Board

Ramon Ramirez has over 22 years of banking experience; a career that started in South America. He held roles in Vancouver, Bermuda, Southern Alberta, and Vancouver Island; working in several areas of banking including Operations, Payments and Cash Management, e-Commerce, and Commercial Banking. He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Capilano University. He worked for BDC, HSBC, Costal Community Credit Union, Citibank, and owned a retail business. He worked with companies of all sizes, from start-ups to large multinationals. He has experience with a wide a range of banking services including Commercial lending, Trade Financing, Leasing, International Banking, FX, Treasury, and Payments and Cash Management. Outside work, he is a fully certified firefighter with Comox Fire Rescue, a member of the Rotary Club of Courtenay, an avid cyclist, and competes in long distance triathlons. He lives in Comox with his wife, Amy, and two children, Lane and Sebastian.

Lisa moved to BC from England almost 20 years ago and has been in the Comox Valley for the past 6 years. Lisa is a Chartered Professional Accountant currently working as a Financial Controller for a local company, and was previously a Business Advisor with MNP. Lisa’s entrepreneurial spirit is prominent throughout her professional work and most recently as the Treasurer of the Board for the Comox Valley Arts. Lisa has worked with a wide range of businesses which allows her to showcase her diverse skillset in meaningful ways and helps them succeed in different paths. Lisa’s passion for local businesses and strong communities makes her a welcomed addition to the Chamber.

A longtime resident of the Comox Valley, Robyn has been working in media, marketing, and management roles in the valley for the past 15 years. She’s managed a local small business with a staff of 10 - which has given her an in-depth understanding of what local businesses face in the Comox Valley. She’s managed the marketing campaigns of an automotive dealership, and primarily as an on air personality and sales and marketing representative with Jet FM. Working in Radio has been especially personally rewarding for Robyn, as it has given her a passion for seeing local businesses thrive and succeed, and being one of the key voices of her community. Robyn has developed lifelong relationships with local business owners, she appreciates their challenges and successes, and helps many of them on their paths to growing and maintaining their businesses. Robyn and her husband Mike and their daughter Sofija love living in the Valley, spending their free time camping and exploring the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island.

Jason is a born and raised Comox Valley resident. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration from North Island College in 2014 and his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 2018. He has been in finance and administrative roles for many years and has been at Cloutier Matthews LLP since 2014, where he currently works as an Accounting Manager. He’s made many enjoyable, professional connections over the years and is thrilled to continue doing so in his role at the Chamber of Commerce. He has past served as a treasurer to a local chapter of Scouts Canada. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and newest little one, snowboarding on the ski hill in winter and hiking the local peaks during the summer.

Mike joined the Comox Valley Airport Commission as Chief Executive Officer in January 2021. A former Commander of 19 Wing Comox, he brings significant leadership, team-building, crisis management, and strategic planning experience developed during a 35-year military career. Mike's love for aviation started with flying the venerable Sea King helicopter from Canadian Warships on the East Coast. He then transitioned to Search and Rescue, where he discovered his passion for rescuing those in need and strengthening the Canadian SAR System for all. Prior to assuming his new role, he served as the Canadian Defence Advisor to the United Kingdom. Mike is a graduate of RMC (Mech Eng), Saint Mary’s (MBA), King’s College London (MDS), and the Canadian Forces College (NSP). He and his family have fallen in love with the Comox Valley and are eager to establish roots after a nomadic military career.

Lara is a Senior Portfolio Manager & Wealth Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities and a long-time resident of the Comox Valley. She moved to the Comox Valley in 2002 when she was ready to establish her practice and was a ‘little’ analytical about where she would plant her roots! Her mission has always been to provide security, stability, and an appreciation for the outdoors for her family, as well as security and stability for her clients.

Having relocated from Guelph, Ontario, with few ties to the Valley, Lara set out to make connections. In addition to regularly attending Chamber of Commerce network events, she became President of the Comox Valley Newcomers Club in her second year. She also joined the Comox Valley Women’s Business Network and eventually became a part of the board, holding multiple positions. She was eventually nominated for their Minerva Award, which is a recognition by WBN peers of commitment to the organization and the success of professional women.

