Plenary Facilitators
David C. Bentall
Next Step Advisors Inc.
David is the founder of Next Step Advisors Inc. For twenty years he worked in his family's real estate and construction businesses. During his years as President and CEO of Dominion Construction, the business doubled in size. David also played a leading role in several landmark projects across Canada, including the widely acclaimed G.M. Place in Vancouver and the TD Centre Office Complex in downtown Winnipeg. Subsequently, David was a key player in the successful Vancouver Whistler 2010 Olympic bid. The same creative energy and focused determination that marked his career in business is now available to individuals and families to help them identify and resolve their issues. David is a gifted moderator, a trained facilitator, an experienced executive/life coach and an outstanding speaker.
Peter Jaskiewicz
Telfer School of Management
Peter is the University Research Chair in Enduring Entrepreneurship at the Telfer School of Management. He conducts quantitative and qualitative research on entrepreneurship and family business. His current research focuses on antecedents of transgenerational entrepreneurship and corporate reputation in family and founder firms. Moreover, Peter researches organizational outcomes of entrepreneurial legacies, managerial pay dispersion and family dynamics in these firms.
Jeff Melanson
Lansberg-Gersick & Associates
Jeff is a seasoned consultant known for his inventive approach to meeting business challenges and opportunities with bold strategy, thoughtful leadership and practical vision.
Jeff has a proven track record transforming struggling organizations into industry leaders as a CEO, an advisor and an entrepreneur. He offers unique and insightful perspectives for enterprising families on organizational structure, leadership, growth and renewal in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.
Jeff is a frequent guest panelist and lecturer on disruptive innovation, design thinking, creative economies, city building and creative entrepreneurship across North America and around the world. Jeff is also a columnist for innovation and business strategy at HuffPost. He was appointed one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2009 and is a recipient of a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Gerry Meyer
Meyer Advisory Group
Gerry is a values-based Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) who brings clarity to family and business governance, as well as the development of next gen owners and leaders. He offers a unique perspective that is rooted in objectivity and independence, and ensures that the long term interests of the family, owners and the company inform all actions and advice. Gerry is the Founder of Meyer Advisory Group.
Michelle Osry
Deloitte Canada
Michelle works with business families and family offices worldwide as an advisor and facilitator, helping define goals and establish practices to achieve lasting success across generations. Committing to the whole family, Michelle brings 30 years in academia, banking and consulting, and wide-ranging travel and study, combined with systems thinking practices. Michelle empowers her client families to thrive, while addressing the complexity of corporate and family dynamics.
Holding BCom, BCom (Hons) and Post-Graduate Diploma (Accounting) qualifications, plus C.A., UK Securities Dealer and Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) certifications, Michelle today leads Deloitte Canada’s Family Enterprise Consulting practice. She is a member of the boards of Family Enterprise Canada and SeeChange Initiative, and of Perimeter Institute’s Emmy Noether Council, fostering women in theoretical physics
Craig Ryan
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Craig is Director of Sustinability & ESG at BDC. He has more than 20 years experience in the public, private and civil society sectors. He has worked in developing countries on poverty reduction and health care, as a senior policy advisor to federal ministers responsible for the environment and foreign aid, and as a corporate responsibility advisor to large energy and pharma companies.
He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, is a guest lecturer at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management and in 2017 was named to Canada’s Clean 16, an award celebrating leadership in promoting clean capitalism.
Wendy Sage-Hayward
The Family Business Consulting Group
As educator, author, adjudicator, and family business owner, Wendy brings 30+ years of experience working with business leaders, family firms and their boards. She is the Academic Director and a Lead Instructor for Family Enterprise Canada and a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA). Wendy was a fifth-generation member and director of a 135 year-old U.S. family firm for 20+ years. She currently owns and operates an agricultural tourism business with her family in the Southern Gulf Islands. Wendy is the co-author of two books: Human Resources in Family Business: Maximizing the Power of Your People and Own It! How to Develop a Family Enterprise Owner’s Mindset at Every Age. Her background in family business ownership and governance motivated Wendy to dedicate her career to serving the needs of business families who are passionate about operating and transitioning their enterprise to future generations.
