John Fraser, is the NNC’s executive chair. Until April 2018, he served as the founding president and CEO of the National NewsMedia Council. He is a Canadian journalist, writer and academic. He was editor of Saturday Night magazine from 1987 to 1994, where he pioneered the use of mixed circulation. He started his journalism career as a teen-aged copy boy for the Toronto Telegram, and became a noted dance and theatre critic. He has been a columnist, China correspondent, Ottawa bureau chief, national columnist, national editor and London correspondent at The Globe and Mail. He is the recipient of multiple national journalism awards, and was chair of the Canadian Journalism Foundation until 2008.
John served as Master of Massey College from 1995 until his retirement in 2014, and taught a course on the history of newspapers at the University of Toronto.
Ray Gerow is a former member of the B.C. Press Council. He served six years with the Canadian Armed Forces, including posting during the Gulf War. His work history ranges from construction to management, with extensive experience in economic and community development. He is vice-chair of the board of governors for the College of New Caledonia, a board member of the Northern Sports Centre at the University of Northern B.C. and the Nechako Kitimaat Development fund, and a former chair of the Aboriginal Business Services Network and B.C.’s Native Economic Development Advisory Board.
Gerow is very active in his local community, including service as president of the Aboriginal Business Development Centre in Prince George and with the Council for B.C. Aboriginal Economic Development for Indian Affairs.
Miller Ayre is President of Mansbord Incorporated, National Vice Chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, a Director of the Canadian Deafness Research and Training Institute, the Quebec-Labrador Foundation, the Michener Awards Foundation, and the Science Media Centre of Canada. He is a member of the Order of Canada and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Memorial University.
He was educated at Prince of Wales College and holds an honours degree in Economics from Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration from McGill University.
He was publisher of the Telegram in St. John’s, NL, and Chair of the Atlantic Press Council. He has served as Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Council of Canada, the Advisory Board of Memorial’s School of Business, the Newfoundland Medicare Commission, and as Vice Chair of the National Theatre School of Canada. He has also served as Provincial Chair of the Task Force on Canadian Unity, a member of the Economic Council of Canada and as a member of the St. John’s Municipal Council.