Now that her children are 'launched', Lara has more time to renew her interest in helping the community navigate the changes ahead.

​Lieutenant-Colonel Krystle Connerty joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 2000 as an Aerospace Control Officer under the Regular Officer Training Plan. She holds a bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Defence Studies through the Royal Military College of Canada. Her previous postings have included 4 Wing Cold Lake as an Air Traffic Controller (ATC), 19 Wing Comox as an ATC and later as a Wing Air Traffic Control Officer (WATCO), 12 Wing Shearwater as the WATCO, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), staff officer in RCAF Air Readiness, and staff officer in the Strategic Joint Staff. She is currently Deputy Wing Commander at 19 Wing Comox.
​Lieutenant-Colonel Connerty is married to Thierry, a CAF Firefighter, and they have two handsome young boys, Conner and Cavan, that keep them on their toes.

Kealy has recently moved back to the Comox Valley, after 20 years in the Campbell River region. Through the past 10 years, she has operated under Kiki’s Communications which sprouted from her background in Community Relations. With past experience in Media Relations, Event Management and First Nations Relations, Kealy now has a unique offering under Arts-Culture-Wellness. Currently, the Kiki’s Comm business portfolio umbrellas into numerous ventures including Compass Magazine Vancouver Island and Compass Gallery + Gifts, both located in Comox, with expansions on the horizon. Kealy has been an active board member in the non-profit and commercial arenas and volunteers in this capacity. She is Vice President on the Downtown Comox Business in Action (BIA) Board and follows a personal mandate of Community-Collaboration-Cooperation in her delivery style. Kealy welcomes the opportunity to further contribute to the business community of the Comox Valley.

Dan completed an Undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria, majoring in Political Science, before working in the financial services and wealth management industry for 10 years primarily in the administration of estate and trusts. Following the birth of his son, he and his family relocated to the Comox Valley, working first for Ecofish Research Ltd., a Comox Valley based leading national environmental consultancy as a project controller, before joining Coastal Community Credit Union in 2018. He is presently Senior Business Lending Advisory for First Credit Union. Dan brings with him over 15 years of experience working in finance with a background in project management and politics. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking and spending time with his son and daughter.

​Semi-retired telecommunications executive and entrepreneur, John started his career as a shipbroker in London and Tokyo and thereafter worked with McKinsey & Company as a consultant. Resuming his career in the shipping industry, John was appointed Treasurer of Fednav Ltd., Canada’s largest international shipping company. In 1983, John joined Spar Aerospace Limited as Treasurer and Director of Strategic Planning. Thereafter, John switched to operations as Senior Vice President of the Aviation and Ventures Sector. In 1989, John left corporate life and worked as a consultant for 5 years. In 1994, John co-founded GS Telecom Limited, an African VSAT service provider and carrier. Over the next 13 years, as Executive Chairman, he grew the company to provide satellite services in 35 Sub-Saharan countries with offices in 10 countries, US$40 million annual sales and 225 staff. John and his wife, Debby, moved from Victoria to the Comox Valley 10 years ago. After 3 years as General Manager of the Comox Valley Marina, John bought the Marina in early 2017. John is a graduate of UVIC (BA) and Stanford (MBA)

Taurean Seib is a business and community leader on Vancouver Island. Residing in the beautiful Comox Valley with wife and three children, Taurean is a Regional Manager with Coastal Community Credit Union. He is known for creating impressive results in the development of people and culture systems and practices, as well as his expertise for organizational change leadership approaches. Taurean holds an MBA in Executive Management, Graduate Certificate in Change Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management. He has served local business communities as director of two chambers of commerce, to one of which he acted as president and board chair. He was the winner of the Canadian Credit Union Association’s National Young Leaders Award in 2019 and is presently a member of the 4 Association of Change Management Professionals, Chartered Professionals in Human Resources, and the World Council of Young Credit Union Professionals Affiliates Council.