Meet Our New Board Members!

Jacquie Menezes and Jill Dunnigan, new Board Members for Community Futures Howe Sound

Did you know that the Community Futures Howe Sound Board is comprised of volunteers?  

Like any board, they oversee what we do at Community Futures, offering advice and guidance on how we can best serve the local business community.  

Here’s a little more about our board, their backgrounds, and an exciting announcement about new board members!  

Community-led by volunteers  

Everyone on the board of Community Futures Howe Sound is there as a volunteer. They donate their time, skills, experience, and effort, all to support us as we support local businesses and entrepreneurs.  

As well as providing expert feedback and guidance on our work, they also play a big role in our small business loans. Whenever an entrepreneur or businessperson applies for a loan with us, we will run it past the board for their final approval.  

The current President of the board is Grant McRadu, a man who became the youngest Chief Administrative Officer in British Columbia at just 29. He has spent most of his career in public service, and he has even been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Diamond Medal.  

Amongst the rest of the board, we have members who have worked in financial planning, in the tech sector, in business building, and as volunteers for various community foundations. We are immensely grateful for all their contributions to Community Futures, and everything they do behind the scenes for the local business community.  

We are incredibly fortunate to have such an experienced, highly qualified team behind everything we do at Community Futures Howe Sound.  

Thank you to two fantastic board members 

Two board members have recently stood down, so we’re sad to say goodbye as we wish them all the best.  

David Krasny is stepping down after years serving our board, including a stint as the board President. He is well known around the region, and has owned and operated a wholesale distribution company locally since 1995. He has also been the President of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation since 2016, and is well known for his entrepreneurial skills and readiness to support other entrepreneurs.  

We’re also saying goodbye to Jamie Starling, who has a distinguished background in risk mitigation. His skills have been invaluable to our board and our members, and those contributions will be greatly missed.  

Welcome to two new board members!  

As two board members have stepped down, we’re excited to announce two new members to step in and fill those spaces!  

Jacquie Menezes is the principal of 7th Wave Consulting and brings over a decade of experience advising businesses and nonprofits across the public, private, and government sectors. A passionate advocate for local economic development, she has served on the Squamish Chamber of Commerce board, led community advocacy efforts, and contributed to strategic initiatives addressing housing, transportation, and workforce gaps. Jacquie is deeply committed to supporting entrepreneurs and fostering inclusive, resilient business communities. 

Jill Dunnigan is the owner of Extremely Canadian, a long-standing adventure company in Whistler, which she has operated for over 30 years. Her entrepreneurial background is complemented by volunteer work with organizations such as the Squamish Hospital Foundation and the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. Jill brings a strong interest in business mentorship, HR development, and strategic planning, and is excited to connect more deeply with the Sea to Sky business community through her role on the board. 

Read more about our board and everyone on it on our Team Page here, and get in touch with any questions!