PETER BERRANG
Peter is a founding member and a shareholder in the Axys Group of companies which has business in chemical analysis, marine instrumentation, and the production of pure acids and inorganics.
Peter has started up and managed a number of successful Canadian high-tech companies. In 1995 as company President, Peter sold the advanced laser company Seastar Optics Inc. to a public firm in the U.S.
Peter was born 1946 in St. Ingbert, Germany, and grew up in Toronto after his family moved to Canada. A graduate of the University of Waterloo in 1970 with a B.Sc. in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. Peter completed his M.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of B.C. While working on his Ph.D. in Chemistryat the University of Victoria, he left academia to co-found his first company which later became the Axys Group of Companies located in Sidney, B.C.
Peter is the club’s unofficial technical guru and has more than 30 patents in various disciplines. He has been married for 50 years to his wife Heather, has two married daughters and five grandchildren. When not lost in deep thought, Peter enjoys windsurfing, kite-boarding, hiking, snowboarding and running.
Peter has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1997.
DAVID BLACK
David Black owns and operates Black Press, a private company whose holdings include 150 newspapers and 20 printing plants. The papers are primarily weeklies and semi-weeklies located in Western Canada and Washington State. Black Press also owns the Akron Beacon Journal and the Honolulu Star Advertiser which are larger daily operations. Torstar owns 19% of Black Press.
David was born in Vancouver. His family moved to Toronto when he was ten. They moved back to Vancouver in 1965 and David attended UBC where he earned a civil engineering degree. He then attended Western University for an MBA, graduating in 1971. David remembers being quite successful at all academic subjects and extra-curricular activities during his school years. Unfortunately for him his report cards were saved by a loving mother. They prove otherwise.
David married Annabeth Cote in 1970. They lived on Toronto Island for a few years while David worked for Crown Life and Torstar. When they left for Williams Lake in 1975 to buy a small newspaper, they had twin boys, Alan and Fraser, and a little girl, Morgan. Another daughter, Catherine, was born in Williams Lake. The family had intended to live in Williams Lake for 2 years and move to Vancouver. However, small town life grew on them. They stayed 10 years and David built up a cluster of newspapers around BC. They moved to Victoria in 1985.
Annabeth died in 2006. The children are all married and active. Thus far there are nine grandchildren. David divides his time between “Riffington”, his home and office in Victoria, business travelling, his getaway cabin on Long Island near Ladysmith, and cruising on his sailboat, Esperanza.
David continues to build up his business and enjoys helping in provincial and community endeavours and charitable organizations. He feels blessed with his friends and family and with those who work with him at the company.
David has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1987.
Dr. HANNES BLUM
Dr. Hannes Blum started his career with The Boston Consulting Group in Germany and founded his first company (JustBooks GmbH) with colleagues of his PhD program in 1999. After selling his business to AbeBooks.com, he was asked to take over as CEO of AbeBooks which brought him and his family to Victoria, Canada in 2003. After acquiring 5 companies, he sold AbeBooks to Amazon.com in 2008 and stayed on as a VP for Amazon.com until May 2015. He won several industry awards during his tenure at AbeBooks and Amazon (e.g. Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Consumer category for Pacific Canada).
Currently, he is Venture Partner North America for Acton Capital, a Munich based growth VC fund focused on consumer internet. He serves on the Board of five companies (Mobify in Vancouver, Chef’s Plate in Toronto, Eloquii in New York and Codename Entertainment as well as Monk Office in Victoria) and is an active Angel Investor (e.g. Indochino.com, Teampages.com – sold to Active Network, Authy.com – sold to Twilio, Checkfront.com, Certn.com – he received the “Angel of the Year” Award from Viatec in 2018). He is also a recent Co-Founder of a young startup in Victoria called Familysparks.com. In his spare time, Hannes loves to spend time with his wife and 2 children, on tennis courts, ski hills and golf courses.
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CHRISTOPHER CAUSTON
Christopher Causton is the former five-Term Mayor of Oak Bay and has served as either the Chair or as a Board Member on several boards and commissions both locally and provincially.
