ABSN Chair

Paulette Flamond, Manager - Northeast Aboriginal Business & Wellness Centre

Paulette Flamond, Metis, has spent her career serving Aboriginal people in Saskatchewan, Alberta and now in BC as the Manager of the Northeast Aboriginal Business and Wellness Centre.  Her most recent accomplishments include the success of Walk in Balance Two Conference and an Aboriginal Wellness Gathering of 250 participants.

Paulette currently sits on the Native Economic Development Advisory Board (NEDAB) for the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and as a Board Member for the Northern Development Initiative Trust.

Paulette is actively involved in producing Aboriginal documentaries and events that highlight Aboriginal Culture and business success.

Northeast Aboriginal Business Development & Wellness Centre

10039 - 100th Street

Fort St. John, BC  V1J 3Y5

Phone:  (250) 785-1870   Toll Free: 1-888-783-1870   Fax: (250) 785-1883

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ABSN Board Member

Helder Ponte - Kootenay Aboriginal  Business Development Agency

Mr. Ponte is the ABSN Board Representative from the Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency. He is presently the Director of the Economic Sector for the Ktunaxa Nation. He has been working for the Ktunaxa Nation since 1980. He has an academic background in economic development, public finance & business administration. Prior to his current position of Director of the Economic Sector of the Ktunaxa Nation Council, he was the project manager for the development of the $45 million St. Eugene Mission Resort, a first class destination facility near Cranbrook. Mr. Ponte has worked on a number of projects (small and large), and has been involved in many of the key First Nations Economic development initiatives in BC. Over the years, he has addressed many conferences and written extensively in the fields of economic development, economy building and public finance in the context of First Nation communities. During the same period, he has also sat on a number of local, regional, provincial, national  boards and committees whose mandate is building First Nations economies. He holds the designations of Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer and Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager.

Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency

207 - 14th Avenue North

Cranbrook, BC  V1C 3W3

Phone:  (250) 426-0595     Fax:  (250) 426-0802

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ABSN Vice-Chair

Rocio Zielinski,, Operations and Loans Managerr - Sto:lo Community Futures Development Corporation

 
Rocio Zielinski started with Stó:lō Community Futures in 2005 and was recently appointed Operations and Loans Manager.   Over the last couple of years, she has been managing the SCF business lending and services program working with Aboriginals who want to start, or expand a business within the Stó:lō Traditional Territory, and providing after-care.  Rocio has expanded SCF’s services into the local Stó:lō Communities by opening SCF’s first Satellite Office on Seabird Island First Nation (Agassiz, BC) and is currently working on two other Pilot Satellite Offices at Sumas First Nation (Abbotsford, BC) and Leq’á:mel First Nation (Deroche, BC). This allows the Community Members, who struggle with transportation issues, have the benefit of having the lending services and assistance in their reach to meet their needs.

Rocio is originally from Los Angeles, California and her Aboriginal ancestry is from Mexico.

Sto:lo Community Futures Development Corporation
Building 10 – Third Floor
7201 Vedder Road
Chilliwack, BC  V2R 4G5

Phone – Direct:  (604) 824-5272
Fax:  (604) 858-3829
Email:  scf.rocio@shawcable.com

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Vince Prince

ABSN Board Member

Vince Prince, Executive Director - Aboriginal Business & Community Development Centre

Aboriginal Business & Community Development Centre

3845 - 15th Avenue

Prince George, BC  V2N 1A4

Phone:  (250) 562-6325   Fax:  (250) 562-6326

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Jacqueline Ridley

ABSN Board Member

Jacqueline Ridley, Office Administrator - Tribal Resources Investment Corp

Tribal Resources Investment Corporation

344-2^nd Avenue West

Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1G6

Phone (250) 624-3535 Toll Free 1-800-665-3201 Fax (250) 624-3883

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 ABSN Board Member            

Art Lew, General Manager - Haida Gwaii Community Futures

Art Lew is the General Manager for Haida Gwaii Community Futures.  He holds University degrees in Business Administration and in Community Economic Development.  He has held positions in management consulting, in senior management in a variety of business sectors and as an owner mnaager of a small business.  His Community Economic Development experience has spanned the last 11 years, playing a major role in building the capacity of the Islands' communities and of their residents, and by supporting efforts to expand economic opportunities.

Haida Gwaii Community Futures

1730 Hodges Avenue

Mailing Address, PO Box 40

Masset, BC  V0T 1M0

Phone (250) 626-5594   Toll Free:  1-888-328-5594   Fax: (250) 626-5693

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ABSN Secretary Treasurer

Yvonne Scotchman, Board Secretary - Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First  Nations (CFDC of CIFN)

Yvonne has trained and worked in the Economic Development area for at least 10 years within the Aboriginal communities surrounding Lytton, Lillooet and Merritt.  Yvonne was the Economic Development Officer for the Fraser Canyon Tribal Association Bands for six years and was involved in education, training, feasibility studies, business plan developments, funding proposals, negotiations with various levels of government (first nations, municipal, provincial, federal) in the development of community projects to a 50 MW hydro power project on a creek running through one of the reserves. Yvonne has since retired from the Fraser Canyon Tribal Association and has stayed involved in the field through various committees and boards within the economic development area.

CFDC of Central Interior First Nations

#215 - 345 Yellowhead Hwy.

Kamloops, BC   V2H 1H1

Phone:  (250) 828-9833     Fax:  (250) 828-9972

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ABSN Board Member

Sandy Wong, General Manager - Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation (TACC)

Sandy Wong has been involved with the Aboriginal community in British Columbia for over 20 years.  With a background in accounting and finance, Sandy has worked in various capacities with Aboriginal organizations.  He brings to TACC a broad range of experience in many areas including employment and training, housing and economic development.  Sandy is a strong advocate of individual entrepreneurs becoming the catalyst for achieving economic independence within Aboriginal communities.

Tale'awtxw Aboriginal Capital Corporation

508 - 100 Park Royal South

West Vancouver, BC  V7T 1A2

Phone (604) 926-5626   Toll Free:  1-800-779-7199   Fax:  (604) 926-5627

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Trevor Kempthorne, ABSN Board Member

Trevor is the General Manager for - First Nations Agricultural Lending Association

First Nations Agricultural Lending Association

PO Box 1186 Stn Main

Kamloops, BC  V2C 6H3

Phone:  1-778-469-5040   Fax:  (250) 314-6809

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EX-Officio Members of the Board

David Murray, Manager                           

Aboriginal Business Canada Program

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Economic Development Partnerships

1138 Melville Street, Suite 600

Vancouver, BC  V6E 4S3

Phone: 1-604-666-5080

David has considerable experience in Aboriginal business development -- prior to the position of Manager, David worked for two years as Manager in AANDC's Small and Medium Enterprises and Financial Institutions Directorate and before that as Manager in the Major Resource and Energy Developments Directorate. David has also worked as Institutional Development Officer and Acting Manager for the ABDP program in the BC Region. He has also worked at Western Economic Diversification Canada and Service Canada. David has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Victoria.
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Tracey Axelsson, Project Manager                             

Community Futures Association of BC

1056 - 409 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC  V6C 1T1

Phone:  1-604-685-2332     Fax:  (604) 681-6576

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Karen White, Senior Advisor

Economic, Business and Labour Initiatives

Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation

PO Box 9100

Stn Prov Govt

Victoria, BC  V9W 9B1

Phone:  (250) 387-2535     Fax:  (250) 356-94

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George Hunter, Chief Executive Officer    

Small Business BC

Suite 82 - 601 West Cordova Street

Vancouver, BC  V6B 1G1

Phone:  (604) 775-5475     Fax:  (604) 775-5520     Toll Free:  1-800-667-2272

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Garth Stiller, Senior Portfolio Advisor     

Western Economic Diversification Canada

700 - 333 Seymour Street

Vancouver, BC   V6B 5G9

Phone:  (604)-666-4849    Fax: (604) 666-2353     Toll Free:  1-888-338-9378