(VANCOUVER) Moray Keith and Dennis Skulsky, co-chairs of the 2011 Grey Cup Festival Committee, today announced the appointment of Scott Ackles as General Manager.
“Scott was our natural first choice for the job,” said Moray Keith, 2011 Grey Cup Festival Committee co-chair. “His passion and enthusiasm, his experience and his heritage will ensure that the 2011 Grey Cup Festival will be the greatest ever. Fans have a lot to look forward to.”
Ackles brings a vast amount of CFL and event experience to this important role, most recently as the president of the Calgary Stampeders Football Club. He also oversaw the highly successful 2009 Grey Cup Festival and sold-out game held in Calgary this past November. In 2005, Scott led the charge in Vancouver for what many at the time described as ‘the best Grey Cup Festival ever.’
“It’s a great honour to be appointed to this role and working with leaders like Moray and Dennis,” said Ackles, General Manager, 2011 Grey Cup Festival. “My family is excited to move back to our hometown and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved in my third Grey Cup Festival.”
The role of General Manager is a fulltime dedicated position that entails leading a passionate group of festival staff and volunteers. Reporting to the committee co-chairs, Scott will be responsible for the strategic planning and staging of all festival events during Grey Cup week and for developing partnerships and sponsorships for the festival. Scott and his family will be making the move back to the Lower Mainland early in the new year.
“Moray and Dennis have made an excellent acquisition in Scott Ackles,” said David Braley owner of the BC Lions Football Club. “It is great to have the Grey Cup coming back to Vancouver in 2011 and with an all-star festival team running the show it’s sure to eclipse the huge success we saw in 2005.”
The BC Lions Football Club will host the 2011 Grey Cup at the newly-renovated BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.