Brigitte Harris has been appointed dean of the faculty of social and applied sciences at Royal Roads University. She has served as acting dean of the faculty since April 2016. Harris developed and taught graduate courses in adult teaching and learning, integrated studies, research methods, curriculum design, evaluation, reflective practice and writing instruction at Brock University. Harris began teaching at Royal Roads University in the school of leadership studies in 2001, was appointed associate professor in 2011 and school director in 2012.
Finance
Andrew Martin, chief financial officer, SBT Venture Capital, has joined Fineqia International Inc.’s board of advisers. Martin has more than 30 years of experience; he was a project finance and leverage buyout banker with Chemical Bank, subsequently transitioning to the bank’s captive private equity business. More recently he has advised early-stage companies in a range of sectors and was CFO of Sberbank of Russia’s fintech early-stage fund, SBT Venture Capital, until 2015.
Hsiu Jung (Amy) Wu, founder and executive director, HJ Wu & Co., is a finalist for the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. Wu was born in Taiwan where she worked in several high-profile finance positions before moving to Vancouver in 2007. Wu also volunteers at a local seniors’ centre by providing income tax filing help. Candidates for the award can be found online at rbctop25.com.
Michael Zuk recently joined SVG Capital Group to work in business development for its mergers and acquisitions advisory services practice. Zuk has more than 20 years of experience in investment banking, equity research and institutional equity sales at Scotiabank, Macquarie and Newcrest Capital. He has experience in sales and relationship management, corporate and investor marketing presentations, business operations and analysis and valuations.
Hospitality/Tourism/Convention
Geoff Rogers has been appointed executive chef at Savoury Chef Foods, the Vancouver-based, high-end catering and event planning company. Rogers has worked at many Calgary-area restaurants such as River Café, Home Tasting Room and Market and was a competitor on the third season of Top Chef Canada. In 2013, Rogers moved to Vancouver and was chef de cuisine at Fable Restaurant, then was appointed executive chef at Blacktail Restaurant and Lounge until the restaurant closed in 2016.
Legal
Maggie Campbell and Mike Hamata have joined Roper Greyell LLP. Prior to joining the firm, Campbell and Hamata practised at an international firm in Vancouver. Campbell spent the last 10 years advising clients on employment relations and labour law. Hamata articled and practised as an employment and labour associate after being called to the B.C. bar in 2012.
Lawson Lundell LLP has announced the launch of its China initiative with the addition of partner Jack Yong and associates Julia Winters, Lorena Vlad and May Au.
Resources
Robert Brozdowski, Curt E. Hogge and Kevin E. Leonard have been appointed vice-president of exploration, chief geologist and project manager, respectively, at Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. They are to form the company’s technical team to explore its Rochford gold project in South Dakota.
Technology
Janet Woodruff has been appointed to Ballard Power Systems’ board of directors. Woodruff is a board member at Keyera Corp., Altus Group Ltd., Capstone Infrastructure Corp. and FortisBC and most recently served as acting CEO of Transportation Investment Corp. She previously served in executive roles in the power utility and health sectors with BC Hydro, BC Transmission Corp. and Vancouver Coastal Health overseeing major capital investment programs, technology deployment and operational transformation.
Herb Willer has been appointed to Urban Communications Inc.’s board of directors and will join the company’s audit committee as an independent director. Willer was previously a global partner with Arthur Andersen in charge of its entrepreneurial practice in Ontario. In 2002 he commenced private equity investing with Kingsdale Capital Markets Inc., where he also was in charge of the corporate finance group. Willer is a member of the local advisory committee for the TSX Venture Exchange and is active on the boards of his investee companies. He has spent time on hospital boards including Princess Margaret in Toronto, and is currently on the investment committee for the University Health Network in Toronto.
Hats Off
Carole Itter, Lyse Lemieux and Grant Arnold will be awarded the Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts, the 2017 VIVA Award and the Alvin Balkind Curator’s Prize, respectively, at a free public ceremony at 7 p.m. on April 19 in the great hall of the Law Courts building in downtown Vancouver. Itter is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, performer and filmmaker. Lemieux is an artist focused primarily on drawing. Arnold is the Audain curator of British Columbian art at the Vancouver Art Gallery, where he has contributed to the gallery’s exhibition and collecting activities since 2005.
Recent donations to SOS Children’s Village BC include: BC Gaming, $100,000 programs grant; HSBC – Future First Program, $66,700 grant to the learning club and therapy programs; Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society, $27,000 grant to the transition suites; and Boag Foundation, $10,000.
Scotiabank donated $5,000 to Bard on the Beach. The funds are in support of Bard in Your Neighbourhood, a program that works with community partners to bring workshops to underserved children and youth at no cost.
IODE Service Club (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) donated $14,300 to the Eagle Ridge Hospital Foundation. The funds will purchase two dialysis treatment stations and $3,000 will go toward the Hearing for Kids program.
Pure West Property Investment donated $146,644 to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. The funds will go toward the purchase of ventilators and heart-lung machines. Every year, about 350 babies in B.C. are born with a heart condition. The heart-lung machine takes over the function of the heart during delicate surgery. Of the 1,100 children who visit the pediatrics intensive care unit every year, 40% will require a ventilator to help them breathe.
TD Bank Group donated $15,000 to support local children through Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver’s in-school mentoring program. •
