Connecting talent to opportunities is something that Michael McPhie has always been intrigued by. In fact, he feels that young people should understand the businesses that they operate in and spend actual time in their industry, rather than sitting in classrooms or staying close to home. And he lives that mantra as well, in his role at Falkirk Environmental Consultants, he anticipates where industry trends are headed and develops business practices according to that.

What is energy and its role in technology, government, and the private sector? That is a question that Dan Woynillowicz tries to answer in his job at Polaris Strategy + Insight. He knows that if companies want a change in government policy to succeed, they need to know how to get the messaging across – and that is where he thrives.

British Columbia’s businesses depend on Pamela McDonald’s job. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it is not. Leading the BC Securities Commission, it is her job to ensure that the BC business sector’s money and investments are safe. Her inspiration came from her father, who was a stock broker. So when she graduated, she went towards that field, thinking that was where she wanted to go – only to find out it wasn’t. But that experience gave her a valuable insight on where her true path lay.

When you think of a CEO, do you think of someone who is jumping into the fray and dealing with everything hands-on? This is not how Beau Jarvis does it – to him, it is not only about time management, but also about mentoring a team that can be competent without micromanaging. This is a must, as the leader of Wesgroup, which builds all kinds of housing throughout British Columbia. After all, it’s not just about building homes – it’s also about talking with government and creating more sustainable housing outcomes.

As the CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia, Michael Goehring represents the entire mining and smelting industry of the province and advocates the sector’s interests to the government.

What is going on in the Asia Pacific region? And how do we use that knowledge to do business and build relations? That is the mission for Vina Nadjibulla of the Asia Pacific Foundation. After all, understanding different places seems to be her calling, being born in the Soviet Union and growing up in multiple countries – and even working with the United Nations.

At Concert Properties, Kerri Jackson manages property. It sounds simple, but it is a complex mixture of making sure all rents are paid, new tenants come in, and more.

What is it like to run a city? Raul Allueva knows – he has to make sure that the city stays functional, whether it be fire departments, parks, safety, public works, permitting, and more. How did he get so far? To him, the answer is ironic – “don’t look too far ahead.” Focusing on the task at hand is the key, as well as being personable and learning to support others.

Dr. Sam Aparicio of BC Cancer, studying medicine was always the plan, but research became his passion. Unbeknownst to him, research also involves many skills that didn’t expect, such as grant-writing, which he had to learn along the way. This led him down other side pathways, such as starting a biotech company to commercialize some of the findings in the genomics field.

How is your city shaped? This is what Anne McMullin has to know, as the leader of the Urban Development Institute. In her job, she is constantly educating and informing others about how British Columbia’s communities are developed, particularly around real estate issues. This is a far cry from where she started out, in the journalism world; but over time, she found that the business world interested her more and more – so she made a career pivot.

For James Donaldson, there is never a dull moment. It is his job to spot anything that negatively impacts members of the food and beverage industry in British Columbia. In other words, he looks out for their interests. This is not a role that James thought he’d end up in – when he graduated, he didn’t have a plan or clarity on what he wanted to do. Eventually he entered the food industry, which gave him the opportunity to learn more about himself and what he can bring to the table.

David Williams does everything. Or at least, it seems like he does. In his role at the Business Council of British Columbia, he has to talk and listen to all groups of people, depending on the issues of the day. To know what is going on, he has to read all the time – what experts are saying, what business leaders are saying, and what data is out there. It’s his job to find out what makes the economy tick.

Have you ever felt confused about your career or company and not sure where it is going? Ron Bremner’s job is to help you navigate through that. He finds joy in working with his clients to look at work with a new perspective. Over time, he finds that those clients become friends – because seeing their growth gives Ron immense pride.

“You’re always the face of the party – that’s just a reality.” As leader of the British Columbia Conservative Party, going to new places and showing up is a large part of John Rustad’s job. That is nothing new to him, as someone who grew up in Prince George and having jobs that took him all over the province with all kinds of different experiences. As someone who takes all kinds of opportunities, this worked perfectly into his journey into business and, eventually, politics.

As the president of Neptune Terminals, there are no typical days for Megan Owen-Evans, but some days can get long – but it is an element of the job that she loves. This is a job she never considered when she was going to school. In fact, she thought she would be a doctor but didn’t end up finishing that journey. Instead, she worked in various jobs and realized that her dreams lay elsewhere. Finally returning to school, she had a fresh plan and different direction.

Balancing acts are nothing new to Christine Kennedy. As president of Woodfibre LNG, which is essentially a giant construction project, she has to balance relations with First Nations, local residents, and project stakeholders.

Mark Liedemann is great at relationship management – his job as CEO of Infrastructure BC calls for it, helping to cultivate the relationships between government and builders of infrastructure around British Columbia. To get to where he is today, it was a journey through a biochemistry degree, teaching in Germany, the banking industry, a business degree, and more.

How do you get First Nations, government, and the energy industry together? That is something that Chris Sankey knows the answer to, because it is what he does. He loves solving problems that nobody else wants to touch and that drives his mission – aiming for a Canada with economic opportunities without racism.

Businesses need information to make informed decisions – and that is what Ken Peacock is here for. In his role at the Business Council of British Columbia, he takes information from the provincial government and connects it with business leaders for feedback and development. He didn’t start out wanting to be an economist – but he had a curiosity to understand how the world worked. At the advice of a professor, he went into economics. This changed his life and career path.

David Hutniak leads Landlord BC, which is an industry association that represents owners and managers of rental housing in British Columbia. His organization represents landlords across BC and balances the interests of landlords and tenants.