Presented by Kelowna's Chamber of Commerce and BDO, the "Top 40 Over 40" was created to showcase role models and champions within our community, and to encourage our future leaders. So, without further adieu, your first six nominees!
CEO of accelerate Kelowna, Raghwa also founded one of the valley’s first tech companies: Vaduim Software. He retired in 2006, but that was short lived and he continues to work with tech companies and give back to his community.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
38 years
What is your favourite thing about this community?
Helpful people and a very collaborative business community
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
Traffic jams - I would look at redesigning/upgrading the entire transportation infrastructure
Who is your hero?
There are 2 - Mike Schleppe & Vern Nielsen
What are three things on your bucket list?
1. Cruise to Antarctica
2. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro to raise money for Alzheimer's
3. Visit to the Galapagos
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Co-founding the very first technology company in Kelowna and now continuing to grow the tech sector in the Okanagan
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
I would bring peace on earth
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Mon Thong Thai Restaurant
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
My birthplace - Fiji Islands
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Love ice hockey and a die hard Canucks fan
Former CEO of QHR Technology, Al now has more time to focus on charities, coach tech start-ups and spend time with his family.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
Irene and I moved to the Kelowna area (actually the Westside) on Jan 6, 1981, which means 35 years ago. We’ve lived in Casa Loma, just across the bridge, but we consider all our business and personal activities being Kelowna based.
Close to everything, and Kelowna is a small enough community to be nice and friendly, but with every big city amenity that we need.
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
I really don’t have any complaints, maybe the HOV lanes being in the center of roadway instead of on the right. Actually, we probably don’t need any HOV lanes here.
Who is your hero?
Locally, it’s Al Stober from a business, personal, values and philanthropic perspective. A great personal and business legacy to look up to.
What are three things on your bucket list?
Fly around the world in business class, stopping off at least 10 countries and see how much of the world we can see in 6-8 weeks.
Fly on Virgin Atlantics space missions that take you it into orbit, someday.
#1 above covers a lot of wish list, travel opportunities.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
On a personal side, - Having a great wife (Irene) for 42+ years, being part of a great family, raising three great kids, all married who have given us five grandchildren.
On a business side, being able to create business opportunities that employ hundreds of people, who work at a common business opportunity and provide for their families.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
The power to instill positive thinking into others, for a moment in time, and for them to be motivated a lifetime.
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Earls, downtown.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
My #1 bucket list goal covers all of this. We’ve traveled a lot over our 42 years of married life.
Europe - Italy, Spain, Greece,
Asia - Cambodia, Vietnam,
Latin America - Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil
What is something most people don’t know about you?
Because of my outward type A personality who normally appears in control of activities or events when I’m around others in the business world, the one thing others may not know is that at home, Irene is the main person managing all aspects of our home and family life. I love that.
Owner and president of Edgecombe Builders group, Kevin is both a quality and sustainable builder as well as an enthusiastic community member. He prides himself on his custom homes and, more recently, his commercial work including the Sole brand mixed use buildings. Kevin and his wife are also very involved in various charity work in Nepal.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
26 years.
What is your favourite thing about this community?
The great outdoors.
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
A more aesthetically pleasing Harvey Avenue. A few more trees and fewer strip malls would be nice.
Who is your hero?
My Dad, he is a very good man and if I grow up half the man he is I will be ok :)
What are three things on your bucket list?
1. Summit Mount Everest
2. Canoe the Nahanni River
3. Fly in a fighter Jet
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
My volunteer construction project in Nepal, particularity the construction of Unako House, a building for the woman and girls of rural Nepal.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Cure old age, aka find a fountain of youth.
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Oak and Cru
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
Nepal, I was planning to leave Oct 31st, but may not be able to make it due to family health issues.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am the youngest of six kids and born in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Senior marketing director and partner of Kelowna’s World Financial Group, Mike’s list of accomplishments is long and varied. He founded Invasion Champion Wrestling, worked in marketing with Costco for 21 years, is an avid hockey fan and will get involved in any charity event that comes his way.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
All 40 years :) I was born at Kelowna General Hospital, and while I have traveled around the world, Kelowna is home.
What is your favourite thing about this community?
The combination of topography, weather/climate, and city size. We are not too big, but not too small. That's more than one thing, but I think we ALL know that this is a trick question and it's impossible to name just one favorite thing about Kelowna.
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
A bypass highway to help those folks passing through and make local traffic a little lighter. Also, an IKEA close by. Darn. That is more than one thing too, isn't it? It seems I am not very good at this.
Who is your hero?
Again, the question is way too focused. Way too many for various reasons. I will give you a pared down list:
Wayne Gretzky, David Letterman, Trent Reznor, Napoleon Hill, Mick Foley, Mike Patton, and Joe Rogan.
What are three things on your bucket list?
While I have crossed off many things on said list, I do have a few more:
1. Be on or a part of Joe Rogan's podcast. If not as a guest, as a guest or companion of a guest. Big time respect for Joe.
2. Intern for a month with Vince McMahon of the WWE. Full immersion. I would sleep as little as possible in order to devote my time there to exclusively working, and spend the entire month picking the brain off, in my opinion, the greatest marketer that ever lived.
3. Total restore of my car. I own my dream car, a 1990 Mercedes SL 60 AMG. I will never sell it, however, I would love to do a ground up restore on it. A perfect bucket list expense :)
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Ok, this is another one of those trick questions. Assuming we take out marrying my wife Candace Chisholm, my career achievements to date, and the charity give back programs I am a part of.
