Godfrey part of task force spearheading search for CEO
Whistler’s representatives to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games Board of Directors have backed the appointment of developer Jack Poole.
"He made a tremendous contribution during the bid phase and it was the unanimous position of the board that he was the right person to lead us during this next part in the planning and staging of the Games," said the RMOW’s Jim Godfrey, one of two Whistler members of the 2010 Board.
Poole was the chair of the bid committee, which took Whistler and Vancouver to success on July 2 when the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2010 Winter Games to B.C.
Poole was clearly pleased with the appointment.
"Hosting these Games provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring so many good things to our young athletes, our province and our country," he said.
"I am delighted to be asked to play a part."
Poole noted the board includes people from diverse backgrounds.
"We have an experienced and dedicated group that’s ready to move us from the bid phase to the organization and delivery of the 2010 Winter Games."
Poole will remain in the position until the board’s next annual general meeting.
The full board met this week for the first time since the Games were awarded.
"We are getting to know each other a little bit and there seems to be extremely talented people there," said Godfrey.
Top of the list of jobs facing the board is the selection of a Chief Executive Officer.
A task force has been struck to spearhead the search, said Godfrey, which will handle the process and make sure it is above suspicion.
"It will be an open and transparent process and that is why we have a committee and one of the things we will be doing is seeking the assistance of an executive search firm," said Godfrey, who is a member of the task force.
The task force will be chaired by Michael Phelps of the Canadian Olympic Committee.
The CEO will oversee the day-to-day operations of the organizing committee. That will include managing a budget of $1.35 billion and a construction budget of $620 million.
"Another important task is to look at the governance model and a task force has also been set up to look at that," said Godfrey.
This task force will be chaired by Rusty Goepel and Whistler’s second board member Barrett Fisher will participate.
Meanwhile the staff of the transition team will remain in place until a new CEO is chosen, likely in the new year.
In other developments:
• The Games Organizing Committee has been incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act as the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games . The Committee’s mandate is to "support and promote the development of sport in Canada by planning, organizing, financing and staging the XXI Olympic Winter Games and X Paralympic Games in 2010."
• The board has announced the formation of a 2010 Audit and Finance Committee to be co-chaired by Ken Dobell, Deputy Minister to the Premier and one of the province’s appointees to the Vancouver 2010 Board, and Brian Dolsen, Assistant Deputy Minister of the province’s Olympic Games Secretariat.
The Vancouver 2010 Board is made up of 20 members nominated by: the Canadian Olympic Committee (seven, including the three Canadian members of the International Olympic Committee); the Government of Canada (three); the Province of British Columbia (three); the City of Vancouver (two); the Resort Municipality of Whistler (two); the Canadian Paralympic Committee (one); a joint appointment by the Band Councils of the Lil’wat and Squamish Nations (one) and the chair.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 12 to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010.
