Board & Staff

Who We Are

photo of Philip Szporer and Lin Snelling
Board members Kirwan Cox, Philip Szporer and Lin Snelling.

ELAN's Board of Directors

President:
Guy Rodgers (Regions)
Past President:
Susie Arioli (Music)
Vice President:
Jane Needles (Theatre/QDF)
Secretary:
Dimitri Nasrallah (Writing)
Treasurer:
Chuck Childs (Presenters)

Members-at-large:

Advisory Board Members:

Peter McAuslan (Corporate)

In 1988, Peter McAuslan founded The McAuslan Brewing Company, where he occupies the roles of President and CEO. McAuslan Brewing received the first-ever City of Montreal prize for Arts et Affaires, for support of cultural and community initiatives. In 2004 his firm received a City of Montreal award for the preservation of architectural heritage in the renovation of the Maxwell Lumber Company offices located at the new McAuslan Brewery facility in St-Henri. Peter was named a fellow of The Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies at McGill in 2003. In 2004, he received an "Award of Distinction" from the John Molson School of Business of Concordia University. In 2005 he was named the "Scotsman of the Year" by the Quebec Thistle Council. Peter is currently involved with RESO (Relance économique du sud ouest) as a director of La société de promotion du la Canal de Lachine, and a recipient of a "prix explorateur" of le Corporation le Pôle des Rapides in 2003 for Exceptional Community Involvement. As well, Peter is an active board member of The Empress Cultural centre redevelopment project.

Harry Gulkin

GULKIN, Harry; film producer, arts administrator; b. Montréal, Qué. 1927; e. Baron Byng High Sch. Montréal 1942; DIR. OF PROJECTS, SOCIÉTÉ DE DEVELOPPEMENT DES ENTREPRISES CULTURELLES; Merchant Seaman and trade union organizer 1944–49; labour journalist, entertainment and arts critic labour publs. 1950–56; Marketing Consultant, Market Researcher, Business Extve. 1957–70; Executive & Artistic Dir., Saidye Bronfman Centre 1983–87; films incl. Penny and Ann (2nd Prize Film Festival Internat. Cong. Rehab Centres 1976; Red Ribbon Award Am. Film Festival 1977; Award AMTEC Film Festival 1977); Lies My Father Told Me (Hollywood Foreign Critics Award Golden Globe 1975; Academy Award nomination best screenplay 1975; Best Film Cdn. Film Awards 1976; Grand Prize Virgin Islands Internat. Film Festival 1975; Christopher Awards (U.S.) best writing, direction and production 1975; ACTRA Award best screenplay 1976; Cdn. Motion Picture Distributors Golden Reel Award 1976); Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang (Gold Medallion Special Jury Award Miami Internat. Film Festival 1976; Special Jury Award 8th Internat. Children's Film Festival Los Angeles 1979); Two Solitudes 1977; Challenger (For Nat. Film Bd. Can.) 1979; Bayo 1984; Lectr. (part-time) in Screenwriting, Concordia Univ.; author various articles film publs.; served with Cdn. Army Reserve 1942–44; Cdn. Merchant Marine 1944–49; Past Chrmn., Past Pres., Cdn. Film Inst.; Founding Pres. Motion Picture Inst. Can. 1977–79; Past Vice Pres. Cdn. Assn. Motion Picture Producers; Past Pres. Montreal Chapter Am. Marketing Assn.; mem. Adv. Council, QSPELL (Que. Soc. for the Promotion of English Language Literature); Vice-Pres., Cinematheque Québecoise; mem., Acad. of Cdn. Cinema and Television; Adv. Council, Concordia Univ. Film Dept.; Merchant Navy Veterans Assn.; Montréal, Qué.

John Hobday

During the 1960s, as CBC's Regional Radio Drama Producer for the Maritimes, John produced and directed over 700 plays. In 1971, John was appointed the first full-time National Director of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. Over 11 years he developed the Conference into the major advocacy association it now is. In 1982, the Seagram Co. Ltd named him Executive Director, Corporate Donations and Chairman, Seagram Symphonia. He also took on the role of Executive Director of the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation. As Director of the Canada Council for the Arts (2003–06) he managed a budget of approximately $150 million and a 190-member staff, and focused on creating favourable conditions for a major increase in the Council's parliamentary appropriation. In addition to his career obligations, John Hobday is a generous volunteer. He has served on numerous boards and juries, and continues to serve actively on the Board of the Historica Foundation. John holds many awards for distinguished service.

Linda Leith
David Price
Michael Prupas

President and CEO of Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Michael Prupas is a 28-year veteran of the Canadian and international film and television industries. He practiced entertainment law for 20 years, including 15 years as a senior partner at the law firm Heenan Blaikie. Michael was the head of the firm's entertainment law practice, which is the largest in Canada. As a lawyer, Michael was involved in the initial public offerings (IPOs) of several Canadian entertainment companies. With his extensive experience in international production financing as well as legal and business affairs, Michael launched Muse Entertainment Enterprises in June 1998, which has quickly become one of the major independent production companies in the country known for its high-quality, award-winning products for television and film. Many of Muse's projects are international co-productions. In 2000 Michael set up Muse Distribution International, which represents Muse Entertainment and other independent Canadian producers at major markets and brings Canadian programs to audiences worldwide. Michael established the first entertainment law course at McGill University, which he taught from 1997–2002. He served on the Board of Trustees of the Banff Television Festival, sits on the Board of Advisors of the Just for Laughs comedy festival and on the finance committee of the Association des producteurs de film et de télévision du Québec.

Patricia Pleszcznska

ELAN's Staff

Contact Us

info AT quebec-elan DOT org
(514) 935-3312

The Lachine Complexe
4710 St-Ambroise #309B
Montreal, Quebec
H4C 2C7