People on the Move
Finance
David Gaskin, previously senior vice-president, finance, Coast Capital Savings, has been appointed chief financial officer at the credit union. Gaskin, a chartered professional accountant and former auditor with the provincial office of the auditor general, began his career with the organization as an assistant controller with the credit union’s legacy institution, Pacific Coast Savings, and has risen through the ranks for nearly 20 years. Matthew Handford has been appointed chief people officer, a newly created position. Handford has more than 15 years of human resource leadership experience, serving as senior vice-president, HR and e-commerce, for Forzani Group; executive vice-president of people for WestJet; and vice-president, human resources, for Crystal Decisions/Business Objects.
Hospitality/Tourism/Convention
Felix Zhou has been appointed executive chef at Beach Bay Café. Zhou has worked in Vancouver at West Restaurant, Market by Jean-Georges, The Parker and, most recently, Big Trouble; in Whistler at Nita Lake Lodge and in London at Galvin La Chapelle and pop-up restaurant Roganic.
Legal
Chen Zhou and Tal Wolf have joined MacLean Law. Zhou, who worked with DLA Piper LLP in Beijing, China, is fluent in Mandarin and French, and joins the firm’s family law practice, with a focus on wealth and asset preservation. Wolf is a seasoned trial lawyer and practised law in Los Angeles, California, for 15 years. He will be working in both family law and personal injury.
Ludmila Herbst, a partner at Farris since 2007, has been appointed Queen’s Counsel by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for British Columbia. Herbst practices in commercial, regulatory, media and constitutional law and has appeared at all levels of court in B.C., before the Supreme Court of Canada and before tribunals. She is co-author of Commercial Arbitration in Canada: A guide to Domestic and International Arbitrations and is the assistant editor and a regular contributor to the Advocate.
Scott Lamb and Jim Schmidt have joined Clark Wilson as partners. Lamb has joined the technology, intellectual property and infrastructure and construction and procurement groups. He is also a registered trademark agent and handles privacy law matters. Schmidt has joined the firm’s business litigation group and handles high-value commercial cases in trials, appeals and arbitrations and has particular experience in fraud claims, shareholder litigation and real estate disputes.
Non-Profit
Murad Al-Katib, president and CEO, Alliance Grain Traders Food and Ingredients Inc., and Sandra Pupatello, strategic adviser, industry, global markets and public sector, PwC, have been appointed to the board of directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
The Vancouver chapter of the Legal Marketing Association, LMA Vancouver, recently elected its 2016 board of directors. Officers include Elizabeth Reymundo (president), Gowlings; Christopher Bailey (president-elect), McMillan LLP; Priscilla Martindale (immediate past-president), Alexander Holburn; Claire Walker (secretary), Stikeman Elliott LLP; and Lynn Foley (treasurer), f-Squared Marketing. Members at large include Hans Chang, McMillan LLP; Tiffany Hoos, Bull Housser; Pia Huynh, Business in Vancouver; Paula LaBrie, PLCreative Management; Alison Stapleton, Gowlings; and Chloe Thomas, McCarthy Tétrault.
Argiro Kotsalis has joined Vancouver Airport Authority (VAA) as vice-president, legal, general counsel and corporate secretary. Responsible for the legal, governance, compliance and insurance portfolios, Kotsalis will act as corporate secretary, conflict of interest and privacy officer at VAA. Kotsalis brings with her 19 years of legal experience in private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, the formation and financing of limited partnerships and general corporate commercial legal matters.
Public
Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas has been appointed general manager of community services for the City of Vancouver, effective in February. Llewellyn-Thomas, a civil engineer, has more than 30 years of executive leadership experience from roles at the City of Toronto, the Region of York and most recently served as the strategic adviser and director of transportation and public works for the City of Halifax.
Real estate
The Professional Association of Managing Agents (PAMA) recently recognized the following members: Susan MacGregor of Quay Pacific Property Management received the Property Manager of the Year Award; Rising Star of the Year Award was shared by Constantin Negrut of Quay Pacific Property Management and Ivana Masinovic of the Wynford Group; and Shahbaz Munshey of Action Integrated Security Solutions was named Industry Contributor of the Year.
Companies on the move
New Address
Coast Capital Savings has moved its head office. The new location is at Central City, 9900 King George Blvd, Suite 800, Surrey, B.C., V3T 0K7. All phone numbers remain the same.
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.
Three social activists were recently honoured at the 22nd annual Labour Appreciation Night for their outstanding community service. The Vancouver and District Labour Council Syd Thompson Community Service Award went to Jim Sinclair, who has held several high-profile positions, including president, BC Federation of Labour. He is currently working with Canadian veterans’ organizations and is involved in farmworkers’ issues, including the Golden Tree project in Abbotsford. The New Westminster and District Labour Council’s Labour Community Service Award went to Darrell Causey, business agent, United Food and Commercial Workers Canada 1518. The United Way of the Lower Mainland’s Joe Morris Labour Community Service Award went to Debra Elless, vice-president, Unifor Local 4275.
The organizers of the Deighton Cup donated $5,655 to Variety – the Children’s Charity. Funds were raised from partial proceeds of ticket sales at the July 2015 event.
Crofton House School (CHS) donated $35,000 to CLICK (Contributing to Lives of Inner City Kids). The funds were raised at the CHS Winter Bazaar.
Donations totalling $40,000 were presented to Tapestry Foundation for Health Care to support fundraising efforts for the annual Scotiabank Feast of Fortune gala, in celebration of the Chinese New Year, taking place on Saturday, February 6, at the Westin Bayshore Hotel. The goal of this year’s event is to raise $800,000 for medical equipment needed in the emergency department at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital.
An effort to preserve and share the stories of South Asian pioneers to Canada has resulted in support of B.C.’s busiest cardiac care centre. Proceeds from the second annual 100 Year Journey gala were included in a $30,000 donation presented to Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation’s Cardiac Care Campaign.
Vancity Credit Union has donated $7,500 to Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society. The donation will allow young people with employment barriers the opportunity to get training and potential employment through Intersections’ 210-hour work experience program. Students learn new skills in digital media, financial literacy, health and wellness and project management. Prior to starting their work experience placement, participants will also receive First Aid, FoodSafe, Serving it Right and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System certification.
Telus donated $25,000 to the BC SPCA in support of its youth education program. The donation was made possible through Telus customers: between September 17 and October 31, Telus donated $25 to the BC SPCA for every Vancouver customer who signed up for Optik TV. •
