Development/Construction
Florence Langenegger has joined ZGF Cotter Architects Inc. as a senior interior designer with more than 18 years of experience. Langenegger’s experience encompasses programming, space planning, developing interior architecture, selecting and specifying color palettes, finishes, furniture and furniture systems, designing interior finish details, producing construction documents, administering contracts and field reviews.
Finance
Edwin Liu, Jeanette DeMarni, Terence P. Chan and Aliya Rawji have joined Smythe LLP at its downtown Vancouver office. Liu has joined as a principal, returning to Smythe after spending the last 7.5 years as a principal with a national accounting firm. Liu’s focus is providing accounting, audit and tax services to privately owned businesses and not-for-profit organizations. DeMarni has been appointed director of finance and is involved in a variety of functions within the firm. Chan and Rawji have been appointed managers. Chan specializes in U.S. corporate taxation, while Rawji is a general tax adviser with a focus on personal and corporate tax planning for owner-managed businesses across a number of different industries.
Health/Medical
François Benard, Stephanie Aldridge and Shallen Letwin have been appointed vice-president, research; executive director, cancer strategy and capital redevelopment; and vice-president, regional operations, respectively, at BC Cancer Agency. Benard is an international leader in molecular imaging and has successfully led molecular imaging programs that combine research with clinical care in Quebec and B.C. Previous roles include head, division of nuclear medicine, University of British Columbia, and scientific director of functional imaging at the BC Cancer Agency.
Aldridge has worked as a radiation therapist in B.C., Saskatchewan and New Zealand and as an instructor at the BC Cancer Agency. Recently, Aldridge has worked as the agency’s Fraser Valley Centre as regional professional practice leader, radiation therapy, and as director of clinical operations, radiation therapy, eventually assuming responsibility for systemic therapy and regional operations.
Letwin has held various positions with pharmacy including working as the regional director for Fraser Health. He led a team as the executive director, Lower Mainland pharmacy services and next as executive director, clinical operations (medicine), Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Peace Arch Hospital within Fraser Health. Most recently, he was vice-president, community hospitals and programs for Fraser Health where he was responsible for the overall clinical operations of acute and community-based services in several communities.
Hospitality/Tourism/Convention
Benjamin Colling has been appointed CEO of Canadian Tourism College (CTC), as well as the CEO of the Asia Pacific Education Group – an education investment company which owns and operates CTC. Colling has held leadership roles at the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Vancouver Film School and the Art Institute of Vancouver, and has roots in the hotel industry, including positions at the Westin Bayshore Hotel and involvement in the opening of two Vancouver hotels.
Nancy Celetti has joined Ricky’s Group of Family Restaurants as vice-president, marketing and brand development. Prior to joining Ricky’s, Celetti held senior positions with Kraft General Foods, Nalleys Canada and ICBC, and was vice-president, marketing, Earls Restaurants Ltd.
Non-profit
Lesley Anderson has been appointed director of giving and fund development at Family Services of Great Vancouver Foundation. Anderson has led program and resource development at MOSAIC, YWCA, Vancity Community Foundation, Tides Canada and most recently, the Bloom Group. She currently volunteers as the B.C. representative to Canadian Women’s Foundation Violence Prevention Grants Committee and with the Inner Activist Leadership Development Project.
Public
John Dyble, Elizabeth Model, Ron Mundi and Jatinder Rai have been appointed to the board of directors at B.C. Pavilion Corp., the provincial Crown corporation responsible for BC Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre. Don Zurowski and Stephanie Sharp have departed from the board; Zurowski served on the board since 2012 and Sharp since 2013. Dyble retired as the deputy minister to the premier, cabinet secretary and head of the BC Public Service after 27 years in public service. Model is the CEO of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association. Mundi is an entrepreneur in the hospitality industry and currently owns six hotel properties. Rai is founder, president and CEO of Response Advertising Inc.
Real Estate
Val Petrov has been appointed managing broker and productivity coach at Keller Williams Black Diamond Realty. Petrov will be taking care of day-to-day managing broker duties while developing and implementing key coaching programs designed to accelerate agent success.
Hats Off
The Home Depot Canada Foundation donated a $35,000 grant to SOS Children’s Village B.C.’s Transition to Adulthood Suites project. The grant is part of the Orange Door Project grant program, which supports repairs, renovations and/or modifications to housing accommodations or other support facilities for homeless youth. The funding will be used to complete the final two of five basement suites for youth aging out of foster care.
The Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation is celebrating the company’s 60th anniversary by providing $60 million to address food insecurity around the globe. Over the next six years, $10 million will be distributed annually as follows:
•$2.5 million to Feeding America – these funds will help fight hunger among seniors and children;
•$1.5 million to Food Banks Canada to support operations and infrastructure in food banks across Canada;
•$1 million to the Global FoodBanking Network to expand the work of food banks around the world; and
• $5 million to local food banks and pantries in communities served by Enterprise.
The West Vancouver Community Foundation donated a $6,000 grant to Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. These funds will help the organization match at-risk girls with a supportive mentor through their one-to-one mentoring programs in West Vancouver.
UPS Foundation donated US$23,000 to YWCA Metro Vancouver. The funds will help to provide much-needed emergency equipment and supplies for YWCA Crabtree Corner and YWCA Cause We Care House in the Downtown Eastside. The funds will also be used for an automated gate which will allow the YWCA Health and Fitness Centre to increase access for people with disabilities and mobility issues.
Canada Post Community Foundation donated $6,058 to the Vancouver Public Library Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase iPads for digital literacy programs for children and teens.
RBC Foundation donated $20,000 to Special Olympics BC to support the Performance Program, which provides expert-level coaching and training advice to Special Olympics athletes and coaches across the province.
Mo Dhaliwal from Skyrocket Digital donated $9,000 to the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) to support Sikh education. SikhRI’s recent annual leadership luncheon raised more than $40,000 for the institute.
Pyrrha, a local jewellery design company, donated $12,500 to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Funds were raised over a four-day sale of the company’s Inspiration with Diamond Talisman. The company will donate $100 from each talisman sold until December 31 to Canuck Place; go to pyrrha.com or call 1-877-479-7742 to order.
CKNW Orphans’ Fund donated $2,475 to the Vancouver Public Library Foundation. The funds were donated in support of scholarships for Vancouver Public Library’s Writing and Book Camp for aspiring writers aged 11 to 16.
The Canada Post Community Foundation has committed $25,000 to the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, BC & Yukon Chapter in support of the More Wishes, More Wonders campaign, which supports the expansion of the Children’s Wish mission to now grant wishes for children facing serious genetic and neurological conditions. •
