Tag Archives: Board of Directors

Three directors elected at SSHF AGM

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The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame added two new Board members and re-elected a sitting Board member to another term at their Annual General Meeting on June 5.

Kelvin Ostapowich was re-elected to a third, three-year term, while Taylor Froehlich and Jennifer Leflar were each elected to their first, three-year terms.

The minutes from the 2024 SSHF AGM are now available here.

Froehlich is originally from Moose Jaw and grew up playing competitive fastball which she continues to play. After graduating from Mount Royal University in Calgary, she moved to Regina where she passed the Common Final Exam of the CPA program in 2019 and officially became a Chartered Professional Accountant in 2021. Froehlich works at The Corner Office as a Senior Associate, providing contracted CFO and Controller services to a diverse client base. She oversees more than 20 clients at The Corner Office, spanning across different industries, with a specialized focus on non-profit organizations.

Leflar is the vice president responsible for the enterprise change management team at SGI. Prior to her role as VP, she led one of the company’s busiest corporate functions, the communications, design and media relations teams. She also served as Director of Corporate Strategy in 2017 and 2018. Jennifer began her career as a radio and television news reporter, winning industry awards for breaking news coverage. Leflar holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Regina, with a focus on executive management. She lives in Regina with her husband and two kids. A lifelong baseball fan, she has visited many iconic ballparks and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Ostapowich was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 1986 Regina Rams national champion football team. He has been a long-serving member of the Rams’ Board. He works in the wealth management sector as a Portfolio Manager with CIBC Wood Gundy. Ostapowich sat as Chair of the Sport History Committee in 2023-24.

Both Tim Leier and Scott Kistner have finished their time on the SSHF Board and did not seek re-election.

Robb Elchuk returns to serve another year as the Chair of the Hall of Fame. Elchuk had served a two-year term as Chair from 2020 to 2022 and helped guide the SSHF through the pandemic before moving into the Past Chair role. Trent Blezy served as Chair for a two-year term from 2022-24 and led the Hall of Fame through a transitional time and the hiring of a new Executive Director. Blezy will now serve as the Past Chair. Karen Meban (Vice Chair) and Mike Babcock (Treasurer) retain their positions as Officers of the Hall.

During the AGM, Neal Fense from Virtus Group presented the independent auditor’s report and the financial statement for the 2023/24 fiscal year which is available here.

The 2024-25 SSHF Board of Directors:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair – Robb Elchuk
Vice Chair – Karen Meban
Treasurer – Mike Babcock
Past Chair – Trent Blezy

DIRECTORS
Amber Day
Taylor Froehlich
Tenille Grimeau
Jennifer Leflar
Jeff Lightheart
Kelvin Ostapowich
Chris Weitzel
Cary Wessel

Blezy named new Chair and four new directors added to SSHF Board

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The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF) held their Annual and Special Meeting on Thursday, May 26, 2022. The meeting minutes are now available.

The Bylaw change to clarify the language on Hall of Fame membership passed unanimously. The updated SSHF Bylaws can be found here.

Trent Blezy is the new Chair of the Hall of Fame and will begin a two-year term in the role. Robb Elchuk has completed two years as Chair and will move into the non-elected position of Past Chair. Rankin Jaworski has completed two years as Past Chair for a combined eight years on the board and will retire from the Board.

The other Officers of the Hall of Fame are Karen Meban, who is beginning her first term on the board and will assume the Vice Chair role. Mike Babcock remains in the role of Treasurer.

Mike Babcock and Tennille Grimeau were both re-elected to a second three-year term on the Board.

Babcock has been a member of the Board since 2017. He has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honours) from Laurentian University and received his Certified General Accountants designation in 2007 and his Chartered Professional Accounts Designation in 2014 when the three national accounting designations unified. He opened his own accounting practice in 2016.

Grimeau is originally from Melville and received a Diploma in Hospitality & Tourism Marketing and a Masters Certificate in Project Management. She spent 20 years in loyalty marketing with the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) where she was responsible for the strategic development and marketing of the Players Club loyalty program for SIGA’s seven casino properties, including member acquisition, direct marketing, data analytics, and branding. In the fall of 2021, she began her new role at Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) in the position of Loyalty Manager, where she is responsible for supporting the successful build, operationalization, and implementation of a new consumer loyalty program across Western Canada.

