Board of Directors

R. Scott Hutcheson is the Executive Chair of Aspen Properties, a commercial real estate company based in Calgary. Prior to co-founding Aspen Properties in 1998, Hutcheson served as president of a real estate partnership in Florida and was employed as an investment banker for Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York and San Francisco. Scott is an active member in our community, having served on numerous boards across the country. He is currently the Chair of Invest Alberta Corporation and is a member of the Board of Directors of Own the Podium, a member of the Advisory Board for Rohit Investments Inc, and a member of the Board of Directors of QuadReal.

Most recently, Scott also served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Arts Commons, as well as Chair of the Board of the Calgary 2026 Olympic and Paralympic bid for the winter games, and Chair of Winsport amongst many other private and not-for-profit boards.

Hutcheson earned a Master of Science degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah.

The Honourable A. Anne McLellan, P.C., O.C., A.O.E. served four terms as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre from 1993 to 2006. She served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and as Canada’s first Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. McLellan also served as Minister of Health (2002-2003), Justice and Attorney General (1997-2002), Natural Resources, and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (1993-1997).

In 2006, McLellan joined Bennett Jones in its Edmonton office. She currently serves on the boards of the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and chairs the boards of the Institute for Research on Public Policy and the TELUS Edmonton Community Board. In May 2015, McLellan became Dalhousie University’s seventh chancellor, a position she held until May 31, 2020.

McLellan was a Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the University of Alberta in the Alberta Institute for American Studies and was awarded honorary Doctor of Law degrees by the University of Alberta, the University of Cape Breton, and the University of Ottawa.
Prior to her political career, McLellan worked in academia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a law degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Laws degree from King’s College, University of London.

Bob Dhillon is the President, CEO and founder of Mainstreet Equity Corp. He is also the owner of National Payments, a Visa and MasterCard approved merchant processing business for the financial service industry.

Dhillon sits on the board of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and serves as the Honorary Consul General for Belize in Canada, based in Calgary. He is the author of the book Business and Retirement Guide to Belize, currently in its second edition.

Dhillon has received numerous awards including Ernst & Young’s 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year for the Prairies, Real Estate & Construction category, and has been recognized in Alberta Venture magazine as one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People. In March 2018, the University of Lethbridge renamed their business school to the Dhillon School of Business in his honour.

Dhillon completed his MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in 1998. In addition, he holds honorary degrees from Lakehead University and the University of Lethbridge. He is a philanthropist and has made significant donations to a variety of causes, including providing free apartment suites to victims of the Fort McMurray and Slave Lake fires.

Robert Fernandez has more than three decades of strategic leadership experience in the private and public sectors in Europe and Canada. As the President of Mansbach Advisory Group since 2014, he has guided business leaders, government officials and entrepreneurs in achieving growth and clarity in their strategic endeavors.

Robert recently served as Director of Economic Diversification for Parkland County, Alberta, where he spearheaded a major multi-decade investment plan and facilitated the establishment of Amazon’s first robotics fulfillment center in the province.

Previously, Robert served as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for Stuart Olson Inc., where he defined national business structures and secured major joint venture projects. He began his career with Siemens AG in Europe prior to joining the Government of Alberta in senior roles with the Alberta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) and the Oil Sands Secretariat, with the Alberta Treasury Board.

Robert holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and executive education credentials from Duke University and the University of Alberta. He is fluent in English, German, and Spanish, and has extensive experience as a board member of various community and business organizations including Alberta Innovates and the Alberta Foundation of the Arts.

A radiologist by training, Chen Fong is currently a professor emeritus for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He is also Co-Chair of the Global Strategy Board of the Creative Destruction Lab, a mentoring platform for young entrepreneurs.

Fong has 18 years of experience in building startup companies and is the co-founder of Pureweb Incorporated. He currently serves on the board of directors at Pureweb, Clarius Mobile Health, Cohesic Inc., and Innovere Medical.

He is active in the community and sits on a number of philanthropic boards in health care.

Fong holds an M.D. from the University of Manitoba and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Calgary. He was invested into the Order of Canada and inducted into Junior Achievement’s Alberta Business Hall of Fame. Other honours include his election as Fellow of America College of Radiology.

With over 25 years of experience as a trusted advisor to CEOs, presidents, small business owners, and leaders of large enterprises, Ian has played a pivotal role in helping individuals and organizations nationwide create a remarkable impact. 

Ian’s notable career at PwC Canada began in 1985, where he became a partner in 1996 with Coopers & Lybrand, and after the historic merger with Price Waterhouse, he continued as a partner with PwC.

In 2005, Ian moved to Calgary to lead the Private Company Services team and served as PwC’s Leader for Real Estate Services. In this role, he specialized in financial reporting processes, accounting, tax, and business issues. His client experience spanned cities across Canada and the UK, providing him with invaluable insights and a deep understanding of various businesses and economies.

Additionally, Ian served on the Board of PwC for eight years, where he contributed to various committees, including Governance, Finance, and Partner affairs, solidifying his understanding of governance needs and operational growth, as the board exhibited oversight of operations for one of the largest professional services firms in Canada.

