Board Members

Nancy Olewiler

Appointed: January 1, 2008 (reappointed January 1, 2011)
Term Expires: December 31, 2013

Ms. Olewiler is the Director of the School of Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her degrees, all in economics, are an Honours B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University, M.A. from SFU, and a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in 1975.

Her research has focused in recent years on sustainability and environmental policy. She has published a variety of academic papers, texts and policy studies in the areas of tax policy, natural resources, and environmental economics.

From 1990 to 1995 she was managing editor of Canadian Public Policy, and from 1996 to 1998 she served as a member of the Technical Committee on Business Taxation, created by the federal Finance Minister to propose major reforms to business taxation in Canada. The Mayors' Council first appointed her to TransLink’s Board of Directors in 2008.

Howard Nemtin

Appointed: January 1, 2009 (reappointed January 1, 2012)
Term Expires: December 31, 2014

Mr. Nemtin is the president and owner of Nemtin Consultants Ltd. a real estate development and consulting company with over thirty years experience in British Columbia. His experience includes real estate development consulting to the Whistler Mountain Ski Corporation where he was responsible for real estate strategy, including maximizing the value of land holdings, real estate marketing and implementation of all development projects. He has also served as an economic development advisor to the British Columbia Ministry of Economic Development and member of the planning and development team for the new community of Tumbler Ridge and other expanding resource communities.

Mr. Nemtin is a member of the Board and the Chair of the Finance Committee of the Simon Fraser University Community Trust, whose mandate is the development of a sustainable community adjacent to Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain. He is also active on the boards of numerous not-for-profit arts organizations and private sector companies. He is commercial mediator, a member of the British Columbia Mediator Roster and an executive member of the Commercial Mediator’s Association.

Mr. Nemtin holds a Bachelor of Science from York University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario.

Robin Chakrabarti

Appointed: January 1, 2013
Term Expires: December 31, 2015

Mr. Chakrabarti is one of the founding partners of Empresario Capital Partners, which currently has investment holdings and operational involvement in the foodservice, healthcare, retail and automotive industries.

He holds a M.B.A. from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University and is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is the past Chair of the Board of Vancouver Society of Children's Centres, and a Director on the Boards of Coast Capital Savings, WeCare Health Services Inc. and RAMMP Hospitality Brands Inc. Mr. Chakrabarti brings significant executive operational and corporate finance expertise, as well as experience in developing and leading strategies in organizations that have undergone transformational change and rapid growth.

Rick Christiaanse

Appointed: January 1, 2012
Term Expires: December 31, 2014

Mr. Christiaanse is General Manager at Glentel, Canada's largest wireless retailer and business solutions provider. In his role as EVP at Sport BC, he led the sport sector in B.C. before/during/post the 2010 Winter Olympics, liaising with the IOC. As Senior Director, Channel Marketing at ClearNET, he planned and executed two of the most successful wireless launches in N. America. Upon the $6.6B acquisition of ClearNET by TELUS, he led the national teams responsible for the execution of consumer marketing initiatives and partnerships with Canada's largest retailers. Mr. Christiaanse then transferred to TELUS International Korea, leading the marketing and management consulting services teams for wireless carriers in Asia; initiating the launch of RIM's BlackBerry in South Korea. He is also the Vice Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee at Vancity, Canada's largest credit union, as well as chair of an East Vancouver low income housing non-profit society.

Lorraine Cunningham

Appointed: January 1, 2013
Term Expires: December 31, 2015

Ms. Lorraine Cunningham, ICD.D (Institute of Corporate Directors Designation), FEA (Family Enterprise Advising), has extensive business and management experience as well as a broad knowledge of the west coast marine transportation industry. She was chair of the Business Family Centre at the UBC Sauder School of Business from 2006 to 2012 and a director of the Pacific Pilotage Authority from 2008 until her current appointment as board chair. Her advisory board and committee work includes audit, governance, risk management, special events and fundraising.

For more than 30 years, she has been involved in managing the Cunningham Group, a Vancouver-based entrepreneurial investment group and privately-held family business. Educated at the University of British Columbia, in Pharmacy and General Sciences, Ms. Cunningham is a graduate of management and enterprise programs, both in Canada and the U.S., and, as a judge for several regional business awards, has taken an active role in encouraging family enterprises and young entrepreneurs.

W John Dawson

Appointed: January 1, 2010 (reappointed January 1, 2013)
Term Expires: December 31, 2015

Mr. W John Dawson is an experienced professional accountant and business advisor with expertise in areas such as risk management, corporate governance and business expansion.

During his 29 years as a Partner with an international accounting firm, Mr. Dawson counseled boards of directors and senior management in a variety of industries, including BC government agencies and Crown Corporations.

