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The BC Achievement Foundation is governed by a dedicated volunteer board of directors. Their knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise from a wide range of backgrounds, including business, law, finance, social justice, Indigenous innovation, arts and culture, economics, and public service guides the Foundation’s strategic direction.
An executive, director and writer, Anne Giardini serves or has served on several boards including CMHC, TransLink, HydroOne, WWF-Canada and Pembina Institute among others. She is the author of two novels and co-editor of a collection of writing advice. Anne has been Chair of the Vancouver Writers Festival, a board member of the Writers Trust of Canada and is a past Chancellor of Simon Fraser University. In 2009, she was appointed Queen’s Council and received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. Anne was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada for her contributions to the forestry sector, higher education and the literary community in 2016 and appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 2018.
Why BC Achievement? – Anne Giardini
It is a hallmark of successful organizations and societies that they not only recognize achievement, but celebrate them. All of us – if we are lucky – have a memory of giving or receiving recognition for an act of creation or collaboration or inspiration or community building. BC Achievement exists to shine light on those whose actions make this province a better place for us all.
Kevin Bent is Chief Executive Officer of Rides.ca. He previously served as President and Publisher of Pacific Newspaper Group and Executive Vice President, Western Canada for Postmedia Network Inc. Kevin has a business degree from the University of New Brunswick and is active on the boards of the Street to Home Foundation and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children Foundation.
Why BC Achievement? – Kevin Bent
As a proud British Columbian, I believe it’s important to recognize and celebrate excellence in our province. This helps strengthen and build community spirit and inspire present and future generations.
Yuri Fulmer is the Founder and Chairman of Fulmer & Company; an investment firm that makes both private equity and venture investments and has a strong history of aligning philanthropy with business in order to create robust communities. Amongst many community and professional involvements, Yuri is the National Chair of the Board of United Way Centraide Canada and Co-Chair of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society . In 2012, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia and received a BC Achievement Community Award.
Why BC Achievement? – Yuri Fulmer
Recognizing extraordinary achievement not only benefits the recipients and their communities, but inspires all of us to create a better Canada for all Canadians.
Christopher Gaze is best known as the Founding Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, which celebrated its Thirtieth Season in 2019. He hosts the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s ever popular Tea & Trumpets series and has hosted their annual traditional Christmas concerts for the past 26 years. Christopher plays a leading role in British Columbia as an advocate for the arts in general, and his passionate dedication to Bard on the Beach has fuelled its growth into one of the largest professional theatre companies in Canada, drawing more than 1.9 million patrons since he founded it in 1990. His many honours include Canada’s Meritorious Service Medal, Honorary Doctorates from UBC & SFU, the Mayor’s Arts Award for Theatre and the Order of British Columbia.
Why BC Achievement? – Christopher Gaze
BC Achievement reaches every corner of British Columbia and recognizes the excellence and the good that the people of our Province do for the betterment of all. Being honoured has a massive impact on individuals, their family and their friends. I am deeply proud to serve on the Board and to play a small role in furthering this noble mission.
Since 2012, Jack Lohman has served as the CEO of the Royal BC Museum. Previously, Jack acted as the Chairman of the Board for the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland and was the Director of the Museum of London (2002 – 2012). He also served as the CEO of Iziko Museums in Cape Town, an organization consisting of 15 national museums. Currently, Jack is President of the Canadian Museums Association. He attended the University of East Anglia and the Freien Universitat in Berlin and obtained an MA at the University of Manchester. Jack was granted Honorary Doctorates from the University of Westminster, the University of London (PUNO) and the University of East Anglia. In 2012, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Why BC Achievement? – Jack Lohman
BC Achievement is an alternative way of seeing the world and building a better future by honoring those who inspire us. We believe all of us have capacities that can be mobilized for the benefit of society. Take a look at who we honour…
Robert Louie is a distinguished Indigenous leader from Westbank where he served as Chief of the Westbank First Nation for 24 years. Currently, Robert is the Chairman of the Lands Advisory Board, a position he has held for 30 years, Chairman and Director of Peace Hills Trust, and is the proprietor of the award-winning Indigenous World Winery. Robert has also served as a member of the Board of Governors with the University of British Columbia. His many honours include his appointment as an Officer to the Order of Canada in 2006, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal in 2012, an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the Justice Institute of British Columbia (2014), the 2016 BC Aboriginal Business Individual Achievement Award and most recently in June 2019 Okanagan College bestowed its highest honour to Robert naming him as an Honourary Fellow.
