CCSA Board Announces Appointment of New CEO
Experienced Association Executive and Business Leader Sheri Somerville to Lead
Canadian Communication Systems Alliance
Saint John, N.B. (September 11, 2023) – The Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA) board of directors is pleased to announce today the appointment of the association’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sheri Somerville, effective October 10, 2023. A globally certified business communications executive, bringing more than 26-years of multi-sector expertise from her leadership in association management and the private sector to the CCSA, Somerville succeeds Jay Thomson, who is retiring after successfully leading the organization for the last seven years.
This announcement marks the conclusion of a cross-country recruitment process, overseen by Ian Stevens, CCSA HR Committee Chair, with support from Boyden Canada.
“We are delighted to have Sheri take the lead at CCSA. Having an experienced association executive and business leader to build on the success we’ve achieved and continue to create shared value for members, providers, and partners while we navigate our path forward is key,” says Stevens. “The board of directors looks forward to welcoming Sheri to her new role and introducing her to our team, our dynamic membership, and our many key stakeholders.”
Somerville previously served as the CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 16,000 businesses through a network of 90 Chambers of Commerce in the region, as well as working collaboratively with national, provincial, and local Chambers across Canada. During her tenure, she worked to create a new network vision to serve the next generation of Atlantic businesses, led advocacy on business policy and regulatory priorities, cultivated new member programming and strategic partnerships, and helped shape the dialogues that support and advance a positive business environment.
Before joining the Chamber, Somerville founded and was Principal and Chief Counsel at Pure Symmetry Public Relations Inc., and held leadership positions in previous roles as the executive director of the Association of Consulting Engineers (NB); natural gas advisor at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, director at MT&L Public Relations, Canadian director of communications for Michelin North America Canada Inc., and as communications manager at the Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE) Inc.
In addition to her professional endeavours, Somerville serves as a director on the board of the Canada Games Council, and has served as Chair of the Chamber Accreditation Council of Canada (CCAC) and director of the board of the Chambers of Commerce Insurance Corporation of Canada (CCICC). She holds a Master of Arts in Communication (M.A. Comm.) and Bachelor of Public Relation (BPR) from Mount Saint Vincent University, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of New Brunswick and a Strategic Communications Management Professional (SCMP®) certification from the Global Communications Certification Council of the IABC (International Association of Business Communications).
ABOUT THE CCSA
The Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA) represents more than 100 Independent companies providing bundled internet, TV & telephone services to hundreds of thousands of Canadians in communities generally outside urban markets, from coast to coast to coast. CCSA Members include community cooperatives, family businesses, municipalities and companies owned by Indigenous Peoples. For more information, visit https://ccsaonline.ca.
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CONTACT
Cheryl MangussoManager, Communications CCSA (506) 849-1334 ext. 217cmangusso@ccsaonline.ca