Finnegan joins Family Health Team directors

Leo Finnegan

Former Prince Edward County Mayor Leo Finnegan has joined the board of directors of the Prince Edward Family Health Team.
As Prince Edward County’s mayor for the past seven years Finnegan was often recognized as a champion of local healthcare services.
“He clearly intends to continue to invest both his time and considerable passion into County healthcare,” says
Duff Sprague, PEFHT executive director
The PEFHT is one of the 200 family health teams established in Ontario since 2006.  It was among the first to be incorporated in August 2006.
“At that time there were three types of governance options for FHTs – Provider ; Community or Mixed. The PEFHT was approved by the Ministry to be a Provider led Family Health Team,” said Sprague. “Right from the beginning Prince Edward County physicians demonstrated themselves an inclusive group as their initial by-laws expanded the definition of provider beyond just physicians to include one board position as being dedicated for a nurse practitioner – it was unprecedented at the time and even today remains a rarity among FHTs.”
In 2007, the physician leadership created a community seat for the Board of Directors. This chair was created for community health advocate Mark Larratt-Smith in recognition of his significant role in successfully bringing the FHT to Prince Edward County but also as a way in which Larratt-Smith could continue to have a formal leadership role with the Family Health Team. In September 2010 Larratt-Smith stepped down to concentrate on several other local initiatives he was involved in and the PEFHT Board had to decide whether or not to continue with the community seat.
“We were discussing this at our October Board meeting when someone suggested that we consider Leo – it felt like within seconds we had passed a motion to keep the seat and ask Leo to join us,” says Dr. Greg Higgins, Board President. “Leo agreed and was sworn in at our December meeting.”
The current six member PEFHT Board includes: Dr. Greg Higgins, President; Dr. Cliff Rice, Vice President; Dr. Elizabeth Christie; Dr. John French; Carol Hobbs, PEFHT Nurse Practitioner and Leo Finnegan, Community Member.

BIO: Leo Finnegan
Joined Lake Ontario Cement (now Essroc Italcementi) as a Kiln Burner in February 1958
Employed 39 years with Essroc
Plant Manager for 18 years
Retired January 31, 1997
Married, three children, seven grandchildren

Community Involvement
Chair and Board Member of Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital
Vice-Chair of the Friends of Prince Edward Health Care Services
Member of the Rotary Club of Picton since 1981
President in 2001-2002
Rotarian of the Year 1982
Twice made a Paul Harris Fellow by club members
Vice-Chair of the Regent Theatre Foundation in 1998
Chair of META Vocational in Belleville
Member of the Prince Edward Roundtable on the Environment and Economy; Chair for the last 7 years
Director of the Picton Golf & Country Club for the last 4 years; Chair in 2001
Active in St. Gregory’s Parish, Picton
Elected as Mayor of County of Prince Edward in November 2003 until November 2010.