New chair, deputy chair appointed to SFU Board of Governors
The SFU Board of Governors has elected James B. Stewart as its new chair and Angie Hall as its new deputy chair. The board oversees the administrative side of the university, including its property, finances and associated policies.
James B. Stewart was first appointed to the board in 2016, and served as deputy chair before becoming chair this year. He is a senior commercial partner at the law firm of Hamilton, Duncan, Armstrong + Stewart Law Corporation and has practiced law in Surrey since 1980. An active community member, Stewart is a recipient of the Surrey Community Leader of the Year Award in 2010 and currently chairs the SFU Surrey Community Advisory Council. He has previously served as president or chair of Make-A-Wish Canada, the Centre for Child Development and the Surrey Board of Trade, among other organizations.
“I’m honored to serve SFU in this new capacity, and I look forward to working with the board as we navigate these unprecedented times together,” says Stewart.
According to SFU President Joy Johnson, Stewart’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the university.
“Mr. Stewart has made important contributions to SFU over the years, and I’m excited to see him take on this role,” says Johnson. “As our community continues to address the challenges posed by COVID-19, I have no doubt that his leadership will be integral to steering SFU through this difficult time.”
Incoming deputy chair Angie Hall was first appointed to the board in 2018, having previously served as elected student representative for a one-year term in 2012-2013. Hall is currently a director in HSBC’s Large Corporate division, where she negotiates, structures and implements local and international banking solutions. Hall holds a BA and an MA from SFU and previously served as a director on the SFU Alumni Association Board, including terms as treasurer and vice-president. In 2019, she was selected as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network in the Future Leaders category.
President Johnson also recognizes outgoing board chair Chris (Syeta’xtn) Lewis for his many years of service and advocacy within the SFU community.
An SFU alumnus and elected councilor for the Squamish Nation, Lewis served on the board for a total of six years, becoming the board deputy chair in 2019 and board chair in 2020. In addition to his service on the board, Lewis co-chaired SFU’s Aboriginal Reconciliation Council (SFU-ARC) from 2016-17 and represented the board of governors on the 2019-20 Presidential Search Committee.
Says Johnson, “My heartfelt thanks to Mr. Lewis for all that he’s contributed to the SFU community, and especially for his work helping SFU uphold its commitments to our Indigenous faculty, staff and students through SFU-ARC and during his time on the board. I am grateful to be building on his work as we continue our reconciliation journey.”