A further executive shift has been undertaken at Great Canadian Entertainment following last month’s promotion of former Chief Operating Officer Matthew Anfinson to the CEO role.
The latest moves disclosed by the casino and entertainment operator sees Ron Urquhart shuffle into the role vacated by Anfinson, while Gavin Whiteley has been appointed as Chief Marketing Officer.
“We are thrilled to name Ron as our new COO, who started his career with us as a summer student in college, and since then has held senior leadership roles across multiple business units over the past two decades, helping to lead our Ontario expansions and new builds including at Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Woodbine,” said Anfinson.
“Ron has a deep understanding of our business, and will be an enormous asset in our next chapter of growth as we bring to market what will be among the premier casino resorts in North America in 2023.”
Urquhart started at Great Canadian in 2001, holding progressively senior roles across its casino operations in Nova Scotia prior to transitioning to Ontario in 2016 to open the company’s Belleville site as General Manager.
Following this, he was then promoted to Vice President of Operations for Ontario, followed by Executive Vice President of Operations for the GTA, where he oversaw the openings and operational readiness of several expansions across the region.
“I feel privileged to take on this new role at such an exciting time for Great Canadian, and I look forward to working closely with Matthew to continuously enhance the gaming and entertainment experience for our guests, and making a positive impact for all our stakeholders,” stated Urquhart.
Whiteley joined Great Canadian from Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he oversaw the company’s loyalty program for over 50 destinations and online partnerships.
“I am thrilled to come home to Canada to lead the marketing and entertainment initiatives with the Great Canadian leadership team to deliver value to our team members, guests, and communities from coast to coast,” noted Whiteley.
