For the record, June 14, 2016

People on the Move

Development/Construction

Kieron Hunt, director of Canadian operations for Cushing Terrell Architecture Inc. since 2013, has been added to the firm’s associate ownership group. Hunt is based out of Vancouver, while the 10 other team members who joined the firm’s associate ownership group are based out of regional offices in Texas, Montana, Idaho and Washington.

J.W. Bruce Picton has been appointed CEO at accounting firm Crowe MacKay. Picton has extensive public company and non-profit governance experience, providing corporate governance, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, financing and taxation advice.

Carly Fairhurst, senior recruitment consultant, has returned to the Headhunters, specializing in senior office personnel in Vancouver.

Alissa Demerse has joined Roper Greyell LLP’s partnership. Demerse first joined the firm in 2007 and recently returned after welcoming her first child.

Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay has joined Lindsay Kenney LLP as a senior adviser in the firm’s business law and litigation groups. Findlay is a former federal cabinet minister and represented Delta-Richmond East as a member of the Conservative party. Findlay served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice, as an associate minister of national defence and, most recently, as minister of national revenue.

Creative BC has appointed an advisory committee for the newly created BC Music Fund it will be administering to support economic development in the music industry. Chaired by Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC, the committee also includes Bryan Adams, artist; Patrick Aldous, Music BC; Bruce Allen, Bruce Allen Talent; Asha Bhat, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training; Nick Blasko, Amelia Artists Inc. and Atomique Productions Ltd.; Alex Cuba, artist; Sarah Fenton, Watchdog Management; Catherine Runnals, Brand Live; and Amy Terrill, Music Canada.

Cally Wesson, Michael Keller and Ruby Bhandal have joined Variety – The Children’s Charity as director of development, marketing and communications manager and executive assistant, respectively. Wesson has a strong background in fund development and has worked with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Alberta Diabetes Foundation. Keller is a communications generalist with eight years of experience and previously served as corporate communications co-ordinator at the Burnaby Board of Trade. Bhandal has more than two decades of experience in various management and event planning projects and previously worked in the construction industry.

The Surrey Board of Trade has chosen its 2016-17 board and will induct new members at the June 15 annual general meeting and chair’s dinner at Eaglequest Golf Course. Greg Thomas, president and CEO, G3 Consulting Ltd., will serve as board chair. Richard Dendy, CFO and chief revenue officer, A&A Customs Brokers Ltd., will serve as first vice-chair. New members include Tammy Rea, TD Bank, and John Folka, KPMG LLP. Re-elected members include Jay Rao, Levelton Consultants; Marlyn Graziano, Kwantlen Polytechnic University; and Chuck Keeling, Elements Casino.

Doug Pearce has resigned from Westport Innovations Inc.’s board as part of plans relating to the pending merger with Fuel Systems Solutions. Pearce, who has more than 35 years’ experience in financial management and capital markets, was elected to the board on May 1, 2015.

Dale Mah has been appointed vice-president, corporate development, at Endeavour Silver Corp. Mah is a professional geologist with 20 years of experience in the mining industry, and has worked with Cominco, BHP Billiton, Tahera Diamond Corp., Olivut Resources, Mackie Research Capital, Dundee Capital Markets and most recently as vice-president, geology, at Quintana Resources Capital.

Stephen Leahy, former CEO and chairman of North American Tungsten Corp. Ltd., has been appointed to the advisory board of AsiaBaseMetals Inc. Leahy has more than 33 years of experience in the venture capital and public company arenas, primarily in the mining and petroleum sectors, with involvement in projects located around the globe.

Joe Amato and Anthony Sage have joined Preston Mobility as director of sales and manager of strategic client solutions, respectively. Prior to these appointments, Amato was director of sales, Western Canada, at ADP, and Sage was business pricing specialist at Bell.

Vancouver-based Vanbex Group and Shanghai Blockchain Network Technology Co. Ltd., parent company of one of China’s largest bitcoin exchanges, 19800.com, have announced a strategic partnership. 19800.com officially opened on March 15, 2016, and within a month reached 20,000 registered users with an average daily trading volume of more than US$1.5 million. Vanbex Group will help to expand the trading platform, as well as other venture opportunities, into the North American market.

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 Blue Water Project donated $10,000 to Fraser River Discovery Centre (FRDC) in support of its education programs. FRDC’s programs roster, River School, connects individuals with the living, working Fraser River by offering interactive and thought-provoking activities to school groups from the Metro Vancouver area and the Fraser Valley. The RBC Blue Water Project joins other dedicated River School supporters including Canadian Heritage, the Province of B.C. through Direct Access to Gaming, Telus, BC Hydro, TD Friends of the Environment, the City of New Westminster, the Hamber Foundation and the Chris Spencer Foundation.

RBC Foundation donated $5,000 to Crossroads Hospice. The funds were raised in recognition of RBC employees’ participation in Hike for Hospice, a pledge-based, national annual event that takes place on the first Sunday of May and raises funds to support people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones. 

Lohn Foundation donated $3,000 to Coquitlam-based Children of the Street Society to help the society in its work to prevent sexual exploitation of B.C.’s young people. The Burnaby Elks Lodge No. 497 also donated $1,000 to Children of the Street Society in support of delivery of the society’s school-based prevention workshops in Burnaby.