Board of Directors
Executives
Chair: Gerry Purcell, Managing Director, Value Improvement Associates
A seasoned executive and advisor, Gerry is a management consultant by profession having worked with organizations both large and small all over the world. He has been involved in the not-for-profit environment for a number of years with organizations such as the United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. He has acted in various capacities, including leadership roles with a number of organizations undergoing significant challenges in growth or transformation.
Secretary: Jennifer Hunter, Associate, Lerners LLPJennifer Hunter is an associate at Lerners LLP. She completed her BA (hons) in political theory at University of Winnipeg and her J.D. at the University of Toronto. She has worked in the area of health law for five years and has advised hospitals in legal, policy and governance matters. She continues to work in health law and insurance defence, representing clients at administrative tribunals, mediation and before the courts. She is a member of the OBA Health Law Section and the Board of Directors of Common Ground Co-op. She regularly volunteers her time with Pro Bono Law Ontario at projects such as Law Help Ontario and the Child Advocacy Project.
Treasurer: Naveen Kalia, Partner, Financial Institutions Practice, KPMGNaveen Kalia is a partner in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Audit Practice. He has over 10 years experience auditing and advising some of the largest financial institutions in Canada.He graduated from The University of Waterloo’s Master of Accounting Program and is a Canadian Chartered Accountant. He is a frequent guest lecturer at the various universities, the CIAA, OSFI and the Toronto Financial Services Association.
Directors
David Armstrong
David Armstrong is a legal consultant who has owned and operated a home care business and has over 20 years experience practicing corporate and securities law with major law firms in Toronto. He has an engineering degree from Queens University and an LLB from Dalhousie University. He has taught advanced securities law classes at three leading law schools and has published and spoken regularly on securities law matters. He is an avid gourmet cook who enjoys downhill skiing, squash, tennis, golf, sailing, inline skating and reading.
Andrew Chung
For the last 8 years, Andrew has been involved with the United Way in a variety of capacities including impact analysis, strategic consulting and primarily, agency assessment. Over the years, he has acquired knowledge and experience regarding agency process, due diligence, program management and program measurement. By day, Andrew is a Senior Consultant and Business Development director for a technology consulting company that specializes in online strategy, implementation and optimization services. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Mathematics and a Masters of Applied Science both from the University of Waterloo. He is a motivated individual with a passion to improve the quality of life for others through his philanthropic work. This is Andrew's second year as a Board member with the Furniture Bank.
Elaine FrostElaine Frost is President of STRATEGIES by DESIGN, the Management Consulting firm she founded in 1994 to help organizations realign their internal operational capabilities so that they can better solve Customer / Market problems. She is also the founder and owner of Trusted Transitions, a company that assists seniors and their families when they are overwhelmed by the task of transitioning out of the family home into more appropriate living accommodations.
After earning an MBA from The Richard Ivey School of Business, Elaine joined IBM Canada. Elaine subsequently became the Chief Financial Officer of Lexmark Canada responsible for all business operations.
Norman Ho
Norman Ho is an Operations Manager for General Electric's Digital Energy Division. He is an industrious and knowledgeable Senior Manager with international experience in Europe, USA and Canada leading mutlit-disciplinary teams in a variety of industries including Automotive, Nuclear Power, Manufacturing, Construction, Food & Beverage and Oil & Gas. He holds an MBA from the Queen's School of Business, and Bachelors of Engineering from Queen's University.
Isabel Pascoe
As one of the original founders of Furniture Bank, Sister Anne continues as an active member of the Board. She remains a strong advocate for social justice and the need to restore human dignity for those on the margins of society. As an educator, Sister Anne served as a Secondary School Teacher and Principal from1956 to1988. Prior to her founder role at Furniture Bank, Founding Director 1997 to present, Sister Anne played an important social activist role at Herron Place Refugee Centre as a Director from 1989 to 1994.
Scott TaylorScott Taylor is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Previously Scott served as a member of the European Corporate Development team at Level 3 Communications in London and also worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at BMO Nesbitt Burns in Toronto.· Scott holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School and BBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Management Team
Shirley Knight, Interim Executive DirectorShirley Knight is an independent consultant in strategy, leadership and organizational development.
Shirley has an Executive MBA from Queens University and over 30 years experience in banking and insurance. Her clients have included a US start-up firm specializing in understanding the emotional drivers of consumer and employee decision making; several US Health Care organizations and in Canada an insurance company and a food retailer.
As a senior executive in a private insurance company for over five years, Shirley simultaneously sat on the board and audit committee for a broker/dealer. Her other business experience includes several years specializing in Leadership and Organizational Development with a Canadian bank; Sales and Management in Retail Banking; Account and Relationship Management in Corporate Banking, and a Change Management role in Investment Banking.
John Cumming, Executive Director, Finance & OperationsJohn Cumming is an experienced executive with a track record of creating value and solving complex business issues leveraging best practices and innovative technology. As Senior Vice President at TWS Holdings he was responsible for Canadian operations as well as global technology operations on three continents. Throughout the 90's as President and founder of a boutique consulting and technology firm, he was instrumental in delivering innovative solutions for Government and Industry both at home and abroad. Prior to that John worked for SoftQuad Inc for 6 years, working on the development of the world's first web site design tool. Mr. Cumming studied Chemical Engineering at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
Contact: 416-934-1229 ext. 701
Kam Grewal, Program Manager
Alban Joxhe, Business Manager
Ana Restrepo, Finance Manager
