Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission announces 2017 advisory board

A service of the Regional District of Central Okanagan, the COEDC has a 40+ member advisory body including key industry leaders representing various sectors including:  Aerospace, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Professional Services, Development, Technology and Tourism.  The Advisory Board acts as a conduit of community and business information; this information provides staff the ability to identify tactics and partnerships in order to facilitate a healthy, dynamic and sustainable community economy. 

New to the Advisory Board:

Janice Larson
BC Ministry of Technology, Innovation & Citizen’s Services
Executive Director, Regional Innovation Initiatives

Matt Gomez
Soil Mate
CEO & Founder

Sector: Agriculture

Chris Lapointe
Flair Airlines Ltd
VP Commercial Operations
Sector: Aerospace

Chris Mazurkewich
Interior Health Authority President & CEO

Sector – Healthcare

Industry Leaders Representing the Local Business Community
James Calissi Calissi Farms, Owner Agriculture
Mike Checkley QHR Technologies, President & CEO Health Care/Technology
Martin Cronin Helios Global Tracking, Director Business Devl Technology
Jim Grant Grant Thornton LLP, Partner Finance/Professional Services
Alex Greer Adaptive Ventures Inc., Founder and Principal Technology/Manufacturing
Lynn Heinrich Sun-Rype, Business Dev. & Marketing Mgr USA Manufacturing/Communications
Peter Jeffrey Okanagan Peer Mentoring Group, President Manufacturing
Brad Klassen Troika Group, Partner Construction/Development
David McDougall Blenz Coffee, Founder and Principal Small Business/Food Beverage
Victor Narynskyyi Centro Consulting Inc., Co-Founder Marketing
Karen Olsson Two Hat Research (Community Sift), COO Technology
Murray Ramsden Consultant Health Care
Domenic Vinci Coast Capital Savings, VP New Markets Finance
Kale Wallgren Levelton Consultants Ltd, Group Manager Professional Services
Directors Appointed and Staff Representing  Local and Provincial Government
District of Lake Country Councillor Matt Vader
District of Lake Country Community Development Manager Jamie McEwan
City of Kelowna Councillor Brad Sieben
City of Kelowna Director of Business and Entrepreneurial Development Robert Fine
Westbank First Nation Councillor Fernanda Alexander
Westbank First Nation Mgr – Ec. Dev. & Communications Mandi Carroll
City of West Kelowna Councillor Bryden Winsby
City of West Kelowna Economic Development Officer John Perrott
District of Peachland  Councillor Peter Schierbeck
Regional District of Central Okanagan Board Chair Gail Given
BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism & Skills Training Regional Manager Thompson Okanagan Region Myles Bruns
BC Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizen Services Executive Director, Regional Innovation Initiatives Janice Larson

Directors Appointed from Partner Organizations
Accelerate Okanagan Raghwa Gopal, CEO
Business Development Bank of Canada Martine Hickman, Manager Subordinate Financing
Community Futures of the Central Okanagan  Larry Widmer, Manager
Greater Westside Board of Trade Gary Schlenker, Board of Directors Vice-Chair
Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Ken Carmichael, Board of Directors Past President
Kelowna International Airport Sam Samaddar, Airport Director
Lake Country Chamber of Commerce Camae Thompson, Board of Directors
Okanagan Centre for Innovation Kelsey Helm, Director at Wheelhouse
Okanagan College Heather Schneider, Regional Dean Central Okanagan
Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board Lynette Keyowski, Executive Director
Peachland Chamber of Commerce Peter Stapleton, Board of Directors
Tourism Kelowna Daniel Bibby, Board of Directors Chair
University of British Columbia-Okanagan Phil Barker, Vice-Principal Research Okanagan
Women’s Enterprise Centre Laurel Douglas, CEO

The Economic Development Commission Executive consists of the following members:
• Domenic Vinci, Chair                         Financial Services
• Victor Narynskyyi, Past Chair        Professional Services
• David McDougall, Vice Chair         Small Business & Manufacturing

• Martin Cronin                                      Manufacturing/Technology
• Jim Grant                                             Professional Services
• Raghwa Gopal                            Technology & Entrepreneurship
• Murray Ramsden                      Healthcare

Further information about the COEDC and its programs can be found on the COEDC website at www.investkelowna.com.