COUNCIL OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS FOLLOWING ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AUGUST 2026)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TORONTO, ON and CLEVELAND, OH | August 31, 2026

The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), through its Canadian nonprofit corporation (CGLR Canada), is pleased to announce the nomination of two new board directors and the appointment of board officers. The election of directors took place during CGLR Canada’s virtual Annual General Meeting held on August 28, 2026.

• James D. Graham, U.S. Director, Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR)
• Allysa Butler, U.S. Independent Director, CGLR Foundation

CGLR Canada and CGLR USA would like to confirm the appointment of the following distinguished Executive Committee Board Directors:

• Marie-Hélène Sicard, Chair of Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR); Strøm Spa Board Director and Chair of Audit Committee; YPO Member; former EVP, Sodexo North America 
• David Ceolin, Vice Chair (Canada) of CGLR; Corporate Director and Partner, Innovation Grade Ventures
• Howard Learner, Vice Chair (USA) Director of CGLR; Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Law & Policy Center 
• Peter S. Drummond, Secretary of CGLR; Founder, PSD+G Strategy Group; Marketing Strategy Professor, Schulich School of Business, York University
• Paul Kline, Treasurer of CGLR; Former Global Sustainability Director and Business CIO at Dow 

CGLR Canada and CGLR USA confirms the reappointment of the following Board of Directors:

• Matt McCurdy, Director of CGLR, Partner, The Keystone Group
• Brian Ames, Director of CGLR; Former Executive at Dow
• Stephen J. Petras, Jr., Director of CGLR; Cox International Law Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; U.S. National Director, Canada – United States Law Institute
• Amy Senter, Director of CGLR; Vice President, Global Sustainability, Martin Brower
• Hon. John Wilkinson E.C.O., Director of CGLR; Corporate Director and former Ontario Cabinet Minister
• Heather Brown, Director of CGLR; Power Sector Market Lead – Canada, Arcadis 
• Johannes Dyring, Director of CGLR; Chief Business & Strategy Officer at softwareQ Inc.; board member and advisor for QuanTA, the Centre for Quantum Topology at University of Saskatchewan, and early-stage deep-tech ventures 
• David Lindsay, Director of CGLR; Chair of the Board, Infrastructure Ontario
• Danil Kerimi, Director of CGLR; Vice-Chair, Independent Oversight Advisory Committee,  WIPO
• Bruce Wallace, Director of CGLR; Principal, Go To Sea Strategies
• Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Director of CGLR; Senior Advisor, Ramboll and Commissioner, Great Lakes Commission
• Guillaume Dubreuil, Director of CGLR; Director, Government and External Affairs, The CSL Group

These directors serve as members of the Board of Directors for Council of the Great Lakes Region in Canada (CGLR Canada) and Council of the Great Lakes Region in the United States (CGLR USA), a nonprofit corporation based in Ohio exempt from U.S. federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and classified as a trade association under Section 501(c)(6).

The Executive Committee of CGLR USA formed the Board of the CGLR Foundation, an Ohio nonprofit classified as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3). Together with additional Canadian representation, this group also forms the Board of the CGLR Canada Foundation.

CGLR is also pleased to confirm the appointment of the following External Committee professionals to its board committees:

• Sana Javed, Committee Member; Director, Principal at Meticulous Accounting & Advisory Services. 
• Lisa Frizzel, Committee Member; Vice President, Communications, Nuclear Waste Management Organization
• Julia Hays, Committee Member,  Director of Enterprise Initiatives at Altair Holdings LLC 

To ensure transparency and accountability across its governance framework, the following Independent Directors have been appointed to CGLR Canada Foundation and CGLR Foundation, respectively:

• Andrew Zimakas, Canada Independent Director to CGLR Canada Foundation; Former EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Experity 
• Alyssa Butler, U.S.Independent Director to CGLR Foundation

Together, these dedicated leaders contribute to a growing network of independently operated, yet closely aligned organizations working to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. CGLR fosters collaboration across government, business, academia, and the nonprofit sector to address the Great Lakes region’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.

A Special Thank You

CGLR extends its sincere appreciation to retiring board members Herbert Dwyer, Eric Lee, and Caroline Pajot for their many years of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to the Council. Their contributions have helped strengthen CGLR’s work and advance its mission across the Great Lakes region. We are grateful for the time, expertise, and energy they have shared with the organization and wish them continued success in their future endeavours.

Additionally, CGLR would like to recognize Matt McCurdy for his dedicated work and support as treasurer for the past several years. Finally, CGLR would like to show appreciation to Stephen Petras who formerly served as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors.

Recognizing Leadership and Service 

CGLR also extends its heartfelt appreciation to our Honorary Patrons, Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Ambassador Bob Rae, and Ambassador Bruce Heyman, for their continued dedication and support of CGLRand its mission. Their ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration and advancing the shared interests of the Great Lakes region is deeply valued and serves as a testament to the importance of cross-border cooperation.

A Word from our Board Chair

“Strong leadership and collaboration are essential to advancing the Great Lakes region as a place where communities, businesses, and ecosystems can thrive. I am honoured to continue serving alongside such an accomplished group of leaders, and I look forward to welcoming our new directors and committee members. Together, we will build on CGLR’s momentum and strengthen our shared commitment to a more sustainable, prosperous, and resilient Great Lakes region.” – Marie-Hélène Sicard, Chair of Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) 

About CGLR

The Council of the Great Lakes Region is a binational network of organizations composed of: (1) the Council of the Great Lakes Region USA, an Ohio-based trade association; (2) the CGLR Foundation, an Ohio-based public charity; and the Council of the Great Lakes Region Canada, a not-for-profit corporation. Together, these organizations, collectively referred to as the Council of the Great Lakes Region, are leading a new era of economic growth, environmental protection, and individual well-being by building the region’s long-term competitiveness and sustainability today.

For additional information, please visit https://councilgreatlakesregion.org/

Media Contact

Jasmine Ault, Communications and Marketing Manager, Council of the Great Lakes Region

jasmine@councilgreatlakesregion.org 

(647) 200-9424