Brian A. HUNT

BRIAN A. HUNT FCPA, FCA, ICD.D A charted professional accountant, Brian Hunt was a distinguished CEO for over 30 years, including past Chairman of the Global Audit Oversight Body. His leadership and team building skills generated loyalty, which resulted in a focused commitment to quality customer service and innovative solutions. Born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, Mr. Hunt attended the University of Windsor graduating in 1974. As an undergraduate business student, he worked in Ottawa with the Government of Canada Anti-Inflation Board. Upon graduation, he worked in Business Assurance at Coopers and Lybrand in Toronto. He then joined the auto parts manufacturer Magna International and then Brinco Mining, where he oversaw accounting, financial and management reporting. Brian joined Peterson, Howell and Heather (PHH) in 1982, North America's largest fleet management company headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, USA. He began as Vice President (VP) of Finance in the Canadian subsidiary in Toronto, Canada. In this role, he developed and implemented a business plan that reduced cost while improving productivity and service levels to clients across Canada. In 1985, he relocated to the US and assumed the role of Senior VP Client Relations. He had responsibility for over 1000 clients, which included 47% of the Fortune 1000 companies. He restructured the national organization and developed a strategic plan that improved client retention and satisfaction. Brian and his team successfully implemented the first online ordering system (Fleetline) in the industry. It was considered revolutionary for its time. The benefits to clients and PHH were huge. It reduced ordering time, minimized the potential for errors, eliminated paper and postage, provided status, and more. In 1988, he relocated back to Canada as President where he established new business segments in card services and asset management. Under his leadership and strategic business plan, productivity and revenue doubled in Canada. Brian subsequently accepted the position as President of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) in Ottawa. During the six years he was President of CAA, he established the largest public memberships in Canada. Since he wrote regularly for the national Canadian newspaper (Globe and Mail) on road safety, Mr. Hunt was referred to as the "Roads Scholar". He worked with Elizabeth May (Federal Leader of the Green Party) with a call to action for all Canadian motorists to help take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and put fuel tax back into the National Highway system (published in Readers Digest October 1997). As President of CAA, he collaborated with the President of Chrysler Canada to develop safety information for children with Bill Nye the Science Guy, to drive home the message that kids belong in the back seat. The video was distributed to 9,000 elementary schools in Canada. Mr. Hunt served as President and CEO of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO). He was especially proud to be elected a Fellow of the ICAO, to serve as a member of the Governing Council, and to then be awarded Life Membership. Upon concluding his term at ICAO he was honoured by the Premier of Ontario for "helping to enhance ICAO's standing as a highly respected professional body in Ontario and across Canada; for his outstanding contributions to strengthening public accounting and his ongoing commitment to ensuring the highest standards of professionalism among the dedicated members of the Institute." Committed to the integrity of Canadian capital markets, Brian was a founding Director of the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB), Canada's audit regulator, and then appointed CEO to CPAB in 2009. Under his stewardship, CPAB changed their inspection approach to incorporate additional operational reviews of the effectiveness of firm structure, accountabilities, quality processes, and culture. The 'Director Journal' (a publication of the Institute of Corporate Directors) explained, "it is impossible to tell the story of audit regulation in Canada without Brian Hunt as a key figure" (March April 2018). Brian devoted years to ensuring the Enron- style collapse in the United States does not occur in Canada by enhancing audit quality, through a combination of oversight, compliance and governance initiatives for Audit Committees and their Directors. Mr. Hunt worked diligently province by province to collaboratively enact a robust audit quality and regulatory framework for directors and staff. He believed effective audit regulation would build trust and attract investment. He enhanced audit quality shifting greater responsibility to Directors on a Board's Audit Committee. Mr. Hunt retired as the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB) in 2018. Through his service to this organization he contributed significantly to building a new era of audit regulation in Canada. He proceeded to influence international audit regulation. Brian represented CPAB on the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators (IFIAR) Advisory Committee, and was Chair of its Global Public Policy Committee Working Group. Highly respected by his international peers he was nominated and served as the Chair of IFIAR from 2017 to 2019. Mr. Hunt was instrumental in establishing the organization's first board, three-year strategic plan and permanent staffing operation in Tokyo, Japan. Colleagues reported, " Brian's international leadership helped CPAB drive changes to accelerate audit quality at home and abroad and would not have been possible without Brian's tremendous dedication and drive." In 2018, under Mr. Hunt's guidance, CPAB hosted IFIAR's plenary meeting entitled: Disruptive Enablers: The Future of the Audit in Ottawa. More than 100 international delegates attended to discuss the ways technological innovation could shape the audit of tomorrow, along with leading practices in audit regulation. The CPAB board and staff recognized his outstanding contribution. Mr. Hunt was also an active member of Canada's Institute of Corporate Directors. Furthermore, he served on the School of Accounting and Finance Advisory Council at Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University in Toronto. His leadership and guidance extended into his personal interests. As a life long cottager, he improved the Canadian waterways. When the Trent Severn Waterway fell victim to national budget cuts that threatened the very existence of the canal system, Brian became the Chair of the Voices of the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW). He spent many hours advocating for funding to manage water flows throughout the 160 dams and water control structures of the Trent Severn. With the value of the TSW assets at $1.4 billion, he organized workshops and engaged local stakeholders (cottage associations, industries and politicians) to successfully increase funding along with identifying sustainable financial mechanisms to maintain the waterway. Brian is lovingly remembered as a calm and supportive partner to his wife Cindy, and as a wise and caring father to their three adult children. The family enjoyed spending time together at their cottage in the Kawarthas and trips to ski, surf and hike. Brian volunteered to coach hockey, softball and freestyle skiing at the local and provincial level. He loved to spend time with his extended family and friends. Everyone enjoyed his sense of humour and homemade shortbread cookies and sliding cheesecakes. The family thanks Princess Margaret Hospital and Dr. Parbal Sidhu of Oakville for their care and support. The family would like to sponsor children in need to attend Camp Kawartha (phone number 705-652-3860). Donors are asked to contribute to the Summer Camp Subsidy Fund, indicating the donation is made in honour of Brian Hunt. Please include your address (in order that a tax receipt can be issued). Mailing a cheque to: Camp Kawartha, 1010 Birchview Road, Douro-Dummer, ON, Canada, K0L 2H0; online through the camp website - www.campkawartha.ca/donate by choosing the dropdown Summer Camp Subsidy Fund (write in message box in memory of Brian Hunt); or E-transfer to accounting@campkawartha.ca (indicate Brian Hunt Fund).