Bonnyville Pontiacs Announce New Leadership, Honour Longtime Builders

The Bonnyville Pontiacs are turning the page with new leadership while paying tribute to the community pillars who built the foundation of the franchise.

“I felt that the time was now to jump into this position: to lead our board members and work alongside our employees to continue to grow the organization,” said newly named president Corey Wandler.

Wandler Steps Into President Role

Following the team’s AGM in July, Wandler officially took over the president’s role from Ron Rusnak, who has served multiple terms on the board since first joining in 1997.

Wandler is no stranger to Bonnyville hockey. He is head coach of the Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs and serves as U9 Director with Bonnyville Minor Hockey. With four years of board experience, he’s eager to build on the team’s retooled operations heading into the 2025-26 AJHL season.

“We have a lot of good things going on within the organization, both on and off the ice,” Wandler said. “With our coaching staff and the support pieces that surround them, I have all the belief in our group and give our fan base a winning team here in the AJHL.”

Rusnak’s Long Tenure

Rusnak’s contributions to the Pontiacs stretch back more than two decades. From treasurer and vice-president roles to two stints on the board, including president from 2018 to 2025, Rusnak has been a steady hand.

“I feel confident in turning over the reins of the organization to Corey Wandler,” Rusnak said, noting he will remain this season as the Pontiacs’ governor on the AJHL Board of Governors to help with the transition.

Farewell to Germain’s Legacy

The Pontiacs also recognised Dennis Germain, who retired from the board after nearly three decades of involvement. Germain was part of the 1991 delegation that successfully brought Junior A hockey to Bonnyville.

“The organization is back on track and financially healthy,” Germain said. “With that in mind, I thought this was the right time to step back and let new people contribute their talents to making the organization even more successful.”

His decades of dedication across roles including governor, president, vice-president and treasurer helped shape the Pontiacs into one of Canada’s premier Junior A programs.

Looking Ahead

The Pontiacs enter the 2025-26 season with a refreshed leadership team:

• President – Corey Wandler

• Vice-President – Chase Tomlinson

• VP of Operations – Neil Langridge

• General Manager – Chad Nelson

• Head Coach – Chad Mercier

• Assistant Coaches – Chad Carder and Chad Taylor

“The hiring of Chad Mercier and the hard work he and his staff have done over the summer, it’s an exciting time,” Wandler said. “Any player that plays for the Bonnyville Pontiacs is going to have an unbelievable experience.”

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