Chair, Board of Governors - Mr. P. H. Philp

Paul was born and raised in Hamilton, and has practiced law for the past 25 years at the law firm of  Evans Philp LLP.  He was admitted to the Bar in 1985 following degrees at the University of Western Ontario and Queens.  He practices law in the areas of civil litigation and insurance law, with extensive experience in counselling insurance companies and in all areas of insurance law.

Paul’s Board service at HSC since 2005 includes the Board Development Committee, the Finance Committee, Board Ambassador to the Parents’ Association, Board Ambassador to the Alumni Association, and Corporate Secretary.

Paul is married to Michele Spicer ’81, and they are current parents of two HSC students.

Paul serves on the Executive, Nominating, Finance and Audit Committees.

Vice Chair and Chair of Board Development/Strategic Planning -
Mr. M. Bauer

Mitch Bauer has three children at HSC.  He is the president of Bauer Systems Incorporated.  For almost 16 years, Bauer Systems has been Canada’s largest remarketer of IBM pre-owned IT hardware, from notebook computers to large mainframe systems.

Mitch holds a B.A (Economics) from the University of Western Ontario. He was a nationally ranked tennis player at both junior and senior levels, and today is competitively involved in cycling. Other hobbies include travel and learning German. Mitch is a Member of the Association of Computer Dealers.

Mitch has three children, Kate, Hannah, and Lukas who all attend HSC.

Mitch is Chair of the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee, and also serves on the Executive and Nominating Committees.

Corporation Secretary – Mr. J. M. Stirling

Mark is passionate about the need to nurture a love of learning in our children that they will carry with them all through their life. “Children have a natural curiosity and desire to learn, and it is up to us to foster it, not stifle it.” To that end, he is committed to work tirelessly to help HSC to achieve its mission and graduate students who will make a positive difference to our world. One of his most satisfying activities is working directly with children to help them discover their potential.

In his business life, Mark is the President of Treadstone Associates, where he helps technology companies to improve their operations, especially in the areas of marketing, sales and strategy. He also works with large users of technology to solve a wide array of problems including bringing projects back on track and negotiating outsourcing arrangements. Mark is Chair of xkoto Inc.

He has held numerous ‘C’ level executive positions with technology companies in both Canada and the US. He is a frequent public speaker both domestically and abroad on technology business issues. Before entering the private sector, he was a theoretical physicist with NASA.

Mark enjoys wilderness canoeing, sailing, martial arts, psychology and mathematics. He  holds an MBA from the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario and an honours BSc (Physics) from the University of Toronto.

Mark serves on the Executive and Nominating Committees.

Mr. M. D. Hunter '88

Mark graduated from HSC in 1988 and went on to received his Chartered Accountants designation.  In 1999 Mark joined the firm Brownlow Partners, where he is now a partner.  Mark’s practice focuses on tax planning and compliance for the corporate clients of the firm.  He also provides council to clients on estate and succession planning.  Brownlow Partners is a 4-partner, 20-person firm, which focuses on medium-sized private companies in the Golden Horseshoe area.

Mark is the past president of the Hamilton and District CA Association, and sits on the Cardiac Vascular Stroke Fundraising Council at the Hamilton General Hospital.
He lives in Ancaster with his wife Patsi '87 and their 5 children.

Chair, Board of Trustees - Mr. D. Simpson

David Simpson is an Investment Advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns with over 30 years of experience in the financial industry. He is a graduate of The University of Toronto with a degree in both economics and urban studies. David invests monies for individuals, corporations and charitable foundations.

David was a student of Hillfield Strathallan College from kindergarten to Grade 13 except for his Grade 10 year which he spent away at boarding school. He is the parent of recent graduate Ben Simpson ’08, and husband
of Gwynneth.

David strongly believes in giving back to the community and his volunteer activities include: An active member and past president of the Rotary Club of Hamilton. Member for eight years of the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation Board where he has served in various capacities and is currently Treasurer and Chair of the Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Fundraising Council. David has also served for the past seven years on the HSC Alumni Executive.

David serves on the Executive and Nominating Committees.

Dr. M. Anvari

Dr. Mehran Anvari is a tenured professor of surgery at McMaster University, specializing in minimal access techniques, at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.  Dr. Anvari was one of the first surgeons in Canada to use robotics in surgery, and established the world’s first telerobotic surgical service. His body of work has been internationally recognized and acknowledged.

Dr. Anvari is the Clinical Lead and Chair of the Ontario Bariatric Network and in 2004 was appointed the Chair of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Surgical Innovation at McMaster.  Dr. Anvari is the Scientific Director and CEO of the Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation (CSii) and the Founding Director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS). Both organizations support, develop and promote minimal access techniques and robotics applications. Time Magazine has touted the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) as "sculpting the next frontier of medicine.”

