Guelph Hockey Referees Association
Guelph Hockey Referees Association
  • Welcome
  • 75th Anniversary Gala
  • General
  • About
  • Executive Members
  • Members Information
  • Awards
  • Recruiting
  • Welcome
  • 75th Anniversary Gala
  • General
  • About
  • Executive Members
  • Members Information
  • Awards
  • Recruiting

GHRA History: A Proud Heritage

The Guelph Hockey Referees Association was founded in 1949 by a group of nine individuals who had a love and passion for the game of hockey. This love of the game led them to the officiating side of the game. However, the group found that they were disorganized when it came to scheduling who was going to referee in which game. The Guelph Hockey Referees Association was the result of their efforts to better organize. The Guelph Hockey Referees Association would like to acknowledge the efforts of these nine people for their contribution to Guelph Minor Hockey and what they did to build a strong foundation for our Association to build on.

Reg Berry                                 Ed Kenny                             Lou Maschio                            John Glover                             Jack McKinnon                    Bill Devorski                            Bill Lindley                              Ralph Millie                         Doug Brill


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Ryan and Ben Wilson, standing left and right respectively to their grandfather and GHRA Founding Member and Life Member, Bill Devorski. Jeff Baker (Past President) and Ron Asselstine (Former member and former NHL Official) were also present for the puck drop commemorating the 60th anniversary of the GHRA.
Since the inception of the Association, the number of Referees that have been members at one time or another has totalled over 500. GHRA is well known for and takes a great deal of pride in the number of members it has been able to help to get to higher levels of hockey. Several NHL officials have begun their officiating careers in the Guelph Hockey Referees Association. The referees in this group include George Ashley, Will Norris, Ray Scapinello, Ken Bodindestel, Bill McCreary, Paul Devorski, Greg Devorski, Lou Maschio and Ron Asselstine. Many other officials have gone on to officiate in the OHA, OHL and other professional leagues such as the UHL and ECHL. Some of these members were: Wayne Marshall, Chip Sanvido, Brad Fagan, John Evans, Neil Christopher, Jon Fleming, Murray Darroch, Bill Devorski, Jack Fischer, Harry Greene, Barney Reid, Carl Embro, Bob McKinnon, Bill Fischer, Dave Soper and Mike Hasler.

There are many officials that have given numerous years of commitment and service to the GHRA. Individuals who have served with the GHRA for 20+ years are eligible for the honourary position of Life Member. Being selected to be a Life Member is the highest honour an official can receive in the GHRA.

At present, the GHRA has over 50 members annually and officiate over 2,000 games a year, which equates to over 6,000 assignments. The Association officiates for the Guelph Minor Hockey Association, Guelph Girls Hockey Association, OMHA, OWHA as well as and Woman’s recreational hockey leagues.

Why is the GHRA such a good association? It is because most of those that have been members in the past and have gone on to do higher levels of hockey do not forget about where they started and return to give something back to the GHRA. It is because of the pride our past members take in our association and the pride and responsibility our present members take to meet the high standards our founding members, and the members that have been part of the GHRA before us, set.

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THE HONOURARY LIFE MEMBER

An Honourary Life Member is a member or former member who has been actively associated with the organization for 20 years or more and are recognized for their contribution to the Guelph Hockey Referees Association. Becoming a Life member is a very prestigious and distinct honour as membership is restricted to 12 living Life Members in the Association. Following is a list of the Honourary Life Members to-date and the year in which they became Life Members of the Guelph Hockey Referee Association:

Evo Parsitto* 1978
Wayne Marshall 1988
Carl Embro 1987
Ralph Millie* 1960
Jack McKinnon* 1960
Bill Devorski* 1981 
Ron Allsop* 1993
Larry Staniforth 1995
Terry Powell* 1980
Harry Greene* 1977 
Jack Fischer* 1972
Doug Brill* 1982
Bill Lindley* 1960
Lou Maschio* 1994
Ken Borghese 1996 
Mike Hasler 1997
Dave Soper* 2003
Ron Keleher 2005
Mike Brimblecombe 2008
Wayne Hawkes 2018
Jerome Raso 2018
Jim Wingrove 2022
Ken Chaisson 2022
​Peter Raso 2022

​* Deceased
GHRA PRESIDENTS SINCE 1949-50

It is only fitting that the former Presidents of this group be placed on our Web Site for the benefit of our members. They are:


2025-2026 Luke Kordupel
​2024-2025 Luke Kordupel 
2023-2024 Luke Kordupel 
2022-2023 Luke Kordupel 
​2021-2022 Luke Kordupel 
​2020-2021 Luke Kordupel
2019-2020 Luke Kordupel
​2018-2019 Ken Chaisson
2017-2018 Kirk McNabb
2016-2017 Kirk McNabb
​2015-16 Wayne Hawkes
2014-15 Wayne Hawkes
2013-14 Wayne Hawkes
2012-13 – Steve Kelly
2011-12 – Steve Kelly
2010-11 Jeff Baker
2009-10 Jeff Baker 
2008-09 Jeff Baker  
2007-08 Ken Chaisson
2006-07 Ken Chaisson
2005-06 Ken Chaisson
2004-05 Ken Chaisson
2003-04 Ken Chaisson 
2002-03 Jim Wingrove
2001-02 Scott Garrett 
2000-01 Scott Garrett
1999-00 Dave Burns
1998-99 Dave Burns
1997-98 Terry Gervais
1996-97 Terry Gervais
1995-96 Terry Gervais
1994-95 Mike Hasler
1993-94 Mike Hasler
1992-93 Mike Hasler
1991-92 Mike Hasler
1990-91 Mike Hasler













1989-90 Ross Campbell
1988-89 Ross Campbell
1987-88 Carl Embro
1986-87 Carl Embro 
1985-86 Mike Hasler 
1984-85 Mike Hasler 
1983-84 Carl Embro 
1982-83 Larry Staniforth 
1981-82 Larry Staniforth 
1980-81 Terry Powell 
1979-80 Terry Powell 
1978-79 Wayne Marshall 
1977-78 Wayne Marshall 
1976-77 Terry Finley 
1975-76 Terry Finley
 1974-75 Evo Parsitto 
1973-74 Ralph Sorbara 
1972-73 Ralph Sorbara 
1971-72 Ralph Sorbara 
1970-71 Mel McPhee 
1969-70 Mel McPhee 
1968-69 Don Perry 
1967-68 Don Perry 
1966-67 Don Perry 
1965-66 Don Perry 
1964-65 Don Perry 
1963-64 Chip Sanvido 
1962-63 Tom Hollis 
1961-62 Evo Parsitto
1960-61 Jack Mckinnon 
1959-60 Barney Reid 
1958-59 Gord Hatch 
1957-58 Jack Fischer 
1956-57 Jack Fischer 
1955-56 Barney Reid 
1954-55 Doug Simpson 
1953-54 Doug Simpson 
1952-53 Jack Mckinnon 
1951-52 Reg Berry 
1950-51 Jack McKinnon 
1949-50 Bill Devorski 





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