Board of Directors

Ross Porter - President and CEO

Photo: Don Dixon

President and Chief Executive Officer of JAZZ.FM91 since July of 2004, Ross Porter is acknowledged by jazz lovers from coast-to-coast as Canada’s preeminent jazz broadcaster.

Before assuming the senior executive role at JAZZ.FM in July of 2004, he was widely known for a distinguished career as a Radio and Television broadcaster and producer with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. For eleven years, Porter hosted a daily national show on CBC Radio 2, and covered pop culture for CBC Television's The National and CBC Newsworld's On the Arts, becoming integral to the careers of many of Canada’s most successful performers, including Diana Krall, Molly Johnson, Jane Bunnett, and Holly Cole.

As an executive for CanWest from 2002 to 2004, Porter developed, launched, and spearheaded programming for Canada’s national music channel COOLTV, also managing day-to-day operations at CanWest’s 24-hour jazz station, COOL-FM.

Throughout his early career, he amassed an impressive list of commendations as a producer for network radio documentaries on music icons including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Chet Baker, and created critically acclaimed television documentaries on the lives of legends Oscar Peterson, Joni Mitchell, Moe Koffman, Quincy Jones, George Harrison, Brian Wilson, and Diana Krall.

Recognized for his impeccable taste in music, his unique delivery, and his innate ability to articulate the colorful jazz landscape for radio listening audiences across the country as executive producer and host of CBC Radio’s highly successful daily “After Hours” jazz show, Porter also shared his passion and unique understanding of the jazz genre with international air travelers as host of Air Canada’s in-flight audio jazz channel for several years.

His lengthy list of background credentials also includes stints as a respected print journalist, serving as a music columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press and as a jazz reviewer for The National Post. In 2006, McLelland and Stewart published Ross Porter’s first book,The Essential Jazz Recordings: 101 CDs. A consistent best seller ever since, it is now in consecutive printings.

Since assuming his current position as President and CEO of JAZZ.FM91, Porter has repositioned the station as an important force on the broadcast landscape, regionally, nationally and internationally. As a first priority after assuming the management helm in 2004, he eliminated the station’s $800,000 debt and was responsible for delivering some of the highest ratings in the station’s history.

He relocated the station to its current home in the trendy Liberty Village area of Toronto, and supervised its design which features a live performance hall at its centre, to allow many of Canada’s best performers to appear live in front of an audience, for broadcast around the world.

As a strong advocate of new and social media, Porter commissioned the JAZZ.FM91 iPhone app which has since been downloaded almost 500,000 times, and the recently launched iPad app which has now achieved 50,000 downloads. He also created the station’s four on-line audio streams.

High-impact community outreach initiatives he has spearheaded are extensive and include the creation of the JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band, the Jazz 4 Kids music series, the Jazzology radio show (an accredited part of the curriculum at four post-secondary institutions) the JAZZ.FM91 Thinkers Series (an interactive lecture series showcasing eminent speakers who personify some of pop culture’s pivotal moments), and the on-line teaching resource – the Canadian Jazz Archive. The station’s revitalized and expanded Sound of JazzConcert Series recently celebrated its 37th anniversary at the same time as Porter developed a parallel Cabaret performance series.

In 2005, Porter created the landmark annual fundraising event Jazz Lives (now held at Toronto’s Koerner Hall). For the last nine years the live concert hall event has been acknowledged as one the premier jazz events in the country featuring leading performers from around the world, and selling out every year just days after the talent line-up is announced. Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Al Jarreau, Ramsey Lewis, John Scofield, Bill Charlap, Terence Blanchard are among the legendary jazz artists to have appeared in recent Jazz Lives concerts.

Winner of numerous honours and accolades throughout his illustrious career, Ross Porter was accorded the 2000 CanWest Award for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Jazz’ by friend and mentor Izzy Asper. The prestigious National Jazz Awards named him ‘Broadcaster of the Year’ in both 2002 and 2004. In the Spring of 2009, Porter was nominated, by the Jazz Journalists Association, for the Willis Conover-Marian McPartland Award for Broadcasting.

His interest in music is diverse. In the late ‘70s, he worked as Road Manager for the Ottawa-based Cooper Brothers, an award-winning rock band who were signed to the prestigious Capricorn Records label in the U.S. Porter worked in the Cultural Industries in Manitoba where he was key in developing the careers of Fred Penner and the Crash Test Dummies. He was a member of the Oscar Peterson National Committee which commissioned Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy to create a commemorative statue at Canada's National Arts Centre. In June 2010, Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh unveiled the sculpture in Ottawa. He also chairs the Music Advisory Committee at Humber College in Toronto.

Ross Porter studied at the University of Ottawa, Algonquin College and the Schulich School of Business.

Renah Persofsky - Vice Chair

Renah is a huge Jazz fan whose favourites include Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. She has been on the JAZZ.FM91 Board since 1998 and is very active as Chair of the Finance Committee. A former CEO with the BMO Group of Companies and with Dexit Inc., she is now on the Boards of several start-up technology firms as a senior advisor on Strategic Mergers and Acquisitions as well as International Marketing.

Denny Christianson - Director

Trumpeter and educator Denny Christianson is best known for his recordings and tours with his Big Band of twenty years, as well as his fusion group “Sortie”, his small group with co-leader Jan Jarczyk, and his new “Little Band”. Appointed as Director of Music at Humber College in 2001, Denny has also recorded over 250 albums in a 30- year career spanning Los Angeles, Montreal, and Toronto, performing and/or recording with with pop and jazz greats such as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Pepper Adams, Dianne Schurr, Tony Bennett, Bill Holman, Carmen McRae, Benny Carter, J.J. Johnson, Kenny Drew, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Michel Legrand, etc. He also played on the Sammy Davis, Jr. TV show, and has served as musical director for numerous television shows. He has written several commissions, including a full-length musical, and his 7 albums as a leader(Justin Time Records) have earned 8 Juno and Felix nominations.

