The AGCO Announces New Chief Executive Officer After Months of Searching

The AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) has been searching for a new CEO after the current leader, Tom Mungham, announced in March that he plans to retire and focus on his personal matters. The long search for a suitable replacement is finally over, with the Board of Directors appointing Dr Karin Schnarr as AGCO’s Chief Executive Officer and Registrar. In an official statement, the regulator stated that Dr Schnarr will assume her new responsibilities starting September 18 this year.

After confirming her appointment, the new AGCO CEO commented on LinkedIn: “[I’m] excited to be joining a strong and vibrant organization that works every day to ensure consumer protection, efficient business practices, and a people first focus. My sincere thanks to the Board for this opportunity. I am aware of the large shoes I will be filling of retiring AGCO CEO Tom Mungham. Looking forward to taking on this role and can’t wait to get started.”

According to AGCO, Dr Schnarr is a highly accomplished senior executive with a performance-driven mindset. She is experienced in the academic and public/private consulting sectors, including:

• Associate Professor of Strategic Management at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business & Economics
• Director of the MBA and BBA Programs at Wilfrid Laurier University
• Member of the Senate and Board of Governors at Wilfrid Laurier University

In addition, Karin has held several prominent positions in the government of Ontario, Canada. She was the Chief of Staff to ministers in different portfolios, overseeing the creation of laws and public policies that were important to the government’s agenda. Karin also recently served as the Task Force on Women and the Economy’s Chair for the Ontario Government.

The statement by the regulator added that Dr Schnarr has years of experience fostering relationships with individuals, groups, and organizations within/outside of the government. She has lots of Board of Directors and governance experience in numerous fields.

Recently, Karin served as the Vice-Chair of the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board and the Chair of the Board of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. She is also an active community member, volunteer for ALS Canada’s National Advocacy Committee, and previously served on the Board of the Kids Health Foundation. And yes, Karin previously served on the Board of directors for iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of AGCO.

Below are some of her educational accomplishments:

• PhD in Strategic Management (Corporate Governance) – University of Western Ontario
• MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business – University of Western Ontario
• Master of Arts (English Literature) – Queen’s University
• Bachelor of Arts Degree – University of Waterloo
• Bachelor of Science Degree – University of Waterloo

The statement concludes: “The AGCO and its Board of Directors are excited to welcome Dr. Schnarr to the organization and extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to AGCO’s outgoing CEO and Registrar, Tom Mungham, who announced his intention to retire from the agency in March 2023.”