Viti resigns from Merit Ontario president post

After almost two years, Frank Viti has resigned as president and chief executive officer of Merit Ontario.

“We worked really hard at bringing the Merit Ontario issues to the fore and I think we made some real progress about bringing awareness around the implications for the College of Trades, bringing some awareness around Quebec-style construction,” he said.

“I think we made some real progress in a very short period of time.”

Merit Ontario is a member driven, non-profit association that represents non-union construction companies across Ontario. It was the first mixed trade association to join the Ontario Construction Employers Coalition’s campaign against the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT), saying that it is a union dominated bureaucracy.

Under Viti’s leadership, Merit Ontario successfully argued that Metrolinx’s Eglinton cross-town transit project in Toronto should have open bidding. It also continued its fight against card based certification.

Viti is now the president and chief executive officer of Autism Speaks Canada. His key responsibilities will include strategic planning, program innovation, marketing, corporate partnership development and establishing new fundraising initiatives.

Viti describes himself as a builder of organizations.

“I go into organizations and rebuild the core strategy, rebuild their value proposition, rebuild their revenue streams and I build very strong political advocacy programs,” he explained, adding that he will do the same for Autism Speaks Canada, which funds research, advocates and increases awareness about autism spectrum disorders.

Prior to working at Merit Ontario, Viti has worked with Ducks Unlimited, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Asthma Society of Canada and spent the first part of his career in politics.

Viti earned his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management and the Schulich School of Business and achieved his Certified Fund Raising Executive designation in 2001. He has championed innovative and high revenue initiatives related to advancement, strategic corporate partnerships, social marketing, consumer product certification and corporate sponsorship.

But Viti will not completely leave the construction industry; he is involved in a volunteer capacity on employee choice issues and some of it will be construction-specific.

Merit is currently working to find a new president and chief executive officer.

“I know Merit Ontario will continue to be moving forward its mission and will recruit an equally strong candidate, if not stronger, to the new role of president and CEO and they will continue their great work in this province,” said Viti.