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Welcome to exeQutive!

exeQutive is a forum for Toronto/GTA-based lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) leaders — current and aspiring professionals, executives and entrepreneurs.   We are a member-driven organization.  Our members include business owners and leaders of some of Canada's largest and most well-known corporations, financial institutions, law and accounting firms, government agencies and charities.

We invite you to explore this website to learn more about what we do to support and strengthen the businesses and careers of Toronto's LGBTQ leaders and to contribute to our community.

We welcome new members.  If you are an LGBTQ professional, executive or entrepreneur and have a leadership role within your organization, we invite you apply for membership.  A membership form is available here.

Meet Some of Our Members

John Rider's picture
John Rider | Chicago Title Insurance Company, Senior Vice President, Retail and Commercial Title Insurance

John is a business, planning and innovation consultant working with clients to assist them in strategy, planning, process, product development and sales.He has a legal and business background of almost 25 years and has worked with a number of clients and employers to build their business, design and launch new products and to help them grow to the next level more profitably.  He loves to help groups rethink and change for the better. 

Bruce Lawson's picture
Bruce Lawson

Bruce Lawson is the Executive Director of The Counselling Foundation of Canada.  His background is in providing meeting planning and project management services to a variety of clients, as well as having served as Interim Executive Director of Casey House Foundation. 

Bruce is the past Chair of the Board of Casey House, and co-chaired Casey House’s largest fundraising event, Art with Heart for 3 years.  He is also a director of several other non-profit organizations.

Brad Berg's picture
Brad Berg | Partner at Blakes

Brad was one of the founding members of exeQutive. He is very involved in the community, in addition to having a busy litigation practice at Blakes. Brad lives in Toronto with his spouse Brian Rolfes, partner and global director of recruiting for McKinsey & Company. Brad's full bio and more information can be found at www.blakes.com.

Al Ramsay's picture
Al Ramsay | Associate Vice President, Sales and Strategy & Head LGBTQ2+ Business Development, TD

Al Ramsay is the Regional Manager, LGBT Business Development at TD Bank Group, supporting the GTA. He and his team of senior advisors are responsible for the growth of the LGBT personal, wealth and business portfolios by focusing on providing expert financial advice and delivering legendary client experience.

Al has a passion for advancing inclusiveness in the workplace and in the communities he serves; he’s held positions on numerous work committees and grass roots community organization boards, including: TD’s LGBTA Executive Committee, Community One Foundation and the Urban Financial Services Coalition.

Shawn Sheridan's picture
Shawn Sheridan | Vice President, Information Technology, Numeris

Shawn is a senior executive with over 25 years experience in information technology.  Now Vice President of Information Technology for Numeris, Canada's radio and television ratings experts, he has held VP and SVP positions at companies like AGF Management, Unisen, and Citigroup.  Shawn specialises in helping businesses best use their technology, focusing on both business-aligned strategy and overall management of technology in roles such as CIO, and other 'Head of IT' roles.

Shawn is also chair of OutSport Toronto, a not-for-profit umbrella organisation serving and supporting LGBT sports organisations in the GTA.

Greg Johns's picture
Greg Johns | Counsel, Technology Law, McMillan LLP

Greg is Senior Negotiations Executive for IBM Global Technology Services.  In this role, he leads the structuring and negotiation of IBM’s largest and most complex technology outsourcing transactions including infrastructure, application and business process outsourcing.   As IBM Canada's first out executive, Greg is a member of IBM's GLBT Executive Task Force.  He has actively supported initiatives of Blue Q - IBM's network group for its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Greg is a graduate of the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario and the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University. Greg is also a Trustee of the Bill 7 Award Trust, which provides scholarships to support LGBT youth in financial need who are pursuing a  post-secondary education in Ontario, and was a founding member of exeQutive.

John F Clifford's picture
John F Clifford | Partner, Business Law Group of McMillan LLP (Toronto, Ontario).

John is a senior partner and Chief Operating Officer of McMillan LLP. His law practice is focused on private company mergers & acquisitions transactions and complex commercial matters and reorganizations. He has extensive experience advising a diverse range of clients on domestic and cross-border matters across many industries. Recognized internationally for his expertise and experience, Who's Who Legal identifies John as one of the top M&A lawyers in Canada and states that John is "top notch by all accounts", "very client focused" and "always delivers". 

In five consecutive years from 2017-2012, John was named to the prestigious global list of OUTstanding Top 100 LGBT+ Executives, as presented by the Financial Times/Yahoo , in recognition of his business achievements and impact on LGBT inclusion within McMillan and externally. Previously he received a Lexpert Zenith Award and an Out On Bay Street “Leaders To Be Proud Of” Award.

John founded exeQutive in 2007 with a group of friends and colleagues.

Peter Kinch, CPC, FCPA's picture
Peter Kinch, CPC, FCPA | Founder, 7xForward:Peter Kinch Coaching

Peter is a senior partner of EY. He provides litigation support to the firm's general counsel office and accounting & audit-related services in the financial services sector. Peter is the Executive Sponsor of EY's LGBT bEYond network

Daniel Holland's picture
Daniel Holland | Skymattix Inc.

Daniel is an experienced business development and marketing professional with specialization in local/location-based traffic/lead generation for retailers and service-based businesses, CRM and large-scale loyalty programs, as well as professional services marketing (law, medical specialists). 

Resource File

Jan 8, 2023

On August 28, 2022, the Federal government launched Canada’s first Action Plan aimed at advancing rights and equality for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people in Canada.  A copy of the Plan is attached.

Feb 15, 2019

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development, has announced $30 million in dedicated funding over five years, followed by $10 million per year to advance human rights and improve socio-economic outcomes for LGBTQ2 people in developing countries. Minister Bibeau made the announcement on Febraury 7 accompanied by Randy Boissonnault, the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on LGBTQ2 issues.

Aug 22, 2018

Businesses with LGBTI people in managerial positions have higher overall performances and better business outcomes, according to a new report.

Aug 21, 2016

In partnership with Pride@Work, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusiion surveyed and reported on the perspectives of members of LGBT+ communities across Canada about workplace inclusion.