Emcees
Keita Demming
The Covenant Group (TCG)
Keita completed his PhD at the University of Toronto and now serves as the Head of Innovation and Development at The Covenant Group (TCG). TCG's mission is to educate and coach entrepreneurs and organizations. Their passion is to enable organizations to achieve and sustain peak performance, as they define it.
At TCG, Keita and his team have built an online coaching platform that acts as a virtual coach for entrepreneurs and business builders. When he is not building new products for the emerging future, Keita helps organizations identify and implement plausible innovation opportunities.
You can also visit Keita’s podcast, Disruptive Conversations, where he unpacks how people who are working to disrupt a sector or system think.
Steve Legler
Family Legacy Coach
Steve is an independent Family Legacy Coach based in Montreal. He grew up in a business family destined to take over the company his father had founded before he was born. After an unexpected liquidity event that occurred while he was still in his 20's, he ended up managing their family office instead. In 2013, he stumbled upon the Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) program, which turned into a career-changing calling for him.
Steve now works with family clients as a facilitator and sometimes as a mediator. He also does individual coaching with family members from every generation. He is the author of SHIFT Your Family Business (2014) and Interdependent Wealth: How Family Systems Theory Illuminates Successful Intergenerational Wealth Transitions (2019). Steve is a member of the FEA Council, a faculty member of the Family Firm Institute’s Global Education Network program (FFI-GEN) and one of the hosts of the Let’s Talk Family Enterprise podcast.
Opening Remarks
David R. Beatty
The David & Sharon Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation
David is one of the world’s most experienced corporate directors and educators. He has served on 39 different boards of directors in Canada, America, Mexico, Australia and England, and has been chairman of 11 public companies.
David was the founding Managing Director of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance and he still oversees the Canadian Directors’ Education Program (DEP).
In 2013, he was inducted into the Order of Canada for his work in Corporate Governance – the only person ever to be so cited. In 1994, he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for his services to Papua New Guinea. In 2018, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN).
Wes Nahanee
Wes is of Squamish/Hawaain decent and is a Cultural Ambassador for his Squamish family.
He has been working with youth for the past 30 years in Vancouver, British Columbia. Participating in a canoe program that involves both youth and various policing communities throughout British Columbia.
Wes is honoured to be able to share the Indigenous teachings of his family as he walks with a foot in both worlds of Indigenous peoples and Western ways of life.
Discussion Facilitators
Richa Arora
KPMG Family Office
Richa has been with KPMG for over a decade and brings over 20 years of diverse global experience to the Family Office team. She leads the Family dynamics and governance practice in the greater Toronto area and acts as the Lead Relationship Manager for Family Office clients. She works with family enterprises and large private and public corporations in a variety of industries.
She helps clients align their core values, purpose and human capital with their overall family, governance, wealth and legacy objectives. Richa has completed the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising the Family Business and Family Governance and several courses on conflict management, behavioral based interviews and effective succession planning. She is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) and sits on the Board of Directors for the Global Family Firm Institute (FFI) and serves as a Community Ambassador for Family Enterprise Canada.
Ambreen Bhaloo
Ambreen Bhaloo Coaching
Ambreen has a passion for family business and the next generation of leaders. She comes from an enterprising family herself and understands first-hand the complex and competing demands of family, business and ownership. Though she worked in the family business, Ambreen’s heart led her to focus on her young family and step away from leadership. She later founded her own coaching and family enterprise advisory practice, with a focus on supporting enterprising families through complex human dynamics. She is also actively involved on her family’s board. Currently, she is a member on the Board of Family Enterprise Foundation. She is an FEA (Family Enterprise Advisor) and a Certified Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC).
