Board of Directors
Don Freschi -Director
Don is a Professional Applied Science Technologist (ASTTBC) and General Manager for Firebird Technologies Inc., a High Purity Metals - Semiconductor operation based in Trail, BC. Firebird produces ultra high purity metals (Indium, Antimony, and Germanium) and Semiconductors (Indium Antimonide, Gallium Antimonide, and Germanium), which are used for commercial and military infrared camera targeting systems. Prior to joining Firebird, Don was the Quality Assurance Manager for Crystal Research Inc. based in Victoria, BC, another high-tech crystal growth operation producing Sapphire crystals.
Don is also the Producer and Co-Host of a TV fly fishing show called "Sport Fishing On The Fly", which has been syndicated since 1995. The parent company, Streamlines Web Broadcasting, was taken public in 2000, bought out in 2002, and is still trading on the VSE. Don currently produces 13 shows/year of this popular TV series.
Don resides in Trail with wife Denise and their two daughters Amanda and Jenna.
Alan Danks - Director
Alan is originally from the UK, immigrating to Canada in March 2004. His move brought ~10 years experience in the satellite telecomms industry working with Hughes Network Systems, Inmarsat, British Telecom and ~4 years experience in the cell phone industry, delivering mobile Internet services with BT Wireless, Genie and O2.
Alan has a Degree in Electronics Engineering and a Master's in Business Administration (MBA). Alan is now the Technology Manager for the Nelson & District Credit Union. Based in Nelson, he oversees all of the Information Communication Technologies used by the organization's Rossland, Crawford Bay and Nelson branches.
"Living in Nelson has made me think much more about 'community', than I ever did in the UK. My involvement with community focused organizations such as NDCU and KAST are great ways of my being more involved in our communities."
Alan lives in Nelson, with his wife Sarah and their three children, Erika, Keira and Ewan.
Link:
www.danksi.com
Paul Burgener- Director
Paul very recently comes to us from Waterloo Ontario, and has taken over the local position at National Research Council, NRC-IRAP as an Industrial Technology Advisor. Paul is a technical business development professional, as well as a registered Ontario Professional Engineer, with extensive experience in manufacturing, public and private service sector and R&D project management. In the past Paul has evaluated patents and technology for investors; purchased, developed and sold new companies; set up and maintained financial systems; and provided HR management. He has also been responsible for funding proposals, SR&ED grants and audits, new market generation and transfer of businesses to new owners.
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business oriented advisory services along with potential financial support to growth-oriented Canadian small - and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The program is delivered by an extensive integrated network of 260 professionals in 100 communities across the country. Working directly with these clients, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development and commercialization of new products and services. NRC-IRAP views SMEs as the strategic backbone of the Canadian economy and is committed to working with them while they realize their full potential and turn knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians. Paul is located at Selkirk College, 2001 Silver King Rd., Nelson V1L 1C8 250-352-5072. To learn more about IRAP and it's programs contact Paul at: paul.burgener@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
Matt Pommer - Vice Chair
Currently Matt is the President and CEO of Nature Works Remediation Corporation as well as principle in Vertechs Marketing and Management Services a company in Rossland. Matt came to the Kootenays as a partnership manager with ABB, a large multinational firm in 1998 and in 2003 he and his family made the choice to remain in the area after refusing a transfer back to a larger center. Matt has an electrical engineering background but most of his career has been in the marketing and management areas.
Selena Davis -Director
KAST's 2008 Spirit of Innovation Award winner for Innovative Individual, Selena Davis, Health Informatics Consulting is a Health Informatics consultant who has designed and developed PULSE, a web-based, personalized, patient education program for the management of cardiovascular disease risk.
Davis’s dedication to the improvement of health services through business and research endeavors can be considered the epitome of innovation. Her ability to enhance the use of technology in the medical sector is truly making a difference in our community, for which we shall all be grateful.
For more information visit: www.healthinformaticsconsulting.ca
Adam James -Director
Adam has focused on GHG reductions in the built environment through geoexchange, solar hot water, and building envelope improvements. He has worked both independently and in collaboration with other planning, engineering, and architectural professionals to provide clients with guidance and technical expertise from feasibility studies through to project completion.