As a researcher, supervisor, mentor and advisor, Dr. Anvari has a continued commitment to teaching and education. In 2005, he became the Founding Director of the McMaster Institute for Surgical Invention, Innovation and Education.  Dr. Anvari has authored over 150 publications, holds seven patents for various surgical robotics, systems and devices, and is the Editor-In-Chief of the International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer-Assisted Surgery. With a strong presence in the research environment, Dr. Anvari is the principle investigator of numerous clinical trials related to obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, as well as the testing and implementation of surgical devices, platforms, techniques, and surgical robotics.

Dr. Anvari consistently uses his research findings to improve patient care, and has been honored numerous times for his work and innovation. In 2009, Dr Anvari was chosen as the McMaster Innovator of the Year. In 2010, Dr. Anvari was awarded the ORION Leadership Award for his work in minimal access surgery, telerobotic surgery, telementoring, and innovation and research.  Dr. Anvari’s work with telerobotics has also been recognized by the Government of Canada with the presentation of the “Gold Medal of Distinction”, and by the Ontario Government with the “Diamond Award for Innovation in Technology”.

Mehran serves on the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee.

Ms. M. Balfour '64

Mary has her own law practice in Toronto specializing in wills and estate planning.

She entered Strathallan School in September 1958 and spent four years at the Robinson Street location.  In 1962 she moved onto the mountain to the ‘new’ school, and graduated from Hillfield Strathallan Colleges in 1964.  She received her B.A. after four years of study at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie NY in 1968.  After an eighteen-year hiatus, Mary went back to school to obtain her LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in 1988.  She was called to the Ontario bar in 1990.

Also an active alumna of Vassar, she has remained involved with the College as a volunteer in such roles as Class President, Class Correspondent and Chairman of the Nominating Committee on  the Board of the Alumnae/i Association of Vassar College.  She has recently completed a four-year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the York Club in Toronto and continues to be involved there as a member of the House Committee.

Mary serves on the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee, and is the Board Ambassador for Alumni.

Mr. A. Beraldo

Until the recent sale of their family-owned business to United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental company, Alvi Beraldo was Chief Financial Officer of The Venetor Group of companies, founded in 1975 and formerly Canada’s largest independently owned equipment rental provider.  Prior to joining the family business in 1993, Mr. Beraldo held progressively responsible positions in Commercial Banking and Risk Management with Barclay’s Bank of Canada and CIBC.  He is currently employed with United Rentals in a management capacity.  

Alvi Beraldo earned a BA in Administrative and Commercial Studies from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Commerce (HBA) from University of Windsor. 

 Alvi Beraldo is a proud member of the fundraising cabinet of Ronald McDonald House Hamilton and enjoys golfing, skiing and physical wellness activities.  Alvi and wife, Rosa, have three children attending HSC.

Alvi serves on the Finance Committee.

Dr. N. Bontis

Nick is an award-winning professor at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University.  He was recently recognized as a 3M National Teaching Fellow, an exclusive honour only bestowed upon the top university professors in the country.  He has won over a dozen teaching awards and is the only faculty member to simultaneously hold outstanding teacher and researcher of the year honours.  He received his PhD and HBA from the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario.  He is a widely-cited author of hundreds of articles and several books related to strategic management, intellectual capital and knowledge management.  He currently owns a consulting firm in Ancaster, and a software company in Vancouver.  He is on the Executive Board of Harvest Portfolios, an investment fund company in Oakville.  Nick is also recognized as one of Canada’s top professional keynote speakers (www.NickBontis.com).

Within the local community, Nick is a dedicated volunteer coach in soccer and basketball.  His volunteerism was nationally recognized when he was selected as a 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Torchbearer.  Hamilton Magazine recognized him as one of the top 25 most influential people in the city.  He also donates his expertise on his weekly show Bontis on Business on CHCH TV.  Nick is married to Stacy and they have three children who are current HSC “lifers” (Charlie, Dino and Tia Maria).

Nick serves on the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee.

Ms. M. P. Fischer

Patty’s educational work experience has included Tutorial Assistant at York University, Head of The Primary School at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir (Alberta) and High School Geography Teacher/Head of Tay House at Hillfield Strathallan College.  Throughout her life, Patty has been a deeply committed volunteer for health, education and environmental issues.

Patty has served on numerous Boards including: the Royal Botanical Gardens (an Ontario Lieutenant Governor’s appointment), Hamilton General Hospital Foundation, St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation (Major Gifts Champaign Chair) and committee work with Women's College Hospital, Toronto.  She has also served Board terms with DARTS and the North Rosedale Ratepayers Association.  Patty has chaired the Residential Campaign for the United Way, the Education Committee of The Canadian Cancer Society and The Winter Garden Show at The Royal Agricultural Fair. Participation on The Royal Ontario Museum Committee offered great personal satisfaction. Patty's current volunteer interests involve golf committees at the club level and national level and is currently finishing her two years as Past President of the Ontario Branch of The Canadian Women's Senior Golf Association.

