Latest News
June 11, 2013: Presentation Documents posted on the 2013 ublic Meeting Information page.
June 10, 2013: Information Bulletin posted.
June 3, 2013: Oliver Wyman Actuarial Analysis posted.
May 28, 2013: AIRB Business Plan for 2013-16 posted.
May 3, 2013: Schedule for June 11, 2013 Public Meeting posted.
Board Members
Members of the AIRB were recruited from across the province selected through a public, open competition managed by an outside executive search firm. Board members have various skill sets, and include an individual to represent the interests of consumers.
Mr. Alfred H. Savage (Chair)
Mr. Savage possesses over 30 years of private and public sector experience as a senior executive within some of the most progressive organizations in Canada and the United States. He has held senior positions in various municipalities in Alberta, Ontario and U.S. cities (New York and Chicago). Now retired, Mr. Savage devotes his time to board and community work. He was a Board Member and Chair of the Olds College from 1997-2003 and is currently an Officer for the Alberta Municipal Government Board. Additional community involvement has included volunteering for the 1987 Commonwealth Games and the 1998 World Student Games and serving as Director of the Calgary Downtown Rotary Club.
Mr. Harry Gough, Q.C. (Vice-Chair)
Mr. Harry Gough, QC is a partner with Schumacher, Gough & Company in Drumheller and has been practicing law since 1975. Mr. Gough was a member of the Alberta Auto Insurance Board from 1997 - 2004. His community involvement includes member of the Criminal Law Practice Advisory Committee and member of the Custody and Mediation Committee with the Alberta Law Society. Through his involvement with the former Alberta Auto Insurance Board, Mr. Gough has gained a strong knowledge of the various insurers across Alberta.
Mr. Allan Cleiren
Mr. Cleiren is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of executive and financial management experience in both private and public companies operating in both Canada and the United States and spent five years with PricewaterhouseCoopers (formerly Price Waterhouse) engaged in audit and tax services. As Vice President Finance, Mr. Cleiren was responsible for managing extensive insurance requirements for a large publicly traded multidivisional company with international operations, employing over 11,000 people. Mr. Cleiren holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and has held several director positions in non-for-profit and for profit boards. Mr. Cleiren is currently the Senior Vice President Operations and Chief Financial Officer of Afexa Life Sciences Inc.
Mr. James Cuming
Mr. Cuming is currently the senior partner at Cuming & Gillespie, a boutique law firm in Calgary. His areas of practice include representing clients dealing with automobile insurance claims. He offers the unique consumer perspective of the insurance claimant. Additionally, James is familiar with various models of governance. He serves as a Governor of the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), is a former Executive member the Canadian Trial Lawyers Association and Past President the Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association.
Mr. Chris Daniel
Mr. Daniel is a retired senior insurance executive and holds the position of Honorary Chairman, Retired, for TD Insurance Meloche Monnex. For over 35 years Mr. Daniel has been involved in the insurance industry. He has extensive and broad knowledge of this profession including experience in adjusting, group insurance and rate setting. He has dealt with consumer organizations and has developed programs for their members. Mr. Daniel co-chaired the provincial “no fault” automobile insurance debate in the past. His Board experience includes serving as a Director of the Insurance Brokers Association and several other community boards. Prior to joining the insurance profession Mr. Daniel served with the London, U.K. and Toronto police forces.
Mr. Lewis Klar, Q.C.
Prof. Klar is currently a Professor within the University of Alberta's Faculty of Law. He served as Dean of the Faculty from 1997 - 2002. His major teaching and research interests are in Tort Law and Insurance Law. Prof. Klar is a non-practising member of the Alberta Law Society and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2002. He was recently elected to the American Law Institute, one of a very small number of Canadians who are members of this advisory body. He has also written advisory reports for the Alberta Law Reform Institute.
Mr. Jim Murta
Mr. Murta is a retired actuary, having worked in a senior role with an international consulting firm. He is a recent President of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and continues his involvement on its Professional Conduct Committee. He has a strong interest in governance and was involved in the setting up the governance model (with outside experts) of the CIA Board. Mr. Murta is current on actuarial topics, particularly in the areas of statistical modeling and risk management. He has a broad understanding of the insurance sector and was responsible for establishing the actuarial department of The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company. Mr. Murta has a consumer focus and is of the view that decisions should be made with the public in mind.
Ms. Merle Taylor (Consumer Representative)
Ms Taylor is a Certified Management Accountant and is president of her own management consulting business. She has expertise in policy, operational and organizational reviews in the public and non-profit sectors. In addition to her work as a management consultant, Ms. Taylor has held several leadership positions with a range of community and not-for-profit volunteer organizations.
Mr. Mark Prefontaine (non-voting member)
Mr. Prefontaine is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Regulation and Policy with Alberta Finance and Enterprise. This position includes the roles of Superintendent of Pensions, Superintendent of Insurance, and Superintendent of Financial Institutions.
Mr. Prefontaine has been with Alberta Finance and Enterprise since 2003, joining the pension area first as a Senior Compliance Officer, then Senior Manager, Risk Management; and most recently (since August 2007) as the Deputy Superintendent of Pensions. Prior to joining Alberta Finance and Enterprise, he worked in a family financial planning practice for eight years, and was an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for five years. He has obtained certification as a Financial Planner and a Chartered Financial Analyst.
