Community Futures organizations are independent non-profit societies, locally-run, and guided by volunteer boards.
They actively support community-based economic development with a range of products and services aimed at creating diverse, sustainable rural communities.
CFSF considers its volunteers one of the organization's most important resources. Together with skilled staff, board and committee members guide the organization to its locally-created and community-driven goals.
Interested in becoming a board member?
In the governance of Community Futures South Fraser the Board does not participate in the day-to-day administration, but establishes the governing structure with broad policies and results to be achieved. Overall, the Board represents the corporate ownership of CF-South Fraser in achieving positive organizational performance. The role of the Board of Directors is to foster the organization’s short and long-term success consistent with the guiding principles and key directions and to be accountable to key stakeholders
The individuals who make up the Board of Directors should, collectively, have the necessary personal attributes and competencies required to:
- add value and provide support for management in establishing strategy and reviewing risks and opportunities;
- effectively monitor the performance of management;
- and account for the performance of the organization.
Applications for board member positions are continuously accepted. Please forward contact Bob Hahn for more details.
The Board of Directors
The Board defines and delegates rather than reacting and ratifying. The Board must work continually to define the direction and end results that the organization is to achieve, and to develop policy that defines the acceptable boundaries within which it can delegate the achievements of those results. The Board represents the region's resident population, its priority economic sectors, and includes representation from the large, diverse geographic region.
| Present Board Directors | ||
| Years Served | Home Community | |
| Wayne Bremner | 1997- | Abbotsford |
| Walter Esau | 2002- | Chilliwack |
| Bruce Fatkin | 2011- | Abbotsford |
| Grant Gaudet | 2002- | Abbotsford |
| Netty Tam | 2010- | Chilliwack |
| Bob Thomas | 2008- | Chilliwack |
The Board of Directors Biographies:
Wayne Bremner, Director (Abbotsford)
Wayne Bremner is a founding board member of CFSF, having served since incorporation in 1997. Wayne has served as Board Chair for nearly a decade, and has also served on several committees including CED and loans. Wayne has lived with his family in Abbotsford since 1996 and is currently the Executive Director for Mennonite Central Committee BC. He has worked as Program Director overseeing services and partnership initiatives related to refugee settlement, support for people with HIV/AIDS, Aboriginal communities, domestic violence response, addiction recovery, homelessness, economic development, employment services, and social enterprise. Wayne also worked in the field of international relief and development, including an assignment overseas in Nicaragua, with MEDA, supporting a small business development program that provided loans and business training for very poor. His education includes a Bachelors in Business Administration from Trinity Western University and a Masters Degree in International Development from the University of Toronto.
Walter Esau, Vice Chair (Chilliwack)
Walter Esau has served on the board of directors of CFSF since 2002 in addition to serving on the CFSF business loans committee. A life-long Chilliwack resident, Walter attended UBC in an agricultural faculty and is an owner of a substantial poultry operation. A realtor for 37 years, Walter is highly experienced in real estate development, presently serving numerous clients with large developments in various stages in the Chilliwack area. Walter has always been involved in the community and serves on numerous other boards and committees such as: Chilliwack Agricultural Commission (including having chaired the Public Awareness Committee), Commercial Division Board of the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board, Chilliwack Hospital and Health Care Foundation, and the Central Community Church Board. Outside of work, Walter can be found relaxing on the golf course or enjoying traveling to various parts of the world with his wife and family.
Bruce Fatkin, Director
Bruce is a native to Abbotsford and a former farmer in the Bradner area. As an employee of Community Futures for six years, he led several agricultural tourism and industry sector development projects and worked for a while helping emerging local small businesses with business planning and start-up. With the Fraser Basin Council of BC, Bruce helped form a local agricultural products marketing group in Agassiz and conducted a feasibility study for a farmers market in the area. He also worked with the hazelnut and crayfish sectors on value-added pre-feasibility investigations. He currently manages the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market and helps other non-profit organizations with project management as needed. Bruce serves on other non-profit boards including FarmStart BC and the Abbotsford/Mission Operation Red Nose.
Grant Gaudet, Secretary / Treasurer (Abbotsford)
Born and raised in Charlottetown PEI, Grant Gaudet moved to Abbotsford in 1980. In 1997, Grant joined Great Pacific Management. He is now a Financial Advisor at Raymond James Ltd. He holds his Canadian Securities and Professional Planning Licence. With over 15 years of previous banking experience (Royal Bank and Canada Trust), he is committed to a high level of service including tax planning, retirement, and estate planning. Grant has been a Kiwanis Club member for over 20 years, serving as Director, Treasurer, and Club President. He is actively involved with the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce and is a past Treasurer. He is currently acting as Secretary/Treasurer for CFSF. Over the years, Grant has held key positions for the Western Canada Summer Games, and the BC Disability Games, both held in Abbotsford. For leisure Grant, enjoys golfing, hiking, skiing, curling, and travel.
Netty Tam, Director
Netty Tam is the Manager of Business Development for the Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation (CEPCO), the economic development organization for the City of Chilliwack. With over 20 years of direct experience, Netty brings a wealth of expertise in the economic development and downtown revitalization field. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British of Columbia and a Master of Environmental Design – Planning Degree from the University of Calgary. Her areas of proficiency are in strategic planning, policy development, economic development, and downtown revitalization. Netty has been a member of the Rotary Club in New Westminster and Chilliwack. Currently she sits on the Chilliwack Social Research and Planning Council as Treasurer.
Bob Thomas, Chair (Chilliwack)
Bob Thomas joined the South Fraser board in 2008. He was born in British Columbia, and after working for many years outside of the province, returned in 1996. His career has taken him down many paths across Canada including Human Resources officer in the Canadian military, Project Coordinator with North Fraser Community Futures, Mission Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and, presently, consultant. Bob is also involved as a volunteer board member on a number of other not-for-profit societies in the Fraser Valley, and is Secretary of the Abbotsford Farm & Country Market. He resides in Chilliwack with his wife Roxanne.
