GMS - Key Persons
John is Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for GMS, responsible for Human Resources, Customer Care, Claims, Community Engagement and Partnerships. He brings substantial expertise in transformational change and a reputation for developing robust workplace cultures to his leadership of GMS' key operational functions. John‘s extensive record of leveraging and nurturing strategic partnerships and alliances will play a critical role as GMS builds upon and expands external relationships to enhance customer experiences.
Before joining GMS, John served as President and CEO of Economic Development Regina Inc. for more than eight years, refreshing the organization's strategic direction, securing and leveraging increased investment and leading the development and execution of Regina's first Entrepreneurial Strategy. John also led the start-up, strategic planning and execution of the largest multi-sport event held in Saskatchewan, the 2005 Canada Summer Games, proclaimed the most successful Canada Games ever by the Chair of the Canada Games Council.
John's strong belief that we should give back to the community where we live, work and raise our families has led him to key volunteer leadership roles with a variety of organizations and not for profits including: University of Regina Hill/Levene School of Business, the 2010 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, Regina Palliative Care Inc., Regina Community Basketball, Kids Help Phone and Kidsport Saskatchewan.
An active lifestyle is also a priority for John who likes to golf, skate ski, mountain bike and loves to share time at the cottage with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- GMS' Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Karen is GMS' Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Beyond leading the finance, treasury and actuarial functions for the company, she provides enterprise-level leadership as a key member of the executive team, connecting the dots across functions to help ensure decisions support the overall success of the business.
A seasoned professional, Karen has more than 25 years of experience, including serving as CFO for Precision AI Inc. and Paradigm Consulting before joining GMS. A Chartered Professional Accountant, she began honing her leadership skills as Controller for businesses in a variety of sectors. Along the way, Karen has earned a reputation for her abilities in guiding executive teams in applying financial data, trends and models to inform successful business decisions.
In her time away from work, Karen contributes to the community as a volunteer. She has served on the board of the Regina Food Bank and on the board of the Regina Humane Society as Treasurer.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
Mark is the President and Chief Executive Officer of GMS and GMS Insurance Inc., responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the companies' operations.
A dynamic leader specializing in transformation and growth, Mark has significant previous experience as CEO of four companies in diverse industries. He also has a strong background in technology and a proven track record of strategic thinking and accountability.
Before joining GMS, Mark most recently served as President and CEO of ISM Canada
(a subsidiary of IBM Canada). He led ISM's transformation into a provider of technology-based solutions that address complex business problems through a unique combination of local presence and global collaborations.
Mark is a graduate of the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Science majoring in computer science. He began his career by founding a Saskatchewan-based technology company and within a decade, managed its successful sale and integration with a larger competitor. Since then, Mark has earned a reputation for helping a wide range of businesses transform and thrive.
In addition to lending his business acumen to business startups and community-based organizations and infrastructure projects, Mark's interests include sports, music and reading. He has supported local arts communities as a volunteer for the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, numerous Do It With Class productions and as a musician for the Lyric Singers.
Proud STARS ally - our involvement started with purchasing fuel for a life-saving STARS flight in 2016. Since 2017, we've been honoured to be presenting sponsor of the annual Night with STARS Gala fundraising event, and have members of our executive leadership team participating in the annual STARS Rescue on the Prairie fundraising competitions in both 2017 and 2018.