Mr. Risley is Chairman of Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership (CSLP), a Canadian-based, publicly traded seafood harvesting, processing and distribution business he co-founded in 1976. Clearwater operates eight processing plants throughout Atlantic Canada and a fleet of company-owned fishing vessels. He is also President of Clearwater Fine Foods Inc, a family-owned company that owns approximately 50% of CSLP. Mr. Risley sits on the board of directors of numerous private and publicly traded companies in Canada including Fishery Products International and Clarke Transport. He has significant telecommunications experience having served on the board of directors of Persona Communications, one of Canada's largest cable television, high speed internet and telecommunications providers.

Mr. Risley is active in community affairs, being a member of Dalhousie University's Board of Governors, Chairman of its Finance and Budget Committee and Chair of its Capital Campaign. He is also Chair of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation and sits on the Board of a number of other charitable organizations. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, was named Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997 and received the Canada Award for Business Excellence in Entrepreneurship in 1988.