Montreal, Quebec, Jan. 27, 2004 — Ron Lawless, Chairman of the Board and President of The Old Brewery Mission, announced today the hiring of James Hughes as Executive Director of Montreal’s largest charitable organization devoted to improving conditions for the homeless.

A lawyer by trade, James Hughes served the last two years as Executive Director of EPOC Montreal, one of the city’s leading training organizations for young adults on social assistance who have not completed their high school education. Previously, Mr. Hughes had a six-year tenure – on a volunteer basis – as president of Youth Employment Services (YES) while running his own practice at Michelin, Hughes in Montreal.

“We are extremely pleased to have found someone who has both the generosity of spirit to make a real difference in the community and the business acumen to ensure that the OBM will continue to fulfill its mandate well into the future,” said Mr. Lawless, who will officially welcome Mr. Hughes in his new duties on Feb. 9.

Mr. Hughes, who grew up in Beaconsfield, takes over from Reverend Robert Warren, who left last November to accept a post with the Diocese of Edinburgh in Scotland after four years as Executive Director of The Old Brewery Mission.

“I have always had great admiration for the people who work and volunteer at The Old Brewery Mission because I know how vital its services are to the lives of Montreal’s homeless population,” said the fluently bilingual 38-year-old, who has earned law degrees from McGill and Cambridge (England), as well as a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

“I am grateful to the Board for the confidence it has placed in me and I am looking forward to the challenge of maximizing the social impact of the OBM for the betterment of its clientele,” added Hughes, who lives in the N.D.G. district of Montreal with his wife and three children.

Last fall, The Old Brewery Mission launched the first major fund-raising campaign in its 114-year history, issuing a plea specifically to the business community in an effort to raise $2.5 million over the next five years to deal with the growing incidence of homelessness.

Information: Louis Payette / Diane Jeannotte Torchia Communications Tel.: (514) 288-8290