The Home Suite Hope Board of Directors is composed of a wide cross-section of community members, many of whom are also involved in service clubs and faith groups. The Board is driven by seeking constructive solutions to affordable housing issues.

Volunteers associated with HSH bring a set of skills and experience appropriate to meeting the challenges of bringing HSH to fruition and operation. A brief description of skill sets of present board members and key volunteers follows.

Allan R. Horton, B.A., M.A., LL.B.
CHAIR

Allan is a lawyer by profession.  Primarily practicing business, real estate and wills and estate law in the Oakville area for more than 12 years, he sold his practice. He is now the Lead Pastor for Oakville of a large church, The Meeting House, where he is responsible for leadership development and pastoral care for those residing in Oakville.  Allan has taught business law in college and history in university.  He has taken several courses toward his Ph.D. in political theory.  Allan has been active in the community sitting on and chairing several boards and committees, including the Oakville Christian School Board, Pioneer Clubs of Canada and Children's Assessment and Treatment Centre.  Currently, in addition to chairing the Home Suite Hope Board, he chairs the Salvation Army Community Council.

John Ghent , B.E.S., B.Ed., MCIP, RPP
PAST-CHAIR

John Ghent is a professional land use planner who operates a planning consulting business, Ghent Planning Services, in Oakville. He worked as a planner for over 27 years in the public sector, first with the Region of Halton and from 1978 to 2001 with the Town of Oakville. He left the Town's employment holding the position of Manager of Current Planning and Acting Director of Planning Services.  As a consultant, John has specialized in the Oakville area. His clients include municipalities, the Province of Ontario, church organizations, private schools, a hospital, developers, landowners, private businesses, ratepayer groups and charitable organizations. John has worked with both the Salvation Army and the Region of Halton on establishing an emergency shelter in Oakville. In addition to this professional experience, John has extensive community connections as a member of faith organizations and community groups.

Lee Brebner

Lee Brebner has served with numerous community organizations in the past, including United Way of Oakville, where he was most recently Chair of Allocation. His professional background is in social services and housing, with the City of Mississauga. Lee will provide oversight to the needs analysis and criteria for residents, will review operating terms of reference and policies, and will develop relationships with relevant community service providers and agencies.

Verna Dalgleish
SECRETARY

Retired as Supervisor for a major financial corporation, and a 15 year resident of Oakville, Verna brings a wealth of knowledge to her position. As well as serving on the Board of HSH, she volunteers in fundraising for the Oakville branch of the Canadian Cancer Society. Verna remains active in daily life with sporting activities from soccer to squash to paddling. 

Eveline Dear

MAY COURT CLUB

The May Court Club of Oakville, in recognition of the dire need for services for women and children, has committed $50,000 to HSH . A celebration of May Court’s own 50th year, the funding was given in recognition of Home Suite Hope’s innovative accomplishments in assisting homeless single people in our community to date. This funding is dedicated to meeting the next Home Suite Hope goal of providing a facility to shelter and give assistance and a new beginning to families in a housing crisis.

Case Feenstra

An active Realtor with Royal lePage in Oakville. Prior Vice-President Sales for a Dutch company, where he helped open North America with some $30 million in annual sales. Lived in BC, Ontario and Maryland USA. Has chaired a private Christian school expansion, chair various volunteers groups and participant in others. Presently active on the Oakville Community Board for the Salvation Army and the HSH board. Case balances the rest of his free time with children and family.

Captain Stan Higdon

SALVATION ARMY

Dwight Lacey

Dwight Lacey is a former CEO who has built insurance companies, seeing them from concept to reality, worked for a major Canadian bank, and for a major U.S. automotive company. Until very recently, Dwight was the Global Vice President of Insurance for the Ford Motor Credit Company.  Dwight was a visionary leader for CIBC Insurance, where he developed an insurance strategy that turned a losing portfolio of disability business from $12M losses per year to $19M profit per year and grew the group business from $70M to $160M.  Dwight is also a strong community supporter, dedicating time and commitment to a variety of initiatives, including former Co-Chair of CFO. Golf Marathon, Leadership Ministries, leader of a discipleship group, Community Foundation of Oakville Dream Home Lottery, founding Director of Canadian Association of Direct Response Insurers, Former Deputy Chair for United Way, and fundraiser for the Cancer Society.

William J. MacLeod Q.C.

Bill moved to Oakville and commenced practicing law here in 1971.  As a former founding partner of a large law firm, he now carries on practice as a sole practitioner.  He has been very active in community work.  He is a past president of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce and served on the cabinet and as a Campaign Director for the United Way of Oakville.

He was a founding director of The Community Foundation of Oakville and is currently on their Advisory Board.  He has provided legal and volunteer services and has served on the Boards of many other charities, organizations and committees including the Oakville Waterfront Festival, Big Sisters, Lion's Club of Oakville and Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life, to name a few.

Teresa McGill, B.A., TESL

A ten-year resident of Oakville, Teresa is the owner and president of Gandy Associates Inc., an English communication training firm serving corporate clients in Southwestern Ontario.  Twenty years experience in the English as a second language field has provided first-hand knowledge of settlement issues that exist in Ontario's diverse communities.  Her work experience also includes several years as a live-in ‘mentor’ in transitional housing for teenagers leaving group homes and foster care.  An active organizer in her faith community, Teresa enjoys marshalling volunteers for events as varied as church-wide camping trips, renovation of the ‘youth house’ and a Juno-nominated musician’s CD release concert.  Her volunteer efforts include work with Kerr St. Ministries and The Salvation Army Oakville Community Council. Teresa is committed to community development, advocating a hands-on, relational approach.

PATRONS

Mary and Jay Lockwood

Strong community supporters, Mary and Jay champion the HSH cause with time and successful fundraising initiatives.