TORONTO, ON – On July 8, the Greater Toronto Hockey League held its Annual Meeting of Members, concluding with the election of the GTHL Board of Directors. 

The GTHL and its Members welcome newly elected Kevin Eshkawkogan and Christine Miles to the Board, both beginning three-year terms alongside Michael Purdy, Karl Subban, and Kathie Wood who all return for three-year terms.  

A hockey dad with experience having kids play in the GTHL, Kevin Eshkawkogan is the founder and President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Ontario (ITO), an elected council member of M’Chigeeng First Nation, along with bringing a wide range of experience from several other Boards and committees. With the ITO, Eshkawkogan spearheads the growth of Indigenous tourism in Ontario and the improvements of socioeconomic conditions of Indigenous people within the province.  

Christine Miles, a head coach in the GTHL with the Ted Reeve Hockey Association for 16 seasons, is professionally a brand and partnership marketing leader. Miles is currently the Director of Sponsorships for the Institute of Corporate Directors after having spent 16 years with Scotiabank, working with partners such as Hockey Canada, the seven Canadian NHL teams, Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, among others. Miles is a former varsity hockey player, having won the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships with the University of Guelph, and has vast experience in ball hockey, including as a Board of Director with Withrow Park Ball Hockey.  

A Director since 2018, Michael Purdy enters a new three-year term with the GTHL Board. Purdy is a former GTHL hockey parent, long-serving coach, Series Chair, and OHF Championship Governor. On the GTHL Board, Purdy is the Chair of the Cost Reduction Task Team, continuing to look for innovative ways to make playing in the GTHL more affordable and accessible. Additionally, Purdy initiated a pilot exchange program between the GTHL and Whitefish River First Nation. Professionally, Purdy is semi-retired as he continues to oversee a family-owned design and project management business.  

Karl Subban, a hockey dad, lifelong educator, coach, author, and inspirational speaker, has spent his career helping children realize their potential through education and sports. Subban’s long-term relationship with the GTHL began with his three sons playing in the League, who he proudly coached for approximately 10 years. Most recently, Subban was a member of the GTHL Independent Committee which made 44 recommendations to progress equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the League. Subban also published his second children’s book in the Fall of 2022 – a book motivated by the practice of reading to his five children before skating with them.  

Also entering a new three-year term is Kathie Wood, who has served as a Director since 2018 and held the role of Third Vice President since 2020. Wood has experience as Chair of the Safety Committee, with service on the Team Allocation, Competition, Marketing Summit, and Atom Pathway Committees. Most recently, Wood continued her work as Chair of the Safety and Risk Management Committee and held an Advisory Role on the Member Advisory Council (MAC). Prior to the GTHL Board, Wood spent time as President and Vice President of the North Toronto Hockey Association, as well as having been a Team Manager, Trainer, and a hockey mom.  

A Director since 2015, Phil Wolfenden is starting a new two-year term. Wolfenden, a partner at Shields, O’Donnell, MacKillop with a specialization in labour and employment law, has experience coaching at the ‘AA’ and ‘AA’ levels while also bringing playing experience at the NCAA Division 1 level with Colgate University. A graduate of the University of Windsor Law School, Wolfenden has worked with the GTHL’s Personnel, Marketing and Sponsorship, Rules and Policy, and Governance Committees, while also having served the Transition Game Summit and Atom Pathway Task Teams. 

During the GTHL Board Meeting on July 25, Don West was appointed as President and Chair of the Board for the 2024-25 season. Additionally, John Trimble was appointed as Secretary Treasurer for the same period.  

The GTHL Board of Directors also appointed an Executive Committee made up of Ken Smith, Prema Thiele, Brian Webster, Phil Wolfenden, and Kathie Wood, along with the President and Chair of the Board, Secretary Treasurer, and Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer.  

Don Bamford, Cyril Bollers, Darren Lowe, Thiele, Smith, Webster, and Grant Worden will all continue their terms through to the 2025 Annual Meeting of Members.  

The GTHL and its Members extend the most gratitude to the outgoing Board members, Gord McDonald and Ken Wolff, for their dedication and significant contributions to the GTHL and to the game of hockey. 

A former coach and Director with the Mississauga Jets Hockey Club, McDonald served on the GTHL Board as a Director since 2011 and held the position of Second Vice President since 2015. McDonald brought an immense amount of experience as the Chair of the Referee Supervision Committee, member of the Team Allocation Group, as well as sitting on several GTHL committees during his tenure, including Rules and Policy, Awards and Recognition, and significant contributions to the Competition committee. Moreover, McDonald represented the GTHL at various events and OHF championships, in addition to thousands of hours of contributed volunteer work over 13 years as member of the GTHL Board. 

“Gord managed to do all of this with a measure of good common sense and good humour,” Don West, GTHL President, said. “The GTHL, its Members, and thousands of kids have benefitted from what [Gord] has brought to minor hockey and the GTA over the years.”  

A Director since 2019, Wolff began his involvement with the Mississauga Terriers in 1994 and later retired as President of the Club in 2018. Wolff, a retired Executive Producer with the CBC, dedicated his time as Chair of the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee, member of the Competition and Strategic Planning, Hockey Development Committees, and Atom Pathway Task Teams. Wolff was dedicated to the player experience, focusing on GTHL policies and strategies that could support the League and its players. Also, Wolff’s impact was significant in the GTHL’s Transition Game Summit in 2019, contributing vastly to the planning and execution of the event.  

“Ken was renowned for asking the difficult questions and the extensive experience he brought from CBC Sports to communication strategies,” West said. “The Summit in 2019, I think went very smoothly, in large part because of Ken’s expertise – becoming one of the most significant milestones in the history of the GTHL.”  

ABOUT THE GREATER TORONTO HOCKEY LEAGUE 

Founded in 1911, the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) is a non-profit organization, home to more than 30 community recreational programs and the largest minor hockey league in the world. The GTHL registers more than 30,000 annual participants in Markham, Mississauga, Toronto, and Vaughan. The purpose of the GTHL is to empower, innovate, and provide hockey experiences that foster growth, inclusion, and excellence for all participants, while providing an enriching, equitable, and inclusive environment that benefits all members and the broader community. 

For more information, please contact:    

Stephanie Coratti  
Senior Manager, Communications and Marketing  
Greater Toronto Hockey League  
SCoratti@GTHLCanada.com