Sechelt Mayor John Henderson announced the resignation of the majority of Sechelt’s business development team last week.
Of the seven-person board that’s been steering Sechelt Innovations Ltd. (SIL), five officially ended their term at the Aug. 6 annual general meeting.
SIL’s director of business development Dave Jephcott also resigned recently in order to “pursue an amazing opportunity” with another organization.
“I am very excited to assume a role at Community Futures that will utilize my skills and experience working with SMEs [small and medium enterprises] and facilitating economic development,” Jephcott told Coast Reporter this week, noting the move will benefit his career and his family.
“I’m sad to leave the SIL, but I know I left it in great shape to move forward onto the next phase of investment attraction.”
Henderson said Jeph-cott will be replaced by Tracy Zanchetta, who will become the “senior manager” of Sechelt Innovations next week.
Zanchetta will leave her position as assistant manager of member services at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union to take the helm at SIL.
“She has very extensive experience in the entrepreneurial world and, well, obviously in banking and retailing, and she even was the chief financial officer for the Sunshine Coast health centre in Powell River, where she was by and large running the place with over 40 employees,” Henderson said, noting Jephcott leaves the District on good terms and that “we wish him well.”
During the Aug. 6 regular council meeting Henderson also wished the outgoing SIL board members well.
“I want to publicly acknowledge the board — Chris Fawcus, Greg Latham, Rob Flux, Theresa Fournier, Lance Sparling, Mark Sager, Christine Stefanik — for all the hard work they’ve done over the last 10 months or so,” Henderson said. “Several of the members have resigned or retired for a variety of reasons, most of them, I’m happy to report, due to having so many things going on in their life that they can’t manage all of them.”
The only two directors to stay on board were Fournier and Flux.
Joining them now will be Dwayne Dobson, Candace Campo, Vicky Forest, Hammy McClymont, Debbie Mealia, Ron Steven and Sechelt’s chief of innovation and growth, Ron Buchhorn.
Henderson said the District had been looking for new SIL directors “for some time.”
“So my thanks on behalf of council for their willingness to step up, and there’s some bright things on the future, I know, for Sechelt Innovations,” he said.
The new directors are all known for their business background.
Forest has been a nurse and manager in the private health care sector for more than 20 years.
McClymont managed three different performing arts organizations and ran a consulting company for many years. He’s now involved in economic development on the Coast, with Com-munity Futures and the Sechelt Airport development advisory committee.
Dobson founded the company Combine Design and Communications and has been involved with design and branding for more than 20 years.
Campo owns Talaysay Tours and is co-owner of Aboriginal and Eco Tour Services. She also holds a position with the Sechelt Nation in culture and tourism.
Steven has 25 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry. Now a full-time artist known as Rogest, Steven is involved in graphic design for books, brochures and magazines.
Mealia is currently the executive financial consultant at Investors Group.
In addition to running the District, Buchhorn also operates his own consulting firm that advises companies across Canada on business planning, process implementation and performance management.
SIL is a company set up by the District of Sechelt to attract new business to Sechelt and facilitate the growth of existing businesses.
Described primarily as a sales and marketing organization, its mission statement is: “To bring focus to Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast’s most desirable attributes — ensuring that those who share our community values view Sechelt as an inspired place to live and work.”
Find out more at www.secheltinnovations.ca.
