Julie Lawlor has been named executive director of the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. The former West Shore resident returns after 14 years in the United Kingdom working in the heritage field, including more than a decade with the National Trust, Europe’s largest conservation charity. Lawlor grew up in Colwood and Langford and attended Belmont high school before moving on to the universities of Victoria and Toronto. Lawlor replaces Dan Spinner, who was let go last March. Spinner’s position and that of an administrative co-ordinator were eliminated after the chamber’s spending grew out of control as a result of producing a TV program and magazine about the region. The business community is invited to meet Lawlor at a member mixer Jan. 28 hosted by the Victoria Grizzlies.
Software exec heads BBB
Gary Eisenstein, president and founder of Victoria-based Falcon Software, is the new chairman of the Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island. He succeeds Mike Regimbal of Cash Store Financial at the helm of the business organization that advances trust between businesses and consumers. Other members of the 2015 executive include vice-chairman Richard Gordon of Access Records; treasurer Vern Fischer of Fischer Financial Services; secretary Miles Fournier of Investor’s Group Financial Services Inc.; independent legal counsel Sharon Cartmill-Lane of Taylor McCaffrey LLP; and president and chief executive Rosalind Scott. The directors are Chris Gillen, Dial-A-Geek Consulting Inc.; Rick Anthony, Oak Bay Police; Robin Richardson, independent funeral planner; Walter Donald, The Executive Network; and Kim Garnet, The Brainy Girls Virtual Assistant.
Familiar face back at RRU
Katharine Harrold, who led fundraising for Royal Roads University during its early years, is returning as vice-president of communications and advancement. Harrold, who will start the position March 30, comes from the United Way of the Lower Mainland (Burnaby), where she was vice-president of resource development and director of philanthropy since 2011. Previously, Harrold was director of advancement for the faculty of environment at Simon Fraser University, director of philanthropy for the Nature Conservancy of Canada B.C. region, national campaign director for the David Suzuki Foundation and alumni relations co-ordinator for the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific. Harrold was campaign manager for RRU from 2000-2001 and led the university’s first fundraising campaign.
