Rocco Rossi
Encyclopedia
Rocco Rossi is a Canadian
businessman, executive and former candidate for Toronto municipal and Ontario provincial office. From 2004 to 2009 he was the CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
. In 2009 he became national director of the Liberal Party of Canada
. Rossi was campaign manager for John Tory
's bid to become Toronto's mayor in 2003 and was an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election
.
In 2011 he became the Progressive Conservative Party
candidate for the riding of Eglinton—Lawrence
in the Ontario provincial election
. He was defeated by Liberal
incumbent Michael Colle by 8,005 votes.
and was raised in Scarborough
and East York
. He is the eldest of five children and the son of Domenico and Domenica Rossi—Italian immigrants who emigrated from Anzano di Puglia
, Italy in the 1950s. He grew up in a multi-generational household with family who raised chickens in the backyard and spoke mostly Italian. Rossi is outspoken on how language barriers affect newly immigrated families, describing his mother like a “prisoner in her own home" until one day offered free English classes from the United Way in Toronto.
Earning scholarships of merit, Rossi attended prestigious schools in Canada and the United States. He first won a scholarship to attend Upper Canada College
(UCC), an independent elementary and secondary school in midtown Toronto. After graduating from UCC, Rossi studied on scholarship at McGill University
in Montreal, Quebec. He later earned a scholarship to Princeton University
in New Jersey, where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Politics.
Rossi is currently a resident of midtown Toronto and has been married for 23 years to his wife Rhonnie.
, 'Torstar
', Labatt/Interbrew
and MGI Software. Rossi's role at Torstar included launching Toronto's local internet portal—toronto.com. He was recruited from Torstar by Interbew and became president of beer.com, which launched at the peak of the dot-com boom.
Rossi has sat on numerous private, public and charitable boards including the United Way of Greater Toronto
, AMR
, the Ivey Foundation, the Internet Advertising Bureau of Canada, Toronto’s 2008 Olympic Bid and the Empire Club of Canada
. He is also a supporter of Rotary International
, Presidents of Enterprising Organizations and the Young Presidents' Organization
.
The sudden death of a colleague and close friend from overwork influenced Rossi to leave working in the private sector and pursue career opportunities in the not for profit sector, eventually leading him to join the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario in 2004 as CEO.
In addition to partaking in annual HSFO fundraising events such as the Ride for Heart, Rossi raised funds and awareness for heart and stroke research through the accomplishment of several athletic feats. He has kayaked 490 km solo from Toronto to Ottawa, cycled the entire 1,900 km length of Yonge Street from Rainy River, Ontario to Toronto and twice climbed Toronto’s seven tallest office towers over three days to equal the height of Mt. Everest.
Under Rossi's leadership the Heart and Stroke Foundation built a $130-million reserve of tax-receipted funds. While some have criticized saving instead of spending, Rossi has remarked, "It's a criticism I will bear with honour... I'm proud that we built a healthy, long-term balance sheet". Although the Heart and Stroke Foundation does not reveal executive salaries, Rossi has said that his pay had fallen by half at the foundation. Neither the foundation nor Rossi would disclose his salary, citing that few charities disclose salaries and that doing so, Rossi said, would "likely cause donor confusion" in the absence of comparative data. Internal revenue filings with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) during Rossi's tenure show that the five highest-compensated positions were paid $119,999 and over. Changes made to federal tax filings by the CRA in 2009 reveal that the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario compensates its top officials comparably with other large Canadian charities and that the CEO pay was between $300,000 and $350,000 during the last fiscal year that Rossi was CEO.
Rossi was the Ontario PC Party candidate for the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence in the 2011 Ontario Provincial Election, losing to the incumbent Mike Colle.
In response to his performance in recent polls, Rossi announced on October 13, 2010 that he was leaving the mayoral race. Despite his withdrawal, he received 5,012 votes, more than any other candidate apart from the remaining "big three".
