Meet our leadership team

Betty joined our board in 2013 and chairs the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. She’s currently Chief Legal and Administrative Officer for Celestica Inc., a Canadian-based innovative supply chain solutions company with global operations. Prior to that, she served 10 years as Senior Counsel with Bell Canada. Betty has a strong track record in executive compensation, public company compliance, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. She is a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee for the Faculty of Law at Queen's University and a member of Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ Hall of Fame.

Betty holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Queen's University, and an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at Western University. She also holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and is called to the bar in Ontario and New York.

Jay joined our board in 2017, bringing with him extensive leadership experience with private and public companies across multiple industries. He’s known for delivering exceptional results in financial performance, customer focus, and shareholder value.

Most recently, Jay was President and CEO of Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) where he transformed and refreshed the brand before negotiating an agreement with Bell Canada Enterprises to purchase MTS for $3.9 billion. He’s been a board member at MTS since 2015 and has served as a member of the board at Aliant Inc. and Stratos Global Corporation, past director at The Conference Board of Canada and The Shaw Festival, and past governor of Dalhousie University, the Saint John Hospital Foundation, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

Jay is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University. He has completed the ICD.D course from the Institute of Corporate Directors, as well as post-graduate work in leadership and financial management at many institutions, including Harvard University, Duke University, and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Dan joined our board in 2014 and chairs the Strategic Initiatives Committee. He is a former President of IBM Canada with more than 35 years of experience in the technology industry, and 15 years of leadership experience globally. He guided a team of 18,000 employees at IBM to help Canadian organizations use technology to transform their businesses and realize their full potential. In the past, Dan served on the board of World Vision Canada and The Conference Board of Canada, and was Campaign Chair for the United Way Toronto. He’s currently active with the Carleton Board of Governors.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, as well as an honorary doctorate from Carleton University. He also holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Barbara joined our board in 2013 and chairs the Corporate Governance Committee. She’s a corporate director with extensive C-suite experience in management and marketing with leading global companies in the financial services industry, including American Express and Citigroup, and in the consumer products industry with Procter and Gamble. Before retiring in 2006, Barbara held a number of leadership positions with American Express, based in New York, including Global President, Travelers Cheques & Prepaid Services; EVP, Products; SVP, Global Brand Strategy; CMO of American Express Financial Advisors (Ameriprise); and CEO of IDS Life Insurance.

Barbara currently serves on the board of MD Life Insurance Company. She’s also an Emeritus member of the Advisory Board of the Ivey Business School at Western University, where she graduated with an Honours Business Administration degree and received the Ivey Distinguished Service Award in 2011.

Dick joined our board in 2012 and chairs the Audit Committee. He brings considerable insurance industry experience, financial expertise, and more than a decade of board leadership. He retired from KPMG LLP in 2004, after 39 years of financial services practice, during which time he was the KPMG Canadian Practice Lead for insurance business. He’s currently a member of the board and Audit Committee Chair at RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada.

Dick is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Gerry joined our board in 1999 and is currently chair of the Investment Committee. As Board Chair for 11 years, he led our company through many pivotal milestones in the demutualization process. Gerry was at Schneider Foods for a distinguished 19-year career where he last served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, as well as a member of the board at Schneider Corporation.

Following the acquisition of Schneider Foods in 2003, Gerry was Executive Vice-President of Maple Leaf Foods until his retirement in 2005. From 1975 to 1986 he was a partner at what is now KPMG. He is actively involved in Kitchener-Waterloo community boards and committees. Gerry attended programs in effective board leadership at the Directors College of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

Micheál joined our board in 2015. Currently, he’s dean of the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, and was previously a professor of Strategy and International Business and dean of the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa. He previously held a post as an executive in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. His academic research has been published by a number of leading journals, and he was awarded The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his contribution to business education in Canada.

Micheál is a former Chairman of the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans and former member of the Board of Governors of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business school’s honour society. He also serves on the boards of Waterloo North Hydro and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA).

Micheál holds a Bachelor of Arts from Assumption College in Massachusetts, an MA from the University of Ottawa, and a Ph.D. from Carleton University.

Susan joined our board in 2018, bringing a legacy of leadership in the investment banking and capital markets industry. Her strength in driving strategic growth initiatives and her commitment to advocating for women in the workplace bolster the expertise of our board.

Susan is a senior executive with more than 30 years of experience in roles with National Bank Financial, Genuity Capital Markets, and CIBC World Markets, and has been a trusted advisor to many boards and CEOs of public and private companies over her career. She was a past member of Cabinet for the United Way of Toronto & York Region, where she co-chaired fundraising for the Women Gaining Ground initiative, and was a founding board member and part of the advisory council for Women in Capital Markets. She has also served on the board of the Toronto Rehab Hospital Foundation.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and was called to the Ontario Bar by the Law Society of Upper Canada. She also has an MSc in Business from London Business School, and holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Rowan is the President and CEO of Economical and joined the board in 2016. He’s on a mission to build a foundation for future success and profitability at Economical, fuelled by bold growth strategies and a commitment to innovation.

Rowan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from York University, as well as a Canadian Risk Management designation, and is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of Canada. His extensive background includes nearly 30 years of international P&C industry experience, holding progressive positions in the areas of underwriting, marketing, sales, finance, and twelve years as a seasoned CEO.

He is a past Chairman and current member of the Board of Directors of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, and a member of the Board of Directors of Equitable Group Inc., where he participates as a member of the Audit and Corporate Governance Committees. Rowan also serves as a member of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario's (FSCO) CEO Advisory Committee and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and the Board of Directors of Facility Association.

Michael joined our board in 2010 and chairs the Risk Review Committee. An actuary and a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst, Michael is the President and founder of Matrisc Advisory Group Inc., a risk management consulting firm. He also holds the role of Executive in Residence at the Global Risk Institute.

Michael brings years of experience in executive management positions, including Chief Risk Officer and Executive Vice-President of Investments at Sun Life Financial, and Chief Investment Officer and Executive Vice-President of Reinsurance at Clarica Life Insurance Company, President and CEO of Zurich Life Insurance Company of Canada, and President and COO of Zurich Financial Services Ltd.'s consolidated Canadian life and P&C insurance operations. Michael is on the boards of Foresters Financial, Equitable Bank, Munich Reinsurance Company of Canada, and Temple Insurance Company.

Michael holds an Honours Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.