Ian is currently serving as the Chair for the TEC CEO group for CEOs, presidents, owners, and leaders of large enterprises with a vision and drive for developing sustainable businesses in our global economy. Connection in this group will help you champion innovation and collaboration within your organization while strengthening your leadership skills.

Ian lives in Calgary with his wife and has four adult children. An avid golfer in the summer and skier in the winter, he finds time to play two to three hockey games a week. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA, CMA) with a MACC and BA (Hons) from the University of Waterloo. Additionally, he holds the Institute of Corporate Directors Director (ICD.D) designation.

Don is an entrepreneur & co-owner of a successful business operating in Southern Alberta with national distribution of birdseed and petfood products.  Don completed his Batchelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan and is registered as a Professional Engineer in Alberta.  He started his career with Procter and Gamble Inc. rising through the ranks of the Engineering and Product Supply organizations in Alberta and Ontario. 

Don is a loving father and a highly valued member of his community, contributing his time to local organizations such as minor hockey, high school organizations and political interests.  When Don is not giving time to his business or community you can find him running, hiking, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.

Sam Jaber is a distinguished entrepreneur, renowned for his leadership as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tax Pros Franchise Corporation, a prominent tax filing firm empowering franchisees to build prosperous businesses. With a sharp focus on regulatory compliance and cost-effective strategies, Sam drives efficiency and profitability across franchises, ensuring sustainable growth.

Beyond his role at Tax Pros, Sam is the visionary behind Jaberson & Associates, an esteemed accounting and tax firm headquartered in Edmonton. With extensive experience in the financial sector, Sam has earned acclaim for his commitment to excellence and innovative practices in both ventures.

Sam’s academic journey includes earning a Business Administration and Management degree from Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon. He further honed his expertise with a Diploma in Business Administration (Accounting) and a Bachelor of Applied Business Administration (Accounting) degree from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

A dedicated professional, Sam has been an Associate Member of the Association of International Accountants in London, UK, since 2009. Outside his professional sphere, Sam is deeply involved in community engagement, actively contributing to initiatives such as Medical Relief Group Canada and the United We Stand Foundation. He also lends his expertise to political endeavors, reflecting his commitment to driving positive change and making a meaningful impact on society.

In his volunteer capacity, Sam has served various organizations with unwavering dedication.

Ashif Mawji is a serial social entrepreneur, philanthropist, community builder and investor, who has built and sold several enterprises. He presently serves as a Venture Partner at Rising Tide, a San Francisco Bay Area venture capital firm.

A nationally renowned business owner, Mawji is the winner of numerous awards including BDC’s Entrepreneur of the Year and Canada’s Top 40 under 40. He has received Canada’s 50 Best Managed companies award three years in a row. In 2017, Mawji received the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals, as well as the Alberta Centennial Medal. NAIT bestowed him with an Honorary Bachelor of Business Administration the same year.

Mawji is chair of the Edmonton Police Foundation and the Young Presidents’ Organization Alberta. He has served on the boards of Sarah McLachlan School of Music, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, Kids Kottage, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, University Hospital Foundation, Citadel, and Edmonton Opera.

Mawji is also an Honorary Colonel with the Canadian Armed Forces and has been named a Fellow of the Henry Crown Fellowship (Aspen Global Leadership Network) — one of only five Canadians bestowed with this great honour.

Robert Price is a Founder and the CEO of Bōde, an online real estate marketplace that launched in Alberta in 2019 and rapidly expanded to British Columbia and Ontario selling over 1200 homes from homeowners and over 50 builders across Canada. He has brought together a seasoned team that is turning the traditional real estate industry upside down, as one of Calgary’s Top 15 most innovative companies in 2020 and top 50 most promising businesses by Alberta Innovates. Bōde directly connects buyers and sellers to work out a deal with ease while saving 10s of thousands of dollars fully online.

Previously, Robert was a senior executive at telecom leader and disruptor Axia, which provided next-generation fibre-based networks to customers in Canada, the US, France, and Singapore. Robert is also an Advisor to one of Canada’s fastest-growing tech companies Symend and has a land development partnership building high-tech, sustainable communities. As an Avenue Magazine Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40, Robert has a passion for transformational businesses that empower customers with choice through exceptional experiences.

The Honourable Alison M. Redford, KC, MA, ICD.D is founder and principal of The Redford Group (TRG) and serves as an advisor to national governments in emerging economies on regulatory reform in the energy sector promoting transparency and investor confidence. She provides independent advice on the development of regulatory regimes to respond to social and environmental issues and to support governance sustainability. Most recently, TRG has operated in Colombia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Indonesia, Mauritania and Guyana.

Separately, Ms. Redford also serves as a strategic advisor to public companies operating in volatile political climates to assess above ground risk and ensure regulatory compliance, particularly as it relates to Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives and Community Benefits Agreements for affected Indigenous people. Previously, Ms. Redford served as the 14^th Premier of Alberta from 2011 to 2014 and as Minister of Justice and Attorney General from 2008.

She graduated from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan (1988) and obtained a Master of Arts degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London (2021) focusing on Energy Infrastructure Security in South Asia. Ms. Redford was appointed King’s Counsel in 2008 and holds the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation.