OPTrust Board announces new Chair and Vice-Chair

Posted: November 3, 2020

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TORONTO, November 3, 2020 – As part of OPTrust's governance structure one Government appointee and one OPSEU appointee fill the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair, with the roles alternating between Government and OPSEU appointees every two years.

Sharon Pel was named Chair of OPTrust’s Board of Trustees, effective November 3, 2020, replacing former Chair Michael Grimaldi who remains on the Board. Ms. Pel was appointed to the Board by the Government of Ontario in February 2017. She has more than 35 years’ experience as a strategic business advisor, with extensive expertise in governance, securities regulatory and policy matters, and corporate, commercial and securities law. Previously, Ms. Pel held the role of SVP, Group Head Legal and Business Affairs at TMX Group until 2015, where she was responsible for advising the TMX board and executive management on all aspects of its governance, operations and legal and regulatory affairs.

Ms. Pel is on the Board of Canadian Feed the Children (Chair from June 2016 – November 2020) and sat on the Board of IPL Plastics Inc. from June 2018 – October 2020. She has a BA from the University of Toronto and an LLB from the University of Ottawa. She is an Institute Certified Director (ICD.D) from the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds a Certificate in Pension Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Also effective November 3, 2020, Lindsey Burzese was named Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees. OPSEU appointed Ms. Burzese to the Board of Trustees in January 2018, and she previously chaired the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. She is currently a Surface Water Specialist in Hamilton with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and has over 19 years’ experience working in program implementation and management, information and data analysis and regulatory roles. She has previously acted as a union steward for OPSEU Local 205 in Hamilton and has participated in a variety of committees and community organizations.

Ms. Burzese is a P.Eng. with a degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Guelph. She is a Chartered Director (C. Dir.) from the Directors College at the DeGroote School of Business and holds a Certificate in Pension Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

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