Jane Nurgul Erbil - Director

Jane is a seasoned senior level business professional with broad North American experience as well as over 13 years business experience in her native country of Turkey.  Jane has a Masters of Public Administration from Baruch College in New York City as well as a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Bosphorus University in Istanbul. Throughout her marketing career at top-tier multinational companies, Jane has assumed responsibility in creating advertising, promotions and media programs for global brands in both traditional and digital media. Jane has led the organization of Philip Morris Superband Jazz Concert series for a decade where timeless and world-renowned artists were hosted in Istanbul. Jane has a broad interest in public service and is affiliated with the Canadian Board Diversity Council based in Toronto.

Debbie Gamble - Director

Debbie Gamble is an experienced international executive and leader in the emerging communication technology fields.  Her experience includes significant leadership roles in both the banking and payment sectors, embracing Visa and MasterCard.  In addition to being a long-standing jazz fan, Debbie is a founding member of the Verity Women’s Club, and a strategic specialist in mobile wireless and broadcast technologies.  She and her husband live in Toronto.

Alan Gee - Director

Alan Gee is Chairman and Partner at Blammo Worldwide.  An award winning Creative Director, Alan's career spans over 30 years of creating advertising for a wide range of clients in the UK, US, Canada and The Caribbean.  His career started in the UK, where he honed his craft as an art director before arriving in Canada. After a number of years at multi-national agencies, he opened his own agency and has never looked back.  Over the last two decades his agency’s work has won global accolades: Cannes Lions, Clio’s, The One Show, London International, CA Magazine and D&AD not to mention many local Canadian awards.  Alan is active in the advertising community as a member of the Advertising and Design Club of Canada, he also sits on the board of the Globe & Mail’s Cannes Lions Advertising Board, and is frequently asked to speak on the ever changing communications industry.  As a judge, Alan has both chaired and served on local, national and international award show committees and is a passionate promoter of great Canadian creative.

Kelly Peterson - Director

Kelly Peterson is a tremendous jazz fan whose favorites include (among many) Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald, Clark Terry, Joe Pass – and of course, Oscar Peterson. Kelly has an Honors degree in Theatre, and worked in professional improvisational children’s theatre as well as summer stock before eventually moving to Sarasota, FL and managing restaurants. It was there that she met Oscar Peterson. Kelly moved to Canada 25 years ago, when she and Oscar were married. In her current capacity as one of the Trustees of the Estate of Oscar Peterson and General Manager of Regal Recordings, Ltd., Kelly manages and promotes the legacy of her late husband. She is an avid supporter of music and theatre, as well as World Vision and Christian Children’s Fund.

John Sadler - Director

John has a diverse background in strategic planning, finance, marketing and public policy.  He currently serves as the Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Investor Relations for Element Financial Corporation. For 12 years prior to joining Element in January 2013, John provided capital markets counsel and investor relations services to a broad range of private and public companies as Founding Partner and Managing Director of Genoa Management Limited.  Before founding Genoa Management, John’s career included extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. Based in Toronto and New York, he served as the Executive Vice President of Newcourt Credit Group between 1993 and 1999.  Prior to this, John worked in Ottawa as a Senior Policy Advisor to several federal Cabinet Ministers between 1984 and 1991.  John is an honours graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University’s business school. He has served on numerous charitable and voluntary boards including Safe Kids Canada, the Via Salzburg Chamber Music Series, the Empire Club of Canada, the Toronto Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Toronto.

Alex E. Stuart - Director

Al has been a partner at The Pilot Tavern since 1987, taking on the role of Managing Partner in 2002. The Pilot is a Toronto icon, operating in the Yorkville area since 1944, and for the past 24 years, has hosted live jazz matinees every Saturday, featuring local, national and international artists. Prior to assuming management of The Pilot, Al served as Vice President of Operations at Stuart Energy Systems Corporation (SES), a producer of electrolytic hydrogen gas plants, installed in over 100 countries worldwide. Al volunteers his services to numerous business and community organizations, serves on several boards and committees, and is currently spearheading a new cancer research fundraising initiative. Born and raised in Toronto, he is the eldest son of JAZZ.FM91’s founding chairman, Mary Alice Stuart.  Al, his wife Julie Wells and their four children live in North Toronto.

Bill Tapscott - Director

Bill is a major fan of jazz in the bop and post bop traditions and has an extensive collection of recordings favouring Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Keith Jarrett and John Coltrane. He feels lucky to live in a city where Jane Bunnett and the Spirits of Havana play regularly, whether it be at Lula Lounge or Koerner Hall. A Software Entrepreneur, Bill has founded and co-founded a number of successful technology start-up companies in Toronto over the past 25 years. These include: Intellione, creator of a world leading method of processing cell phone data to generate traffic information; Maptuit, a leading navigation and optimization software company in the logistics Industry; and, Mountain Lake Software Corporation, a boutique custom software development company with a strong financial services practice. These companies became acquisition targets of larger organizations for their strategic value. Today, Bill works in the Government Relations field and is an active Board Member of The Jonah Group, a software consultancy that delivers significant competitive advantage to businesses through high-performance custom digital solutions.