Why BC Achievement – Robert Louie
The citizens of BC deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their excellence and outstanding achievements. This makes BC not only proud, but stronger as a community.
Scott McIntyre is best-known for his role as co-founder, publisher and CEO of the pre-eminent Canadian publishing house Douglas & McIntyre. His career embraced over 40 years of government relations and industry association work, including 20 years as an advisor to the Federal government for the Cultural Industries during all of Canada’s recent trade negotiations. His many Board positions have included the Writer’s Trust of Canada, the BC Arts Council, the Canadian Coalition for Cultural Diversity, the Bill Reid Foundation, the UBC School of Journalism, and the Association of Canadian Publishers. He is currently a Board member of the Vancouver Institute, the Global Reporting Centre, Green College, and the Museum of Anthropology, all at UBC, and PEN Canada. Recently awarded the Order of British Columbia, Scott is a Member of the Order of Canada and holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws from SFU.
Why BC Achievement? – Scott McIntyre
Honouring British Columbians of exceptional cultural and social achievement is a compelling mandate, one that makes an important contribution to the province. I am enormously proud of having been involved with BC Achievement since its establishment in 2003.
John is former CEO of RBC Global Asset Management, Canada’s largest investment management firm and among the 50 largest in global rankings with over $375 billion in assets under management. John is currently Principal of Tower Beach Capital Ltd., a private enterprise focused on venture capital investments. He serves on numerous boards including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the Asia Pacific Foundation, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, St Paul’s Hospital Foundation, and chairs the Board of Trustees for the Vancouver Police Foundation. John holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation and a Bachelor of Commerce, with Honours, from University of British Columbia (UBC). He is a Leslie Wong Fellow of the UBC Portfolio Management Foundation and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Emily Carr University.
Why BC Achievement? – John Montalbano
It is important to highlight and celebrate the achievements of those that make our communities stronger. Humility and celebration are not mutually exclusive, nor necessarily conflicting. We have much to celebrate within our communities.
Walter Pela is KPMG’s Regional Managing Partner leading BC’s largest and oldest professional services firm with over 1,350 team members in 12 offices across the Province. He also serves on KPMG’s National Clients & Markets Committee, overseeing client service and market development across Canada. With a 30 year career at KPMG, Walter enjoys leading conversations with clients, business leaders and organizations on the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of digital transformation, business model disruption, and changing environmental, social and economic dimensions affecting businesses and their broader stakeholders. Walter has been recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA), as a Champion honouree by the Association of Women of Finance, is part of the President’s Group representing BC’s Accessible Employers, currently sits on the Executive Committees of the Boards of the Business Council of British Columbia and of the Pacific Autism Family Network, and is a past Governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation and past Finance Committee Chair of UNICEF Canada.
Why BC Achievement? – Walter Pela
British Columbia is built by truly remarkable people doing incredible work in varied fields throughout the Province. They deserve to be recognized and celebrated, and their achievements amplified, inspiring all of us in our ambitions to make an impact.
Sophie Pierre is an Indigenous leader and served as Chief of ʔAq̓am near Cranbrook for 26 years. She was the Chief Commissioner for the British Columbia Treaty Commission (2009 – 2015) and was instrumental in the formation of the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Tribal Council in the 1970s and subsequently, served as the administrator for 25 years. Sophie was awarded the 2003 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in Business, which recognized her strong commitment to the economic development of her community. In 2016, she was appointed to the Order of Canada and was named to the Order of British Columbia in 1994. Sophie received Honorary Doctorates of Law from the University of Canada West and from the University of British Columbia. In 2013, she was awarded the BC Aboriginal Business Individual Achievement Award.
Why BC Achievement? – Sophie Pierre
Excellence in our Province comes in many forms and activities, from business growth to community involvement to incredible works of art. Help us celebrate excellence, be a nominator!
Dr. Judith Sayers is a member of the Hupacasath First Nation; she was elected President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in September 2017. Judith has worked as a Strategic Adviser to First Nations and corporations and is an adjunct professor at the Peter Gustavson School of Business and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. She was the elected Chief of the Hupacasath First Nation for 14 years and Chief Negotiator for 15 years. Judith’s educational background includes a business and law degree and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Queen’s University. She has an extensive background of practicing law for 18 years in both Alberta and British Columbia, working in international forums, lobbying governments and other agencies for the promotion and protection of First Nations rights and title. A champion for sustainable development in Indigenous communities, Judith was appointed an officer to the Order of Canada in 2018.
