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On January 19, 2021, the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) Foundation announced a $5-million gift from The Mancini Foundation, to support the implementation of the CARE4 Electronic Patient Record System, the restoration of patient rooms on 2E & 2N and the re-building of the coffee bar in the hospital lobby.

 

As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Mancini Foundation’s transformational gift announcement, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the impact his generosity is having on our community hospital.

Throughout the past year, GBGH, along with three partner hospitals (Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre and Headwaters Health Care Centre), has worked together on one of the largest projects in our collective history: CARE4 and the launch of MEDITECH Expanse. Designed to improve the safety and quality of patient care across all four organizations, the investment in time, human resources and technology has been extensive – and worth every effort as the system transforms care for patients across the region.

Thanks to The Mancini Foundation, and other generous donors in the community, the GBGH Foundation was able to invest $2-million toward the software upgrade, and purchase of vital supporting technology; which includes portable workstations, cordless scanners, tablets, label & barcode printers, dictation microphones, and a Single Sign On system that replicates each team member’s digital desktop across any computer with the tap of their badge.

“One of the best things about Meditech Expanse is that dictation is lighting fast and accurate,” shares a GBGH physician. “Not having to search for charts anymore is an added bonus.”

The renovation of patient rooms on 2E & 2N will also have an incredible impact on the patient experience at GBGH. Research has found that a more attractive hospital environment results in better recovery outcomes and lower anxiety for patients as they feel more comfortable in their surroundings.  The investment from The Mancini Foundation supplemented the funds previously donated by 29 individuals, families and organizations for the Foundation’s Adopt a Room project. Over time, these funds are facilitating a complete renovation of 48 patient rooms, giving all patients a more serene environment designed to promote healing and recovery.

In December 2021, the hospital issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the room renovations.  The contract has been awarded, and Senior Leaders are working with the team on final plans so that construction can begin when visitation restrictions have lifted and the COVID-19 pandemic has finally eased its grip on our healthcare system.

“We are excited to move forward with the room renovations in order to give our patients a more calm, modern and well-equipped environment for healing and recovery,” says Gail Hunt, President & CEO, GBGH.  “Mr. Mancini truly cares for our patients and their well-being, and we are deeply grateful that he has chosen to make this project possible at GBGH.”

A rendering of the Captains cafe that is to be built near the entrance GBGH

Since the hospital opened in 1976, the coffee bar in the main lobby has been a welcoming meeting place.  Funds raised through the volunteer-run service have supported ongoing staff education and the purchase of vital equipment through the GBGH Foundation. The Coffee Bar has been out of service since early 2020 due to much-needed repairs, and will be completely rebuilt.

The construction of the café in the hospital lobby is going to be possible this year, thanks to The Mancini Foundation.  Plans have been approved for the space, and will incorporate Barista-style beverages, coffee & tea, grab-and-go food items and daily soups. The hospital hopes to have this project completed before summer 2022.

“Marco Mancini’s investment in the Café is an exceptional gift as it provides a future revenue stream for our hospital,” shares Nicole Kraftscik, Executive Director, GBGH Foundation. “Plus, it brings life and energy back to the centre of the hospital; a place where staff, patients and their families can get refreshments or enjoy a break together. Marco is truly lifting up the entire hospital family with this gift.”

Although visitor restrictions, supply shortages and mandatory lockdowns through the COVID-19 pandemic have delayed these renovation projects, The Mancini Foundation’s generosity is already having a great impact.

“Marco has made a remarkable commitment to the hospital and to his community, and we are honoured to work with him to complete such impactful projects for GBGH,” says Nicole. “We are so fortunate that Marco is open and willing to share part of his family legacy with our community.  I hold him, and all our donors, in such high regard.”

 



The Foundation team has a new home!  At the beginning of January 2022, we moved into the building in the GBGH parking lot (where the Assessment Centre used to be).  Accessible from the doors that face the hospital, the Foundation team is sharing the building with the GBGH Finance Team and Southern Georgian Bay Physician Recruitment.  

