Hugh Tilley, APR, FCPRS(H) retires for second time

Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Tilley, APR, FCPRS(H), Ontario government relations officer for The Salvation Army, was honoured recently with a retirement celebration in the presence of the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Also present to bring greetings from the Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, was the Hon. George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care as well as Gloria Lindsay Luby, Councillor for the City of Toronto.

In addition to the celebration evening, the Ontario Legislature gave Hugh a standing ovation in the House to mark his years of service to both The Salvation Army and the Ontario government.

Hugh has devoted his life to The Salvation Army since 1952, serving public relations posts in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver. During his public relations career, he conducted 40 Red Shield Campaigns raising approximately $150,000,000.

In 1992, Hugh was transferred to Ottawa as the federal government relations officer and director of overseas development where he travelled to almost 60 countries.

He has been a Rotarian for 38 years and served as a member of the board of Rotary Clubs in Thunder Bay and Winnipeg. As a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), he served two terms as a director of the Toronto Society. A role model for many Salvation Army public relations officers, he was awarded an Honourary Fellowship by CPRS in 2007.

Hugh's first retirement was in 1996.