ABOUT US

Robert Wilson, BSc, MBA
President, Bridal Veil Mountain Resort

Robert Wilson is a B.C. entrepreneur with more than 40 years’ experience successfully developing projects from concept to commercial success. In addition to co-founding Bridal Veil Mountain Resort, Robert is a Board Member for Blackburn Developments, which is developing residential property with Aquilini Investment Group on Chilliwack’s Eastern Hillside. For a decade, he was also Chairman of the company that owned and operated The Falls golf course.

For years, Robert was an industry leader in the IT sector. He served as president of London-based Mercator Systems, which advised golf resorts, international sports federations, health clubs, governments and football clubs (like the EPL’s Tottenham Hot Spurs) on how to integrate technology in their business operations. He also created the world’s first Networked Micro Computer-based banking system, before taking that technology to Telos Financial Systems, and eventually engineering the sale of Telos to EDS, the world’s largest data processing company at the time.

An avid badminton player, Robert is President of the Lower Mainland Badminton Association and has co-chaired international badminton tournaments in Canada. He also owned a 27,000-sq.ft., multi-sport facility in Orlando, Florida, which hosted the Yonex USA International Badminton Tournament for several years.

Mike Lalonde
Founding Financial Partner, Bridal Veil Mountain Resort

Mike Lalonde is a B.C. entrepreneur with more than 20 years’ experience successfully founding, developing, and growing construction businesses in various sectors. He is currently the President of Blue Pine Enterprises Ltd., Clearview Demolition Ltd, and Westpro Landscaping Ltd. Blue Pine is one of the largest landscape construction firms in Canada, Clearview is one of the largest demolition firms in Western Canada, and Westpro has experienced rapid growth since it was founded in 2019. Collectively, the three companies employ 250 people and have worked on nearly 10,000 construction projects valued at approximately $500 million.

In addition to Mike’s companies being named among the 100 fastest growing companies in B.C. for several years, he is also the winner of a BC Business Entrepreneur of the Year award. Mike joined the BVMR team based on his passion for business, real estate, and entrepreneurship.

Jeff Wilson
Executive Vice-President, Bridal Veil Mountain Resort

Jeff is a respected leader with extensive experience in the hospitality, construction, government and transportation sectors. As a skilled negotiator and an expert in conflict resolution and relationship building, he understands that a combined effort from multiple stakeholders is needed to move projects forward and has a well-earned reputation for bringing industry and stakeholders together to achieve extraordinary goals. For more than 30 years, Jeff has been a proud resident of the Eastern Fraser Valley, where he lives with his wife and three children.

Brent Harley, B.E.S., B.L.A., M.B.A.
President, Brent Harley & Associates

Brent Harley has been involved in all aspects of resort development for the past thirty-five years. With Bachelor Degrees in environmental studies and landscape architecture, and a Masters of Business Administration, Brent has focused on mountain resort master planning, village planning and golf and mountain bike resort planning throughout Canada, the USA, Australia, China, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. As an extension to the planning, Brent is very involved in the approval processes for these projects, working closely with his clients and the various government bodies.

Living in Whistler since 1978 has afforded Brent the opportunity to participate in the planning of all aspects of that resorts’ development. He has served on the Whistler Advisory Planning Commission and Advisory Design Panel and is an active participant in the ongoing issues of this world-class destination. He is a member of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, the Canada West Ski Areas Association and the National Ski Areas Association.

Among Brent’s and BHA’s extensive list of successful projects are Mountain Resort Master Plans for the following resorts:

• Canada: Big White, Silver Star, Fernie Alpine, Kimberley Alpine, Red Mountain, Whitewater, Sea to Sky Gondola, Grouse Mountain, Apex Mountain, Cypress Mountain, Mt Seymour, Mike Wiegele’s Saddle Mountain, Pass Powderkeg, Mt Baldy,Lake Louise, Norquay Gondola, Castle Mountain, Sunshine Village, Kinosoo Ridge, Vista Ridge, Asessppi, Stoneham.
• USA: Stevens Pass, Silver Mountain, Jay Peak, Mission Rdige, Wachusett, Stowe, Schweitzer
• Australasia:  Mt Buller, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Porters
• Asia: Niseko, Hoshino, Itnose, Rusutsu, Izuna, Sahoro, Yongpyong, Hyosung, Jisan, Rota, Jade Mountain, Heavens Eye
• Europe: Kostenets, Amulsar

For more information, visit www.brentharley.com

Michael Watson
President, DPI Development Partners

Michael Watson is a proven leader, widely recognized for developing and implementing highly successful community economic strategies and diverse business organizations in British Columbia and Nova Scotia. With an education in law and business, Michael has built an extensive and dynamic career path in law, real estate and community development, with a focus on financial structuring and propelling business growth.

