Meet Our Board Of Directors
The Community Futures Peace Country team is powered by its Board of Directors. Our board members really care about the community and understand the challenges of owning a business. Meet our Board of Directors:
Catherine Dezutter
Board Chair
Representing Sub Region 2:
Northern Sunrise County, Peace River, Nampa
Catherine DeZutter is a seasoned professional with 20 years of retail experience. She has a strong background in joint community initiatives aimed at gaining more exposure in financial realms. Currently serving as the Food Division Manager at Peace Country Co-op, Catherine's expertise lies in the food industry.
In addition to her professional role, Catherine has a deep passion for working on farms and with cattle, reflecting her love for the outdoors. This blend of experience in retail, community involvement, and a fervor for agriculture showcases Catherine as a well-rounded individual dedicated to making a positive impact in the community.
Frank Light
Representing Sub Region 2:
Northern Sunrise County, Peace River, Nampa
Business owner and entrepreneur in Peace River. Owns and operates Channico Machine for the past 18 years and holds two Red Seal trades tickets. Frank has been on the CFPC board for the past six years. Frank is also a Past Director of the Peace River Chamber of Commerce, and has lived in Peace River for 33 years.
"I enjoy seeing others take the challenge to become a business owner and grow our community."
Cheryl Anderson
Director
Representing Sub Region 2:
Peace River & Area
Raised on a farm in the Weberville area, just a few miles from her current home, Cheryl has deep roots and extensive knowledge of the Peace region. Alongside her role on our board, she is active in several local organizations, including the Anglican Church Vestry, the Anglican Diocesan Executive Committee, the Peace River Healthcare Attraction and Retention Committee, and the Weberville Community Club.
In her free time, Cheryl enjoys spending time with family and friends, baking, gardening, reading, and tackling puzzles and games.
Cheryl describes her work on the board as deeply rewarding, stating, “The most rewarding part of being on the board is seeing entrepreneurs get their feet under them, to get a start and see it come to fruition. As a board member, you get to see it all the way through. It’s amazing, and it triggers something in your heart.”
Carolyn Kolebaba
2nd Vice Chair
Representing Sub Region 2/8:
First Nations, Metis, Indigenous Peoples
Carolyn was born in Peace River and raised in the Municipal District of Peace. She and her husband Mike operate a trucking company along with their sons in Northern Sunrise County. They retired from mixed farming in the spring of 2010 which they operated for over 30 years. Carolyn worked in the educational system as a Certified Teacher Assistant with a Structure of Intellect background. Carolyn entered municipal politics in 1998, and was elected Reeve of Northern Sunrise County in 2000. She was elected as the first female Vice President for the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and served from 2005 – 2008. In the fall of 2010, she was re-elected as Vice President and served until 2017. In her role as municipal Councillor, Carolyn is the Chair of the NEW water Ltd Board, the Northern Transportation Advocacy Bureau, and the Peace Library System. Carolyn is also a Director on the Peace Regional Waste Management Company, and the Peace Regional Economic Development Alliance. Carolyn is an active volunteer in her community and enjoys being around people. Her love for making the community a better place to live has her on a journey that she is very grateful for and greatly enjoys.
Dalen Richardson
Director
Representing Sub Region 5:
Fairview and Area
Sarah Turcotte
Director
Representing Sub Region 8:
First Nations, Metis, Indigenous Peoples
Sarah was born and raised in the Valleyview area and is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta – District 13. She attended the University of Alberta, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 2018. She worked at the Metis Nation of Alberta for two years in youth programming, when she decided to take the leap and attend law school. Sarah obtained her law degree in 2023 and is currently a lawyer with Mathieu Hryniuk LLP. Sarah is passionate about social justice and ensuring equity for all. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and camping.
Melissa Visser
Director
Representing Sub Region 7: Valleyview and Region
Born and raised in southern BC Melissa was an entrepreneur from a little girl, from lemonade stands, written stories, homemade pictures and anything else she could sell her neighbors who saw her in her door-to-door business adventures, as she got older she began cleaning homes for others, making homemade beef jerky to sell. She was independent from a young age, working many various jobs in the customer service industry eventually beginning her journey into Income Tax preparation with H&R Block in Southern BC in 2012. Where she spent 3 years growing her skillset and her LOVE for the work and the help, she was able to provide to clients. Feeling the need to take her skillset elsewhere she landed an opportunity to work at the Valleyview AB location in January 2016 she made the adventure up with everything she could fit in the small car she had (Including two large dogs and a cat). After not knowing anyone upon arrival to gaining a sense of community almost immediately, she decided to make the move permanent by May of that same year. After 3 tax seasons in the Valleyview Office, she took a leap of faith and started not 1 but 2 businesses, in February 2019 both CyrTax and It's A Cyr Clean were established. With more business adventures on the horizon with her husband she is proud to be able to provide sustainable positions for her employees, as well as consistent services to her clients, both cleaning and income tax clients. She finds happiness in fostering animals, spending time with her own animals, and helping others.
Board Criteria
Authority
The Board of Directors is the legal authority for Community Futures Peace Country. As a member of the Board, a Director acts in a position of trust and is responsible to provide governance for Community Futures Peace Country.
Responsibility
The Board of Directors acts of behalf of the citizens of the community. They have the principal responsibility for establishing the mission and goals of Community Futures Peace Country, to provide leadership in accordance with the mandate of the Community Futures program. The Board of Directors governs through policy making. They delegate the authority to carry out the mission and goals to the Executive Director.
Responsibilities of the Board Director:
- Understand and demonstrate commitment to achieve goals
- Contribute of yourself, participate and ask questions
- Keep informed, prepare for and attend all meetings
- Participate in board development activities
- Be informed and support Community Futures Peace Country’s effort and activities
- Represent Community Futures Peace Country at various events and functions
- Understand and monitor the finances
- Monitor legal and regulation aspects
- Exercise good faith and uphold board decisions
Requirements
Directors are required to:
- Be committed to the work of Community Futures Peace Country
- Be eighteen years of age or older
- Reside in the region
- Have knowledge and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: education, industry, agriculture, small business, government, labour, nonprofit organizations or involvement in the community
- Report and declare any real or perceived conflict of interest
Term
Newly appointed directors serve a probationary period of six months. After the probationary period of six months, a director may be appointed for a term of two years, to a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms.
Duties of the Board of Directors
- Promoting the objects of the Corporation
- Hiring an Executive Director to operate the Corporation
- Maintaining, monitoring and protecting the Corporation’s assets and property
- Approving an annual budget for the Corporation
- Investing the funds of the Corporation
- Oversee the financing of the operations of the Corporation and borrowing or raising monies
- Making policies for managing and operating the Corporation
- Approving all contracts for the Corporation
- Ensuring maintenance of all accounts and financial records of the Corporation
- Appointing auditors, accountants or legal counsel as necessary
- Selling, disposing of, or mortgaging any or all the property of the Corporation
- Without limiting the general responsibility of the Board, delegating its powers and duties to the Executive Committee and the Executive Director of the Corporation.
- Investment Review
a) reviewing applications for business loans, loan guarantees and/or equity participation.
b) approval or rejection of applications for business loans, loan guarantees, and/or equity participation.
c) approving or modifying the conditions and terms of recommended applications for business loans, loan guarantees, and/or equity participation.
d) monitoring loan clients and repayment of loans and approving recommended action to be taken by the Executive Director or alternate action recommended by the Board in respect of loan clients.
Are You Looking To Make A Difference?
Impact the growth of our community and join our board. We’re always looking for great people to help better our business community here in the Peace Country region and offer new growth opportunities to Peace Country region based entrepreneurs.
