Churchill Gateway Development Corporation
The CGDC has compiled a dedicated Board of Directors comprised of academics, business leaders, former statesmen and logistic experts. The Board reflects the serious commitment of Manitoban and Canadian leaders to the successful future of the Port of Churchill.
Lloyd Axworthy, Chairman of the Board
Lloyd Axworthy is President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. Formerly Director and CEO of the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia and Canada's Foreign Minister from 1995 to 2000, Lloyd Axworthy's political career spanned 27 years, during six of which he served in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly and twenty-one in the Federal Parliament. He held several Cabinet positions, notably Minister of Employment and Immigration, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, Minister of Transport, Minister of Human Resources Development, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Lloyd Axworthy remains involved in international matters and lectures widely in Canada, the U.S. and abroad. His book "Navigating a New World - Canada's Global Future", was published in the Fall of 2005.
Lloyd Axworthy graduated in 1961 with a B.A. from United College (now the University of Winnipeg), obtained his M.A. in Political Science from Princeton University in 1963, and subsequently earned a PhD from Princeton in 1972.
Mike Ogborn, Managing Director, OmniTRAX, Inc. and President, CGDC
Michael Ogborn is responsible for government relations, labor relations, public relations, contract administration, Class I relationships and administrative matters for OmniTRAX. Mr. Ogborn has negotiated all of the purchase and sale agreements of acquisitions or dispositions as well as handling and negotiating all of the labor agreements on behalf of OmniTRAX Canada Inc.
Mr. Ogborn is active in the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, and is currently serving on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He has also served for the Intermodal Association of North America. He previously served in various management capacities. Mr. Ogborn has a BA and a JD from the University of South Dakota.
John Plohman, Vice-President
John Plohman served as the MLA for Dauphin, Manitoba from 1981 to 1995 and in the Cabinet as Manitoba Minister of Highways and Transportation, Minister of Government Services and Minister of Natural Resources during the period from 1982 to 1988.
Mr. Plohman has been an active promoter of the Port of Churchill, negotiating and implementing the five-year $93 million Federal-Provincial agreement on Churchill in 1984.
Mr. Plohman is Chair of the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and has been since the formation of MASC in 2005.
Bill Drew, Executive Director
Bill Drew assumed the position of Executive Director of the CGDC in June of 2005. Mr. Drew's primary role is to increase the movement of goods through Churchill by facilitating diversification of the traffic handled through the Port.
Mr. Drew brings extensive transportation experience to the Corporation, having held various senior management positions with the Canadian Wheat Board and Canadian National Railway. His most recent position at the Canadian Wheat Board was Director of Rail and Country Inventory.
Bill Drew has a Business Administration degree from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario and has completed the Executive Logistics Management program at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.
Angela Mathieson, Director
Angela Mathieson holds the position of Secretary to the Community and Economic Development Committee of Cabinet (CEDC) for the Manitoba Government. In her role as Secretary to CEDC, she coordinates major community and economic development projects for the Province.
Previously, she was Assistant Deputy Minister in the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade, responsible for urban strategic initiatives and the City of Winnipeg.
She has a Master's degree in city planning and prior to joining the Manitoba government she worked in consulting on numerous projects dealing with urban management, strategic planning, and economic development, with clients in government, non-profit and private sectors.
Marv Tiller, Director
Marv Tiller is President and CEO of Canadian Shield Enterprises, Inc., having set up the company several years ago to provide management, investment and acquisition services to clients.
Prior to that Mr. Tiller completed a successful 10 year career as Vice President and General Manager of Hudson‘s Bay Northern Stores, and later as the President and CEO, Hudson’s Bay Northern Stores (North West Co.).
Marv Tiller has previously acted as President, CEO and Director of several companies, helping to build them from the ground up. He was also directly involved in acquisition and investments for these companies, all of which achieved a high level of performance and return for investors.
Grant Cool, Director
Grant Cool is Co-Founder and CEO of Kivalliq Marine, a marine transportation services company with cargo operations at the Port of Churchill, Manitoba. Kivalliq Marine supplies cargo handling and storage, logistical supply and marine dry-docking services for the operation of tug/barge and ships in Arctic regions and East Coast of Canada.
Grant Cool was Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Big Red Diamond in Montreal, Quebec and was responsible for the successful public company IPO and management of the company’s initial years.
Grant has held management positions in various companies as well as being self-employed as a Consulting Engineer.
Grant Cool obtained his BASc in Metallurgy and materials Science in 1991 and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 1996 from the University of Toronto.
Mike Spence, Director
Michael Spence serves as Mayor for the Town of Churchill and has served on Council since 1989. Born and raised in Churchill, Manitoba, Mayor Spence has continued to reside in Churchill with his spouse and two daughters.
He is the owner of Tamarack Interiors Ltd. and The Seaport Hotel in Churchill as well as the Wat’chee Lodge, which specializes in Aboriginal Cultural Experiences. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Mr. Spence was employed by the Churchill Pre-Fab Housing Plant, where he learned the floor installation business.
In 1990 he was appointed by Mayor and Council to serve on the Churchill Economic Advisory Committee as well as the Churchill Health Centre Board and was later elected by the Board to serve as Chairperson. Mayor Spence is an Executive Member of the York Factory First Nation, as well as a Board member for the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board, and the Interim Executive Committee for Travel Manitoba. Mr. Spence was also appointed by the Premier to serve on the Climate Change Task Force.
Eitan Dehtiar, Director
Mr. Dehtiar presently serves as Vice-President, Finance and Strategic Planning for Braden-Burry Expediting (BBE) in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
Mr. Dehtiar graduated from the Queen's University Executive MBA Program. Before joining BBE in 2003, he served the financial industry for many years. He has extensive experience with business development and logistics management for alternate delivery channels. Mr. Dehtiar brings a strong financial analysis and modeling background to BBE, complemented by marketing, human resource and project management skills.
Darcy Brede, VP of Operations
Darcy Brede serves as Vice President of Operations and is responsible for all functional areas in Operations within the US and Canada. Darcy’s main focus is improving overall efficiencies within the Canadian operation as well as the North and South Regions in the US.
Darcy brings over 20 years of experience in the Railroad Industry. Darcy started his career with BC Rail where he held several positions including Director of Network Operations, Area Manager and Terminal Manager. With OmniTRAX, Darcy has held the roles of General Manager, Regional Vice President and Executive Vice President of Operations. Darcy graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in History and Literature, and earned his MBA from the University of Western Ontario.