Why BC Achievement? – Judith Sayers
I really enjoy being able to work with BC Achievement to identify people to honour in the various areas we do awards. It is such positive work setting the stage to find people we can hold up and say to the world, “this is what they have achieved.”
John Horgan was sworn in as Premier of British Columbia on July 18, 2017. He began his service as an MLA in 2005, when he was elected to represent the riding of Juan de Fuca on Southern Vancouver Island. He has been re-elected three times, most recently as MLA for the new riding of Langford-Juan de Fuca in 2017. He became leader of the BC NDP in 2014. Raised with a strong sense of family, Premier Horgan is a proud husband and father. He and his three siblings were raised by his mother in Saanich, after his father passed away when he was very young. He grew up playing sports and was a natural leader at school, on the basketball court, and in the lacrosse box. As a youth, Premier Horgan benefited from a strong public-school system and a caring community that lifted up his family in times of need. His experience of the power of public services to transform lives and open up opportunities inspired him to work to make British Columbia better for everyone.
Why BC Achievement? – Premier Horgan
BC Achievement gives us the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the best and brightest in British Columbia. Honouring inspiring individuals for their contributions to our communities encourages others to step up and do the same. BC Achievement fosters a spirit of generosity and selflessness throughout our province.
Lisa Beare was elected as the MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in May 2017. She is the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, responsible for Sport and Multiculturalism. As the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, she works to promote and strengthen B.C.’s dynamic tourism industry, as well as the vibrant arts, culture and sport community, to ensure that these sectors continue to thrive throughout the province and are valued and respected internationally. Lisa grew up in Maple Ridge and is raising a young family in the community. She previously worked as a flight attendant and a commercial pilot. Long a passionate advocate for social causes and a dedicated volunteer, she demonstrated her commitment to good governance early on, earning a diploma in local government management from the University of Victoria. Lisa got her start in politics in 2014 when she was elected as a school board trustee for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
Why BC Achievement? – Lisa Beare
The BC Achievement Foundation recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of people in this province. The Foundation highlights the best among us, and in doing so, inspires a spirit of excellence that helps build strong and prosperous communities. I’m proud to serve on the board of the Foundation and delighted to have the opportunity to exemplify those whose remarkable achievements contribute to our growth and success as a province.
In 2017, Sonia Furstenau was elected to represent the Cowichan Valley as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Prior to her election, she served as Area B Director for the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). She is House Leader for the BC Green Party, and currently sits on several parliamentary committees, including the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth, and the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. Sonia’s constituency work is focused on continued efforts to protect Cowichan Valley watersheds, facilitating conversations between government and community groups about child wellness, advocating for updated infrastructure in health and education, and supporting First Nations’ leadership. Long involved in grassroots advocacy, she was National Administrator for Results Canada, a non-profit that works to end extreme poverty, and served on the Board of Directors for Oikocredit, an international microcredit organization. Sonia was also a volunteer with Citizens Climate Lobby, which is committed to finding solutions to the challenge of climate change. Sonia has worked as a teacher in the Victoria School District and in Shawnigan Lake, where she taught History, English, and Theory of Knowledge. Sonia has a BA and an MA in History from the University of Victoria. Sonia lives in Shawnigan Lake with her husband, Blaise, and their children.
Why BC Achievement? – Sonia Furstenau
BC Achievement reminds us how important it is to celebrate the extraordinary actions of our neighbours and community members.
Rachna Singh was elected as the MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers in 2017. She is Chair of the Special Committee to Review the Police Complaint Process. Rachna moved from India to Canada in 2001 and chose Surrey to build a better life for her young family. She has worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor, a support worker for women facing domestic violence, and a community activist. Rachna is strongly passionate in human rights and social justice. Rachna has two children and is married to radio journalist Gurpreet Singh.
Why BC Achievement? – Rachna Singh
To celebrate and acknowledge excellence across our diverse province.
Honour excellence and inspire achievement throughout British Columbia.
BC Achievement is an independent foundation established in 2003 that celebrates excellence and inspires achievement in British Columbia.
Tel: 604.261.9777
Toll Free: 1.866.882.6088 in BC
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