Our Board

Chair, Community Futures Cowichan

​Bob Annis is the former Director of Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute (1999-2009) and has served for numerous years as a tenured university professor in Departments of Native Studies, Psychology and Rural Development.  Dr. Annis was awarded both Bachelor and a Master of Arts degrees from Queen’s University in Canada, a Doctor of Psychology degree from Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland and has published numerous reports and academic articles concerning critical demographic, social and community development issues facing rural Canadians.

Bob has, over many years, volunteered his time and expertise to numerous organizations. He served as a National Selection Committee Member for the Canadian Government’s Broadband for Rural and Northern Development Program, as a past President of the Canadian Rural Restructuring Foundation and as a past member of the International Comparative Rural Policy Studies Consortium. Bob currently also serves as Chair of the Board for Community Futures Cowichan. Bob is also an active volunteer with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue.

CFs Represented:

• Alberni-Clayoquot
• Cowichan Region
• Howe Sound
• Mount Waddington
• Powell River
• Strathcona
• Sunshine Coast

Past Chair, Community Futures East Kootenay

Mike Guarnery joined the Community Futures East Kootenay Board in 2008 and currently serves as their Past-Chair.  He is the General Manager of the Kimberley & District Chamber of Commerce, supporting the business community through advocacy, business-related training, community partnering and events.

Mike originally hails from Indianapolis where he worked as a Defense Contractor on military projects that migrated drawings into cross-platform digital formats.  After arriving to Canada, he worked at the I.T. Department at the College of the Rockies, then 12 years with the Ktunaxa Nation Council in the Employment and Economic Development sector. He was awarded the 2013 CFEK Volunteer of the Year Award.

CFs Represented:

• Boundary
• Central Kootenay
• East Kootenay
• Greater Trail
• Revelstoke

Chair, Community Futures Pacific Northwest

Wendy Prystay has called Prince Rupert home for over 40 years. Wendy holds a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and Sociology and a Diploma in Education. She has worked as an adult educator and trainer in industrial and educational settings. She served as Manager and Employment Counsellor for the Career Resource Centre for many years, prior to joining Northwest Community College where she retired from the position of Interim Regional Director-Western Region in 2013.

Wendy was the President of the Prince Rupert and District Chamber of Commerce in 2007 and continues to serve as a Past President. In 2009 she joined the Board of Directors of Community Futures Pacific Northwest where she currently holds the position of Chair.

Wendy has participated as a Director on the CFBC Board for the past 6 years where she currently serves as Treasurer as well as chairing both the Finance and Audit Committee and the Governance Committee. She also sits on the Indigenous Engagement and Awareness Committee.

Wendy is passionate about the connection between education and community economic development and sustainability.

CFs Represented:

• 16/37
• Haida Gwaii
• Nadina
• Pacific Northwest
• Stuart Nechako

Past- Chair, Community Futures Central Island

Advisory position on CFBC Board

Wendy Smitka sits on the CF British Columbia Board as Ex-Officio Past - Chair and is the current President of the Community Futures Network of Canada.

Wendy was elected to the Board of Community Futures British Columbia in September 2011. She has been involved in her local CF Central Island in one capacity or another for almost 20 years, serving on the Self-Employment Committee, the Loans Committee, Governance Committee and the Board.  She has a gracious and respectful manner and believes in the power of team work.  Wendy epitomizes the role of Volunteer and serves as a Director on the board of Theatre One in addition to her CF commitments.  She is a big picture thinker and believes she can provide the provincial board with strategic thinking and organizational vigour.

A true entrepreneur she co-owned and operated, Bridgeway Transport Ltd., from 1991 until its sale.  Bridgeway had two locations and employed twenty-five staff.

Community Futures Peace Liard

Russ Beerling, former business owner of Moose FM, Energetic City.ca, Big Ideas Marketing Company, and a small billboard company, and current partner in ESR Business Solutions Inc. has benefited his position with Community Futures. 