For many years, the Foundation has been working with Senior Leadership at GBGH to find a more suitable (larger) office area for our growing team, and this building definitely provides ample working space and room to meet with our donors and stakeholders (when gathering & visitation restrictions have lifted).  And, don’t worry!  Our phone numbers, and mailing address, remain the same.

Working to ensure a thriving and sustainable future for Georgian Bay General Hospital for the next generation of patients in our community is one of our strategic pillars, and this new office space meets the following two strategic priorities:

Continue to innovate and invest in infrastructure, technology, professional development and processes to optimize effectiveness.  The investment in infrastructure is already optimizing our team’s effectiveness, as each team member has their own space (office or cubicle) reducing distractions and allowing the team to dedicate their time more efficiently. 

Build an exceptional team of talented and dedicated professionals with a diverse mix of expertise, experience and perspectives.  There wasn’t any physical space in the old office for any additional team members.  The new office has two additional offices which will provide the space we need as we continue to grow our exceptional team. 

A special thank you to all those individuals who were great champions for this extra space over the past few years.  And, to the Maintenance & IT Teams at GBGH for their help in getting us all set up!

Colin Aubrey

Colin Aubrey, Director

Colin Aubrey is a Portfolio Manager at Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management, responsible for institutional client service. Through this role, he has overseen several initiatives related to corporate social responsibility, improving workplace culture, as well as equity, diversity, and inclusion.

He participates on the Board of Directors for the CC&L Foundation and oversees sponsorships and strategic partnerships for CAMH Engage (the young professional’s Board, in support of the CAMH Foundation).

Colin holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Management, Economics, and Finance from the University of Guelph and is a CFA charter holder.

He has a passion for contributing to and improving the community in which he lives.

Adele Newton

Adele Newton, Director

Adele has been an active community member throughout her career – as a board member of organizations including Planned Parenthood of Kitchener-Waterloo in the 1980’s and, more recently, serving on the board of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Waterloo Region Chapter of Women in Communications and Technology. She co-founded LAUNCH Waterloo and produced Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky’s Girls in STEAM event in 2018 – both projects to ensure that young people, and especially girls, engage in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) activities.

Adele has a wealth of non-profit board experience, a passion for community outreach and an extensive track record of project and event management and production.

Adele currently works as a freelance writer and is developing a cookbook that will highlight the food and women of her family’s home province of Basilicata in southern Italy.

Danny Davis

Danny Davies, Director

Danny Davies has enjoyed a career which allowed him to operate in three countries, across a range of industries, in Consulting, HR and Executive roles. His most recent being the Chief People Officer for AVIVA where he retired from in 2023. His passion is for people to make a difference by being themselves and he believes all leadership roles have the privilege of making this happen. He’s been fortunate to have roles which have allowed him to do the things he cares deeply about; leadership, inclusion and leading major change.

Danny is a previous World & European Bridge Champion.  He lives in Tiny with his family: Helen, Dylan and Menna (and Scout).  

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John Bai

John Bai, CPA, CFA, ICD.D – Director

John is an accomplished financial services executive and experienced board member with deep knowledge of complex financial issues, executing transformational initiatives, navigating board and audit committees and accountability for performance of a significant business with responsibility for delivering strategic and operational excellence.

John is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer of Aviso Wealth Inc.  Previously, John held progressive leadership roles at RBC, most recently including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at City National Bank in the United States.  John served on several non-profit boards and currently serves as the Treasurer of a California-based non-profit organization, EnCorps, which promotes STEM education in lower-income areas.

John believes that making a difference in his community is very important, and volunteering and serving on not-for-profits focused on education is central to his belief that education enables people to achieve their full potential.

John has been a seasonal resident of Penetanguishene for more than a decade. 

Older lady with medium length reddish brown hair wearing a white and blue top with a blue sweater

Mary Harvey, Director

Mary Harvey currently resides in Cedar Point, Ontario within her home community of Beausoleil First Nation.   Mary was born in Midland and lived on Christian Island for a time before relocating to Ravenna, Ontario where she eventually met her husband and started a family.   In 1988, Mary returned home to chimnissing with her husband and three children where throughout the years she pursued her entrepreneurial endeavors in hospitality and restaurant management, catering, and retail.   In 2016 Mary was nominated for female entrepreneur of the year with the Meridian Woman of Excellence Awards.

