Peter Singer, Chair
Chairman | Thomas, Large & Singer Inc.

Peter Singer is the Chairman of Thomas, Large and Singer Inc., a private family-owned food distributor and broker established in 1912.  Peter has been active in industry affairs chairing the Ontario and Canadian Food Brokers Associations as well as the Association of Sales and Marketing Companies in Washington D.C. and GS 1 Canada. He has held senior board roles with organizations involved in healthcare, the environment, community and religious institutions. Peter has been proud to have been awarded the food industry’s Golden Pencil award in 2008 and Life Member Designation of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers in 2012.

Ryan Bahadur, Vice Chair
Interim President and Vice President, Finance & IT | Keurig Dr Pepper, Canada

Ryan Bahadur is the Interim President and Vice President, Finance & IT at Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) Canada, a leading beverage company known for its portfolio of iconic hot and cold brands. He brings more than 20 years of experience in finance, operations, and leadership, overseeing the company’s financial strategy, technology, and business performance. Since joining KDP Canada in 2018, Ryan has been instrumental in strengthening the organization’s financial foundation, driving operational efficiency, and developing future leaders. Prior to KDP, he held senior roles at Kellogg Company, including Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance, Administration, and IT. Ryan holds a degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and completed the Harvard Executive Development Program. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP). 

Rosemary McCrie, Treasurer
Finance Consultant | McCrie & Mundy Professional Services

Rosemary has 30+ years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry at PepsiCo Foods Canada and currently delivering finance management consulting within the tech industry.  Along with being a board member of Food Banks Canada, she also acts as Director for PepsiCo Canada Foundation. Rosemary is experienced in governance, risk management, strategic change and integrated system implementation. She holds a Chartered Director designation from the Directors College, a joint venture of The Conference Board of Canada and McMaster University.

Barbara Gosse, Secretary
CEO | Trellis Canada

Barbara brings over 20 years experience in the charity sector creating innovative solutions addressing social justice issues. As Founding CEO of Trellis Canada, she operates a national consultancy addressing the protection of human rights and assists organizations to do the same. Previously, she was the Founding Chief Executive Officer of The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, where she provided national leadership and spearheaded the design, development and launch of the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline. Barbara has held leadership positions with the Canadian Women’s Foundation and Prosper Canada. She has presented evidence to federal and provincial legislative committees, and participated in national and international consultations respecting poverty, homelessness, disability rights, gender-based violence and human trafficking. Barbara is the recipient of the 2018 Ontario Premier’s Women Building Communities Award.

Ilya Bahar
Retired Partner | PWC

Until his retirement in 2018, Ilya managed PwC’s consulting practice for Consumer Markets in Canada, where he led strategic initiatives for leading clients in retail and consumer products. Prior to PwC, Ilya worked for ten years as a partner with IBM, where he held various executive positions in Canada and Brazil. He was also Managing Director with Premier Foods, Industrial Division, a company specialized in nutritional products for the institutional catering market in South Africa. Ilya has served on the Advisory Board of the Ryerson Retail Management School and advised the Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) and Retail Council of Canada (RCC) on numerous industry initiatives.

John Bayliss
CEO | Mastermind Toys Inc. 

John Bayliss is a seasoned C-suite executive with deep expertise in retail operations, strategic planning, and business transformation across Canada, the U.S., Australia, and Europe. Since 2018, he has been a member of the Board of Directors for Food Banks Canada, where he serves on Nomination Committee. John served as Board Chair from 2021-2023 and has also served as the Chair of the Governance Committee. Currently, John is the Chief Executive Officer of Mastermind Toys Inc., leading Canada’s largest specialty toy retailer. He drives the company’s strategic growth while championing purposeful play to inspire creativity and learning for families nationwide. Previously, John held various executive roles at Walmart Canada, including Chief Operations Officer, Chief Expansion Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer. During his tenure, he led initiatives that secured $10 billion in investment, modernizing the company’s store footprint and omni-channel supply chain. His impact earned him recognition as one of Canada’s Best Executives by The Globe and Mail in 2023. Prior to Walmart, John was a Partner and Managing Director at BCG, advising global retail and consumer goods clients for over 16 years. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an Honours degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business. He has also completed executive programs at MIT focused on innovation, strategy, and artificial intelligence. Beyond his corporate leadership, John has dedicated himself to community service having served on the board of the Luminato Arts Festival, and the advisory committee for the Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value. His contributions to Ivey Business School earned him the Ivey Distinguished Service Award in 2019. John also serves on the board of the CAA Club Group and CAA Insurance. 

