Cody-Cox, who is from Halifax in Nova Scotia, replaces Jean Dupre, who left the organisation after 15 years to become the chief executive officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee in April.

Cody-Cox was executive director of Volleyball Canada the last three-and-a-half years.

That organisation's funding from Own The Podium dropped to virtually zero after the 2008 Summer Olympics, but Cody-Cox was a member of the Canadian Team Sport Coalition that secured $6 million (£3.6 million) specifically for team sports in this year's federal budget.

Speed Skating Canada was Canada's biggest producer of medals at the last two Olympic Games - 12 at Turin in 2006 and another 10 at Vancouver earlier this year.

The organisation received over $14 million (£8.5 million) from Own The Podium during the five years leading into the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The speed skaters' successes have also attracted several corporate sponsorships.

"Yes, it's exciting to have those types of resources, but it's still a lot of work to keep that," said Cody-Cox, who will be based in Ottawa and officially start his new role on October 4.

"Speed skating still has to maintain that level of success, podium-wise or otherwise.

"Whether you have money or you don't have money, one of the things I've been successful at with volleyball is building partnerships to leverage resources we either have or don't have.”

Cody-Cox was in charge of marketing at Volleyball Canada and his abilities to raise revenue there made him attractive to the speed skaters.

He eliminated two-thirds of Volleyball Canada's $1.7 million (£1 million) debt and increased corporate sponsorships from $50,000 (£30,484) to $500,000 (£304,842), according to Speed Skating Canada.

"We were searching for a strong leader with solid management experience and this is exactly what we found," Speed Skating Canada President Marie-Claire Roleau said.

“He has a strong marketing knowledge and background, but his role with us will be to provide leadership across all areas of our business.

"Certainly his marketing acumen will reassure our corporate partners for their continuing importance in our success."

Speed Skating Canada has undergone major change since the Olympics.

In addition to the new chief exeuctive, the contract of high performance and Olympic programne director Brian Rahill was not renewed.

Marcel Lacroix, who coached Christine Nesbitt to gold in the 1,000 metres, left to become associate director of sport in long-track at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

Speed Skating Canada appointed Sean Ireland as long-track programme director and hired Mark Wild to assist him as a coach of the national and development long-track teams.

One of Cody-Cox's goals is make sure the path is clear for speed skaters to rise to the national-team level and keep the pump primed with talent in between Olympic Games.

"I think speed skating is well-known from an Olympic success perspective," he said.

"To maintain speed skating's success is going to take a strong system from grassroots to podium."


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April 2010: Speedskating boss named as new chief executive of Canadian Olympic Committee