Christopher was born in Cobham, Surrey, UK. After receiving his education at Marlborough and the University of Strathclyde, he came to Canada in 1968 working for Sheraton Hotels on a co-op program in Ontario. After his contract was completed Christopher headed for California by train. En route to the Sunshine State via Vancouver, he visited Victoria in 1972 and decided to stay and open a Restaurant of his own called Jason's. . This restaurant was sold in 1974 and Christopher started working for Keg restaurants, and became their first US manager as they expanded into the USA. In 1979 he returned to Victoria, renovated the south end of the Crystal Gardens and opened Rattenbury's in 1980.
In 1987 Christopher was elected to Oak Bay Council, and in 1996 was elected Mayor. In addition to his roles serving on the Capital Regional District, Christopher was the official liberal candidate for the Victoria - Oak Bay riding in the 2011 federal election.
Christopher is now the Goodwill Ambassador and a Captain with Victoria Harbour Ferries. He also serves as a director of Clearseas. In his spare time Christopher reads voraciously and flies flags.
Christopher is married to Elizabeth, who for years was with the palliative response team at Victoria Hospice. They have two daughters, Sarah and Jennifer and two grandchildren. Sarah is a Social worker and Mother living in Victoria, and Jennifer works for Boston Consulting Group in Seattle.
Christopher has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1987.
STEVE CLARK
Steve Clark is the businessman founder of National Money Mart and Cashline Inc, two major companies based in Victoria, BC. While both companies have since been sold, he continues to invest at a rate of $1 million per month to some 200 mostly Canadian companies annually.
Steve was born 1951 in San Angelo, Texas. He was the youngest of three children with both parents in the military. His dad, a pilot in the US Air Force was killed in a plane crash when Steve was three. His mother, a full-time nurse, was left to raise the family. Growing up, Steve found he didn’t take to working for others so he started his own first business with a total capital investment of $1,100. It lead to a success Steve never forgot. After trying college for a few years and managing to stay out of the military, Steve first traveled the US and then found his way to Canada. While in Edmonton, Steve started National Money Mart in 1982 and later moved to Victoria in 1984.
Self-taught about business, Steve later took classes and courses to make up for the education he passed on earlier in life. He also found the motivation he would need to succeed. Steve’s folksy and unassuming style belays a keen sense of timing that many credit for his success in the business world.
Steve is married to his wife Betsyn and they have three daughters. The family is now following his passion for business and automobiles. Oldest daughter Stephanie owns an equestrian business, middle daughter Stacey has joined Betsyn in "Fair le Fete", a high-end linen rental business with clients throughout BC. While still attending BCIT, youngest daughter Shelby successfully races vintage sports cars and flat track motorcycles while Steve himself sports three vintage sports car racing championships. It all leaves former work-a-holic Steve to muse on how he's now the one with free time left to walk the dogs.
Steve has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1987.
MARK COLLINS
Mark is President and CEO of Clipper Navigation Ltd. in Victoria and Board Chair of Clipper Navigation Inc. in Washington state. Clipper provides modern high speed marine transportation and tourism services to markets in the Pacific Northwest. Clipper is the North America unit of FRS Group of Germany which operates ships and marine terminals in 14 counties.
Mark is also founder and Principal of Dytalix Transport Solutions Inc., a consultancy focused on the intersection of marine transport, terrestrial inter-modality, and environmental performance. Dytalix helps companies and communities move towards frictionless travel, low carbon futures and greater satisfaction with the transport services they supply and consume.
Mark has held leadership and technical positions with shipping, aviation, and manufacturing firms since 1980. Mark recently completed over 18 years at British Columbia Ferry Services, one of the world’s largest marine passenger transportation networks, including more than 5 years as President & CEO. He was BC Ferries Vice President of Engineering from 2004-2012 and Vice President, Strategic Planning & Community Engagement from 2015-2017.
Mark’s 40 years of transportation experience includes expatriate assignments as President of Rolls Royce Marine Brazil and Rolls Royce Marine Italy. Prior to this, Mark was VP Sales and Aftermarket for Rolls-Royce Marine Canada. Mark believes in real field experience, holding numerous operational and emergency management certifications. He has served at sea as a marine engineer on oil tankers, offshore support vessels, bulk carriers, and container ships. A little further back, Mark served as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician on rotary wing aircraft.
Born on the island of Newfoundland, Mark has a long relationship with the sea. He is an experienced racing sailor, participating in many international regattas and ocean races. In his university days, Mark paid the bills delivering yachts on ocean voyages in the Atlantic. He has served on many boards and committees concerning the maritime industry, including Green Marine, BC Shipbuilding Advisory Panel, Interferry, and as Chair of the Canadian Ferry Association. Mark presently sits on the Board of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and volunteers with local charities. Mark is married with three children and lives in Victoria.
