Norm Flynn, Founder and Executive Director

Norm Flynn is the executive director and founder of the Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (H.E.R.O.S.). This non-profit organization, founded in 2000, empowers at-risk youth through the game of ice hockey in several major cities across Canada.

Norm was born and raised in the north end of Winnipeg – a tough, working-class neighborhood. As a boy, like many kids in his crowd, Norm started getting into frequent fights and trouble.

Fortunately, Norm discovered hockey. The game gave him a healthy outlet to channel his energy and vent his frustrations.

With hockey, Norm found himself surrounded by positive role models and peers. It also gave him the chance to work with coaches and mentors who taught him to manage his anger and steered him back onto a productive path.

With new-found self-confidence, Norm left home at age 17 to play in the Western Hockey League (WHL). His goal was to become a professional hockey player. He achieved this goal by playing for three years with the Lethbridge Broncos and Portland Winterhawks.

In 1984, Norm was awarded a full academic/hockey scholarship from the University of Winnipeg. This allowed him to play varsity hockey while completing a degree in Business Administration. At this point, he began to envision a hockey program for disadvantaged and at-risk youth to transform his passion for the sport into something far greater.

Upon graduation in 1988, Norm moved to Vancouver to work for Colgate as a sales manager. Over the next decade, he became involved in a variety of environmental and philanthropic projects, earning his stripes in both fundraising and promotional activities.

In 2000, with a handful of volunteers, Norm launched H.E.R.O.S. in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The program was an immediate success and attracted significant corporate sponsorship. This sponsorship has allowed the rapid expansion of the program to other major cities across Canada.

Among the numerous awards Norm has garnered since the establishment of H.E.R.O.S. are:

• The BC School Superintendents' Association Award of Recognition in 2007 for programs that
   enhance public education.

• The prestigious CIBC Miracle Maker Award in 2003 in honour of outstanding contribution to his city.
   This award is given to only four recipients throughout Canada.

Terron Falk, Chairman

Terron Falk is VP and Associate Portfolio Manager with the investment firm of CIBC Wood Gundy, Park Place in West Vancouver, BC. Terron has been instrumental in helping his firm raise over $3 million for charity during the past nine years.

Terron and his colleagues at CIBC Wood Gundy have operated as founding and seed sponsors for a number of charities; foremost among them is H.E.R.O.S. The firm's goals are to help promising initiatives get off the ground, and to provide support with a goal of self-sustainability.

Born and raised in the small town of La Salle, Manitoba, Terron graduated with a master's degree in economics from the University of Manitoba.

Upon completing his studies, Terron moved to Toronto where he started in corporate banking with Manufacturers Hanover Bank of Canada.

Terron moved to Vancouver in 1994. There he received his Chartered Financial Analyst designation for investment managers. He moved into money management with CIBC Wood Gundy, Park Place, where he has been for more than a decade.

As a H.E.R.O.S. founding sponsor, Terron brings to the board of directors

• Financial acumen
• Access to capital
• Strong organizational skills
• A lifelong passion for sports and hockey

"It's been gratifying to help introduce these kids to a sport that was so integral to my childhood,"
says Terron, who also volunteers as a H.E.R.O.S. program leader.

"I know what a positive impact hockey had on me."

Barb Aidelbaum

Barb Aidelbaum is a Skate Canada triple gold medallist. For more than 25 years, she has coached professionally both figure skaters and hockey players, nationally and internationally.

Nationally certified in hockey as well as figure skating (NCCP Level 3+), Barb is the first female coach ever to be carded in Canada by a Junior "A" team.

She is a hockey skating specialist for hockey schools, training camps, players and teams in the NHL, BCHL, WHL, CIS, NCAA and AHL.

With her extensive knowledge of edges, balance, counter-balancing and years of off-ice speed and weight training, Barb creates skilled and powerful hockey players.

Although Barb started coaching as a figure skater, power skating is where she made her mark. Barb, who was born and raised in Vancouver, spent several years coaching in Europe and Australia.

She returned to Vancouver to become Skating Director at the Arbutus Club for all ice sports programs. She held that position for 16 years. She taught power skating to children of all ages and operated the Arbutus Hockey and Referee Schools, which attracted participants from around the world.

