Courtesy: Swimming Canada
OTTAWA – Suzanne Paulins will proceed to steer Swimming Canada because the group’s high govt.
President Susan Owen made the announcement to workers and key companions Wednesday that Paulins will tackle the everlasting position of Chief Government Officer.
“We’re delighted to verify that Suzanne Paulins has been appointed as Chief Government Officer. Suzanne’s dedication and experience as a frontrunner, Degree 5 official and swim dad or mum will guarantee stewardship of Swimming Canada over the subsequent quad,” Owen stated. “I personally admire Suzanne’s professionalism and dedication to the workforce surroundings. Below Suzanne’s management, there is no such thing as a doubt that Swimming Canada’s future may be very vivid.”
Paulins had served as performing CEO since Could 2023, stepping in throughout Ahmed El-Awadi’s private depart. El-Awadi left the group in November 2024. Paulins joined the group as Senior Supervisor, Home Operations, in 2017 and progressed into the position of Operations and Sport Growth Director in 2021 earlier than taking the performing CEO reins. She now has a transparent mandate to steer the group’s pursuit of swimming excellence specified by the Strategic Plan 2021-2028, in addition to to develop the subsequent strategic plan.
“I admire the boldness the board has in me and the individuals I’ve had the chance to work with. For me it’s all concerning the individuals: the provincial organizations, the coaches, the athletes, workers, officers and volunteers all working collectively to attain excellence in any respect ranges of the group,” Paulins stated.
Paulins has been concerned with the game for greater than 45 years, as a grasp official, FINA Record referee and Technical Official on the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Video games. Previous to her time at Swimming Canada she spent 20 years with the Financial institution of Montreal, the place she held positions together with Monetary Providers Supervisor, Financial institution Supervisor, and Human Sources Strategic Initiatives Supervisor.
Throughout her time as performing CEO she has applied management capabilities and succession planning, and steered Swimming Canada by a profitable Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Video games. The group confronted many challenges, together with final 12 months’s relocation of the Olympic & Paralympic Swimming Trials, offered by Bell. With simply over a month to regulate to the closure of Montreal’s Olympic Pool attributable to fireplace harm, Paulins was proud that the choice to maneuver to Toronto Pan Am Sports activities Centre put the athletes first.
“The athletes have been searching for that change and we listened,” Paulins stated. “That want to attach with individuals and guarantee we take heed to all of the vital voices in our group has been a spotlight for positive. We’ve been doing this work collectively as a workforce for the final two years, now we’re going to construct on that and proceed to maneuver ahead.”
“I’m very blissful to have Suzanne on board as our full everlasting CEO for Swimming Canada,” stated three-time Olympian Javier Acevedo, co-chair of the Excessive Efficiency Athlete Advisory Council. “She’s been an important chief in our sport for a number of years, she communicates with athletes and at all times has athletes’ wants on the coronary heart of each dialog. It makes it simpler to carry out and excel as athletes and I’m positive coaches and officers will agree it’s nice to have a frontrunner who’s invested in our sport in any respect ranges.”
Paulins lives in Brantford, Ont., together with her husband Ray. The couple have three youngsters – Beth, 31, Alex, 29, and Sebastian, 26 – who’re all nonetheless concerned within the sport.
She started as a swimmer herself for the Trenton (Ont.) Dolphins after which started working as a summer time pupil at Swim Ontario. She joined the Brantford Aquatic Membership as a Meet Supervisor in 2001, when her youngsters began aggressive swimming, and she or he went on to grow to be membership president from 2007 to 2015. Throughout this time, Paulins was additionally a board member at Swim Ontario and led the event of the 2020 Swim Ontario Strategic Plan. In 2015, she was appointed Vice-President of Swim Ontario.
Paulins highlighted the numerous essential partnerships that will likely be key to Swimming Canada’s continued success.
“We’re grateful for the help of all our companions, from Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and Personal the Podium, to the athlete advisory council, the Canadian Swimming Coaches Affiliation, the provincial sections and our company sponsors,” Paulins stated. “To me it retains coming again to the individuals, out and in of the water.”
