Appointee Biographies

GRANT WALSH

Grant B. Walsh is a Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and corporate director. He currently serves as Chair of the Ontario Pension Plan (OPB), Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB), Co-Chair of WISE Trust, and Director of Square Canada, Square Technologies, among others. OPB is a Public Sector Pension Plan with 100,000 active or retired members. The plan is sponsored by the Government of Ontario. The plan has $40 billion investment assets. WSIB is a Province of Ontario Crown Corporation. It has $40 billion investment assets; $6 billion in annual revenue, 330,000 employer members, 5.6 million insured employees, and employs 4,800 people. WISE Trust is a Joint Sponsor Pension Plan with 10,000 members and $4.7 billion investment assets. Walsh was formerly the Chairman of Canada Lands Company Limited, a Government of Canada Crown Corporation, with real estate properties across Canada and tourism properties including the CN Tower; Downsview Park; the Old Port of Montreal; and the Montreal Science Centre. Walsh was President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Peter’s Health System and Vice President of Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON. Previously, as Executive Vice President of The ServiceMaster Company, Chicago, IL, Mr. Walsh was accountable for $550 million in revenue (US in 1998), 30,000 employees, and 10,000 facilities in 44 states and across Canada. As Principal of EC Murphy Walsh, Inc. (now Walsh Leadership Inc.), Walsh performed Operational Reviews of hospitals and hospital systems in Canada and the United States. Mr. Walsh has a Master of Business Administration in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts. He holds a designation as a Chartered Director from McMaster University and the Conference Board of Canada. He previously served as Executive-in-Residence at McMaster and Adjunct Professor.

JEFFREY MACOUN

Jeff Macoun is a passionate community leader and a trusted, collaborative business advisor. He views each day as an opportunity to connect, be curious, learn from others and give back. Whether he's lending a hand or an ear to listen, Jeff is driven by strengthening relationships, businesses and communities. He thrives on supporting his hometown of London, Ontario and nurturing business connections across Canada and the globe. Jeff's curious, strategic and philanthropic nature has been a magnet for getting involved in new business ventures or causes dear to him. He's an active member of many community boards, including the Co-Chair of the Community Fundraising Team for Health & Homelessness Movement (Fund for Change), and has recently launched his own consulting business JMacoun Consulting Inc. Jeff has received several distinguished recognitions for his philanthropic commitments, including a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and a Governor General's Caring Canadian Award. He was also inducted into the London and District Business Hall of Fame in 2019. For over 40 years, Jeff's vibrant career at Canada Life made a difference in so many lives. While he was President and Chief Operating Officer, Canada, Jeff led over 11,000 employees across the country. His unwavering focus was to help improve the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians – helping them get the advice and support they need throughout their lives with a wide range of insurance and wealth management solutions for individuals, families and business owners.

COLLEEN WARD

Colleen Ward has built a track record as an executive leader for global, American, and Canadian financial services institutions for over 20 years. Ms. Ward has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to leading impactful enterprise results, strategic planning and operational excellence. She leads high-performing executives, teams, while coaching and mentoring a pipeline of future executives. As a sought-after keynote speaker, she has delivered powerful and personal insights at prestigious universities, corporations and community events. Her accomplishments have been recognized with her 2023 Harry Jerome Award, and CILAR 2022 Aspiring Innovator of the Year Award. Her dedication to development is evidenced by her roles with The Firehood, Black Professionals in Tech Network, and Women in Technology.

PETER GEORGE

Mr. George is a serial entrepreneur particularly adept at business development and capital acquisition. He was the co-founder and shareholder of an artificial intelligence powered quantitative asset manager. Before launching the asset manager, Mr. George was one of Ontario’s most successful developers and aggregators of small solar arrays deployed under Ontario’s Micro-Fit solar incentive program. Mr. George was an entrepreneur before he earned his B.A. in economics and political science at the University of Windsor. Mr. George completed the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management and serves on the board of directors of The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. There, he chaired the investment committee and is now a member of its audit and finance committee. Mr. George comes from a civically active family and remains involved in provincial and federal politics.

SEAN MCFARLING

Sean McFarling serves as General Counsel to the Labourers’ International Union of North America, Ontario Provincial District Council (OPDC) and LiUNA’s Central and Eastern Canada Organizing Fund (CECOF). His practice focuses on providing strategic advice and overseeing the OPDC’s legal affairs across Ontario and CECOF’s legal matters across Central and Eastern Canada. Sean has dedicated his career to representing the hard-working men and women of Ontario. Sean serves on the Board of Directors of Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), and he is the Chair of the WSIB Service Excellence Committee and a member of the Governance Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre. In addition, Sean is on the Board of Directors for Feed Ontario which serves as an umbrella organization for food banks and hunger relief agencies across Ontario.

