Bill VanGorder: Profile

Bill is an experienced speaker and trainer and has acted as a consultant to businesses and associations since 1968. He gives keynotes, presentations and workshops to 30 or more organizations each year and is recognized for his ability to motivate audiences with new, creative ideas that will provide measurable, tangible results. With more than 35 years of business, management and human resources experience, Bill’s expertise has made him a sought-after speaker on management issues.

Bill is the President of Nordic Walking Nova Scotia, the Atlantic distributors for Nordixx Pole Walking Canada.

From 1991 to 2007, Bill was the President and CEO of The Lung Association of Nova Scotia. He also served as Vice-President of Financial Development and Marketing for the Canadian Lung Association. Prior to that he spent 28 years with the YMCA, including 12 years as the Atlantic Area Director where he focused primarily on consulting and training of YMCAs and YM-YWCAs in the four Atlantic Provinces.

Bill is one of a very few professionals in Canada who are a Certified Association Executive (CAE) awarded by the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) Certified and a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) awarded by the international Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Bill is also an active community volunteer. Bill is also an active community volunteer. He is a member of the National Board of Directors of CARP - A New Vision of Ageing for Canada. He is immediate Past Chair and Senior Spokesman for CARP’s Nova Scotia Chapter. He was the founder and co-coordinator of the Rotary ABCs of Fraud Prevention program; President of the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra Foundation; Executive Producer of the Board of Directors of the Theatre Arts Guild; Board Member of the international Psychic Entertainers Association; an Advisory Board Member of Nova Scotia Special Olympics; Vice President of the Serving Seniors Alliance of Nova Scotia; and a Past President of the Rotary Club of Halifax where he has been named a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of his significant work on behalf of Rotary International. He is Past President and Advisory Board Chairman of the Nova Scotia branch of the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE); a former Board Member of the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy; Past President of the national Board of the CSFRE (now the AFP – Association of Fund Raising Professionals); and Past-President and co-Founder of the Nova Scotia Branch of the AFP.

Bill and Esther live in Halifax with Calli and Skye, the cats who run their house.