There are two pretty awesome experiences I have had that come to mind. The first is my experience down at the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals and hanging with the LA Kings officials and Alumni, (I am a die hard Kings fan). The second was my experience with David Letterman last year a month before he retired. Making both experiences happen were fantastic accomplishments because they weren't something I could ever pay for to make happen. They were organic, manifested circumstances that led to lifelong cherished memories.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Strength. Like, crazy strength. Like, a stupid amount of superhuman strength. 'HULK SMASH!' type strength.
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Too many great restaurants in this city. Top 3 off the top of my head
1. Ricardo's (mmmm Gorgonzola gnocchi)
2. Delhi Cuisine & Bar (mmmmmmmm coconut chicken)
3. Dunenzies Pizza (mmmm ma-Cheese-mo pizza)
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
Skywalker Ranch, where all the Star Wars props, costumes, and models are kept.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
A tough one, as I am a pretty open book to most people. However, many would be surprised to know I adore all things cute. Little furry animals, cats, rabbits squirrels, whatever, they melt my heart. We rescued a wild cat, that I then tamed. She growls and hisses at everyone but me. So that's it; what do people not know about me? I can tame feral cats.
As the Okanagan chair for The Executive Committee Canada, and after a successful career as a sports marketing and advertising agency entrepreneur, David is a motivational speaker and leadership coach.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
We have lived here since 1997. However, I was born in Kelowna in 1962. My family moved away in 1965; we lived in the Mission from the late 50’s to mid 60’s.
What is your favourite thing about this community?
I love the fact that Kelowna is a small community with a big heart. We are a “can-do” community. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Some look at what is and ask, “Why?”. Others dream of what can be and declare, “Why not!” Kelowna is a “why not!” community.
There are so many entrepreneurial and philanthropic people in this town and Kelowna is a very relational community – business in this town is all about networking. The magnanimous people of Kelowna make this place – the lake, mountains, weather and wineries are just the icing on the cake!
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
Get rid of organized crime.
Who is your hero?
Hero, hmmm, that is not a term I really use. There are many, many people I admire and who have mentored me. I have been fortunate to have had the input of many mentors in all areas of my life. However, if you really pressed me to pick a hero – past and present – I would have to say my older brother Ron is my present hero and Jesus Christ is my past hero.
What are three things on your bucket list?
I have a number of books I want to write. One is entitled, Meant to be Spent, about the lessons we learned from the two years we spent traveling with our sons on what we called our Global Educational Odyssey while we home-schooled them. It is 95% done and has been sitting five yards from the end zone for way too long. I would also like to establish a fabulous BC oceanfront retreat center used to deliver a wide variety of programs including; leadership training, programs for men and couples, and an international school for young people to equip them to be great global citizens. I’d like to meet an angel and know it and as a bonus, I would like to own a 50’ power yacht down in Vancouver to cruise the beautiful waters of the BC coast.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of, grateful for, the fact that my wife and I have been married for 31 years and we have two wonderful sons whom we love and who love us.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Wow, tough question. It would seem that all superheroes of comic book fame used their powers to take down the bad guys, so I guess the ultimate superpower would be the ability to eliminate evil from the world. Flying, invisibility, super strength and being indestructible would be pretty cool though.
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Well, our favourite place definitely used to be the Minstrel when it was owned by Clare Anderson. We really miss the Minstrel. Right now I would have to say we most like the Kelowna Yacht Club, Bouchons and Old Vines at Quail’s Gate.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
That is a bit of a toss-up between two trips. We have done a fair bit of traveling, so the travel bug has been largely satisfied. For a two year period, we home-schooled our sons and did global travel. We went to eight countries on over 24 trips to over 200 destinations and traveled 115,000 km. However, the two trips I would like to do would be a power yacht cruise up the BC Coast through the Discovery Islands and Desolation Sound, and a culinary tour in Italy.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I have almost died twice: Once as a baby, and once I was run over by a car on the highway when I was nine.
A professor at Okanagan College school of business for the past 17 years, Kyleen is passionate about education and her community.
How long have you lived in Kelowna?
20 years
What is your favourite thing about this community?
I love the incredible recreational opportunities this community affords as well as the high level of community engagement
If you change one thing about Kelowna, what would it be?
I think we can do more in the community to provide affordable housing, for people experiencing homelessness, but also for people who just cannot make ends meet with the rising cost of living (such as working families living below the poverty level).
Who is your hero?
Muhammad Yunus, John Wood, and Anita Roddick (social entrepreneurs who used entrepreneurial strategies to address epic social issues and/or revamped business models to showcase double and triple bottom line approaches).
What are three things on your bucket list?
1. Teach a semester overseas with one of our partner universities
2. Attend Wimbledon
3. Do a cycling trip with a group of friends (in a wine region)
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
- Personally, having a couple incredible kids
- Professionally, working with the Enactus students and seeing all the impactful work they do in our community
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Wonder Woman because I think she stands for the empowerment of women and girls.
What is your favourite place to go out for dinner in Kelowna?
Anywhere that serves good craft beer.
If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
I would love to take my kids to Costa Rica
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I played rugby at the provincial level but had to hang up my boots after several surgeries, and now super excited to see my son so passionate about the game.
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