Necessary Qualifications/characteristics To Sit On Winnipeg Football Club Board Of Directors

The Board of the Winnipeg Football Club (WFC) is committed to strategic governance on behalf of the community to which it is responsible. As such, this means that the Board is not involved in football operations or any aspect of the day to day business of running the Club.

People elected to serve on the Board do so for a maximum of two, three-year terms which may be extended for one additional three-year term if approved by the Board for a total service of three consecutive three-year terms. If a Director of the Board is also an Officer of the Board or Chair of the Community Relations Committee, the Board may approve a further two consecutive three-year terms for a total service of four consecutive three-year terms provided and only so long as they continue to be an Officer of the Board or Chair of the Community Relations Committee.

From time to time the Board may require specific skill sets and place greater emphasis in that regard while evaluating applications or nominations. The Board has determined a list of general attributes that it considers essential to serve the ongoing governance needs of the business. They are:

a) Community Leadership/Public Service – the candidate should be an active member of the community as demonstrated by volunteer and other activities in which the candidate has made a meaningful contribution;

b) Management and Business Experience – the candidate should be familiar with sophisticated principles of business including but not limited to budgeting, expense control, sales/revenue generation, marketing, customer service, retail and hospitality;

c) Board Experience – the candidate should have demonstrated experience in having served on community or corporate boards of directors such that he or she will clearly understand the role of the Board, fiduciary duties of directors, confidentiality, the role of management and the legal framework of how a corporation functions including the role of its bylaws;

d) Education and/or Life Experience – the candidate should demonstrate an ability to be able to read and understand substantial amounts of material with the ability to critically evaluate it, problem-solve and meaningfully participate in Board discussions;

e) Individual Characteristics – the candidate should have the personal qualities to be able to make a substantial, active contribution to Board deliberations. These qualities include but are not limited to: intelligence, self-assuredness, high ethical standards, inter-personal skills, independence, courage, a willingness to ask the difficult question, strong communications skills and commitment;

f) Support of the WFC – it is preferable that the candidate have a demonstrated record of support for Winnipeg Football Club through having been a season ticket-holder, corporate sponsor or in other forms;

g) Integrity and Professionalism – the candidate should have a demonstrated record of integrity and a clear understanding of the professional nature of the role of the Board of Directors;

h) Skilled and Diverse Background – the candidate should be able to show that by virtue of his or her background he or she will add diversity of perspective to the Board;

i) Availability – the candidate must be willing to commit the time necessary to properly discharge the duties of the office including preparing for meetings, participating in the meetings as well as sitting on such committees as may be assigned;

j) Compatibility – the candidate should have the ability to develop strong working relationships with other Board members and contribute to the Board’s working relationship with senior management and employees of WFC;

k) Financial Literacy – the candidate should have a passable understanding of how to read and understand financial statements;

l) References – WFC should be provided with the names of at least two references it can, if it so chooses, contact and discuss the candidate’s nomination to the Board.

m) Cooling-Off Period – Individuals seeking nomination and election shall not have previously served on the WFC Board for at least three consecutive years preceding their nomination.

Any person seeking election to the Board should directly address these qualifications. The Board accepts that some candidates may have an outstanding skill set and some, but not necessarily all, of the qualifications listed above. Each candidate’s application will be thoroughly assessed in the evaluation and election process.

The overall composition of the Board shall be reflective of the community that the WFC serves.