develop a septic reinspection program for the Municipality of North Frontenac, and sits on the Mississippi River Water Management Plan Advisory Committee. Ken is interested in all matters of Lake Stewardship including keeping lakes as healthy as possible, minimizing pollution sources from cottages and boats, ensuing that our local fishery is healthy, educating cottagers about their environment and how to maintain it for future generations. Ken is the President of the FOCA Board of Directors. (Joined FOCA Board 2011)

Jim Kaufman (Kawagama Lake Cottagers Association)

Jim has been a “cottager” since 1954 when his uncle bought a small cottage on Kawagama Lake. Since that time, Jim and his wife Janis have built 2 cottages on Kawagama; raised 3 children who spent time in every season “at the lake”; and now have 3 grandchildren who are enjoying all that cottage life has to offer. Jim is president of Kawagama Lake Cottagers Association; Chair of St.Pauls L’Amoureau Center; and Vice Chair of the MNR’s LCC Committee for the French-Severn Forest. Jim graduated from Ryerson and joined Westinghouse Electric Corp in 1967. He held various management positions with WEC until 1992 when Westinghouse divested all operating units. At that time Jim became WESCO District Manager for Construction and Datacom operations in the GTA. Jim and Janis moved to Thornbury in 2010. They have a keen interest in downhill and cross-country skiing; travelling; and of course cottaging. (Joined FOCA Board 2011)

Anne McCauley (Muskoka Lakes Association)

Anne McCauley Anne is a third-generation cottager on Lake Muskoka and chair of the Political and Environment Committee, Muskoka Lakes Association. As a professional land use planner with her own consulting firm, Anne takes a keen interest in new development in the district of Muskoka and its impact on the environment. Having over 20 years experience as a municipal employee she is also interested in municipal government and its efforts to meet the needs of its citizens. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography and a Master of Science degree in land use and recreational planning, Anne has always been fascinated by Ontario’s rocks, trees and water and how its citizens appreciate and interact with the natural environment. This love of nature was a furthered through volunteer work with the Canadian girl guides as a leader and as a camp adviser for over 10 years. Anne also has a long history of volunteerism, with 23 years as an advocate and board member on the Special Education Advisory Committee (Toronto Board of Education). (Joined Board January 2010)

Kim Papadoliopoulos (Otter Lake Landowners' Association)

Kim Papadoliopolis Kim is from a multi-generational cottage family with long roots on Otter Lake in the Rideau Lakes area of Eastern Ontario. She has a passion for the lake and the surrounding environment and brings a practical and personal approach to her waterfront commitment. Kim has an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Trent University, along with many post-graduate certifications and training in Human Resources and related issues. (Joined FOCA Board 2013)

Carole Russell (Halls Hawk Lakes Property Owners Association)

Carole and her husband have been on Big Hawk Lake since 1987, where Carole is President of the local association. Their boat-access and off-grid property is a haven that has enabled them to develop a deep appreciation for the beauty and peace that is Haliburton. Carole chaired the local lake plan committee to a successful plan approval at their 2006 AGM, and has been on the association Board since 2003, having also held the position of Treasurer. Carole was a founding member of CEWF (Coalition for Equitable Waterflow), representing the reservoir and flow-through lakes of the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW), and also represents her lake in the Coalition of Haliburton Associations (CHA). In her professional life, Carole was an executive in the Toronto Dominion Bank for 26 years, focused in the last ten years on the technology required to support the bank’s 220 million annual calls that are directed into their global contact centres. Carole holds a BA in Math from York University. She is the Vice President of the FOCA Board of Directors. (Joined FOCA Board 2011)

Nancy Salmijarvi (Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association)

Nancy has been involved with the LOWDPOA Board since 2010, and is Chair of the LOWDPOA Enviornmental Committee. After working more than 30 years in the airline industry, Nancy took early retirement and is now a permanent resident in the Kenora area. Having worked primarily in Northern Ontario and Manitoba, Nancy has a clear understanding of issues facing the north, and good relationships with many partners in the district. She also served a term on Kenora City Council. Nancy's favourite things about lake life include fishing, wildlife, clean air and great times with friends and family. (Joined FOCA Board 2012)

Kay Soares (Severn River Association of Property Owners)

President of SRAPO for 8 years, and prior to that, 3 years as Secretary, Kay has been active in the areas of abusive Crown land camping, garbage collection, Family Regatta and others. SRAPO has over 60% of members who are water access, and deal with 3 Townships on an ongoing basis, 2 County’s/District, the Province, and Federal bodies (Parks Canada/TSW). Kay’s educational background is in Television Production from Ryerson University, which lead to CBC Television where she worked for 36 years, mostly in Management areas. Kay was co-chair in the CBC Employee Assistance Program for 3 years and on the Advisory Board for De Lassalle School for 3 years. Kay is the Secretary of the FOCA Board of Directors. (Joined FOCA Board 2011)