Experience

George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd.

Established in 1984, the firm of George B. Cuff & Associates consists of a wide variety of seasoned professionals who offer their services on a per diem basis. As a result of this approach, and as President of the firm George Cuff is able to assemble the best minds in a particular field on short notice for significant engagements. His firm provides a variety of consulting services to mostly public sector clients principally in the areas of board and council governance, organization reviews, trouble-shooting, executive recruitment, staff and elected official training and special projects.

View George's biographical sketch

Mr. Cuff's background includes work in both the private and public sectors. Prior to going to University, he worked as an accounting clerk for the Royal Bank of Canada and for Atlantic Richfield Oil Company. During his years at University, George worked in the recreation field as a youth specialist for the City of Edmonton and as coordinator of a summer employment program for Alberta Recreation and Parks.

Since graduation from University in 1974, he has served as the head of a municipal recreation and parks department; as a communications officer for a provincial crown agency charged with holding public hearings; and as a community recreation consultant to recreation boards, municipal councils and staff. For the period of 1979 to 1984, Mr. Cuff served as a management consultant for Woods Gordon (now Ernst & Young). In that capacity, he specialized in human resource consulting, largely to public sector bodies. He has conducted major organization reviews, executive recruitment engagements, management and elected official training, and provided general counsel to elected Councils, appointed boards and management.

Since early 1984, Mr. Cuff has been active in public sector consulting through his own firm of George B. Cuff & Associates Ltd. He has had public sector consulting experience in each Province and both the Yukon and Northwest Territories . His work has been largely focused on the governance and senior management of provincial and municipal bodies. He has also acted as a consultant to the federal government as well. George has, more recently, also provided consulting advice in areas relating to health sector governance and senior management. He is also called on to arbitrate difficult issues in the health sector.

George has written numerous articles and manuals in the area of governance, best practices, public administration and Board/Council-management relationships. Mr. Cuff has also frequently served as guest speaker for conferences, seminars, the Banff School of Management, and university classes on municipal management, staff development, Council-board-staff relationships, and governance.

Consulting Experience

Major assignments have included:

