(Ottawa, Ont.) Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) is pleased to welcome two new members to its Board of Directors who will contribute to the organization’s pursuit of excellence on and off the court. The newly elected directors are Edward Byers, of Toronto, Ont., and Thomas Soulliere of Victoria, B.C.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ed and Thomas to our Board of Directors and to the broader Canadian wheelchair basketball family,” said WBC President Steve Bach. “Ed and Thomas are both demonstrated leaders and calculated thinkers with vast experience in business development and strategic change management who share our core values of excellence, leadership, integrity, inclusion and passion.
“Their insight will prove invaluable as we embark on the path to developing a new strategic plan in the coming year, and ultimately contribute to the evolution of the organization as we move closer to our vision of being the world leader in wheelchair basketball.”
Byers is currently the Director of Membership and Business Development at the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE). His expertise includes strategic planning, partnership development and revenue generation. His teams have raised more than $2 million for organizations in the non-profit sector.
Alongside his business acumen, Byers possesses a deep understanding of sport and major games operations with previous experience within the sport sector at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Special Olympics Ontario.
“I am very proud and excited to join such a fantastic organization,” said Byers. “I look forward to building upon the accomplishments at Wheelchair Basketball Canada to help achieve even greater success in 2020 and beyond.”
Soulliere oversees community services, including sport and wellness activities, along with the management of all city buildings and parks, in his current role as the Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities at the City of Victoria. He is adept at financial management, organizational development, stakeholder relations and communications.
Soulliere has served as a municipal government representative on the bid committees for the 2020 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifier, the 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He was also the Director of Recreation for the City of Vancouver between 2010 and 2015.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve the athletes, staff and supporters of Wheelchair Basketball Canada,” said Soulliere. “I look forward to helping the organization to further build upon the strong legacy that has been developed over many years.”
“As we welcome Ed and Thomas into the fold, we also express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to outgoing board members Christina Jones, Trevor Kerr and Donald Royer,” said Bach. “Christina, Trevor and Donald are tireless advocates for the game who have dedicated years of distinguished service to WBC and we thank them for their immeasurable contributions to the Canadian wheelchair basketball community.”
Byers and Soulliere join the board alongside Bach, fellow director Kathy Newman and athlete representative Brandon Wagner.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada (WBC) is the national sport governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last seven Paralympic Games.