JAMES HOGARTH

James E. Hogarth serves as President of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario (PBCTCO), a position that he has held for the past 10 years. In that role, he leads an organization representing over 150,000 workers across every construction trade. As a committed labour leader, Mr. Hogarth is passionate about improving the health and safety of all workers in the province of Ontario. After successfully completing his apprenticeship with UA local 46 in Toronto, James became a Certified Steamfitter in 1984. Over the last 25 years, he has served as Business Manager of UA local 46 as well as Business Manager of the Ontario Pipe Trades Council (OPTC). He also served as an Employee Bargaining Agent representing the Piping Trades. Mr. Hogarth currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) and was recently appointed to the position of National Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats Canada. By serving on the Board of Directors of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Mr. Hogarth is honoured to apply his skills and knowledge towards the advancement of workers, particularly that of injured workers. Mr. Hogarth has also received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

HELEN POLATAJKO

Helen Polatajko has over 35 years of executive experience in both the private and the public sectors, in Canada and the United States. As a CIO, she was responsible for the overall strategic direction, organizational and digital transformation, and management of information technology functions while being a contributing member of company executive committees at CMHC, CIBC Mellon and BNY Mellon. Helen has over 15 years experience serving as Chair and member on Risk, Finance, HR, Audit and Governance Committees on the boards of CDSPI, York University, The Salvation Army, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the IESO. Helen was featured on the cover of CIO Canada magazine for an article titled “Fusing Business and Technology” and has served on the judging panel of the Canadian Information Productivity Awards. Helen also served on the Canadian Advisory Board of the CIO Executive Council, and the Advisory Committee of the Conference Board of Canada, Council of CIOs. Helen has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Computing, acknowledging her achievements and contributions to information services and technology. Helen received her education from The University of Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, attaining a bachelor’s in science in Mathematics and Psychology degree, and graduated from The Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware. Helen has also received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

REAGAN RUSLIM

Since January 2020, Reagan Ruslim has held senior legal and executive roles across Canada’s public and broader public sectors, combining expertise in law, finance, human resources, and governance. He currently serves as Senior Legal HR Counsel and Acting Associate Vice-President & Chief Human Resources Officer at Sheridan College, where he leads the Human Resources function for over 4,000 employees. Reagan provides trusted legal, strategic, and governance advice to senior executives and the Board of Governors on labour, employment, and compliance matters. He has overseen complex organizational restructuring, led grievance and arbitration strategies, and authored Sheridan’s first Strike Preparation Playbook to guide legal, operational, and financial readiness during potential labour disruptions. Previously, Reagan served as Senior Manager of Talent Management at the Region of Peel, directing a team of 30 professionals across Talent Acquisition, Labour Relations, and Employee Relations. In this role, he acted as Chief Negotiator for 14 collective agreements (CUPE, OPSEU, ONA, and others), securing stable labour outcomes while advancing diversity and compliance across a workforce of 9,000 employees. From 2020 to 2023, Reagan was Senior Legal Counsel (HR, Pensions & Benefits) at Hydro One Networks Inc., where he provided legal and strategic advice on employment, pensions, and human rights matters. He represented Hydro One before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Labour Relations Board, achieving favourable outcomes in over 70% of matters, and led initiatives that reduced case resolution times and legal expenditures by 70%. He also modernized policy frameworks to improve compliance with the Employment Standards Act, mitigating significant financial exposure. Earlier in his career, Reagan practiced law in private practice for more than a decade at Grosman Law Group and Dunsmore Law, where he co-counselled the landmark Supreme Court of Canada case Wilson v. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (2016 SCC 29), which reshaped Canadian labour law. His scholarly article, “Unjust Dismissal Under the Canada Labour Code: New Law, Old Statute,” was cited by the Supreme Court in its decision. Reagan also practiced tax litigation at Moodys LLP, where he successfully reduced client liabilities and influenced regulatory reform. Beyond his professional roles, Reagan serves as Chair of the Audit & Finance Committee and Board Director for both the WISE Trust Jointly Sponsored Pension Plan (overseeing $4 billion in assets) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) (with over $40 billion in assets under management). He contributes leadership in investment policy, fiduciary oversight, and audit governance, with a focus on transparency, intergenerational equity, and risk management. A dual-qualified lawyer and chartered accountant, Reagan holds a BBA (Wilfrid Laurier University), LL.B (Western University), and two LL.M degrees in Labour & Employment Law and Taxation Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Certified Public Accountant (New Hampshire, USA), Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), and Pension Plan Administrator Certificate (PPAC) holder. In 2024, he earned the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Reagan is widely regarded for his interdisciplinary approach to governance, combining legal precision, financial literacy, and human capital insight. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to ethical governance, sound fiscal stewardship, and building psychologically safe, high-performing workplaces.

JEFFERY LANG

Jeffery Lang is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, having previously served for three years on its Board of Directors. Before stepping in to run the organization Jeff was a successful businessman, having started and run several companies with customers around the world. Jeff is dedicated to his London community and has held many leadership roles in organizations, including Vice President of Ronald McDonald House Charities; President of Boys & Girls Club of London; Board Chair, Alzheimer Foundation of London; Board Member of Pathways Skills Development; and Board Member of the London Food Bank. Jeff was recently re-elected to the London Police Service Board, having previously served as a member from 2019 to 2021. Since Jeff has taken over the leadership of the WSIB, the organization has achieved some of its best results with more people returning to work, better customer experience, expanded local access to health care services, and the only surplus distributions in the entire 110-year history of the organization – all while bringing the average premium rate to the lowest it’s been in over 50 years. Jeff has also been a driving force behind the WSIB’s expansion in London, almost doubling its local workforce and opening a new head office location.