Banff Centre For Arts and Creativity Appoints Robert Sartor and Leslie Belzberg To Board Of Governors and David Gagnon to Foundation Board of Directors

Banff Centre has announced the appointment of three members to the Board of Governors and Foundation Board of Directors. Robert (Bob) Sartor was appointed to the Board of Governors by the Province of Alberta on September 16, 2022, with Leslie Belzberg being appointed by the Board on October 1, 2022. David Gagnon was appointed to the Foundation Board of Directors on November 25, 2022.

Adam Waterous, Chair of Banff Centre's Board of Governors, welcomes Bob, Leslie, and David to their new roles. "Each of these appointees brings tremendous knowledge and experience to the Boards of Banff Centre. From the perspective of global partnership, media production, organizational management, financial management, and philanthropy, we could not ask for a stronger contingent to join Banff Centre's Governance Boards. I am confident these three leaders will be able to help the current Board of Governors and Foundations Directors in implementing our strategic plan, Creative Pathways, to create, connect, grow, partner, and engage within the arts community."

Bob Sartor has a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia and obtained his C.A. designation while articling with Coopers & Lybrand before moving to Vancouver with the firm. Bob was then recruited to Kraft Canada and returned to Montreal where he was first the Manager of Capital Investment Analysis, then Assistant Controller, and ultimately, Treasurer. A move to Halifax to act as CFO of a food wholesaler/retailer began a career that saw Bob and his family move to Toronto (Oshawa Foods) and Calgary (The Forzani Group). At The Forzani Group, Bob joined as the CFO and became President before becoming CEO in 2004. In early 2012, after a brief flirtation with retirement, he joined Big Rock Brewery in Calgary as President & CEO. Bob is currently the President & CEO of The Calgary Airport Authority.

Bob shares that he is "honoured to have been selected as a governor of the Banff Centre. It is a world-class organization that is poised to embrace the outstanding opportunities that await as it pursues a new chapter in its' storied history."

Over the past 30 years, Leslie Belzberg has overseen television, film, and animation for prominent Hollywood Studios including Imagine Entertainment, Gaumont Productions USA, Miramax, and Endemol-Shine North America. Before moving into high-level executive roles at major studios, Leslie was an independent producer, and Executive Producer, well known for her production of two Academy Award Winning films, and collaboration with director John Landis. Together, they co-created St. Clare Entertainment, a TV production company. Leslie earned her MBA from Fordham University in New York and a BA in English Literature and Contemporary Drama from York University in Toronto.

"Banff Centre is near and dear to my heart, and a place that my family has believed in and supported for many decades," says Leslie. "I am excited to join the Board of Directors to share in the leadership, guidance, and vision toward cultivating the artistic growth and cultural experiences that the Centre provides."

David Gagnon joined Power Sustainable in 2019 as Head of Business Development and Partnerships to oversee and develop long-term client partnerships. He brings extensive international experience from prior positions as Managing Partner of Vela Investors, a Singapore-based advisory firm, and as a Managing Director at BlackRock where he led the Product Development and Transition Management businesses in Asia Pacific, structuring asset reallocations and implementing new investment strategies for institutional clients. David holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from McGill University.

"I am delighted to join the Board of the Foundation," says David. "Banff Centre nurtures artists who in turn express our shared humanity through their art and strengthen the fabric of our society in Canada and abroad. The Foundation helps accelerate this important work and I am excited to contribute to this world-renowned institution."

"I want to extend a warm welcome to these new Members," says CEO and President, Janice Price. "Bob, Leslie and David will no doubt bring added insight to further Banff Centre's mission of bringing artists, leaders, and communities together to create, collaborate, share, envision, learn, and be inspired. I would also like to thank the current Board Governors and Foundation Directors for their ongoing support and leadership. Your expertise and passion for Banff Centre is invaluable, and very much appreciated."