Board Members and Staff

The Bulkley Valley Economic Development Association consists of a Board of Directors. The board members are:

Paul Wellington (Chair) is the Branch Manager of the Smithers office of Opus DaytonKnight Consultants Ltd., a global engineering consulting company. Opus DaytonKnight provides a full range of project services in the water, wastewater and drainage sectors from problem identification and design through to project management during construction, commissioning and training. Paul manages the Smithers office and the projects in the local area. Paul is also an owner of several commercial buildings in Smithers. He has lived in the Bulkley Valley for the past 15 years and is raising his young family here.

Ian Grieve (Treasurer) is the Branch Manager for the Smithers/New Hazelton Market of the Royal Bank. His wife Adele and two children moved to Smithers in 1998 and very much enjoy what the Bulkley Valley has to offer. He is President of the Smithers Men's Old-timer Hockey League and also enjoys golfing and fishing.

Natalie Trueit was born and raised in Vancouver where she began her professional insurance career in 1981. Natalie met her husband of 20 years through the insurance industry and his roots in Smithers brought them to the Bulkley Valley in 1992. She has two remarkable sons in their teens and resides on an acreage in Quick with an extended four-legged family.

Al McCreary is the co-owner of Hudson Bay Lodge in Smithers, a member of Edmison Mehr Chartered Accountants, president of ABLE, the liquor association of B.C., vice president of the BC Hotel Association, treasurer of Smithers Men’s Old-timers Hockey Association and president of the Prairie Cabin Owners Association. He has lived in the Smithers since 1976, and enjoys being part of the wonderful community here.

Joe Wong has been managing partner of Woodmere Nursery, a supplier of quality reforestation seedlings in Telkwa since the first seed was planted in 1985. He serves on the Boards of the Skeena Nass Centre for Innovation in Resource Economics and the Northwest Science, Innovation and Technology Society. With his background in agronomy, he is assisting High Roads Services Society, a non-profit organization in the Bulkley Valley to realize its goal of providing quality food to low-income families through local agriculture initiatives.

David G. Belford has over 15 years of experience in Aboriginal consultation and engagement to the BVEDA Board. As the Office of the Wet’suwet’en’s representative, he brings his knowledge, skills and experience in organizational development, strategic planning, communications, media relations, economic development, project management and Aboriginal governance to the Board. David has lived, worked, and volunteered for a wide variety of community organizations in northern BC and is currently Chair of Smithers Community Services Association (SCSA).

Kym Putnam 

Staff

Allan Stroet is the first Economic Development Officer for the Bulkley Valley Economic Development Association. He graduated from the University of Northern British Columbia with a degree in Marketing and Business Administration. He gained economic development experience in Prince George before returning back to his hometown of Smithers. Allan is looking forward to the challenges ahead of him with the new position and to resettling here with his wife. He is an avid hockey fan and golfer.

Gladys Atrill is the Tourism Coordinator at the Town of Smithers as well as a Master Instructor with the Recreational Canoeing Association of B.C. She is a skilled communicator and educator as well as an accomplished technical and artistic paddler.