For the record, February 9, 2016

People on the Move

Finance

Naveen Kapahi has been appointed senior vice-president at D.A. Townley, the largest third-party benefits administrator in Western Canada and a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Blue Cross, and will transition to the role of president when Harvey Mason retires in December. Kapahi has more than 30 years of experience in actuarial consulting, plan design, pension benefits, funding and investment policy and has held positions at Mercer and Aon Hewitt.

Bull Housser has welcomed three of its associates into partnership: Michael Blatchford, Kirsten Jenkins and Olga Rivkin. Blatchford works with charities, non-profit organizations, associations and other entities in the voluntary sector, advising on operations and governance while complying with regulatory obligations. Jenkins’ practice focuses primarily on advising individuals and families regarding estate planning, trusts, business succession, incapacity and estate administration. Rivkin’s practice includes assisting public and private entities with a variety of regulatory matters. This includes procedural matters related to the operation of local governments and also includes all matters related to land use and development, including zoning, subdivision, contamination, servicing and management of waste and water.

Anna Laing has joined the partnership of Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP as a member of its litigation group. Laing is named in Best Lawyers in Canada for 2015-16 for family law and trusts and estates.

Carol Lee and Philip Barton have been promoted to shareholders at Boughton Law. Lee has more than 25 years’ experience advising clients on real estate transactions and development work, business and estate planning law. Barton has practised business law for more than 12 years, specializing in acquisition and sale transactions and numerous financings including credit facilities, project finance and mezzanine finance.

Jonathan O’Connor, a partner at MLT’s Vancouver office who practises in corporate finance, capital markets, M&As and securities law, has joined Mining for Miracles’ board of directors.

Creative BC, the society responsible for promoting the development of creative industries in B.C., has announced its 2016 board of directors. Gordon Esau, partner, Dentons Canada LLP, has been appointed chair, and replaces Michael Francis, who served as board chair for more than 23 years, while Robert Bromley, president, Force Four Entertainment, has been appointed vice-chair, replacing Colin Browne, professor emeritus, School of Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University, who served as vice-chair for more than 10 years and remains on the board as a director. New board members include Anne Denman, executive director, Okanagan International Animation Festival 2017; Sarah Fenton, GM, Watchdog Management; Tom Gierasimczuk, publisher and GM, Vancouver Magazine and Western Living; and Pauline Moller, SVP, studio operations, Zynga Inc. Returning board members include Michael Francis, president, Seed Management; Scott McIntyre, founding partner, retired publisher and chairman, Douglas & McIntyre, and president, Vancouver Institute; Shan Tam, producer, Maple Ridge Films Ltd.; and Jason Dowdswell, head of production and visual effects, FuseFX.

Connie Fair has been appointed president and CEO at the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia, following Godfrey Archbold’s retirement. Prior to this appointment, Fair was president and CEO at BC Assessment, a position she held since 2008; she worked at BC Assessment for 23 years and has more than 30 years of experience in the B.C. property market.

Zara Boldt has been appointed CFO and corporate secretary of Kaminak Gold Corp. Boldt previously served as vice-president, finance, and CFO for Stornoway Diamond Corp. and is replacing Jonathan Singh and Brenda Nowak, who held the positions of CFO and corporate secretary, respectively. In addition, Allison Rippin Armstrong, previously vice-president, lands and environment, has assumed an expanded role as vice-president, sustainability, at Kaminak Gold Corp.

Ian Rozier has stepped down as president and chief executive officer of Eastern Platinum Ltd. He will remain on the board to assist with ongoing South African matters. David Cohen, chairman, has been appointed president and CEO. 

Clay Haeber has been appointed vice-president of technology at Indochino. Haeber most recently served as head of IT at Kit and Ace, and also served as director of technical infrastructure at Lululemon.

Janice Wells has merged her Vancouver-based U.S. tax practice, J. Wells & Co., into Smythe LLP. Wells has more than 20 years of experience specializing in personal U.S. and Canadian taxation services. Her team offers a variety of services, including cross-border personal income and estate tax planning and compliance, assisting Canadians investing in U.S. real estate, cross-border relocation and departure planning, U.S. voluntary disclosure and streamlined filings.

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.

RBC Foundation donated $1,000 to One to One Literacy Society. One to One’s 350 volunteer tutors work with more than 1,300 elementary school students who struggle with reading. The program now runs in 84 schools in Vancouver, North Vancouver and Burnaby.

Colleen Henderson recently won the grand prize in Crossroads Hospice’s annual raffle: an all-inclusive trip for two to Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa on the Riviera Maya, round-trip airfare and dance classes donated by AMResorts, WestJet and Arthur Murray Dance Studio Coquitlam. The raffle plays a significant role in Crossroads’ abilty to operate the Crossroads Inlet Centre Hospice Residence and free bereavement support programs.

Telus Vancouver Community Board donated $20,000 to Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver Foundation in support of the charity’s aboriginal mentoring program.

Concert Properties donated $25,000 to Mission Possible, the local non-profit that provides street-level assistance such as nutrition, clothing, crisis counselling, referrals and spiritual support to people challenged by homelessness and poverty.

Clark Wilson LLP donated more than $8,000 over the holiday season to several charitable organizations, including the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, Parkinson Society British Columbia, BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon.

Westminster Savings Foundation donated $20,000 to South Vancouver Family Place. The funds will support a family drop-in program in the Fraserlands/River District area.

The River Foundation donated $50,000 to Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland in support of its Study Buddy program. •