VIP Cycling Group

Leigh Hobson - Canada National Cycling Team and 2008 Olympic Road Cyclist

What I’m up to now…
• Teach at GCI in Cambridge (Phys Ed and Special Ed)
• Coach GCI’s first Mountain Bike Team
• Compete in Cyclocross for the Hub Race Team
• Help my husband run our coffee shop The Coffee Peddler (www.thecoffeepeddler.com)

My cycling career began at the age of 24 when, by chance, I signed up for the Hidden Valley Road race. With some good advice from my dad (a former cyclist) I hung on until the finish of my first novice race.  The sponsor of the race, Ziggy's Cycle, gave me a jersey to wear instead of my tri-top.  I joined the club that fall and there began my cycling career.

Ben Fanelli

An Oakville native and draft pick from the Mississauga Senators. Ben is an offensive puck-moving defenceman who is a pure passer. He is a strong skater and plays well in both ends of the rink. Fanelli was a 3rd Round pick for the Kitchener Rangers, 43rd Overall in 2009. A serious head injury in October of 2009 slowed his hockey career, Ben has partnered with the Rangers in developing HEAD STRONG; Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness: a program designed to raise awareness about brain injuries. "Lance Armstrong overcame something that no one thought was possible and I want to replicate that in a different way with my injury," Ben says. Ben continues to set new goals in sports including participating in a triathlon as well as the Tour de Waterloo this June and working towards resuming his hockey career.

Peter Mogg - 3 Time Canadian National Champion Cyclocross

Brenda Halloran - 2011 Official Tour de Waterloo "Starter"

Brenda was re-elected mayor of the City of Waterloo in Oct. 2010. She represents the city on Waterloo Regional Council as well as on a number of boards and committees, including Waterloo North Hydro, University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier University and the K-W Symphony Business Advisory Group, among others. Many honours have been bestowed upon Mayor Halloran.
She recently received the Alumni of Distinction Award from Conestoga College's School of Health and Life Sciences and Community Services and an honory professorship from the Yunnan Normal University in China. Mayor Halloran received the Wilfred Laurier University Women of Resistance Award in 2005, was co-valedictorian of the Leadership Waterloo Region class of
2004 and received the Canada Revenue Agency Award of Excellence in 2002.
Among other honours, she recently has been named chair of the Intelligent Community Association and was nominated in 2006 for a K-W Oktoberfest Women of the Year Award in the community service category. A longtime Waterloo resident, Mayor Halloran moved to this community in the early 1960's, and holds a registered nursing diploma from Conestego College as well as certification in conflict resolution from Conrad Grebel University College.
She worked in conflict resolution with the CRA before entering municipal politics in 2006. Mayor Halloran is active in the community as a member of the International Women's Forum of Canada, Zonta International and the Rotary Club of Waterloo. She's passionate about many issues, including heath care, inclusion and affordable housing.

http://www.city.waterloo.on.ca/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=181

David Fedy - Chairman Ride With Lance

David joined McCarter Grespan Beynon Weir LLP in November 2010 after fifteen years with one of Waterloo Regions largest full-service firms. David's practice is focused on corporate/commercial, banking and Finance, real estate development and environmental law. David was born and raised in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, part of Canada's Technology Triangle and has worked with many of the area's largest businesses. His experience includes advising clients on mergers an acquisitions, financings and other commercial transactions for both large and small companies, banks and financial institutions with emphasis on real estate based developments and transactions. David is actively involved in all aspects of his community including various charitable and other organizations. He has served as Chairman for the Ride With Lance the past number of years helping raise much needed funds for the Grand River Hospital Foundation. He is an avid cyclist.

http://www.mgbwlaw.com/index.html

Steve Farlow - Executive Director - Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship Wilfred Laurier University

 In 2002, Steve Farlow joined the School of Business & Economics as its first Executive Director of the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship. Prior to this, Steve owned and operated his own business, Superior Safety for 12 years. Based in Waterloo, the company distributed occupational health and safety products from branches across Canada. Earlier in his career, he worked for divisions of Rio Tinto Corporation and Derlan Industries. Steve is an investor and advisor to a number of early stage companies, and he currently serves on boards of Communitech Technology Association, Canadian Youth Business Foundation, Lutherwood and Michelin Development (Canada) Inc.
Steve regularly teaches entrepreneurship at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Laurier.

http://www.wlu.ca/homepage.php?grp_id=371&f_id=370

Brent Thomlison - Deputy Police Chief Waterloo Regional Police Services

Deputy Chief Brent Thomlison joined the Waterloo Regional Police Service in June 1982, and served as a front line patrol officer in Cambridge for nine years.  While in Cambridge he was a member of the Emergency Response Unit and was also a coach officer for new recruits.  He has held progressively responsible positions in criminal investigations and drug operations, he was a front-line patrol supervisor and Communications Centre supervisor, was the officer in charge of the homicide unit, served as Executive Officer to the Chief of Police, was Second-in-Command of the Kitchener Division, and was the Superintendent in charge of the Community and Corporate Services Division.

In 2007 he was promoted to Deputy Chief and currently serves Operations Deputy Chief providing leadership to the Investigative and Uniform operations of the Service.
 
Deputy Chief Thomlison is the past chair of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.  He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, serving on the Youth Committee and the Chair of the Community Policing Committee.