Warren Kinsella, who had worked with both Rossi and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff during this period, criticised Rossi's actions.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman, executive and former candidate for Toronto municipal and Ontario provincial office. From 2004 to 2009 he was the CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is a registered Canadian charity. The foundation's purpose is centered around educating individuals about the prevention and management of heart disease and stroke, and to fund medical research regarding the causes of these conditions...
. In 2009 he became national director of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. Rossi was campaign manager for John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
's bid to become Toronto's mayor in 2003 and was an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election
Toronto mayoral election, 2010
The 2010 Toronto mayoral election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect a mayor of the City of Toronto, Canada. The mayor's seat was open for the first time since the 2003 Toronto election due to the announcement by incumbent mayor David Miller that he will not seek a third term in office...
.
In 2011 he became the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
candidate for the riding of Eglinton—Lawrence
Eglinton—Lawrence (provincial electoral district)
Eglinton—Lawrence is a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.It was created in 1999 from parts of Lawrence, York Mills, Wilson Heights, Oakwood, St. Andrew—St...
in the Ontario provincial election
Ontario general election, 2011
The 40th Ontario general election was held on October 6, 2011 to elect members of the 40th Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Ontario Liberal Party will form a minority government, with the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario serving as the Official Opposition and the Ontario New...
. He was defeated by Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
incumbent Michael Colle by 8,005 votes.
Background
Rossi was born at Grace Hospital in downtown TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and was raised in Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
and East York
East York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
. He is the eldest of five children and the son of Domenico and Domenica Rossi—Italian immigrants who emigrated from Anzano di Puglia
Anzano di Puglia
Anzano di Puglia is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.According to the results of the national census made in 1991 Anzano di Puglia has a population of 2,239 inhabitants , a surface of 11.12 square kilometers and a population density of 201.3...
, Italy in the 1950s. He grew up in a multi-generational household with family who raised chickens in the backyard and spoke mostly Italian. Rossi is outspoken on how language barriers affect newly immigrated families, describing his mother like a “prisoner in her own home" until one day offered free English classes from the United Way in Toronto.
Earning scholarships of merit, Rossi attended prestigious schools in Canada and the United States. He first won a scholarship to attend Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
(UCC), an independent elementary and secondary school in midtown Toronto. After graduating from UCC, Rossi studied on scholarship at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal, Quebec. He later earned a scholarship to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in New Jersey, where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Politics.
Rossi is currently a resident of midtown Toronto and has been married for 23 years to his wife Rhonnie.
Business career
After graduating from Princeton, Rossi returned to Toronto to pursue a career in the private sector with roles at Advanced Material Resources (now NeoMaterials), The Boston Consulting GroupBoston Consulting Group
The Boston Consulting Group is a global management consulting firm with offices in 42 countries. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world. It is one of only three companies to appear in the top 15 of Fortunes "Best Companies to Work For" report for...
, 'Torstar
Torstar
Torstar Corporation is an independently-owned Canadian broadly based media company that is named after its principal holding, the Toronto Star daily newspaper....
', Labatt/Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
and MGI Software. Rossi's role at Torstar included launching Toronto's local internet portal—toronto.com. He was recruited from Torstar by Interbew and became president of beer.com, which launched at the peak of the dot-com boom.
Rossi has sat on numerous private, public and charitable boards including the United Way of Greater Toronto
United Way of Canada
United Way of Canada is the national organization for the 117 autonomous, volunteer-based United Ways across Canada. United Way campaigns raise money for local groups that address community issues and problems, and the national organization provides leadership, services and coordination to the...
, AMR
AMR
-Companies:* AMR , a UK manufacturer of high-end audio systems* AMR Corporation, parent company of American Airlines* American Medical Response, a private ambulance operator* Arcata and Mad River Railroad...
, the Ivey Foundation, the Internet Advertising Bureau of Canada, Toronto’s 2008 Olympic Bid and the Empire Club of Canada
Empire Club of Canada
The Empire Club of Canada is a Canadian speakers' forum. Established in 1903, the Empire Club has provided a forum for over 3,500 speakers.Through a variety of presentation formats, the Empire Club invites local, national and international leaders and other change-agents to address the topical...
