Special Olympics BC’s Board of Directors and Leadership Council provide vital guidance for our organization and movement, and SOBC benefits significantly from the efforts of these valued volunteers.
At the December 2020 Board of Directors meeting, Special Olympics BC – Campbell River athlete Ashley Adie was elected as a new Director. Adie will serve a two-year term as a Director and on the SOBC Leadership Council.
Adie is an accomplished athlete who has been involved with SOBC – Campbell River for 17 years. She competed in athletics in the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, and in snowshoeing at the 2020 SOC Winter Games, earning multiple personal bests as well as multiple medals.
Adie is a dedicated Thrifty Foods employee, and has Board experience from her background as a member of the Campbell River and Area Association for Community Living. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, she is known for her encouragement of fellow athletes, her compassionate voice sharing news and support on social media, her advocacy for inclusion, and her mentorship of fellow Team BC members.
Speaking with SO North America about the impact Special Olympics has had on her life, Adie said, "It's given me purpose, a reason to get out of bed in the morning. The best part about Special Olympics is you're accepted for who you are."
Board of Directors and Leadership Council update September 2020
At the 2020 SOBC Annual General Meeting on September 15, the Board of Directors re-elected the dedicated Executive Committee, and saluted two retiring members.
Longtime Special Olympics champions Ted Hirst and Randy Smallwood were re-elected into the roles of Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. Hirst is Canaccord Genuity’s Managing Director, Investment Banking - Global Head of Resources. Smallwood is the President & CEO of Wheaton Precious Metals. Pamela Keith of Dueck Auto Group serves as SOBC’s Past Chair, and Money Talks host Michael Campbell and Colin Yakashiro of Grant Thornton serve as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.
Also at the 2020 AGM, Special Olympics BC honoured athlete Susan Wang and fellow outgoing Director Colin MacKinnon. Wang, an accomplished athlete speaker and 2017 World Games medallist in alpine skiing, completed her two-year term as the Board’s Athlete Representative. She is an articulate, thorough, and thoughtful advocate who always acts in the best interests of athletes province-wide. Our movement is fortunate that Wang will remain an active athlete and leader in a range of roles.
“Susan has been both a delight to work with and a tremendous representative of the athletes,” SOBC President Dan Howe said.
“She has been a terrific Board member and the inspiration for many of us,” Hirst said.
“It was an amazing experience. I learned so many things,” Wang said, thanking her fellow Directors.
MacKinnon retired from his role on the Board after more than 34 years of impactful service to the organization. MacKinnon, the retired SVP CFO and CRO at BCAA, has been an SOBC Director since 1986, and part of the movement even before that.
MacKinnon has been an instrumental financial advisor, served in every role on the Board Executive Committee, and provided essential fundraising support through events such as the Newmont Invitational Golf Tournament throughout its history. MacKinnon even introduced SOBC to our first computer!
“He has done so much to bring us forward and so much to improve our processes, how we relate and communicate, our information, our issues, how we understand our financial matters. … To say Colin has made an impact on our organization is an understatement,” Howe said.
“I thank each and every one of you for everything you do to make Special Olympics better,” MacKinnon told the Board. “I’ve been proud to be associated with Special Olympics, and will continue to be proud to be associated.” He is graciously continuing to serve on the Board’s Finance and Audit Committee.