Board of Directors

Terry Finley is a CPA with over 43 years’ experience in the National and International Medical Device Industry. Terry worked five years with Wright Medical as the VP Canada and Europe, followed by 17 years with Medtronic in the Restorative Therapies Group (RTG) as Director and subsequently Sr Director. Terry is now retired and is the Owner of a Canadian Medical Device Industry Consulting Business. As well as serving as Chairman of the Board for CSII Terry also serves on the Board of Directors at Cutten Fields Golf and Recreation Club.

Dr. Anvari is a tenured professor at McMaster University. In 2004, he was appointed to the newly created Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Surgical Innovation. In 2005, he became the founding director of the McMaster Institute for Surgical Invention, Innovation and Education. He is the founding director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) and Scientific Director and CEO of the Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation (CSii), affiliated with McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario Canada. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer-Assisted Surgery, an Adjunct Scientist with ICES and the Clinical Lead and Chair of the Ontario Bariatric Network.

His body of work has been internationally recognized and acknowledged. Time Magazine has touted the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) as “sculpting the next frontier of medicine.” Through CMAS, the first of its kind in Canada, Dr. Anvari has promoted the use of minimal access techniques in all surgical specialties and has focused on improving patient outcomes, minimizing the physical, emotional and financial impact of surgical procedures on patients and reducing hospital admissions and the associated costs. His dedication to the ongoing training and mentoring of surgeons through CMAS has resulted in creation of a series of continuing education programs that are unrivalled in scope, subject matter and participation. Under his direction, CMAS has trained over 1200 surgeons through 87 CME programs designed for surgeons from all specialties, providing them with their primary source of training in the newest techniques and applications in the use of minimal access surgery.

Dr. Anvari was one of the first surgeons in Canada to use robotics in surgery, and in 2003 he established the world’s first telerobotic surgical service linking St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and a community hospital, North Bay General. He was the Chief Scientific Officer for the NEEMO 7 mission (2004), and NEEMO 9 (2006), joint projects of McMaster, the Canadian Space Agency and NASA that were tasked with testing the ability of new robotic and telesurgical technology to allow a non-physician to perform assisted surgery in a contained environment that simulates conditions in space. He is the Past President and current board member of the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians & Surgeons (CABPS) and former President of MIRA, the association representing robotic surgeons worldwide. The recipient of the 2009-2010 ORION Award for Leadership, Dr. Anvari has also been awarded the Government of Ontario Diamond Award for Innovation in Technology, the Government of Canada Gold Medal of Distinction for Telerobotic Surgery, the McMaster Innovator of the Year Award (2009), the NASA-International Space Station (ISS) Research and Development Award for Biology and Medicine (2015), and the Order of Ontario (2017).

Ghada received her PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Wireless Mesh Networks in the field of Artificial Intelligence from McMaster University. She is Vice-President and Co-founder of FyeLabs (a spin-off lab from McMaster University). FyeLabs helps ambitious SMEs compete with large enterprise through ultra lean product development and problem solving services.

Karen is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Shared Services West. Karen has held such roles as the Chief Operating Officer at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Chief Operating Officer at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London, the Vice President Administration for McMaster University and the Vice President of Finance and Administration for St Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton and Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga.

Karen holds a CPA / CGA designation and an MBA.

Karen values governance and the role of the Board. Having completed the Conference Board of Canada/DeGroote School of Business Directors College, she is a Chartered Director (C. Dir.), and her board experience includes CIMTEC, Trillium Gift of Life Network, Horizon Utilities, Theatre Aquarius, St. Peters Hospital, McMaster Innovation Park, Gore District Land Trust, McMaster Museum of Art, and CAA Southwestern Ontario.

Terry Finley is a CPA with over 43 years’ experience in the National and International Medical Device Industry. Terry worked five years with Wright Medical as the VP Canada and Europe, followed by 17 years with Medtronic in the Restorative Therapies Group (RTG) as Director and subsequently Sr Director. Terry is now retired and is the Owner of a Canadian Medical Device Industry Consulting Business. As well as serving as Chairman of the Board for CSII Terry also serves on the Board of Directors at Cutten Fields Golf and Recreation Club.

Dr. Anvari is a tenured professor at McMaster University. In 2004, he was appointed to the newly created Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Surgical Innovation. In 2005, he became the founding director of the McMaster Institute for Surgical Invention, Innovation and Education. He is the founding director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) and Scientific Director and CEO of the Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation (CSii), affiliated with McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Ontario Canada. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer-Assisted Surgery, an Adjunct Scientist with ICES and the Clinical Lead and Chair of the Ontario Bariatric Network.

His body of work has been internationally recognized and acknowledged. Time Magazine has touted the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) as “sculpting the next frontier of medicine.” Through CMAS, the first of its kind in Canada, Dr. Anvari has promoted the use of minimal access techniques in all surgical specialties and has focused on improving patient outcomes, minimizing the physical, emotional and financial impact of surgical procedures on patients and reducing hospital admissions and the associated costs. His dedication to the ongoing training and mentoring of surgeons through CMAS has resulted in creation of a series of continuing education programs that are unrivalled in scope, subject matter and participation. Under his direction, CMAS has trained over 1200 surgeons through 87 CME programs designed for surgeons from all specialties, providing them with their primary source of training in the newest techniques and applications in the use of minimal access surgery.

Dr. Anvari was one of the first surgeons in Canada to use robotics in surgery, and in 2003 he established the world’s first telerobotic surgical service linking St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and a community hospital, North Bay General. He was the Chief Scientific Officer for the NEEMO 7 mission (2004), and NEEMO 9 (2006), joint projects of McMaster, the Canadian Space Agency and NASA that were tasked with testing the ability of new robotic and telesurgical technology to allow a non-physician to perform assisted surgery in a contained environment that simulates conditions in space. He is the Past President and current board member of the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians & Surgeons (CABPS) and former President of MIRA, the association representing robotic surgeons worldwide. The recipient of the 2009-2010 ORION Award for Leadership, Dr. Anvari has also been awarded the Government of Ontario Diamond Award for Innovation in Technology, the Government of Canada Gold Medal of Distinction for Telerobotic Surgery, the McMaster Innovator of the Year Award (2009), the NASA-International Space Station (ISS) Research and Development Award for Biology and Medicine (2015), and the Order of Ontario (2017).

Ghada received her PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Wireless Mesh Networks in the field of Artificial Intelligence from McMaster University. She is Vice-President and Co-founder of FyeLabs (a spin-off lab from McMaster University). FyeLabs helps ambitious SMEs compete with large enterprise through ultra lean product development and problem solving services.

Karen is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Shared Services West. Karen has held such roles as the Chief Operating Officer at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Chief Operating Officer at the London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care London, the Vice President Administration for McMaster University and the Vice President of Finance and Administration for St Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton and Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga.

Karen holds a CPA / CGA designation and an MBA.

Karen values governance and the role of the Board. Having completed the Conference Board of Canada/DeGroote School of Business Directors College, she is a Chartered Director (C. Dir.), and her board experience includes CIMTEC, Trillium Gift of Life Network, Horizon Utilities, Theatre Aquarius, St. Peters Hospital, McMaster Innovation Park, Gore District Land Trust, McMaster Museum of Art, and CAA Southwestern Ontario.

Dr. Mohit Bhandari Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery, McMaster University

Paul Milne's educational background includes a BA and MBA from the University of Toronto, a LLB from Osgoode Law School and a Certificate in Family Business advising from the Family Firm Institute, an international organization of family business advisors. Paul's continuing education includes the Business Families Foundation Course in Montreal and succession planning programs at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA in Los Angeles and the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia.

Areas of practice include:

Acting as counsel to owners of private businesses with emphasis on corporate organizational planning from a legal perspective, corporate transactions and implementation of transition plans for businesses. This also includes working with other professionals in an interdisciplinary manner facilitating transition planning, values clarification, family retreats and design and development of governance systems such as advisory boards and boards of directors; and Estate planning and incapacity planning for owners of private businesses, their families and other individuals.

Paul is a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute, has been a member of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise and of the Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises, an international organization of lawyers for family business. Paul is also a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He has also served as a member of the Consulting Services Executive Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, has lectured to lawyers with the Law Society of Upper Canada, has lectured in the Society's Bar Admission Program, has been an editor of the Estates Trusts and Pensions Journal, a national publication in Canada and as well has served on numerous public boards. Paul's publications include "The Family Business History"; "A Catalyst to a Successful Succession Plan" co-authored with Phyllis M. Cowan which was published in the Estates Trusts and Pensions Journal in Canada and The CPA Consultant which is the journal of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Paul also speaks regularly on transition planning to business organizations.

Paul has served on the Board of Directors of numerous community organizations including the Boards of Directors of The Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, the Canadian Centre for Studies of Children at Risk at McMaster University and the Idlewyld Home for Aged in Hamilton.

Founder and CEO of Proprietary Nutritionals Inc. which was sold to Pharmachem Laboratories who subsequently sold to Ashland Chemicals. Over the years have been involved in various other Companies as an investor and/or Board Member.