Jon Brandt
Summit Brooke Construction
Jon is the President and Owner of Summit Brooke Construction in Abbotsford, BC, a general contacting and real estate development firm that specializes in multi-family and commercial construction.
Having founded the company in 1998, his family is now expressing interest in being involved with the business so he has begun the succession planning process with David C. Bentall. He looks forward to involving his family in the business in a way that values relationships first, and sets the business up for multi-generational success in the future.
Deena Chochinov
Deena Chochinov Consulting, Coaching, Counselling
For over 20 years, Deena has worked as a consultant, coach and counsellor with people and organizations seeking meaningful change. Trained by world-renowned leaders in the fields of psychology and organizational development—including Virginia Satir and William Bridges—she draws from a broad repertoire of skills to produce sustainable outcomes for each client.
As a family facilitator, Deena works with multi-generational families who seek the tools and techniques to make smart decisions, manage conflict effectively and develop strong, lasting relationships. She also serves legacy families of wealth who manage the many complexities of inherited responsibility and privilege. Deena is a graduate of the FEA Program at the UBC Sauder School of Business and has earned the official designation of Family Enterprise Advisor from Family Enterprise Canada.
Carla Heim
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Carla is Senior Advisor, Sustainability & ESG at BDC. She is a leading figure in the national movement of entrepreneurs who use business as a force for good. They create for-profit companies that help build robust communities that are inclusively prosperous and climate resilient. She is a national expert in on B Corp certification and the B Impact assessment tool, and serves as the BDC / B Lab Partnership Lead. B Lab is the not-for-profit that is the creator of the international B Corp movement.
Carla has 30+ years experience in owning, managing, advising and financing businesses. She brings to entrepreneurs a singular mix of hands-on experience, deep expertise and – as a longstanding member of the national and global B Corp networks – knowledge of the latest, most innovative practices.
Chris Reichert
Reichert Family Enterprise Advisors Inc.
Chris Reichert is a skilled family meeting facilitator with deep expertise in family governance, strategy, and the complex 'soft side' issues that challenge multigenerational enterprising families. He serves families that are serious about succession/continuity planning and doing what it takes to thrive, as a business and family, across generations.
Barb Schimnowsky
WATSON Inc.
Barb is a certified Management Consultant and Family Enterprise Advisor. She is a Search Principal and Practice Co-Leader at WATSON for executive and director search. Prior to joining WATSON, Barb established and ran a highly successful boutique search firm, WestView Executive Search, and also had a 20-year career at KPMG.
With over 30 years of experience in executive search, Barb brings a unique perspective to executive recruitment. As a Senior Manager in the Vancouver search practice at KPMG, she established a search presence in their new Surrey location, where she led and collaborated on a diverse portfolio of searches across multiple industry sectors, with a particular focus on private companies.
Holly Simmons
Golden Lasso Business Consulting
Holly Simmons is a business coach, facilitator, and trainer working with growth minded multi-generational family businesses that want to maximize their family advantage, while minimizing the adverse effects family friction can have within the organization. Holly uses a strategic approach to align values and purpose, develop people and roles, and strengthen communication throughout the business and family systems.
Holly Simmons is a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), a Licensed Associate of TotalLeader® Solutions, is an independent Certified Coach, Teacher and Speaker with John Maxwell Team, and is a Maxwell DISC Certified Trainer. Over her 20+ year career, Holly has worked in numerous sectors and by focusing on communication, leadership development, and problem-solving, her aim is to increase the social and intellectual capital of business families within the community.
Lianne Ulin
M Bacal Group
Lianne joined M Bacal Group in 1998 as she wanted to learn the family business. Over the past 21 years, she has learned how to marry the client’s needs with the best in class innovative insurance solutions available. Lianne has the knowledge and experience that will ensure the continuity of M Bacal’s principal values moving forward. As the VP Finance and Administration, Lianne manages the office and our clients have come to rely on her as the go to person for all their customer service needs. Lianne is constantly striving to expand her horizons through education and in 2008 she became a certified living benefits specialist (CHS) and in 2018 she received her Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation. Reliable and trustworthy Lianne is dedicated to her family and the family business.
