By Mike Palamarek, Board of Directors Chair (mike.palamarek@skipatrol.ca)

We would like to welcome Jeff Beck from Central Zone and David Peer from Wabanaki Zone who will join me, Mike Palamarek, from Edmonton Zone, as your new CSP national directors.

After an open call for nominations earlier this year, we were the three candidates that put our nominations forward and thus filled the three open positions at the September 14, 2025, CSP annual general meeting.

We have been appointed for three-year terms and join existing directors, Anick Vaillancourt and Jennifer Delaney in their third year; and Sam Morcos and Amy Scullion in their second year on the board.

The new board met after the AGM to select the officers of the board. It was decided that Jennifer Delaney would continue as vice-chair and Anick Vaillancourt as corporate secretary. I thank Sam Morcos for his time as chair and for chairing the AGM. I have now accepted the role as the new chair of the board.

The composition of the board, effective September 14, 2025, is:

  • Mike Palamarek – national director and chair of the board
  • Jeniffer Delaney – national director and vice-chair
  • Anick Vaillancourt – national director and corporate secretary
  • Sam Morcos – national director
  • Amy Scullion – national director
  • Jeff Beck – national director
  • David Peer – national director

The AGM also saw two directors ending their terms, Stéphane Niles and Don Silverman.

The board, and all the CSP, thanks Stéphane for his two terms on the board and his years as our national chair. His steady guidance, good nature and humour saw our organization through the beginning of the modernization era, stabilization of finances, leadership transitions and restructuring of the national organization.

Don Silverman also deserves many thanks as a key member of the Financial Oversight Committee. Don lent his years of corporate expertise to the CSP during his two terms on the board and the CSP benefited greatly.

Thank you, Stéphane and Don, I’m sure you will both enjoy your quieter CSP patrolling careers from this point on, and you will be missed.

As there were no AGM director elections this year, some members may have missed the townhall meeting where we were introduced. Our bios are:

Finally, there were no member proposals presented at this year’s AGM and the financials were presented and accepted. We wish to thank Pam FitzGerald (national life member, Financial Oversight Committee [FOC] chair) and Anne Haley-Callaghan (national life member, former national board chair) for their dedication and hard work on the FOC. They are stepping down after their six-year terms.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 Townhall and AGM and those who worked tirelessly to ensure their success.

I wish to personally congratulate all our CSP National Award recipients that were announced at the AGM. Being awarded a LM, CSP, NAA or Years of Service award is a significant accomplishment. Congratulations on this recognition of your service.

On behalf of the national board of directors, we appreciate your dedication and passion for the Canadian Ski Patrol, good luck in your recerts, and have a great patrol season.

Message from your new board of directors chair

This post is also available in: French