WHO WE ARE

Campaign Cabinet

United Way Recruits Stellar Community Leaders

Leslie O'Donaghue, Executive Vice President of Agrium, and Russ Girling, President and CEO of TransCanada Corporation have stepped up to lead United Way’s 2012 campaign. As leaders in the community, the Co-Chairs will lend their business expertise to help make the 2012 campaign a success.

 

Leslie O'Donaghue

Leslie O’Donaghue is a successful businesswoman, lawyer, mentor and role model.  She has been with Agrium since 1999 and is Executive Vice President, Operations.  Prior to that, Leslie held the position of Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President, Business Development, responsible for Agrium’s corporate governance, legal affairs, corporate strategy and business development. 

Leslie is a forward-looking, disciplined and passionate individual who is not afraid to push outside her comfort zone.  She established the Agrium Women’s Leadership Group, an organization created to provide mentoring, networking and developmental opportunities for women within Agrium.  She is a Director of Pembina Pipeline Corporation and is a member of the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council at Queen’s University. 

Prior to joining Agrium, Leslie was a partner in the national law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.  Leslie was born and raised in Calgary; she is married with two teenage boys.

 

Russ Girling

Russ Girling assumed the position of President and CEO of TransCanada Corporation on July 1, 2010. Prior to this, he was Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing TransCanada Corporation’s Pipeline and Energy businesses, corporate development activities and strategies, operations and major projects and corporate services.

Russ is currently a Director of Agrium Inc. He is the former Chairman of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) and the Natural Gas Council (NGC), and a former Director of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). He is the former Chairman and CEO of TC PipeLines GP, Inc. (general partner of TC PipeLines, LP). Russ is also the former Chairman of TransCanada Power, L.P. and a former Director of Bruce Power Inc. Russ is a Director of the Willow Park Charity Golf Classic and was a member of the 2010 United Way of Calgary and Area Cabinet. Mr. Girling was a 1998/1999 recipient of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award for leadership excellence for Canadians under the age of 40. In 2008 he was the recipient of the Haskayne School of Business Management Alumni Excellence (MAX) Award.

Russ holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Calgary.