He has continued to foster public understanding of climate change and the opportunities to reduce or eliminate GHG emissions. Adam established and chairs the West Kootenay Chapter of the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA), and regularly provide public presentations at local meetings and conferences.
Andrea McCormick -Director
Andrea has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University of Calgary and has been working as an Environmental Consultant since 2004. She moved to the Kootenays in 2008 to work with SNC Lavalin Environment in their Trail Office. With SNC Lavalin Andrea has been working a residential soil assessment and remediation program where she works closely with Teck and Interior Health testing and remediating soil that has been contaminated from historic smelter emissions. Andrea also has experience in groundwater investigation, spill response, hazardous materials assessments and site assessment. Andrea is an Agrologist in Training with the BC Institute of Agrology. She spends most of her spare time outside skiing, biking, running and playing in her garden.
Anders Malpass -Chair
Anders is a graduate of BCIT in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering and CEO of Drop Designs Inc., a high end engineering and manufacturing company with several divisions including Power Transmission Produts, mainly Sprockets, Couplings, BUshings and Bearings based out of the South Slocan BC.
Prior toDropDesigns, Andres held positions in several companies', one being head of opoerations for a large international manufacturer. Anders offers a wide range of skills with an ambitious approach for business success.
Anders resides in Nelson with his wife Sherri and son Liam.
Ian Parfitt - Director
Ian Parfitt is a GIS instructor and researcher with over 10 years experience in GIS applications in natural resources, including seven years working as the GIS coordinator for the Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program in Nelson, BC. He has produced thousands of maps, quantified representation of ecosystems in protected area systems, analyzed habitat suitability, maintained large and complex databases, and trained students and biologists. As a result, Ian has a comprehensive understanding of how GIS is used in fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation. His current research interests are internet mapping, habitat suitability modeling, terrain hazard mapping, and public data access. Ian has a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of British Columbia. He is also a director with the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology and the Virtual Museum of the Kootenays Society.
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Keith Klimchuk - Director
Keith Klimchuk is a Senior Business Development Chemist at Teck Metals’ Trail Operations. He has over 10 years of experience in business development and research at Trail Operations as well as several more years of experience in industry and academia. He has contributed to the processing of urban ore (end of life electronics) at Trail Operations and now contributes to the new No.4 Furnace Project with civil construction scheduled to commence in early 2012. Keith has developed extensive expertise in the pyrometallurgical processing of unfamiliar feed materials at Trail Operations with also the knowledge base to adapt methodology for environmental emissions monitoring to support these new undertakings.
Keith has a MSc degree (chemistry) from UVIC (1997).
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Leon Piggot - Director
Leon has been a corporate and commercial lawyer for 15 years. He started his practice at Macleod Dixon, an international law firm based in Calgary. Leon practised in the areas of banking, securities, energy and corporate and commercial transactions. In 2000, Leon left Calgary to pursue a business degree in London, England. In 2002, he obtained an MBA from the London Business School. In 2004, after a brief time spent with Davis & Company, a large Vancouver law firm, Leon joined Powerex Corp., the power marketing arm of BC Hydro. Leon worked at Powerex Corp. for four years and was the head of the company`s commercial law group. Leon moved to Nelson with his family in 2007 and returned to private practice with a focus on corporate and real estate matters. He loves living and working in the Kootenays and is here to stay.
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Dan Salekin - Director
Dan is a co-founder and the President/CEO of Columbia Networks. Dan brings over 25 years of working experience in the Computing and Data Networking industries to Columbia Networks. Dan has been employed as a senior manager within Canadian business enterprises during the past 18 years and has developed a solid understanding of the telecommunications business in Canada as an entrepreneur, senior architect, and senior director of technology. Prior to co-founding Columbia Networks, Dan held the role of Senior IP Architect at TeraGo Networks where he developed the commercial services for the launch of TeraGo and was instrumental in growing the client base to over three thousand customers. Prior to TeraGo, Dan held a senior role with another startup company, GT Group Telecom, as a senior director of National Data Networks. At GT Group Telecom, Dan managed a multi-million dollar budget and a technology department. Dan was successful at developing and launching GT Group Telecom's commercial services as well as a national data network across Canada.
Dan has worked in Russia and Saudi Arabia and delivered service to international destinations such as England, Holland, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA.