Craig and Rose Little, owners of Arbutus RV & Marine Sales Ltd., are pleased to announce the promotion of Jennifer Kennedy from sales representative to branch manager.
Kennedy started with Arbutus RV in 2014 at the company’s Nanaimo location.
After her years of gaining experience in RV sales, she applied for the position of branch manager at the Arbutus RV locations in Mill Bay, one of the company’s five branches.
Although there were many qualified applicants, both internal and external, Kennedy rose to the top and began her RV sales management career in early October.
She said the experience and skills she’s acquired through her work life have brought her to where she is now, one of the very few upper management women in the RV sales world.
“I look forward to the challenges of my new job,” she said.
Cowichan Energy Alternatives gets big grant from Province of B.C.
The Cowichan Energy Alternatives Society will receive a $9,710 grant from the province for its ongoing work in the community.
Overall, B.C. is distributing more than $528,000 in project development grants to help rural communities develop strong, stable economies and create long-term local employment, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Doug Donaldson announced last week.
Under the Rural Dividend project-development funding stream, up to $10,000 is provided to eligible applicants to complete preliminary project components necessary to pursue larger community projects in the future.
This round of funding is being awarded to 53 local governments, First Nations and not-for-profit organizations around the province.
“I know this new funding will go a long way to ensure that folks in rural communities can share in economic gains, take control of their own economies, and plan and develop projects that will sustain their communities and families into the future,” Donaldson said.
Chamber of Commerce all set to host showcase and conference
The Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce is planning a busy day on Oct. 27 at its Business Showcase & Conference in celebration of Small Business Month.
The day begins at the Ramada Duncan at 7:30 a.m. with the Breakfast for Retailers, that has Bob Ianson, a long time director with the Retail Council of Canada, as the featured speaker.
Morning seminars begin at 9:15 a.m. with presenter and author Mark Colgate, the associate dean of the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria.
The Monthly Luncheon begins at noon with keynote speaker Val Litwin, CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce, followed by the Afternoon Trade Show where attendees can connect with more than 20 Cowichan businesses that will be represented.
The “Ask the Expert” concurrent sessions will begin at 2 p.m., and the After Party to end the day begins at 4 p.m.
For more information on these events or to register, connect with the Chamber office at chamber@duncancc.bc.ca or call 250-748-1111.
New president and CEO for Catalyst Paper; plus new recruitment site
Edward Dwyer has been appointed as president and CEO of Catalyst Paper, the forest company that owns the Crofton pulp and paper mill.
Dwyer, who most recently served as Catalyst’s chief operating officer, has more than 30 years experience in the pulp and paper industry.
He is recognized for successfully leading major operational and performance improvements in cost, productivity, efficiency, quality and safety during his long career.
Catalyst has also announced it is implementing a new worker recruitment system that will make it easier for prospective employees to access current and future job opportunities.
The new system has limited data entry requirements, allowing people interested in a career with the company to enter their credentials quickly and easily.
Anyone interested in employment with Catalyst should visit the company’s careers site at catalystpaper.com/careers.
Wood Processors Association send thanks to Councillor Rob Douglas
The 70 member companies of the Independent Wood Processors Association are thanking North Cowichan councillor Rob Douglas for his support and guidance in getting one of their resolutions to the recent Union of BC Municipalities meeting in Vancouver.
The resolution called for the UBCM to ask the province to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that B.C.’s non-tenured value-added wood processors have access to a share of the province’s non-competitive wood resource for the purpose of processing it in B.C., and that the province’s non-tenured value-added wood processors have unimpeded access to the U.S. market for their products.
“Rob shares our view that there are no more new jobs to be had in the remaining sawmills owned by B.C.’s big public companies,” said IWPA president Russ Cameron.
“He believes as we do that B.C. needs to support and expand the province’s community based family owned value-added wood processors. We need to learn to do more with less and to extract the greatest possible socioeconomic benefit per cubic metre harvested.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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