  • Conducted a series of about 20 orientation seminars for municipalities in Alberta following the October 2007 municipal election
  • Reviewed an ongoing issue for the Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture (summer 2007)
  • Prepared a course on municipal governance for the AUMA and the AAMDC (summer 2007)
  • Conducted a two day mini-Audit of Governance for the District of Hope, BC (June 2007)
  • Conducted a two day mini-audit of Governance for the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona BC (May 2007)
  • Conducted a Review of Governance of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Board as requested by the Alberta Solicitor General (2007)
  • Facilitated a performance review of the CAO for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (formerly Fort McMurray) Alberta (February 2007)
  • Conducted a major Corporate Governance Review for Parkland County, Alberta (October 2006-May 2007)
  • Conducted a review of Governance for the Bethany Board of Management (East Central Health Authority, The Bethany Group and Alberta Health and Wellness) (December 2006-March 2007)
  • Conducted a Governance Review for the District of Smithers, BC (in cooperation with Ron Born, former CAO of Kelowna, BC) (November-December 2006)
  • Provided advice to Alberta Children’s Services in the recruitment and selection of members for the Appeal Panel (September 2006)
  • Conducted a Review of Resources for the District of Pitt Meadows, BC (May-July 2006)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of the Town of Whitecourt (2006)
  • Conducted a governance audit for the North Okanagan Regional District (April 2006)
  • Conducted a Review of the Appeals Secretariat, Alberta Children’s Services (2006)
  • Conducted a mini-review of the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District (2006)
  • Conducted a Review of the Surface Rights Board and Land Compensation Board for the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development (2005-06)
  • Conducted a session on decision-making for the District of North Saanich (January 2006)
  • Conducted orientation seminars for various BC municipalities following the 2005 elections, including: Esquimalt , Ladysmith, North Saanich , Victoria , Highlands , Parksville, Qualicum Beach , Lantzville, Lilloett, Chase, Logan Lake (2005), Terrace and area municipalities, Grand Forks and area municipalities
  • Conducted a series of sessions for the newly elected (2005) Council members in BC on behalf of the UBCM in Richmond and Penticton
  • Delivered a one day seminar on Governance and the Role of Audit Committees for eight School Boards in Ponoka , Alberta (December 2005)
  • Delivered a one day teambuilding seminar for the Central Region, Alberta Child and Family Services Authority (December 2005)
  • Conducted an Inspection of the Town of Lac La Biche for the Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs (2005-06)
  • Conducting a two day Governance Seminar for the Town of Fort Erie Ontario (2005)
  • Conducting a two day Management Skills and Performance Review Seminar for the City of Nelson , BC (2005)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of Mountain View County , Alberta (2005)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of the Town of Creston , BC (2005)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of Yellowhead County Alberta (2005)
  • Delivered a half day seminar for the Alberta Public Works Supervisors (2005)
  • Delivered a one day seminar on Priority Setting for the City of Edmonton Council (2005)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of the Natural Resources Conservation Board for the Minister of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (2005)
  • Delivered a half day session for the combined conference of LGMA/GFOBC in Whistler, BC (2005)
  • Delivered a session on governance for the officials of Alberta Children's Services to their annual conference (2005)
  • Conducted a Review of Governance of Mount Royal College for the Alberta Auditor General (2005)
  • Conducted three seminars for the Board of Samson Management Ltd. (2005)
  • Delivered the keynote address to the National Summit on Municipal Governance (2005)
  • Delivered a seminar on Governance for the Board of the Palliser Health Authority in Medicine Hat (2005)
  • Spoke to the 2002-03-04-05 Classes of Municipal Interns for Alberta Municipal Affairs
  • Delivered a refresher orientation to the Council of the MD of Rocky View (November 2005)
  • Provided advice and input to Alberta Children's Services on governance issues for audit committees of CFSAs (2004)
  • Reviewed the Business Planning Process for Edmonton Child and Family Services Association (2004)
  • Conducted the recruitment of the chief administrative officer for Lamont County (2004)
  • Review of the Draft Organization Structure for the Town of Fort Erie (2004)
  • Management Training/Orientation Seminar for the MD of Rocky View (2004)
  • Delivered the Keynote Address to the City of Edmonton Leadership Series for senior management (2004)
  • Conducted Orientation Seminars (2004) for the following municipalities:
  • City of Peterborough , Ontario
  • City of Cornwall , Ontario
  • Beaver County and Area Municipalities ( Alberta )
  • Yellowhead County and Area Municipalities ( Alberta )
  • Town of Westlock and Area Municipalities ( Alberta )
  • Town of Gibbons and Area Municipalities ( Alberta )
  • Town of Carbon and Area Municipalities ( Alberta )
  • City of Lethbridge ( Alberta )
  • City of Edmonton ( Alberta )
  • MD of Rocky View ( Alberta )
  • Corporate Review of the City of Guelph , Ontario (2004)
  • Corporate Review of Lamont County (2004)
  • Participated in the 2004 Local Government Leadership Program at Royal Roads University
  • Governance Seminars (2004) for:
  • Simcoe County
  • Kneehill County
  • Peavine Metis Settlement
  • Saskatchewan Association of Urban Municipalities
  • Association of Manitoba Municipalities
  • OMMA ( Ontario Municipal Administrators Association)
  • Local Government Leadership Conference ( Edmonton and Owen Sound )