Panelists
Naim Ali
SM2 Capital Partners
Naim Ali is the Chief Executive Officer of SM2 Capital Partners (SM2). SM2 is the entity that oversees the Ali Family Office and its related operating businesses. In 2010, Naim moved back to Calgary, from New York, to oversee the real estate portfolio under SM2. The portfolio includes commercial real estate and operating businesses, including parking lots (Calgary), hotels (US and Alberta), casinos and student housing (Ontario). SM2 has also made investments in residential real estate and senior housing projects and is continuously expanding across North America. Naim oversees the strategic planning of the Ali Family Office and is currently a Board Director for Fortress Insurance Company (also in the SM2 portfolio). He enjoys golfing, skiing, wake surfing, attending monthly TEC Group (leadership development) and Personal Advisory Group meetings, and travelling with his family. Naim lives with his wife and two children in Calgary, AB.
Anthony Ariganello
Chartered Professionals of Human Resources (CPHR)
Mr. Ariganello is currently the President and CEO of the Chartered Professionals of Human Resources (CPHR) of BC, and the Yukon, and CPHR Canada. He was the President and CEO of CGA Canada. Mr. Ariganello was also the President of Avon Canada, the world’s largest direct seller.
Holding the ICD director designation, Mr. Ariganello serves as Chair of the Board of Re:Sound a board director of Spinal Cord Injury B.C., and sits on the World Federation of People Management Association as Vice Chair.
Mr. Ariganello has significant experience in people management having led large organizations, like Avon (+1000 personnel), with full operations responsibility, pursuing re-structuring plans, mergers, and ensuring the human capital aspect of all these exercises was always front and center, a priority. Mr. Ariganello also consults on good governance practices, particularly with not for profit boards, and on a wide array of operational issues.
Rasheena Atkins
TPD
Rasheena has over 20 years of experience helping organizations succeed via their people strategy, technology and contingent workforce solutions. She excels in creating HR infrastructure and compliance, performance management programs, workforce planning, talent acquisition, employee engagement and recognition. She has held several senior management positions at First Advantage, General Information Systems, The Search Party and The Personnel Department. She has also been a speaker at Federated Press Conferences as well as a guest lecturer for the Sheridan College Human Resource Management program. Currently, Rasheena holds the position of VP of People and Culture at TPD where she contributes to the organizational strategy via her leadership of TPD's human resources department as well as a growing HR Consulting and HR technology business for clients across industries.
Karen Bichin
ABC Recycling
Karen is a proud fourth-generation member of her family enterprise, ABC Recycling, Western Canada's largest scrap metal recycling company. With nine locations across British Columbia and Alberta, ABC specializes in the recovery, processing and recycling of scrap metal.
Karen is a Family Enterprise Canada Ambassador, and in 2018 she was named as a Family Leader to watch by the Family Business Consulting Group. She is a past Board member of Vancouver Talmud Torah School and past President of the Family Enterprise Canada Vancouver Region Advisory Board. She lives in Vancouver with her two sons and loves yoga, travelling and reading.
Jennifer Brookman
WCD
Jennifer joined WCD as the Vice President, Marketing in 2019 and is responsible for the leadership and strategic development of a cohesive corporate marketing strategy to achieve critical organizational goals. She is also responsible for the executive oversite of the company’s in-house design agency, WCD Creative.
Jennifer carries 20+ years of experience in leadership, market development, strategic campaign design and client relations. She sits on the WCD Executive team along with her sister Karen Brookman, President and CEO, and brother-in-law Allan Megarry, CFO. Their father George Brookman remains actively involved as Chair and Company Ambassador.
