About the Board
A board of twelve directors governs CBT. The five regional districts of the Columbia Basin and Ktunaxa Nation Council each nominate a minimum of one and a maximum of four directors and the Province of BC nominates the remaining six directors. The Lieutenant Governor in Council makes all of the final appointments to the Board. All directors must reside in the Columbia Basin.
Board Members
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Garry Merkel maintains various roles, including: Treaty Negotiator and Advisor to the Ktunaxa Nation Council; Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (Board member, past Chair), Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (Chair); Aboriginal Housing Committee for British Columbia (Chair), Minister of Forests Practices Advisory Council (Co-chair); and UBC Faculty of Forestry First Nations Advisory Council (co-chair). Garry holds a Bachelor of Science-Forestry (with Honors) from the University of Alberta, an Honorary Degree of Arts from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and is a registered Professional Forester. He has managed various local, provincial, national and international projects for government, industry, aboriginal organizations, schools and communities. He has been involved in creating many organizations, including corporations, associations, governance structures, and foundations. Garry's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Greg Deck grew up in the Radium Hot Springs area, and after education and employment in the US and France, returned to the region in 1979. He has been active in the business community and in politics, serving as Mayor of Radium from the village’s incorporation in 1990 to his retirement in November of 2008. Throughout those eighteen years, he was also a director of the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) and Chair for the last six years. On behalf of the RDEK, he served as a Trustee of the Municipal Finance Authority and a director of the Southern Interior Development Investment Trust. Greg continues to sit on the board of Columbia Basin Trust as one of its founding directors, and is also one of the two CBT appointees to the Board of Directors of Columbia Power Corporation. Greg's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2011. |
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Kim Deane was raised in the West Kootenay. He is a Professional Engineer and has worked in Canada and abroad in utilities and on new mining projects, and as Energy Manager for Cominco Ltd. in Trail, overseeing their hydro operations and sales of surplus power, and directly involved in several sales of power assets. Following retirement from Cominco he served on the B.C. Utilities Commission, as an energy consultant, as a Director of FortisBC and as a volunteer director for Community Futures in Trail. Kim's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2011. |
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Mike Berg is an Associate and former partner with Berg Naqvi Lehmann, Chartered Accountants, in Nelson. Mike is a former School Trustee, former President of the BC School Trustees Association, the past District No. 5080 Governor of Rotary International, and the former President of Willowhaven Private Hospital Ltd. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC and a Fellow Chartered Accountant. Mike's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2011.
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Denise Birdstone is employed by Tobacco Plains Indian Band as Band Administrator. Previously, she was the Tribal Treaty Coordinator/Assistant Treaty Negotiator for the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Tribal Council for 7 years. Denise has a Certificate in the Administration of Aboriginal Governments from the University of Victoria as well as other professional development certificates and has extensive experience in administration and governance. Currently, she is a Board of Directors member with the Kootenay Aboriginal Business Advocates Society. Denise is a shareholder of the All Nations Trust Co. and has been elected by its shareholders to the Board of Directors since 1997. Denise's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Evelyn Cutts is an independent businesswoman who has co-owned and operated Sheep Mountain Outfitters for 30 years as well as the Koocanusa Lake Campsite. Evelyn is a former Mayor of Fernie and has served as a School Trustee. She has been a volunteer with the Girl Guides, figure skating, minor hockey, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary. She is currently involved as a volunteer with the RCMP based Victim Services in the Elk Valley. She is also president of the Fernie Chamber of Commerce, and is an active member of the Fernie Rotary Club as well as Know United Church. In 2002, Evelyn was honoured with the Fernie Citizen of the Year Award. Evelyn's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Ron Miles is a lawyer in private practice, currently as a partner with Miles, Daroux, Zimmer & Sheard, a law office established in 1995. He holds bachelor degrees in both Commerce and Law. His extensive involvement in the community includes two terms as a Councillor for the City of Cranbrook, former Chair of the Cranbrook & District Hospital, and past-President of the Kinsmen Club of Cranbrook. He has volunteered numerous hours as a coach for the Cranbrook Minor Hockey and Cranbrook Youth Soccer Associations in addition to being a founding board member of the Cranbrook Minor Lacrosse Association. In addition to his position as a member of the Board of Directors for Columbia Basin Trust, he is also one of the two CBT appointees to the Board of Directors of Columbia Power Corporation. Ron's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Jim Miller is the Chief Executive Officer of Creston & District Credit Union. Prior to moving to British Columbia, Jim held numerous positions with credit unions in Alberta and Manitoba. He currently is Chair of the Creston Valley Development Authority, and sits as a Director of Stabilization Central Credit Union of British Columbia. Jim has served as a member of the Legislative Committee to the Board of Directors for Credit Union Central of BC; is a past Director of the Creston Chamber of Commerce; and is a former member and Executive Director of the Creston Rotary Club. He has coached at both the minor hockey and senior hockey levels. Jim and his wife Linda reside in Creston and have two teenage children. Jim’s current term as CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2011. |
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Jeannette Townsend is the Managing Broker for Valemount Real Estate Ltd, Director of the Fraser-Fort George Regional District and has served as Mayor of the Village of Valemount from 1990 to 2008. She is the former President of the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association and a former Director of the UNBC Northern Medical Programs Trust. She is also a member of the Canadian Real Estate Association, the BC Real Estate Association and the BC Northern Real Estate Board. Jeannette's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Bill Trewhella served on the Council of the Village of Warfield for 15 years, the last 11 years as Mayor. He also served on the Fire Department of Warfield for 7 years. Bill served on a number of boards across the Province and provincially as President of the Union of BC Municipalities, where he received a Life Membership in 1995. He also served on the RDKB Board, Selkirk College Board, BC Heritage Trust, Fire Chief’s Association of BC, Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Post Secondary Employers Association. Bill is retired after 33 years of service at Celgar Pulp Co. where he worked as a power engineer, supervisor and training coordinator. Bill's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Loni Parker is a life-long resident of Revelstoke where she has successfully owned and operated her own business. She is currently serving her fifth term as Regional Director for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District representing rural Revelstoke, Mica Creek, Trout Lake, Beaton and Galena Bay. An active member of the community and keenly interested in the social, economic and environmental well-being of the area, she founded the North Columbia Resource Council and the first Bear Aware program in the province. As well as being a member of numerous boards and committees, Loni is a Director on the Board of the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation and the Revelstoke Affordable Housing Society. Loni's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2010. |
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Paul Peterson is the director of Area K of the Regional District of Central Kootenay. Paul has a long history of involvement in local government in the area. He served as a councillor for five years in the Village of New Denver and as a school trustee for twelve years in Arrow Lakes School District #10. He is currently in his third term as an area director for the RDCK. Paul's current term as a CBT Board member expires on March 31, 2011. |
Columbia Basin Trust supports efforts by the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic
and environmental well-being and to achieve greater self-sufficiency for present and future generations.
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