. He is also a supporter of Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
, Presidents of Enterprising Organizations and the Young Presidents' Organization
Young Presidents' Organization
The Young Presidents’ Organization is a global network of young chief executives. With approximately 18,000 members in more than 100 countries, YPO and its graduate organization, WPO share a founding mission: Better Leaders Through Education and Idea Exchange....
.
The sudden death of a colleague and close friend from overwork influenced Rossi to leave working in the private sector and pursue career opportunities in the not for profit sector, eventually leading him to join the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario in 2004 as CEO.
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario
From November 2004 until January 2009, Rossi was Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, one of the largest non-profit organizations in Canada. As CEO, Rossi was instrumental in raising funds for cardiovascular health and research, and for the purchase of automated heart defibrillators (AED’s) for placement in public spaces across Ontario. The defibrillator program has so far led to 30 lives saved and Rossi’s efforts have been honoured with his name appearing on plaques installed in various TTC stations around Toronto.In addition to partaking in annual HSFO fundraising events such as the Ride for Heart, Rossi raised funds and awareness for heart and stroke research through the accomplishment of several athletic feats. He has kayaked 490 km solo from Toronto to Ottawa, cycled the entire 1,900 km length of Yonge Street from Rainy River, Ontario to Toronto and twice climbed Toronto’s seven tallest office towers over three days to equal the height of Mt. Everest.
Under Rossi's leadership the Heart and Stroke Foundation built a $130-million reserve of tax-receipted funds. While some have criticized saving instead of spending, Rossi has remarked, "It's a criticism I will bear with honour... I'm proud that we built a healthy, long-term balance sheet". Although the Heart and Stroke Foundation does not reveal executive salaries, Rossi has said that his pay had fallen by half at the foundation. Neither the foundation nor Rossi would disclose his salary, citing that few charities disclose salaries and that doing so, Rossi said, would "likely cause donor confusion" in the absence of comparative data. Internal revenue filings with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) during Rossi's tenure show that the five highest-compensated positions were paid $119,999 and over. Changes made to federal tax filings by the CRA in 2009 reveal that the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario compensates its top officials comparably with other large Canadian charities and that the CEO pay was between $300,000 and $350,000 during the last fiscal year that Rossi was CEO.
Political involvement
Rossi was a National Director of the federal Liberal Party of Canada, and managed John Tory's campaign for Toronto Mayor in the 2003 Toronto Municipal Election. He first stood for political office in 2010, when he ran for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 Toronto Municipal Election.Rossi was the Ontario PC Party candidate for the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence in the 2011 Ontario Provincial Election, losing to the incumbent Mike Colle.
2010 Toronto mayoral election
Rossi announced his intention to run for Mayor of Toronto outside of Toronto City Hall on December 14, 2009 and made his first major campaign address to the Empire Club of Canada on January 21, 2010, where 600 supporters heard him speak about his key priorities: reducing city debt, improving public transit, reducing congestion on city streets and creating jobs by attracting new investment. These priorities became pillars of the campaign, leading to the release of Rossi’s platform and economic plan on October 5, 2010. Entitled Together We Can Bring Change to City Hall, the plan focused on fixing City finances by curbing spending, getting city costs under control, and reducing debt to allow for investment and development in infrastructure. In addition to fiscal reform, Rossi advocated for democratic reforms at City Hall such as imposing term limits for the Mayor and city councillors, introducing internet voting to increase citizen access to the democratic process, and recall legislation that would give citizens the power to recall underperforming or irresponsible politicians.In response to his performance in recent polls, Rossi announced on October 13, 2010 that he was leaving the mayoral race. Despite his withdrawal, he received 5,012 votes, more than any other candidate apart from the remaining "big three".
Rossi named in Wikileaks Cables
On May 1st, 2011, a CBC story revealed that during his time as National Director of the Liberal Party, Rocco Rossi was talking to American officials denigrating Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff:Warren Kinsella, who had worked with both Rossi and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff during this period, criticised Rossi's actions.