Hudson’s Bay Company President Bonnie Brooks and JPMorgan Chase Senior Vice President Christopher Jamroz
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) announces the appointment of two new members of the Museum’s Board of Trustees, effective June 17, 2010. The ROM welcomes Bonnie Brooks, President and CEO, the Bay, Hudson’s Bay Company, the world’s oldest department store, and Mr. Christopher Jamroz, Senior Vice President, JPMorgan Chase Co., one of the world’s major financial institutions.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Ms. Brooks and Mr. Jamroz to the ROM team,” said Sal Badali, Chair of the ROM’s Board of Trustees. “Their diverse and remarkable international experience will be integral to the Museum and we look forward to working with them to ensure the ROM continues to thrive and engage its various audiences.”
Ms. Brooks is the first female President and CEO of the Bay, operating 94 retail outlets across the country. Prior to joining the Bay in 2008, she spent over 25 years building prestige retail formats around the world, such as Holt Renfrew, Lane Crawford, Harvey Nichols and leading designer brand stand-alone stores in Asia. As President of the Lane Crawford Joyce Group based in Hong Kong, Ms. Brooks oversaw the world’s leading brands in over 500 locations in nine Asian countries. In Canada, she is best known for her roles as Holt Renfrew’s Executive Vice President, Chief Merchant, as well as serving as Editor-in-Chief of FLARE, Canada’s largest fashion and lifestyle magazine. Ms. Brooks recently partnered with the ROM for the Bay’s sponsorship of the Museum’s Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008 exhibition in fall 2009. Ms. Brooks was born in Ontario and grew up in London, Ontario and holds an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.
Mr. Jamroz joins the ROM Board from JPMorgan, one of the most respected banks in the world, where as a senior executive, he was a trusted advisor to management teams and boards of directors of leading corporations. Since 2006 he led the firm’s expansion in Canada, making it J.P. Morgan’s fastest growing region in North America in terms of new client acquisition and business development. Previously Chris held a variety of senior management positions in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. He is a strategic leader with demonstrated tactical effectiveness and a global perspective. Born in Poland, Mr. Jamroz grew up in the United Kingdom and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Studies from University of Central England in Birmingham, UK and an MBA from Schulich School of Business in Toronto. Mr. Jamroz has been involved in various advisory councils and charitable organizations, notably Co-Founder and Chairman of the United Foundation for the Education of Children that provides children from former communist states of Eastern Europe with academic study opportunities in western countries. He is also Chair of JPMorgan Junior Achievement programs.
The ROM is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The Board of Trustees is the governing authority for the Museum, responsible for its policies, its operational continuity and the collections and other assets which the Museum holds in trust for the people of Ontario. The Board consists of 21 Trustees - 15 are appointed, three are ex-officio members and three are elected by ROM members. The provincial government makes appointments through the Lieutenant Governor in Council. Trustees are volunteers who are dedicated to public service and the ROM’s well-being and long-term stability.