Queen’s has announced the appointment of Mary Wilson Trider (Com’82), an experienced healthcare sector executive and Queen’s alumna, as the next chair of the university's Board of Trustees. Her appointment marks the first time that a University Council representative on the board has been selected for this important role.

She will begin a four-year term as chair on June 1, 2020, succeeding Donald M. Raymond, who has served as chair since 2016. The Board’s Governance and Nominating Committee, following a thorough review and selection process led by Chancellor Jim Leech, recommended her nomination as chair to the wider board membership.

“Mary’s appointment as Chair of the Board of Trustees is a testament to the strengths and experience she has demonstrated while a member of both the board and University Council,” says Chancellor Leech. “Our trustees provide a wealth of knowledge and guidance to the university and Queen’s will be well-served by Mary’s strategic leadership skills.”

She first became a member of University Council in 2007 and was later elected by that body to sit as one of its six representatives on the Board of Trustees. University Council is one of the three bodies that participate in governance at the highest levels of the university, with its members elected by and from the vast network of Queen’s alumni. The council serves as both an advisory and ambassadorial body and it is responsible for the election of the Chancellor. At Queen’s Wilson Trider is currently a Board of Trustees Vice-Chair, chairs the board’s Audit and Risk Committee, and is a member of the Capital Assets and Finance Committee.

“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve my alma mater as its next Board Chair and the first Council Trustee elected to this position,” says Wilson Trider. “Queen’s is an institution with a rich history. I look forward to working with Principal Deane and my Board colleagues to shape the University’s next chapter and ensuring Queen’s continues to be viewed as one of the best universities in Canada.”

Wilson Trider is President and CEO of Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital. She is a graduate of the Smith School of Business and is a chartered professional accountant and a Fellow of CPA Ontario (FCPA, FCA). She has been active outside the university in a number of healthcare industry committees, and has prior board experience, including terms as chair of the United Way of York Region, Vice Chair of Booth Centennial Healthcare Linen Services, and as Treasurer of Ontario 211 Services Corporation.

“I’m pleased to welcome Mary into her new role as chair of the Board of Trustees,” says Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. “This is a critical time for Queen’s with the community engaged in a conversation about our future and the vision that will help guide us there. I look forward to working closely with Mary and her Board colleagues as we work to implement this emerging vision.”