MICHAEL CRIDGE
Michael Cridge has been a Private Banker with BMO Private Banking since 2000. Prior to that he was a Private Banker with the Private Bank’s predecessor, BMO Private Client Services, where he was since 1990 and with BMO in various other roles since 1980.
Michael is responsible for managing a group of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families and responsible for the overall relationship those clients have with BMO, while meeting their banking needs, and along with the assistance of a specialized team of BMO professionals for their investment management and planning needs . As he has been in the Victoria market since 1984 Michael enjoys a wide and active network of clients and COI’s.
Michael is a current Board member of a number of civic organizations, including with the Cridge Centre for the Family and the Victoria Foundation. He is also a past member of a number of other cultural and civic minded organizations. Michael is also a member of the Victoria Capital Club.
Michael holds his CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designations.
Michael is married with 2 grown sons and enjoys boating, golfing & travelling.
BRIAN DYER
Brian was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland where he obtained a degree in Economics. In 1968. following his qualification as a Chartered Accountant in Ireland, Brian spent eight years with Price Waterhouse in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands. He moved to Victoria in 1977 and is a former partner of Clarkson Gordon, Ernst & Young and KPMG.
Subsequently, Brian was also the Chief Financial Officer, Senior VP & Director at Custom House Ltd., then one of the world’s largest non-bank foreign exchange companies, headquartered in Victoria, BC.
During his thirty years in Victoria, Brian became well known in the community. He was the Chair at St. Michael’s University School, the University Faculty of Business Board of Advisors and Vice President of Rugby Canada. Brian was appointed a “Fellow” of the BC Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2005.
Brian and his wife Thelma have two children: Colin and Kathy. Colin (and his wife Jenny) operate an English language school in S. Korea. Kathy is with the Provincial Government and lives with Rob in Victoria. Brian and Thelma have two grandchildren in Victoria and one in S. Korea. When not at home in Victoria, Brian and Thelma spend the winter months in their home at Palm Springs and frequently travel abroad. They are close to hitting their target of visiting 100 countries!!
Brian is the founding Chair of the original group of four that started the Victoria Capital Club in 1986.
PETER DRYDEN
Born in Victoria, Peter attended Oak Bay High School and UVic before entering the University of British Columbia Medical School where he completed his residency training in orthopedic surgery and then did further training at the University of Toronto. Peter returned to practice orthopedic surgery in Victoria before starting Rebalance MD with colleagues in 2013 to provide musculoskeletal care for patients in the city. The success of Rebalance has led his company to increase clinics in Victoria and beyond.
Peter is currently a Clinical Associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UBC, the Division Head of orthopedic surgery in Victoria, and is President of the Canadian Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. He is past President of the British Columbia Orthopedic association and prior examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
In athletics, Peter played basketball at Oak Bay High where he was team captain and was fortunate to have the opportunity to play competitive junior golf. He currently lives in Victoria with his wife, Kim. He is father to a university age daughter, Ava and a high school age daughter, Faye. Peter stays active with his family wake-surfing and boating at Lake Cowichan. He enjoys golf and tennis in his spare time.
MURRAY FARMER
Murray Farmer has held various senior positions within the Farmer Industries Group and currently serves as Vice-President of Accent Inns, part of a family partnership with interests in the development and hospitality sectors.
Active in numerous industry associations, Murray ultimately served as chair of the Canadian Construction Association. He is a Registered Quantity Surveyor and a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program.
An alumnus of the University of Victoria, he received UVic’s Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2002, he joined UVic’s board of governors, serving as its chair in 2007/08. Elected to the position of
UVic Chancellor in 2009 he served two, three-year terms. In June 2017, Murray received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Victoria.
Over the years he has been involved in various volunteer leadership roles in numerouscommunity organizations. He also chaired campaigns for the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea and the TRADEmark of Excellence Campaign for Camosun College. Murray and wife, Lynda, have been fortunate in receiving numerous awards for their volunteer work in the community.
In July 2015, Murray was appointed by the Minister of National Defense to the position of Honorary Colonel of The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's). Not having a military background, this experience has provided Murray an opportunity to learn more about our important military and especially the value of Canada’s reserve ‘citizen soldiers’.
