MRPC Board of Directors
Adrian Foster BA, MBA, CMC, ICD.D (President)
Mr. Foster has extensive experience as board chair and director. He is a retired partner and executive in telecommunications and information technology sectors. Previous board involvement includes: Board Chair and Trustee of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP). Thirteen years serving as a trustee with the final four years as Chair (HOOPP is one the largest best performing pension plans in Canada and rank amongst the best performing plans globally); Chair of the Board of Service Coordination and not-for-profit corporation serving adults with disabilities. The Ottawa Hospital (Executive Committee of the Board and Chair of the Quality Committee of the Board), the Almonte General Hospital (Chair of the Board and Chair of Finance, and Board Member and President of an operating subsidiary company of AGRA Engineering, a public company, where he focused on software product development with international customers and sales. He is a certified corporate director with the Institute of Corporate Directors.
David Goldsmith SMEE, P.Eng., ICD.D (Vice-President)
Mr. Goldsmith is the retired and former President and CEO of Ivaco Inc. Located in Hawkesbury, Ontario, with operations in Ontario and Quebec. He has over 25 years direct experience in the Ontario energy sector (electricity and gas) both as a large industrial consumer and with significant involvement in the re-development of the electricity sector regulatory framework (1998-2003). He has appeared at the Ontario Energy Board and served as an expert witness and advisor at trade panels at the US International Trade Commission. He has corporate and community board experience and has served on municipally owned electricity company. He is a certified corporate director with the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Lyman Gardiner CPA CA (Treasurer)
Lyman Gardiner has over 35 years experience engaged as a public accountant, providing assurance and income tax services to private enterprises. Lyman is a Licenced Public Accountant and holds Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) designations. He is an active volunteer in his profession and community.
Mr. Gardiner currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Almonte General Hospital as well as the Pakenham Curling Club. He was elected as the first Treasurer of the Allied Boards in June 2022.
Lyman and his wife, Doris, live alongside the Mississippi River in Pakenham where they have raised their two children.
Patrick McNeil ICD.D
Mr. McNeil has extensive experience in the electricity sector including generation development, procurement, and operations in addition to undertaking significant merger and acquisition activities. He served in multiple senior and executive roles at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) prior to retiring as Senior Vice President – Corporate Development & Chief Risk Officer. Mr. McNeil, in his retirement has consulted to major national and international corporations on strategy development, business acquisition, risk management and corporate development. Mr. McNeil served on the Board of Directors of Elexicon Corporation, as Chair. He is a certified corporate director with the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Mayor Christa Lowry BMus, MA
Beginning in 2014, Mayor Lowry has served as a Ramsay Councillor and is now in her second term as Mayor. Mayor Lowry was elected as Lanark County Warden and worked with leaders across Eastern Ontario on the Wardens Caucus. Other municipal and rural community experience includes as a Director for the Association of Municipalities Ontario, Rural Ontario Municipal Association, Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation, and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority.
Mayor Lowry’s professional career and academic background include a dozen years studying and working as a professional musician before transitioning to a career in the health industry. Christa holds a double Masters Degree, having graduated from McGill, the University of Toronto, and Laval University.
Tim O’Connell CPA, CGA
Mr. O’Connell earned his designation as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in 2005 and holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science from the University of Calgary. He brings more than 20 years of extensive finance experience in progressively senior positions, the majority of which is within the high-tech industry.
He was born, raised and lives in Almonte with his wife and three daughters. When he is not busy providing a taxi service for his children, he enjoys travelling, camping, and playing sports.
