Academy Staff

Charles P. MacPherson – Founder & Chairman
Charles is the founder of Charles MacPherson Associates Inc. and brings over 21 years experience in Household Management as the Major Domo for one of Canada’s most prominent families as well as his role as President of Charles MacPherson Associates for the past twelve years. In addition Charles recently successfully completed his term as Vice-Chairman of the International Guild of Professional Butlers and as a lecturer at The International Butler Academy in the Netherlands.

Charles has consulted with both Residential Clients and Hospitality clients in Canada, the USA, UK, Europe and China in the areas of staffing, training, planning and managing and is recognized as a world authority in the Household Management and Butler fields respectively. In the past six months alone, Charles has completed assignments at some of the leading hotel properties in both China and France. Charles has personally written the department standards and was the lead team trainer for Queen Mary 2 and Fouquette's Barrière Hôtel along with being the lead trainer for the butler department of the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai, China. Charles heads the Hospitality Advisory & Consulting practice at CMA.

In addition to his other full time duties at Charles MacPherson Associates Inc., Charles is currently writing “The Butler and Household Manager’s Encyclopedia” which promises to be the definitive work on the subject.

John Robertson – Protocol, Etiquette and Butler Skills
John is a professional house manager and recognized trainer in the private service industry. From California to Dubai, he has taught service and butler skills in five- and seven-star hotels and exclusive clubs, in private homes and aboard private yachts. John received his formal protocol and etiquette training and certification from The Protocol School of Washington and his formal butler training at the Ivor Spencer International School for Butler Administrators in London. He attended the University of Toronto, Concordia University and Harvard. More recently, Cornell University determined his cumulative education and experience, the equivalent of a bachelor of arts degree in hospitality management.

Bonnie Aprile – Housekeeping, Household Management, Wardrobe Maintenance
Bonnie has over 15 years experience working for high net-worth families as both House Manager and Executive Housekeeper. She has a specialty in fine wardrobe management and has a particular interest in recipes for environmentally safe cleaning products for homes. Bonnie has also owned a Floral Design Studio that marketed freeze-dried flowers to a large Japanese Department Store chain. Bonnie has a passion for travel and cooking which she expresses by teaching International Cuisine at a Toronto-based Collegiate.

Arpi Magyar – Chef
Über-Chef Arpi Magyar comes to couture cuisine & event artistry with over 35 years of experience in the kitchen. Within the last 2 decades, Chef Magyar holds the distinction of sitting at the helm of Toronto’s most well respected kitchens. As the executive chef of Pronto, Oliver’s, & Auberge du Pommier and later chef & owner of Splendido and Cucina, Chef Magyar needs no introduction to “foodies”. Classically trained in Hungary & Italy, Magyar combines the highest quality ingredients from around the globe, with traditional techniques to deliver pure, uncluttered flavours, fashion forward presentation, & a style uniquely his own.

Matt Binkley - Chef and Cookbook Author
Matt has been cooking in the industry for 15 years. He has apprenticed and staged under some of North America's top chefs including Mark McEwan of 'North 44', Susur Lee, Michael Stadtlander of 'Eigensinn's Farm', Jamie Kennedy, and most recently in one Manhattan’s finest 3 Michelin Star restaurants 'Jean-Georges' under the watchful eye of Jean-Georges Vongerichten. In addition to restaurants, Matt has worked as a Private Chef  for high net-worth families. Matt brings his experience to the Academy where he teaches simple recipes that can make graduates look like stars on the days that the Private Chef calls in sick.

Marcel Bregstein - Sommelier
Marcel is certified Sommelier and a member of the International Wine and Food Society, the CRFA and the Canadian Society of Club Managers where he currently is the Chairman of the Food & Beverage branch of the Society. Marcel has taken the American Sommelier Guild Program and at the International Sommelier Guild Certification Program. He has trained with some of the best in the industry including David Lawrason and he has travelled throughout many of the wine regions in the world and met some world-class wine makers. The Academy is proud to be incorporating Marcel’s extensive knowledge of wine, vinification, mixology and spirits into its curriculum.

Gilberto J. Bojaca - Sommelier Wine educator and certified sommelier, is well recognized in the hospitality and wine service industry. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions in prestigious establishments in Canada and the United States. Now as an entrepreneur, he shares his expertise with consumers and industry professionals through his consulting practice, VinSense.  Gilberto pioneered the simplification of wine appreciation for the consumer with the development of “The One Hour Wine Experience” wine seminar. Gilberto is an avid researcher of wine service and hospitality, broadening his knowledge through his travels to the major wine regions of the world and his interactions with leading wine principals.
Founder, Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS)
Founding Member and Past President, Sommelier Guild of Canada

Derek Humble – Security, Driving
Derek Humble - Personal Protection Consultant, Nemesis Consulting
"Derek is Canada's leading exponents of 'soft" protection, this is how to properly protect VIPs with minimal interruptions to their personal lives. His credo of "Security must fit the family, not the other way around" has led him into the inner sanctum of many of Canada's most prominent families as a safety and security advisor. His many years in Britain's Special Forces ensure he can offer help to Canada's glitterati when no one else can, or will.

Scott Munden – Residential Management
Scott brings over twenty years experience in the Residential and Hospitality industries to the academy. Scott heads the Residential Advisory and Consulting practice at CMA. Scott is also the product manager for the RMS software and has been closely involved in the development of the software and is now involved in the creation of the newest version of the software, which will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2009.  Scott attended University of Western Ontario where he received an honours degree in Arts and History and Queen’s University where he graduated with an MA in History and won the Queen’s Graduate Award for Academics.