Jesse Brotz
Scotia Investments Limited
Jesse is a fourth-generation family member and a shareholder of Scotia Investments Limited. He is currently the longest-serving member of their board, as well as their Human Resource and Corporate Governance Committee. He was also a director and a member of the Audit Committee of Assisted Living Concepts, a publicly traded, senior living provider that was headquartered in Wisconsin.
Jesse previously worked as a Senior Analyst for the Economics Research Group, a consulting firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that employs economic theory and analysis in litigation support, public policy work and business strategy development. He lives in North Vancouver, BC with his wife Melissa, their two sons Cole and Ryder, and their dog Tucker.
Victoria Brown
Legacy Family Business
What sets Victoria apart is her experience, training, and perspective. She grew up in a family business, has had 30+ years of business experience, is the matriarch of a family business and founder of her own business. Some of the challenges she has experienced are communication breakdown, sibling rivalry, distrust, and succession challenges.
Victoria Brown is a facilitator, trainer and advisor who helps business families strengthen bonds, communicate with ease and increase capacity to move past problems. Her training as a certified coach and Organizational Relationship Systems Coach and Systems Specialist allows her to help not only her own family members, but also her clients increase their effectiveness and create harmony.
Sach Chandaria
Family Enterprise Foundation
Sach is a Family Enterprise Foundation Board member and a 5th generation member of a large family that has interests in a diverse group of businesses across base materials processing and manufacturing, media, technology and electronics. His family began from modest origins in East Africa almost a hundred years ago.
Sach and his family’s core focus is on nurturing entrepreneurial talent in sectors with global dynamic growth potential. A core part of their philosophy is also to reinvest the majority of wealth created through these activities into philanthropic objectives.
Kim Collins
Katpal Investments Inc.
Kim is the Co-Managing Director of a family office focused on mortgage lending, real estate investment and development. Prior to establishing the family office, Kim practiced law for Canada’s top law firms and was General Counsel for a real estate investment company in Vancouver. Kim splits her time between Edmonton and Vancouver, and enjoys traveling, skiing and taking care of her two young boys.
Veronica Maldonado Degwitz
Generation6 Family Enterprise Advisors
Growing up as part of the fourth generation of a family that impacted Venezuela’s agricultural and industrial sectors, Veronica developed an understanding early on for the meaning of stewardship, and exemplifying values through one’s behavior.
Veronica is an advisor and head of coaching at Generation6 Family Enterprise Advisors, and she also serves as chair for the board of the GEM (Grupo Economico Maldonado) companies, a role she has had since July 2018. In addition, Veronica served as the Executive Director of the Family Office and Chair of the GEM Family Council. From 2002 -2021 she was the President of the Foundation, La Compañia Humana, which supports education, community development, music, and environmental awareness in Venezuela. She is a frequent speaker in family business matters and participates in advisory boards of the Family Business Network and the Business Families Foundation.
David Emond
Cidel Asset Management
David works with clients and their advisors to design and implement customized financial solutions to help clients build, preserve and transfer wealth. Outside of his ‘day job’ at Cidel David is active in his family business, Emond Publishing, in an advisory role. David is on to the advisory board of the Chinook Fund. Previously, David was a member of the Cabinet for GenNext an initiative of the United Way of Calgary. David is a Family Enterprise Advisor and is a CFA Charterholder.
Max Fortmuller
Vesta Wealth Partners Ltd.
Max is the Director of Vesta Wealth Partners Ltd., a Calgary-based investment firm that provides families of wealth with discretionary portfolio management and access to compelling alternative class investments. Max is a Family Enterprise Canada Nextgen Ambassador and serves on several foundation boards, including the Family Enterprise Canada Community Committee and the Charitable Foundation of the Family and Business Fore Calgary Kids. Max’s other responsibilities and passions include leading the single-family office for his extended family, managing his cattle ranch in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and spending time with his lovely wife and two young children.