Mary is a proud member of Beausoleil First Nation and strives to represent her community well. In doing so she is currently a member of the board for Anishinabek Police service for chimnissing.   She is also an active volunteer for Crimestoppers of Simcoe Muskoka.

In her spare time, Mary enjoys baking and is known for her fantastic meat pies.  She can often be found spending time with her family and enjoying the company of her grandchildren.

A man with greying black hair in a grey zip up sweater

John Walker , Director

John grew up in the Midland area, attending Port McNicoll Public School and Midland Secondary School before pursuing his post-secondary education.  John obtained his law degree in 2006 and joined the law firm of Hacker Gignac Rice in 2007. John focuses his legal practice in the areas of corporate/commercial law and commercial real estate and is the current managing partner of HGR Graham Partners LLP.

John is a past President of the Southern Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce and has served on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Simcoe / Muskoka. He enjoys coaching his son’s minor hockey league team and is an avid boater, golfer, and weekend warrior hockey player.

Joe Rooney, Chair

Joe Rooney joined Langdon Equity Partners in 2024. He has over 20 years of experience in the investment industry including ten years at Burgundy Asset Management where he was part of the management team and responsible for leading the Canadian Private Client Group and the U.S Institutional Client Group.

Joe graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts degree (Economics) in 2002 and received his Master of Finance from the Rotman School of Management in 2010. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2005. Additionally, Joe completed the Investment Management Workshop at Harvard Business School, the Artificial Intelligence:  Implications for Business Strategy Executive Program at MIT Sloan School of Management, and the Value Investing Course at the Columbia Business School.

In addition, Joe has over 15 years of experience helping non-profits manage their investment portfolios. He is the former chair and current member of the Investment Oversight Committee for Wilfrid Laurier University which oversees investment decisions on behalf of the school’s Pension Plan and Endowment.

Joe is a member of the Board of Governors of Wilfrid Laurier University and a member of the President’s Council for the St. Michael’s Foundation. He is also a member of the CFA Institute and the Toronto CFA Society.

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Jenna Dafoe, Vice-Chair

Jenna grew up in a small town in Southwestern Ontario and then moved around throughout the province while pursuing her education.  Jenna has lived in North Simcoe for 6 years and intends to remain in this community for many, many years.  Jenna has an Honour’s Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, studied at the Master’s level in Political Science, and obtained two Juris Doctor Degrees in Canada and the United States.

Jenna has been involved in many volunteer capacities throughout her life and many fundraising initiatives to benefit community organizations and incredibly important causes.  Jenna has been practicing criminal law in the Province of Ontario since 2015 and will be returning to her home office in Simcoe County in 2022.

Jenna has a passion for access to justice and access to healthcare, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our community.  Jenna has followed the work of the Foundation for some time and has been very impressed with the community activism and the funds raised to purchase critical hospital equipment that enables community members to obtain the same quality of care as they would in a larger city.  Jenna is eager to assist in the overarching goals of the Foundation and to hopefully contribute to the positive impact the Foundation has in our community.

Man with short dark hair wearing a white shirt and a blue suit jacket

Jeff Holloway, Director

Jeff works at RBC Dominion Securities in Midland and joined RBC Wealth Management in 2014. In his current role, Jeff provides wealth management solutions to business owners, executives, professionals, and retirees.

Prior to working at RBC, Jeff was a partner at a leadership consulting firm and was a vice president at a Fortune 500 consulting company. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) while working for a multinational audit, tax, and consulting firm, he was the Controller at the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

Jeff was born in Kitchener-Waterloo and spent most of his childhood living in Owen Sound.  He moved to the Midland area full-time in 2019. He graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honors degree in Mathematics (Computer Science). Jeff also holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation.

Jeff is very supportive of many worthwhile causes in our local community. Currently, he is the Treasurer for the Quest Art School and Gallery in Midland.

Glenn Keenan

Glenn Keenan, Director

Glenn Keenan is a longtime resident of Toronto and a lifetime cottager in Tiny Township. He is the father of two teenage sons, both born at Georgian Bay General Hospital.

