Honorary Patrons

A native of the West Island of Montreal, QC, Canada, Marc David is an accomplished business and community leader. He is the CEO of a private equity group with holdings in the technology, healthcare and environmental fields in Canada, the United States, and the African continent.

Mr. David holds a Bachelor of Science degree from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Sherbrooke.

He has served as the Secretary General of the France-Canada Association, Grand Marshall of the Montreal Canada Day Parade (2019) and President of the Karnak Shriner’s Pipes and Drums Unit.

Mr. David has demonstrated a strong commitment to various community service organizations and associations covering youth to elder populations. In the last few years, he has contributed to the wellbeing of military veterans through his involvement in the Respect Canada Forums and the Masonic Services Association of North America. He has a strong belief in the values and efforts supporting The International Forum for Peace, Security & Prosperity’s mission.

Ms. Patrizia Di Dio is the CEO of her family’s company la C.i.d.a. Srl, operating in the distribution of women’s clothing in Sicily. She is also the National Vice President of CONFERMERCIO, Italy’s largest business association.

She was born and still resides in Palermo, Italy with her family

Born in Montreal, Québec, LCol Dan Doran joined the Canadian Forces in 1998 as a combat engineer officer, attending the Royal Military College of Canada. He graduated in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Following a year of military training in Gagetown, NB, he was posted to Valcartier, QC in 2003 to the 5e Regiment de Genie de Combat. Over the ensuing two-years, Dan held several positions within the unit and deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan as part of OP ATHENA where he was the Deputy Task Force Engineer.

In 2005, LCol Doran was posted to the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment as the regular force Adjutant for the unit. During his 3-years in this role, he also completed his Ontario Professional Engineers certification and his first master’s degree in human security and Peacebuilding at Royal Roads University. This graduate program included an exchange component with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda where LCol Doran completed a field study on land conflict and security in the Fort Portal region of the country. Further, he completed the thesis component of the program exploring ‘Groundwater Security within the Agricultural Sector of India.”

In 2008, LCol Doran deployed as a military observer to Malakal as part of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). While on the mission, he also completed his undergraduate certificate in Peace Operations through the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in New York, NY. For the thesis component of this program, LCol Doran examined The Jonglei Canal Project: A Case Study on Water Security in Southern Sudan.

Upon his return, LCol Doran began his Army Operations Course in Kingston, ON. This course coincided with LCol Doran’s posting to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment in Petawawa, ON where he occupied several staff positions.

In the summer of 2010, LCol Doran transferred to the Army Reserve and moved with his family back to Montreal where he spent the next 13-years as a member of 34 Combat Engineer Regiment. Over the next years, LCol Doran held a number of command and staff positions culminating in his commanding the regiment from 2020 to 2023.

Throughout this period, LCol Doran completed his Project Management Professional certification in 2011, his MBA at John Molson School of Business in 2016, the Joint Command Reserve Staff Program in 2018 and his Certification as a Human Resource Professional (CRHA) in 2019.

In his civilian life, LCol Doran began in 2010 as Head of Engineer Services for the Town of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. In 2011, he was recruited by McGill University in the role of Associate Director, Project Management within the Facilities Management and Ancillary Services Department at the University where he spent the next 7-years. In 2018, LCol Doran moved to McGill’s Faculty of Medicine as Associate Director, Administration for the Goodman Cancer Research Institution, Department of Human Genetics and the Genome Centre.

In the Fall of 2019, LCol Doran accepted an offer from WSP Canada as Project Director and National lead for Defence & Security. He was promoted in 2022 to the position of Director, Strategic Advisory services where he remained until August 2023, when he accepted an opportunity to work for KPMG as their Director, Public Sector Solutions and National Lead for Defence & Security.

In his free time, LCol Doran enjoys supporting causes that are close to his heart. These include being on the Board of Directors for both the Vimy Foundation and Saint John Ambulance Brigade (Quebec) in addition to the Real Property Institute of Canada.

It cannot be understated, that any success that LCol Doran may have had throughout his professional and personal life would not have been possible without the advice and support of his partner of almost 20-years Lindsay Hales and the love of their two wonderful children Edward (12) and Elizabeth (10). All of whom have recently moved to Ottawa to be closer to family.

The Honourable Gaetano Galvagno, (born in Paternò, Catania 15 February 1985) is the President of the Regional Assembly of Sicily since 10 November 2022.

Education: Degree in Economy

Mr. Peter Hammerschmidt was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) in December 2017.  

Prior to assuming his current duties, he was Director General Policy Coordination at National Defence, Director General National Cyber Security at Public Safety and Executive Assistant to the Clerk of the Privy Council.

