TORONTO, June 9, 2011 – Mike Harris, former Ontario Premier and currently a Senior Business Advisor to Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, and Ned Goodman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dundee Corporation, have joined Skyline International Development Inc.’s Advisory Board.
Both Mr. Harris and Mr. Goodman bring decades of business experience and visionary leadership to Skyline. Their contributions as Advisory Board members will help position the company as Canada’s leading owner, operator and developer of hospitality resorts and destination communities.
Said Skyline Chairman and President Gil Blutrich: “We’re pleased to have Mike Harris and Ned Goodman join the Skyline team. Their in-depth understanding of the capital market and the property-development industry will help us grow our Ontario resort communities and strengthen our presence in downtown Toronto.”
Founded in 1998 by Blutrich, Skyline owns and operates more than 1,000 hotel rooms and suites, four golf courses, active ski hills, 80 kilometres of cross country trails, over 12 kilometres of waterfront and boasts a property portfolio of over 2,600 acres (1,052 hectares) across some of Ontario’s most pristine resort regions such as Simcoe County, Georgian Bay and the Muskokas. Over the past 12 years, Skyline has grown its asset base from $26 million to $245 million, acquiring premiere resort properties such as Port McNicoll near Midland, Ont., the iconic Deerhurst Resort and the pristine Horseshoe Resort. The company now boasts an impressive workforce of 1,500 employees.
Skyline’s recent property-acquisition efforts have focused on reinvigorating tired properties, renovating their existing hotels and residential units, and then expanding their residential and retail footprint with an emphasis on turning those properties into lifestyle communities.
“Growing up in North Bay, I have a particular passion for the continued development of Ontario’s picturesque resort regions,” Harris said. “I believe the hospitality industry is incredibly important to the province’s economy and I look forward to assist Skyline to grow in the years to come.”
For Goodman, “Becoming a Skyline advisory board member presented an opportunity to help Gil Blutrich and Skyline achieve their full potential. Skyline’s recent acquisitions are indicative of the company’s dedication to growth and maintaining its status as a hospitality and property-development leader,” Goodman said. “I hope bringing my expertise to the table will help maintain Gil’s strong momentum.”