Eight members of the 2022-23 SSHF Board pictured during a board retreat: Karen Meban, back left, Tim Leier, Laurel Garvan, Robb Elchuk, Jeff Lightheart, front left, Cary Wessel, Tennille Grimeau, and Trent Blezy.

Four new Directors – Jeff Lightheart, Karen Meban, Christopher Weitzel, and Cary Wessel – were also elected for three-year terms on the SSHF Board.

Jeff Lightheart is a Certified Financial Planner and is the owner of a planning firm in Regina. He has a close affiliation with the Hall of Fame as his wife Nancy was a member of the 1991 Sundown Optimist Buffalo Gals who were inducted in 1996. Nancy’s sister, Jill Zimmer was also on that world championship-winning team. Jeff and Nancy’s daughters became baton twirlers and continue to be coached by another inductee, Maureen Johnson. If that weren’t enough, Nancy’s dad, brother, and uncle are also in the Hall.

Karen Meban is employed at CBC Regina as an Integrated Account Lead and has worked in media advertising sales for 22 years. She graduated from Laurentian University as a five-year veteran of the nationally-ranked Lady Vees basketball program. Upon graduation, and while starting her career, Meban was the assistant coach for the Lady Vees program before moving to Regina in 2003. She is the mother of three active kids and volunteers as a coach in basketball, ringette, and hockey.

Christopher Weitzel graduated from the University of Regina in 2000 with a BA and then went on to the University of Saskatchewan College of Law and Capital Law School earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2003 from the U of S. He is currently the Associate General Counsel – Corporate at Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI). His practice involves contract, procurement, privacy, litigation, and trademark issues as well as leadership responsibilities. He also earned his Certified In-House Counsel (CIC.C) designation in 2020 from Rotman School of Management and in 2020 received his Saskatchewan Queen’s Counsel (QC) designation. He is currently on the Canadian Bar Association Executive Board for Saskatchewan and was President of the CBA SK in 2020-21.

Cary Wessel graduated from the University of Regina in 2000 with a B.Sc. and then went on to the University of Saskatchewan College of Law earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2007. Wessel was called to the Bar of Saskatchewan in 2010. He is currently an Associate at Gerrand Rath Johnson LLP in Regina, where he practices in a wide array of legal areas, specializing in corporate and commercial matters. Wessel is active in several outdoors endeavours, including cycling, mountain biking, skiing, and camping. He is the Patrol Leader for Canadian Ski Patrol – Qu’Appelle Zone, involved as an instructor for Advanced First Aid, and a sitting executive with both the local zone and the provincial division.

 

The 2022-23 Board of Directors

OFFICERS OF THE HALL

Chair– Trent Blezy (Regina)

Vice Chair – Karen Meban (Regina)

Treasurer – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Past Chair – Robb Elchuk (Regina)

DIRECTORS

Samer Awadh (Regina)

Laurel Garven (Regina)

Tennille Grimeau (Saskatoon)

Tim Leier (Saskatoon)

Jeff Lightheart (Regina)

Kelvin Ostapowich (Regina)

Christopher Weitzel (Regina)

Cary Wessel (Regina)

New bylaws and Board members approved at Annual and Special Meeting

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The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame held its Annual and Special Meeting on Thursday, May 27.

At the meeting, the proposed bylaw amendments all passed. With those bylaw revisions comes a change in title for some members of the Board of Directors. The Officers of the Hall now consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Past Chair.

Minutes from the 2021 Annual and Special Meeting are available here.

Two directors were elected at the Annual and Special Meeting. Kelvin Ostapowich was re-elected to a second, three-year term, while Tim Leier was elected to his first, three-year term.

Ostapowich works in the wealth management sector as a Portfolio Manager with CIBC Wood Gundy. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 1986 Regina Rams football team. He serves as board member with the Rams.

Leier is a Senior Financial Planner as a partner with Brian Mallard & Associates in Saskatoon. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the 1983 University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team. He has previous volunteer experience including the Canadian Pension Benefits, Sask Sport, and the USask Huskies Athletic Endowment Committee.