Barb currently runs high-performance hockey skating camps for NHL prospects and pros. She also works with team strength and conditioning staff as a consultant.

Iriss Gibbons

Iriss Gibbons has been instrumental in the formation of the H.E.R.O.S. summer hockey camp.

"Hockey had been so great for uniting our family," she says.

"We wanted to give our H.E.R.O.S. kids everything hockey has to offer – confidence building, mutual respect and camaraderie, as well as a safe place to go, with a sense of belonging."

Born and raised in Ottawa, Iriss became interested in hockey through her brother, who played pick–up hockey on a neighbourhood rink most winter nights. Her interest also grew thanks to her family's Saturday evenings watching Hockey Night In Canada.

In 1979 Iriss moved to Winnipeg to be with her future husband, Jim, and to study languages at the University of Manitoba.

They left Winnipeg in 1981 to move to Vancouver, where she worked in advertising sales at the North Shore News and Easy Living Magazine. After starting her family, Iriss established Ryan Mitchell Holdings, an import/export company.

Iriss volunteered throughout the school years of her two children. She helped with school advisory committees, event planning, fundraising, and managing several sports teams.

When her son began playing elite hockey, she became aware of the high cost of the ame and the struggle some families face in financing their children in high–level hockey.

In 1997, Iriss and her husband formed The Bulldogs, a franchise team for the Elite Spring League. Together, they raised money to give players advanced coaching, dry land training and regular ice times.

The team finished in Europe with the players participating in an international tournament in the Czech Republic with all expenses paid.

Casey McCawley

Casey McCawley brings to the H.E.R.O.S. Board of Directors his strategic planning, managerial, program development and troubleshooting expertise.

Born and educated in Winnipeg, Casey graduated from the University of Manitoba with degree in agriculture in 1982.

With a love of the prairies, he began working in the grain business; an industry to which he has remained committed for more than two decades.

In 1987, Casey moved to Vancouver and joined Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited, a long–established agricultural firm specializing in international grain exports. Currently, he serves as general manager of the B.C. region, a position he has held for the past 12 years.

Casey also sits on the boards of the Vancouver Grain Exchange and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre.

Growing up on the prairies, Casey developed a love of hockey at an early age. But it was his desire to help and support his long-time, close friend Norm Flynn that led to his hands–on involvement on the H.E.R.O.S. Board of Directors.

Throughout the formation, evolution and expansion of the H.E.R.O.S. program, Casey has continued to volunteer his time on its board of directors and in its daily operations.

"The greatest reward in my participation, however, has been seeing the phenomenal difference we can make in these children's lives," Casey says.

Susan Hall, M.Sc., CFA

Susan Hall is the founder of 3PM Partners, a consulting practice that helps companies invest in and sponsor community initiatives in a way that is strategic for their business. She also works with high net worth individuals and family foundations to help them navigate the many options in the charitable world and make decisions about how and where to leave their legacy. Passionate about community organizations and the great work that they can do, Susan works with a number of them to help bridge the gap between grantmakers and grantees, and provides advice on strategic and operational issues.

Raised in Ottawa, Susan developed a love of all things winter from an early age. An avid skier and skater, she grew up being a fan of ice hockey and embracing our national heritage. Later, she graduated from Queen’s University with a degree in Economics, and was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst designation which launched a long career with CIBC World Markets in Toronto, Singapore and Tokyo. Shortly after moving to Vancouver in 2003, she reconnected with her old friends from CIBC Wood Gundy and felt an immediate connection with the work they were doing with HEROS.

Her investment management training inspired an interest in the business value of strategic philanthropy .. if companies could be more strategic about the community investments they made, would they have a bigger impact in the community and on their business? She then became responsible for national community affairs at TELUS, and is proud to have been part of leading the team that now owns some of the most influential programmes in Canada. TELUS has been a long-time supporter of HEROS and it was wonderful for Susan to have the opportunity to get more involved in helping them expand HEROS across Canada.

Susan is still an avid volunteer, and in addition to her work with HEROS is a mentor with the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and is a member of the Vancouver Society of Financial Analysts and the Association for Women in Finance. She still loves hockey, and spends a lot of time enjoying it with her young family.

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