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Gerard is a focused, energetic entrepreneur with a results driven, positive perspective. His business experience in growing companies to become nationally and internationally recognized are success stories. He worked for several large corporations over the course of his career and then started his own company in 2005.

Gerard has had volunteer board/committee experience with an American based international truck parts association for over 8 years, as vice chair for two years and chairman for two years.

The commitment to Salt Spring Island began in the early 90s when his family first moved to the island. A job transfer meant a move away, but the desire to someday return stayed strong. Slowly transitioned back to the island after purchasing a home a few years ago, and now living here full time.

With a results driven viewpoint, Gerard hopes to bring his skills to help Salt Spring become stronger, with a view of creating an economy that will continue to grow in keeping with the values and essence of what Salt Spring is about.

Theresa Duynstee is a Professional Agrologist with expertise in agriculture, food systems and land stewardship. During her career as a regional planner at the Metro Vancouver Regional District, she led numerous studies to support policy development and decision-making on regional land use. Her formal education includes B.Sc.(Ag) Major in Soil Science, a M.A. in Environment & Management as well as diplomas in horticulture and communications. 

Theresa is a collaborator and champions the importance of sustaining local food production and viable farm businesses. She is Vice Chair of the SSI Agriculture Alliance. Her passion for growing food and protecting nature has inspired Theresa to enhance the ecology of a 5-acre property she shares with Jason on the south end of Salt Spring Island.

With a knack for finding unique and beautiful places to live, Inga, who immigrated to Canada from Germany in 2000, first lived in Whistler, then moved to Salt Spring in 2012. Drawn by its natural beauty and charm, Inga came to the island to raise her kids in a rural setting. In her work, Inga coaches, and trains leaders of organizations on innovation and changing systems. She also consults small companies on business strategy.

Inga holds a BComm in Entrepreneurship and has a particular interest in using business as a force for good. She is the vice president for Transition Salt Spring Enterprise Co-Op, which supports green initiatives and businesses with low-interest microloans. Inga helped the Wagon Wheel Society draft a business plan for the Laundromat and supported the Island Comeback Campaign with administration tasks. In her Commissioner role, Inga plans to contribute to a sustainable economic strategy that creates opportunities for locals to make a right livelihood while respecting the environment.

Dr. Daniel Muzyka is Dean and Professor Emeritus at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. He has also been President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board of Canada and Vice-President and Chair of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Previously, he served as the IAF Professor of Entrepreneurship and Associate Dean at INSEAD and taught at other institutions.

Dr. Muzyka has experience in academia, business, and the public sector and has participated on a number of corporate boards, venture capital funds, as well as not-for-profit, regulatory and government organizations, committees and commissions. He worked in industry with General Electric in finance and strategy and was a strategy consultant. He holds a Doctor of Business Administration (Harvard), an MBA (Wharton), and a BA in Physics and Astronomy (Williams College). He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the Government of France.

Francine is a highly energetic and proactive volunteer and a strong supporter of teamwork as the means for realizing strategic initiatives. She has extensive executive level business experience in marketing, government relations, and organizational leadership. In particular, her service as a trusted advisor for family-owned businesses across Canada and the US has provided her with first-hand understanding of the importance of honest, open communication for achieving shared goals.

As CESC Chair, Francine has been instrumental in establishing– opportunitysaltspring.ca . She co-lead efforts to establish a Destination Management – Marketing Organization for the Southern Gulf Islands Region, is Co-founder of the Rural Islands Economic Forum and the Rural Islands Economic Partnership Society. Francine is a passionate advocate for designating SSI rural. She believes the CESC can be a means for supporting Salt Spring as a creative, collaborative community where all sectors of our community can thrive, sustainably within a protected rural environment.