(Southwestern Ontario) May 2, 2023 – SWIFT is pleased to announce that following its 2023 Annual General Meeting, Gary McNamara Essex County Councillor and Mayor of Tecumseh has been reappointed as Chair of the Board of Directors for a third consecutive term, effective April 29, 2023.
As Chair, McNamara will continue to lead the Board in supporting SWIFT’s goal of expanding high-speed internet service to over 64,000 homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario.
“I am honored to continue to serve as Chair of SWIFT’s Board of Directors,” said McNamara. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with my fellow Board members and SWIFT’s staff to enhance connectivity throughout Southwestern Ontario to better support social and economic growth in our rural and underserved communities.”
In addition, SWIFT also welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors, including:
- Andy Lennox, Wellington County Councillor
- Basil Clarke, Simcoe County Councillor
- Brian Milne, Grey County Councillor
- Cathy Burghardt-Jessen, Warden Middlesex
- Dominique Giguére, Elgin County Councillor
- Jim Ginn, Huron County Councillor
- Nick de Boer, Town of Caledon Councillor
At the same time, SWIFT would like to express its sincere gratitude to outgoing Board members, Allan Thompson, George Bridge, George Cornell, Joanne Vanderheyden, Roger Watt and Selwyn (Buck) Hicks, for their contribution and commitment to the program and to the expansion of high-speed internet service in Southwestern Ontario. Their dedication and leadership have been instrumental in advancing SWIFT’s mission.
“We are pleased to welcome our new directors to the SWIFT Board and look forward to their valuable insights and contributions, as we continue to work together to build on our program’s ongoing efforts to expand broadband service across Southwestern Ontario,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the outgoing Board members for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the SWIFT program. Their leadership and unwavering commitment have been instrumental in driving our project’s success, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
To learn more about SWIFT, please visit: www.swiftruralbroadband.ca
About SWIFT
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is a non-profit regional broadband project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to subsidize the construction of high-speed broadband networks across Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.
The project was approved for funding up to $127.4 million under the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund (NBCF-SCF), a joint federal and provincial infrastructure funding program, and leverages additional funding from municipal partners and private sector investors to bring improve access to broadband services across the region.
Media Contact:
Melissa O’Brien
[email protected]
Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology
226.256.1640
