TORONTO, June 27, 2012 – The Board of Governors of York University announces the appointment of Julia Foster as the Chair of the Board, effective July 1, 2012.

Mrs. Foster (right) has been a member of the Board since 2005 and is also Chair, Dean’s Advisory Council, Faculty of Fine Arts at York. She chairs the National Arts Centre and is a former Chair of the Ontario Arts Council and the Stratford Festival Board of Governors. She held senior administration positions at McCann Erickson Advertising of Canada, Environics Research Group, and was President and CEO, Olympic Trust of Canada. She also served as a Director at Brascan Corporation and the Hospital for Sick Children.

“York University is extremely fortunate to benefit from Julia’s strong leadership and breadth of expertise in effective governance,” says outgoing Chair Paul Cantor. “Her contribution to York University and our students clearly demonstrates a commitment to excellence.”

York University’s Board of Governors is also pleased to announce the appointment of new members:

William Hatanaka, BA, Advanced Management Program (Harvard), was appointed to the Board in October 2011. Mr. Hatanaka was a member of the York University Foundation Board of Directors, and co-chaired a recent successful capital campaign. He is a Director at both TD Ameritrade and The Canadian Centre for Diversity. Mr. Hatanaka, a former Canadian Football League player, has recently served as the Group Head for Global Wealth Management, TD Bank Financial Group (TDBFG) and Chairman & CEO, TD Waterhouse Inc.

Armand P. La Barge, OOM, SBStJ, BA, BAS (Hon), MA, LLD (Hon), was appointed to the Board in October 2011. Mr. La Barge was Chief of Police, York Region 2002 to 2010. Chief LaBarge served as President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, and member of the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association. He is Vice Chair of the St. John Council (Ontario) and a former Chair of Special Olympics Ontario. He is currently completing his PhD in Aboriginal Studies.

John S. Hunkin, BA, MBA, LLD, began a new term with the Board in February following a previous term from 1994 to 2004. Mr. Hunkin is the former Chairman, President and CEO of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). He chairs the Dean’s Advisory Council, Schulich School of Business. He serves on the Boards of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation, the Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation and Enablis.

Aidan Flatley, BA (York), is appointed to the Board effective July 1, 2012. Mr. Flatley is President & Chief Executive Office of Kenaidan Group Limited. He received a BA (Economics) in 1978. He was a member of the York University Foundation Board and served on various committees such as the Campaign Executive Group – Power of 50 (2007-2010). He is Founder of the Honour Court. In 2006, he received the Bruce Bryden Alumni Recognition Award, Outstanding Contribution.

Professor Martin Lockshin is the Senate nominee to the Board effective July 1, 2012. Professor Lockshin has taught Humanities and Hebrew at York University since 1978. He received his PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. He is a long-standing member of Senate, and has been a member and chair of several Senate committees over the years, including Academic Standards, Curriculum & Pedagogy and Tenure & Promotions. He has also been the Director of the Centre for Jewish Studies ORU. He is the incoming Chair of the Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

Emile Wickham is the Student nominee to the Board, effective July 1, 2012. Mr. Wickham is finishing the first year of an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program. He is the current Chairperson of the Trinidad and Tobago Student Association at York. He has participated in Leadershape 2011, an intensive six-day program hosted by the Leadership Institute where participants learn and put into practice leadership skills and values based on integrity.

Debbie Jamieson is the Non-Academic nominee to the Board effective July 1, 2012. Ms. Jamieson has been a member of the York community for over 37 years, and has had the distinction of being a member of the Board of Governors since 2004. Ms. Jamieson is a Program Assistant in the Graduate Program in Human Resource Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Services, where she works closely with members of the York community.

With these changes, Paul Cantor officially ends his term as Chair of the Board of Governors.

“We thank Paul for his exceptional leadership as Chair of the Board for the last three years,” says Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor. “His outstanding energy, insights and commitment have been invaluable not only to York, but to me personally, as we prepare students to contribute to and thrive in the world.”
York University is a leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto – Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 55,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 250,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 28 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

Media contact:

Joanne Rider
Chief Spokesperson and Director, Media Relations, York University
416-736-5593
jrider@yorku.ca