Canadian Olympic Committee Leads Search for 2015 Pan Am Games CEO

TORONTO , Nov. 26 /CNW/ - The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), on behalf of its Toronto 2015 partners, today announced that it has triggered the search for the Chief Executive Officer for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Host Committee (HostCo).

Following a competitive process, the COC has retained Odgers Berndtson, a leading executive search firm, to assist in assessing potential CEO candidates and determining finalists. A Toronto 2015 search committee of HostCo board members will make the final selection.

The Toronto 2015 partners, which include the COC, the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and the Federal, Ontario and City of Toronto governments, will work to ensure that the prompt transition from bid committee to the new HostCo continues. A 12-member Board of Directors will be formed by the partners by the end of the year. The COC will have four representatives, the CPC one, the City one, and Ontario and the Federal governments each will have three.

The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) selected Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe as host over Bogota , Colombia and Lima, Peru during its General Assembly in Guadalajara , Mexico on November 6 . The first-ballot vote saw Toronto win with 33 votes, with Lima receiving 11 and Bogota seven.

The Pan Am Games are a major international multi-sport event, held every four years for athletes of the 42 PASO member nations. They comprise all Olympic summer sports, as well as other non-Olympic events. The 2015 Games will serve in many ways as critical qualifications for the 2016 Olympic Games the following year in Rio de Janeiro .

About the Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is a national, private, not-for-profit organization committed to sport excellence. It is responsible for all aspects of Canada's involvement in the Olympic Movement, including Canada's participation in the Olympic and Pan American Games and a wide variety of programs that promote the Olympic Movement in Canada through cultural and educational means. For news and information, visit the COC website at www.olympic.ca and find the team on both Facebook (Canadian Olympic Team) and Twitter (CDNOlympicTeam).

For further information: Isabelle Hodge, Manager, Media Relations, Canadian Olympic Committee, [email protected], [phone]