Latest News & Events

The McGannon Foundation Announces Leadership Changes: Four New Directors Elected, Director Ann Hildreth Retires

Toronto, OntarioOctober 30, 2024: The William H. McGannon Foundation is pleased to announce the election of four new Directors to its Board, following the Annual General Meeting of the Foundation held in Vancouver, B.C. on October 6, 2024. This transition comes as Ann Hildreth retires and steps down from the Board, having provided years of dedicated service to the Foundation.

The four newly appointed Directors bring a wealth of experience and a shared passion for advancing the field of Risk Management through education, mentorship, and industry collaboration. The new Board members include:

Joe Alcaraz – Associate Vice President, Risk Engineering, Sovereign Insurance

Joe has a career spanning over three decades, Joe has expertise in all lines of Commercial Insurance coverage and specializes in Construction and advanced Fire Protection. Since joining Sovereign in 2015, he has led the strategic transformation of their Loss Control Services. Joe is a Professional Engineer, Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP), and Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS), with a degree in Civil Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University. He is excited to support the Foundation’s mission of education and mentorship, encouraging the next generation to explore careers in the Insurance sector.

David McKeen – Vice President, Underwriting, Engineering & Commercial Solutions, Sovereign Insurance

Dave has over two decades of experience in Commercial and Specialty Lines and is passionate about developing innovative solutions and empowering his team to make informed, strategic decisions. Dave’s appointment to the McGannon Foundation Board aligns with his commitment to advancing Risk Management through education and research. Outside of work, he enjoys an active lifestyle and spending time with his family in Calgary.

Craig Rowe – President & Founder, ClearRisk

Craig, is the Founder of ClearRisk, which is a leading Risk Management Information System provider and is a seasoned mentor and advisor to tech startups.  Craig is a Past Chair of multiple organizations including YMCA Canada and techNL and has contributed to numerous charitable initiatives, including co-founding “The Big Raise”, a charity poker event that has raised nearly $500,000 over six events. With his extensive background in Risk Management and philanthropy, Craig is eager to contribute to the Foundation’s mission of supporting the next generation of professionals in the industry.

Will Vainqueur – Corporate Client Executive, Treaty Division, HSB

Will has served with HSB Canada since 2020. Previously, he was a Risk Manager at McGill University, where he managed the institution’s insurance portfolio and provided risk assessment guidance. Joining the McGannon Foundation Board in 2024, Will aims to inspire and attract new professionals to the field of Risk Management and Insurance. With a management degree and a Project Management diploma from McGill University, as well as a CRM designation, Will brings strong industry knowledge and a commitment to education and leadership development.

The Foundation is confident that the expertise and passion of these new Board members will further its mission of supporting education and innovation in the field of Risk Management.

 

“We are thrilled to have such an esteemed group of colleagues join our Board and contribute to the ongoing initiatives and exciting future ahead of us as we assist in charting the course for the next generation in our profession.”  April Savchuk, Co-President

 

“We are very much looking forward to working with our new Board Members whose diverse expertise and commitment to our mission will be invaluable in making a lasting impact on the Risk Management community in Canada.”  Frances Weeks, Co-President  

 

 About The William H. McGannon Foundation:

The William H. McGannon Foundation is a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to advancing the field of Risk Management through education, research, mentorship, and work experience programs. Established in 1999, the Foundation provides scholarships, research grants, and student involvement opportunities to support the development of future risk management professionals in Canada.

 

The William H. McGannon Foundation Appoints New Co-Presidents: Frances Weeks and April Savchuk

Calgary AB and Toronto ON – August 12, 2024 – The William H. McGannon Foundation is proud to announce the appointment of Frances Weeks and April Savchuk as the new Co-Presidents of the Foundation. This leadership change marks an exciting chapter in the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to fostering excellence in risk management through education, research, and professional development.