Previously, he held the following positions within the Government of Canada: Senior Director Planning and Information Management at the Treasury Board Secretariat, Director Cabinet  Liaison at National Defence and First Secretary for Financial and Military Affairs  at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in New York. He began  his career in the Public Service with the Policy Officer Recruitment Program and  held various positions at National Defence from 1998 to 2001.

Mr. Hammerschmidt holds a Master’s degree from the University of Wales,  Aberystwyth and a Bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University.

Steve is the Founder of the Institute for Economics & Peace, a global think-tank dedicated to building a greater understanding of the factors that create and sustain peace. He is also the founder of the Global Peace Index – the world’s leading measure of peacefulness as used by governments, corporations and multilateral organisations. An accomplished entrepreneur, published author and philanthropist, Steve is at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace. In 2000, he established The Charitable Foundation, which has substantially impacted the lives of over 3 million people in some of the world’s poorest communities.​

Lieutenant General Luigi Francesco De Leverano was born in Lecce on May 25th, 1958. He joined the Army in 1976 at the Military Academy in Modena (Course 158) and later attended the School of Applied Military Studies in Turin (1976-1980).

At the end of his studies (1980), he was assigned to the ‘Leonessa’ Signals Battalion in Civitavecchia (Rome) where he served as First Lieutenant (Platoon Leader), Captain (Company Commander), and Lieutenant Colonel (Battalion CO).

He has also manned several staff positions at the Signals Inspectorate and the Army General Staff, notably Staff Officer; Chief Regulations Section; Chief 1st Section, Recruitment, Legal Status, and Promotions Branch; Chief Section at the Legal Affairs Branch; Chief Recruitment, Legal Status, and Promotions Branch; and Chief Recruitment Branch at the Personnel Legal Affairs Division, Army General Staff.

As a Colonel, he was the Commanding Officer of 235th ‘Piceno’ Regiment, a training regiment where female personnel were first incorporated.

In the rank of Brigadier, after serving as Deputy Commander, Italian Contingent – Iraq, he was appointed Commanding Officer, ‘Sassari’ Mechanised Brigade.

Lt.Gen. De Leverano was also Deputy Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Defence, Acting Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Defence. As Major General, he served as Head, Central Staff of the Chief of Defence.

In the rank of Lieutenant General, he was the Commanding Officer, 2nd Operational Defence Forces Command in San Giorgio a Cremano (Naples); Commanding Officer, Interregional Defence Forces (South) in Naples; Commanding Officer, Operational Forces Command (South); Army Logistic Commander; and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.

On November 27th, 2021, Lt.Gen. De Leverano has been appointed Military Advisor to the President of the Council of Ministers. In this capacity, he has also been appointed Secretary of the Inter-ministerial Committee for Space and Aerospace Policies, and confirmed as such on 17 June 2021.

Along his career, Lt.Gen. De Leverano has taken several other positions, notably: Member of the Board for the Evaluation of Personnel to be included in the Selected Force; Tutor for the Doctorate in Strategic Sciences at the University of Turin; Member of the auditing committee for the Central Committee of the Red Cross; Member of the technical panel for the implementation of the provisions of Decree 22/2008 of the President of the Council of Ministers concerning crime-related victims of duty and their survivors; Member of the Working Group for the review of military criminal laws in peace and in war; Member of the Governmental Commission for the implementation of the provisions of the Agreement between Italy and the Holy See signed on 18 February 1984 and ratified with law 121 or March 25th, 1985; Project Officer for the rationalisation, harmonisation, and implementation of available military facilities in Naples (Palazzo Salerno, and the compound comprising the ‘Calò’, ‘Minucci’, and ‘Marselli’ barracks and the ‘Albricci’ Stadium.

He delivered conferences at the University of Florence about “Women in the Armed Forces”; at the University of Tor Vergata (Rome) on the “Organisation and Tasks of the Armed Forces” within the Post Graduate Specialisation Course in Journalism for War Correspondents; and at the Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta (Rome) about “The International Deployments of the Armed Forces and the Participation of Female Personnel: the First Ten Years”.

He has contributed to “Specchio Economico” magazine and published several articles on the Army in-house magazine (Rivista Militare), including: Il Riallineamento è una realtà (Realignment has become reality), …La chiamano mini naja (They call it ‘mini conscription’), Ha dieci anni e non li dimostra (Ten Years Old and Still Looking Young). On the Defence in-house magazine (Informazioni della Difesa) he authored La specificità della condizione militare (The special legal status of military personnel); La formula del giuramento (The Wording of Military Oath); 3P: Professionalità, Professionalizzazione, Professionisti (3Ps: Professionalism, transformation into a Professional Force, and Professionals); Specificità: vantaggio o svantaggio? (The special legal status of military personnel: advantage or disadvantage?), In nome del Comitato dei Capi (In the name of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).

