ABOUT MIKE TARNOWSKI
Beginnings
Mike Tarnowski and his family have been residents of Russell Township since 1995. Mike, originally from Montreal, and his wife Tracy, originally from Sudbury, chose Embrun as an ideal place to raise their family more than 27 years ago. The proximity to Ottawa, where Mike works at Algonquin College and to Akwesasne, where Tracy works at the First Nations Market Housing Fund, matched with the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of our township, are a winning combination.
Family
Mike and Tracy have been married for 30 years and are the parents of Alexander and Natasza. Both kids attended elementary school in Embrun at Saint-Jean and La Croisee and graduated high school from École secondaire catholique Embrun. Alexander has a Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK) and a Master of Health Sciences in Physiotherapy (MHScPT) from the University of Ottawa. He is currently a practicing physiotherapist at PhysioGougeon in Embrun. Natasza attended Boston University on a hockey scholarship, where she captained the women’s hockey team in her junior and senior years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology (BA) and a Bachelor of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (BSc) and will begin her Master of Education in Counselling Psychology (MEd) at the University of New Brunswick this fall. She has spent the past year working with Valoris for Children and Adults of Prescott-Russell.
Both Tracy and Mike are grateful to have had an opportunity to raise their children in a community with access to schools that led them to excellent post-secondary opportunities including continuing to study in both English and French. In addition, the access to sports such as hockey and soccer, arts and culture programs, and other activities in Russell Township have led to life-long friendships and instilled a true sense of community.
Work
Mike holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the School of Management and Economics at the University of Guelph. After 27 years at Algonquin College, Mike retired at the end of August 2024 to serve his community full-time as Mayor. During his time at the College, Mike served as Academic Chair of the School of Business & Hospitality and was a professor for many years. His areas of expertise include management, finance, and accounting, with a specialization in revenue optimization in the hospitality and tourism industry, particularly in hotel operations.
Volunteer
Mike is a strong believer in civic responsibility, often volunteering to give back to the community. Mike is currently an active member of the Kin Club of Russell. His previous volunteer involvement includes being Director of the Athletes Village for the Special Olympics in Ottawa and as the Director of VIP for the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships at the Canadian Tire Centre. When his children were younger, Mike always actively participated to support local youth activities such as hockey and soccer. Mike sat as a member of the township Parks and Recreation Committee from 2002-2006 and more recently before being elected as our municipal councillor he was an active member of the Russell Township Library Board between 2010 and 2018, holding the role of board chair between 2014-2018.