Murray is a recently retired as a playing member of Victoria and Eldorado Polo Clubs (wanting to enjoy his golden years in one piece!). He enjoys golf with wife Lynda and is an avid boater and cyclist. A private pilot for many years, he once piloted his Cessna 180 from Victoria to Charlottetown, return, gaining, in his words, ‘a true appreciation for the vastness and beauty of our great country’.
Murray has been a member of the Victoria Capital Club since 2014.
GORDON FYFE
Gordon J. Fyfe is the chief executive officer and chief investment officer of British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI). BCI is one of Canada’s largest institutional investors and manages more than $211 billion on behalf of British Columbia’s public sector.
Gordon is originally from Victoria and returned here after more than 35 years studying and working around Europe and North America. He has a strong and extensive investment background with more than 30 years in the investment and finance industry. Prior to joining BCI in July 2014, he served as the president and chief executive officer of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSPIB) in Montreal, Canada for 11 years. Gordon started his career with J.P. Morgan in New York and London, and then moved to senior executive positions at TAL Global Asset Management and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, both large Canadian institutional investors.
Gordon holds a degree in commerce from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from INSEAD, France. He is a married father to four children and has one grandchild.
PETER GUSTAVSON
Peter is the President of Gustavson Capital a private equity and investment company. Peter is also the founder and the CEO of EncoreFX a foreign exchange risk management and global payment company which has customers across Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Peter was the founder and former President and CEO of Custom House Ltd one of the world’s largest non-bank foreign exchange companies with offices in seven countries, customers in 115 countries, more than $35 billion in transactions and more than 40,000 corporate customers worldwide. In September 2009, the company was purchased by Western Union. Under Peter’s leadership, Custom House was named one of the 50 best-managed companies in Canada eight years in a row by Deloitte. Peter is a recipient of an Ernst & Young Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 and a Life Time Achievement Award from the Vancouver Island Business Excellence Society in 2005.
Peter is a commerce graduate with honours from the University of Manitoba in 1979 and obtained his Chartered Accountancy designation in 1982. He was awarded the title “Fellow Chartered Accountant” by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC in 2005. Peter’s past and current Board membership and community service include Member of the Board of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Member of the University of Victoria School of Business Advisory Board and Governor of the University of Victoria Board of Governors. In 2010 the University of Victoria recognized Peter’s contributions to the University by renaming the Faculty of Business to the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business.
Peter has been a member of the Victoria Capital Club since 1998.
ROBERT JAWL
“Robert is the Managing Director of Jawl Properties Ltd, Victoria, BC’s largest owner, manager and developer of commercial real estate. Recent project activity includes 1515 Douglas Street, Capital Park, the Atrium Building and the Selkirk Waterfront Community. Prior to Jawl Properties, Robert was an associate with the Blackstone Group involved in the firm’s real estate private equity investment initiatives including the acquisition and operations of Equity Office Properties, CarrAmerica Realty and Trizec Properties. Earlier, Robert was an analyst in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs & Co.
Robert holds a Bachelors of Science in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Science in Sustainable Urban Development from Oxford University. Robert is a director of the Royal British Columbia Museum, chairperson of the Greater Victoria Police Foundation and past chairperson of the Urban Development Institute - Capital Region. Robert is also engaged in a range of philanthropic initiatives with a principal focus on youth, education and community wellbeing. Robert lives in Victoria with his wife and two sons.”
JAMES McKENZIE
James has made Victoria his home since 1963. He studied at UBC and Queen's University, where he received his Engineering degree with Honours in 1978; he achieved a Professional Engineer designation in 1981. James is the former CEO of Monk Office and remains the principal owner of after his retirement in 2014. James’ other business interests include Shawnigan Storage Ltd, Cobble Hill Storage, and Cook Culture as well as a commercial real estate portfolio.
James has been active in the community and has worked hard to nurture a healthier business climate in Victoria. He is a Past Member of the Patron's Council of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, was a volunteer teacher with the Junior Achievement Student Entrepreneurs Program for five years, and was named Volunteer of the Year in 1999 for the Junior Achievement Student Entrepreneurs Elementary School Program. James is also the Past President of the Victoria Chapter of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise, Past President of the Victoria Executive Management Club, past Member of the Camosun College Young Building Restoration Project Honourary Campaign Council and has sat on the Boards of Directors for the Canadian Office Products Association, Basics Office Products and Gold Leaf Office Products.
