Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is a voluntary working board and reflects a diverse set of community-engaged and corporate backgrounds. The current members of the COS Board are:

Gordon Wakeling

Gordon Wakeling Director & Board Chair

Prior to Retirement, Gordon was the Chief Executive Officer of the Communities Economic Development Fund. In semi-retirement he currently offers consulting services to small business.

Doug Davison

Doug Davison Founding Member, Director & Board Vice-Chair

Doug was the Chairman of Sequoia Energy Inc. prior his retirement.

Alain Molgat

Alain Molgat Director & Treasurer

Alain was a Partner in the Winnipeg office of MNP prior to his retirement. He is the President of Alain Molgat Consulting Inc. which provides financial and management consulting to the film production sector and other small businesses.

Lucas Stewart

Lucas Stewart Director

Lucas has extensive experience as an entrepreneur and within the Social Enterprise community, most recently as the General Manager of Manitoba Green Retrofit Inc., now Purpose.

Richard Gilbert

Richard Gilbert Director

Richard has extensive experience in community development most recently with the North End Community Renewal Corporation in Winnipeg. He currently coaches Business and Leadership development.

History

COS was initially founded by a small group of people working in the venture capital industry in Manitoba. Following extensive consultations and planning with a set of North American business and community development professionals, COS was formally established in 1999. At this time COS became Canada’s first registered charity using a focus on market-based business models to achieve social outcomes in poverty reduction and high quality employment.

The Charity has maintained a low profile since its inception and has preferred that spotlights shine on its owned and assisted businesses as they succeed. The COS affiliated social enterprises have all been recognized for their positive work as they take their place in Canada’s burgeoning social enterprise network.

In 2016 COS expanded its geographic scope to include work in Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia in an effort to widen its associations, deepen its impact and replicate its successes.