CWHL Commissioner Named One of Canada’s Most Powerful Women

Canadian Women’s Hockey League Commissioner Brenda Andress has been named a Women’s Executive Network 2014 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner.

Andress, founder and commissioner of the CWHL, has worked for the past seven years to give women a place to play professional hockey, and ultimately make a living doing it.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized by the Women’s Executive Network, and to be listed among these incredibly intelligent and inspiring female leaders,” Andress said. “It is so wonderful to see more women break through glass ceilings across all sectors, from private businesses to sports organizations, and honoring them helps inspire the next generation of female leaders to believe anything is possible and make their own dreams come true.”

In 2013, Andress received a “Women of Distinction” award by the YWCA for her work in furthering accessibility and diversity in sports. She was also named one of “The Powers of the Future” by The Hockey News. Andress started playing hockey at 16 and became the first woman to ever play for a men’s college varsity team when she played for Centennial College in 1978.

“I truly believe that the possibilities for future generations of women are limitless,” she said.

The CWHL has five teams: The Calgary Inferno, Brampton Thunder, Boston Blades, Montreal Stars and Toronto Furies. It is the premiere place for elite female hockey players, and is centrally funded with all participating teams receiving equal access to financial support. It is a non-profit organization with every dollar going toward building a league dedicated to raising the profile of women’s hockey.

Follow Brenda Andress on Twitter: @CWHLCommish.