With one step-grandchild at HSC and numerous others at independent schools, Patty looks forward to furthering the strengths of HSC by joining The Strategic Planning Committee and being the Parent Ambassador for the Board of Governors.  Her life-long interest in geography and education is fulfilled by her hobbies of photography and travel.

Patty serves on the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee, and is the Board Ambassador for Parents.

Mr. F. Losani

Fred Losani is the CEO of Losani Homes, Hamilton’s most awarded home builder with over 35 years of quality craftsmanship experience in Hamilton, Niagara, and Southwestern Ontario. Mr. Losani is a proud graduate of Brock University and a former President of the Hamilton-Halton Home Builders’ Association. He is a member of the Board of Governors and former member of the Board of Trustees at Hillfield Strathallan College, where he and his wife’s (Shelly Losani) three children, Lauren, Noah and Alexander attend class. Fred Losani is also on the Leadership Council for Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation.

Losani Homes has taken every opportunity to give back to local communities by supporting charitable programs in the Hamilton-Niagara region leading to its designation as Philanthropic Company of the Year for 2010. In two separate ski expeditions to the North Pole and the South Pole, Fred Losani and colleagues raised over $1,100,000.00 for ‘Top of the World Charity’ in support of local kids’ programs. Most recently, Losani Homes was a lead contributor on a gift of $1,000,000.00 to McMaster Children’s Hospital for a new MRI machine that has immeasurably changed patient care in this region.

In his spare time Mr. Losani enjoys gardening, playing tennis, skiing with his wife and three children, and catching up at frequent Losani family get-togethers.

Fred serves on the Transformation HSC Steering Committee.

Dr. A. Sekuler

Dr. Allison Sekuler (B.A., Mathematics and Psychology, Pomona College, 1986; Ph.D., Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, 1991) is McMaster University’s Associate Vice-President and Dean of Graduate Studies, and a Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.

At McMaster University, Dr. Sekuler developed initiatives to support and enhance graduate student life and research training, spearheaded the development of undergraduate research initiatives, created programs for Postdoctoral Research Fellows, and facilitated the development of innovative international and interdisciplinary partnerships and programs for research and graduate studies. She serves on the Executive Boards for both the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies and the Canadian Association of Graduate Schools.

Dr. Sekuler’s research focuses on vision science, cognitive neuroscience, aging, learning, and neural plasticity. She has won numerous national and international awards for research, teaching and leadership, including serving as one of Canada’s first Canada Research Chairs. She also is deeply committed to knowledge translation, playing a leadership role public science outreach. She is a frequent public lecturer and commentator on scientific, research, and educational issues in the national and international media. She co-founded several public outreach programs, including the McMaster-Spectator partnership: Science in the City lecture series. Most recently, Dr. Sekuler served on the founding national steering committee for the Science Media Centre of Canada, where she currently serves on the Research Advisory Board.

Dr. Sekuler lives in Hamilton with her husband, Dr. Patrick Bennett, and their two children: Ryan (HSC Grade 8) and Aidan (HSC Grade 4).

Dr. Sekuler serves on the Board Development/Strategic Planning Committee.

Ms. A. Ventresca

Anna is General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer of Nortel. She joined Nortel in 2000, prior to which she was in house counsel with Philip Services. She was admitted to the Bar in 1994 following degrees from the University of Western Ontario and McMaster University. Anna has practiced extensively in the areas of Canadian and U.S. securities laws, corporate communications, investor relations, corporate governance, finance and treasury.

Anna was the United Way Campaign Executive Sponsor and Chairperson for Nortel’s Global Headquarters in 2008 and 2007. She and her husband David Tutty have been subscribers to Opera Hamilton and the Canadian Opera Company for several years. Other activities enjoyed include travel, cooking, historical literature and restoring a century home. Born and raised in Hamilton, Anna continues to make Hamilton home with her husband and their two sons, Matthew and Aidan Tutty, both students at HSC.

Anna serves on the Finance and Audit Committees.

Mr. Marc Ayotte, Head of College

Marc enjoyed a very successful first year as Head of College in 2010-2011 and is looking forward to working with all stakeholders at HSC in further positioning HSC as the leading independent School in Canada with a transformed campus at its core.

Marc, his wife Kim, and their two children are extremely grateful to the entire HSC community for their warm welcome and look forward to many years as part of the HSC family.

Marc is an ex officio (non-voting member) to all Committees of the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees