PAL CANADA

Chris Marston
President

Chris Marston was Executive Director of Canadian Actors' Equity Association when he retired in 1995.  He spent twenty-five years in all with Equity, serving in a variety of senior positions.  The negotiation of the Association's collective agreements and representing it and its members' interests to various levels of government and a variety of national and international organisations were among his many responsibilities.  Prior to that he worked for MacLean-Hunter and The University of Toronto Press.  He describes himself as a life-long cultural bureaucrat, but insists that does not necessarily make him a bad person.

Jane Heyman
Vice President

Allan Macmillan
Secretary

Pianist, arranger/orchestrator, music director, business professional (B.Com. - UBC’52) Life member – Toronto Musicians’ Association (Local 149, A.F.M.) and Vancouver Musicians’ Association (Local 145, A.F.M.).

Allan was born, raised and educated in Vancouver where, during the 50s & 60s, he was a frequent contributor to CBC jazz and music variety shows, and was the pianist in the Cave Supper Club house band for several years under leaders Claude Logan, Fraser Macpherson and Dave Robbins.  In 1964, he and his young family relocated to Toronto.

In 1969, Allan became the Managing Partner in Nimbus 9 Productions Ltd., a full-service music production facility, recording and mastering studio, and music publisher, whose principal founding partners were Jack Richardson, Ben McPeek and Bob Ezrin.

In the following decade Allan was Music Director for the original Toronto production of  “Jacques Brel is Alive….Paris” and was the co-arranger and orchestrator (strings & horns) on many recording sessions in Toronto, London, New York and Los Angeles (The Guess Who, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Lou Reed, Dave Mason, Grand Funk RR, etc.).  He performed on innumerable Radio/TV commercials and served as Music Director and arranger/orchestrator for the 1982 main stage musical “Skin Deep” at the Charlottetown Confederation Centre.

Allan served as Field Services Coordinator for the Toronto Musicians’ Association (TMA) for eight years and was later coaxed out of retirement for a year to restructure those member services areas which were being adversely affected by a difficult economic climate.  Elected to the TMA Board of Directors in 2000, he served as its Secretary from 2003 until 2007.  He has been a member of the Pal Canada Board since 2006.

Peggy Mahon
Treasurer

Dominic Clarke
Executive Officer without Portfolio

Dominic T. Clarke is a graduate of Cambridge University, England, where he obtained both an M.A. and an LL.M. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1988, and to the Bar of Ontario in 1992.  At Blaney McMurtry, Dominic practices principally in the area of insurance litigation encompassing both coverage and defence matters. His practice specializes in commercial general liability, directors' and officers' liability, and commercial property policies. Dominic is a frequent lecturer to professional bodies and has published articles on insurance and litigation related topics.

Paul Shaw
Executive Officer Without Portfolio

It’s no exaggeration to call Paul BaAM’s impresario. After 40 years (and counting) in the theatre business, he knows a thing or two about organizing people, productions, and getting the show on the road. His role at BaAM is an evolving one. He sources new categories of events that BaAM might produce, and scouts venues for events already in production. He suggests alternative avenues and business sectors to explore, builds on existing relationships and creates new ones.

Through all this, Paul is driven by his passion for entertaining with an “old school spirit” – of seeing the BaAM team as part of the larger arts communities locally and internationally, and taking the time to make connections. A child actor at the Stratford Festival, Paul learned very early on that it takes an entire team to create a great show. He also learned that it takes patience and a sincere love of people to build these teams. Clearly, he’s taken these lessons to heart.

Gary Vermeir
Executive Officer Without Portfolio

Linda Huffman
Executive Officer Without Portfolio

For over thirty years Linda has combined careers as an actress and arts administrator.  Currently Linda is the General Manager of Arts Habitat Association of Edmonton.  Previous experience includes the Executive Producer of the Edmonton Cultural Capital Program, General Manager of the River City Shakespeare Festival, Theatre and Dance Officer with the Manitoba Arts Council and Associate Artistic Director of the Globe Theatre in Regina.  Linda has performed at theatres across the country including The Citadel Theatre, Theatre Network and Concrete Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary, The Manitoba Theatre Centre and Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg, and the Stratford Festival.

John Banks
Past President