James has served as the Honourary Treasurer of the Victoria Symphony, Director of the Victoria Symphony Foundation Board, the BC Governor for Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Director of the Shawnigan Residents’ Association and Director / Chair of the Island Savings Credit Union Board and First West Credit Union.
James today James is actively mentoring his two children to own and operate the businesses. He is a believer in the entrepreneurial spirit and wants to actively contribute to the business environment and the community that will encourage and enhance the lives of all members of the community.
MATT MACNEIL
Matt MacNeil is the President of the Victoria Pub Company. He owns and operates the Penny Farthing Pub in Oak Bay, the Irish Times Pub in Victoria, and the Bard & Banker Pub, also in Victoria.
Matt was born 1960 in Vancouver, BC and attended the University of British Columbia where he was on the football team. After leaving UBC, he moved to Calgary and became involved in the pub business. During the six years he lived in Calgary, he owned or became a partner in six pubs across Western Canada. Matt opened his first BC pub in 1998 with the popular Dubh Linn Gate Pub in Whistler, BC.
Matt moved to Victoria in 1997. Cracking the “tweed curtain” with Oak Bay’s first ever public house, Matt launched his Victoria area pubs with the Penny Farthing Public House in 2001. The success he realized in renovating and revitalizing the aging building on Oak Bay Avenue lead him to more heritage buildings in the city’s downtown core. In 2003, he opened the Irish Times Pub in the buildings at 1200 Government Street. In 2008, the Bard & Banker Pub opened in the heritage bank building at Government and Fort Street.
Mat and his wife Wendy have been married for 26 years and have two children, both boys. Active in the city since his arrival, Matt has been involved with the both the Oak Bay and the Victoria Business Improvement Associations. In 2008, he was named Victoria Business Person of the Year. He currently sits as president of ABLE BC (the alliance of beverage licensees for the province). ABLE BC represents all the liquor licensees and private liquor stores helping develop all relevant policy and law governing the industry.
In his free time, Matt enjoys golf and sailing. He and Wendy travel whenever time and business allows.
Matt has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 2005.
OWEN MATHEWS
Owen Mathews was born 1972 in Ottawa area and grew up in Kanata which is a high- tech suburb in that city. At that time, Kanata was a small town best known for being the home base of Nortel, the town’s biggest employer. By 1988 when Owen graduated from high school, Kanata had become the booming hub for some of Canada’s most advanced tech companies.
After high school Owen traveled to Europe where he worked for a year as a truck driver, a hotel front desk clerk and a bartender. On his return to Canada, he moved to Montreal for university. Finding the city too much of a distraction for academic endeavors, he moved to Victoria which offered a more restrained setting for concentrating on school. At UVic, Owen studied computer sciences and psychology while running a web design firm and graphic arts studio located on Johnson Street, right next to a pawn shop and below a gay men’s steam bath. In the classic mold of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Owen too dropped out of university in fourth year to strike out on his own. He founded Newheights Software which came to employ a staff of 80 and was eventually sold for $24 million.
Following his Newheights venture, Owen joined his family’s technology investment firm charged with finding new investment opportunities and managing several existing companies as a director with the firm.
Active in company fundraising and the mentoring of young high-tech teams, Owen founded and chairs The Alacrity Foundation. The Alacrity Foundation is a non-profit organization which is supported with funds from both the federal and provincial government to teach university engineering graduates how to build successful technology companies.
Outside of work, Owen has co-chaired the fundraising committee for the Pacific Sport Centre for Excellence and helped raise the $28 million needed to build the project. The centre, renamed the Canadian Sports Centre Pacific, is located beside Camosun College Interurban campus and the Vancouver Island Technology Park.
Owen has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 2009.
MARK MAWHINNEY
Mark is a shareholder and Portfolio Manager with BC based, private and independent investment firm Odlum Brown Limited. His firm manages about $23 billion of client assets and Mark advises high net worth clients and their families with sophisticated investment strategies. He is a CPA and in 2009 was awarded a BC-province wide award for leadership from his professional association. He also earned the Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D designation in 2021.
