(Niagara Falls, ON) Following an extensive executive search, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is pleased to welcome its new Executive Director, Brian Ramsay.
Ramsay, 44, joins the PHPA leadership following nine years as the Executive Director of the Canadian Football League Players’ Association (CFLPA). The PHPA announced the retirement of its former Executive Director, Larry Landon, in July.
“We are ecstatic to name Brian Ramsay as the next Executive Director of the PHPA,” said PHPA Executive Committee member Justin Vaive. “Brian is a proven leader in sports and comes with an extensive union background on behalf of professional football players. His immediate connection to our Members was evident and we are looking forward to the direction of our union under his leadership.”
“I am honoured and excited for the opportunity to join the PHPA and its leadership team,” said new Executive Director Brian Ramsay. “I would like to thank the PHPA search team for their commitment and patience throughout the entire process and Mr. Landon for his decades of work and stewardship in building a solid organization. I look forward to learning from the Membership and building on the great work that’s been done over the years to prioritize the needs of the current PHPA Members.”
Ramsay joined the CFLPA as its first full-time Executive Director in 2016 and led strong and effective bargaining teams during collective negotiations in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
In less than a decade under Ramsay’s leadership, including two disrupted seasons during the COVID-19 pandemic response, the CFLPA experienced transformative and positive change for its membership.
Ramsay established strong strategic relationships with some of the most influential unions in North America both inside and outside of sport. He successfully mobilized several North American unions in solidarity, fearlessly advocating provincial governments for workers’ compensation coverage across Canada. Ramsay took a player-first approach by prioritizing and advancing health and safety initiatives as well as rehabilitation processes and coverage. He negotiated historical monetary gains for players including increases to the league’s minimum salary and first of its kind revenue sharing and guaranteed contracts between the CFLPA and CFL. The Association also developed a mental health and substance abuse program and created the CFLPA Academy as a resource for members to prepare for life outside of football. Ramsay actively pursued opportunities to grow the sport and the players’ influence on the game.
Ramsay played nine years in the Canadian Football League from 2006 to 2015 as an offensive lineman with the Toronto, Hamilton, and Edmonton football clubs. He won a Grey Cup championship with Edmonton in 2015.
A father of three from Victoria, British Columbia, Ramsay is a former KPMG Audit Specialist who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Royal Roads University.
The process to seek Landon’s successor began earlier this year. A Selection Committee led by PHPA Executive Committee members Brett Sutter, Justin Vaive, and Justin Taylor, along with former Executive Committee member Dillon Simpson, and PHPA Legal Counsel Bob Riley and Elyse McKenna interviewed several candidates. Ramsay was selected unanimously by the PHPA Executive Committee.
About the PHPA
Since its inception in 1967, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) has served as an advocate of player interests. Currently, the PHPA is the certified, U.S. National Labor Relations Board collective bargaining representative for over 1,800 players across 60 teams throughout the American Hockey League and ECHL. Further, the PHPA continues to serve over 10,000 former PHPA Members through its Alumni Network. Visit PHPA.com, follow the PHPA on Facebook (fb.com/thephpa), X (@thephpa), and Instagram (@thephpa) and tune into The PHPA Podcast.