Aaron Gillespie
COBS Bread
Aaron started working at Bakers Delight (Australian parent business) while still in high school, learning how to bake and sell bread. After holding managerial roles in various bakeries, he became an Area Manager for a group of corporately owned stores in Melbourne.
At age 24, Aaron was part of the team to go to Canada and set up Bakers Delight under the name of COBS Bread. In 2014, Aaron was appointed the President of COBS Bread and since that time has seen the development of existing stores and addition of new locations.
Aaron is a fifth generation baker. Running bakeries has been in his family since the late 1800s. He sits on the board of directors for Bakers Delight Holdings that oversees Bakers Delight, COBS Bread and its operations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.
Jeffrey Halpern
TD Wealth
Jeff is a seasoned cross border tax and estate planning advisor, and career international banker. In 1985, Jeff developed a business plan for banks to add financial advice to their product line and convinced Royal Trust to hire him as Director where he set up Canada's first fee-based coast to coast financial planning service within a major financial institution.
After 10 years working in Asia, Jeff relocated to Europe and worked as Managing Director and Global Head of the international trust business of Deutsche Bank AG. He relocated back to Canada to join TD at the end of 2011 to help launch TD's Business Succession Advisory service, where he is an advisor to the bank's most successful business owner clients.
Krista Han
Grant Thornton LLP
Krista is the Managing Partner for Grant Thornton in New Brunswick and is proud to lead such a talented and engaged group of people. They live Grant Thornton's purpose each day: "to help our clients, colleagues and communities thrive" and bring their entrepreneurial mindset to the New Brunswick communities. She is an experienced business advisor and certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) with a demonstrated history of supporting the growth of family businesses and preservation of family wealth in New Brunswick and beyond. She supports families as they manage the intersections of their business and their family, while fostering family harmony through right-sized governance and communication systems.
Graham Lee
GSL Group Management
Graham Lee, President and CEO of GSL Group, developed a business sense and entrepreneurial drive at a young age, selling his Halloween candy at the age of five. After founding several businesses in his teens, Graham created a business plan while working on his UBC degree in the commerce undergraduate entrepreneurship program, which set the stage for RG Properties, a unique start-up real estate development company that he founded in 1989 at the age of 25. GSL Group, of which Graham is the chief executive officer and sole shareholder, is one of Canada’s leading commercial/ recreational development and operations companies.
Karen Macdonald
Viewpoint Group
Karen is the Executive Director and CFO of Viewpoint Group, where she is responsible for the strategic, financial and compliance activities of several privately held entities.
Along with her strong financial acumen, Karen has deep experience in family office management and private company governance. She grew up as a third-generation member of a business family and learned early on the importance of supporting and engaging with the community. Karen has worked as a volunteer and a director for many not-for-profit organizations, and currently is a Director of Family Enterprise Canada and CAWST. Karen also sits on the Canadian Avalanche Foundation Investment Committee.
Margaret-Jean Mannix
Viridian Family Office
Margaret-Jean’s business experience and travels have helped her to develop a keen understanding of international business practices in Canada, Great Britain and China.
Margaret-Jean is currently Chairman of the Board at Viridian Family Office, Chair of Family Enterprise Foundation and also sits on the Board of Family Enterprise Canada. She has also held positions with increasing responsibility in her own family’s businesses since 1995. For many years, she has been actively involved in studying the fields of families in business, the family office, and family philanthropy, and she is a graduate of Loyola University’s Next Generation Leadership Institute.
Gavin Marshall
Roper Greyell LLP
Gavin is a Partner at Roper Greyell, practicing in most areas of workplace law. Over his professional career, Gavin has always enjoyed building lasting client relationships, with a focus on being a trusted advisor for workplace decision-making. He believes lawyers should always tailor their approach to the needs of the particular client, as the first step to giving useful advice and finding solutions.
