Gary O'Connor Email and Phone Number

The Osborne Group provides interim and project management and consulting services for clients in the not-for-profit, public and private sectors. All Osborne Group Principals have senior-level knowledge and significant experience leading major projects. Since 1993, their executive leadership skills have helped more than 1,000 clients achieve key priorities and sustainable results. Learn more about us and our other talented Principals at www.osborne-group.com.

• Rebuilt GREO after a funding change. Advocated with senior Ministry staff and politicians to demonstrate how it fit with government priorities. The result was renewed government support and multi-year funding commitments.• Rebranded GREO, creating a new name and brand identity to match the new responsible gambling knowledge translation focused vision, mission, mandate, and strategic plan. • Transitioned GREO’s human resource policies, benefits, compensation, job descriptions, and accountabilities to match the new mandate. • Shopped the benefits plan and saved $50,000 dollars while maintaining the quality of the plan. • Recruited a talented staff team who joined a core of remaining staff to deliver on the mandate. • Oversaw the grant awards process for research, knowledge translation, and capacity building, to problem gambling researchers, educators, as well as prevention and treatment organizations. • Re-established GREO’s status as an internationally respected organization in the problem gambling prevention field.

• Achieved a $741 million increase in base funding for the Ontario Diabetes Strategy, a Ministry of Health and Long-Term initiative. Recruited and motivated volunteers across Ontario to advocate about the seriousness of diabetes and create the political will for this funding. • Oversaw $8 million raised annually from corporate gifts, sponsorships, major gifts, planned gifts, foundation proposals, annual giving, events and government grants. Personally, closed millions of dollars in government asks and hundreds of thousands in corporate asks.• Led strategic and operations planning to focus CDA’s programs on the needs of people with diabetes. • Improved efficiency – for example the amalgamation of five GTA offices which reduced overheads, increased fundraising by fifty percent, and increased program delivery. • Created the Community Pharmacy Outreach Program out of a mishmash of four local CDA programs.

• Achieved a $105 million increase in Community Health Centre (CHC) funding through an advocacy and government relations program called “CHCs Work!” that reversed a funding freeze and achieved a place for CHCs in Ontario’s primary care renewal plans. • Rebuilt AOHC after a downsizing induced by loss of funding. Implemented programs such as centre accreditation, leadership development, evaluation, and IT support; that met member needs and helped stabilize CHCs.

• Managed 17 staff and 900 volunteers running safety, emergency, and home care programs. Increased revenue, client loads, and public support. Won a national award for innovative community programming.

• Set this young organization’s course for success with solid business principles and processes.• Directed daily operations. Created and executed successful fundraising plans. Forged funding link with the CIDA. Launched new street youth focused programs in Tanzania, and Zambia.

• Conducted capital campaign assessments for charities such as The Toronto Historical Board, The Bruce Trail Association and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

• Designed and executed a successful national fundraising strategy, developed marketing materials, created a public relations plan and expanded the direct mail program.• Administered international Programs. Supervised a staff of 6 and 200 volunteers; managed a $2M+ budget. Reduced $140 K in travel costs through a competitive bidding process.