Board of Directors
Mark John Stewart, Chair
Mark John Stewart is the Managing Director of Wentworth Strategy Group, a dynamic global management consulting business, and founder and President of marketing agency FlyPrint. He is an Executive Advisor with Empowerment Squared, a Canadian charity dedicated to empowering newcomer and marginalized youth and communities in Canada, Liberia, Ghana, and South Africa. Mark John regularly presents to audiences across the world on strategy, governance, leadership, and professional development, and has been published in the Journal of Professional Communication. He has been recognized with many awards, including the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Young Professional of the Year, the recipient of the Business and Professional Excellence Award at the 2019 Reverend John C Holland Awards, and the McMaster Alumni Association 2019 Hamilton Community Impact Award.
Currently an instructor in strategy and marketing management with the McMaster-Syracuse Master of Communications Management program, Mark John’s academic leadership includes serving as President of the McMaster Alumni Association, as a member of McMaster’s Board of Governors. Mark holds an MBA in Strategic Market Leadership from the DeGroote School of Business and has completed executive studies at Harvard Business School and the Schulich School of Business.
Sandy Schwenger, Vice Chair
Sandy started her career as a Healthcare Professional at Hamilton Health Sciences.
In 1996 she launched a Joint Venture with Hamilton Health Sciences and in 1998 took the business outside of the hospital system.
Using key learnings as a clinician and from key learning from her other businesses, Sandy founded m‐Health Solutions in 2010. m-Health Solutions uses mobile and virtual cardiac diagnostics to service patients throughout Ontario. To date, over 150,000 patients have been diagnosed with the technology. It is used by over 300 cardiologists; 30 hospitals and 3,500 family physicians.
A firm believer in collaboration and co‐operation, Sandy’s goal is to bring forward new technologies, processes and system innovation.
m-Health Solutions has been awarded numerous grants from both the Federal and Provincial governments to advance the virtualization of remote patient monitoring and diagnostics.
Sandy is a member of the Board of Directors of MEDEC, on the cardiovascular task force, a member of the Value of Technology steering committee and the Hospital to Community Collaborative. She is also a past Advisory Board Member of the National Research Council and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine at U of T.
She is extremely excited to drive innovation and be part of the Healthcare changes over the coming decade.,
Dr. Ted Scott, Vice President Research & Chief Innovation Officer
Dr. Scott is the Vice President Research & Chief Innovation Officer at Hamilton Health Sciences. His background is deeply rooted in digital health technologies, strategy and industry engagement within the academic and hospital settings. With dual responsibility for advancing Hamilton Health Sciences research and innovation agenda, Dr. Scott ensures that HHS initiatives remain focused on achieving the hospital’s strategic priorities.
In recognition of his achievements, Ted has received the Distinguished Fellow- Adjunct Professor award in 2016 from Mohawk College and the Alumni of Distinction Award in 2007. Ted has also been recognized for his excellence in education and industry partnerships by the Hamilton Industry Education Council and his research has been recognized through several awards.
Ted holds a Masters of Applied Science in Medical Ultrasound and a PhD in Diagnostic Imaging from Charles Sturt University of Australia
Norm Col, B.Comm, CA, CPA
Retired Partner with Deloitte LLP, with more than 30 years of professional experience, Norm Col provided tax compliance and planning for clients ranging from owner-manager to multinationals, specializing in providing inbound tax services for multinationals operating in Canada. Norm managed a team of tax professionals responsible for all Canadian tax compliance and planning for large Canadian corporations, including structuring international projects, acquisitions, divestitures, and managing the due diligence process for M&A activities, as well as structuring cross border activities with the parent company.
Norm is currently the Chair of Bay Area Health Trust, an organization that supports the healthcare industry in the Greater Hamilton area. He also served as the Chair of the Hamilton Health Sciences Board as well as other nonprofit Boards.
Pam Vermeersch
Pam Vermeersch is a lawyer in Gowling WLG’s Hamilton office, advising on all aspects of corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, restructuring, and franchising.
Pam’s practice focuses on the complete life-cycle of a company, from formation and organizational work through equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, complex business combinations and the drafting and negotiation of various commercial agreements. Pam understands the challenges of establishing and conducting business in Canada and credits her success to her unwavering commitment to prompt, personable service and her ability to be flexible to match the job at hand.
Nick Simonetta, CPA, CA
With more than fifteen years of experience in audit and advisory roles, Nick works with owner-managed businesses, not-for-profit organizations and subsidiaries of multi-national businesses. His industry experience includes not-for-profit, professional services, retail and distribution, as well as financial services. Nick began his career with a multi-national CPA firm and moved to SB Partners to help owner-managed businesses and not-for-profit organizations with accounting and assurance guidance. He then spent 10 years as the treasurer of the Canadian Air & Space Museum. Nick is also a part time practice inspector with Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. Outside of his professional career, Nick enjoys spending time with my family and baseball.
Kyle Watts, Corporate Controller & Director of Finance – Hamilton Health Sciences
As a lifelong athlete and avid cyclist, Kyle recognizes the importance of teamwork, commitment, and perseverance in achieving long-term goals. Driven by new experiences and opportunities to learn, Kyle is focused on breaking down systemic barriers to broader health inequality in the region and ensuring a sustainable healthcare system for generations to come. And as the Corporate Controller & Director of Finance for Hamilton Health Sciences, this is exactly what he is doing. Kyle’s a believer that leadership is about becoming a positive influence for all, that a good leader should always seek objective feedback to continually grow, and that croissants are best when made the old-fashioned way.
John Hawkrigg, Arthur J. Gallagher Canada Automotive President and
EVP Business Development
