Board of Directors

Donald P. Hayes - Chair
(Southern Vancouver Island appointment area)

Donald Hayes is currently the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Hayes Group of Companies which has interests in the forestry, heavy equipment, helicopter, retail, and real estate industries.  He serves as Chair of the Board of the Royal BC Museum, and previously served as the Chair of the Cowichan Economic Development Commission and as a Director on a variety of Boards, including Forest Renewal BC, Truck Loggers Association, the New Relationship Trust, and the Khowutzun Development Corporation.  Mr. Hayes has a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Chartered Accountant.

Christopher C. Gardner
(Province of B.C.)

Chris Gardner is an Executive Vice President at the Britco Group, the largest modular building manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest.  Mr. Gardner’s experience includes work in the Asia Pacific as a Director of Corporate Finance for ING Investment Bank, as well as positions in the International Finance Department of Samsung Electronics and at the law firm of Lee & Ko in Seoul, South Korea.  In the community, Mr. Gardner is a member of the Capital Committee for the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia.

Holly A. Haston-Grant
(Central Vancouver Island and Northern Georgia Strait appointment area)

Holly Haston-Grant is a partner in Guthrie Trade Center and owner of Eastridge Enterprises Ltd.  Ms. Haston-Grant is currently a Director of the Comox Valley Community Foundation, the Rotary Club of Comox, and serves on the Asset Management Committee of Community Futures Strathcona.  Ms. Haston-Grant owned and operated Grant Floors and Window Fashions Ltd. for over 15 years.  She has an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Brian G. Kenning
(Southern Mainland appointment area) 

Brian Kenning is presently a Director on the Boards of MacDonald Dettwiler and Royal Oak Ventures.  Mr. Kenning is past Chair of the BC Cancer Foundation and past Governor of the BC Business Council.  He was formerly a Director of Catalyst Paper Ltd., and Managing Partner of Brookfield Asset Management (formerly Brascan Corporation) and British Columbia Railway Company.  Mr. Kenning has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration.

Gordon R. Larkin
(Organized labour)

Gordon Larkin is a recently retired Pacific Region Representative with the Canadian Labour Congress.  Prior to his 25 years of service to working people throughout British Columbia and the Yukon, Mr. Larkin was a commercial fisherman on BC's west coast.  As such, he developed an intimate understanding of BC's west coast communities and their dependence upon reliable maritime transportation.  His career has included involvement in numerous community and political initiatives.  Mr. Larkin is a former Director of the Pacific National Exhibition, Member of the BC Racing Commission, and long serving Member of the Campaign Labour Committee of the United Way of the Lower Mainland.  Mr. Larkin is the 2007 recipient of the United Way's Joe Morris Award in recognition of his commitment to building a better community.

A. Daniel Miller

(Community-at-large)

Dan Miller had a long and distinguished public service career, serving as Premier of the Province of British Columbia, as well as holding several senior cabinet positions, including energy and mines, forestry, economic development, municipal affairs, and skills, training, and labour.  He was also Minister responsible for a number of Crown corporations, including BC Hydro.  First elected to the Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of North Coast in 1986, he was re-elected in 1991 and 1996.  While in Opposition, he was critic for forestry.  Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Miller was a Prince Rupert City Councillor.  Mr. Miller currently serves on the BC Safety Authority Board and has formerly served on the Boards of Geoscience BC and Canada West Foundation.  In addition, he was Senior Counsel with NATIONAL Public Relations providing clients with public affairs counsel focused on natural resource issues, as well as economic and northern development.  Mr. Miller was also the former Co-Chair of the BC Competition Council, a Provincially appointed body which advises the Government on economic issues and competitiveness.

Jane L. Peverett
(Community-at-large)

Jane Peverett is a Corporate Director, serving on the Boards of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, EnCana Corporation, Northwest Natural Gas, and AEGIS Insurance Services.  Until January 2009, Ms. Peverett was the President & Chief Executive Officer of BC Transmission Corporation.  Prior to that, she spent 15 years with Westcoast Energy in a variety of senior roles, including President & Chief Executive Officer of Union Gas Limited in Ontario.  She has been a supporter of the United Way for many years and serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Lower Mainland.  Ms. Peverett has a Master of Business Administration, is a Certified Management Accountant, and was made a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants in 2003. 

Stephen E. Smith
(Northern Coastal and North Island appointment area)

Steve Smith is President and/or Chief Executive Officer of a number of Prince Rupert hospitality-related businesses, including companies that own and operate the Crest Hotel and the Pacific Inn.  Mr. Smith is a Certified Hotel Administrator and is currently a long-standing Director of the BC Hotels Association, Hospitality Industrial Relations, and a Member of the Minister’s Council on Tourism.  He spent six years as a Director of Tourism British Columbia, serving five years on the Executive as Chair of Operations & Business Development.  Mr. Smith has previous experience as a former Director of BC Ferries, and has served on the North and Mid-Coast Ferry Advisory as Chair for the past number of years.  Mr. Smith has served his community as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Alderman for the City of Prince Rupert, and as a representative on the Skeena Queen Charlotte Regional District.  In 2009, he was awarded the Civic Merit Award from the City of Prince Rupert and in 2003 he received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal.  Mr. Smith was granted Distinguished Member status with the Association of Tourism Professionals in 1996, in recognition of outstanding professional development and activity in the tourism industry.  Previous to his 22 years in the hospitality industry, Mr. Smith spent 20 years in the retail apparel business on the north coast.