Linda Beairsto
Partner, McCarthy Tétrault & President, MT>Align

Linda brings over 30 years of legal and business experience. She is a partner of McCarthy Tétrault and President of MT>Align, a wholly owned division of the firm. As President of MT>Align, Linda leads the firm’s innovative MT>Align division which has over 100 contract independent high-caliber lawyers across Canada. Prior to joining McCarthy, Linda was an executive member of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp’s C-Suite, where she was Chief General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer. Over the span of her career, Linda held executive management and senior legal leadership roles in various industries including power & utilities, pharmaceutical, healthcare, automotive parts, manufacturing, packaging, food, chemicals, commercial real estate and financial services. Linda holds the Chartered Director (C. Dir) designation from the Directors College, McMaster University. She is also a certified compliance & ethics professional (CEEP) granted by the Compliance Certification Board. Her experience spans a variety of Board leadership roles in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Linda earned her LL. B from the University of New Brunswick and her B.A. (Asian Area Studies) from the University of British Columbia. In 2017, Linda was the finalist for National Post and ZSA Recruitment awards in two categories: 2017 General Counsel of the Year and 2017 Deal Making of the Year.

Marjorie Bencz
Executive Director | Edmonton’s Food Bank

Marjorie Bencz began with Edmonton’s Food Bank in 1987 as a volunteer and in 1989, she became the Executive Director. Over the years, Marjorie’s work and dedication have resulted in her being recognized with several community awards such as an honorary diploma in Health and Community Studies from Grand MacEwan Community College and being named Global TV’s Woman of Vision. Marjorie was honoured nationally for her ongoing service to Canadians and invested in the Order of Canada in the category of Social Science in 2006. In May 2012, Marjorie was honoured with a YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, in the category of Community Service. Also in 2012, she received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In June 2015, Marjorie was inducted into the City of Edmonton Hall of Fame. Marjorie continues to believe that this recognition is not for her role, but for the collective support she receives from Edmontonians, Albertans and fellow Canadians in reducing hunger in our communities.

Tony Chow
President | Coke Canada Bottling

Tony Chow is the President of Coke Canada Bottling. He is a well-respected and seasoned food and beverage industry leader with over 25 years in consumer-packaged goods. He has extensive experience successfully leading businesses through transformation and into growth. Prior to Coke Canada, Tony was President of Kellanova Canada and a member of the Kellanova North American Leadership Team. While in these roles, Tony was responsible for successfully transforming Kellogg Canada into two new companies and spearheading Kellanova Canada’s new vision, culture, and strategic direction. From 2017-2019, Tony led the Kashi Company in the United States, during which time he successfully turned around the business. Prior to that, Tony held a number of successive sales, marketing, and leadership roles in Canada and the United States. Giving back is very important to Tony. He is passionate about helping eradicate hunger . In addition to being a board member of Food Banks Canada, he also leads Coke Canada’s Local Bottler community efforts including community partnerships and employee volunteerism initiatives.

Mary-Jo Hewat
Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Facilities | Sagen MI Canada

Mary-Jo Hewat brings over 25 years of human resources expertise and is currently the Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Facilities at Sagen. Prior to joining Sagen, Mary-Jo was the SVP, HR Business Partnerships at the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). She holds the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation and is a Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE). Along with being a member of the Food Banks Canada Board, she sits on the Advisory Council to the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Human Resource Management and Organizational Design Programs.

