Bruce Courtnall, a mental-health philanthropist with brothers Russ and Geoff and a former high-profile investment adviser, has joined cloud-based real estate brokerage eXp Realty in Victoria.
Courtnall, president of the Courtnall Society for Mental Health, said entering the world of residential real estate was a natural transition.
“I’m a people person,” said Courtnall. “Everything I’ve done involves creating personal and trusting relationships. With my connections and experience, real estate was a natural transition.”
Courtnall played in the Western Hockey League before earning his Certified Financial Planner designation and embarking on a more than two-decade career in finance, investments, and tax and estate planning. You can connect with Courtnall at 250-883-8883 or [email protected]
New Craigdarroch board member
Kelly Somogyi was elected to his first term, and current board president Moira Dann was re-elected for a second term to the board of the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society.
Somogyi grew up on the family farm in Saskatchewan, then completed architectural training and development in Regina. His work there included schools, the Mosaic stadium, museums and theatres. He started his own architectural design studio, focused on restoration that infuses historic buildings with modern functionality.
In Victoria, he has worked on restoration of the Francis Rattenbury Coach & Boat Houses.
Dann has been a board member for almost a decade and president since 2020. She is a former CBC and Globe and Mail journalist and has worked in communications, most recently for the James Bay Community Project.
They join previously elected members Paula Carey, Patricia Foster, Colleen Hoggarth, Kevan King, Stephen Lyons, Julie Murtha, and Nancy Reason.
For more information, visit thecastle.ca.
VIU awards honorary degrees
Vancouver Island University is awarding honorary degrees to a local philanthropist and award-winning author.
Educator and anti-racism activist Masako Fukawa and businessman and philanthropist Randle Jones will each receive an honorary doctorate of laws during VIU’s convocation ceremonies on June 22 and 23.
Born in Prince Rupert, Fukawa was forcibly relocated as a child to an internment camp in Greenwood. After retirement, she dedicated considerable time to documenting racist acts of government on Japanese Canadians, through books and educational resources for museums as well as teachers and students.
Jones bought his first Windsor Plywood store in Surrey in 1965. Over the next several decades, he grew the business from a single store to a chain of 63 corporate and franchise locations across Western sa国际传媒 and the northwestern United States, using a co-op style business model rather than a top-down approach.
Whale watcher Biosphere certified
Campbell River Whale Watching & Adventure Tours has obtained the Biosphere Certified distinction, through the 4VI Vancouver Island Biosphere Commitment Program. It is a collaborative industry initiative that supports tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices as an extension of Vancouver Island’s Biosphere destination certification.
The Biosphere Certified distinction recognizes efforts made by the company to meet 17 sustainable development goals of the 2030 agenda established by the United Nations.
Lands End Cafe open again
sa国际传媒 Ferries’ Lands End Cafe at Swartz Bay has reopened after three months of renovations, replacing a pop-up cafe. Upgrades include new ovens, coffee machines and service counter. A bigger selection of offerings is displayed on digital boards.