A long-time believer in community service, Mark serves as the chair of the board of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. The GVHA owns and operates the deep water terminal at Ogden Point along with many other marine related assets and marinas throughout Victoria’s iconic harbour. Ogden Point serves, in part, as Canada’s business cruise ship terminal welcoming over 300 ships annually and 1 million guests. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Fraser Institute Foundation. The Fraser Institute is one of Canada’s most important and influential public policy think tanks.
Mark spends his leisure time with family and friends boating, golfing, road-cycling or enjoying his leisure property on Mayne Island. He is a long-time member of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Union Club of British Columbia.
ROB MCADAMS
Rob McAdams is President of the Pacific Beach Investments Ltd., and has had a successful fifty year career in land development, mainly on Vancouver Island. Along with his two sons, projects have included hotels, subdivisions, condominiums and apartment buildings.
Rob was born 1942 in Victoria and attended UVic for one year before setting out in the business world. Showing an early interest in broadcasting, he and a friend created and operated a pirate radio station (KITN), which broadcast rock & roll from a downtown Victoria storefront over an AM transmitter located in Port Angeles, between 4-8pm daily.
Rob married his wife Bette shortly after obtaining his real estate license and started building houses. They have 2 sons and a daughter and 9 grandchildren, all of whom live in Victoria. Over the winter, they often visit him in Palm Desert where Rob also plays the “land” game.
In 1992 the family established the McAdams Foundation to provide funds in perpetuity “to help put a smile on the face of a child in need.” His current hobbies include golf, fishing, prawning and driving his '33 Ford coupe hotrod. He considers himself a realistic optimist.
Rob has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1996.
GWYN MORGAN
Gwyn Morgan has the distinction of being a professional engineer, a newspaper columnist and the founding CEO of EnCana, which he built into North America’s leading independent oil and natural gas production company with an estimated stock market value of $60 billion. He has also served as a Director of five global corporations, including six years a member of the board of directors of London based HSBC, the world’s largest global bank.
Gwyn was born in 1945 on a hardscrabble farm near Carstairs, Alberta. The youngest of four children, he rose from these modest roots to graduate from the University of Alberta with a degree in petroleum engineering. For three decades he built the company that became EnCana, becoming a vocal proponent of Canadian based international companies. Gwyn continues to share his views on business and politics with a regular column in the National Post newspaper.
In addition to the many business awards he has earned, Gwyn is a wellness
enthusiast who combines a love of the outdoors with a vigorous cross training regime of running, cycling, skipping, weights and yoga. He and his wife Patricia Trottier are both advocates of holistic medicine and a proactive self-help approach to health advancement.
Gwyn and Pat moved to BC in 2006 and live in North Saanich. They enjoy three precious “retirement gifts” that their daughter presented them with – two grandsons and a granddaughter.
In 2010, Governor General David Johnston recognized Gwyn’s contributions to his country through appointment as a Member of The Order of Canada.
Gwyn has been member of the Victoria Capital Club since 2008
LUKE MARI
Luke Mari is a Managing Principal at Aryze Developments, a vertically integrated real estate development and construction firm primarily focused on the Victoria region. With more than 15 years of experience in real estate, land economics, and urban planning, Luke brings a disciplined approach to development strategy, capital deployment, and risk management across complex urban projects.
At Aryze, Luke leads business development, deal strategy, and capital partner relationships, working closely on underwriting, entitlement strategy, and end-to-end project execution. The firm delivers award-winning projects across a range of housing typologies and regularly partners with non-profit organizations and First Nations to advance community-oriented and socially impactful developments.
Previously, Luke served as Director of Planning and Approving Officer for the District of North Saanich and as a Real Estate Analyst with the provincial government, providing him with deep insight into regulatory frameworks, approvals risk, and land use economics. Luke is an active contributor to housing innovation in Canada and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Victoria Housing Society.
CALLAGHAN O'CONNER
Callaghan O’Connor is a seasoned real estate professional with over a decade of experience and the founding partner of Oak Bay Group, a leading luxury real estate brand in Victoria, BC.
Beyond real estate, Callaghan and his wife Mare co-own Otto Logistics, an independent shipping and logistics company based in Sidney, BC. Since its founding, Otto has grown to a team of more than 120 employees and is a key Amazon delivery partner, moving thousands of packages across the region each day.
