Board
Board of Directors
Leadership and guidance is provided to Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. through its board of directors, which represents a diverse array of industry professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to ensure EDW remains accountable and performance-driven.

Bill Parrish, Jr. Chairman, Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd.
EDW board role: Board Chair
Bill was elected CEO of Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd. in 1999, succeeding his father and making him the fourth generation to hold this title. P&H was founded in 1909 and is involved in many aspects of agri-business, including grain procurement and merchandising, flour milling, animal feed production, poultry farming and processing. Prior to joining P&H in 1990, Bill worked with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in three different cities: Winnipeg; Ottawa; and Johannesburg, South Africa. Bill is a past chairman and audit committee chair of the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange. He is also a past chairman of the Arthritis Society of Manitoba and the Fort Whyte Centre.

Dayna Spiring President & CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
EDW board role: Officer
Dayna is the president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW), the lead economic development agency for Winnipeg. EDW facilitates investment promotion and attraction, capacity building, tourism development, marketing and communications, and the management of market data. Dayna directs all aspects of the organization's activities. She provides leadership and strategic direction, collaborates with key stakeholders and is a driving force behind making Winnipeg a compelling choice for business and tourism.

Denise Zaporzan President of Asteria Global Inc.
EDW board role: Finance Committee Chair
Denise, a fellowed Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA) is the President of Asteria Global Inc. She supports clients across diverse business sectors in strategy formulation and integration, finance & accounting, performance management, change leadership, operations, and team development. Previously, Denise was a CFO in privately held and publicly traded environments, where she successfully enjoyed over 20 years of executive leadership involving financial and strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions. She has moderated for the CPA, CMA Manitoba Strategic Leadership Program and the I.H. Asper School of Business Executive Education program. She is a past instructor for the University of Manitoba as well as a business coach and judge for business case competitions. Denise is currently a board director and the recruitment committee chair for The Associates (Asper School of Business). She is a past board director and member of the audit committee for the Canadian Cancer Society, past United Way Winnipeg committee member, and past board member and gala chair for the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Nick Hays President & CEO, Winnipeg Airports Authority
A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Nick Hays was named President & CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority in early 2022 – becoming the third person to hold the title in the organization’s 25-year history.
Hays comes to WAA from Vanderlande Industries, where he served as Vice President Canada for the global leader in airport logistic process automation. He previously spent 11 years working around the world for Cathay Pacific Airways and its parent company, The Swire Group, before moving to a senior advisory role with PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Hays grew up in the United Kingdom near Europe’s largest air museum, which was housed in a former World War II base and frequently hosted airshows. This front-row seat to aviation history helped spark Hays’ passion for flight. He trained as a Royal Air Force pilot while attending university before focusing on a business career in the air transportation industry.
Hays and his wife, Ren, reside in Winnipeg with their young son, Arthur. During their free time, they enjoy exploring new places together.

Michael Legary Entrepreneur
Michael Legary is a serial entrepreneur, investor and community leader who has founded, lead and exited multiple research, technology and information security companies over the past 25 years. He is the recipient of numerous business awards, including CBC’s Future 40 award and an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year award for his entrepreneurial and startup endeavors across Canada. Michael has also had the honour to serve through civil service, including roles as Winnipeg’s first Chief Innovation Officer, as an advisor to the Manitoba Government.

Karl Loepp Chief Operating Officer, Private Pension Partners
Karl is a lifetime Winnipegger and has been actively working in the construction industry since 1988 as a business owner and contractor and is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and an original founding partner of Private Pension Partners (P3). P3 is a Winnipeg based real estate entity that provides customized portfolio and asset management, real estate development and advisory services for Canadian commercial and multi-residential real estate investors.
Karl has overall control and responsibility for development, design, construction, property operations, the primary management of service provider relationships and has successfully led over $500 million of development and redevelopment transactions in the past 10 years with P3 all in Manitoba.
Karl is also the Chair of MCCC The Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation is a Provincial Crown Corporation responsible for the development and administration of the Manitoba Centennial Centre for the Arts with direction operational responsibility for the Centennial Concert Hall and Manitoba Production Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Karin Pooley Vice-President Executive Search, People First HR (a People Corporation company)
Karin Pooley is a search professional with expertise in interviewing and assessing senior to executive-level candidates across a variety of industries that public, private, profit and not-for-profit. For close to 30 years she has partnered with senior executives and leadership teams to develop and deliver on their successful recruitment strategies and to administer and facilitate leadership assessments. Karin has taken her expertise in recruitment training and currently leads the Talent Academy and Training practice.

Jeff Betker Vice President, External & Indigenous Relations and Communications, Manitoba Hydro
Jeff was appointed Vice-President, External & Indigenous Relations and Communications in January 2020. He is responsible for internal and external communications to manage Manitoba Hydro’s reputation and community presence, employee communications, Indigenous and stakeholder relations. He is also responsible for the provision of legal services together with compliance activities for the corporation.
Jeff joined Manitoba Hydro in 2018 as Vice-President of Indigenous Relations. Prior to joining Manitoba Hydro, Jeff held leadership positions with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, TC Energy and Manitoba Metis Federation.
He holds both Bachelor of Commerce (honours) and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Manitoba, and a Master’s of Business Administration ( MBA) degree (with distinction) from the University of Birmingham in England. He also has a certificate in negotiation and conflict resolution from Dalhousie University.
He currently serves as the Treasurer of the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and is a member of the Associates ( Asper School of Business). He has also served on the Boards of Keeyask Limited Partnership, Seed Winnipeg, Graffiti Art Programming and Mount Carmel Clinic Foundation.

Stephen D. Borys Director and CEO of the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq
Dr. Stephen Borys has long been a fierce advocate for the power of art to change lives. He holds an Executive MBA, PhD in Art and Architectural History from McGill University, MA in Art History from the University of Toronto, BA Honours from the University of Winnipeg, and is an adjunct professor in the History Department at the University of Winnipeg. He has held curatorial posts at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida; Allen Art Museum, Oberlin College, Ohio; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. Dr. Borys has organized numerous exhibitions, published extensively in both museum and scholarly contexts, and lectured across North America and Europe. He is a graduate of the Getty Center’s Museum Leadership Institute, and is a fellow of the Royal Collections Studies Program. He has served on the boards of the Canadian Museums Association, Association of Art Museum Directors, and the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization. He received The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medals in 2022 and 2012, and the Order of Manitoba in 2020.

Danny Wright Partner, Tax and Managing Partner, Winnipeg PwC
Danny is the Managing Partner as well as the Tax Practice Leader of the Winnipeg office of PwC Canada. In his role as Tax Partner at PwC he provides the firm's clients with timely, innovative, and practical tax advice. Danny has considerable experience in a wide range of taxation matters and serve clients in a variety of industry sectors. In addition, he has extensive experience serving owner/managed and family operated businesses. He has also served on the boards of the Manitoba Business School Foundation Inc., the Young Associates of the Asper School of Business, and St. John's-Ravenscourt School.
Economic Development Winnipeg
Suite 810, One Lombard Place
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3B 0X3