Since 2001, Michael has worked in S’ólh Téméxw, the large Stó:lō Traditional Territory, where he partnered with a diverse Indigenous team in developing the transformative business and economic strategy, STÓ:LŌ MEANS BUSINESS™. Having successfully developed a major Indigenous business center in Stó:lō, Michael is a frequent writer and speaker on successful Indigenous economies and business growth.

As President of DPI, Michael works with the private sector and Indigenous organizations in building new partnership and pathways, with a focus on climate change and the clean economy, deploying socially responsible business models and responsible investment structures.

Michael can be reached by email at michael.watson@telus.net

Rob Ell
CEO, Rob Ell Academy

Rob makes creating and sharing experiences easier! He is helping share our proposed all season mountain resort experience with government, community organizations, key business leaders and folks who love unique outdoor adventures!

Rob is a former StoryBoarder of the year. Storyboarding is the magic behind Disney’s customer experience. Storyboarding experiences is also used at Starbucks, Apple and Amazon to name a few.

Rob also perfected his sales framework in the theme park he co-founded called Dinotown that celebrated over one million visits and won many marketing awards through the International Association Of Amusement Parks and Attractions!

In the spirit of community, Rob provided inspirational leadership as the founding chairman of Tourism Chilliwack and was a member of economic development.

His last grow your business system was sold to Achieve International and featured in the best seller “Firing On All Cylinders”; The Service/Quality System For High Powered Performance. He was also a Senior Account Executive with AchieveGlobal, the world’s largest supplier of training and consulting services specializing in sales, leadership & customer service strategies.

He is a former member of the Customer Experience Professionals Association and the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) – a global network of more than 9,500 business owners in 42 countries.

Rob can be reached at rob@robellacademy.com

Cody Hall, Solicitor

Cody is a member of the Tzeachten First Nation and grew up within the Tzeachten community. He graduated from UBC Law and, before starting C Hall Law Group, practiced as a business lawyer at one of Canada’s top Aboriginal law firms.

Cody’s practice ranges from providing legal advice related to corporate and commercial matters, commercial real estate, and settlement agreements, including corporate structuring, asset, share, and land transactions and other matters tied to the economic development of First Nations. He advises on the structure and re-designing of First Nations’ corporate entities such as partnerships, corporations, societies and trusts. He negotiates on behalf of First Nations with private companies, Municipal, Provincial and Federal Governments, and drafts and advises on agreements from the negotiation stage to the final agreement. His real estate practice encompasses all aspects of land transactions: acquisitions, financing, development approvals, sales, leasing and additions to reserve. Cody also works very closely with First Nations on governance issues, including drafting and advising on First Nation constitutions, laws, policies, regulations and codes.

Pace Group Communications

Pace Group Communications Inc. is one of British Columbia’s leading full-service communications firms, providing a comprehensive range of public relations, communications and event management services, including media relations, government relations, issues management and public engagement services. On the event side, Pace Group is regularly counted upon to plan and produce some of British Columbia’s highest profile conferences, virtual events, trade shows, media events, public events, private galas and other special events.

Over the past three decades, Pace Group has successfully planned and executed projects for a wide range of public, private and not-for-profit sector clients, including the Province of British Columbia, royal commissions, Vancouver International Airport, BC Ferries, BC Pavilion Corporation (BC Place and Vancouver Convention Centre), Business Council of British Columbia, The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and more.

Pace Group has also had the privilege of working with numerous Indigenous organizations and elected and hereditary leaders across British Columbia, including the Aboriginal Industry Council, Esquimalt Nation, First Nations Health Authority, First Nations Health Council, First Nations Health Directors Association, Four Host First Nations Secretariat, Indiginext, Indigenous Business and Investment Council, Indigenous Tourism BC, Industry Council for Aboriginal Business, Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Musqueam Indian Band, Songhees First Nation, Squamish Nation, Stó:lō Development Corporation and Ts’elxwéyeqw Tribe Society.

For more information, visit www.pacegroup.com

RRC Associates

RRC Associates is a Colorado-based research and consulting firm whose expertise includes providing mountain resorts, mountain towns and high-profile tourism clients with services such as market research, market assessments and feasibility, strategic and competitive analysis, and data visualization.

As a firm, RRC has 40 years’ experience conducting primary market research related to the snow sports industry and assessing the economic impacts of tourism in destination communities. The company is composed of professionals with extensive experience and qualifications in addressing the needs and challenges of ski area and resort operators, trade associations, tourist organizations, and others interested in the mountain recreation and tourism industries.

RRC works closely with many ski area clients and ski area associations, including National Ski Areas Association, Colorado Ski Country USA, Ski Utah, the Canadian Ski Council, and many individual resort clients and mountain communities, including Vail, Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs and many more. It also has extensive experience with grooming manufacturers, lift manufacturers, and ski resort planning groups.