Deputy Chief Thomlison is a long time resident of the Region of Waterloo and is an avid cyclist.

http://www.wrps.on.ca/headquarters/deputy-chief-administration

Mike Morrice - Community Builder - Executive Director of Sustainable Waterloo

Mike is a 2008 graduate of Wilfrid Laurier, where he concurrently completed a BBA and a BSc in Computing and Computer Electronics. In 2009, Mike was selected by The Waterloo Region Record as one of Waterloo Region’s Top 40 under 40. Mike is also an avid cyclist.

http://www.sustainablewaterloo.org/blog/mike-morrice

Iain Klugman – President and CEO Communitech

Iain Klugman is the President and CEO of Communitech — one of the leading enabling organizations in North America. Iain has overall responsibility for operations of the organization that includes: regional, provincial and national mandates, innovation programs for companies (ranging from entrepreneur development and support, to big tech company support) and a national focus on digital media and mobile computing with leadership of the Canadian Digital Media Network.

Previously, Iain was the CEO of a provincial crown corporation, Executive Director of Communications with the CBC, Director of Global Branding and Advertising for Nortel, and held numerous roles with the Privy Council Office and Industry Canada.

Iain began his career as an entrepreneur and has never lost his passion for tech and start-ups. He sits on numerous local and national boards that include the business, academia and social sectors.

Iain holds an MBA from Laurier University, an MPA degree from Dalhousie University, an HBA from Laurentian University, and has completed the Advanced Program in Human Resources at the Rotman School of Management.

Feridun Hamdullahpur – President and Vice Chancellor - University of Waterloo

Max Blouw – President and Vice Chancellor Wilfred Laurier University

Born in Holland, Dr. Blouw moved to Canada in 1957 and became a Canadian citizen in 1963. He holds bachelor's and master's of science degrees in zoology from the University of Manitoba (1972 and 1977 respectively) and a PhD in biology from the University of New Brunswick (1982). Dr. Blouw and his wife Lynn have two sons, Peter and Carl.

Prior to joining Laurier, Dr. Blouw was a key figure at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). He arrived at UNBC in 1995 as a professor of biology, and two years later joined the university’s administration as the associate vice-president and dean of graduate studies. In 2000, Dr. Blouw was named as the vice-president of research. Under his leadership, UNBC became one of the most research-intensive small universities in Canada. When he became vice-president in 1997, the university annually attracted approximately $3 million in research funds. By 2006, that number had reached $18 million. He was also instrumental in growing UNBC’s endowment to an impressive $40 million over that period.

Beginning his career as a biologist in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Winnipeg, Dr. Blouw went on to teach biology at St. Francis Xavier University and zoology at the University of British Columbia before joining UNBC.

Dr. Blouw is well-known on the national scene, and enriches his academic career through volunteer roles that link universities and government with the private sector. His long-standing involvement with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) included acting as an executive council member and as chair of its award selection committees and committee on grants and scholarships. He served two terms as the chair of the university advisory group to Industry Canada and has been a member of the adjudication panel for the Ontario premier’s Discovery Awards, which recognize research excellence of the province’s finest senior researchers. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), AUCC’s Standing Advisory Committee on University Research (SACUR), Executive Heads of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), Executive Committee of COU, Co-Chair of the College-University Consortium Council (CUCC), Chair of the Standing Committee on Relationships with Other Postsecondary Institutions, a member of the Board of Canada Technology Triangle and of the Accelerator Centre (Waterloo). Dr. Blouw received the 2005 Science and Technology Champion Award from the BC Innovation Council in recognition of his leadership. In 2009, UNBC renamed the Quesnel River Research Centre, The Dr. Max Blouw Quesnel River Research Centre at Likely, in honour of Dr. Blouw’s efforts to have the former federal fisheries research station transferred to the university.

Brent Ellis - Waterloo Cycling President

I became an avid cyclist in 1998 when I was introduced to the WCC and their weekly Monday night learn to mountain bike ride.  From there I graduated to the WCC Wednesday night mountain bike ride.  A few years later I took up road riding and began participating in the challenging WCC Tuesday night road rides.

I have raced everything from Ontario Cup races, 8 hours races, 24 races to multi-day races.

I also believe in giving back to our community through volunteering.  I have volunteered in many organizations including Big Brothers, Mary-Allen Neighbourhood Association and the K-W Sertoma Speed Skating Club.

Jeff Nesbitt - Vice President Government Relations and External Programs Agfa Healthcare Inc.

Peter Braid - Kitchener / Waterloo Member of Parliament

He was elected to the House of Commons in October, 2008 and currently sits on the Industry Committee, the Defence Committee, and the Legislative Committee on Bill C-32 (Copyright). 

Prior to his election, Peter served in the constituency office of Hon. Walter McLean P.C., M.P., worked as an employee of the Immigration and Refugee Board, was a Director of Operations at Sun Life Financial, and more recently was employed as an Account Manager with Quarry Integrated Communications in Waterloo.

Peter envisions Kitchener-Waterloo as a dynamic and progressive riding with a strong sense of community, making this an ideal place to live, work, and raise our families. He has built solid partnerships with many organizations in our region, and believes that by working together, we will achieve our full potential.

The Tour de Waterloo in support of the Grand River Hospital Foundation is just one example of the numerous events Peter attends in the community.  Peter enjoys cycling both as an environmentally friendly transportation option and as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Susan Elliott, Dean Faculty of Applied Health Sciences University of Waterloo

Dr. Susan Elliott is Dean of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (www.ahs.uwaterloo.ca ) at the University of Waterloo and a Professor of Health Studies and Gerontology, and Geography and Environmental Management.

She completed her Ph.D. in medical geography in 1992 and has published extensively in a range of health-related areas including the psychosocial impacts of environmental exposures and the geographies of health promotion.

She is currently a co-theme leader in AllerGen, a Canadian National Centre of Excellence on allergies and asthma in the environment, and an adjunct professor with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment & Health (UNU-INWEH). Susan was very excited to join the University of Waterloo community in July 2010.