  • Review of the North American Baptist Conference ( Chicago )(2004)
  • Review of the Districts of North Saanich and Highlands , both located on Vancouver Island (2004)
  • Conducted Inspections of Brazeau County and the Village of Clyde for Alberta Municipal Affairs (2004)
  • Taught the internet E-course on local government for NACLAA (2004)
  • Conducted a review of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (2004)
  • Conducted an Orientation Seminar for the City of Niagara Falls , Ontario (2003)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review of the City of Lethbridge (2003)
  • Presented the keynote address at the First Annual Canadian National Summit on Municipal Governance in Niagara Falls (2003)
  • Guest speaker at the LGL Conference in Winnipeg (May 2003)
  • Guest speaker at the LMMA Conference in Whistler, BC (May 2003)
  • Participated in the 2002 Local Government Leadership Program in Red Deer and in Victoria at Royal Roads University
  • Completed a comprehensive review of the MD of Rocky View in the Calgary region (2002)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review and Inspection of the Municipal District of Clear Hills (north of Grande Prairie ) on behalf of the Minister of Municipal Affairs (2002)
  • Provided guidance to the Board and administration of the Peace Health Region in its review of its Business Plan; acted as agents of Alberta Health and Wellness and the Board (2002)
  • Spoke at a major Recreation conference in Comox , BC (2002)
  • Conducted a review of the Office of the Children's Advocate (2002)
  • Conducted a review of the Relationship between Alberta Children's Services and the Alberta Corporate Services Centre (2002)
  • Conducted a Review of the West Yellowhead Child and Family Services Authority (2001-02)
  • Spoke at the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Conference in Sydney , Nova Scotia (Fall 2001)
  • Conducted a review of Woodlands County including its Council and administration (Summer/Fall 2001)
  • Recently completed a major review of the NWT Health and Social Services system (2000-01)
  • Conducted a major assignment for the City of Edmonton , Community Services Department of the Greater Edmonton Foundation: Housing for Seniors (2000)
  • Delivered a seminar for Alberta Health and Wellness on corporate governance for the members of the new Board of the Lakeland Health Authority (2000)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review and recruitment of the CAO for the Municipal District of Mackenzie (1999-2000)
  • Conducted a Corporate Review and recruitment of the CAO for the Town of High Level (1999-2000)
  • Conducted a comprehensive review of the Persons with Developmental Disabilities system for Alberta Health and Wellness (1999-2000)
  • Conducted a review of service-sharing for the Town of Peace River and the M.D. of East Peace (1999-2000)
  • Conducted a comprehensive review of the Town of Olds (1999) subsequent to an Inspection Report by Alberta Municipal Affairs; recommended certain legislative and administrative changes which have been endorsed and implemented
  • Lead a review of the Lakeland Regional Health Authority (1998); facilitated the work of the Board, management and the public in addressing a deficit elimination plan' process
  • Conducted a review of the Alberta Mental Health Board (1998); provided advice to the Board on governance issues
  • Conducted a session on governance for the Alberta Cancer Board (1998)
  • Conducted a major review of the legislative and senior administrative roles and responsibilities as well as the decision-making processes of the City of Winnipeg (1997); acted as the facilitator of two seminars for the Executive Committee of Council
  • Provided an independent review of the provincial Municipal Act
  • Conducted a review of 'Best Practices' for Alberta Health of the regional health authorities (1997)
  • Authored a review of Governance (1997) for the regional health authorities; providing input to the Province on the expectations of new board members
  • Conducted a review of the central administrative operations and structure of a school division
  • Assisted the Province in facilitating the transition of assessment services to a private sector model
  • Assisted with the review of a municipal library board structure and operations
  • Conducted a review of the legislation affecting municipal administrators and made recommendations to their Association
  • Developed reference manual for the board of a womens' shelter
  • Authorized a position paper on long-term care for senior citizens for a provincial health organization
  • Completed numerous executive search engagements for both public and private organizations
  • Lectured at conferences and seminars for the governors and administrators of major health organizations
  • Organized and conducted seminars and retreats for municipal elected officials across Canada .
  • Lectured at seminars on personnel administration and management decision-making for senior municipal administrators
  • Conducted organization and service delivery reviews of health authorities examining roles, responsibilities, financial management, information systems, reporting relationships, funding and service delivery
  • Developed a policy development process and codification system for public sector agencies; conducted seminars on policy development
  • Developed and instructed at management seminars for continuing education agencies; prepared a professional development program outline for further education coordinators
  • Reviewed the operations support functions for a region of a provincial Social Services Department
  • Conducted "climate audits" to determine ways to improve communication patterns and managerial styles for various civic governments
  • Reviewed the reporting relationship between a Family and Community Support Services Board and the local municipal council
  • Taught the leadership and governance sessions (over a 10 year period) for the Local Government Leadership Program at the Banff School of Management.