Three new Directors elected to Hockey Alberta Board

RED DEER - Three new members were elected to Hockey Alberta’s Board of Directors during the 114th Annual General Meeting held virtually on November 25.

Kirstan Jewell of Rimbey, Karen Lee of Calgary and Bill Gourley of Calgary were elected as Directors at Large to three-year terms. They replace Michael Bates of Cochrane, Wilson Gemmill of Grande Prairie, and Francois Gagnon of Fort McMurray, whose three-year terms have concluded.

Gagnon will continue as a member of the Board, shifting to the role of Finance Director, taking over for Donna Gallant of Edmonton.

The new Directors join Board Chair Len Samletzki, Vice Chair Allan Mowbray, and Directors at Large Fran Zinger and Al-Amin Vira.

The meeting was opened with a land acknowledgement and greetings from Chief Wilton Littlechild of Ermineskin Cree Nation.

In his opening remarks, Samletzki looked back at the hard work of the hockey community across the province during a difficult 2020-21 hockey season.

“Reflecting back on the last year, including the last 20 months, three words come to mind: gratitude, adaptability, players,” said Samletzki. “Gratitude for you, our volunteers, staff and stakeholders across Alberta…. Adaptability - how quickly everyone in hockey was able to change to ensure our game is played. Plans that were changed, stopped, and then changed again. Players - in difficult times - you were here for the right reasons - ensuring the game was there for our players.”

Samletzki also recognized the recent announcement of three new Hockey Alberta Life Members - Terry Ledingham (Bon Accord), Annie Orton (Blairmore) and George Kalley (Drumheller).

In addition to electing three new Board members, a Notice of Motion related to Life Memberships was approved by the Members.

Following the completion of the formal AGM agenda, several operational updates were provided to the Members. Dennis Zukiwsky, chair of the Hockey Alberta Foundation, recapped a very busy year for the Foundation. Mike Klass, Director of Business Operations for Hockey Alberta, provided an financial update. And Hockey Alberta’s CEO Rob Litwinski provided a review of the 2020-21, and a look forward at the Objectives and Key Results that will shape the organization’s strategic priorities for the next four years.