January 7, 2010 – Toronto – The Board of Directors of the Toronto City Summit Alliance (the Alliance) is pleased to announce that John Tory will assume the role of voluntary Chair, effective immediately. The role was previously held by the late David Pecaut, the city-builder and visionary who founded the Alliance in 2002.

“I am thrilled and honoured to accept the role of Chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance,” said Tory. “Just prior to his sad passing, David Pecaut wrote to me to urge me to seriously consider taking the helm of the Toronto City Summit Alliance. David worked tirelessly to build the Alliance into a powerful force for city-building for the Toronto Region. I look forward to the opportunity to build on the work David started with the TCSA and to continue his considerable legacy. Most of all, I am inspired by the opportunity to help affect significant change for the Toronto region through the Alliance’s work. I am looking forward to continuing to contribute to the city region I love and call home.”

“We are excited to welcome John as our new Chair,” said Interim Alliance Chair, Courtney Pratt. “John has been actively involved with the Alliance since its start. He is currently serving on our Board and we look forward to him taking on this new role.”

Alliance CEO, Julia Deans said, “There will never be another David Pecaut, but John is a strong and passionate leader, a noted civic leader, and an ardent advocate for our city. It is a tribute to David and to all of us that John has chosen the Alliance as his platform for continuing to make a difference in Toronto.”

The Toronto City Summit Alliance is a coalition of thousands of civic leaders formed to address challenges to the future health and wealth of the Toronto region. The Alliance’s current initiatives include: DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project, Greening Greater Toronto and the Emerging Leaders Network.

 

– 30 –

About the Toronto City Summit Alliance:

The Toronto City Summit Alliance is a multi-sectoral coalition of civic leaders who develop and support initiatives addressing issues critical to the future health and wealth of the Toronto region. Since its inception in 2002, over 6000 volunteers have been involved in initiatives aimed at: expanding knowledge-based industry (Toronto Region Research Alliance); better integrating skilled immigrants (Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, with Maytree); promoting affordable housing (Make Housing Happen); strengthening neighbourhoods (Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force); supporting working-age adults (Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults Task Force); promoting our cultural and tourism assets (Toront03 and Luminato); connecting and supporting emerging city-builders (Emerging Leaders Network, the Social Entrepreneurship Summit); and realizing a regional environmental vision (Greening Greater Toronto).

Media Contact:

Rebecca Geller
Communications and Events Officer
Toronto City Summit Alliance
rebecca.geller@torontocitysummit.ca
(416) 309-4480 x 509
(416) 992-4966 (cell)

 

Reference: Toronto City Summit Alliance