Ron McKerlie

Ron J. McKerlie is an executive in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He most recently served as the Interim President and CEO of Ornge, the air ambulance service for the province of Ontario.
Public sector career
McKerlie entered the public sector in 2005 as the Chief Strategist and Chief Information Officer for the Government of Ontario, a position that consisted of establishing an IT strategy that consolidated infrastructures such as e-mail systems, help desks and data centers, and establishing guidelines and strategies for protecting the privacy of Canadian citizens. As CIO, he delivered the keynote address at Showcase Ontario 2006 where, under the theme of "Government of the Future," he delivered an address that stressed the importance of "delivering services that work for the people." He later became the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Government Services, Associate Secretary of Cabinet and Secretary of Management Board of Cabinet. He was also named Commissioner for the Niagara Parks Commission in 2010 by Ontario Minister of Tourism Michael Chan. In addition, McKerlie was Chair of the Board of Directors for ServiceOntario, an initiative by the Government of Ontario intent on making it easier for citizens to access and obtain government services like birth certificates and driver's licenses. In 2011, after six and a half years in the public sector, McKerlie was appointed as the Interim President and CEO of Ornge by Health Minister Deb Matthews. In an investigation involving executive salaries, it was discovered that the current president and CIO had been receiving more than $1.4 million a year, making him the highest publicly paid official in the province. In the wake of this scandal, it was vowed that the company would operate more transparently. A part of that promise included revealing that McKerlie's salary would be $335,000 in salary and taxable benefits.
While serving as interim president and CEO, McKerlie negotiated a performance agreement with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care that spelled out how Ornge would be accountable for its use of public funds in the future, introduced a conflict of interest policy to increase transparency within the company, and introduced a whistleblower policy to "promote integrity throughout the organization." He hired the company's first patient advocate, introduced a patient statement of values, and rode along with an air ambulance crew. In December of 2012, it was announced that McKerlie would be replaced by Ontario's Chief Coroner Dr. Andrew McCallum as the president and CEO of Ornge, after McKerlie told the Toronto Star that he had advised the Ornge board of his interest in assuming the position permanently. It was also reported that McKerlie would stay on to assist with the transition before returning to government office.
World Vision Canada
McKerlie serves on the Board of Directors for World Vision Canada, a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization that is dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, in nearly 100 countries.
Education
McKerlie has an MBA from Dalhousie University in Halifax, is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and has an ICD.D designation from the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management.

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