Born and raised in Victoria, Callaghan has deep ties to the community. A former major junior hockey player and member of the Canadian National Rugby Team, he brings the same discipline, teamwork, and competitive drive from his athletic career to his professional life.
Callaghan is also a proud father to Oxford and Scout, and is passionate about building a vibrant, community-driven future on the West Coast."
RAY PROTTI
Ray was born in 1945 in Edmonton, Alberta and graduated with a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Alberta in 1968, and an MA in 1970. He joined the Bank of Canada in 1968 and in 1972 enrolled in the London School of Economics for two years of doctoral studies. Ray returned to work in the federal government for the next 22 years. This included tours of duty with the Department of Finance, Treasury Board and the Privy Council Office where he served as Deputy Secretary, Operations. His most senior positions included Deputy Minister of Labour Canada, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.
Ray joined the Canadian Bankers Association as its President and CEO in June 1996 and retired to Victoria in 2007. While in Toronto Ray served on the boards of Ryerson University, The Toronto Community Foundation and St. Joseph's Health Centre Foundation.
Since arriving in Victoria, Ray has served 6 years on the boards of the University of Victoria, including two years as its Chair, Ocean Networks Canada and Pacific Opera Victoria. Currently, he is on the board of Canadian Western Bank and is a member of the Audit and Governance Committees. Ray was appointed Chair of the Royal B.C. Museum in January 2019.
Ray is married to Sheila and they have two sons and two grandchildren. Michel is a Vice-President with Facebook and lives in Santa Cruz, California with his wife, Casey and their two children, Claire and Devin. Nicholas lives in Vancouver with his wife, Chin, and he is a senior manager with the provincial government trade ministry.
When not working through briefing binders and attending meetings, Ray enjoys golf at the Victoria Golf Club.
Ray has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 2008.
SANDY STEDMAN
Sandy Stedman is a partner with the firm of Schibli Stedman King LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants in Victoria. His practice is devoted to owner-managed businesses with a strong emphasis on corporate groups, real estate, and in-bound and out-bound international tax.
Sandy was born 1957 in Ottawa, Ontario when his parents were visiting his grandparents in Perth. He is proud to say he never lived in Ottawa. He was one of four children and his dad with a CA was the mine accountant in Chapais, Quebec.
Sandy earned his BComm from UBC in 1984 and articled for his CA in the Abbotsford office of Ernst & Whinney, qualifying in 1987. After five years with Ernst & Whinney (now part of KPMG) in Abbotsford he moved to Vancouver as an internal auditor with Fletcher Challenge Canada, later a controller for a group of privately held companies, and finally audited VSE companies before moving to Victoria to join Schibli, Stedman, King in 1996.
Sandy’s volunteer activities include being a Scout leader, the Treasurer of first The Greater Victoria Region of Scouts Canada, and then St Michael’s University School. Sandy has been a volunteer with CPABC and its predecessor since 1990 and has been an author and instructor of taxation courses for the professional development program since 2002. Sandy was elected a Fellow of CPABC in 2018.
Sandy and his wife Roxanne have three children.
Sandy is a two term Chair of the Victoria Capital Club having joined the group in 2003.
DEAN STRONGITHARM
Deane Strongitharm is the principal of Strongitharm Consulting Ltd. and a principal associate of City Spaces Consulting Ltd. He specializes in marine tourism, land-use planning, development feasibility and project management..
Deane was born 1951 in Nanaimo. BC. He graduated from the University of Victoria before completing his Masters in Community and Regional Planning at UBC. His career includes terms as Director of Planning for the BC Regional District and fifteen years as the Vice-President for the Oak Bay Marine Group which has marine tourism operations in three countries around the world.
During his career, Deane has been very involved in the Greater Victoria community through his volunteer work. This includes Director of the Mount St. Mary Foundation; Director & Past Chair of the Greater Victoria Hospital Foundation; Executive Member, Sport Fishing Institute of BC; past Vice President of the Council of Tourism Associations of BC; Director, BC Cancer Foundation (Vancouver Island) Advisory Council; Past President, Victoria Heritage Foundation and Past Director, University of Victoria Alumni.
Married, and known to fit in a little tennis and a game of golf when work allows, Deane has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 2009
ROB WALLACE
Rob Wallace is a real estate investor with holdings in Greater Victoria and London, Ontario.
