Lavender new CEO for Cottagers’ Associations

Lesley Lavender

The Board of Directors of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) has announced the appointment of Lesley Lavender to the position of Chief Executive Officer effective April 1, 2024.

Lavender has been the CEO of the Prince Edward County Chamber of Commerce for the past five years. The Chamber is welcoming applicants for the position until March 22.

“Hiring someone with Lesley’s experienced leadership is a clear example of FOCA’s determination to generate momentum and positive impact for our member associations,” said Ian Crawford, Past President of FOCA, and Chair of the CEO Hiring Committee.

“We held an extensive search that yielded candidates from across Canada. We were very impressed with the high quality of the people we met, but Lesley stood out for her experience, and proven ability to create and expand relationships with members, media, and partners.”

Crawford noted that as CEO of the County’s Chamber of Commerce since 2019, Lavender represented a small community with a vast geographical spread that mirrored the unique composition of waterfront communities throughout Ontario.

“She is intimately acquainted with the distinctive challenges and expectations faced by the community in PEC, accommodating both visitors and seasonal residents alongside long-term inhabitants.”

“This understanding fuels my passion to delve deeper into similar dynamics across our province, with an unwavering commitment to expanding my knowledge and sharing my skill set,” said Lavender. “My aim is to foster a collective appreciation for water and the environment, catalyzing a shared commitment to their preservation.”

The board thanked outgoing CEO Terry Rees for his leadership over the past 20 years with FOCA – the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, which is a non-profit membership organization representing more than 525 lake, cottage, camp, and rural waterfront residents’ associations, and the 250,000 waterfront property owners across Ontario. FOCA envisions thriving and sustainable waterfronts, now and for future generations.

Waterfront property owners (WPO) steward 15,000 kms of shorelines and 50 hectares of privately-owned waterfront lands from Kenora to Kingston to Lake Erie to north of Temagami.

FOCA’s 2022 Economic Impact Study confirmed that WPO contribute more than $700 million in annual property taxes to rural municipalities, and waterfront property households spend an estimated $11.44 billion each year. On average, for every 100 waterfront properties located in a community, 63 jobs are created in Ontario, with 54 of those jobs in the community itself.