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For: Success Stories

Kerry L. Simmons – Executive Director for The Canadian Bar Association of British Columbia (CBABC)

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PFM Executive Search is pleased to announce Kerry L. Simmons, QC as the new Executive Director of the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC). The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 38,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with 7,000 members in British Columbia.

Kerry was called to the bar in 2000 and practiced with Cook Roberts LLP in Victoria, BC until 2018 in family law, risk management, employment law, commercial disputes, estate litigation, and professional negligence. She served on the firm’s management committee for four years.

Kerry joined CBABC in 1996 as a law student and became a member of the CBABC Executive Committee in 2008. She was CBABC President in 2012-13, leading the organization’s advocacy for legal aid funding. She also served on the Canadian Bar Association National Board, leading and developing its strategic, governance and financial changes for three years, culminating in her year as National President in 2017-18. Most recently, she co-chaired the CBA’s Truth & Reconciliation Task Force. With extensive knowledge of the association’s history, mandate, culture and operations, member services and its role in the justice system, CBABC’s new Executive Director brings over twenty-five years of leadership experience and training, formal education in supervision, management and governance, and a decade of management experience of business operations and volunteers.

PFM Executive Search is a recognized leader in senior leadership recruitment and is known for its ability to facilitate large and complex Selection Committees in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Over the past 26 years, PFM has recruited senior leaders from all over the world.

Yale Loh – Treasurer for The University of British Columbia (UBC)

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PFM Executive Search is excited to announce that Yale Loh has accepted the position as The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Treasurer. Yale joins UBC from Aritzia, where he served as Treasurer and was responsible for leading all treasury, retail accounting, and sales audit functions. Previously, Yale held positions with Finning International and Capital Power Corporation, along with progressively senior financial positions at BC Hydro, including five years as Treasurer.

Yale’s extensive treasury experience with private and public sector organizations will help the University continue to build strategic direction and leadership support for financial liquidity, capital financing, corporate borrowing, cash management, financial projects management, tax, leases, and revenue accounting on all UBC campuses. Yale currently serves his community as a member of the Finance Committee of the Board at West Point Grey Academy and the United Way of the Lower Mainland Campaign Cabinet, and has been an occasional guest lecturer at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Yale is a commerce graduate from UBC and earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Yale also holds his Chartered Financial Analyst and Chartered Professional Accountant designations.

PFM Executive Search is a recognized leader in senior leadership recruitment and is known for its ability to facilitate large and complex Selection Committees in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Over the past 26 years, PFM has recruited senior leaders from all over the world.

New President and CEO of WorkSafeBC Announced

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One of British Columbia’s most visible and highly regarded organizations, WorkSafeBC, has completed an extensive international CEO recruitment process led by PFM Executive Search which worked closely with the Board of Directors of WorkSafeBC. Anne Naser has been named the new President and Chief Executive Officer.

Anne has been mostly recently at the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation where she served as the Senior Vice-President of Information Technology. Her knowledge of WorkSafeBC and its mandate is extensive having spent 20 years of her career with the organization.

“Anne Naser is a proven leader and innovator in occupational health and safety,” said Ralph McGinn, Chair of WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors. “We are very pleased to have her leading WorkSafeBC as we strive to make B.C. the safest jurisdiction in Canada in which to work.”.

“I look forward to leading WorkSafeBC as the organization continues to evolve and innovate for the benefit of workers and employers in the province,” said Naser. “I’m excited to take on this important role as we endeavour to make workplaces safer, improve supports for injured workers, and ensure the financial sustainability of the system.”

Naser, who has a degree in economics from Simon Fraser University, previously held senior positions with Price Waterhouse Urwick and Canadian Airlines.

WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors took a focused approach to finding the ideal candidate to lead the organization into the future — an individual noted for working in collaboration with a multitude of stakeholders, an ability to operationalize strategies and priorities with measurable outcomes, and a commitment to innovation and enhanced service delivery focused on people.

PFM Executive Search worked closely with the Chair and Board of Directors of WorkSafeBC, along with consultations led by PFM with various stakeholders. WorkSafeBC partners with workers and employers to prevent injury, disease, and disability in British Columbia and serves approximately 2.4 million workers and 238,000 employers across B.C.

