Sobeys Inc. is wholly-owned by Empire Company Limited (TSX: EMP. A), a Canadian company headquartered in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.
In addition to food retailing, Empire's core businesses include commercial and residential real estate operations.

View biographies for Sobeys Inc.'s Board of Directors and Officers.


Robert P. Dexter
Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • Robert P. Dexter

    Halifax, Nova Scotia

  • Robert P. Dexter is Chair of Empire Company Limited. He is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Travel Inc. He is a director of BellAliant Inc., Wajax Corporation and High Liner Foods Inc. and counsel to the law firm of Stewart McKelvey. Mr. Dexter has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998. Mr. Dexter previously served as a director of Aliant Inc. and Maritime Life Assurance Company. Mr. Dexter did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Marcel Côté
Montréal, Québec
  • Marcel Côté

    Montréal, Québec

  • Marcel Côté is Senior Partner of Secor Inc., a Montréal-based consulting firm. He is a former economic advisor to the Premier of Québec from 1986 to 1988, and was Director of Strategic Planning and Communication for the Office of the Prime Minister from 1989 to 1990. He is a director of Intact Financial Corporation and of Osisko Mining Corporation. He is also a director of the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the YMCA Foundation, NeuroScience Canada, Compagnie de danse Marie Chouinard and Imagine Canada. Mr. Côté has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998. Mr. Côté previously served as Chairman of Engenuity Technologies Inc. and as a director of Nurun Inc. Mr. Côté did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
David S. Ferguson
Georgia, U.S.
  • David S. Ferguson

    Georgia, U.S.

  • David S. Ferguson is the principal of D.S. Ferguson Enterprises, LLC. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart Europe from September 2000 to July 2003. Prior to that, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Walmart Canada. He is a director of Exide Technologies. He is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board for the Business School of Morehouse College. Mr. Ferguson has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2006. Mr. Ferguson previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of Ryerson University's School of Retail Management and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Retail Council of Canada, NSB Retail Systems PLC and the Advisory Board of Miller-Zell. Mr. Ferguson did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Edward C. Harsant
Woodbridge, Ontario
  • Edward C. Harsant

    Woodbridge, Ontario

  • Edward C. Harsant is the President of Stonehedge Partners. He was President, North American Stores for Staples Inc. from 2000 to 2002. Prior to that, he was President of The Business Depot Ltd. Mr. Harsant has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2007 and he is the Chair of the Advisory Board of Lawton's Drug Stores Limited, a former director of the Canadian Special Olympics and former Chair of the Retail Council of Canada. Mr. Harsant did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
David Leslie(1)
Toronto, Ontario
  • David Leslie(1)

    Toronto, Ontario

  • David A. Leslie, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, retired in 2004 after 37 years of service with Ernst & Young LLP, where he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from 1999 to 2004. He is a director of Enbridge Inc., Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc., Imris Inc., a trustee of Crombie REIT and Chair of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Mr. Leslie has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2005 and previously served as a director of CanWest Global Communications Inc. Mr. Leslie did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Bill McEwan
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
  • Bill McEwan

    New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

  • Bill McEwan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sobeys Inc. He is a member of the Board of Directors of international food retailer Delhaize Group and serves on the board of the Consumer Goods Forum. He served on the Board of Directors of Kids Help Phone and he is past Chairman of The Grocery Foundation. Mr. McEwan has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2000. Mr. McEwan did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Malen Ng(2)
Toronto, Ontario
  • Malen Ng(2)

    Toronto, Ontario

  • Malen Ng retired in 2008 as Chief Financial Officer of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario. She was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro One Networks Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hydro One Inc. Before that, she was Executive Vice President of Wires Operations, and Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hydro One Inc., and prior to that was Vice President of Corporate Finance with Ontario Hydro. Ms. Ng has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2001. Ms. Ng is a director of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Ms. Ng previously served as a director of Extendicare Inc. and Jacques Whitford. Ms. Ng did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Mel Rhinelander
Toronto, Ontario
  • Mel Rhinelander

