In Focus | Jennifer Lahn

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Jennifer (Jen) Lahn

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but was raised in Kelowna. My family moved here when I was four. I’ve moved away for a few years here and there for school and work, but Kelowna has remained my home for over 25 years.

Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
I’d have to say my husband. Maybe I shouldn’t say 'have to say'... I am always in awe of his genuine curiosity and interest in everything, his laid-back approach to life and his ability to laugh at himself. He brings an element of fun into everything, loves to try new things, and always challenges me to be the best version of myself.

If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I’d go to Namibia, Africa. I lived there for two years as a volunteer teacher in a rural community and made some amazing life-long connections. I left a little piece of my heart there, it’ll always be special to me.

What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
I love Mosaic Books, I don’t think I’ve ever gone in there and not left with way more than I went in for. I could browse for hours. Honourable mention also goes to the whole of downtown though, we have fantastic local shops and boutiques. Working downtown is dangerous on payday!

What is your favourite activity?
I’ve taken up curling with a few friends at the Kelowna Curling Club and really enjoy it. Canadians are known to be nice people, but I’m convinced that the nicest Canadians curl. Aside from being a technical game, it’s a social game. It’s less about wins and losses and more about the fun you have on the ice. Plus you get to have a beer during and after the game. What’s better than that?

If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
Pizza for sure, it’s so versatile. My husband and I make our own dough and have pizza nights, coming up with all sorts of concoctions and combinations of different sauces and toppings. And honestly, what’s more delicious than bread and cheese?

What is a hidden gem you enjoy in the Okanagan?
I love Latin Fiesta. Every time I am in the Rutland area I try to stop in for a bite. The food is delicious, the price is right, and the people are so nice.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
You mean this week? In all seriousness, I probably embarrass myself almost daily. One moment that sticks out in recent memory is my girlfriend’s wedding this past summer. Picture this: it’s a beautiful Okanagan summer’s day, everyone is dressed in their best and having a great time. We are in line at the dessert table. I pick up the industrial whipped cream canister and next thing I know, I have whipped cream in my hair, all over my face, my dress and all over everyone in a 5-foot radius. It was quite a show.

What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Volunteering and living in Namibia was a constant source of inspiration for me. The generosity, kindness and compassion that I witnessed, and was shown while there, was unparalleled. People didn’t help one-another out of obligation or expectation, but out of the sheer joy of helping and knowing that generosity comes full circle. It was incredible to witness and something that I continue to try and incorporate in my day-to-day life.

Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
I had a really great childhood. I grew up in Ellison, which is surrounded by agriculture and has such a fantastic neighbourhood feel. My favourite memories include riding bikes down to the corner store on weekends with my brother, sister and other neighbourhood kids, sledding at the school and going on (mis)adventures up and down the streets. As kids we would go on 'bear hunts' in Mission Creek Park with my mom and to local sporting events with my dad. They kept us active and engaged and they encouraged creative play, which I think is so important.

Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
I sit on the board for the Central Okanagan Fruit Tree Project (COFTP). It is a fantastic organization that focuses on turning backyard fruit trees, which so often go unpicked, or largely wasted, into a source of community nutrition by harvesting these trees and sharing the fruit with local organizations. Having worked in the tree fruit industry in the Okanagan for over 10 years, it really is incredible how much good food goes to waste. The volunteers at the COFTP work so hard to reduce this waste, bringing high-quality, nutritional produce to people who could benefit from added nutrition in their lives. Working for BMO has also allowed me to get more involved in volunteering and community events such as our annual BMO Marathon, Walk So Kids Can Talk and Shred-athon to name a few. It makes me proud to work for an organization that prioritizes the community and giving back as much as I do.

If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
To increase empathy that people feel for one-another. Whether it be cultural, political, social, racial, gender-based etc., if people spent half as much time trying to put themselves in other peoples’ shoes as they spend judging them, we’d live in a much safer, kinder and empathic world.

What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
I’ve taken up paddle boarding the past couple years, and I love it! Nothing beats a day on the water with friends in the Okanagan sunshine.

Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
I do my best thinking when walking, so my alone time is best spent walking my dog around our Glenmore neighbourhood or up Knox. If I’m not doing that, then you could probably find me at Plum Tree Eco Spa, 30 Minute Hit or on my couch with a bowl of popcorn, glass of wine and a book or some Netflix.

Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
I really like the direction that downtown Kelowna is going in. It’s becoming a lot more vibrant and active year-round than I remember it being in the past, and a lot of that has to do with local entrepreneurs setting up amazing shops and businesses. I’d love to continue to see local businesses continue to be supported by our community and thrive here. Attractions like the skating rink in the winter, and Parks Alive in the summer, are fantastic as well and add more life to the downtown core.

If you were granted one wish for work or in life, what would it be?
To let go of that which I can’t control, and to be in the moment.

Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I’m a pretty staunch feminist. I think that as a society, we are definitely seeing change in the right direction. While I work in two predominantly male industries: banking and agriculture, I am lucky enough to work for an organization that prioritizes equality in the workplace. BMO is leading the way among the other big banks in Canada in terms of women in senior leadership roles and the number of women being promoted, with 40% of senior leadership roles being held by women. It’s not quite 50% yet, but I’m proud to work for a company that is committed to getting there.

What is the name of your business/organization?
Bank of Montreal (BMO).

What does your business do?
BMO is the oldest Bank in Canada (older than Canada itself – we turn 200 this year!) and provides a wide array of services such as personal and commercial banking and financing solutions, credit cards, investments, financial planning and wealth management. As a Commercial Account Manager, I provide financing solutions to business clients. My portfolio is largely focused on agriculture, so the majority of my clients are local farmers and orchardists. Agriculture as an industry has unique financing needs and challenges and I love that BMO not only recognizes that, but fully invests in our agriculture clients by having industry specialists on staff to make sure we can provide an unparalleled offering of financial products, services and expertise for our clients. It’s part of what’s led us to be awarded the #1 Commercial Bank in Canada by World Finance Magazine for two years running.

How do people connect with you through social media?
I’m on LinkedIn.

Why did you get into/start this business?
I got into banking indirectly through my experience and involvement in local agriculture. I had worked in the tree fruit industry for 10 years, first in the Okanagan orchards assessing fruit damage due natural perils that farmers can insure through the government, then as an employee of the BC Ministry of Agriculture Business Risk Management Unit. When an opening came up at BMO for a Commercial Lending portfolio, focused primarily on Agriculture clients, it was a great opportunity for me to expand my breadth of industry knowledge and gain valuable experience. There are two things that I’ve always needed from a career in order to feel fulfilled: creativity and working with people. In my role I’m lucky to have both, from meeting a client and learning about their business, their goals and what makes them tick, to creating unique banking solutions that work for them and being there as their business grows and succeeds. I find the whole process so gratifying.

What is the goal of your business?
My goal, and BMO’s goal, is to (re)define great customer experience. I read it best in an article by Disney that your competition is whoever your clients compare you to, meaning all businesses, not only your direct competitors. When someone comes to BMO for financing I don’t only want them to feel like it’s the best banking experience they’ve had, I want them to walk out the door knowing that they are valued, their business is understood and appreciated and that meeting and exceeding their needs is my passion. That’s how I feel I best represent myself, and BMO, to all existing and potential clients.

What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
Balance is always a challenge for me. When I commit to something I get fully engulfed, whether it’s a home project or putting together a work deal, and my own personal needs tend to fall by the wayside. My goal for 2017 is to continue to strive for work-life balance and make sure I’m taking some time for myself in amongst everything else. In doing so, I will try to give my husband, who gets off work earlier than I do and does most of the cooking, a bit of a break too.

If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
I know the correct answer is probably to say “I wouldn’t change a thing,” and I don’t think I would have made any changes to the major decisions I’ve made, but I would like to have been more confident, assertive and accepting of myself growing up, something I think a lot of young women could benefit from.

Why do you think it is important to shop local?
Local businesses really are the cornerstone of our community. Kelowna isn’t a big place, so when you support local you really are supporting your neighbours, with the proceeds going directly into, and helping shape and improve our communities.

Give someone that you think deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Oh gosh. There are so many people I would love to give a shout out to in this community. Instead of picking one person though, I would like to give a shout out to our local farmers, orchardists, and vintners. We are so privileged to grow up in a community surrounded by agriculture, with access to locally grown fruit, wine and various products, that I think we tend to take for granted the people who work so hard to provide us with these luxuries.

My nomination for the In Focus spotlight is:
Michael and Matt Mazur from Mazur Farms. They are two, young entrepreneurs doing awesome things in local agriculture, and they're pretty decent curlers, at that.

Other information you would like to share:
There isn’t anything else I can think of to share, other than thanking you for giving me the opportunity to be In Focus today, it’s been a pleasure!

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna.