U of L solidifies Board of Governors with new member and reappointments

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:58:06 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is pleased to welcome a new member to its Board of Governors and the reappointment of two others who have made significant contributions to the U of L community.

Calgary-based businessman Darcy Gonci (BSC ’96, BMgt ’99) has been appointed to the Board of Directors for a three-year term through October 2023. Terry Whitehead (BA ’94) and Karen Gunn will both serve second terms as board members, also through October 2023.

“We’re extremely fortunate to add Darcy to our group and excited about the perspective he brings from his professional experiences and willingness to serve in the community,” says Board of Governors Chair Kurt Schlachter (BSc ’00). “It’s also great to welcome both Karen and Terry back for second terms. Their U of L pride is infectious and their contributions to our community and southern Alberta as a whole have been tremendous.”

Darcy Gonci

A chartered professional accountant originally from Calgary, Gonci graduated from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Science (co-op in biochemistry) in 1996, and a Bachelor of Management (finance) in 1999. He earned a Master of Professional Accounting from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan in 2003 and obtained his chartered accountant designation in 2004.

Gonci has held various finance leadership positions in the energy sector in Calgary and is presently financial controller for a reservoir engineering and evaluation firm.

Karen Gunn

With over 20 years of combined experience as an insurance professional and a Canadian Risk Manager, Gunn began her career in Ontario with a family-owned commercial insurance brokerage. Relocating to Calgary, she joined the largest international commercial insurance brokerage in the country and earned her Canadian Risk Manager designation at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

In 2003, Gunn was approached to join Rogers Insurance Ltd., and, in 2006 was invited in as a shareholder and partner. While maintaining an office in Lethbridge, Karen also spends time at her Calgary office to meet with her Calgary clients and staff.

Terry Whitehead

Living in Vancouver where he is managing partner of Alexander Whitehead Executive Search, a boutique search firm specializing in the natural resources, Whitehead is also the founder of Elev8Exec Coaching, a Vancouver-based executive coaching firm.

Whitehead is Chair of the Advancement Committee and serves on the Executive and Compensation committees of the board. He is also a member of the Vancouver Writers Fest Board of Directors and Chair of the Vancouver International Film Festival Advisory Committee.

Board of Governors reappoints one, welcomes three new members

trevor.kenney — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:14:22 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is pleased to announce the approval of four members to its Board of Governors, including three new public members and one reappointment.

“We’re very excited to reappoint Jennifer Harker to the Board and to welcome three new members,” says Board of Governors Chair Kurt Schlachter BSc ’00. “Our new members are accomplished professionals and longtime supporters of education in their communities. The perspectives they bring to the Board will prove to be very beneficial to our group and serve the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its stakeholders extremely well. I look forward to working with them as we continue to advance the U of L as one of Canada’s premier universities of choice.”

Jennifer Harker (reappointed) – Senior Manager, Human Resources, Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Jennifer Harker (BA ’99) is a native of Lethbridge and long-time resident of Calgary. In addition to her B.A., Jennifer earned a Master of Arts degree in history from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto and a Bachelor of Law degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She clerked for the Federal Court of Canada in Ottawa, and has been employed in the Calgary legal field for a number of years.

She currently serves as senior manager, Human Resources at Pembina Pipeline Corporation, a Calgary-based pipeline transportation and midstream service provider.

Jennifer is currently a public member of the Board of Governors of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Chair of the Governance Committee. She is also a board member of The Elder Statesman Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe, comfortable and affordable housing for senior citizens in Calgary.

Karen Gunn – Senior Account Executive, Partner – Commercial Lines, Rogers Insurance Ltd.
Karen Gunn has over 20 years of combined experience as an insurance professional and a Canadian Risk Manager. She started her career at her family-owned commercial insurance brokerage in Ontario. She moved to Calgary to work at the largest international commercial insurance brokerage and earned her Canadian Risk Manager designation at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. Karen joined Rogers Insurance Ltd., the largest independent, privately-owned commercial insurance brokerage in Western Canada, in 2003 and became a partner and shareholder in 2006. She has managed the Lethbridge satellite office since 2005 and also spends time at her Calgary office where her staff resides.

Karen has served on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate since 2011 and is a member of the Global Risk Management Institute, the Southern Alberta Risk and Insurance Management Society (S.A.R.I.M.S.) and the Insurance Institute of Southern Alberta.

Georgina Knitel – Senior Manager and Team Lead, Agriculture Banking Specialist CIBC
Georgina Knitel is a professional agrologist and chartered mediator working as a senior manager and team lead, Agriculture Banking Specialist for CIBC. She holds a BSc in Agricultural Economics (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta) and an MBA in Agriculture (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph. Her background includes a thesis in Riparian Management, contribution as an advisor to the South Saskatchewan Land-Use Framework, day-to-day work with financing strategies for the farming and agri-business community, and conflict resolution.

Georgina has worked in diverse settings including Alberta, Yukon Territory, Saskatchewan, United States, China and the Netherlands, and brings a unique perspective and passion to the building of communities and prosperity within healthy environments.

Terry Whitehead – Managing Partner of Alexander Whitehead Executive Search from Vancouver
Terry Whitehead (BA ’94) was raised in Lethbridge and attended both Lethbridge Community College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, where he was the sports editor of the student newspaper and then served on Students’ Union as Vice-President Academic and then as Students’ Union President. Upon graduation, he began his career as an arts administrator and was New West Theatre’s first company administrator. In 1998, he joined Theatre Calgary and concluded his tenure there in 2004 as the company’s Director of Advancement. He served as a member of the Calgary International Film Festival’s Board of Directors before moving to Vancouver to become the Director of Development for the Arts Club Theatre Company, Canada’s largest urban professional theatre company.

In 2008, he entered the professional search industry, eventually establishing Alexander Whitehead Executive Search, a boutique search and consulting firm operating in Vancouver and Calgary. He is currently a member of the Vancouver International Film Festival’s Board of Directors and continues to be an active donor and supporter of student initiatives in the arts at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

UNews - Karen Gunn

U of L solidifies Board of Governors with new member and reappointments

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