News from the Centre
Dr. Leslie H Oliver and the Board of Directors of the Black Cultural Society are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Louis A. Gannon Jr. as our new Interim Executive Director of the Black Cultural Centre. Mr. Gannon started in the position in November 2011.
As the Society moves forward we will benefit from Mr. Gannon’s leadership and experience in business management. Mr. Gannon will lead our current staff in carrying out our mandate.
Louis (Lou) A. Gannon, Jr.
Louis (Lou) A. Gannon, Jr. was the first African Canadian to be appointed as the Executive Director of the Better Business Bureau of the Maritime Provinces Inc. in July, 1996 and the first African Canadian appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of a YMCA in Canada in March, 1988.
Since 2002, he has been doing contract work as a Professional Development Consultant for organizations who want to “embrace change” and “achieve new levels of success and accomplishment”.
His broad understanding of project control programs is validated by his successful employment as the Facility Manager at the North Preston Community Center with the Halifax Regional Municipality (2003-2011); Executive Director of the Better Business Bureau of the Maritime Provinces Inc. (1996-2002); the Chief Executive Officer of the YMCA in Charlottetown, PE (1988-1996) and various other Senior Management positions with the Halifax YMCA (which he joined in 1972), a total of 24 years of dedicated service to a YMCA.
Born in Halifax, Lou has had the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of the Navy and during his employment with the YMCA. He attended Dalhousie University in the Bachelor of Physical Education/Bachelor of Arts Program, and achieved additional training from Dalhousie University in Improving Managerial Skills for New Prospective Managers; he has achieved Levels 1, 2, and 3 in the Executive Leadership for Volunteer Organizations; attended the Administration of Leisure Sessions and Management of Environments at Acadia University; and as well, completed the many YMCA sponsored training sessions. Lou's community involvement has earned him many awards or special recognitions and he sat on many committees.
Lou Gannon has been a leader in addressing “Appreciating Our Differences and Simarilities”. As well, he is an advocate for cooperative programs that reflect the communities we serve and firmly believes that - “there is no limit to success if we have a common goal”.