Gavin has particular depth in handling serious occupational health and safety incidents, labour relations and litigation strategy, and crisis management. He has appeared in every level of court and every kind of workplace tribunal in British Columbia.
John McFall
Burnbrae Farms
John is a third-generation member of Burnbrae Farms family business, one of Canada’s leading egg farmers. John worked in various positions in the consumer-packaged goods industry in both commercial strategy and account management. In 2019, he took the role of National Account Manager at the family business. John is also part of the Hudson Family Council, where he leads three sub-committees. He has a Bachelor of Arts and obtained various training certificates in sales, data analysis and finance. John lives with his family in Brockville, ON.
Tyler Moriguchi
Uwajimaya
With 4 retail locations and nearly 500 employees, Uwajimaya is a family-owned Asian grocery retailer in the Pacific Northwest (www.uwajimaya.com). Founded in 1928 by Fujimatsu and Sadako Moriguchi, the company is now is its third generation of leadership under granddaughter Denise Moriguchi. One of 20 third generation cousins, Tyler Moriguchi is the chair of the Moriguchi Family Council. Founded in 2016, the Moriguchi Family Council facilitates communication between Uwajimaya and all Moriguchi family members (the Moriguchi Family Assembly). The Moriguchi Family council organizes biannual Family Assembly meetings, has developed family employment guidelines and is currently working on a family philanthropy program. Tyler lives in Seattle with his wife and two sons.
Ellisha Mott
MOTT ELECTRIC
Ellisha Mott is a 4th generation heir apparent. With a Masters in Psychology and Business from the University of St. Andrews and a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA) designation, she brings a unique perspective to family business, women in construction and the next generation of leadership as she empowers her organization to its 100 year milestone.
Mary-Jo Payeur
Bannister Investment Group
Mary-Jo is a second-generation shareholder in her family enterprise, the Bannister Investment Group, which is the parent company of the Bannister Automotive Group. They primarily own automotive dealerships in BC and Alberta. Mary-Jo sits on their advisory board and acts as Secretary. She works with the executive team of their auto group and is involved with various HR initiatives.
Mary-Jo is Co-Chair of the Bannister Family council, is an eager learner of generative family enterprises and governance, and has two sons, Cruz and Kai.
Drew Ratcliffe
Arpeg Group of Companies
Drew Ratcliffe is President of the Arpeg Group of Companies, a Vancouver-based family business with real estate and investment interests throughout the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Ratcliffe's formal training in finance and entrepreneurship have supplemented his tacit knowledge gleaned from the dinner table.
As a third generation family business leader, Drew has 20 years of extensive experience with succession practices and family governance - leading key initiatives to position Arpeg for sustained business growth and family engagement. When he's not juggling the family, business, and ownership hats, Mr. Ratcliffe lives with his wife in Surrey, BC and their four G4 kids.
Rod Senft
Tricor Pacific Capital
Rod co-founded Tricor Pacific Capital. He led the firm’s institutional investments as Managing Partner of Funds I, II, III and IV, with total committed capital of $1.2 billion. He remains active and continues to be a major shareholder in Fund IV and the successor for Fund V. Prior to 1996, Rod practiced law with two of Canada’s leading law firms.
Rod is also a founding partner and a principal shareholder in Pender West Capital Partners, the Vice Chairman of the Fraser Institute and is on the Advisory Board of the Vancouver Prostate Centre. Through the Senft Family Foundation, Rod is active in several other philanthropic endeavors as well.
David R. Smith
Smith Advisory Services
David is the founder of Smith Advisory Services Inc. where he helps leaders, boards and enterprising families make informed decisions about the future. David has completed a wide array of engagements for high-profile firms including the Boston Consulting Group and the Martin Prosperity Institute. His consulting experience spans BPO, Culture, Family Offices, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Publishing, Professional Services, Real Estate, Technology and Academia to name a few. His particular interest in family enterprise is demonstrated in his peer leadership with Family Enterprise Canada, first sitting on their national FEA Council and now on their FEA Institute Committee of the Board.
