Development/Construction
Philip Hochstein has resigned as president of the Independent Contractors and Business Association (ICBA) after 30 years of leading the association. He will continue to contribute to ICBA as special counsel to the new president, Gord Stewart, who previously served as senior vice-president. Lindsay Langill, former dean of the School of Trades and Technology at Thompson Rivers University, has joined ICBA as vice-president. Langill holds a journeyperson designation in four trades, a PhD in education and has experience as a construction contractor.
Education
Ajay Patel has been appointed vice-president, external development, at Langara College. Patel will be responsible for international education, advancement, continuing studies, institutional research and communications and marketing. Patel joined the college in 2002 as an instructor in the department of kinesiology (formerly human kinetics), and held the roles of division chair, health sciences (2010-12); dean, international education (2012-15); and most recently associate vice-president, international and external development.
Finance
Quark Venture Inc., a Vancouver-based venture capital company, has announced a $4 million investment in SQZ Biotech, a company originating out of Klavs Jensen and Robert Langer’s laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. Quark Venture joins GV (formerly Google Ventures), NanoDimension, Polaris Partners and others, bringing the total financing round to $24 million. SQZ Biotech is developing a new generation of cell therapies that harness the body’s natural immune system to combat disease.
Legal
Peter Rowntree has joined DLA Piper (Canada) LLP’s Vancouver office as an associate. Rowntree practises corporate and commercial law with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions. He has experience working with clients in pension funds, technology, real estate, mining, private equity, agriculture, forestry and communications.
Manufacturing
Dave Eto has been appointed CEO and a member of the board of directors of Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. J. Craig Goodwin will step down as CEO and will remain as president and on the board of directors. Eto has spent more than 30 years in the food processing industry and recently served as executive director and CEO of the BC Dairy Association. Previously, Eto held a senior corporate position with Premium Brands Holdings and has also held the position of president and chair of the BC Food Processors’ Association for the past five years. In connection with Eto’s appointment as CEO, Naturally Splendid entered into a consulting agreement with him. Under the terms of the consulting agreement, Eto will serve as CEO for a period of four years in consideration of which Naturally Splendid will pay Eto $16,000 per month, and he will also be issued shares in the company.
Resources
Robert van Doorn has been appointed chair of TriMetals Mining Inc.’s board of directors, separating the positions of chair and CEO. Ralph Fitch remains president and CEO. Van Doorn is a mining engineer with 40 years of experience and has been a director of the company since May 2015.
Michael Kosowan has been appointed to the board of directors of Auryn Resources Inc. Kosowan is a former investment adviser of Sprott Private Wealth (Canada) and Sprott Global Resources Inc. (USA) and is also an industry expert with more than 20 years of experience in the junior mining sector.
Raynald Vézina has been appointed to the board of directors at Integra Gold Corp. Vézina, a mining engineer with a career focused on mine building and operations in Quebec, will join the board as a non-executive, independent director.
Hats Off
The Real Estate Institute of British Columbia (REIBC) donated $36,555.55 to Make-A-Wish Foundation of B.C. and Yukon. The funds are proceeds from the annual REIBC charity golf tournament.
Steve Nash Fitness Clubs donated $10,000 to the Adoptive Families Association of BC at the association’s inaugural fundraising event, Hats Off: Overcoming Challenges. The donation is part of the company’s commitment to support the association in its efforts to provide education, counselling, advocacy and events for B.C.’s adoption community as well as supporting foster kids who aged out of government care at 19.
PARC Retirement Living donated $250,000 to North Vancouver’s Presentation House Gallery. The gift will be directed to Presentation House’s new Polygon Gallery, currently under construction on North Vancouver’s waterfront at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue.
Variety – The Children’s Charity donated $7,500 to the Douglas College Foundation. The funds will be used to support students in the Transitions program, which assists students with special needs or learning disabilities to make a successful exit from secondary school into training or workplace settings.
100 Women Who Care Vancouver donated $7,000 to MOSAIC. The funds will support Syrian refugees living in Surrey, specifically helping women and children succeed in their new community by providing many essential settlement services including language and cultural training. •
