Board of Directors

Community Futures Nicola Valley is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of up to 14 local business people, first nations, government service agencies, and the financial sector who have extensive knowledge and experience of our local economy. Our Board members represent our region’s population and main economic sectors. Their role is to establish our organizations’ priorities, monitor our performance, and answer to key stakeholders. The Directors are selected by nomination and vote by the current Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The goal of the Community Futures Nicola Valley’s Board of Directors is to seek representation from across the region it serves. The term of each Board of Director is one or two years, with a maximum of nine consecutive years served.

Applications for Board Membership will be accepted upon any vacancies which will be advertised. If you have an interest in joining our Board, please download our information package, located at the bottom of this page.

		Tom Reynolds Board Chair Tom was born in Vancouver. He graduated from Point Grey High School and went on to UBC where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Canadian History. He then obtained his Professional Teacher’s Certificate. In 1972 he married Shirley St. Cyr. They have a son, Stephen and a daughter Andrea. Teaching didn’t work out so he changed to the accounting profession. In 1975 he entered the Municipal field where he stayed for the next 33 years with 28 of those in a senior position. He arrived in Merritt in the summer of 2003 to be the City’s Finance Manager. He retired in February of 2009. Tom is involved in a number of community organizations, including the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table, Nicola Valley Explorers, the Merritt Centennials and the Merritt Country Run. He joined Community Futures Development Corporation of the Nicola Valley in the summer of 2015.

		Jack Polmans Board Member & Lending Chair I moved with my family from Holland in 1952. Mavis & I were married in 1964 and moved to 100 Mile House and Delta, where we raised our family. In 2005, after working in the automotive industry as a parts manager, we moved back to Merritt to retire. We have been involved with the Nicola Valley Museum as Directors, and Co-chair for Country Christmas and volunteering where we could at other events. I was appointed to six city committees after the 2008 election: City Centre Board, Façade, ATV Taskforce, Spirit of BC Olympic Committee, Olympic Taskforce, and Directional Signage Committee.

		Noreen Cross Vice-Chair Noreen is experienced in financial reporting and analysis. Along with her husband Jack, she has been the owner of an autobody shop and is experienced with the challenges of small business operations. Originally from the lower mainland, Noreen and Jack intentionally re-located to the Nicola Valley for the lifestyle, climate and economic opportunities. Noreen has been active in the community with organizations ranging from the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Merritt Centennials Hockey Club to the Nicola Valley Cruisers – a well-known custom car club. Noreen’s ride is an all-original Model T. Noreen is currently employed as a Finance Coordinator with the Nicola Tribal Association (NTA) and enjoys the amenities of Merritt combined with the advantages rural acreage living offers.

		Jane Bartle Board Member Jane was born in Vancouver, raised and educated in Burnaby, achieved a Bachelor of Education at UBC, then continued her life-long learning in a broad range of private and public educational institutes throughout BC, Alberta, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories. Her employment is equally broad ranging from Teaching, Community Development and Group Facilitation, Educational Governance and Financial Management; to support work in Engineering, Law, Insurance, Financial Planning and Academia; through to small business owner-operator. Jane has been admirably provided for by the great universe of possibility--Community Futures is her opportunity to give back to the universe of possibility so that others may enjoy and prosper.

		Jean Perog Secretary/Treasurer I have been a volunteer with CFNV in various capacities since 1990. I have recently returned to the board. I am a retired CPA with over 20 years working in Health Care, and have a continuing interest in Community Economic Development. I believe these make me a valuable board member. I have been in the Nicola Valley since 1987 when I purchased land at Stump Lake and later built a home– in 2016, I relocated to the City Of Merritt. I volunteer in a variety of organizations in the community to do my part in helping our great community.

		Tony Luck Board Member Tony Luck has recently moved to Merritt and is excited to a part of this vibrant community. He was born in Vancouver and has spent the majority of his family life in the Abbotsford/Mission area raising his family. After an active life and careers in the Lower Mainland he and his wife Wanda are excited about their new adventure in Merritt. Prior to joining Royal LePage Merritt as a Realtor Tony had a rewarding career at Investors Group as a financial adviser after a 26 year career with BC Hydro in various capacities. Tony has been active in his communities as well. He has served as a director and Vice-Chair of the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce, Director and Vice-Chair of the Mission Community Foundation and served one term as an elected councillor for the District of Mission. He has also served as a Director of the Fraser Valley Regional District. Tony and his wife Wanda have a large and active family who they love to spend as much time with as possible. They also enjoy spending time riding their Harley and kayaking when they get a chance.

		Jared Thomas Board Member Jared was born in Vancouver, BC and raised in the nearby suburb of Ladner. He went to high school at Vancouver College, and did a couple years at UBC before transferring to something he was more passionate about - Radio Broadcasting. He completed the Radio Arts and Entertainment Degree from BCIT in 2017, and upon completion moved to Merritt to take on the role as weekend host and play by play broadcaster for the Merritt Centennials on Q101. Since then he has shifted roles, and is now the Business Operations Manager of the Centennials while still serving as the team's play by play broadcaster. He is also active in the Merritt Tennis Club during the summer.
		Joe Nemeth Board Member Joe was born and raised here in the Nicola Valley, attending local school and then finding local work. After twenty five years of residence here in Merritt and several years spent helping run a small business in the downtown, Joe is ecstatic to be a part of Community Futures and assist in their objectives. Watching Merritt grow and change has been exciting but being able to take part in shaping Merritt's future both here and at his regular job at Merritt's City Hall under the economic development and tourism departments, has been a dream come true.

Margaret Hohner

Board Member

Margaret served as a Director with Community Futures Sun Country, representing the Lillooet Community for 4 years before moving to Merritt in March 2019. As an active community member in Lillooet, Margaret was a member of several groups including, Lillooet Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, 100 People Who Care, Lillooet Tourism Society, and the Lillooet Community Adult Learning Centre. Margaret also served as a Director with Gold Country Communities Society, and the Lillooet Historical Society. Marg was also the community grant writer for the District of Lillooet and succeeded in securing over 3.5 million dollars in economic development grants over 3 years

Margaret has a Masters of Education from Thompson Rivers University, (TRU) and over the past 15 years was an administrator for TRU, Community Education Lillooet and the School of Business and Economics, Kamloops. She moved to Merritt in March 2019 to be closer to family and start an exciting new position with Nicola Valley Institute of Technology as the Co-operative Education Program Coordinator. Marg is eager to continue her community service by serving on the Board of Directors for Community Futures Nicola Valley.

Members At Large

Etelka Gillespie

Lending Committee Member

After a 35 year career in the newspaper industry and former publisher of the Merritt Herald she brings years of experience to the table with her passion for business, marketing, sales and community work. She managed the Merritt & District Chamber of Commerce and has a publishing company currently active in producing children’s books. No stranger to the Chamber of Commerce, Etelka has been an active member in every community she lived in since the early 80’s.

Etelka has been involved with Community Futures Nicola Valley since arriving to Merritt over 10 years ago. It is one way to help achieve her motto “to help make a difference wherever I go”.

Harry Howard

Lending Committee Member

Having been raised in the UK and New Zealand, I arrived in Canada March of 1988 for a three week visit with family and to ski, I am still here.

My career quickly became real estate based, first as a successful Realtor then as a Mortgage Broker which I still do today. My mortgage brokerage business is different to many, in that I used the knowledge base and cash flow of that to branch out to other ventures including lending and land development.

The past 17 years have taught me invaluable lessons through experience. Some of the ventures have been very successful, several were very costly from a personal and financial perspective. The experience gained and lessons learned along the way are invaluable to me, and I hope can be valuable to others as well.