The Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1964 dedicated to supporting the enhancement of patient care at the Lakeshore General Hospital. The Foundation funds programs and projects to advance patient care and research. Our aim is to fund the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment, support significant upgrading of our hospital facilities, and assist in supporting programs and specialized training for the professional staff.
Mission Statement
To inspire, encourage and engage our community to invest in helping elevate the quality of healthcare at the Lakeshore General Hospital and improve the lives of all those who come through our doors.
Our Core Values
- Accountability
- Collaboration
- Excellence
- Integrity
- Trust
Board of Directors
Co-Chair
David Cescon
Novyc International Inc.
Dave grew up on the West Island and graduated from Concordia University. While earning his degree, he was also captain of the varsity Football team.
He presently resides in Kirkland, where his family, his business and the LGH Foundation share time with his ongoing battle to break 80 at Royal Montreal Golf Club!
David has served as VP & Managing Partner at Novyc International since 2004, where his primary focus is building long-term relationships with international petroleum partners.
He utilizes his strong management skills to develop agreements with preferred vendors that benefit the end users and lead a team of International sales and marketing executives. He continues to travel the world, focusing on the Americas, where Novyc generates most of its business today.
He has also been involved in the West Island volunteer community for decades, donating his time to multiple organizations. The LGH has seen the full circle of life within his own family, from the birthplace of his two children to the compassionate care for parents in their final days.
The continued growth in population over his 50+ years in the West Island and access to quality healthcare for that growing population made his decision to join the board ten years ago an easy one. Seeing the difference we can make in our local community is a rewarding initiative and an important cause, one we can all participate in today for a better tomorrow.
Co-Chair
Dr. Fiore Lalla
Fiore is a 26-year veteran professional of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at Lakeshore. He has served as a clinician, researcher, administrator, and medical educator for specialists and generalists alike, particularly in the West Island community.
He was voted Psychiatrist of the Year for the province of Québec in 2010 and has multiple publications to his name.
He loves working with the citizens of the West Island, the hospital teams, and the Foundation he has been a part of for the last 15 years.
Vice-Chair
Dave Jennings
Dave is the former CEO of the public company Discovery Air and cofounder, and former CEO of Top Aces Inc. Dave has also served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a CF-18 Fighter Pilot. Dave has owned and invested in several small local businesses and currently flies as a pilot for Air Canada. Dave grew up in Pointe-Claire and now lives in the West Island with his wife and three teenage kids.
Dr. Fadi Aris
Lakeshore General Hospital
Dr. Aris is the Chief of Medical Imaging at Lakeshore General Hospital and for the West Island CIUSSS. He is a graduate of McGill University’s Medical School and did a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Aris wanted to become a radiologist because it is a fast-expanding department with new technology. It is also a specialty that ranges from screening to diagnostics, which means there are many levels of involvement in patient care.
Dr. Aris joined the Foundation Board of Directors 10 years ago because he believes it is a bridge between the Hospital and the community. He enjoys being involved in discussions regarding hospital projects and funding.
Eyal Artzy
Sekure Merchants Solutions
Eyal is one of the Co-founders and managing partners at Sekure Merchants Solutions, a payments company that provides complete payment and business solutions to over 30,000 small and medium-sized businesses in the United States and Canada. Eyal was the president of the Pointe-Claire Men’s Softball League from 2013-2021 and ran their charity tournament for many years, raising funds for the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation. He also served on the Pointe-Claire Old Timers League board, whose annual tournament raises funds for many west island charities, including the Lakeshore Hospital, and has been involved in fundraising campaigns for YMCA Camp Kanawana and Neuchatel Junior College. Eyal grew up in NDG and attended FACE high school in Montreal but has called Pointe-Claire home for most of his adult life.
Jordan Baril-Furino
GardaWorld
Jordan has a joint MBA from ESG UQAM and Université Paris-Dauphine and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Université Laval. He is the director of operations at GardaWorld. Member of the Order of Engineers of Quebec, his experience is focused on management, digital innovation, strategic planning and governance. Jordan serves on the Board of Desjardins Group, Desjardins Trust and is vice-president and member of the Executive Committee of Caisse Desjardins West Island.
Sharon Beaumont
As a lifelong West Islander, Sharon Beaumont has deep roots in the community and a strong desire to give back to the area where she grew up and raised her family. Sharon is a former entrepreneur and has a solid background in community service. She has served on various boards and committees, including the West Island Women’s Centre, Loyola High School and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Sharon volunteers at the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Center and has brought her energy to fundraising for the Old Brewery Mission, On Rock, West Island Mission and more. Sharon’s love of sports and recreation led her to volunteer with the Lakeside Heights Recreation Association and Hockey West Island.
Her long-standing interest in nutrition, wellness and exercise aligns seamlessly with her position on the Foundation Board. Sharon’s enthusiasm is an asset in elevating the reputation and quality of healthcare at the Lakeshore General Hospital. In her spare time, Sharon participates in various sports and performs stand-up comedy.
Éric Desbiens
Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd.
Eric is Regional Vice-President & Portfolio Manager at Jarislowsky Fraser. He joined the firm in 2000 and became a Partner in 2008. He had been working at Bolton Tremblay before that. He is currently in charge of the institutional team for Eastern Canada and has extensive experience working with a wide range of institutional and high-net-worth clients.
Eric supports various not-for-profit organizations and is an active member of his community. He is a former Chair of the Success through Education, Enterprise & Determination (SEED) Program at the Williams School of Business and a Founding Organizer of Beyond the Bubble. He currently sits on the boards of the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation and the Bishop’s University Foundation. He is also an Ambassador for l’ARASQ (Association de la retraite et des avantages sociaux du Québec). Eric received the Esprit de Corps Award in 2013 and was named a Bishop’s University Top 10 After 10 in 2019.
Isabelle Desharnais
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Isabelle holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Relations profile from the University of Quebec in Montreal and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa. She has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 2004.
Isabelle is a partner and co-head of the Insolvency and Restructuring Group at Borden Ladner Gervais in Montreal. Her areas of practice include banking law, corporate finance, insolvency and financial restructuring. She represents corporations as well as major Canadian financial institutions by advising litigation and special account groups as well as investment funds and accounting firms on complex commercial insolvency matters.
Philippe Jordan
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Philippe is a partner in PwC’s Deals practice in Montreal and a Corporate Advisory and Restructuring group member.
Philippe has more than 30 years of experience working with public and private companies in restructuring and insolvency. During this time, he has served as a financial advisor, trustee and monitor for financial institutions, companies, shareholders and other stakeholders. Occasionally, he plays an interim role in the management of the company.
Robert Koehler
Global Athlete
Rob is the Director General of Global Athlete. Global Athlete is a movement by athletes for athletes aiming to inspire and drive change across the world of sport collectively. Over the past several years, Rob has worked with thousands of athletes to help amplify their voices, seek justice and force change for more substantial athlete rights in international sports.
Rob commenced his work in the sporting world at a community level. He quickly transitioned into a role with the Spirit of Sport Foundation in Canada by travelling with Olympians in the lead-up to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. During this time, he promoted athlete involvement and engagement while at the same time teaching young people about the values of sport. Rob worked with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport from 1997-2000, overseeing significant Games work, including oversight of the 1999 Pan American Games anti-doping program. When the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999, Rob took on a role as Chief Executive Officer of the Drug-Free Sport Consortium, whose role was to help WADA implement its first out-of-competition testing program leading up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. In 2002, he became a full-time employee at WADA. He was a Deputy Director of Standards and Harmonization, Director of Education and Program Development and the agency’s Deputy Director General during his tenure. Rob resigned from WADA in August 2018. Before his resignation, Rob oversaw the Russian Roadmap for Russia’s return to compliance. During his time at WADA, he was a strong advocate of the athlete’s voice and was responsible for working with the WADA Athlete Committee.
Nadia Malik
Bombardier
Dr. Gerry Polyhronopoulos
Lakeshore General Hospital
Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Gerry received his BSc (Cum Laude) from Boston College, graduated from the McGill University Faculty of Medicine in 2003, and completed his surgical training at McGill. He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and has completed additional training in Breast Ultrasound and Oncoplastic Breast Surgery.
Gerry served as a staff General Surgeon at The Lakeshore General Hospital for ten years. During that time, he joined the board of directors for The Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation. He is now a staff surgeon at VM-Med, specializing in Breast Cancer Assessment and Surgery. He has stayed on as a member of our Board and is committed to the continued growth and improvement of the Lakeshore General Hospital.
Patrick Vena, FCIP, CRM, R.I.B. (Ont.)
BFL CANADA
Patrick is a McGill University alumni and Managing Partner for BFL CANADA’s commercial group. BFL CANADA is one of the country’s most significant risk management, insurance brokerage and benefits consulting firms.
Patrick got involved with the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation in 2017 after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Throughout his treatments, the Lakeshore General Hospital’s team of professionals provided exceptional care, and Patrick subsequently decided to work with the foundation to give back to his community hospital. He is a proud father of three, all of whom were born at the Lakeshore General Hospital’s birthing centre.
Patrick has been on the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation board of directors since 2017 and has been the Co-Chair of the Foundation’s golf tournament since 2020.
Renée Yardley
Rolland Enterprises Inc.
Renée is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sustana Group, the leader in sustainable, recycled fibre and paper products. She has over two decades of experience in global organizations, including Tembec and General Motors. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from McGill University and an MA from Harvard University. In addition to her work with the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation, she is Chair of the Board of Trustees for St Andrew and St. Paul Presbyterian Church in Montreal and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund.