In addition to earning an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, he is also a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), a certified Corporate Director (ICD.D) and holds degrees in Psychology and English Literature, as well as Adult Education.
Arjan Stephens
Nature’s Path Organic Foods
Arjan Stephens is the General Manger of Nature’s Path Foods and President of Que Pasa Foods. Arjan believes our forks and wallets are powerful tools for change, and regenerative organic agriculture is the catalyst that will transform the world for the better.
Since 2011, Arjan has led the launch of over 100 products at the company, growing the product fleet to more than 350. Arjan and his wife Rimjhim are the proud creators of the Love Crunch brand. Originally created as a favor for their wedding guests, Love Crunch granola was such a hit that Arjan working with major retailers. Arjan also created the Bite4Bite program so that for every bag of Love Crunch sold, the equivalent is donated to food banks across North America. To date, this program has donated more than $16.5 million USD worth of food.
Jyoti Stephens
Nature’s Path Organic Foods
Jyoti Stephens is the VP of Mission and Strategy for Nature’s Path Organic Foods. She leads the company’s commitment to sustainability, including ethical sourcing, climate strategy, waste, community engagement and sustainable packaging. As head of Strategy, she works with the Executive Team and her family to define and refine the company’s vision, mission, values and long range strategic plan.
Jyoti currently serves on Trust Protector Committee of the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust and was previously a board member of the Sustainable Food Trade Association. In recognition of her work she was named one of Canada’s Clean 50 in 2021.
Allen S. Taylor
Taylor Walraven
Allen is Director of Special Projects at Taylor Walraven and a Board member for Family Enterprise Foundation. He began his journey in family enterprise at the age of 8, which seems early, but you get it. Visits to the factory owned by his family began that far back, during sick days or PD days. Summer jobs followed.
During his first year of law school, he got the call that he was needed back home. Within 10 years of that, and following his father's passing, he owned and was responsible for a nearly insolvent family company that his great uncle had started. The planning for and execution of the transition from G3 to G4 could not have gone much worse. That experience and his over 25 years in the family enterprise space serving on private and non-profit boards gives Allen some interesting perspectives.
Lisa Wolverton
Wolverton Foundation
Lisa is an owner of the Pacific Investment Corporation, a family-owned real estate holdings and investment company, and she also leads the family foundation as President.
Lisa chaired the Board of Directors of The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW) and is currently a Strategic Advisor for the launch of TPW Canada in 2022. She also served on the Board of Directors of UNICEF Canada for six years and the Board of Director of Family Services of the North Shore. She is a former member of the President’s Council of the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and resolving deadly conflict. Lisa was also a mentor for the Loran Scholarship Foundation of Canada and currently sits on the Council of Advocates for the Freedom Fund.
Wangbohai Wu
Dacheng Construction Group
Wangbohai is the next generation member of a Chinese family enterprise, the Dacheng Construction Group, which mainly operates in the Western part of China and holds a competitive market share in the region. Wangbohai was sent to Canada when he was twelve with the aim of learning and adopting the Western way of life.
Currently, Wangbohai is a student at the University of Ottawa, finishing his Bachelor of Business Administration. He is eager to find out the next steps and potential paths for his family enterprise.
David Yochlowitz
ABC Recycling
David is the Chief Executive Officer of ABC Recycling, Western Canada’s largest scrap metal recycling company. Founded in 1912 by Joseph and Daniel Yochlowitz, ABC is a fourth-generation family business with nine locations throughout BC and Alberta, with 230 employees.
David has worked in his family business since he was 15 years old (41 years). He is a past board member of the BC Women’s Hospital Foundation and the BCIT Alumni Association, and has also served on the boards of various recycling associations. He is also a BCIT Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. He enjoys skiing, hiking and travelling with his family. David lives with his wife and two children in Vancouver.