The Honourable Percy P. Mockler
Retired Canadian Senator | The Province of New Brunswick

The Honourable Percy Mockler served as a Senator for 15 years, representing the Province of New Brunswick. He was the Chair of both the National Finance Committee and the Agriculture and Forestry Committee. He was a member of many other Senate committees: Banking, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, and Official Languages. He led the Senate Study on Bee Health and Sustainable Food. He served six terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, and was Minister of several ministries, including Family and Community Services, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Solicitor General. In total, Percy Mockler has dedicated over 42 years to public service in Canada. Percy Mockler earned an MBA and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science by the University of Moncton.

Dany Hétu
Executive Director | Moisson Rive-Sud

Dany Hétu served in the Canadian Armed Forces as an Infantry Officer. He has worked at all levels, strategic, operational and tactical, both at home and abroad. He was deployed on several missions including in Afghanistan. After more than 32 years of service, he joined Moisson Rive-Sud. Among his professional activities, Mr. Hétu was an Administrator for the Caisse Desjardins des Militaires. He has a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Political Science from the University of Ottawa and is a Certified Corporate Director (ASC), having completed the University Certification Program in Corporate Governance of the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés de l’Université Laval.

June Muir
Chief Executive Officer | UHC – Hub of Opportunities

June Muir has worked in the food assistance and charitable sector since 2000 when she undertook a career change and joined the team at UHC – Hub of Opportunities. As Chief Executive Officer, she leads a high-performing, interdisciplinary team working to ensure that the Windsor-Essex community is made aware of the ongoing needs of low-income individuals and families. June is a passionate, dedicated individual and a strong voice who makes a difference in the quality of life for those facing unemployment and financial hardship. June has been and continues to be at the forefront of developing partnerships with community service providers in Windsor to ensure there’s a strong focus on rebuilding a stable future for UHC’s clients.

Daman Thable-Rayat
Corporate Secretary and Counsel | Infrastructure Ontario

Daman is a proud public servant and lawyer with a practice focused on ethics and governance. She currently serves as Corporate Secretary and Counsel for Infrastructure Ontario, an agency of the Ontario government. Previously, she was Director of Public Sector Ethics for the Office of the Integrity Commissioner (Ontario) where she led the office’s oversight activities for several mandates including conflicts of interest, whistleblowing and public sector expenses. Daman has served on and advised several non-profit and public sector boards. She received her B.Sc (Forensic Science, Biology and Chemistry) from the University of Toronto and her LL.B. from the University of Ottawa and most recently her ICD.D from the ICD-Rotman, Directors Education Program.

Simon Laroche
President | Kraft Heinz Canada

Simon Laroche is the President of Kraft Heinz Canada, one of the leading coffee producers in North America and the largest multinational manufacturer of food in Canada. With experience living and working on three continents, Simon has extensive cross-functional expertise in building engaging cultures and improving business results. Prior to his current role, Simon was the President of the 2500-person Kraft Heinz Australia, New Zealand, and Northeast Asia business, where he led a successful turnaround, significantly improving both profitability and growth while enhancing overall employee engagement. Before joining Kraft Heinz, Simon worked for 14 years at Labatt Breweries of Canada, where he held several senior leadership positions, including Vice President of Sales for the Canadian market. A father of two young girls, Simon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from HEC Montreal and serves on the Board of Directors of the Food, Health, and Consumer Product of Canada.

Vince Barletta
President and CEO | Harvest Manitoba

Vince Barletta is the President and CEO of Harvest Manitoba, where he leads the province’s largest charitable food distribution network. He brings a career rooted in public service and community development, with leadership experience spanning government, economic growth, and philanthropy. Before joining Harvest, Vince served in senior roles within both provincial and municipal governments, as Leader of the YES! Winnipeg initiative at Economic Development Winnipeg, and as President & CEO of the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. Across each role, he has built a reputation as a collaborative leader who listens and delivers meaningful results through strong partnerships. With more than a decade of commitment to advancing the public good, Vince combines a deep understanding of socio-economic inequality with practical experience in policy, advocacy, and organizational leadership. His expertise continues to guide Harvest Manitoba’s mission to ensure that no Manitoban goes hungry.