Lt.Gen. De Leverano attended the following courses: Information Course for Electronic Warfare Officers; 23rd Course for Battalion / Group Intelligence Officers; 8th distance learning English course; 115th Staff College Course; 115th Advanced Staff College Course; NATO Joint Service Course for EW Planning and Analysis in Exercise; 36th Session of the Italian School for International Bodies; Master in European Studies at the ‘Alcide de Gasperi’ Institute; ‘M. Cutuli’ Post Graduate Specialisation Course in Journalism for War Correspondents.

He has obtained the Degree in Strategic Sciences and the following Masters’ Degree at the University of Turin, as well as the Degree in Political Sciences at the University of Trieste.
Lt.Gen. De Leverano speaks English and Spanish and has a working knowledge of French.

He was also awarded several decorations and awards, such as Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; Cross of Grand Officer of the Maltese Order of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta; Mauritian Medal for Fifty Years of Military Career; the Gold Medal and the Bronze Medal of Merit of the Italian Red Cross; the Gold Medal for Long Command; the Gold Cross for Seniority; the Joint Honour Cross of the Defence Staff; the Commemoration Cross for the Participation to Peace Keeping Missions (SFOR); and the Medal for International Relief (Antica Babilonia/X in Iraq).

Last, but not least, Lt.Gen. De Leverano has been awarded the Commemorative Bronze Medal for Relief Missions for the populations hit by the earthquakes in Irpinia and Basilicata; the Cross with Swords of the Maltese Order of Merit; the title of Knight of the Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester, Pope; the Ribbon of the Sacred Constantinian Order of Saint George; and the Commemorative Cross for the Operations for the Protection of Institutions and Public Order (Operation ‘Safe Streets’). In February 2017, the French Ambassador to Italy awarded him with the title of Officer of the Order of Merit of the French Republic.

He was awarded the Honour Badge of the Italian Fencing Federation in February 2021 

Lt.Gen. De Leverano is married to Mrs. Flavia Bottioni and they have a son

Hailing from the Ahuntsic neighbourhood in Montréal, Québec, Tony Loffreda is a certified public accountant with 35 years of experience in the Canadian financial industry.  

Mr. Loffreda holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, and has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility ranging from Senior Auditor and Regional Vice-President of Commercial Financial Services at the Royal Bank of Canada (Québec headquarters) to the position of Vice-Chairman of Royal Bank of Canada Wealth Management.

Mr. Loffreda has served on various boards and committees including, but not limited to, the Concordia University Board of Governors; the Integrated Health and Social Services University Network for West-Central Montréal; Montréal International; the Italian-Canadian Community Foundation; and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada. He also previously served as a member of the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal.

He is a leading philanthropist, active in service to many communities, having chaired fundraising activities across the province for various causes such as the Giant Steps School; the Montréal Jewish General Hospital; McGill University Goodman Research Centre; and the Montréal Cancer Institute. He is also a frequent and sought-after speaker on economic and community issues.

Among his many awards and distinctions, he is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and has been awarded the Governor General of Canada Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers; the Lieutenant Governor of Québec’s Gold Medal for Exceptional Merit; the Senate of Canada 150th Anniversary Medal; and the Philhellene of the Year Award by the Hellenic Community of Greater Montréal. He was also inducted as an administrator into the Montréal-Concordia Soccer Hall of Fame.

The Honourable Giuseppa Patrizia Monterosso, (born 12 June 1967) is the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Sicilian Region since 21 July 2012 and Director of the Frederick II Foundation

The Honourable Francesco Paolo Scarpinato, (born in Palermo 6 November 1973) is the Councillor for Cultural Heritage of the Sicilian Region.

The Honourable Renato Maria Giuseppe Schifani, (born in Palermo 11 May 1950) is an Italian politician and the President of the Region of Sicily since 13 October 2022.

Renato SCHIFANI began his career as a city councillor in Palermo. He was later elected to the Senate of the Republic in the 1996 Italian parliamentary elections. He has enjoyed an active political life, holding various offices, from the President of the Senate, to group leader in the Senate as well as Senator in the 18th legislature. He is now the President of the Region of Sicily.

Education
Degree in Law, awarded with highest honours from the University of Palermo in 1968.

Private Life
He and his wife Franca, have two sons. Roberto is a lawyer, and Andrea is a university student.