Lakehead University Law School graduate Adam Fiddler has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors for Wasaya.
After being confirmed by its 12 ownership communities, the new board of directors of Wasaya moved swiftly at their first Board meeting last night electing key positions. The results of the election are:
- Chairman of the Board: Adam Fiddler
- Vice Chairman of the Board: Stephen Smith
- Secretary/Treasurer: Eric Long
Mr. Fiddler is a former chief of Sandy Lake First Nation and recently graduated from Lakehead University’s law school with a Juris Doctor degree.
Chairman Fiddler said:
“I am honoured to be asked to serve on the board of directors. I humbly accept the nomination from my new board peers to serve as Chairman. This is a great responsibility and one I take very seriously. We have a lot of work to do, with the newly restructured Wasaya. I look forward to working with management to make the new Wasaya the leader and first choice for air transportation in the communities we serve.”
Stephen Smith is a long time aviation executive and experienced board member. He has served on the Board of the Scarborough Hospital in Toronto as Vice Chairman, Chairman, and currently as the immediate past Chairman. Mr. Smith also served as President and CEO of Air Ontario, WestJet and Air Canada’s ZIP.
Eric Long, a Thunder Bay businessman and community leader, is a Chartered Accountant and the Owner and Operator of TeamBuild Innovation. Mr. Long has been associated with Wasaya throughout its restructuring, advising the interim Board of Directors made up of the Chiefs of each of the communities.
Michael Rodyniuk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wasaya said, “I am impressed with our new board, they have immediately engaged and in their first meeting have made great progress. I look forward to working with Chairman Fiddler and the entire board as we continue to rebuild Wasaya.”
With 26 years’ experience, Wasaya Airways LP is 100% First Nations owned by 12 First Nations: Bearskin Lake; Fort Severn; Kasabonika Lake; Keewaywin; Kingfisher Lake; Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug; Muskrat Dam; Nibinamik; Pikangikum; Sandy Lake; Wapekeka; and Wunnumin Lake. Wasaya serves 25 destinations in Northwestern Ontario with 60 daily flights and employs 315 employees, of which over 35% of which are First Nation.