Interested in pursuing opportunities utilizing my experience as an Entrepreneur with strong Strategic Planning skills. Ideally, mentoring and connecting businesses/entrepreneurs who have developed exciting new products/technologies that are disruptive to their industry. Key focus on execution of product launch and distribution strategy utilizing my extensive network and experience as well as assistance in obtaining financing through various channels (Angel, Venture, Pension Funds, Alternative non dilutive and traditional).

Dr. Karen Mossman is the Vice-President, Research of McMaster University. Prior to serving as Acting VPR, Dr. Mossman was the Associate Vice-President (Research) for McMaster University (also served as Acting VPR from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018) and former Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Mossman completed a PhD in Biochemistry and a post-doctoral fellowship in Molecular Virology at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently a professor with tenure and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Mossman has made seminal contributions to the understanding of how cells sense viral infections, and in turn, how viruses evade detection by host cells. More recently, her efforts have also focused on development of “oncolytics” — therapeutic viruses used to fight cancer. She is a member of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the McMaster Immunology Research Center.

Paul Milne's educational background includes a BA and MBA from the University of Toronto, a LLB from Osgoode Law School and a Certificate in Family Business advising from the Family Firm Institute, an international organization of family business advisors. Paul's continuing education includes the Business Families Foundation Course in Montreal and succession planning programs at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA in Los Angeles and the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia.

Areas of practice include:

Acting as counsel to owners of private businesses with emphasis on corporate organizational planning from a legal perspective, corporate transactions and implementation of transition plans for businesses. This also includes working with other professionals in an interdisciplinary manner facilitating transition planning, values clarification, family retreats and design and development of governance systems such as advisory boards and boards of directors; and Estate planning and incapacity planning for owners of private businesses, their families and other individuals.

Paul is a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute, has been a member of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise and of the Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises, an international organization of lawyers for family business. Paul is also a Fellow of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He has also served as a member of the Consulting Services Executive Committee of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, has lectured to lawyers with the Law Society of Upper Canada, has lectured in the Society's Bar Admission Program, has been an editor of the Estates Trusts and Pensions Journal, a national publication in Canada and as well has served on numerous public boards. Paul's publications include "The Family Business History"; "A Catalyst to a Successful Succession Plan" co-authored with Phyllis M. Cowan which was published in the Estates Trusts and Pensions Journal in Canada and The CPA Consultant which is the journal of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Paul also speaks regularly on transition planning to business organizations.

Paul has served on the Board of Directors of numerous community organizations including the Boards of Directors of The Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, the Canadian Centre for Studies of Children at Risk at McMaster University and the Idlewyld Home for Aged in Hamilton.

Founder and CEO of Proprietary Nutritionals Inc. which was sold to Pharmachem Laboratories who subsequently sold to Ashland Chemicals. Over the years have been involved in various other Companies as an investor and/or Board Member.

Interested in pursuing opportunities utilizing my experience as an Entrepreneur with strong Strategic Planning skills. Ideally, mentoring and connecting businesses/entrepreneurs who have developed exciting new products/technologies that are disruptive to their industry. Key focus on execution of product launch and distribution strategy utilizing my extensive network and experience as well as assistance in obtaining financing through various channels (Angel, Venture, Pension Funds, Alternative non dilutive and traditional).

Dr. Karen Mossman is the Vice-President, Research of McMaster University. Prior to serving as Acting VPR, Dr. Mossman was the Associate Vice-President (Research) for McMaster University (also served as Acting VPR from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018) and former Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Mossman completed a PhD in Biochemistry and a post-doctoral fellowship in Molecular Virology at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently a professor with tenure and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Mossman has made seminal contributions to the understanding of how cells sense viral infections, and in turn, how viruses evade detection by host cells. More recently, her efforts have also focused on development of “oncolytics” — therapeutic viruses used to fight cancer. She is a member of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and the McMaster Immunology Research Center.

He began his career with LIUNA in 1984 working in construction as a labourer with Canadian Engineering. In 1989 he accepted a position with the LIUNA Local 837 Training Centre as a Training Instructor. By 1999 he was named as the Centre’s Director of Training.

In 1993 he was appointed as Executive Director of the LIUNA Group, which oversees the operations of the Liuna Gardens and the Liuna Station Banquet and Conference Facilities in Greater Hamilton, a position which he still holds today. He was instrumental in the revitalization of Hamilton’s iconic Lister Block and oversaw its renewal and transition from LiUNA to the City of Hamilton.

He was first elected to the Executive Board of the local in 1995 as Recording Secretary.

His other responsibilities within LIUNA include serving as a Director on the Boards of the Queens Garden and Regina Gardens Long-term Care Facilities; 34 West Avenue Inc. (Local 837’s real estate arm); and LIUNA Hamilton Association (LIUNA’s social housing wing).