    Toronto, Ontario

  • Mel Rhinelander is Chairman of Extendicare REIT and Vice Chairman of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. Mr. Rhinelander was President and Chief Executive Officer of Extendicare Inc. from August 2000 to November 2006. He previously served in increasingly senior roles at Extendicare Inc. since 1977. Mr. Rhinelander is also a Certified Human Resources Professional. Mr. Rhinelander has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2004. Mr. Rhinelander did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Stephen J. Savidant(1)
Calgary, Alberta
  • Stephen J. Savidant(1)

    Calgary, Alberta

  • Stephen J. Savidant is a director and Chair of the Board of Enerflex Ltd. and he has been a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2007. Mr. Savidant was previously the Chairman of ProspEx Resources Ltd. and a director of Toromont Industries Limited. From 2002 until his retirement in May 2006, Mr. Savidant was the President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Trustees of Esprit Energy Trust. Previously, he was also the President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd. Mr. Savidant did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
David F. Sobey
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
  • David F. Sobey

    New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

  • David F. Sobey is Chair Emeritus of Sobeys Inc. He was Chief Executive Officer of Sobeys from 1982 until 1995. He became Chair of the Board in 1996 until his appointment as Chair Emeritus in 2001. Mr. Sobey was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in November 1995. He is former Chancellor of Saint Mary's University, a member of the Advisory Board for the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University, and an honourary director of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. Mr. Sobey has been a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998 and of earlier Sobeys companies beginning in 1958. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Donald R. Sobey
Pictou County, Nova Scotia
  • Donald R. Sobey

    Pictou County, Nova Scotia

  • Donald R. Sobey is Chair Emeritus of Empire Company Limited. He was President of the Company from 1969 until his appointment as Chair in 1985. He was Chair of the Company until his appointment as Chair Emeritus in 2004. He is also past Chairman of the National Gallery of Canada, past Chairman of Maritime Tel & Tel and past director of the World Wildlife Fund. He is the founder of the D&R Sobey Scholarship Fund at Queen's University and currently a member of the Trilateral Commission. Mr. Sobey has been a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998 and of earlier Sobeys companies beginning in 1993. Mr. Sobey previously served as a director of the following publicly traded companies: Toronto-Dominion Bank, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc., High Liner Foods Limited and Trader Classified Media NV. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Frank C. Sobey
Stellarton, Nova Scotia
  • Frank C. Sobey

    Stellarton, Nova Scotia

  • Frank C. Sobey is Vice President, Real Estate of Empire Company Limited. Mr. Sobey is also Chairman of Crombie REIT and the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation as well as a member of the Canadian-US Fulbright Program. Mr. Sobey has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2001. Mr. Sobey was previously a director of Wajax Limited. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
John R. Sobey(1)
Pictou County, Nova Scotia
  • John R. Sobey(1)

    Pictou County, Nova Scotia

  • John R. Sobey was President and Chief Operating Officer of Sobeys Inc. until his retirement in 2001 after 34 years of service. He is a director of Medavie Inc. Mr. Sobey has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Karl R. Sobey
Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • Karl R. Sobey

    Halifax, Nova Scotia

  • Karl R. Sobey is President of Caribou River Investments Limited and JAFA Investments Limited. He has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2007. He was President of the Atlantic Division of Sobeys Inc. until his retirement in 2001 after 27 years of service. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Paul D. Sobey
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
  • Paul D. Sobey

    New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

  • Paul D. Sobey has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Empire Company Limited since 1998. He has been with the Company since 1982. He is a director of the Bank of Nova Scotia, a trustee of Crombie REIT and a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998. Mr. Sobey previously served as the Chairman of Wajax Limited, a director of Emera Inc. and as a member of the Board of Governors of Saint Mary's University. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011.

 
Rob G.C. Sobey
Stellarton, Nova Scotia
  • Rob G.C. Sobey

    Stellarton, Nova Scotia

  • Rob G.C. Sobey has been President and Chief Executive Officer, Lawton's Drug Stores Limited since 2006. He has been with Sobeys since 1989. He is a director of DHX Media Ltd. and has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2007. Mr. Sobey did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2006 to 2011. Mr. Sobey sits on the Queen's School of Business Advisory Board and the North American Acquisitions Committee of the Tate (UK). Mr. Sobey is Honourary Colonel of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment RCA. Mr. Sobey previously served as Chairman of the Nova Scotia Community College, Chairman of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Vice Chairman of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Queen's University. Mr. Sobey earned the ICD.D designation in 2009.

(1) Audit Committee Member
(2) Audit Committee Chair

Robert P. Dexter
Chairman
  • Robert P. Dexter

    Chairman

  • Robert P. Dexter is Chair of Empire Company Limited. He is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Travel Inc. He is a partner of the law firm of Stewart McKelvey, a trustee of Wajax Income Fund, and a director of Bell Aliant Regional Communications LP and High Liner Foods Inc. Mr. Dexter has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 1998. Mr. Dexter previously served as a director of Aliant Inc. and Maritime Life Assurance Company. Mr. Dexter did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2004 to 2009.

 
Bill McEwan
President & Chief Executive Officer
  • Bill McEwan

    President & Chief Executive Officer

  • Bill McEwan is President & Chief Executive Officer of Sobeys Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of its parent company, Empire Company Limited.

    A native of Trail, British Columbia, Mr. McEwan began his career at Ferraro's Ltd., Super Valu Stores at the age of 15, spending 13 years with the company in both British Columbia and Alberta.

    Between 1989 and 2000, Mr. McEwan held a variety of progressively senior marketing and merchandising roles in the consumer packaged goods industry with Coca-Cola Limited and in grocery retail with A&P both in Canada and the United States. He served as President of A&P's Canadian operations before his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company's U.S. Atlantic Region, the position he held immediately prior to joining Sobeys Inc.

    Since joining Sobeys Inc. in 2000, Mr. McEwan has overseen the development of the company's long-term strategic plan, built a leadership team and, with that team, has driven the execution of Sobeys' food-focused growth plans.

    Bill McEwan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sobeys Inc. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Food Marketing Institute and the Consumer Goods Forum. He served on the National Board of Directors of Kids Help Phone and is past Chairman of the Grocery Industry Foundation Together (G.I.F.T.). Mr. McEwan has served as a director of Sobeys Inc. since 2000. Mr. McEwan did not serve as a director of any other reporting issuers during the period from 2004 to 2009.

    Mr. McEwan is on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Goods Forum. He served on the National Board of Directors of Kids Help Phone and is past Chairman of the Grocery Foundation. In 1999, he was recognized as National Volunteer of the Year by Kids Help Phone, an organization to which he continues to devote his time and energy.

    In April, 2009, Mr. McEwan was appointed by Canada's Minister of Finance, to the federal government's Advisory Committee on Financing, the mandate of which is to provide counsel and advice on the availability of financing to Canadian businesses and consumers.

 
François Vimard
Executive Vice President
  • François Vimard

    Executive Vice President

  • François Vimard is Executive Vice President for Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor. He provides leadership for the Company's Finance, Information Technology, Business Process Optimization and Procurement functions.

    Mr. Vimard's career at Sobeys began in August 1995 as Director, General Accounting (Quebec Region). Two years later he was promoted to Vice President, Finance. In 2000, he became Senior Vice President, Finance and Strategic Planning for Sobeys' operations in Quebec. In 2003, Mr. Vimard was appointed Executive Vice President, Supply Chain and Technology. He was appointed to his current role in July, 2007.

    Mr. Vimard is a Chartered Accountant. He began his career as an auditor for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells in 1983 before joining Provigo Distribution, Inc. in 1985. Over more than eight years he held progressively senior roles in Finance and Supply, eventually assuming the position of Director, Planning and Financial Analysis. From March 1994 to August 1995, Mr. Vimard was Controller (Eastern) for Petro-Canada before joining Sobeys Inc.

    Mr. Vimard earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Licence in Accounting Sciences from Université Laval. He is a member of the Quebec Chartered Accountant Order.

 
Jason Potter
President, Multi-Format Operations
  • Jason Potter

    President, Multi-Format Operations

  • Jason Potter is President, Multi-Format Operations, for Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor. He is responsible for the Company's retail and wholesale operations in the four Atlantic provinces.

    Mr. Potter has worked with the company since 1992 in progressively senior operations and merchandising roles. Prior to his appointment as President Operations, he was Senior Vice President Merchandising, Sobeys Western Region.