He has been involved with Community Futures for several years now, sitting as a board member, a director, business advisory board and Past Chair. He also sat on the B.C. Community Futures Board of Directors. Russ has been a big contributor to Community Futures Peace Liard representing business through his connections in the region and with the Fort St. John Chamber of Commerce. 

Russ’ community involvement has been extensive, as his passions for business and tourism has been his driving force. He sits as the Vice-President of the Fort St. John and District Chamber of Commerce, having held the President’s position in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. His role as Northern Vice-Chair for United Way has brought Russ even closer to community development. 

With each role he has played in each community he has lived in, it has been exciting and a true pleasure to watch their markets grow and know that he has been able to contribute to that growth. Being a business owner has helped Russ to understand the challenges faced with business today. Giving input to the direction Community Futures who helps grow communities, has been important to ensuring that not only do we see growth in the Peace Liard region, but also throughout rural BC

CFs Represented:

• Central Island
• North Fraser
• Peace Liard
• South Fraser

Chair, Community Futures Fraser Fort George

Troy was born and raised in Prince George. He is a graduate of the University of Victoria’s Bachelor of Commerce program and the University of Saskatchewan’s Bachelor of Law program. Troy has previously managed offices focusing in business development in Prince George, Langley, Victoria and Vancouver for TD Waterhouse. He now practices law with his family at their Prince George based law firm.  Troy has been the Chair of Community Futures Fraser Fort George since 2012.

CFs Represented:

• Cariboo Chilcotin
• Fraser Fort George
• North Cariboo
• Sun Country
• Thompson Country

Director, Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen

Brenda is a successful professional archaeologist and restaurateur residing in Hedley BC. She has 15 years of experience working with First Nations in the south Okanagan and Similkameen in cultural heritage assessments as well as economic development initiatives associated with heritage tourism. Brenda is a former client (twice) of Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen. She is also a previous member of the Economic Gardening Steering Committee. 

CF's Represented:

• Central Okanagan
• North Okanagan
• Okanagan Similkameen
• Nicola Valley
• Shuswap

Executive Director, Community Futures Central Kootenay

Andrea’s background is in marketing communications with over 10 years of management experience in the tourism, ski and restaurant industries. Andrea started her career in the tourism industry shaping programs for Tourism Whistler, Sun Peaks Resort and the Canadian Tourism Commission. Andrea also spent 7 years with Boston Pizza International, providing business counselling to stores in Western Canada and building strategic partnerships to support regional initiatives.  

After spending 15 years in the Vancouver area, Andrea returned to rural BC in 2010. Her first role in the area was working with the Columbia Basin Trust as their Acting Director, Communications.  

Andrea joined Community Futures Central Kootenay as Executive Director in 2013. Andrea is a Managers Representative on the CFBC Board, the Chair of the CFBC Marketing Committee and a member of the Self Employment Committee. In her role with CFCK, Andrea has expanded their offerings to include the Basin Business Advisors Program, the Export Navigator Pilot as well as working with Invest Kootenay to expand its scope to include recruitment of a diversified workforce and to rebrand it as Imagine Kootenay.

General Manager, Community Futures Revelstoke

Kevin joined the CF Revelstoke corporation in 1997 as a Business Analyst and in 2014 became the General Manager. Kevin works with business clients, oversees the activity and administration associated with the loan funds and the Self Employment Program Contract and coordinates staff and volunteers working on a variety of projects. 

Kevin is actively involved in the local squash club as a player and coach, and enjoys hiking, biking and camping.

General Manager, Community Futures Fraser Fort George

Susan comes to us from Burns Lake, bringing extensive education and experience in a combination of non-profit, public sector and private sector leadership roles. In addition to owning several businesses, Susan also has considerable general management and economic development experience including five years as General Manager for the Wet’suwet’en First Nation in Burns Lake. 

While working for the Band, Susan held a number of different positions; following this, she worked as the Economic Development Coordinator for the Lakes District Economic Development Association. Prior to coming to Community Fraser Fort George, as Manger, Susan co-owned and operated a consulting practice for five years where she enjoyed working on various contracts involving business, community and economic development.

CFs Represented

• Central Interior First Nations
• Nuu Chah Nulth
• Sto:lo