UPDATED: Business Moves

THINK creatively

Surrey-based company STUDIOTHINK has announced the addition of web developer Rob Kaiser to their creative team.

Kaiser joins the company after working in the field for seven years, most recently at Mercer Advisors as their Web Master and IT Support Specialist. He graduated in 2000 from BCIT with a Computer Systems Technology diploma.

STUDIOTHINK, founded in 1997, is a creative agency that offers services including branding, marketing, graphic design and website design.

WebNet loss

Abbotsford-based wireless firm WebNet Global Communications has laid off 115 workers in a drastic restructuring process.

President and CEO Gregory Carrington said the company does not intend on filing for bankruptcy, but had to restructure due to a cash flow problem.

WebNet has suspended its broadband wireless network, high seed Intenet and Internet phone service, and it's Abbotsford retail store is shut.

Attrill to run

Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce CEO Sue Attrill has announced her candidacy for Chilliwack City Council in the November election.

A resident of Chilliwack for ten years now, Attrill retired from TELUS in 2004 after 24 years with the company, including 15 years at a senior level in with TELUS Mobility.

Attrill has served as the Chamber's CEO since 2005, chairing the "Leader of Tomorrow Program" with a variety of local organizations.

Wealth of resources

Envision Financial has announced that Liz Bailey-Connor from South Surrey has been appointed its Assistant Vice-President, Human Resources.

Bailey-Connor comes to Envision from her post as the Director of Strategic Talent Management at Vancity, and also has fifteen years experience at ICBC in a variety of management roles.

In the community, she serves on the Board of Directors at South Fraser Women's Services Society and helped to initiate the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade's "Change for Change" fundraising campaign in B.C.

Envision is B.C.'s third-largest credit union with approximately $3.8 billion in assets.

New KhaliDean

Dr. Rosetta Khalideen has been appointed as Dean of Professional Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley.

She will serve as the first dean of the newly created Faculty of Professional Studies at UFV.

Khalideen was previously director adult education and human resource development programs with the University of Regina's Faculty of Education.

She holds a PhD from the University of Alberta, a Master of Education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and a Bachelor of Education degree and teaching certificate from the University of Guyana.

Rising Ringdal

Glen Ringdal has been named general manager of the new Langley Events Centre.

Ringdal brings 30 years of experience with sports teams, major event production and facility marketing. For the past seven years he was president and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of B.C., operators of the Vancouver International Auto Show.

The facility is currently under construction on 200th St. at 80th Ave. and will being serving residents of Langley next spring. The $56 million facility is being constructed under a partnership with Langley Township, the province, and numerous community partners.

Oval Office

The City of Surrey has awarded a contract for the design and construction management of an Olympic Training Venue in North Surrey.

City council approved a $725,000 contract to CEI Architecture Planning Interiors for the facility, which will be located in Tom Binnie Park at 106 Ave. and 135 St.

CEI will manage the construction, valued at $10.5 million. That money will come from the city's Legacy Fund, which was set aside years ago for special council projects.

New York, New York

Thomas Prendergast has been named TransLink's new CEO, replacing Pat Jacobsen who resigned earlier this year.

Prendercast comes to TransLink from New Jersey with more than 30 years experience in transportation and infrastructure development.

He was senior vice-president of New York's subway in the early 1990s before heading the Long Island Rail Road, the largest commuter railroad in the U.S.

Prendergast is leaving Parsons Brinckerhoff, an infrastructure project development firm where he had been director of services for the Americas.

Envision names board

Envision Financial has announced its 2008 board of directors, with incumbents Shawn Neumann and Sally O’Sullivan re-elected. Peter Podovinikoff and Chuck Stam were elected to the board for the first time.

Neumann has served on Envision’s board since 1998, and this year will assume the role of board secretary. O’Sullivan also has served on the board and on committees in previous years. Podovinikoff is the past-president of Envision and retired in 2004. Stam has been a credit union member-owner since 1972 and has served on several other boards.

Each director will serve a three-year term.

Delta detail

Greg Muirhead, an account representative with North American Telecommunications Group in New Westminster, has been sworn in as president of the Delta Chamber of Commerce. Muirhead replaces Maria DeVries. Orv Nickel, (O.N.E. Corp.) was elected first vice-president; Tudor Williams (TWI Surveys Inc.) is second vice-president.

Retail reign

Misti Mussatto has been elected chair of Retail BC. Mussatto, co-owner of Toy Jungle Enterprises in Park Royal South and Coquitlam Centre, joined the Retail BC board in 2005. Retail BC lobbies on retailers’ behalf on a variety of legislative, regulatory and taxation policy issues.

Movin’ on up

McQuarrie Hunter Barristers & Solicitors has announced Michael Holroyd (above left) and Christopher Ellett have become associates.

Holroyd works in the firm’s Surrey office in corporate and commercial law and real estate conveyance. Ellet works in McQuarrie’s New Westminster office, dealing in general litigation, employment law and personal injury claims.

McQuarrie Hunter has operated both offices since its inception in 1967.

Staples centre

Kevin Staples has been named the new president of the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce.

Staples, manager of the Highland Village Scotiabank, takes over from Ed Kolla.

Robert Farina and Wayne Kuypers were sworn in as first and second vice-president respectively.

Mr. President

Inde Sumal has been named the 2008 president of the Surrey Board of Trade, replacing outgoing president, Gary Hollick.

Sumal is a vice-president of mortgages for B.C. with RBC Royal Bank.

Also sworn-in to board positions were returning directors Cliff Annable, Steve Lake, Mary-Lou McCausland, Jeff Richards, David Ross, Nigel Watkinson, Richard Driver and Arlie McClurg.

Provincial help

Dave Robertson, Mary Sjostrom and Doug Tolson have been appointed to the province’s Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities. Robertson is the director of human resources with Safeway Canada Ltd.; Sjostrom is the leader of Measuring Up the North – a project that assists northern communities in becoming disability-friendly. Tolson is the associate director of University of Victoria’s CanAssists program.

Bullis market

Bill Bullis is the new chair of the Burnaby Board of Trade.

Bullis, the president and CEO of BCAA, has served on the board for the past two years as first vice-chair and chair of the governance committee.

Prior to joining BCAA, Bullis was executive vice-president and COO of CUC Broadcasting Corp. in Toronto. He has also held senior positions at the Pillsbury Co., Burger King Canada and Jamaica Flour Mills.

Surrey start

Sukhjit Lalli has joined staffing firm Mercer Bradley Inc. to manage its new Fraser Valley office in Surrey.

Mercer Bradley, which places accounting and finance professionals in permanent and interim jobs, also has offices in Vancouver and Winnipeg.

Prior to joining the business, Lalli, a chartered accountant, spent nearly a decade working as a senior finance professional in England and Australia.

Shuffle royale

Premier Gordon Campbell has realigned his cabinet in preparation for the 2009 provincial election, welcoming five new ministers and assigning seven current ministers to new portfolios.

New ministers include: Joan McIntyre, Minister of State of Intergovernmental Relations; Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Community Development; Mary Polak, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport; Iain Black, Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services and Bill Bennet, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

Ministers with new portfolios include: Colin Hansen, Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the Olympics; Stan Hagen, Minister of Agriculture and Lands; Gordon Hogg, Minister of State for Mining; Pat Bell, Minister of Forests and Range; Rich Coleman, Minister of Housing and Social Development; Kevin Krueger, Minister of Small Business and Revenue and Minister Responsible for Deregulation and Ida Chong, Minister of Technology, Trade and Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Asia-Pacific Initiative.

Eleven ministers retained their existing portfolios, including Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and Kevin Falcon, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.