Since 2001, Mr. Dawson has served on the boards of Canadian Blood Services, Financial Institutions Commission of BC (FICOM), Versacold Income Fund (chair from 2001 to 2007), Sun Gro Horticulture Income Fund (chair from 2002 to 2009), IAT Air Cargo Facilities Income Fund (now Huntingdon REIT; chair from 2008 to 2009) and Parking Corporation of Vancouver (chair from 2008 to 2010).

Mr. Dawson has volunteered for the Canadian Cancer Society (BC & Yukon division), the Vancouver Symphony Society and the Chancellor's Borrowing Advisory Committee at UBC. He was the inaugural chair of the CA School of Business for Western Canada.

Mr. Dawson was President of the BC Institute of Chartered Accountants from 1998 to 1999 and was awarded the FCA designation for service to that Institute. In 2004, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for service to the Alberta Institute. In 2012, he was recognized by the BC Institute in its Lifetime Achievement Award. He holds a B Comm (Accounting) degree from UBC.

Barry Forbes

Appointed: January 1, 2011
Term Expires: December 31, 2013

Mr. Forbes is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Westminster Savings Credit Union, which has its Corporate Office in New Westminster B.C.

During his 40 year tenure as Chief Executive, Mr. Forbes has overseen much of the development and expansion of the credit union. Under his leadership the credit union has enjoyed consistent financial performance and is recognized as one of the most financially sound in Canada. He was also directly responsible for the establishment of the credit union’s community support and sponsorship programs.  Mr. Forbes also serves as a director of the credit union’s wholly owned subsidiaries Mercado Capital Corporation, WS Leasing Ltd. and Westminster Savings Financial Planning Ltd.

Mr. Forbes has served as a Member/Chair of numerous provincial and federal industry committees in areas such as legislation, strategic planning and finance. He has considerable director experience. His past involvement includes the Cooperative Trust Company of Canada, Credit Union Central of British Columbia, the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and Pacific Network Services Ltd. (Chair). Most recently he served for four years as the Chair of the Fraser Health Authority. The Health Authority serves 1.5 million people, employs 24,000 and has an operating budget of more than $1.6 billion.

In the community Mr. Forbes has served as a director and/or chair of the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, the Credit Union Foundation of British Columbia, the Douglas Centre for Enterprise Development, the Advisory Committee to the Mayor of New Westminster and the Simon Fraser University Surrey Advisory Committee.

Mr. Forbes is a graduate of Simon Fraser University (Commerce and Economics).

Don Rose

Appointed: January 1, 2011
Term Expires: December 31, 2013

Mr. Rose is a senior corporate lawyer with the Vancouver office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG). He has practiced since 1973, having graduated in the University of British Columbia (UBC) Law class of 1972. In addition to his LLB, Mr. Rose holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UBC.

Until 1997, Mr. Rose practiced with BLG’s predecessor, Ladner Downs, at which time Mr. Rose joined Placer Dome Inc., a major international mining company based in Vancouver, and remained there until 2006. There, he held a number of positions, most recently, as Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel. After leaving Placer Dome, Mr. Rose took on the role of corporate secretary for Columbia Power Corporation, a British Columbia Crown corporation engaged in the business of hydro electric power generation. In 2009, Mr. Rose re-joined BLG as senior counsel in the Corporate Commercial Group.

In addition to practicing law, Mr. Rose has actively assisted the UBC Law School in a number of fund raising initiatives including the establishment in 2006 of the J. Donald Mawhinney Lectureship on Ethics; and most recently as a member of the Dean’s Law Building Advisory Committee.

Mr. Rose has participated as a speaker or panelist on several Continuing Legal Education/Professional Development programs addressing such topics as corporate governance, directors and officers duties and liabilities, and risk management for in-house counsel.  

Marcella Szel

Appointed: January 1, 2012
Term Expires: December 31, 2014

Ms. Szel has significant experience in the transportation industry and business community. From 1977 to 2009, Ms. Szel was with Canadian Pacific Railway, where she held a number of senior positions. As Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, from 2006 to 2009, she held North American responsibility for customers, freight revenues, logistics, and intermodal terminals and auto compounds. Previously, she was Vice President of various areas, including marketing, government affairs, corporate strategy, law and corporate secretary.

Ms. Szel is currently a director of Port Metro Vancouver, Global Transportation Hub (Saskatchewan) and is a past board member of Export Development Canada and Consolidated Fastfrate (trucking).

She has been extensively involved in the business community, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Chair 1998-1999), Western Transportation Advisory Committee (Chair 2007-2009), Coal Association of Canada, Canadian Unity Council, BC Business Council, Canada-US Law Institute, Alberta Economic Development Authority, University of Calgary Medicine Dean's Advisory Committee, and a member of a group that founded a Calgary chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Ms. Szel holds an LL.B (Honours), and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta. She is a Queen's Counsel (1998), was named one of Canada's Top 25 General Counsel (2003) and awarded a Queen's Jubilee medal for community service (2003), and honored as a "Woman in Transportation" by the BC Minerva Foundation (2011).