In 2014, he was the recipient of the Festitalia Italian Heritage Award, Labour Category. He chaired the 2015 St. Joseph Healthcare Annual Gala. He is a member on the Centre of Surgical Invention and Innovation committee. He serves on the committees of the Hamilton Regional Trade Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee and the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Industry Committee.

He is a member of the Order of the Sons of Italy (Trieste Lodge) and a Member of the Hamilton Art Gallery.

Riccardo was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He resides on Hamilton Mountain with his wife Cristina, and together they raise their four children: Eric, Analisa, Adam and Vanessa and the loveable Leo, their 2 ½ year old Bernadoodle.

Ratan Ralliaram is a Partner at Deloitte LLP, Toronto, with over 20 years of experience providing assurance and advisory services to public entities and other regulated organizations in the financial services sector. His clients include domestic and international financial institutions. He has also been involved with securities offerings, due diligence reviews and internal control certifications with formal reporting to regulators, securities commissions, audit committees and boards of directors.

Mr. Ralliaram is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of Cancer Care Ontario and Chair of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and has served as the past Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee. Mr. Ralliaram is a CPA, CA with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and an FCA with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Dr. Reid is a general and trauma surgeon whose primary clinical interest is the management and surgical treatment of breast cancer. Her research efforts have been focused mainly in the area of surgical education, with an emphasis on studying the many factors influencing undergraduate medical student interest in surgical training. Dr Reid was named a 2012-2013 Ethicon Endo-Surgery Surgical Education Research Fellow by the Association for Surgical Education.

She received her MD (1987) and completed her General Surgery Residency training at McMaster University (1992), followed by a Postgraduate Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at McMaster (1993). Currently Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Dr. Reid holds the John A. Bauer Chair in Surgery and was the first female to be appointed Chair of an academic department in Canada. Prior to assuming that position, Dr. Reid served as the Department's Associate Chair, Education, a role that encompassed her myriad responsibilities as Department Education Coordinator and Director of Postgraduate Surgical Training Programs. Dr. Reid has been extensively involved in Education at the undergraduate, postgraduate, faculty and community levels as an invited speaker, instructor, advisor/mentor and a clinical and research supervisor. It was under her tutelage that a number of educational initiatives came to fruition within the Department of Surgery, including the Surgeon Scientist and Women in Surgery Programs, the International Surgery Desk and MacSERG (McMaster Surgical Education Research Group).

Dr. Reid has been rewarded for her wide-ranging contributions to teaching at McMaster with recognition as the Best Contributor to Resident Education, General Surgery Residency Program (2009) and Mentor of the Year, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (2007); she was also nominated for the PAIRO Teaching Award on two occasions. Dr. Reid previously served as President of the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) and has acted as an Examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the Centre for the Evaluation of Health Professionals Educated Abroad (CEHPEA). In addition, she has served as a grant and journal reviewer and as an expert reviewer for the CAGS Program for Evidence-Based Reviews in Surgery.

If you were to label him a ‘geek’, there would be no protest from Ty Shattuck, the savvy business leader and innovation extraordinaire who heads the McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) in Hamilton, Ontario. His successes in technology and business are a telling tale that such an attribute is worth embracing.

As a professional Engineer, Ty is no stranger to analyzing solutions and developing new technologies to address emerging industry related problems that stagnate growth and business development. Throughout the years, much of his expertise has been dedicated to dissecting and reinventing varied sized organizations, guaranteeing them a competitive play in the global marketplace.

His achievements in engineering were recognized in 2010 where he was awarded Engineer of the year from the Ontario Society for Professional Engineers. Under his leadership as President and CEO of the geospatial technology firm PV Labs, the company was named one of Canada’s top 200 fastest growing companies by Profit Magazine. In 2012, PV labs also celebrated an Academy Award win for the best engineering achievement in motion pictures.

Ty is reputable for his achievements in business design and product development and is celebrated for being a trailblazer in commercializing technology and garnering venture capital; especially in his current position at MIP.

Prior to his appointment at MIP, Ty was Founder & President of Aethon Technologies, a company that specializes in image acquisition and analytics for infrastructure inspection applications. His professional experience is extensive. Noteworthy are his appointments as Chief Operating Officer at Trivaris Ltd a venture capital firm and Vice President at NYSE-listed L3 Communications.

He is the past-Chair of the Board of Governors for Mohawk College and was a founding adjunct member of the Ontario College of Art and Design’s Master in Strategic Foresight and Innovation program.

Ty holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada, and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. He was also an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.