Robert Goluch

Roles/Responsibilities
President, Funding, Planning, Communication

Background:
Robert grew up in Northwestern Quebec and spent most of his career in leadership positions at colleges in Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba, and then with the Gov’t of Manitoba. Appointments ranged from college Vice-President to Assistant Deputy Minister, Finance and Admin in Education. Also worked part-time in media – journalism (reporter) and radio (broadcaster).

A firm believer in giving back to the community, he served as Board Chair of Winnipeg Habitat for Humanity, Assistant Superintendent of St John Ambulance (Mb), Judge, Premier’s Volunteer Award Committee (Mb), Volunteer Ambassador in the dialysis wing of the Health Sciences Centre (Wpg) and Chair of the Prairie Region Citizen Advisory Committee with Corrections Canada for which he was recognized nationally with the James A. Murphy Award of Excellence.

In 2017, Robert moved to Squamish and looked for potential volunteer opportunities, and he luckily stumbled on the Squamish Men’s Shed. Since then, he has served as its President (3 years) and then elected as Vice-President of the Men’s Shed Association of BC (2 years) and, recently, as President of Men’s Sheds Canada. In 2021, he chaired and hosted the first provincial Men’s Shed Conference in Squamish, BC.

Andy Tamas

Roles/Responsibilities
Vice President, Governance

Background
Andy Tamas has been an active member of the Arnprior-McNabb-Braeside Men’s Shed since 2021, where, among other things, he makes wooden toys for children. What follows is a brief summary of his professional background, which he brings into his work on the institutional development of Men’s Sheds in Canada.

Dr. Andy Tamas is a governance and organizational change specialist with a focus on national and sub-national institutional analysis, policy implementation and reform in fragile and conflict-affected states, contextually-appropriate institutional design, human resource management, intercultural team building and communication, valuing diversity and gender equality, community development and participatory strategic planning in low-predictability environments.

Since about 2000, he has worked on public sector reform and governance initiatives in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere, including evaluations of multiple USAID projects and research for UNDP. His previous consulting work included capacity development and training for performance management and evaluation, valuing diversity and gender equity in Canadian military, government and private sector organizations. He has also served as an administrator, social worker and adult educator with the governments of the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

He has experience in the Middle East (Iraq, Egypt, Qatar, Yemen, Libya), Afghanistan, Africa, South America, Asia, Haiti, Ghana, the Canadian north and Alaska. His education includes a Bachelor's in Integrated Studies (Waterloo) and Social Work (Regina), a Master in Continuing Education (Saskatchewan), and a Doctorate in Governance from University College Dublin in 2018. His dissertation title: Contextually-Appropriate Institutional Development in Fragile States: Lessons from Policy Implementation in Afghanistan.

He is based in Arnprior, Ontario, near Ottawa. For more information and samples of his work, see his company’s website: www.tamas.com, and his articles and reports on Academia: https://ucd.academia.edu/AndyTamas.

Jim Millar

Roles/Responsibilities:
Director, Membership Recruitment

Background:
Brenda, my wife of 49 years and I grew up in Orangeville, Ontario. We have 2 daughters, and 2 sons with 9 grandchildren. We moved to Port Moody BC in 1991. We volunteered heavily with Heritage organizations and Girl Guides/Scouts.

About 5 years ago, I learned about Men’s Sheds and thought it would be a win/win to start one at the Port Moody Station Museum. It took 4 years to get it going. I am currently the treasurer. The Port Moody Legion #119 strongly supports us.

I firmly believe in Men’s Sheds, wanting to create more without bureaucracy. Men’s Shed are both valuable to the community and to its members.

Another concern of mine is the environment and climate change. I don’t think most people know how important it is to address the situation.

Audrey Fennema

Roles/Responsibilities
Director and Treasurer
Tech Infrastructure – Zoom, Website, Logo, Operational Infrastructure
Mission, Vision and Values Statement

Background:
I am a member of the Fraser Lake Men’s Shed and as I saw firsthand what a positive effect a Men’s Shed had on my husband Jan, I said yes when I was asked to help the Canada Men’s Shed as a Director.

I have been a Village of Fraser Lake Councillor since 2018. I was the Library Director for the Fraser Lake Public Library for 18 and 1/2 years, I also worked at the Vancouver (8 years) and Dawson Creek (6 years) Public Libraries. I was Treasurer for over 12 years for the Association of British Columbia Public Library Directors. I held various positions within the Fraser Lake and District Chamber of Commerce - President, Vice President and Treasurer for over 12 years.
The above positions, along with my schooling through Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek, Simon Fraser University and continued lifelong learning through seminars and conferences, have taught me governance, policy creation and implementation, marketing, communication, human resources, finances and more.

I am passionate about what Men's Shed can do for all.  Why do I say all?  I have seen firsthand Men's Sheds can be an amazing benefit to not only the men but to their partners, families, and communities. The men's shed can help a man become healthy mentally and physically through the camaraderie of other men and they can find a renewed joy of life and what it has to offer. For these reasons, I would like to see a Men's Shed in every community across each Province in Canada.

Robert Elhen

Roles/Responsibilities
Director

Background:
Robert Elhen has been an active member of the Lac-Brome Men Shed since Jan 2023 and Vice-President since July 2023. Appointed as a director on the MSC board in November.

Born and raised in Montreal, he attended St. Georges High School and graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree.

Robert Elhen joined the family business in 1978 after graduation and became President of Rampart Partitions in 1979, taking over the reins at the age of 23 from its founder Karel Elhen, who died in a car accident. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023 with the third generation running the family business. www.rampart.ca

The business developed, manufactured and installed our products, which initially started with accordion partitions, then acoustical screens, cubicle screens, divider curtains for gymnasiums and now we are concentrated on demountable partition walls.

Robert Elhen has been a member of CAFE ( Canadian Association of Family Enterprises), Groupement des Chefs d’enterprises, and President's Association as well is current President of CIQMO (Commerce International Québec Montérégie-Ouest), providing front-line export services to companies in Monteregie wishing to expand their activities in international markets.

In a semi-retirement mode from the family business, Robert Elhen is helping the local community through the “Newish” Lac-Brome Men’s Shed and, as MSC appointed Quebec Ambassador, to increase awareness and open new chapters in Quebec and other francophone areas.

Presently based in both Lac-Brome and Brossard, Quebec.