Ottawa

Chris Phillips to head new Ottawa Senators foundation

The Ottawa Senators announced the creation of the Senators Community Foundation on Wednesday, which will be headed by former player and assistant captain of the team Chris Phillips.

Team cut ties with old foundation in June

Former Ottawa Senators player Chris Phillips was named the executive director of the hockey team's new charitable foundation, the Senators Community Foundation. (Francis Ferland/CBC)

The Ottawa Senators announced the creation of the Senators Community Foundation on Wednesday, which will be headed by former player and assistant captain of the team Chris Phillips.

The hockey team cut ties with the old foundation in June. According to the team, the old foundation's management refused to take part in a request for proposals process as part of an effort to diversify the causes the hockey team supports.

Phillips has been named executive director of the new foundation. 

"It's an exciting day for myself to have the new role with the foundation. It's something I feel is quite seamless with the work that, along with my wife Erin, I've done in the community," he said. 

Former player Chris Phillips to head new Senators foundation

4 years ago
Duration 0:45
The Ottawa Senators announced the creation of the Senators Community Foundation on Wednesday, which will be headed by former player and assistant captain of the team Chris Phillips.

Anthony LeBlanc, president of business operations, said the new foundation is still working through the regulatory process and he hopes it will be up and running when the Senators start the fall season.

The foundation will be working with organizations like CHEO, Roger Neilson House and the Boys & Girls Club of Ottawa.

Phillips said today was his first day as executive director and he was hoping to improve upon the work of the old foundation and learn from how they operated.  

He said he hopes to raise money for "as many organizations as possible."

The Ottawa Senators handed out Chris Phillips bobbleheads to children who got a COVID-19 test at Brewer Arena on Wednesday. (Francis Ferland/CBC)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Kester

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Sarah Kester is a reporter and producer at CBC News in Ottawa. She can be reached at sarah.kester@cbc.ca.