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George Ross

George Ross
Chief Executive Officer

George Ross has a career spanning nearly 40 years, during which he has worked across numerous sectors including consulting, public service, international development, technology, research and more. Prior to joining the Alliance, he provided advisory services to multinational corporations, the not-for-profit sector and governments as the President and CEO of George Arthur Ross and Associates.

His extensive public service career includes serving as Deputy Minister in the Ontario Public Service for the Ministry of Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Consumer Services and the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. He was later appointed the Yukon Government’s Deputy Minister of Energy Mines and Resources. 

Many will recognize George from his tenure as the interim Executive Director of the New Digital Research Infrastructure Organization (NDRIO) between September 2019 and October 2020. He was instrumental in establishing the organizational structure and building what is now the Alliance. He has since played a critical role overseeing ecosystem engagement as part of the Alliance’s Multi-Year Funding Proposal for 2023-25 and leading nationwide stakeholder consultations to develop the national 2025-30 Digital Research Infrastructure Strategy. 

George actively volunteers as Chair of the Board of Children’s Mental Health Ontario, and as a member of Board of the Centre for Research and Innovations in the Bioeconomy (CRIBE) and the Board of the Bluewater Education Foundation. He recently completed a term on the Board of the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce. George has received three separate recognition awards from the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario as well as the 2012 Public Service Award from Life Sciences Ontario.  

George holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and is a certified Board Director with the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. A long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fan, George is an avid outdoorsman and traveller. He resides in Owen Sound, Ontario with his wife Trudie; they have three children and one grandchild.