    Mr. Potter holds an MBA from Athabasca University. In May 2009, Mr. Potter was recognized as a recipient of Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ award, which annually honours 40 Canadians under the age of 40 for vision, leadership, innovation, achievement and community involvement.

 
Marc Poulin
President, IGA Operations
  • Marc Poulin

    President, IGA Operations

  • Marc Poulin is President, IGA Operations, for Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor. He is responsible for the Company's business operations in Québec, including IGA, IGA extra, Marché Bonichoix, Les Marchés Tradition and Rachelle-Béry.

    Since joining Sobeys in 1997, he has held progressively senior positions. For three years he was Vice President Buying and Merchandising. Prior to his current position, he was Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager.

    Mr. Poulin has more than 16-years experience in retail marketing and management. For eight years he advanced through the ranks at Provigo Distribution. He was Vice President and General Manager at Culinar Inc. He later joined Groupe Vie Desjardins-Laurentienne as Corporate Vice President Marketing.

    Mr. Poulin has a Bachelor of Actuarial Science from Université Laval. He holds a Masters of Management (Marketing) from J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management/Northwestern University.

 
Ashim Khemani
Chief Development Officer
  • Ashim Khemani

    Chief Leadership Development Officer

  • Ashim Khemani is Chief Leadership Development Officer for Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor. In his capacity working with Sobeys’ and Empire Company Limited’s national and regional leadership teams, Mr. Khemani is responsible for advancing the companies’ leadership bench strength and organizational capabilities, as well as being responsible for national Human Resources functions.

    Prior to joining Sobeys in October, 2010, Mr. Khemani spent more than two decades in the insurance and professional services industry.

 
Karin McCaskill
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
  • Karin McCaskill

    Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

  • Karin McCaskill is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Sobeys Inc. and Corporate Secretary of its parent, Empire Company Limited. She has overall responsibility for the legal affairs of Sobeys Inc., and corporate governance responsibility for Empire and its subsidiaries.

    Before joining Sobeys in December 2002, Ms. McCaskill was a partner of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales in Halifax, where she practised law for over twenty years.She served as Chair of the Nova Scotia Labour and Employment Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, and on the Executive of the CBA's National Labour and Employment Law Section including a two-year term as Chair. She was a Founder and Director of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers.

    Ms McCaskill is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario (Honours Business Administration, 1975) and Osgoode Hall Law School (LLB, 1978). She has been a member of the Ontario and Nova Scotia bars since 1980. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Second Harvest (Toronto) and is active as a mentor through the Women’s Executive Network.

 
Paul A. Jewer
Chief Financial Officer
  • Paul A. Jewer

    Chief Financial Officer

  • Paul Jewer is Chief Financial Officer for Sobeys Inc., a leading Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor. He leads the Company's financial functions including: reporting, planning, treasury, tax and Sobeys' investor relations.

    Prior to joining Sobeys Inc. in 2003, Mr. Jewer held a number of progressively senior finance positions in the technology sector with Quest Software Inc. and Core Networks Inc. He began his career with Ernst & Young LLP providing audit, tax, valuation and business advisory services for a variety of clients in various business sectors. Prior to his appointment to Chief Financial Officer in October 2011, he was Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer for Sobeys Inc.

    Mr. Jewer graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University. In 1997 he received his Chartered Accountant's designation.

    Mr. Jewer is Past-President of Acadia University's Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Governors of Acadia University. In May 2008, Mr. Jewer was recognized as a recipient of Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ award, which annually honours 40 Canadians under the age of 40 for vision, leadership, innovation, achievement and community involvement.

 
L. Jane McDow
Assistant Secretary
  • L. Jane McDow

    Assistant Secretary

  • Jane McDow is Senior Director Legal Services, Associate General Counsel & Assistant Secretary for Sobeys Inc. and Assistant Secretary for various other subsidiaries of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc. She provides legal services to Sobeys national departments and is responsible for management of Sobeys intellectual property and management of the record-keeping and regulatory filing aspects of the corporate secretarial function for Empire and Sobeys.

    Ms. McDow began at Sobeys in 1990 has worked within the Sobeys legal department since 1994.

    Ms. McDow holds a Bachelor of Science degree from University of King's College, a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Mary's University and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University.