Committee Members

Sandra Greer is the president and CEO of Amirix Systems Inc., a privately held Nova Scotian company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of fish tracking devices that use underwater acoustic technology. Greer has held various positions with General Motors, Aliant and Bristol Group and has over 25 years of sales, marketing and business development experience. She is also the past-vice chair of the Nova Scotia Community College. Greer resides in Bedford, NS.

Bernd Christmas is the owner of the Bernd Christmas Law Group in Toronto. Christmas is the former CEO of the Membertou Band of Nova Scotia, a past member of the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board, a former commissioner for the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board and sat on the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia Community College. In 2003, he was appointed by Prime Minister Chrétien to the External Advisory Committee on Smart Regulation. He currently serves as a director on the board of Investors Group.

Ann MacLean served as the mayor of New Glasgow for 17 years and as a municipal councillor for six years. MacLean is the past president of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Nova Scotia Association of Police Boards, and a former chair of the Pictou Regional Development Commission. MacLean was also appointed to the Nova Scotia Round Table on the Environment and Economy and served on the Nova Scotia Advisory Board on Colleges and Universities. She is a current member of the Nova Scotia and Canadian Social Work Associations and a former member of the Canadian College of Health Executives.

Ron Smith is the former chief financial officer (CFO) with Aliant Telecom Inc. and past senior vice-president and CFO of Emera Inc. He is the past chair and current member of the Board of Governors for Acadia University, and also serves on the board of Gammon Gold (TSX-GAM, NYSE-GRS), the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the Canadian Accounting Standards Oversight Council. Smith is the former national president of the Canadian Association for Community Living, former chair of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council and former chair and current member of Voluntary Planning, Nova Scotia Citizens' Planning Forum.

Robbie Shaw is the president and CEO of the IWK Health Centre Foundation. He was vice-president, partnerships and managing director of Nova Scotia Community College’s $125 million expansion project. Shaw has held several key positions over the past 40 years, including vice-president, customer service, marketing and sales with Nova Scotia Power Inc.; executive vice-president, Canadian operations with National Sea Products Ltd.; vice-president, finance and administration with Dalhousie University; and president of Clayton Developments Limited. He has twice been named one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada.