Board of Directors

The Ronald McDonald House BC Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse group of people committed to sustaining the compassionate service the House provides. People of various backgrounds are recruited to one of our five standing committees, depending on what expertise is needed to facilitate these volunteer working groups:

Communications
Fundraising
Human Resources & Policy
Operations
Planning & Investment

Once individuals have served on a committee, learned about the House, and shown a keen interest in our operations, they are recruited to the RMH BC Board. Some experts we have been privileged to have on our board include financial, legal and business/marketing professionals.

Each Board member is expected to be on at least one committee of their choice.

The RMH BC Board of Directors meets once a month, from September to June.

Board Update

Allan Beron
Allan is the President at Urban One Builders group of companies. Urban One Builders is a full service construction company focussed on the muti-family residential commercial and institutional markets. Prior to Urban One, Allan was the Chief Financial Officer at one of the largest general contractors in Western Canada. Allan has also worked in investment banking and corporate finance in the United States and in Canada.

Allan lives in Vancouver with his wife and three young boys.

Allan is active in the Vancouver community, in addition to serving on the board of directors of Ronald McDonald House BC Ltd Allan sits on the board of directors of his children’s school, Vancouver Talmud Torah. Allan is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, The Toronto Society of Financial Analysts and the Construction Finance Management Association and The Urban Development Institute.

Allan has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since May 2009.

Moira Dang
Moira Dang is Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Wyley Interactive, a newly formed developer and publisher of mobile games and apps, particularly focused on the tablet, smartphone and laptop markets.

Prior to that, Moira was Vice President and General Manager at EA Canada, the world's largest and most successful game development studio. As GM, Moira led over 700 developers, across multiple disciplines, teams and franchises. She was responsible for overseeing production and delivery of some of EA SPORTS’s top selling franchises, including FIFA Soccer, NHL Hockey, and Fight Night. Prior to that, as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Moira was responsible for oversight and execution of the business operating plans for EA Canada.

Moira hails from South Africa and comes from a family of ten siblings. She and her husband and their two children moved to Canada from South Africa in 1994 and still reside in the Lower Mainland.

Moira has been a Director and an active member of the Board of Ronald McDonald House BC since May 2008. She currently chairs the RMHBC Building Project Committee whose mandate it is to oversee the on vision, on time and on budget delivery of the new RMHBC house, which is due for completion in late 2013. She is also a member of the RMHBC Transition Sub-Committee which is responsible for building and overseing the execution of a successful operational tranistion plan from the current house to the new house.

Jon Festinger Q.C.
Jon Festinger is experienced as both a lawyer and business executive. His primary focus has been media, communications and sports. Jon arrived in Vancouver in 1981 as a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Law and began his legal career with the firm of Owen Bird. He left that partnership to become General Counsel of WIC Western International Communications Inc. Thereafter he was a Senior Vice President with CTV Inc. as well as the founding General Manager of Vancouver Television (“VTV’). Most recently Jon was Executive Vice President, Business & General Counsel of the Vancouver Canucks and GM Place. On the academic front Jon has variously been an Adjunct Professor at the faculties of law at both UBC and the University of Victoria. He is the author of a text on “Video Game Law” published by LexisNexis/Butterworths.

Jon is married to Corinne and they have three children ranging in age from 9 to 15. He is a member of the Richmond Golf and Country Club and a past Director of the Vancouver Board of Trade. Jon enjoys distance running, sports television and computer auto racing simulations.

Barb Fitzsimmons, RN, MSN, EDAC
Vice President Patient Care Services BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre

• Started career as a registered nurse in the paediatric oncology unit at BC Children’s Hospital
• Over 25 years experience in various leadership positions at B.C.'s Children's Hospital and Sunny Hill]
• Adjunct faculty in the School of Nursing at UBC
• Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honour Society Xi Eta Chapter Member
• Served on professional/organizational boards and associations
• Was born and raised in Vancouver and currently lives in Burnaby

Rod Halladay
Currently the Director of Operations for McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, Rod oversees the company-owned restaurants in BC and Alberta and is responsible for leading a team that manages the ongoing operations of the restaurants. Prior to this role, Rod worked for several years as Director of Field Service and Franchising in the Western Region working directly with McDonald’s Franchisees.

Rod’s professional experience includes working for a Franchisee for 14 years in Maple Ridge, BC, and since 2004 for the Corporation in both Winnipeg and Vancouver. He has been recognized multiple times with awards for excellence and achieving outstanding results in various capacities.

Rod has served in various volunteer capacities with community groups over the years, including Rotary Club and Athletes in Action.

Rod holds a MBA from the University of British Columbia, and lives in the BC Lower Mainland with his wife Susan and their eight children.

Stephen Krawchuck
Steve is a Franchisee with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada. He and his wife Johanna own 4 locations in the Richmond/Delta area. Steve has been with McDonald’s for 42 years starting at the first location in Canada in Richmond BC. Steve spent 32 years with the corporation before becoming a franchisee in 2001. His last position with the company was Operations Manager for Vancouver.

Steve & Johanna have 3 daughters and 2 grandsons. The girls were very active in sports and Steve spent 20 years coaching them in Ringette and Soccer. Some accomplishments along the way were a National Bronze medal, a Western Canadian Championship and being recognized by the Delta Sports Hall of Fame as the sports team of the year in 2006. Steve stays active by playing ball hockey. Steve and Johanna enjoy travel with a favorite destination being Maui.

Steve was a director in 2000 and is a current director of Ronald McDonald House BC since May 2011.

Jonathan Longworth
Jonathan has spent the past 15 years as a marketing professional, having developed advertising campaigns for some of the countries largest brands. Currently, he is the Vice President of Client Integration at a new advertising agency in Vancouver, Dare.

After graduating from the Ivey School of Business, Jonathan joined MacLaren McCann advertising in Toronto and then went on to work with Cossette Communications in both Toronto and Vancouver. Prior to joining Dare, Jonathan was able to combine two of his passions: sport and sponsorship marketing, as the Managing Partner of Altius Sport Marketing. Working with sponsors of the 2010 Olympic Games, Jonathan was fortunate enough to attend the Games in Torino, Beijing and Vancouver.

Both natives of Ontario, Jonathan and his wife Jennifer moved to BC over 10 years ago and fell in love with the west coast immediately. They live in North Vancouver with a young son and another child on the way. While they enjoy all the North Shore has to offer, they spend lots of time in Deep Cove participating in their son's favourite activity of throwing rocks in the ocean. Jonathan also stays active playing hockey, golf, softball and skiing.

Jonathan has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since May 2008.

Jason Ludwig
Jason Ludwig is currently the Vice President of Reader Services for the Pacific Newspaper Group. In this role his current responsibilities include sales, marketing and distribution of The Vancouver Sun and The Province newspapers. Prior to working at Pacific Newspaper Group, Jason held various management positions at The Toronto Star, Calgary Herald and The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. Jason is a past President of the Canadian Circulation Management Association.

Jason is married to Christine. He is a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade and Terminal City Club. Jason and Christine enjoy traveling and playing golf. Other interests include hockey, football and reading.

Jason has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since June 2007.

J. Calvin MacInnis
Calvin is the Co Founder, Director & Managing Partner of Qtrade Financial Group. Qtrade provides wealth management platforms and financial solutions to the retail public as well as the customers of over 180 financial institutions including credit unions, banks, trust companies and financial planning companies across Canada. Prior to Qtrade, Calvin was Managing Director with Assante Canada and President of many subsidiaries of Assante Canada.

Josephine Nadel, BA, LL.B
Josephine Nadel is a senior business lawyer and family business consultant at Owen Bird Law Corporation. Prior to joining Owen Bird, Ms. Nadel was a partner at a national law firm and was Director of the Centre for Family Business and Entrepreneurs for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Western Canada.

She practices law in the areas of corporate, commercial, wealth management, succession, wills and estates. Josephine also advises private and family-owned enterprises on succession, governance and strategic planning.

Josephine holds numerous Board and Officer positions with private companies and charities. As a member of the boards of various charitable organizations, she has organized fund-raising events and capital campaigns.

Josephine, a native of Vancouver, is a proud mother of two young adults, Ryan and Dara. In addition to philanthropic endeavours, Josephine’s main hobbies include cycling, hiking and fitness.

Sharon Olmstead
Sharon is the Director of Operations Financial Management with NovaGold Resources Inc., a Vancouver-based precious metals company. Her 30-year career in accounting and finance includes progressively senior positions with Canadian and multi-national industry leaders, and five years as a consultant with Ernst & Young. In each of these roles, Sharon has provided financial leadership by developing and executing strategic plans, enhancing governance practices, identifying, managing, and monitoring enterprise risk, and implementing performance improvement practices. Sharon has also taught accounting at Ryerson University.

Sharon is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from York University. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in both British Columbia and Ontario, as well as the Institute of Corporate Directors. Sharon has also completed the Canadian Board Diversity Council’s Directors Education course.

Sharon and her husband, Craig Tilford, moved to Vancouver from Toronto in 2008. They enjoy golf, gardening, entertaining, and volunteering at Ronald McDonald House BC and TELUS fundraising events. Sharon is also a volunteer on her municipal Public Art Selection Subcommittee, and previously served on the Planning and Environmental Committee for the Town of Mono, Ontario.

Sharon has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since June 2011.

Gary Segal
Gary Segal is an executive and owner of Kingswood Capital Corporation and its group of related companies. The Kingswood Group is active in real estate investment and development as well as private equity investing in various sectors including manufacturing, finance and retail.

In addition to acting as a director of Ronald McDonald House Vancouver, Gary's non-profit involvements include serving as President of Louis Brier Home and Hospital for seniors, Trustee of Jewish Community Foundation/Chair of Investment Committee, and Chair of Spread the Love Project for Ethiopia.

Gary is married to Nanci and has four adult children. He is a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade, Richmond Golf and Country Club, Vancouver Lawn Tennis Club, Terminal City Club, and Association for Corporate Growth. Gary's main hobbies and pastimes include golf, tennis, piano and languages, as well as world travel over the years throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Currently he and his family are also keenly interested and involved in supporting and promoting education and health projects in Ethiopia. Gary has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since May 2008.

Peter Snell
Peter Snell is a partner in the Vancouver Office of Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. His practice is primarily focused on domestic and international franchising, licensing, product distribution, business law and intellectual property/trademark law. Peter and his dog Scotia are volunteers with the St. John's Ambulance therapy dog program and Peter is a director of the Vancouver Board of Trade.

Peter and his wife Cari have two young boys and live in North Vancouver and also spend time at their cabin on Gambier Island. Peter enjoys playing tennis, golf, skiing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking. Peter has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since June 2006.

G.P. (George) Tsamis
George Tsamis is a Regional Vice President with RBC Royal Bank. His RBC career has spanned 23 years including numerous leadership roles. In his current capacity, he is responsible for Retail Banking, Financial Planning, and Small Business in the South Vancouver, Richmond, and South Delta communities.

George and his wife Andrea have two children and live in North Vancouver. They enjoy golf and travel with family. George is a lifetime resident of Vancouver was actively involved in amateur sport and continues to support athletics in his community coaching youth soccer.

George has been a director of Ronald McDonald House BC since June 2009.

Tom Wong
Tom Wong is a seasoned Risk Management professional who brings over 20 years of experience delivering business strategy by bridging technology capabilities with business needs. He also helps his clients in the areas of governance, risk mitigation and process optimization. Tom is formerly a Partner with Ernst & Young and held various leadership roles including: Vancouver Advisory Services Practice Leader and Canadian Champion for IT Enablement for Governance, Risk and Compliance.

When Tom is not working or volunteering, he enjoys travelling and learning about different cultures from around the world. Tom is happily married for 21 years to Emily and has two children. Tom is both a Director and Treasurer of Ronald McDonald House BC since January 2009 and chairs its Audit & Finance committee.

Board of Directors