Meet Jay

Jay has a diverse background with 15 years’ operational experience in industries including information technology and manufacturing/processing.

As Chief Financial Officer of a food processing company, Jay leads business through growth and change within highly competitive global markets. These experiences have provided him the opportunity to develop expert skills in areas of operations, finance, and strategy, and will enable him to add value as a director in support of CUA’s future success.

Jay is passionate about technology and innovation. He has co-founded multiple software start-ups, including Hungry Bug Games, a developer of evidence-based early literacy games.

Jay received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Western Ontario and is a Chartered Financial Analyst Level III Candidate. Jay is excited for the opportunity to be part of guiding a cooperative model that invests in a community that he now calls home with his wife and two young sons.

Jay joined the CUA Board in 2017 and is the Chair of the Board.

Meet Carrie

Carrie is the President & CEO of Events East Group, managing the largest multipurpose facility in Atlantic Canada. Since joining the organization in 2009, Carrie has been a strategic lead in all areas of the business with a core responsibility for ensuring the efficient delivery of corporate and operational initiatives to support business growth and success. She was previously the Chief Financial Officer, responsible for finance, human resources and technology.

A graduate of Acadia University, Carrie received her CPA, CA designation in 1991, and in 2015, she completed the Director’s Education Program through the Institute of Corporate Directors. Carrie is currently a member of the Women’s Leadership Collaborative and the International Women’s Forum of Canada, Secretary of NAIG 2023 (North American Indigenous Games), and Past Chair of the 2020/21 IIHF Women’s World Championship. In 2020, Carrie was named a Canadian Progress Women of Excellence Award Winner.

Carrie joined the CUA Board in 2021 and is the Vice Chair of the Board. She is also a member of the Governance Committee.

Meet Joyce

Joyce is currently the President & CEO of Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA), a role she has held since 2014. 

Joyce has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary's University and is a graduate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia, receiving the designation of Fellow Chartered Accountant.  She also obtained the Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D designation in 2015 and was named one of Atlantic Canada's Top 50 CEOs by Atlantic Business Magazine from 2017-2020 and as 2019 Business Leader of the Year by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. 

Joyce has been on numerous boards, including the Airports Council International (ACI) World Governing Board and the ACI North America Board of Directors, and Chair of the Canadian Airports Council, the first woman to hold that role, and the Atlantic Canadian Airports Association.

An active community leader, Joyce has also served as a director for several organizations, including Dalhousie University, Develop Nova Scotia and the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia.

Joyce joined the CUA Board in 2022 and is the Chair of the Audit Committee.

Meet Andrew

Andrew is a long-term resident of Halifax. For over fifteen years, he has worked in executive roles for large family-owned businesses in the infrastructure construction and real estate development industries throughout both Atlantic Canada and internationally. He has been responsible for leading strategic business development initiatives, government and corporate relations, and complex transactions.

Andrew is a lawyer, called to the Bar in 2004, and practiced for several years in the areas of litigation and dispute resolution at a large private law firm in Halifax. In addition to his business roles, he continues to provide legal advice spanning a wide range of law topics impacting businesses, including contracts, regulatory and administrative matters, dispute resolution, property, health and safety, human resources, and mergers and acquisitions.

He has always enjoyed contributing to the community in various volunteer capacities.

Andrew joined the CUA Board in April 2018 and is the Chair of the Credit Committee.

Meet Karim

Karim began his career in corporate banking; learning all he could about what makes a successful business.  In 2012, Karim put his knowledge to work and started his own business in video production, which quickly grew to a full-service marketing agency.

Karim’s determination, drive and ability to see opportunity where others didn’t earned him a great deal of respect and recognition in Halifax.  In 2016, Karim was an RBC top 25 Canadian Immigrant and in 2019 and 2020 he was a finalist for the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award.

Karim has a Bachelor of Commerce degree with majors in accounting and marketing.

Karim joined the CUA Board in April 2020 and is the Chair of the Governance Committee.

Meet Don

Meet Mike

Mike is a native Haligonian and retired chartered accountant who had been involved in public practice for forty-five years. In addition to this work, he specialized and obtained the Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) designation.

During these years, Mike became a partner (equity owner) in the firms in which he was involved: Coopers & Lybrand, PwC, and Hemming Weir Casey Inc. He has served on many boards over the years and received directors’ training in connection with these activities.

Mike’s financial background is an important asset to the CUA Board as well as his experience with small and medium-sized businesses, which he acquired as part of his audit practice. His knowledge of the business and regulatory environment is another area of expertise that adds value to the organization.

Mike joined the CUA Board in 2021 and is a member of the Credit Committee and Governance Committee.

Meet Malcolm

Malcolm is the Managing Partner of NPC Ventures. This venture capital fund invests in Canadian companies that develop naturally derived solutions that benefit people, animals and the planet. A proven innovation leader in Canada, Malcolm Fraser has founded and exited companies, managed acceleration and incubation programs, and led one of Canada’s most successful early-stage venture capital funds.

Through his career, Malcolm has demonstrated to investors and entrepreneurs that he knows what it takes to launch world-class companies from humble beginnings. During his tenure at Innovacorp, he focused the entire team on supporting companies to successfully commercialize early stage technology to globally competitive businesses. This success was recently recognized by achieving the 2022 Canadian Venture Capital Associations Deal of the Year for the $101 M gain on its Metamaterials Inc. holdings.

Prior to Innovacorp, Malcolm was a career entrepreneur, focused mainly on opportunities in the digital sector. Through companies like ISL and eplicity, he has been recognized for his leadership in the practice of digital transformation. A committed community leader, Malcolm participated in governance roles locally and nationally in the areas of the visual arts, medical research, and youth sport.

Born in Nova Scotia, Malcolm attended Mount Allison University, earning a Bachelor of Commerce in marketing and economics. He lives with his family in Chester.

Malcolm joined the CUA Board in 2022 and is a member of the Audit Committee.

Meet Christine

Christine is currently the Regional Director for North America of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).

Christine earned degrees in law, public administration, and political science from Dalhousie University in Halifax. She later earned a graduate degree in international law from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. From 2015-2016, she was an International Women’s Forum Global Leadership Foundation Fellow at Harvard Business School and INSEAD in France. 

She has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades in public service, including serving the Chief Executive Officer of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the Mass Casualty Commission, and most recently as the Regional Director of International Trade for Atlantic Canada at Global Affairs Canada.

Christine is an experienced board director, currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Red Cross since 2020, and the Board of Directors of Events East since 2024. 

Christine joined the CUA Board in 2025 and is a member of the Audit Committee.