A senior executive with Calgary Municipal Land Corp. is joining the Calgary 2026 Olympic Bid Corp. on a short-term basis, Calgary’s Business has learned.
Susan Veres, senior vice-president of strategy and business development for CMLC, has been a key member of the organization that has spearheaded the development of the East Village neighbourhood and is coming up with a master vision and plan for the old Victoria Park community just north of Stampede Park.
Veres will lead marketing and communications for Calgary 2026 from Sept. 1 to the end of September. Her role will also be to deliver a strategic public engagement program.
“As much as I love to think that I’ll be missed at CMLC, I’m incredibly comfortable taking this leave based on the strength of the CMLC team and the success with which they’ve shepherded every project we have undertaken against the delivery of the East Village vision,” said Veres in a statement.
Susan Veres, senior vice-president of strategy and business development at Calgary Municipal Land Corp., is joining the Calgary 2026 Olympic Bid Corp. on a short-term basis
“After so many successful public engagement efforts with the East Village project, I feel very well prepared for the work ahead – understanding, of course, that it will require a very strategic approach that the Calgary 2026 board, City of Calgary and business community can support and is designed to reach every Calgarian.”
CMLC said that in her absence, land and developer files will be handled by Michael Brown, the organization’s president and CEO, while marketing and communications will be led by Clare LePan, who is director of marketing and communications with the organization.
“Susan has been a key member of the CMLC team since the early days,” said Brown, in a statement. “She joined our company as VP marketing and communications in 2009. Together with her team, she successfully rebranded Calgary’s East Village, transforming the neighbourhood’s image from one of the city’s most downtrodden areas to one of its most sought-after places to live and work. Now, as senior VP strategy and business development, Susan plays key roles both in stewarding current CMLC developer projects and in evaluating and securing future opportunities that fit with the organization’s mandate and capabilities.
“She’s an invaluable asset to CMLC, so it’s with mixed emotions that I have consented readily to grant Susan a leave of absence from her role and responsibilities at CMLC to join Calgary 2026 to try to bring the Olympics back to our city.”
Recently, the Olympic bid group announced that Mary Moran is taking a leave of absence as CEO of Calgary Economic Development to be CEO of Calgary 2026.
The chairman of the Olympic bid group is Scott Hutcheson, who is executive chair of Aspen Properties, a commercial real estate company based in Calgary that owns several office buildings in the downtown, including the Calgary Tower.
Veres served as a member of the bid committee for the 2001 World Track and Field Championships in Edmonton and she worked on consumer marketing programs with the Coca-Cola Corp. for both the 2002 and 2004 Winter Olympics. She worked with the Canadian Football League on the 1997 Grey Cup and was a media relations volunteer for the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg.
A few years ago, Veres also worked to reposition Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA) to WinSport.
Mario Toneguzzi is a veteran Calgary-based journalist who worked for 35 years for the Calgary Herald, including 12 years as a senior business writer.
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