Jim Peplinski
James Peplinski was a Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) player. He played junior hockey for the Toronto Marlboroughs of the Ontario Hockey League and was drafted in 1978 by the Atlanta Flames. Peplinski was one of five active NHL players who played on Canada’s 1988 Olympic Hockey team. In 1989 he co-captained the Calgary Flames in their Stanley Cup victory against the Montreal Canadians.
Peplinski retired early in the 1989-90 regular season and then began a career in broadcasting. In 1995, he stepped out of the booth and briefly returned to play for the Flames, before retiring again at the end of the season. He has since forged a successful business career in the Calgary area.
Mr. Peplinski is the Executive Chairman, Humberview Group of Companies which owns Jim Peplinski’s Leasemaster, nine automotive dealerships in Toronto and various real estate investments. He is also the VP Business Development, Calgary Flames Hockey Club as well as an investor and director of Wrangler West Energy Corp., a public oil and gas company.
Neil Crone
Neil is an actor and writer who lives with his wonderful wife, two little boys and one neurotic dog in a town so small everybody knows where everyone else’s birthmarks are. He has performed in dozens of television and radio commercials, TV shows and is the voice of numerous cartoon characters every Saturday morning, including YTV’s new hit series ‘Erky-Perky’ , ‘Pearlie’ and ‘The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie’. His most recent feature film roles include ‘Stir of Echoes 2 – The Dead Speak’ with Rob Lowe, ‘Hollywoodland’ with Adrian Brody and Ben Affleck, and the soon to be released comedy ‘Eating Buccaneers’. Neil is also thoroughly enjoying playing the role of Radio Redneck Fred Tupper in CBC’s hilarious hit sit-com ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ .
A Second City Mainstage alumnus, Neil has been performing improvised and sketch comedy for over twenty years and has just been awarded the 2008 Canadian Comedy Award for Best Radio Comedy for his work as ‘Bad Santa’ on Q107’s Derringer in the Morning. When not on the stage, in front of a camera or behind a microphone, Neil is busy writing; as an award-winning weekly humour columnist and blogger for Metroland papers. Neil is a cancer survivor and is the National Spokesperson for both the Colo-rectal Cancer Association of Canada and Colon Cancer Canada. He is available as a motivational speaker, focussing on the power of laughter in healing. He is also available to teach spontaneity and creativity enhancement workshops. For more information see web.mac.com/neilcrone/iWeb/Site/Neil%20Crone.html
Ben Rutledge
Ben grew up in Cranbrook, B.C. playing many different sports including hockey, volleyball, golf and soccer to name a few. However, it wasn’t until he attended the University of British Columbia that he tried the sport of rowing. His love for the sport blossomed quickly and three years later he was a member of the 2002 World Champion Canadian Men’s 8+, a feat which he and his teammates would repeat the following year.
“Getting to the top is one thing, but staying there is another” (Mike Spracklen; head coach Canadian men’s eight). This statement rang true for Ben and his teammates during the 2004 Athens Olympics when they finished a disappointing fifth place. After a brief time away, including the completion of a degree in Commerce, Ben decided that he would attempt to get back on top and pursue his quest for Olympic gold in Beijing, 2008.
This began in 2006 when Ben and his university crew won the National Championships for the first time. In addition, Ben received the top male graduating athlete (Bobby Gaul Award) at UBC. In 2007, Ben and his Canadian teammates reclaimed their position at the top of the world by winning the World Championships in the Men’s 8+, leading them into the Beijing Olympics as top contenders. With the experience of Athens, and four more years of training, Ben and his team won Olympic Gold in a convincing fashion on Lake Shunyi in August of 2008.
In Combination with his training, Ben volunteers his time with Right to Play, and coaching at the University of British Columbia. Ben also speaks with the Clean Air Champions and Vancouver’s Active Adventurers program as well as being an athlete ambassador for Act Now, BC. In addition, he enjoys encouraging people to achieve their best with his motivational talks. For more information see www.benrutledge.com or www.twitter/ben_rutledge.
Clara Hughes
At the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002, Clara won a bronze medal in the 5000m speed skating event. This, along with her two medals in cycling from the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, made Clara only the fourth athlete in history to win medals in both the Winter and Summer Games. In Turin she then added a gold medal in the 5000m and silver in the team pursuit speed skating events with potential for more as she enters the 2010 Olympic season as the defending World silver medalist in the 5000m. Quite apart from her athletic accomplishments, Clara has a very extensive resume with respect to her humanitarian endeavors, not the least of which is her involvement with Right To Play. Clara is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Manitoba, has received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Manitoba, and has received The International Olympic Committee’s ‘Sport and Community’ award.
Beckie Scott
Beckie Scott retired in 2006 as a three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist with a gold medal in the five-kilometer pursuit race at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and a silver medal with teammate Sara Renner in the team sprint event at the 2006 Torino Games. Off the snow, Beckie can only be described as a tireless advocate for sport. She is currently Canada’s representative on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Athlete Committee, a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and is on the board of directors for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Beckie is also proud to be co-chair of Right To Play’s Canadian advisory council.
Cal Botterill
Cal Botterill is part of an “active” family. His wife, Doreen (a former 2-time Olympian speed skater) is a former elementary school physical education teacher at Brock Corydon School in Winnipeg. Their daughter, Jennifer (a graduate of Harvard university) is a gold and silver Olympic medalist, a 3-time World Champion, and NCAA Champion in ice hockey. Their son Jason (a graduate of the University of Michigan) is a 3-time World Junior Champion, an NCAA Champion, and a Calder Cup Champion (AHL) in hockey. Striving to develop and maintain “perspective” played a huge role as the family grew up in Wildwood Park, traveled and explored the world’s opportunities. Cal has been part of Canadian Teams at seven different Olympic games, and has consulted for five NHL teams (including the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers). Cal has received teaching excellence awards at both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Calgary. Cal has enjoyed opportunities to contribute in business, health, education, emergency professions, performing arts and the media. He has championed “interactive learning” via technology and maintained a strong interest in global and personal issues. As the author of hundreds of articles, books, videos and presentations, Cal has helped popularize “health and performance psychology”. Nature, family and professional colleagues play a huge role in his perspective.
