The Health Sciences North (HSN) and HSN Research Institute (HSNRI) Board of Directors announced today that Dominic Giroux, the President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University, will be the new President and Chief Executive Officer of HSN and HSNRI effective October 2, 2017.
Located in Greater Sudbury, HSN ranks among Ontario’s largest academic health sciences centres and among Canada’s top 40 research hospitals with a $450 million budget and over 4,200 employees and physicians. It is affiliated with Laurentian University and its Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM).
President Giroux was the unanimous choice of the HSN and HSNRI selection committee.
“Today marks an exciting new path for HSN and HSNRI,” said Nicole Everest, Chair of the HSN and HSNRI Boards of Directors. “With Greater Sudbury positioning itself as a hub of health excellence, we were seeking a CEO with a proven track record of delivering results, along with experience in an academic environment to advance our teaching and research missions. We feel we have found that and much more in Dominic, and we’re excited about the opportunity to bring HSN, HSNRI and northern Ontario to the next level."
Giroux was one of four members of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services, which made in 2012 over 100 health-related recommendations. He chaired the board of NOSM and co-chaired the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS).
Dominic Giroux’s last day in the President’s Office at Laurentian will be August 18th. Laurentian’s Board of Governors has appointed the Vice-President, Academic and Provost, Dr. Pierre Zundel, as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor effective August 21st until June 30, 2019. A presidential search will not be initiated before Summer 2018. The next President and Vice-Chancellor is expected to be appointed in December 2018.
“I am thrilled that Dominic and his wife, Barbara, have made the choice to remain in Greater Sudbury. Both are important members of this community," commented Jennifer Witty, Chair of the Laurentian Board of Governors. "Dominic will do an exceptional job leading HSN and HSNRI, as he has done with Laurentian. These are anchor institutions that have a tremendous impact for northern Ontario as a whole."
Under Giroux’s leadership since April 2009, Laurentian initiated the construction of five new buildings and major renovations totalling $206 million, secured $80 million in private gifts and $64 million in government infrastructure investments. Enrolment reached record levels while increasing the average entry grade. National Tri-Council research funding more than doubled, as did the number of Indigenous faculty. Laurentian now ranks among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities on Maclean’s rankings.
Reflecting on his tenure at Laurentian, Giroux, the university’s tenth and longest serving President, said, “I love and will always be passionate about Laurentian. We have so much to be proud of, and so much to be excited about as we look out into the future with an outstanding team in place. It has been a privilege to lead our university community and work with exceptional and committed colleagues, students, Governors, alumni, donors and partners.”
With respect to his new HSN and HSNRI opportunity, Giroux added, “This was the most difficult decision I have ever made -- leaving an organization I love, for two others that I know I will as well. Ultimately, the opportunity for our family to remain in Greater Sudbury, serving our community, taking on new exciting challenges leading two great organizations with already high quality teams in place during a transformational time for health care, was too great for me to pass up.”
Dr. Chris Bourdon, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Medical and Academic Affairs at HSN, was a member of the CEO selection committee. He says this is great news for the employees and physicians at HSN and HSNRI and, most importantly, the people they serve.
“Dominic has an outstanding ability to bring people together towards a common purpose, articulating and championing strategy”, says Dr. Bourdon, “He knows how to develop strong relationships with external partners. These skills will be instrumental as our health care system undergoes transformative changes. I look forward to working with him."
With today’s announcement, Nicole Everest recognized the contributions of Dr. Denis Roy, who announced last fall his plans to retire. “In many ways, we consider Dr. Roy to be the founder of HSN and HSNRI. Dr. Roy helped create a globally recognized academic health sciences centre. He has instilled a culture of innovation, learning and patient-centred care that we will build upon.” Dr. Roy will leave his roles at HSN and HSNRI at the end of June.
Joe Pilon, HSN’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed as Interim CEO of HSN for three months effective July 1st. Dr. Janet McElhaney, Vice President, Research and Scientific Director at HSNRI, will serve as Interim CEO of HSNRI during that same period.
“I’m excited to start meeting the talented people who make HSN and HSNRI top organizations. They are the health experts and I look forward to working with them, along with the North East Local Health Integration Network and health partners, to advance patient care, teach our future health professionals and enhance health research”, concluded Dominic Giroux.
Media Contacts
- HSN and HSNRI: Viviane Lapointe, (705) 523-7100 ext. 3540, vlapointe@hsnsudbury.ca
- Laurentian: Joanne Musico, (705) 675-1151 ext. 3445, jmusico@laurentian.ca
Health Sciences North is improving the health of northerners by working with our partners to advance quality care, education, research and health promotion. HSN is grateful for the ongoing support of the community through the HSN Foundation, the Northern Cancer Foundation, the NEO Kids Foundation and the HSN Volunteer Association.
The Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI) is focused on contributing to sustainable solutions for health challenges faced by Ontario's Northern and Indigenous communities. Our research priority areas - Infection & Immunity, Cancer Solutions, Personalized Medicine and Healthy Aging - are wrapped around a population health focus to achieve health equity for Ontario's Northern and Indigenous communities.
Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates. With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics and rural and northern children’s health. Laurentian University has secured over $100 million in research income in the past five years.
