Calgary 2026 Formulates Board of Directors Structure

CALGARY—The first 16 individuals serving on the Board of Directors for Calgary 2026, are a dynamic group of Canada’s most distinguished leaders in government, business and sport. It includes two of the nation’s most accomplished Olympians – Hayley Wickenheiser and Catriona Le May Doan – and the longest serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dick Pound.

Chair, Scott Hutcheson, will lead a 21-member Board that consists of representation from the Government of Canada (three); Government of Alberta (three); City of Calgary (three); Town of Canmore (one); two members At Large including one Indigenous representative; Canadian Olympic Committee (three); and Canadian Paralympic Committee (one); along with four other members who will be appointed later. The Board is responsible for guiding the next phase of planning which will determine if all parties will move forward with Calgary’s bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

"Success in sport or business is about teamwork. The Calgary 2026 Board of Directors announced today is a podium-worthy group of women and men who share an incredibly deep commitment to Canada, a passion for sport and recreation, and a strong connection with the needs of the communities they come from across the country," said Hutcheson. "We have much work ahead of us to complete this phase of the bid, but I know this is the group of professionals who will get the job done. I relish the opportunity to work with the entire board to ensure the Olympic and Paralympic legacy will continue to positively impact all Canadians for generations to come."

Canadian hockey legend and six-time Olympian, Hayley Wickenheiser, will take on the role of Hutcheson’s Vice-Chair. An Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission since 2014, Wickenheiser is one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians having won five medals, including four gold in women’s hockey. Wickenheiser also competed at the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in softball – making her just the second Canadian female athlete to compete at both the summer and winter Games. Wickenheiser was also the country’s flag bearer at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity, and the trust of Scott and the Board of Directors, to take on this prestigious position," said Wickenheiser, who is currently pursuing a career in medicine. "As a young child, I remember coming to Calgary to watch the 1988 Games. That Olympic experience changed my life, and I was driven every day after that to become an Olympian. I competed in a home Games in 2010, and I want the Olympics back in Canada. There is so much involved in a bid, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to work with these great Canadians, and the Calgary community, to ensure its viability."

Wickenheiser is joined by speed skating legend, and three-time Olympic medallist, Catriona Le May Doan, who will be one of three representatives appointed to the Board by the Government of Canada. An Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, and Canada’s flag bearer at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Le May Doan is one of the nation’s most respected Olympians.

Dick Pound is one of Canada’s most recognized figures in international sports. A former president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Pound is a two-time Vice-President of the IOC. He was a director and executive member of the Organizing Committee for Calgary 1988. A devoted advocate for clean sport, Pound’s efforts have made him one of the most renowned and influential leaders in sport and business.

"Hayley, Catriona and Dick are simply legends in the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and are remarkably well respected by all Canadians," added Hutcheson. "I’m looking forward to gaining their insight and working with all of the board members to engage the community as we explore deeper Calgary’s bid for the 2026 Games."

The following is a list of the Calgary 2026 Board of Directors:

Chair At Large – Vice-Chair

Scott Hutcheson Hayley Wickenheiser

Government of Canada Government of Alberta

Catriona Le May Doan Meryl Whittaker

Grand Chief Wilton Littlechild Ray Gilmour

One more Director to be named

Corey Hogan

City of Calgary Town of Canmore

Jeff Fielding Lisa de Soto

Manjit Minhas

Chris Lee

Canadian Olympic Committee Canadian Paralympic Committee

Tricia Smith Marc-André Fabien

Chris Overholt

Dick Pound

At Large

Jude Daniels

Up to four more Directors to be appointed At Large at a later date

"The Board is made up of some of the most senior professionals and influential people who have a keen understanding of the sport community and our orders of government," said Hutcheson. "We will quickly establish a strong working relationship, and develop a culture of healthy, open and productive dialogue that will lead to informed decision making."

The Board will start working on hiring a CEO, crafting a vision and implementing a strategic direction for Calgary 2026.

The introduction of the Calgary 2026 Board of Directors comes on the heels of Hutcheson and his team completing a positive three-day visit to Lausanne, Switzerland where they participated in a series of working sessions to assist in the development of their project and delivered a progress report to the IOC.

Calgary 2026, with support from its partners, will complete the bid exploration and development work that began in 2016. Calgary 2026 will clarify the vision and details of a potential Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and will develop a more accurate hosting cost estimate. Calgary 2026 will also produce a Candidature File, which would be submitted to the IOC in January 2019, if all parties decide to move forward with the bid and the IOC selects Calgary to become a 2026 Candidate City.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only