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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Congratulations to Susan Whelan On Her Important New Job


Canadian Cancer Society in Ontario appoints a new CEO

TORONTO, May 12 /CNW/ - The Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honourable Susan Whelan as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canadian Cancer Society in Ontario effective June 1, 2009.

"We are thrilled to have Susan Whelan join the Canadian Cancer Society as our new leader," says Marion Kirsh, Chair, Ontario Division Board of Directors. "Her passion for our mission and her long standing commitment to public service and community leadership will continue to drive us towards our vision of creating a world where no Canadian fears cancer."

Susan Whelan takes over from Peter Goodhand, who became national President and CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society on May 4, 2009.

"I'm truly excited about joining the Society and look forward to the privilege of leading the organization in its mission to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer," says Susan Whelan. "As a firm and passionate believer in the importance of research, I'm particularly excited about championing for progress in cancer research."

Susan brings with her more than 20 years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Outside of her formal legal training and success in commercial, environmental and administrative law, Susan held public office for more than a decade as the federal Member of Parliament (MP) for Essex. In 2002, Susan was appointed as Canada's Minister for International Cooperation where she oversaw a budget of $2.4 billion annually. As part of her responsibilities as Minister, she managed the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), leading the organization through a process that resulted in the adoption of a new strategic plan for the agency. She re-directed the agency's focus to support private sector development and sustainable agriculture initiatives in less-developed countries and helped implement Canada's assistance plan for Africa.

During her terms as MP, Susan also held a number of key parliamentary roles, such as Chair of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. As chair, she led a comprehensive study on the Canadian research sector, with a focus on opportunities for strengthening innovation capacity, competitiveness and productivity. Her leadership resulted in increased funding for Canadian research. Most recently, Susan has run a private law practice where she provided strategic legal advice to international clients on local, provincial and national government issues as well as serving as a sessional lecturer at the University of Windsor.

Susan Whelan has been an avid supporter of the Canadian Cancer Society for a number of years, as well as holding a number of senior volunteer positions in other local foundations and charities. Her passion for the Society's mission and values is also motivated by the fact that she has been personally touched by cancer through experiencing her parents and a close relative battle the disease.

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.