Former Vancouver Canucks executive Loring Phinney has taken over as CEO at the Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN).
He has more than 30 years of communications, marketing and stakeholder-engagement experience in B.C.
"I'm really excited to do this," Phinney told BIV this morning. "I've had lots of great opportunities in my career. This is a very special place to work. We're gonna make an impact here for a lot of people."
Parents who have a children who they believe may be neurodivergent must get professional assessments in order to be approved for government funding, Phinney explained.
"Our role is to support neurodivergent individuals throughout their lives, and their families, through programs and partnerships, whether they have pursued diagnosis or not."
Phinney will work out of the PAFN's 60,000-square-foot Richmond headquarters, which includes, among other things, a national autism resource centre, some medical space, a daycare, a library, a music-therapy centre and space where neurodivergent people can learn skills to help them find work, he said.
The 35-employee PAFN also has offices in Chilliwack and in Prince George.
Phinney left the Vancouver Canucks in the middle of last year after a 10-month stint as vice-president of communications and community.
"I resigned," he told BIV this morning.
"It was at the it was at the end of the season and I just decided I wanted to do something different."
Pacific Autism Family Network's chair, Sergio Cocchia, said he was impressed with Phinney's work during his 14 years as an executive at Bell Canada.
Phinney "was central to the creation and execution of the globally recognized Bell Let’s Talk Mental Health Initiative," Cocchia said.
"Throughout his career, Loring has been a passionate leader and developer of people, and we saw that as a great skill set to bring to our organization."
Cocchia noted that Phinney served on the United Way campaign cabinet for 10 years and was the campaign co-chair in 2012.
He also has experience on corporate boards, for organizations such as Destination British Columbia.
BIV recognized Phinney in 1998 as one of that year's Forty Under 40 winners. That annual recognition highlights achievements of young B.C. entrepreneurs, executives and professionals.
