Sherry MacLennan Appointed as New Executive Director of BC Unclaimed Property Society

Not-for-Profit Society Administers $178 Million in Unclaimed Funds

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 12, 2022 /CNW/ - Sherry MacLennan has been appointed Executive Director of the BC Unclaimed Property Society, the province's administrator of dormant accounts dedicated to reuniting people with their unclaimed money.

In her new role, Sherry intends to focus on making the not-for-profit Society's services more accessible to people filing claims for forgotten funds and holders of unclaimed accounts as well as raising awareness about the organization, which has $178 million in unclaimed funds in its database.

Sherry MacLennan, Executive Director (CNW Group/BC Unclaimed Property Society)

"With the exponential growth of online fraud coupled with the increasing number of questionable consultants and companies offering to track down unclaimed funds for a fee, people are naturally skeptical of any organization offering to reunite them with their forgotten money," says Sherry. "We want to change perceptions and instill trust in the BC Unclaimed Property Society by ensuring that unclaimed money is put back in the hands of the rightful owners."

The BC Unclaimed Property Society which was established in 2003 by the Province of B.C. and Vancouver Foundation to manage B.C.'s dormant accounts and holds unclaimed funds as the legal custodian of the rightful owners. The Society acts as a "lost and found" for unclaimed money in B.C. by reuniting rightful owners with their forgotten funds and working with companies to get dormant assets off their books. The BC Unclaimed Property Society maintains a free online database listing unclaimed accounts that people can search to find out if they have forgotten funds waiting for them. There are no fees to search for or claim forgotten funds through the BC Unclaimed Property Society.

Last year, the BC Unclaimed Property Society received $4,070,692 from the courts, the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia, credit unions, insurance companies, various levels of government, companies, and other organizations to be reunited with the rightful owners. The Society returned $717,209 from inactive accounts to verified claimants in 2021 who were unaware they had forgotten funds.

A practicing lawyer and an executive leader, Sherry brings more than 25 years of diverse management experience in the legal and non-profit sectors to the Society. She was previously with Legal Aid BC, where she served as Vice President, Public Legal Information and Applications, following a series of progressively senior leadership roles and an active legal practice in both public and private sectors. At Legal Aid BC, she was responsible for the legal aid application processes, legal clinics, local agents, Indigenous services, digital delivery, publications, social media, various websites, and community engagement on behalf of the organization.

Throughout her career, Sherry has gained extensive expertise in governance, strategy, operations, digital transformation, community engagement and public legal education. A firm believer in public and community service, she has served as director or advisory board member for numerous non-profits, including BC Courthouse Libraries, Pro Bono Students Canada, and the National Self Represented Litigants Project.

SOURCE BC Unclaimed Property Society

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