People on the Move
Education
William R. Holmes has been appointed dean of the faculty of management at Royal Roads University, effective September 8. Holmes joins the university from the Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, where he has worked since 2010, first as dean, faculty of business, and more recently as vice-provost. He served as adjunct professor and executive director in the undergraduate program in the faculty of business administration at Simon Fraser University, and as the instructional manager (dean) of the business division for the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates.
Hospitality and Tourism
Philipp Posch has been appointed general manager of Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver. Posch comes to Vancouver from Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, where he played a key role in the opening of the property, overseeing both the management of the hotel and its two-Michelin-star restaurant, Sixteen. Prior to joining Trump Hotel Collection, Posch was a founding partner of Océo Restaurant and La Gazelle Lounge in New York City and was food and beverage manager for the St. Regis New York, and he has international experience managing the food and beverage programs at both the Oriental Bangkok and the Oriental Singapore.
Whitewater Ski Resort recently became the second Canadian resort, after Silver Star Mountain Resort, to join the Powder Alliance pass program for the 2015-16 winter season. The Powder Alliance provides unrestricted pass holders three free days at each of the member resorts located throughout western North America. In addition, there are various special offers on lodging, rentals, buddy tickets and more. This means that, new for this season, Whitewater pass holders will be eligible for up to 39 free ski tickets, a value of over $2,500. The Powder Alliance was established in 2013. See www.powderalliance.com for more information.
Legal
Fraser Hartley has joined Edwards, Kenny & Bray LLP as an associate. Hartley has a general corporate and commercial practice.
Michael Drouillard has joined Harper Grey LLP as an associate with its business law group. Drouillard, previously with Affleck Hira Burgoyne, has a diverse background in real estate. He practised as an associate real estate broker and owned a property management business for seven years prior to entering the practice of law. Drouillard’s guide, Landlording in Canada, based on his real estate experience, is currently available in bookstores countrywide. He is one of the few lawyers in B.C. who routinely advises manufactured home park owners about matters involving the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act.
Non-Profit
Bernice Scholten has joined the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – BC/Yukon Region as its new executive director. Prior to this appointment, Scholten was executive director of Variety – The Children’s Charity of BC. Prior to Variety, Scholten held senior executive positions at the Heart and Stroke Foundation (BC/Yukon), Best Buy and RBC.
Derek Weiss, Lesley Niven and Steve Fike have been appointed manager, community engagement; development officer, principal giving; and maintenance supervisor, respectively, at Union Gospel Mission (UGM). Weiss started with UGM in 2009 and most recently held the position of senior public relations specialist and community engagement adviser. Niven has been with UGM since June 2014 as development manager, annual giving. Fike has been with UGM since May 2012 and was previously lead maintenance worker and acting maintenance supervisor.
Public
Patrick Evans and Blair Schultz have been appointed to VMS Ventures Inc.’s board of directors. Evans is president, CEO and director of Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. and Kennady Diamonds Inc. Schultz is currently a member of the executive team at Klondex Mines Ltd., focusing on finance, investor relations, capital markets and business development.
Real estate
Alexis Omichinski has joined Value Property Group, a privately held commercial real estate holding group, as associate director, development and legal affairs. Omichinski was previously an associate in the real estate group of Stikeman Elliott’s Vancouver office.
Resources
B2Gold Corp. recently elected its board of directors: Clive Johnson, Robert Cross, Robert Gayton, Barry Rayment, Jerry Korpan, Bongani Mtshisi, Kevin Bullock and Mark Connelly.
Sales/Marketing
A partnership between University of British Columbia (UBC) and B.C.’s wine industry has received $630,000 from Western Economic Diversification Canada to help strengthen co-operation in the industry, enhance export readiness and develop global identity. The Government of Canada funding, which is matched by UBC and industry funding for a total of $1.3 million, will enable the establishment of task forces on wine labelling and presentation and on the industry’s identity; use of research and industry knowledge to identify and assess options for organization; analysis of intelligence from international trade shows; development of online tools; and hosting of forums, workshops and town halls.
Hats Off
Business in Vancouver welcomes submissions from local small businesses and large corporations alike that demonstrate examples of corporate philanthropy and community involvement in the Vancouver area. High-resolution images are also welcome.
The Crystal Gala Foundation and the John Laing Infrastructure Fund donated $500,000 to the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. The funds will be directed to Fraser Health’s Abbotsford Breast Health Centre, which is moving to a new space at Abbotsford Regional Hospital. The donation will help to provide medical equipment and furnishings to the centre’s new location, scheduled to open in fall 2015.
Forest Lawn and Ocean View funeral homes donated $8,000 to Tapestry Foundation for Health Care in support of the foundation’s 3Rs Project to renew, renovate and refresh St. Michael’s Centre, the Burnaby care home and hospice. The funds will be used to help purchase new window coverings for the Fraserview Room.
Hundreds of Mikes and Michaels, along with Mr Mikes SteakhouseCasual, donated $30,550 to KidSport. Funds were raised through Mikes Unite parties held at the 26 Mr Mikes SteakhouseCasual restaurants throughout B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba on June 27; $1 donations from each Mikeburger sold between June 16 and June 27; and $0.25 donations for each Facebook, Twitter and Instagram post that included the #mikesunite hashtag on June 27.
Richmond Firefighters Association donated $3,000 to Richmond Hospital Foundation to help purchase ceiling lifts for Richmond Lions Manor. Ceiling lifts are vital pieces of equipment to help lift and move residents to ensure better, safer and more comfortable care and reduce the risk of injury for their caregivers.
Canada Post Foundation donated $15,000 to the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC to help purchase new computers to operate YouthInBC.com, an online crisis chat service for British Columbia youth 12 to 25 years old.
RBC Foundation donated $12,000 to the Institute of Urban Ecology at Douglas College to support its environmental programs that include outreach to schools, community groups and farmers markets across Metro Vancouver.
More than 140 local business and community members attended Youth Unlimited’s annual golf tournament, collectively raising more than $67,000 to benefit youth programs throughout the Greater Vancouver area. More than 70 youth workers helped to run the tournament. •
