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Development/Construction
Steve Grindle has been appointed general manager of Enersolv Design and Build, a Vancouver-based mechanical systems firm specializing in the delivery of high-performance energy-efficient buildings. Grindle joined the firm 11 years ago and is now responsible for the day-to-day leadership of multimillion-dollar building systems implementations involving a team of experts spanning engineering, design, construction, energy management, service and maintenance.
Finance
After a 32-year career with RBC, including 15 years as regional president, British Columbia, Graham MacLachlan will retire on April 30. Succeeding him as regional president is Martin Thibodeau. MacLachlan first joined RBC in 1986 in corporate banking in Vancouver, and the first 15 years of his career were focused on increasingly senior roles in commercial banking and risk management in locations in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. In 2001, MacLachlan took the role of chief risk officer with RBC Centura in North Carolina, and two years later he returned to Vancouver as regional president, B.C. Thibodeau has had a 28-year career with RBC and has held a number of senior leadership roles across the country, including regional vice-president, eastern New Brunswick and P.E.I.; vice-president and regional operating officer, Quebec; regional vice-president, commercial financial services, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and northwest Ontario; and vice-president, Canadian banking, Toronto. Thibodeau has held the role of regional president, Quebec, for the past five years.
Health/Medical
Dr. Ernesto Aycardi has been appointed chief medical officer at Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. Aycardi has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and, prior to joining Xenon, was vice-president and head of clinical trial operations, biostatistics and data sciences and clinical pharmacology at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Xenon also announced other changes to its senior leadership team including the promotion of Ian Mortimer to president, in addition to his current role as chief financial officer, along with the promotion of Dr. Robin Sherrington from senior vice-president to executive vice-president, business and corporate development. In addition, Dr. Paul Goldberg has resigned as Xenon’s senior vice-president, clinical development, effective June 2, in order to pursue other opportunities.
Legal
Sarah Bird and Darcy McKitrick have joined Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s Vancouver office as partner and associate, respectively. Both were previously at Miller Titerle and both lawyers practise in the same areas: corporate commercial, Aboriginal, infrastructure and banking and financial services.
David Wotherspoon has joined Dentons as a partner in and lead of its litigation and dispute resolution group in Vancouver. Wotherspoon’s practice focuses on corporate and commercial disputes, and encompasses all areas of litigation and dispute resolution. He has extensive experience in matters that relate to injunctions and Anton Piller orders, defamation and free speech, intellectual property and software disputes, crisis management, professional liability, shareholder disputes and fraud investigations. To complement his litigation practice, he is extensively engaged in pro bono cases, taking on several opportunities to represent those who would otherwise have limited access to the justice system.
Ken Chow and Victoria Wu have joined Miller Thomson’s Vancouver office as associates. Chow is in the business law group and advises public and private companies on a variety of corporate finance transactions, general corporate governance and securities law. Wu practises primarily in commercial real estate law and represents clients in all aspects of real estate transactions and developments.
Resources
R.L. (Randy) Jespersen has been appointed executive chairman, pipeline, at Steelhead LNG. Jespersen’s career began with Dome Petroleum followed by Amoco in Calgary and Houston, Texas. In 1996, he joined Terasen Inc. (now FortisBC), where he held various senior roles including vice-president, gas supply. He assumed the role of president and CEO of Terasen Gas in 2002 until his retirement in 2010.
Alianza Minerals Ltd.’s shareholders recently elected five directors: Mark T. Brown, president, Pacific Opportunity Capital Ltd.; Jason S. Weber, president and CEO, Alianza; Craig Lindsay, president and CEO, Otis Gold Ltd.; Marc G. Blythe, vice-president, corporate development, Nevsun Resources Ltd.; and John R. Wilson, consulting geologist and past-president, Animas Resources Ltd.
Sales/Marketing
Katie Ainsworth recently joined Cossette as its new executive creative director, while the firm also promoted Pierre Chan and Scott Schneider to creative directors. Ainsworth began her career as a junior writer at Cossette, and rejoins the agency after working on national campaigns for World Vision, OK Tire, Future Shop and Sobeys, as well as smaller campaigns for Vancouver International Film Festival, Alberta Libraries, Coast Capital Savings and BC Used Oil Management Association.
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.
The River Foundation donated $24,000 to Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. The funds will help the organization match at-risk girls with a supportive mentor through its Big Sisters mentoring program.
Langara College’s United Way employee committee donated $33,671.86 to United Way of Lower Mainland. The funds were raised in 2017 through events, book sales, craft fairs, hot dog days and more. Langara College provided funding to facilitate the participation of Langara students as campaign associates working with United Way employees to raise funds during the 2017 fall semester.
$12,000 in proceeds from the Burnaby Hospital lottery booth, operated by volunteers, were donated to the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, to be directed to the hospital’s highest-priority needs.
Variety – The Children’s Charity donated $30,000 to BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre Foundation. The funds will allow the hospital to provide breast pumps for families who may not have the means to buy them. •