About Dominic Giroux
Dominic Giroux has 19 years of senior executive experience in two Ontario school boards, as Assistant Deputy Minister in two Ontario ministries and as President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University. He received in 2011 one of Canada's "Top 40 Under 40" Awards.
Mr. Giroux holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Policy and Management and Political Science, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa, as well as an MBA from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) in Montreal. He is a member in good standing of the Ontario College of Teachers.
Giroux was one of four members of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services, which made in 2012 over 100 health-related recommendations. He chaired the board of NOSM and co-chaired the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS).
Mr. Giroux currently serves as Vice Chair of Universities Canada and had been elected by his peers from Canada’s 97 universities to serve as Chair from October 2017 to October 2019. He serves also on the Executive Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities, on Ontario’s Economic Advisory Panel, the Mowat Centre’s Advisory Board and the boards of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) and of the Greater Sudbury Food Bank.
He was co-special advisor on the implementation of the Northern Policy Institute and was appointed to the province's Ring of Fire Advisory Council, Hydro One’s Customer Service Advisory Panel, the Globe and Mail’s Advisory Board on Higher Education and to the Bank of Canada Advisory Council.
He co-chaired the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), chaired the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) and the Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française de la région d’Ottawa-Carleton, and served as vice-chair of the Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne (AUFC) and of the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario (ACFO) d’Ottawa. He also served on the boards of the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC), the Canadian Education Association (CEA), the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and Montfort Hospital.
The University of Ottawa gave him the “Leadership in Education Award” in 2007, while HEC gave him a “Talented Young Manager” Award in the large business category in 2008. He was named the 2010 Education Personality of the Year by Radio-Canada/Le Droit. He received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club of Sudbury, a Community Builders Award of Excellence in Sudbury, and was awarded the “Prix du Pilier de la francophonie 2016” by the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario. He was named by the French government in 2017 as “Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques de la République française” for his contribution to the influence of the French language in Canada.
About Health Sciences North (HSN) and Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI)
- With a $450 million budget, 3,900 employees, 280 physicians, and 600 volunteers, affiliated with Laurentian University and its Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), HSN ranks among Ontario’s largest academic health science centres and among Canada’s top 40 research hospitals.
- With 458 beds, it is Northern Ontario’s largest hospital.
- Governed by its own board of directors, HSNRI is the affiliated research institute of HSN. Its purpose is to contribute to sustainable solutions for health challenges faced by the people and communities of Northeastern Ontario.
- HSNRI received Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospital awards and has generated over $21 million in research funding, created 75 full-time equivalent positions, and successfully raised $15 million in funding for the new Walford research facility.
- HSNRI has already proven to be an appealing destination to conduct innovative research with the attraction of world-renowned research chairs in Healthy Aging, Personalized Medicine, Cancer Solutions, and Northern and Indigenous Health, all of which are leading research programs tailored to the health priorities of the region wrapped around a population health focus to achieve health equity for Ontario’s Northern and Indigenous communities.
About Laurentian University
- Laurentian University’s purpose is to offer an outstanding university experience, in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education, that prepares students as agents of change by stimulating them to ask new questions, to challenge what we know, and so empower them to create innovative solutions for future local and global issues.
- Dominic Giroux's last day in the President’s Office at Laurentian will be August 18, 2017.
- Laurentian’s Board of Governors has appointed Dr. Pierre Zundel as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor effective August 21st until June 30, 2019.
- A presidential search will not be initiated before Summer 2018. The next President and Vice-Chancellor is expected to be appointed in December 2018.
- Under President Giroux’s leadership since April 2009, Laurentian completed or initiated the construction of five new buildings and major renovations totalling $206 million, secured $80 million in private gifts and $64 million in federal and provincial infrastructure investments. Despite declining demographics, enrolment rose by 1,000 students reaching a record level exceeding 9,600 students, while increasing the average entry grade from 79.2% to 82.4%. International enrolment doubled, enrolment in French-language programs outside the Faculty of Education rose by 25%, while graduate enrolment rose by 24%. National Tri-Council research funding more than doubled, so did the number of Indigenous faculty. Laurentian now ranks among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities on Maclean’s rankings, up from #18 in 2009. The annual budget is on track to be balanced for a seventh consecutive year.
- The charter class of the McEwen School of Architecture will graduate in June, completion of the 2014-2017 Campus Modernization is weeks away and faculty hires are near completion for the $104 million Metal Earth project under the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) at the award-winning Harquail School of Earth Sciences. Laurentian has a brilliant future ahead as it completes the development of its 2018-2023 Strategic Plan, the construction of the $30 million Cliff Fielding Research, Innovation and Engineering Building in 2018 and of the $10 million Students’ General Association Student Centre in 2019.
- With a $170 million budget, its 2,000 employees including 385 full-time faculty and 403 full-time staff serve 9,600 students.
- Laurentian ranks #1 in Canada in national research funding in economic geology and #1 in Ontario and among Canada’s top 5 universities in mining and mineral processing research funding.
- Among Ontario universities, it boasts the highest post-graduation employment rates, the second highest average post-graduation earnings, and the second highest proportion of Francophone and Indigenous students.