Venue: The Westin Bayshore Hotel
Presenting sponsor: CN
Supporting sponsor: Central 1 Credit Union
Media partners: The Vancouver Sun, The Province
Sustainable health and wellness, engaging youth and building a solid Olympic Games legacy are the top three priorities of Sue Paish, QC, welcomed as The Board’s fourth woman chair by keynote speaker Rick Mercer at the 122nd AGM yesterday.
The audience of almost 700 included all three former female chairs (now Board of Trade governors) Wendy McDonald, CM, OBC (chair 1990-1991); Jill Bodkin (chair 1994-1995) and former finance minister Carole Taylor, OC, OBC (chair 2001-2002).
Paish, CEO of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd, and former managing partner of Fasken Martineau, is a respected leader with a track record of success, named to the list of Canada’s Most Powerful Women – Top 100, and one of Canada’s Top 25 Women Lawyers.
During her time on the board of directors and as senior vice-chair, Paish became founding chair of The Board’s Women’s Leadership Circle® (WLC) program which has grown to 1,900 since she first headed up the WLC Advisory Council at the launch in November, 2007.
“I am eager to work with you to find ways that together, we can build the best community, province and country for ourselves and our children,” she told the crowd as “newly minted chair.”
Managing director Darcy Rezac (right) presents immediate past chair Dr. Don Rix (left) with a gift of a sculpture of his dog, Carley, carved by Board of Trade sculptor-in-residence George Pratt. Dr. Rix is joined on stage by his daughter Lori. Photo: D.Roels
Saying his farewells at the AGM was 2008-09 chairman Dr. Don Rix, CM, OBC, referred to by Paish as “one of our community’s real icons.” Paish is set to continue his legacy of giving back to the community through the newly launched Rix Center for Corporate Citizenship & Engaged Leadership, which he founded at The Board during his time as chairman. Led by educational partners and business leaders, The Rix Center is a forum of corporate citizenship, encouraging and enabling business to link with the broader community in a way that both benefit.
“Our Board of Trade’s purpose is to deliver individual, business and community well-being,” Paish said.
“Health and wellness is at the top,” she said of her priorities. “No matter how much we invest in our economy, or in education, or in infrastucture,, if we are not healthy, we will not be successful society. Health care is now consuming nearly 50 cents of every dollar of provincial revenue. We need to find new ways to build, maintain and recover our health throughout our lifetimes, and we are going to need to be creative to find the solutions. Together, we will chart a path for a sustainably healthy community.”
Paish’s second passion is engaging youth. She said she is confident The Board will continue to engage “socially responsible young people taking a lead in our community’s future,” especially through The Board’s Company of Young Professionals® program for those under the age of 32, The Board’s Leaders of Tomorrow Mentorship Program® for post-secondary youth, and a work-in-progress follow-up to The Board’s recent Kids ‘N’ Crime Report which “will provide part of the foundation for a more intense focus in the coming year on our young people.”
“Engaging our children in building a better society will be our most important legacy. Our youth are our future. We will actively work to engage young people in our programs, events and issues,” she pledged.
Also now co-chair of Board initiative Spirit of Vancouver®, Paish’s third priority will be establishing a legacy for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. “It will be through the power and energy of collaboratively cooperating that we will find solutions to health care challenges, inspire and support the next generation and deliver to ourselves and the world the best Olympics ever… through these and The Board of Trade’s activities, your Board of Trade will help propel our communities to great success!”
Paish takes over Western Canada’s most active business association with a record membership of 5,835, comprising of 76 per cent small businesses, with 46 per cent of new members being women.
New directors joining the board of directors and recognized at the lunch were: Dave Cunningham, TELUS; Calvin Helin, RCI Capital Group Inc.; Terry Hui, Concord Pacific; Carol Lee, Linacare Laboratories; Paul Lee, Vanedge Capital; Tim Manning, RBC Royal Bank; Ken Martin, Pacific Blue Cross; Derral Moriyama, BMO; John Nightingale, Vancouver Aquarium; Tina Osen, Hub International; Jon Schubert, ICBC and J.J. Johnson, Corus Radio as chair of the Communications Standing Committee. See full board of directors
The Executive 2009-10 is now: Chairman: Sue Paish, QC, chief executive officer, Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd.; senior vice-chair: Jason McLean co-president & chief operating officer, The McLean Group; vice-chair: Fred G. Withers, FCA, managing partner, Ernst & Young LLP; vice-chair: Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, president, Century Plaza Hotel & Absolute Spa Group; secretary-treasurer: Jack McGee, CD, president, The Justice Institute of B.C.; immediate past chair: Dr. Don Rix, CM, OBC, chairman, Cantest Ltd. and LifeLabs Diagnostics Inc.; managing director: Darcy Rezac, CD, The Vancouver Board of Trade.
At a reception before the lunch, Dr. Don Rix presented Board of Trade staff Robert Chorner, sales executive, and Terry Hadley, communications director, with the Chairman’s Award.
Later during the lunch, Dr. Rix was presented with a sculpture of his dog carved by Vancouver Board of Trade sculptor-in-residence George Pratt, whose previous gifts include jade sculptors presented to U.S. President Bill Clinton put on display in the Oval Office, and the Emperor’s Sunrise on display at the B.C.-Canada Pavilion at the Beijing Olympic Games. Dr. Rix was joined on stage by his daughter Lori.
He expressed his heartfelt thanks to the audience after receiving a standing ovation as he turned over the traditional gavel to the new chair.
About Sue Paish, QC
As the CEO of Pharmasave Drugs (National) Ltd., Sue Paish, QC, is responsible for the strategic leadership of the company’s more than 400 community-based retail pharmacies and health centres, coast to coast.
As the former managing partner of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, she spearheaded the expansion of the law firm from one office in Vancouver to its international status with nine offices on three continents while inspiring a customer-centred culture and a leading-edge, community engagement focus.
Paish also plays a key leadership role as director of various public and private companies. Community engagement is fundamental for Paish, as evidenced in part by the number of organizations she is involved in as an advisor, director or on-the-ground supporter. As the founding chair of the Women’s Leadership Circle® and incoming chair of The Vancouver Board of Trade, she is passionate about helping others realize their potential.
Paish has been recognized for her leadership and accomplishments in various contexts. Last year, she received the UBC Faculty of Law Distinguished Alumni Award and has previously been named to the list of Canada’s Most Powerful Women – Top 100 and recognized as one of Vancouver’s most influential women in business. Paish received her Queen’s Counsel designation in 2001, and has been ranked as one of Canada’s Top 25 Women Lawyers.
About The Vancouver Board of Trade
The Vancouver Board of Trade and its Rix Center for Corporate Citizenship & Engaged Leadership is a 5,800-strong, membership-based, not-for-profit business association, serving businesses and the community for 122 years. It engages members in leading issues of the day to impact public policy at the federal, provincial and local levels. Its successes include the establishment of YVR as Canada’s first Airport Authority, a landmark study on early childhood development in relation to crime reduction, and intervening to save the Canada Line. The Board also has a global reputation for providing outstanding positive networking® opportunities, timely and relevant business intelligence, and education offerings and world-class speakers programs and conferences. The Board’s mission? Engaged community leadership. Its product? To add value to members, their enterprises and the broader community …connecting for good®
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