Frances Weeks, Managing Partner at Iridium Risk Services, brings over three decades of experience in risk management and insurance brokerage to her new role. Frances joined Iridium in 2006, where she has played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and success, particularly within the energy sector. Her career began at Husky Energy in 1990, followed by a significant tenure at Aon, where she provided outsourced risk management services to multinational clients. Frances is a past Board Member of the Southern Alberta chapter of RIMS (SARIMS) and has been actively involved in the community, including volunteer work with the Calgary Drop-in and Rehab Centre. She holds the Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation. Frances has served on the McGannon Board since 2016.

April Savchuk brings an equally impressive background in risk management and insurance, also with over 30 years of experience spanning operational and enterprise risk management, claims management, and insurance program design. Her career began in the consulting division of Aon Toronto and has since included leadership roles at Hudson’s Bay Company, Catlin Canada, Yamana Gold, Crawford Canada and Centerra Gold. April’s contributions to the risk management field extend beyond her professional roles, with long-term involvement in the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), including serving as a two-term President of the Ontario Chapter of RIMS and Co-Chair of and leadership roles on multiple RIMS Canada Conferences. April holds both the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and Certified Risk Management (CRM) designations. April’s tenure on the McGannon Board commenced in 2010 where she has served as Secretary for a number of years.

As the Foundation moves forward under the leadership of Frances Weeks and April Savchuk, it remains committed to its mission of enhancing risk management education and ensuring the continued growth and success of the profession in Canada, building on the strong foundation established by its late President, Joe Restoule.

About The William H. McGannon Foundation:
The William H. McGannon Foundation is a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to advancing the field of risk management through education, research, mentorship, and work experience programs. Established in 1999, the Foundation provides scholarships, research grants, and student involvement opportunities to support the development of future risk management professionals in Canada.

McGannon Foundation 20th Anniversary

Did you know that October 11, 2022 is The McGannon Foundation’s 20th Anniversary?  We are extremely proud of the work that has been done over the past 20 years to advance risk management in Canada in the form of scholarships, research grants and student involvement programs.  As we look forward to the future we are excited about continuing this work.  We will be announcing additional offerings soon.  Stay tuned!

2023 Student Involvement Program

The 2023 Canadian RIMS conference was held in Ottawa from September 11th to 14th.  The McGannon Foundation Student Involvement Program was pleased to welcome 11 students to Ottawa from BCIT, University of Calgary, Mohawk College and Fanshawe College – our largest cohort ever!  The students had the opportunity to attend the conference and learn about a variety of relevant topics. They also had the opportunity to meet with an socialize with many industry professionals.   It was a wonderful few days at the Conference.  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see what we got up to at the conference!

RIMS Donates to the McGannon Foundation

During the 2019 RIMS Canada Conference in Edmonton, Mary Roth, CEO of RIMS presented a cheque for $75,000 to Joe Restoule, Chairman of the Board of the McGannon Foundation.  Thank you to RIMS for this very meaningful donation!

McGannon Students Heading to Boston

Congratulations to McGannon Foundation Student Involvement Program Class of 2018 participants Bianca Neves and Brent Vansickle, and 2019 McGannon Scholarship recipient, Simone Kim, who are finalists in the Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge. Well done and best of luck in Boston!

McGannon Scholarship Awarded at FSA ULaval Conference

On March 27, Hugo Noury, student at FSA ULaval and recipient of a 2019 McGannon Scholarship was presented with his scholarship by Phillippe Gregoire, Professor at FSA ULaval. The presentation was made during a conference organized by Professor Gregoire. Also present for the scholarship presentation was Vicky Martin, Risk Manager for Héma-Québec and lecturer at FSA ULaval. In the photo from left to right, Phillippe Gregoire, Hugo Noury and Vicky Martin.

New Website Launched

The board of the McGannon Foundation met in Toronto on February 7 and 8, 2019 to set the strategy for the upcoming year. One of the items discussed at the meeting was a refresh of our website to make it more accessible to students, alumni and donors.

One of the key new features of the website (currently in beta testing) is the ability for students to apply for undergraduate and graduate scholarships and positions within the Student Involvement Program online.

We hope you like it.