Ernst and Young’s Ian Sherman has been named the acting chair of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, filling the role left vacant by Marie Boivin.
The local business organization made the announcement in a statement this week. It said Mr. Sherman will serve as chair for the remainder of the 2016-17 term until the annual general meeting this June, at which point it is unclear whether he will take on the standard two-year term as chair.
A chamber spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
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Mr. Sherman has filled the role of vice-chair since June 2016, when Ms. Boivin was named as chair. In addition to his new role as chairperson, Mr. Sherman manages the EY Ottawa tax practice, and was named the chamber’s businessperson of the year in 2009. He’s also a member of the United Way board of directors.
Dirk Bouwer, a partner with Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP, will now serve as acting vice-chair for the remainder of the term.
Last September while Ms. Boivin was serving as chairperson, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on her as well as her foreign exchange firm Accu-Rate as part of a money laundering investigation into allegations of fraud by Vancouver-based PacNet Services Ltd.
The chair position has been unfilled for at least one month, though it remains unclear whether Ms. Boivin stepped down or whether the Chamber removed her from the role. Accu-Rate has since halted service, and its location in the World Exchange Plaza currently sits empty.
This June, the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce turns 160 years old.
