Board of Directors

The current Board of Directors has members from communities throughout Huron County plus the festival’s Artistic Director as an Ex-Officio Director. Members include:

President Paul Ciufo, Grand Bend

Paul is a financial planner and owner of GC Financial Solutions Group, with expertise by day in investments, insurance and financial planning. He is also an award-winning playwright and librettist. He has written two stage plays produced by the Blyth Festival, one of which, “Reverend Jonah”, was a finalist for the 2008 Governor General’s Literary Awards; his drama, “Narcisse”, won a 2011 Governor General’s History Award. Paul authored libretti for the opera “The Llandovery Castle” and the oratorio “The Sun, the Wind, and the Man with the Cloak”. His radio play “On Convoy” was produced and broadcast nationally by CBC Radio. Paul is a community and county leader, having served as President of the Rotary Club of Grand Bend, the Grand Bend & Area Chamber of Commerce, and the South Huron Chamber of Commerce. He was named a Community Leader of the Decade by the Grand Bend Community Foundation and was a long-serving member of the Board of the Bach Music Festival of Canada.

Secretary Jane Orr, Stratford

Jane is a member of the Orr Insurance & Investment family throughout Huron and Perth Counties in Southwest Ontario where they have served their community for 125 years. Jane holds a BSc from University of Toronto and has been in the insurance industry since 1992, having joined Orr Insurance & Investment in 2010. As a personal supporter of various charitable organizations in the city where she and her family live as well as throughout the counties where their firm has local offices, she is a valued Huron Waves Director because of her experience in volunteering and volunteer recruiting. Jane enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, cooking, theatre and donating her time with the Emily Murphy Centre, Community Meals and Rotary Hospice.

Director James Bannerman, Grand Bend & Seaforth

James is the owner and senior pharmacist of Pharmasave Grand Bend, a business he began and now co-owns with his sister. He grew up on a farm in rural Huron County and he continues to help run this family farm outside of Seaforth. James, among whose personal passions is great music, serves his community as Secretary, board member and founding member of the outreach group of First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth.

Director, Joe Saddy, Zurich

Joe is a retired small business owner. Growing up in London, Ontario, Joe attended choir school and that experience ignited a passion for music that is still with him. Volunteering has long been a part of his life. Seventeen years of hospice work has been very gratifying. Since the spring of 2021 Joe has been chairing the board of the Alice Saddy Foundation; a charitable organization that supports the independent living of individuals with developmental disabilities. He is excited to join the team at Huron Waves and help bring music into the lives of county residents.

Director Ex-Officio, Artistic Director John Miller For Mr. Miller’s full biography here.

General Manager: Carolyn Young

Join Our Board

Huron Waves Festival is seeking Board Directors interested in filling future board member vacancies starting January 2024. Board appointments will be approved at the board’s Annual General Meeting to be held in January 2024.

Huron Waves is an annual spring festival presenting major Canadian talent and specialty programming from a variety of genres in Huron County for local residents, students and visitors across the region.

The ideal candidates are well-connected community or business leaders, with prior non-profit and/or charitable board experience, who are passionate about arts and culture and can leverage their professional skills and resources to positively impact the work of Huron Waves Festival.

Interested candidates are requested to submit a letter of interest and resume by November 30 to Carolyn Young, General Manager carolyn@huronwavesmusicfestival.ca. Candidates selected for a follow-up interview with the board president will be contacted no later than December 15, 2023.