THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE US SPECIAL
Board of Directors
The Downtown Kamloops Association Board of Directors is voted annually by the membership and serve a two year term.
Dino Bernardo
President
Dino has lived in Kamloops for the past 40 years and is the co-owner of the Commodore Grand Cafe & Lounge. As well as being President of the KCBIA he sits on the RIH Foundation Board and volunteers for many different associations in Kamloops. Dino has been doing business in downtown Kamloops for well over 20 years and believes the strength of a great city depends on the vibrancy of a strong downtown!”
Maeghan Summers
Vice President
Maeghan Summers is the Operations Partner for two amazing local eateries and brewpub. The Noble Pig Brewhouse and Restaurant and Forno On 5th, both located in the heart of downtown and focusing on supporting local purveyors, creating unique brews and all while being in a welcoming environment.
The Noble Pig Brewhouse is Kamloops’ first Micro Brewpub and features in house-brewed craft beer, unique food made from scratch with a focus on local purveyors and knowledgeable service from our wonderful team. As the GM and a partner, it is my role to support and oversee all aspects of the business and develop processes and systems to continually move the pig ahead. Maeghan celebrates 25 years of passion for hospitality. “Eat, drink and support local.”
Michael Blackwell
Director
Mike Blackwell is a lawyer at Fulton & Company LLP and has lived in Kamloops for 8 years. Mike is an active member of the Kamloops Bar Association, the White Buffalo Metis & Aboriginal Health Society, and Brennan Creek Recreation Commission Association. Outside of work, Mike is an avid snowboarder and golfer!
Ryan Gentile
Director at Large
Ryan has been in Kamloops for 9 years. His interests include chasing his two young boys around, spending time outdoors, and playing sports such as soccer and golf. Ryan has not yet served on a board of directors but is eager and looking forward to learning more about the business needs downtown and business development.
Robbie Tallon
Treasurer (2019)
Robbie has been in Kamloops for 22 years. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant at Jerry Spice Inc. and has been working in public practice for the past 6 years where he works with small and medium-sized businesses within the Kamloops area. He enjoys snowboarding and mountain biking and also volunteers as the Treasurer for the Elizabeth Fry Society in town.
Andy Philpot
Director
Andy grew up in Brocklehurst and has been a resident of Valleyview for over 30 years but has always had an active interest in what is happening in all areas of the city, especially the downtown core. Andy is the Division Superintendent with St John Ambulance, 627 Victoria Street and was an Assistant Fire Chief with Kamloops Fire Rescue when he retired in 2011, he also worked on the Wanda-Sue Paddlewheeler for 20 years and has been involved with the Kamloops Heritage Railway. He has served on the organizing committees of several of the large sporting events that Kamloops has hosted, the most recent being the NACAC-U23, 4 Nations Cup, and the Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships. He also sat on the Mayor’s Taskforce for the Tranquille Road Beautification/Gateway Project and the Board of Directors for the Oncore Seniors Society and presently sits on the Kamloops Sports Council and the Valleyview Community Association. Andy has an active interest in our city, especially our downtown area and the benefit it has to the citizens of Kamloops. Andy feels that he has the skills, time and commitment to give to the KCBIA.
David Fuoco
Director
Third Generation, the tradition continues … In this current day, a man’s closet should always be evolving. Every piece of clothing in your wardrobe should serve a purpose in your daily life. Suits should be tailored to fit you perfectly and give you that feeling of pride and confidence, throughout your day. Casual clothing should be comfortable enough to ease in to, but still look great into the evening. A wardrobe doesn’t have to be an expansive collection of clothing that spans decades. Instead, it should be clean, concise and practical. We’re maintaining our traditional focus on service and quality while continually adding some exciting accessories one enjoys discovering in a boutique men’s shop.
Grayden Flanagan
Secretary
Grayden Flanagan is the owner of Subway Kamloops and was an inaugural KCBIA Director in 2002. In recent years, Grayden has served as President of the KCBIA and has sat on the board of the Elizabeth Fry Society and Gyro Club of Kamloops. He currently chairs the KCBIA Safety Social Committee and is passionate about promoting a vibrant community.
Jesse Daniel Faubert
Director
Jesse has founded and manages Avenue Media House (Digital Agency – Creative Director), Common Sound (DJ & Audio/Visual company – General Manager), Ninth Company (Event Production, Artist Management – D.O.) and has recently opened one of Kamloops’ most dynamic creative studios: NinthLab. Proud to be a part of Kamloops’ creative community, the business community, and a high school football coach.
Kathy Sinclair
Liason
Originally from Vancouver Island, Kathy has lived in Victoria, Vancouver, Ottawa, Kelowna, the UK, BC’s Sunshine Coast, Mexico, and the Yukon. She moved to Kamloops in 2011 and was first elected to Council in 2017 (re-elected 2018). Kathy is committed to making our wonderful city even better and helping to improve the region through her role on the TNRD Board of Directors (2018-).
Kathy has been an active volunteer with many local organizations, including Literacy in Kamloops, the SPCA, Kamloops Power Choir and the Interior CarShare Cooperative. Her interests include economic development, urban planning, active transportation, sustainability, personal and community health, affordability, accessibility, and respect for diversity. Kathy’s main areas of focus are building upon the Tournament Capital brand to grow tourism and the economy; fostering an environment that attracts and retains small businesses; and ensuring sustainability (economic, environmental and social).
Kathy was the executive director of the Kamloops Arts Council from 2012 to 2019. In addition to non-profit and arts administration, she has worked as a book and magazine editor. Kathy holds a BA in creative writing and English from the University of Victoria and a Master of Publishing from Simon Fraser University.
Luke Chidgzey
Director
Luke Chidgzey is a Business Account Manager at RBC and has lived in Kamloops for over 20 years. He proudly works with business owners to help them achieve their goals. Outside of work, he enjoys playing basketball and spending time with his family.
Maren Luciani
Director
Maren Luciani has fifteen years of leadership experience and expertise in community planning, sustainability, policy development, community engagement and grant acquisition for local governments and Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States. She is a Registered Professional Planner with the Canadian Institute of Planners and Planning Institute of BC and is a trained community engagement specialist. She has experience in a wide variety of subjects related to the built environment including Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Maren is the owner of Meraki Community Planning, a small, full-service community planning firm that supports municipalities, Indigenous communities and private developers in achieving healthy built environments. Maren has been an active volunteer all her life and has devoted her time to many local and international causes and organizations.
Nicki James
Director
Nicki has been in the retail clothing industry for the past 40 years and for the last 21 years has owned and operated a successful men’s and ladies’ retail clothing store in the heart of downtown Kamloops.
With her extensive knowledge and experience, she has mentored many young/new business entrepreneurs on how to operate a successful business. She serves as a member of the Venture Kamloops Business Accelerate Committee, KCBIA Kamloops Parking Committee and was a member of the KCBIA Marketing Committee for 6 years.
Shane Brooks
Director
Shane Brooks is an electrical engineer who has been in Kamloops for 29 years. He is interested in revitalizing the downtown core and knowledgeable with current building codes, electrical codes, and design/construction processes.
Ted Ockenden
Director
Ted has lived and worked in Kamloops for 30+ years. Throughout this time, the City of Kamloops has been welcoming and provided the best hometown anyone could hope for to him, his wife Shelley and sons Tanner and Jayden. Ted worked in a variety of capacities and leadership roles at ICBC during his 30 years there. Since 2016, Ted has served as the Director, Facilities and Corporate Services for the BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC). This has afforded him the opportunity to experience the vibrancy of Downtown Kamloops in a more fulsome way! Ted has chaired the Kamloops Counterattack Traffic Safety Committee, Operation Red Nose Kamloops and the Citizens’ Advisory Board to Corrections. He also served on the Expert Panel to Specialized Populations (Employment Ministry) for the Province of B.C. In addition to being a Director on the KCBIA, Ted recently pursued the opportunity to become a Director with Kamloops PRIDE.
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