Glenn is a Professional Engineer and holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto. He also has an MBA in Entrepreneurial Studies from Schulich Business School, York University. 

He is currently the Vice President of Marketing for Toromont Cat, a division of Toromont Industries (Concord), where he has had a 35-year career.  Glenn has strong financial acumen including managing a P&L, Balance Sheet, and Capital Budgets. He is skilled in strategic planning, business & people development, supplier & partner development, and management, and has change management training and experience. 

Glenn is an active member of several dealer councils, including currently Global Marketing and Sales Excellence Council.  He was active in the United Way of York Region, United Way of Peel Region, and is currently a voting member of the United Way of Toronto/York/Peel region. 

Part of a true Georgian Bay family, Glenn enjoys boating, fishing, golfing, snowmobiling, and skiing, among other sports.

Jen Johnson

Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Director

Jennifer Johnson earned her undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Queen’s University and then went on to obtain her medical degree from McMaster University. Her post-graduate studies in Family Medicine were completed at the University of Calgary where she obtained her Certification in Family Practice (CCFP).  In addition to caring for her family practice, Jennifer has assisted in the operating room (when on call) and treated inpatients at the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) in Midland for the past 27 years. She also worked regular ER shifts at GBGH up until 2018.  

Jennifer’s interest in primary care clinical research led her to enroll in the Master of Clinical Science program in family medicine as a part-time student at Western University in 2015. She completed this Master’s degree in 2020. Her ongoing research is inspired not only by the challenges patients face in obtaining healthcare, but also by the challenges healthcare providers face in delivering it. She is interested in all healthcare systems including hospitals and is motivated to help understand, support, and improve these important services. 

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys kayaking, cycling, skiing, and time with her husband, three children, and two dogs.   

David Wattling

Dave Wattling, GBGH Board Appointee

Dave Wattling is a long-time entrepreneur. He has built several consulting and technology businesses over the past 30 years, all focused on supporting healthcare, whether in Canada, the UK or the US. In 2011 he joined TELUS when his firm was acquired. After seven years he retired from corporate life and returned to his consulting roots helping owners to plan, structure, grow—organically and inorganically—and, if they wish, sell their businesses.

Dave is passionate about governance and presently sits on the Newmarket-Tay Power board as well as two private sector for-profit boards. He is equally passionate about volunteering in service to his local community. To that end, he chaired the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation board and sat on the Health Centre board from 2017 to 2021.

Dave was elected to the Georgian Bay General Hospital board in June of 2022, and cross-appointed to the GBGH Foundation board at that time.

Dave holds the ICD Certified Director and Certified Management Consultant (gold medalist) designations. In 2012, he was honoured to receive both the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which recognizes significant contributions and achievements by Canadians, and ITAC Health’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, he was awarded the 150th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal for volunteer service to his community. In 2021 he received an Ontario Volunteer Service Award for his work with Southlake.

Dave is in transition to his retirement home in Port McNicoll, a process he expects to take a couple of years. He is an avid traveler and motorcyclist, and soon-to-be boater!

Long dark haired woman in a a white dress shirt

Katie Houston, Past-Chair

Katie Houston is a sessional lecturer and PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. Passionate about equity, engaging local communities, social change and advocacy work, her research interests include the use of sport as a tool for social impact and international development. Focused on connecting people and pushing them to think more deeply about their responsibility to their community, Katie comes to the board with substantial fundraising and community organizing experience having previously worked in private sector fundraising for the UN Refugee Agency and Rugby Canada.

Born at Georgian Bay General Hospital, Katie’s connection to the both the local and seasonal community runs deep. A life-long cottage resident, Katie splits her time between Toronto and Thunder Beach – though her heart remains firmly on the shores of Georgian Bay regardless of where she is. Her connection to these communities, most especially Thunder Beach and Cedar Ridge, will allow for her place on the board to bring about new connections, placing the needs of the hospital at the centre of these conversations. 

Happiest outside or on the water, Katie is most often found enjoying Georgian Bay by boat with her husband Max, daughter Blake and their corgi puppy, Bash, or exploring new hiking and biking trails through Simcoe County Forest and Awenda Provincial Park.