Olympic curler takes reins at Canada’s Hall of Fame
Cheryl Bernard, an Olympic silver medallist and entrepreneur, has been appointed the president and chief executive of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Bernard, who led her team to second place in curling during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, looks forward to bringing the work ethic and leadership skills she learned in sport to her new position at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park.
“The parallels in sport and in business are incredible,” said Bernard, 51. “And when you compete at a high level, you learn about work ethic, integrity and always being committed to being the best.”
Born in Grande Prairie, Bernard moved to Calgary as a young child and was raised at the curling rink, calling the former Northwest Curling Club in Crescent Heights her “babysitter.”
In her 20s, she was founder, owner and president of a successful Calgary-based insurance agency for over a decade before focusing her attention on building an elite curling team. She was 43 when she won the silver medal as skip at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
Robert Rooney, chairman of the hall’s board of directors, called Bernard a dedicated community leader and a believer in what sport teaches.
“Cheryl is the living embodiment of our mission and we are confident her exceptional career in sport and business will ensure Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is recognized as a unique and important Canadian experience that unites and inspires the best in us.
“She understands our values and shares her message proudly in that ‘what you get by participating in sport is not as important as what you become.’ This profound focus points towards an exciting future.”
Bernard’s experience in business and sport has also seen her work as a corporate keynote speaker, sports ambassador and as a TSN broadcast analyst.
She wrote Between the Sheets in 2011, a book about the mental aspects of sport and she has worked with numerous charitable initiatives.
“Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving and celebrating Canada’s impressive and inspiring sport history in an innovative experience that breaks the mould,” Bernard said, adding that she hopes to push the hall of fame into the future by expanding it to other Canadian cities and creating virtual experiences online.
“What you learn from sport, integrity, work ethic and teamwork, instils values that contribute towards great individuals, communities and nations. I am excited and honoured to build on this platform as we continue to evolve.”
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is an international award-winning facility with over 40,000 square feet of inspiring experiences, located at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park, site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.
It features 12 galleries, dozens of hands-on interactive experiences and a collection of 100,000 artifacts, honouring 657 members and the 66 sports they represent.
Bernard will assume her new responsibilities June 18.