Thompson Retires as CEO of Skate Canada

[maggylyn]

Yes?
I mean it's pretty standard for a sport governing body in Canada to have a CEO AFAIK.

It must not be that big a deal at Skate Canada. Didn't the announcement also say Thompson wouldn't be replaced and things would go on as usual? If they don't really need a CEO this probably saves a ton of money.

[overedge]

It must not be that big a deal at Skate Canada. Didn't the announcement also say Thompson wouldn't be replaced and things would go on as usual? If they don't really need a CEO this probably saves a ton of money.

That's a big "if". If they actually do need a CEO but try to run without one, the disorganization that could result might waste a whole lot of money.

IIRC he is not Skate Canada's first CEO, so they have managed to function without one in the past. I can't imagine that the organization has changed that drastically that the position is no longer needed.

[Blair]

.

[Blair]

He's probably making room for David Dore to reincarnate himself as Director General or Grand Poombah or Chief Biatch or something

[googooeyes]

Skate Canada lists Cheryl McEvoy as the new CEO. Benoit Lavoie is not listed any more.

[Cruella]

Could be wrong, but I think Lavoie is on a planned sabbatical.

[Parsley Sage]

Skate Canada lists Cheryl McEvoy as the new CEO. Benoit Lavoie is not listed any more.

She is listed as the COO. Chief Operating Officer.

[alilou]

So Thompson has "retired", and Lavoie is on sabbatical!
Who's running to show?
There has to be some executive direction, surely.

I find all this a little disturbing.
Under Thompson and Lavoie's direction SC really achieved a lot over the past several years. They brought a whole new energy to the organization. And now it all seems to be falling apart.

[maggylyn]

I find all this a little disturbing.Under Thompson and Lavoie's direction SC really achieved a lot over the past several years.

Along with the good things achieved, in the last couple years Skate Canada also lost its major sponsors. That can't be a good reflection of Thompson and Lavoies' direction. I was always surprised there wasn't some kind of "restructuring" right after losing the sponsors.

[googooeyes]

I agree that Thompson and Lavoie had a good energy and things seemed to be going well aside from the sponsorship thing. I am surprised by all this, especially the timing. I guess we can't know what goes on behind the scenes. So worlds are in Canada in 6 months and it will be McEvoy looking after things in London presumably.
Well who knows, maybe it will be better!

[Rafter]

Lavoie is listed on the Skate Canada website as being the President of the Board of Directors for the term 2011-2015. So I presume he's still head of the Board, sabbatical or not.

I heard that the "big wigs" at Skate Canada virtually ignored their Corporate Sponsors, especially BMO, and didn't exactly treat them well. Not surprised to see Thompson out the door when they have had a lot of problems getting new sponsors.

[maggylyn]

I heard that the "big wigs" at Skate Canada virtually ignored their Corporate Sponsors, especially BMO and didn't exactly treat them well.

[alilou]

I heard that the "big wigs" at Skate Canada virtually ignored their Corporate Sponsors, especially BMO, and didn't exactly treat them well. Not surprised to see Thompson out the door when they have had a lot of problems getting new sponsors.

Well that is sad news.
I was going to say in their defence that it's easy to get sponsors in the years leading up to a home country olympics, and not surprising that they'd pull out afterwards, but if it's really true that they were ignored by TPTB at SC that's completely indefensible.

[WildRose]

I thought it was Debbie Wilkes job to look after the corporate sponsors - wasn't that why they hired her as Director of Development?

[kwanfan1818]

That was my understanding, too.