The OHF welcomes new Chair and two new Board Members

CAMBRIDGE, ON (July 4, 2022) –  The Ontario Hockey Federation is proud to announce that long-time OHF Director John Kastner has been elected as Chair of the Board and will be joined by two new Board Members in Gayle Payette and Stacy McLean.

John Kastner becomes Chair of the Board after Tony Foresi retires following seven years of service as President/Chair of the Board of the Ontario Hockey Federation. Kastner was re-elected to the OHF Board for a 2-year term in 2021 before officially becoming Chair. He is the current GM of the Stratford Perth Museum and has previously worked as Managing Editor of the Stratford Beacon Herald newspaper. John is also former hockey and baseball coach and has served as President of the Stratford Rotary Minor Hockey as well as on the Ontario Hockey Association board. He has been honoured in his community as the Sportsperson of the Year and Business Person of the Year in Stratford. John has served on the OHF Board since 2014.

Joining John this year as a new OHF Board member is Gayle Payette who is a member of M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. Gayle is the first-ever Indigenous person to join the OHF Board. Payette is currently a Grade 2 teacher at the Wiikwemkoong Junior School and she has been involved in hockey since becoming secretary of the Manitoulin Minor Hockey Association in 1994. She most recently served as District 7 Counsel Member for the Northern Ontario Hockey Association Board, as well as a Second Vice-President for the NOHA Board for 2 years.

As well, the OHF welcomes Stacy McLean, Partner and member of the Executive Committee of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, one of Canada’s leading law firms. McLean’s legal practice focuses on corporate governance, board duties and responsibilities, investment funds, compliance and capital markets transactions. She has a wealth of experience as an active board member of several corporate and community organizations and is currently Chair of the Governance Committee and Board Member of Ronald McDonald House Canada as well as a Board Member of The Stop Community Food Centre.

"The OHF is delighted to welcome Gayle Payette and Stacy McLean to the OHF Board,” said Executive Director, Philip McKee.

“Both Gayle and Stacy bring enormous experience and knowledge to our Board from their respective areas. Having Gayle and Stacy join the OHF Board means our organization will have a unique and crucial perspective that can help challenge the status quo as we continue to explore important areas of hockey."

The OHF is delighted to welcome our new Board Members and Chair to our team.

OHF Board:

• John Kastner (Chair)
• Susan Irving
• Julie Stevens
• Hugh Riddle
• Jeff Turner
• Kevin Burkett
• Rob Campbell
• Gayle Payette
• Stacy McLean

ABOUT THE OHF

The Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) is the Provincial Sport Organization for the sport of Hockey and is the largest member of Hockey Canada operating alongside Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO) as governing bodies for amateur hockey in Ontario. The OHF operates within a structure that is comprised of seven member partners: Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario (ALLIANCE), Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA), Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA). Each operating under specific programs to their area or jurisdiction, following Hockey Canada and OHF Regulations, Rules and Policies.