Rob wa born in 1947 in Wales. Looking to improve his standard of living in the UK he emmigrated to Canada and settled in the Toronto area at the age of 21. Rob started investing in real estate around 1969, shortly after his arrival. Over the ensuing fifty year period Rob created a family owned portfolio of almost entirely debt free, income producing commercial real estate. In 1978 Rob followed his instincts and consolidated his real estate holdings, selling some and eliminating the debt on others. He purchased a sailboat and in 1979 set out with his wife and young son to spend two and a half years sailing and seeing the world. While away sailing very high interest rates on the bank cash deposit provided more than enough cash flow to finance his voyages and then some. Upon the family's return to Ontario Rob found he had the opportunity and means to acquire prized pieces of real estate, some of which he previoiusly owned, at hugh discounts.
By 1986 Rob decided Ontario winters were no longer bearable and he moved to Victoria. Shortly after arriving, he became involved with the local bid for the City of Victoria to host the 1994 Commonwealth Games. As the games committee Vice Chairman Rob appeared before city council requesting the city's permission to bid for the games and played a key role in successfully bringing the games to the city.
Rob has been married to his wife Linda for fifty years and they have two children and five grandchildren. His son and daughter are becoming active in the family business. Rob enjoys gardening, photography and mentoring young people. He and Linda have been privileged to travel extensively and in 2010 they purchased a property on Maui. They now divide their time between Victoria and Hawaii creating a tropical garden with plants they only wish they were able to grow on Vancouver Island.
Rob has been a Victoria Capital Club member sine 1987.
ANDREW WILKINSON
"Andrew started his first business, a popular technology website, at age 15. Since then, he has started, purchased, and invested in a variety of businesses ranging from SaaS software companies to breweries. His holding company, Tiny, has over 400 employees across 16 wholly owned subsidiary businesses and 50 minority investments in top technology companies like SpaceX. He generally acquires at-scale technology companies using his own capital, then restructures them to accelerate profitability and growth.
He and his wife have a 2-year-old son, Ben, and another little boy on the way. In his spare time, he is an avid tennis and squash player, and spends far too much time reading the news."
TERRY WILLIAMS
Terry Williams is a Victoria architect, President of Terence Williams Architect and the former President of The Wade Williams Corporation Architects. He is a recognized expert in sustainable design, acoustics and campus planning.
Terry was born 1942 in England. After working in Bristol, London (England) New York, and Helsinki, he moved first to Vancouver and then to Victoria in 1971 and joined the firm of Wade Stockdill Armour and Blewett, an established architectural practice started in 1946. Among the many buildings he has designed, Terry is best known for the U Vic’s Farquhar Auditorium in the University Centre building, the Engineering Buildings and the Computer Science Building at the University of Victoria as well as new and renovated buildings at the Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus. He designed Campus Plans for Camosun College, Royal Roads and Malaspina University-College and the West valley Campus of the College of the Desert in Palm Springs, California. The design for the Pacific Forestry Centre won his firm the Governor General’s award for design in 1986.
Terry’s extensive and continuing association with the profession of architecture resulted in him being the President of The Architectural Institute of British Columbia.His involvement with The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, includes being a Fellow, a Past President as well as a former Chancellor of the College of Fellows and he is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architecture. In addition to these honours, Terry is a founding Board Member of the Canada Green Building Council and former President of the Conservatory of Music and VP of the Victoria Symphony.
Terry was a Member of the Parliament Building Oversight Committee reviewing the development of the Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa. He was previously a member of the Parliamentary Buildings Advisory Council.
Terry has been a Victoria Capital Club member since 1989.
JUSTIN YOUNG
Justin Young has been a business owner for most of his life. His passions include retail, real estate and technology. He started as a very young entrepreneur in high school responsible for 26 public schools’ grounds maintenance. His first rental property was acquired while still a teenager.
Since grade 7 he starting working for Canadian Tire and has pursued a life long career of ever-expanding roles in retail for the past 40 years. He currently owns & operates the largest volume Canadian Tire store in British Columbia with over 175 employees.
His other interests involve the development of industrial, commercial, land and residential properties. He is keenly focused on the financial derivative markets with a specialized interest in credit spreads.
Justin holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He has developed many unique retail computer applications that have enabled significant improvements in retail and customer service processes. These applications have been scaled and deployed on a national level.
As a proud father of two teenaged boys, he lives with his wife Shelley of over 20 years in Victoria.
