Teachers’ executive named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™

TORONTO - Barbara Zvan, Senior Vice-President, Asset Mix & Risk, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Teachers') has been honoured as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ for 2008. The annual award recognizes the achievements of 40 Canadians in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors under the age of 40.

"Barb is an invaluable member of our team," said Jim Leech, President and CEO. "Since joining the plan, she has played a pivotal role in developing Teachers' innovative and world-leading risk management and budgeting system. This is just one example of the vision and leadership she brings to her role. We are very proud of her many achievements and thrilled to see her being recognized nationally."

"I'm honoured to receive this award," said Ms. Zvan. "It's really a reflection of the talented and dedicated team at Teachers' I am fortunate enough to work with and the career opportunities I have been offered. I want to thank my colleagues for their support and guidance and say that I'm accepting this award on everyone's behalf."

Ms. Zvan was selected from over 1,100 nominees by an independent advisory board, comprising 25 business leaders from across Canada. Honourees are selected based on five criteria: vision and leadership; innovation and achievement; impact; community involvement and contribution; and strategy for growth.

Ms. Zvan joined Teachers' in 1995 as an assistant portfolio manager. She has risen steadily through positions of increasing authority and was appointed Senior Vice-President, Asset Mix & Risk in 2007. She is a Fellow of both the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and a Director of Rotman's International Centre of Pension Management. Ms. Zvan received her Masters in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.

The awards program is managed by The Caldwell Partners International and is sponsored by Deloitte, National Bank Financial, The Globe and Mail and Air Canada.

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada, with $87.4 billion in assets as of December 31, 2008. An independent organization, it invests the pension fund's assets and administers the pensions of 284,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario. It manages one of the largest payrolls in the country, with $4.2 billion in annual pension payments.

Contact :

Deborah Allan
Director, Communications and Media Relations
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
(416) 730-5347
deborah_allan@otpp.com