Executive Bios
James E. Watts
President and Chief Executive Officer, Commissionaires Great Lakes
Jim has been leading Commissionaires Great Lakes as its President and CEO since 2005. During this time, he has grown the division’s revenues by $10 million and created more than 400 new jobs for commissionaires in that region. Jim leads Commissionaires Great Lakes with the experience and management expertise he has gained over the past four decades of his accomplished career in the military and the private sector. He served Commissionaires as CEO of the Hamilton Division prior to joining the Great Lakes Division in July 2002, where he acted as VP of Operations before becoming President and CEO in 2005.
Jim served as a Communications and Electronics Officer in the Canadian Forces for 24 years, providing direction on key strategic projects, and retiring with the rank of Major. As an expert in his field, Jim was involved in overseeing the communications system at NORAD command centre in Colorado Springs. Later, he became a Project Director responsible for initiating a major Canadian communications satellite project for the Department of National Defence.
Jim worked next for a large engineering consulting firm as a project manager, managing important contracts from both the government and contractor perspectives. He worked on the North Warning System radar sites, overseeing installation and providing testing on behalf of the government. Jim also led the Highway 407 tolling system project, providing design verification and acceptance testing for the firm contracted for its construction.
Jim holds a MBA from Regis College in Denver Colorado and an Electrical Engineering degree from The Royal Military College. Jim is a member of the Canadian Society for Industrial Security, The American Society for Industrial Security, The Association of Professional Security Agencies and served on the PSISA Private Security and Investigative Service Act (Bill 159) Advisory Committee.
Karen Courser
Vice President Finance & Chief of Corporate Services
Karen Courser has over 25 years experience in finance and administration, guiding organizations in the service industry. She joined Commissionaires Great Lakes in 1999 in the role of Accounting Manager and was made Comptroller in 2000 before becoming Vice President of Finance and Chief of Corporate Services in 2005. In addition to keeping Commissionaires Great Lakes focused on its financial performance, Karen is also responsible for leading the departments that provide support services to the operations.
Prior to joining Commissionaires Great Lakes, Karen worked 12 years for a national customs broker as the accounting manager, where she oversaw the operation of the finance department.
Karen received her CGA accounting designation with the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada in November 2006 and is currently pursuing her Certified Financial Planning Designation.
Tom Prins
Vice President Client Services
Tom joined Commissionaires Great Lakes in 2009 as VP of Client Services, to provide management expertise in developing client relationships, and to ensure that Commissionaires Great Lakes surpasses the expectations of its customers.
Tom is an accomplished business leader, having established an IT services company and directed a team of service professionals that provided outstanding service to many Fortune 1000 firms across North America. In his early career, Tom provided procedural leadership to MPPs of the Ontario Legislative and their staff. Tom has coached and consulted with numerous organizations, sharing his senior management experience on teambuilding and board governance.
Tom holds a BA (Honours) in Public Policy and Administration and holds an MBA from University of Toronto.
Donna D’Arcy
Director of Marketing Communications
Donna D’Arcy is a marketing professional with over 15 years experience in managing corporate brands, and helping organizations communicate with their employees and clients. Donna is an accomplished corporate marketer and brings her strategic marketing expertise to Commissionaires in the marketing of new ventures and the promotion of Commissionaires’ wide range of security services. Donna also spearheads Commissionaires’ community projects like the ‘Be Sure You’re Secure’ day, intended to educate the public on ways to keep family and businesses safe.
Prior to joining Commissionaires Great Lakes, Donna managed retail financial accounts at the Royal Bank of Canada’s corporate headquarters, where she was responsible for launching such projects as Interac® and debit at the pump to the Canadian marketplace.
Donna holds an honours degree in Economics from Queens University.
Richard Kedzierski
Director of Sales
Richard Kedzierski is a security expert with over thirty five years of military, law-enforcement and security consulting experience. He joined Commissionaires Great Lakes in 1999 as a client account manager and became the Director of Sales in 2006, providing account management, security consulting, and business development expertise.
Richard has provided high level security in both a military and law enforcement capacity. He served six years with the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving at nuclear bases in Quebec and Germany. He later served at Canadian Forces Headquarters in Ottawa at the Special Investigation Unit. Richard then joined the London Police Service for over a decade, rising to the position of detective, specializing in break and enter crimes. Using his elite security expertise, Richard later moved into leadership positions and began consulting in the field of private security. He created security and emergency response programs in the hospitality and health care sectors for hotels and then for hospitals. Richard has also instructed, sharing his knowledge firsthand at a large regional College in their Law and Security program.
Richard is a qualified Certified Protection Professional (CPP)™. He was also the founding chairperson of the International Association of Healthcare Security and Safety (Toronto Branch).
Phillip Day
Manager of Human Resources
Phillip Day is a human resource professional with a diverse background of military service, teaching and professional leadership. Phillip joined Commissionaires Great Lakes in 2004 as the Manager of Human Resources, bringing with him 27 years of HR experience.
Phillip served nine years in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Signals Corps. He served on the naval vessel HMS Victory and in Canada and Germany as a radio technician with the army. After rejoining the civilian sector, Phillip worked at Canadian General Electric as an electrical technician and then for a large regional health centre as Director of Human Resources responsible for administering collective agreements for over one thousand employees. Phillip embarked on a second career post-retirement and worked in Beijing as the Director of Education for a Chinese Business Institute and also worked with the Canadian Embassy in Beijing. While he was there he continued his teaching career, becoming certified to teach English as a second language. Phillip has also worked as a Professor of Sociology and Human Resources Management at the University of Toronto and community colleges in Ontario.
Phillip is a certified OACETT Industrial Engineering Technician, has a BA in Sociology, is a Certified Human Resource professional, and was the founding member of the Kawartha Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. He has written four college text books in Human Resources Management and authored a 26-year genealogical study of his personal family history. Phillip was awarded the Silver Cross for heroism by Governor General Georges Vanier.
Dave Gordon
Director of Operations, Central Region
Dave Gordon brings over 40 years of leadership, administration and operational experience to his role as Director of Operations for the Central Region of Commissionaires Great Lakes. Dave leads the team responsible for providing a superior customer experience and ensuring the security of more than 150 clients within GTA.
Prior to joining Commissionaires Great Lakes, Dave spent his early career serving with distinction in the Canadian Forces, providing instruction and command in the area of international aviation. Dave was part of the team responsible for leading the Canadian Forces airlift contribution to the first Gulf War, and under his command his unit sustained no personnel injury or aircraft damage.
Dave holds a BA from the Royal Military College. Dave is a recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration for 36 years of service and was awarded the Special Service Medal for service to NATO.
Mark Van Den Bossche
Director of Operations, Western Region
Mark is security professional with a decorated military career and a wealth of experience in consulting and management. Mark joined Commissionaires Great Lakes in 2005, as the Director of Operations.
Mark has served continuously in the Canadian Navy for nearly 26 years: First, in the full time Navy for 20 years, during which time his postings took him to almost every corner of the globe aboard several ships taking part in numerous international exercises, and second, in the Reserve Navy, where he continues to be active in reserve duty. Mark then joined the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities where he was instrumental in promoting and selling the apprenticeship programs to employers and prospective apprentices in his role as a training consultant. He managed a wide network of apprentices and employers and also consulted with community colleges. During his time with the ministry, Mark helped develop the Child and Youth Worker Apprenticeship program.
Mark holds an accreditation as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP)™ and an honours degree in Commerce from the University of Windsor. He is also a graduate of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course for Senior Officers. Mark is a recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration for 22 years of service and received the Special Service Medal for service to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.