Mayor and Council

Stephen Molnar is proud to currently serve the residents of the Town of Tillsonburg in his elected capacity as Mayor and Chief Executive Officer. His passion for the community and its citizens has been demonstrated in an earlier seventeen year term on Council, including eleven years as Mayor (2003-2010 and 2014-2018).

He was born and raised in Tillsonburg and has enjoyed the many community facilities and opportunities that are now his chosen responsibility to protect and enhance.

Stephen was educated locally and continued his further studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, graduating from the School of Business and Economics in 1982.

Mayor Molnar has historically created a culture of inclusion in our decision making process—an environment that is accessible, accountable and turns issues into opportunities. This involves a committed Council, properly trained team members, passionate volunteers and an engaged community.

Stephen is married to his wife Colleen and enjoys golf, cooking and travelling in the limited spare time he finds available. In his enjoyment to travel and experience other cultures and traditions, Stephen's greatest reward is when he concludes his journey where he started it, back home in the Town of Tillsonburg.

Stephen Molnar
Mayor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario
N4G 5A7
T. 519-688-3009 ext 3234

F. 519-842-9431

Email: smolnar@tillsonburg.ca

Dave Beres was first elected to Council in 1994 and presently serves as Deputy Mayor of the Town of Tillsonburg. He has been active in the community, both as a volunteer and a business owner, for more nearly 40 years.                        

He and his wife Debbie have three grown children who, with their families, make Tillsonburg their home. 

Dave has served on many boards and committees, including Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital Board, Tillsonburg Police Services Board and the Tillsonburg Hydro Board of Directors. He is a member of the Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce and a long-time member of the Tillsonburg Lions Club. 

Dave Beres recently served as Mayor in 2014.

Dave Beres
Deputy Mayor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario
N4G 5A7
T. 519-842-3679 (Home) 
T. 519-983-7551 (Cell)
Email: dberes@tillsonburg.ca

Penny Esseltine was elected to council for a second time in 2018 and looks forward to serving another four-year term through until 2022. Along with the municipal council experience she gained in her first term, Penny brings experience in communications, community relations, and media production, as a small business owner, and a community volunteer.

Born, raised and schooled in Tillsonburg, Penny also has a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree from Ryerson University, has worked in health care and agricultural sectors in larger cities, and returned to live and work in Tillsonburg with her husband Rick and daughter Alexis in the early ‘90s. Her daughter’s family (Alexis, Tim, Theo, and Charlie) currently live in Vancouver.

Penny serves on the boards of the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society and the Annandale National Historic Site Fundraising Committee. She has also worked with the Oxford County Library Board, the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture, the Tillsonburg Lioness Club, the Oxford Community Foundation and the Museum Advisory Board.

During this term of council Penny’s particular interests include continuing development of local business and industry while maintaining our small town feel; providing important and essential municipal services with continual improvements in customer service and communications; preserving our heritage; and securing approval for and construction of a new town hall.

Penny Esseltine
Councillor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario 
N4G 5A7
T. 519-688-3842
Email: pesseltine@tillsonburg.ca

Deb Gilvesy is serving her first term on Council in Tillsonburg. Deb was born and raised in the Tillsonburg area on a local tobacco farm and continued to farm in the area for over 25 years. Deb, along with her husband owned and operated Tanner’s Studio in Tillsonburg and Ingersoll until 2007. Until June 2018, Deb owned and operated Lux Salon and Spa in Tillsonburg.

Deb was a former Director and Vice-Chairman of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Board and the Joint Canadian Tanning Association.

Deb was a volunteer basketball coach for a period of over 20 years in the Tillsonburg area and has been a volunteer member of the Tillsonburg Economic Development Committee.

Deb’s business background have provided her with valuable tools in budgeting, marketing and regulations as well as providing her with an understanding of the challenges business owners face in Tillsonburg. 

Deb’s broad experience has provided her with good insight into the inner workings of Government while allowing her the opportunity to interact with government officials at all levels.

Deb is married to Scott and has two daughters and two granddaughters. She is a lover of the outdoors and her favourite activities are paddle boarding, boating, taking long walks and reading.

Deb Gilvesy
Councillor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario 
N4G 5A7
T. 519-983-2887
Email: dgilvesy@tillsonburg.ca

Pete Luciani was born and raised in Tillsonburg and worked in a local family business until joining the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) at the age of 25.  He spent 33 years working out of various locations in Southern Ontario. The majority of his career was in the Forensic Identification Services (FIS) program which included involvement in the planning and construction phase of the OPP Forensic Lab in Tillsonburg, as the FIS Regional Manager.

With the OPP, he was involved in numerous large projects, among them the upgrading of all of the OPP’s Forensic Labs and equipment, the change over of film to digital photography at crime scenes, implementing Digital Mugshot Systems in OPP Detachments and the provincial rollout of Livescan fingerprint machines. He retired from OPP General Headquarters in Orillia as the Inspector in charge of the provincial Forensic Identification and Photographic Services program.

Since retirement, Pete has co-chaired the Tillsonburg Dog Park Committee and served on the Memorial Park Revitalization Committee. He enjoys fishing, photography, technology, and reading with the occasional glass of wine on his back deck. Pete and his wife Kelly, enjoy six adult children and ten grandchildren. He is looking forward to serving the residents of Tillsonburg this term on council.

Pete Luciani
Councillor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario 
N4G 5A7
T. 226-777-7073
Email: pluciani@tillsonburg.ca

Christopher (Chris) Parker was born and raised in Tillsonburg. After graduating from Glendale High School, Chris attended Durham College in Oshawa where he studied Law and Security Administration. Chris is happily married to his wife Rebecca.

Chris has been the president of the Tillsonburg Men’s Slo-Pitch League for five years and the Referee In Chief for Tillsonburg Minor Hockey for six years.

Chris looks forward to the challenge of being a new member of Tillsonburg Town Council. 

Christopher (Chris) Parker
Councillor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario 
N4G 5A7
T. 519-550-1973
Email: cparker@tillsonburg.ca

Chris Rosehart is a long-time resident of Tillsonburg. She has three grown children, two of which reside in Tillsonburg. She has managed her variety store in Tillsonburg for more than 30 years. 

Chris has served on a number of boards and committees including the Cultural Advisory Committee, Trails Committee, Cemetery Committee and Tillsonburg Non-Profit Housing. She has also been involved with the Tillsonburg Food Bank and the Tillsonburg Tri-County Agricultural Fair.

Chris Rosehart
Councillor
204-200 Broadway
Tillsonburg, Ontario
N4G 5A7
T. 519-842-2381
Email: crosehart@tillsonburg.ca