This global search is another example of the high profile C-suite level work PFM Executive Search has conducted for more than 26-years. The firm is known for its ability to work effectively with Boards and Selection Committees in creating a proactive search process which creates a diverse slate of well qualified candidate for senior leadership roles. PFM worked with its international offices of Panorama Partners to ensure the outcome of this search matched the desire of the WorkSafeBC Board for a global outreach.

Dave Jones – Chief Officer for Metro Vancouver Transit Police

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PFM Executive Search is pleased to announce that Dave Jones has been selected as the new Chief Officer for the Metro Vancouver Transit Police. His appointment comes after a national search conducted by PFM, which brought forward a diverse slate of qualified candidates for consideration.

“We are pleased to welcome Chief Officer Dave Jones to the Metro Vancouver Transit Police. Chief Jones has deep roots in the community and a wealth of experience at local, provincial and national levels of police leadership. The Transit Police is a dynamic organization, operating in a growing region. We are confidant that Chief Jones will lead our organization from strength-to-strength, ensuring we stay at the forefront of public service and safety”, Police Board Chair Mark Reder said.

“With more than 30 years experience serving the New Westminster Police Department, we are pleased to welcome Chief Officer Dave Jones to the TransLink Enterprise, said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. “As we see everyday, the Transit Police provide an invaluable service to the public and Metro Vancouver is fortunate to have the only police force in Canada dedicated to serving our customers and employees along the transit system,” he continued. “We look forward to working with Chief Officer Jones and thank Interim Chief Barry Kross for his steadfast commitment to public safety and security and for continuing to be a transformational force behind the Transit Police.”

“I am extremely humbled, honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead the Metro Vancouver Transit Police as their new Chief Officer,” stated New Westminster Police Chief Constable Dave Jones. “I’d like to extend my thanks to Interim Chief Barry Kross for the great work he has done. I look forward to working hard to further Transit Police and TransLink’s commitment to safety for everyone who uses the transit system.”

Dave Jones has been a member of the New Westminster Police Department since 1986 and in that time has had an exemplary career. He has worked in many different areas of the Department and participated in numerous major projects, including the downtown initiative that dealt with an influx of crack cocaine dealers in the late 1990’s. Chief Jones was also integral in the creation of the Integrated Service Team (IST) model that is still in effect today that deals collectively with community and policing issues. He holds a B.A. of General Studies within a joint Simon Fraser University/Justice Institute of BC Leadership Development program.

He has received many commendations and awards, including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2013, he was presented the Member of the Order of Merit for the Police Forces by the Governor General of Canada.

Chief Jones will take over the role of Transit Police Chief Officer on April 1, 2019.

PFM Executive Search is a recognized leader in senior leadership recruitment and is known for its ability to facilitate large and complex Selection Committees in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Over the past 26-years, PFM has recruited senior leaders from all over the world.

Quinn Newcomb – Executive Director, Corporate Development for Genome BC

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PFM Executive Search was pleased to undertake the recruitment of Quinn Newcomb to the position of Executive Director, Corporate Development for Genome BC. This new role works closely with other members of the management team at Genome BC on delivering cross-functional programs and initiatives, building relationships with key stakeholders, including government, and taking the lead on emerging opportunities.

To support this mandate, Quinn brings a broad range of professional experience working with government and leading initiatives in complex regulatory environments. His skills in relationship building have been honed for success in an era of disruptive technological change.

Quinn brings expertise in working with diverse stakeholders across the public, private and non-profit sectors, including leading strategy management, communications & marketing, community engagement, and government relations at the international, national, provincial, and local levels. Most recently, he was Director, Marketing, Communications & Engagement and interim Vice President, Human Resources, Learning and Engagement with Technical Safety BC. Before that, Quinn spent six years at Destination Canada and has deep experience within government as a policy advisor, issues manager, and speech writer.

Quinn holds a BA in International Political Economy from the University of Victoria and an MA in International Affairs from the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University. He holds designations as a Communication Management Professional, a Chartered Professional in Human Resources, and is actively involved in several non-profit organizations dedicated to building communities and caring for people in need.

PFM Executive Search works with many of Canada’s most innovative and creative organizations. Our company is recognized as a preeminent executive search firm which identifies and recruits senior leadership to a wide variety of top companies.