Host City Venue General Managers announced
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The FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 National Organising Committee has named the six Venue General Managers that will lead the six Official Host Cities in their preparations for the competition. The six new members of the Canada 2015 team have been brought together for a five-day Venue General Manager Workshop in the nation's capital, Ottawa, from 4-8 March 2013.
The six Venue General Managers are Rita Rogers for Vancouver, Trisa Zimmerman for Edmonton, Chad Falk for Winnipeg, Valerie Hughes for Ottawa, Francis Millien for Montréal, and Stéphane Delisle for Moncton.
"We have gathered a great team of venue general managers that will help bring the FIFA Women's World Cup to life in 2015," said Peter Montopoli, National Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer. "They will be key players on our team that engages a nation - from coast to coast - like never before."
The FIFA Women's World Cup is held every four years, with the next edition to be played in Canada in 2015. It marks the first major sporting event hosted in Canada from coast to coast, with matches to be played in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montréal and Moncton.
The FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 will be preceded one year earlier by the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, one of two FIFA women's youth tournaments. The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup returns to Canada for the first time since 2002. Host cities for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Canada 2014 will be announced later this year.
In Vancouver, Ms. Rogers brings 20-plus years of event management, most notably as Senior Manager, Events at Canucks Sports & Entertainment and Rogers Arena. She was the lead project manager during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games for the hockey venue. During her career, she has worked at numerous high-profile sporting events.
Introducing the general managers
In Edmonton, Ms. Zimmerman brings more than 15 years of event experience in Canadian sport. She has worked in numerous sports, including athletics, figure skating and soccer, as well as working at two Olympic Games (Salt Lake 2002 and London 2012). She previously served as Event Manager for the Coaching Association of Canada and also served as the Venue Operations for the Toronto Site at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007
From Winnipeg, Mr. Falk has already built more than 10 years in event experience, including a recent position as Director of Public Relations & Special Events for Volleyball Canada. He has worked for Sport Manitoba and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. He is well placed in the Winnipeg and Manitoba markets, having also served as a board member for the Manitoba Games.
In Ottawa, Ms. Hughes brings more than 15 years of experience in sport, including the upcoming 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championships in Ottawa this April. Her event experience includes two major FIFA tournaments in Canada, working at both the highly-successful FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship Canada 2002 and, as the National Event Manager, at the record-setting FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
In Montréal, Mr. Millien has more than 35 years of experience in sport, with his involvement dating back to the Montréal 1976 Olympics when he worked as a broadcaster. He previously served as Venue Technical for the Montréal Site at the FIFA U-16 World Tournament in 1987 and the president of the Montréal site at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007.
For Moncton, Mr. Delisle brings nearly 20 years of experience in sport. He has served in a variety of positions in the Canadian sport system and has been to five Olympic Games dating back to the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics. He was part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games through both the Bid Corporation and VANOC, eventually serving as Operations Manager, Venue Management (Whistler) for the Organising Committee.