Governance Board Makes Strides at Vancouver International Marathon Society
Three New Members Join the 2016 Board of Directors
Vancouver, BC December 23, 2015 – A diverse group of men and women from Vancouver’s corporate and community sectors have been confirmed as the 2016 Board of Directors for the Vancouver International Marathon Society. The Society’s Annual General Meeting took place on October 27, 2015. The volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of a group of 11 passionate leaders in the Vancouver community, govern the Society and provide strategic direction and financial oversight. The Society is the non-profit organization responsible for the BMO Vancouver Marathon, the Turkey Trot and the Fall Classic also known as RUNVAN®.
The year ended on a positive note with the Turkey Trot and Fall Classic events completing the RUNVAN® race series. During the Annual General Meeting the Society’s Board Chair acknowledged the past year’s successes including the new BMO Vancouver Marathon expo and relay, the Granville Island Turkey Trot, and the UBC Fall Classic Run acquisitions.
“I am pleased to be able to report that 2015 was another successful year for the Vancouver International Marathon Society. We made some great strides this year as an organization,” said David Lee Fay, Board Chair. “The marquee event, BMO Vancouver Marathon weekend was a success on a number of fronts including the launch of the Marathon Relay, and the move of the Expo to the stunning waterfront Vancouver Convention Center West. In addition the acquisition of the Turkey Trot and Fall Classic created a great series with three long-standing community races.”
Under the governance model, Board members have set term limits allowing for new ideas plus ensuring a good transfer of knowledge. New to the Board for 2016 are three individuals who bring legal, business, governance, and accounting experience. New Board members include:
Tara Gill – Director: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2015, Tara is a senior manager in the Vancouver audit practice of KPMG LLP, serving clients in the forestry, manufacturing and technology sectors, and works primarily with publicly listed entities in both Canada and the United States. Tara is an avid runner and triathlete, having completed dozens of races of varying distances, ranging from 10K to 50K, as well as being a two-time finisher of Ironman Canada.
Sarah Harper – Director and HR & Governance Committee: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2015, Sarah is an associate at McCullough O’Connor Irwin LLP, a boutique business law firm in Vancouver focused exclusively on corporate and securities laws. Sarah is a keen runner and has competed in four marathons including the Vancouver Marathon and the Boston Marathon, as well as numerous shorter races.
Tanya Rothe – Director and HR & Governance Committee: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in September 2015, Tanya is General Counsel and Director of Intellectual Property for D-Wave Systems Inc., where she is responsible for all of D-Wave’s legal and IP matters, including corporate governance. Tanya is committed to an active lifestyle, bicycle commuting to work year round and swimming with a local club three times a week.
At the AGM the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary appointments were also confirmed as follows:
David Lee Fay – Board Chair & Finance Committee:
David has been with the Society since 2011 and has been confirmed for another year as the Board Chair. The Chair is responsible for the leadership of the Board of Directors, setting the strategic vision and mission of the organization. The Chair ensures that the Board of Directors are aware of and fulfill their governance responsibilities; comply with applicable laws and bylaws; conduct board business effectively and efficiently; and are accountable for their performance.
David brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to the Society Board of Directors. He followed his passion for sports and moved into the field of sponsorship marketing. In 1999 David co-founded Linx Marketing, a sports marketing agency.
Gillian McCombie – Vice Chair & HR/Governance Committee:
Gillian has been with the Society since 2011 and has been confirmed for another year as the Vice Chair. The Vice-Chair, as the Chair’s deputy, performs the same duties that are delegated to the Chair, when the Chair is not present for the meeting or able to perform his/her duties.
Gillian is a senior HR professional with 16 years experience in both the mining and telecom industries. She is the Vice President of Capstone Mining and is responsible for the overall strategic HR function for the organization.
Shelley Grisbrook – Secretary & HR/Governance Committee Chair:
Shelley has been with the Society since 2010 and has been confirmed for another year as secretary. The role of the Secretary is to support the Chair in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Management Committee.
Shelley has an extensive background in the fitness industry and is an avid runner, both locally and abroad. She has been recognized in the Elite category and has competed in a number of distinguishing marathons worldwide. In 2010 Shelley competed in the Vancouver Marathon and placed first in her age category with a time of 3:07:04.
The other board members include:
Heidi Schmid – Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2013, Heidi is the Director of Accounting for Maple Leaf Property Management, a division of Larco Investments Inc. She has completed nine marathons, including Vancouver and Boston, several half marathons and one half ironman.
David Crerar – Director & HR/Governance Committee: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2014, David is a partner in the Commercial Litigation Group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. He also serves an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law. David has run the Vancouver Marathon for the past 14 years. Since then, he has completed over 135 marathons and ultra-marathons.
Dave Diebolt –Finance Committee & Past Chair: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2010, David obtained his CA in 2003 and joined Manning Elliott as a senior manager in 2008. An active family man, David enjoys hiking, skiing and kite boarding.
Andrea Eby –International Director & Past Chair: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2007, Andrea teaches at Capilano University and has worked in the event industry in various capacities. Andrea is very involved in the community, running Half Marathons, cycling in Fondo events, coaching and playing Field Hockey, and teaching group fitness and spin.
Dave Doroghy – Director & HR/Governance Committee: Elected to the Society’s Board of Directors in 2015, Dave is a Sports Marketing Professional bringing 25 years of experience to the Society. Dave is also a professor of Sports Marketing at BCIT. The Vancouver International Marathon was Dave’s first Marathon in 1986, and he has since completed over a dozen marathons including New York, Boston, and Vienna.
For more information, please visit bmovanmarathon.ca
