January 18, 2018

Argos finalize personnel department

Jim Popp during the CFL Draft Day at the Argonauts office downtown Toronto on Sunday, May 7, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)

Assistant GM Zimmerman receives extension; Club adds Raîche to front office

TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts Football Club announced today that it has finalized the team’s personnel department for the 2018 season.

“We are excited to bring back the entire personnel and scouting department that was a big part of our success in 2017, while also adding talent that will make us even stronger moving forward,” said Jim Popp, General Manager of the Argos.

As part of finalizing the personnel department, the Argos announced that they have extended the contract of Assistant General Manager Spencer Zimmerman and added Catherine Raîche as Director, Football Administration.

Zimmerman, who was promoted to Assistant General Manager in January 2017, originally joined the Argonauts in 2016 as the team’s Director of Scouting & Pro Development.

“Spencer is a very intelligent, hard-working young executive with a bright future and we are lucky to have him as part of the Double Blue family,” said Popp. “He played a large role in building our team last year and will continue to play an important role in our success in 2018 and beyond.”

Prior to joining the Double Blue, Zimmerman spent four seasons in several Football Operations roles with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Raîche joins the Argonauts following one season as the Assistant General Manager for the Montreal Alouettes. Before serving as the Assistant GM, the Montreal native served as the team’s Coordinator of Football Administration under Popp.

“We are very excited to add Catherine to our front office team,” said Popp. “She is talented and hard-working and will bring new ideas and fresh perspectives.”

Raîche obtained her law degree from the University of Sherbrooke and was called to the Quebec Bar Association in 2012. She practiced corporate and tax law for three years prior to joining the Alouettes organization.

The Club also announced that it has hired Chantal Covington as Executive Assistant to the General Manager and Player Personnel. Covington held similar positions with the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks.

Here is the Club’s 2018 Personnel Department:

General Manager                                                                         Jim Popp

Assistant General Manager                                                        Spencer Zimmerman

Director, Football Administration                                             Catherine Raîche

Director, Football Operations                                                    Ian Sanderson

Director, Canadian Scouting                                                      Vince Magri

Pro and College Scout                                                                Justin Hickman

Executive Assistant to GM & Player Personnel                       Chantal Covington

Coordinator, Football Operations                                             Luciano Rummo