The 2021-22 Board of Directors

OFFICERS OF THE HALL

Chair– Robb Elchuk (Regina)

Vice Chair – Trent Blezy (Regina)

Treasurer – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Past Chair – Rankin Jaworski (Regina)

DIRECTORS

Samer Awadh (Regina)

Laurel Garven (Regina)

Tennille Grimeau (Saskatoon)

Tim Leier (Saskatoon)

Kelvin Ostapowich (Regina)

 

Tim Leier appointed to Board of Directors

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Robb Elchuk, president of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF), is pleased to announce that Tim Leier of Saskatoon has been appointed to the Board of Directors effective January 7, 2021. Tim brings to the SSHF Board professional expertise as a certified financial planner. A formal nomination in support of Tim will be put before the membership at the next Annual General Meeting scheduled for May 27, 2021.

Tim, inducted to the SSHF as a member of the 1983 Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU) National champions University of Saskatchewan (U of S) Huskies hockey team, fills a current inductee vacancy on the board. Since the team’s induction in 2000, Tim has held a deep interest in the Hall of Fame and its activities over the past 20 years. His personal and professional schedules have converged to a point where he has more time to dedicate to a SSHF volunteer commitment. Tim’s previous volunteer experience includes the Canadian Pension Benefits, Sask Sport, and the U of S Huskies Athletics Endowment Committee.

Tim played 76 games with the Huskies from 1980-85 and played in three straight CIAU national championship games. He also spent four seasons (1980-84) playing as a defensive back on the Huskies football team. In 1984 he won the E. Kent Phillips Trophy as the University of Saskatchewan’s Male Athlete of the Year. He is currently a Senior Financial Planner as a partner with Brian Mallard & Associates.

Tim joins current 2020-21 board members:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President – Robb Elchuk (Regina)

Vice President – Kevin Dureau (Regina)

Treasurer – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Secretary – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Past President – Rankin Jaworski (Regina)

DIRECTORS

Samer Awadh (Regina)

Trent Blezy (White City)

Lori Ebbesen (Saskatoon)

Laurel Garven (Regina)

Tennille Grimeau (Saskatoon)

Tim Leier (Saskatoon)

Kelvin Ostapowich (Regina)

 

New board elected for Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame

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 The membership of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (SSHF) approved a new Board of Directors during the SSHF’s 2019-20 Annual General Meeting.

 

Following the meeting, Robb Elchuk began his term as SSHF President. Rankin Jaworski now moves into the non-elected position of Past President following his two terms as President.

 

Kevin Dureau assumes the role of Vice President, while Mike Babcock remains Treasurer and will also serve as Secretary.

 

Trent Blezy was elected to his first term on the Board, while Samer Awadh and Laurel Garven were each re-elected to another term.

 

Trent was born and raised in the southeastern part of the province and lives in White City. He works with the Ministry of Energy and Resources for the Government of Saskatchewan.  

 

As a volunteer, Trent has worked in fundraising capacities to support the Saskatchewan Children’s Hospital Foundation and has held several positions with various Constituency Associations through the Conservative Party and the Saskatchewan Party. 

 

Sports have always been and always will be a part of Trent’s life. He believes sports have a tremendous ability to bring people together, evoking an emotional response in people unlike other activities can. He looks forward to the opportunity of being a part of an organization involved with and celebrating those who elicit that emotional connection.

 

Linda Burnham, a two-time SSHF Inductee herself, is stepping off the board after three elected terms and two more years as Past President. Don Gallo and Nathan Morrison both completed their second term on the board and did not stand for re-election.

Minutes from the SSHF’s 2019-20 Annual General Meeting are available here.

 

The 2020-21 SSHF Board of Directors:

 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President – Robb Elchuk (Regina)

Vice President – Kevin Dureau (Regina)

Treasurer – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Secretary – Mike Babcock (Regina)

Past President – Rankin Jaworski (Regina)

 

DIRECTORS

Samer Awadh (Regina)

Trent Blezy (White City)

Lori Ebbesen (Saskatoon)

Laurel Garven (Regina)

Tennille Grimeau (Saskatoon)

Kelvin Ostapowich (Regina)