Former B.C. deputy finance minister and two incumbents elected to Coast Capital board

SURREY, BC, May 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Former B.C. deputy minister of finance Christopher Trumpy and incumbents Christian Findlay and Daniel Burns have been elected to three-year terms on the board of Canada's second largest credit union, Coast Capital Savings.

Trumpy, the newest member of Coast Capital's board, served as deputy minister of finance from 2007 to 2009 and also from 1998 to 2002, in addition to other senior roles held over a 30-year career in the B.C. civil service.

"Chris is a great addition to the Coast Capital Savings board, bringing valuable experience gained from a successful and distinguished career as a highly respected senior public servant" said Bill Wellburn, Coast Capital's board chair. "He will complement the skill sets and knowledge of the Coast Capital board with his broad background in setting policy and managing complex financial systems as a former deputy finance minister."

Trumpy is a certified general accountant with expertise in risk management. His experience as a director includes serving as chair of Pacific Carbon Trust; finance committee chair of Coast Opportunities Fund; director for Puget Sound Energy; and board chair for the BC Investment Management Corporation.

"As a Coast Capital Savings director, I will draw from my experience in financial policy making and management in support of the organization's Purpose to change the way Canadians feel about banking, forever," Trumpy said. "Like Coast Capital, I'm also a strong believer in giving back to the community. I coached high school basketball for many years and I now volunteer as a director and finance committee chair for the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence, which align with Coast Capital's commitment to build a richer future for youth in our communities."

Burns, a lawyer, accountant and entrepreneur, has served on the Coast Capital board since 2000 and previously served on the Richmond Savings board. Findlay, whose background includes extensive senior executive experience in the banking industry, has been a Coast Capital director since 2009.

"The decision by members to return Findlay and Burns to the board for a further three-year term is a vote of confidence in the work they've done since becoming directors, particularly the strong financial, legal and entrepreneurial acumen and leadership they bring to the table," Wellburn said.

Findlay holds an MBA in finance and is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management's director education program. She has served on the boards of various organizations in the financial services sector, including Moneris Solutions and Interac and currently sits on the board of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Findlay said she will continue to champion Coast Capital's Purpose over her term.

"My focus will be on how to help customers realize financial well-being in the simplest possible ways and empowering staff to deliver Coast Capital's Purpose, every day," Findlay said. "I am also firmly committed to the healthy development of our communities through creating opportunities for youth to flourish, grow and lead."

Burns has extensive board experience in the credit union sector. He served as board chair for Central 1 Credit Union from 2005 to 2009 and led the merger of Credit Union Central of BC and Credit Union Central of Ontario that created Central 1. He is a certified management accountant as well as a graduate of the Rotman School of Management director education program.

Burns said he would dedicate his term to working towards balanced growth for the credit union He also serves as one of Coast Capital's appointees to the board of Central 1 and will continue to advocate for the consolidation of the remaining provincial Centrals in order that Canadian credit unions achieve greater efficiencies in pooling their resources.

"I am dedicated to the proposition that we must continually improve the banking experience for each of our members, treat our employees with respect and contribute positively to the communities we serve," Burns said. "While we want to grow in the future, it should never eclipse our reason for being, which is to help members achieve their financial goals."

Coast Capital members also passed a special resolution to amend the credit union's rules, giving members the added new option to receive information for directors elections and special resolution votes electronically.

Similar to last year's vote, this year's election provided an opportunity for Coast Capital members to support the community. In line with Coast Capital's pledge to donate $1 to charity for every valid vote cast, the credit union made a $20,000 contribution to Junior Achievement of British Columbia.

Other members of Coast Capital's board are Bill Wellburn (chair), Doug Brownridge, Bill Cooke, Robin Chakrabarti, Mary Jordan, Susan Senecal and Glenn Wong.

Coast Capital Savings Credit Union is Canada's second largest credit union with total assets under administration of $13.5 billion, 475,000 members and 50 branches in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia. Product innovations include Canada's first free chequing account from a full-service financial institution and the country's most flexible mortgage product, the You're the Boss™ Mortgage, which was named 2010 Mortgage of the Year by canadianmortgagetrends.com. Coast Capital offers one of Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™. It is a member of Canada's Best Managed Companies Platinum Club and an Imagine Canada Caring Company. To learn more, visit www.coastcapitalsavings.com.

Divine Agodzo
Manager, media relations, Coast Capital Savings
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]