Janna Dutton, Shawna Nelson, Tracy Arno, Jeremy Veszi, Mike Tanton and Marcus Storey…all prominent Saskatoon business people.
All comprise the first-ever Saskatchewan Rattlers Advisory Committee. The Canadian Elite Basketball League team is following the lead of Huskie Athletics with their 11-member Board of Trustees. The Rattlers are hopeful the committee can help grow the C-E-B-L team’s business and profile within the community and province. Following is the news release from the Saskatchewan Rattlers…
Saskatchewan Rattlers Announce Advisory Council Local Saskatoon business leaders join Rattlers Advisory Council
Saskatoon, Sask. (Feb. 25, 2020) – The Saskatchewan Rattlers, member club of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), today announced six prominent Saskatoon business leaders to the first-ever Saskatchewan Rattlers Advisory Council. The council is made up of Jeremy Veszi, Janna Dutton, Shawna Nelson, Tracy Arno, Mike Tanton and Marcus Storey.
“I am thrilled to unveil the Rattlers Advisory Committee,” said Rattlers President and COO Lee Genier. “Each member of the council brings a wealth of business knowledge with them and several deep and meaningful connections around Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. As we enter into our second season in the CEBL, we look forward to making impactful connections within our community. The Rattlers Advisory Committee will be paramount in opening new doors and avenues so that our business can continue to grow at exponential rates.” Jeremy Veszi is a business executive, entrepreneur, family man, and passionate sports fanatic. Currently, Jeremy serves as the Director, Project Delivery at NexGen Energy. He was born and raised in Saskatoon where basketball became a part of his life. Jeremy has a passion for building community through his network and business ventures, he also founded a multi-generational mentorship program to build the leaders of tomorrow. When Jeremy isn’t working, he spends his time with his family and cheers on the Rattlers.
Janna Dutton is a Saskatoon born serial entrepreneur and philanthropist. She is best known as a Tim Hortons Franchisee but also leads the charge as a female technology co-founder. When Janna is not at her restaurants, you can find her volunteering for many local charities, spreading the word about health and wellness causes and most recently on the sidelines of Rattlers games, cheering along with the hometown crowd. She is dedicated to her guests and community, always leading from a place of humility and service. Her personal mantra of “a giving heart, grows” directs her focus as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leader.
Shawna Nelson is a Sales and Marketing professional with over 23 years of experience in the Hotel and Hospitality industry, having worked with many major brands in the hotel market. Currently, Shawna serves as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel, which is the Host Hotel of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Shawna loves Saskatchewan and loves to give back – having served on many boards such as Tourism Saskatoon, Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, Chair of Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Currently, she is the Chair of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and just came off a year of being the Chair of the CEBL Championship Weekend which was hosted here in Saskatoon.
Tracy Arno is a Saskatchewan business leader, entrepreneur and owner of Essence Recruitment. She leads her successful practice based on the core values of honesty, transparency, and respect. Tracy’s extensive Canadian network stems from her vast involvement and dedication to her community. She currently is a board director for the Saskatoon Prairieland Park, NSBA (North Saskatoon Business Association), Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation, and RAP (Restoration Action Program) and Saskatchewan Judicial Council. Tracy is also a past president of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she currently enjoys being involved as a mentor for the Raj Manek program and is a volunteer for several other community initiatives. Tracy’s achievements have been celebrated in many ways. She has received the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce’s “Member of the Year” award, was a finalist for the Young Athena award, and in 2013 was named as a “Women of Influence” by SaskBusiness magazine.
Mike Tanton is no stranger to the Saskatchewan basketball community. Mike currently serves as the Chef de Mission for Saskatchewan’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) team, having served the same role in 2017. An alumnus of the University of Saskatchewan Huskie basketball program, Mike has always had a hand in developing grassroots basketball programs across the province. Mike also sits on the Basketball Saskatchewan Board of Directors.
Marcus Storey is an avid sports fan and outdoor enthusiast. He co-founded and co-owns Escape Sports, an outdoor adventure store in Saskatoon. A University of Saskatchewan Huskie soccer alumni, Marcus now plays competitive Ultimate Frisbee as well as Senior Men’s Basketball. He currently sits on the board of directors of the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival as well as the Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op. In his spare time, he enjoys playing shows and creating music with his band Parab Poet and the Hip Hop Hippies.
The Rattlers enter the 2020 season as the defending CEBL Champions. They will open the season away from home on May 8 when they take on the Fraser Valley Bandits. The Rattlers home opener will take place on May 14 against the Bandits, when they will celebrate the 2019 season by unveiling the first-ever CEBL Championship banner. Season tickets are available on therattlers.ca, with group tickets, flex packs and single-game tickets expected to be released in the coming months.
