Mayor

His Worship Mayor Gordon Van Tighem was born in Calgary, Alberta, a graduate of the University of Manitoba and a lifelong learner. He moved to Yellowknife from Edmonton in 1992 with his wife Carol and their 3 children. His election to Mayor of the City of Yellowknife was in October 2000 and he was acclaimed  in 2003, again in 2006 and re-elected in 2009. Prior to his election as Mayor, Gord served as Executive Director of the NWT Community Mobilization Partnership for one year after 3 years as Chairman of their Volunteer Board. He chose early retirement from the Bank of Montreal in 1999 having served for 24 years in marketing management, the last eight years as NWT Territorial Manager. He has broad experience with a variety of organizations such as the Yellowknife and the NWT Chamber of Commerce and as a Founding Director of the Stanton Hospital Foundation and the SideDoor Youth Centre.

Current appointments include: Chair of the Northern and Remote Forum and member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, President of the NWT Association of Communities, Director of the Northwest Corridor Development Corporation, Director of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and the Fly Kid Foundation.

Mayor Van Tighem was involved in many volunteer organizations including: Edmonton Ringette, Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, Scouts Canada, Junior Forest Wardens, Parish Council, Arctic Winter Games, Sport North, NWT Federation of Shooting Sports, NWT Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited and the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada.

Outside of serving the City, his main interest now include family, boating and fishing the many lakes surrounding Yellowknife and camping and hunting in the Mackenzie Mountains.