Essar Centre marketing and events manager Trevor Zachary has been fired by the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

CAO Joe Fratesi confirmed that Zachary “is no longer associated with the city.”

He referred all further questions to commissioner of human resources John Luszka.

Luszka said Zachary was no longer employed with the city as of Friday.

“There is an ongoing investigation and we’ve asked police to look at the situation,” Luszka said.

He said that the city conducted a financial review “for its own benefit” and as a result of “transactions at the Essar Centre”, the city has asked the city police to conduct a financial review and investigation.

“There are things that came to our attention and it ended up that Mr. Zachary is no longer employed with the city. I cannot comment any further. I don’t want to jeopardize the investigation and I don’t’ want people to draw any conclusions,” Luszka said.

In an email Zachary said “I enjoyed my seven-and-a-half years working at the Essar Centre and I’m looking forward to what the future has in store for me and my family.”



In the interim, Norm Fera, manager of community centres, has been asked to oversee the position.

Luszka said the Essar Centre will operate as business as usual pending the outcome of the investigation.

No other personnel at the Essar Centre have been affected, he said.

It’s unknown how long the police investigation will take.

“They just began their investigation Monday and it will take them as long as it takes them,” Luszka said.

He said he cannot comment on what, if any, severance package Zachary was provided, citing employee confidentiality.

Zachary was originally hired by the city in February 2006 as the marketing and events manager for the city’s newly built sports and entertainment centre.

He came to the city with more than 10 years of work and volunteer experience in marketing and sales, public relations, communications and sports management.

He had previously worked for OLG, Molson Breweries and Spin Communications and was a small business owner.

Zachary was one of the founders of the Sault Minor Football Association.