The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) announced the appointment of Mark Fisher as its first Chief Executive Officer in 2014.
“CGLR is fortunate to have found someone with such a remarkable diversity of leadership skills and experience,” said CGLR founding board member Matthew Mendelsohn. “I know that under Mark’s leadership the Council will be able to build on its early successes and grow into its potential as a key and influential voice on the region’s shared prosperity and sustainability.”
Mark is a seasoned professional with 13 years of experience in policy-making, strategic business planning, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement, public advocacy, and issues management. He has a wealth of experience in international affairs, with a focus on advancing the Canada-United States relationship in the areas of trade, security, natural resource development and environmental protection. He also brings extensive experience providing advice to key decision-makers and influencers, including the Prime Minister of Canada, provincial premiers and ministers, parliamentarians, and C-level executives from the private and not-for-profit sectors.
“The challenges facing communities defined by the Great Lakes transcend national borders, so too must be the policy solutions that are needed to address them,” said Mark. “This is an exciting opportunity to lead a new and innovative bi-national organization seeking to make a real and positive impact on the economic, social, and environmental future of the region.”
“The experience of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region shows that when we work together we can achieve any goal and overcome many a challenge,” said CGLR board member Rear Admiral Michael Parks, Ret. “The Council of the Great Lakes Region will play a critical role in fostering the shared purpose, common cause, and joint action the region needs to put our economy on a thriving 21st century track, ensuring our water remains drinkable, swimmable, fishable, and navigable.”
The Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) is a new bi-national organization that works to enhance regional collaboration and cross-border integration by bringing together stakeholders from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors to advance effective, coordinated, and broadly shared responses to the region’s common challenges.
CGLR will be holding its annual general meeting during Great Lakes Week in September 2014. The Council’s new report on the economic impact of low water levels in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence is due to be released in March.
