Judy Phipps (pronouns She/Her), comes to us as a member of Component 7 (Local 703) and a BCGEU member for over two decades. She was elected to her first term as Executive Vice-President at the 2021 Constitutional Convention. While serving as EVP, Judy’s priority will be assisting the membership, and encourages you to reach out to her. Open door policy!
Prior to becoming an EVP, Judy’s 40 year work history has encompassed working within a variety of marginalized environments. Most recently, Judy worked as Support Staff in the Broadcast and Media Communications department at BCIT’s Burnaby Campus where she served as a Steward, fervently advocating for her co-workers. She was also a member of BCIT’s Anti-Racism Working Group, assembled to create change and policy at BCIT, which ensures education, raising awareness and ensuring an inclusive learning environment for all.
Judy is deeply passionate about equity, human rights, anti-racism and the treatment of people. This motivated her to produce the video “Moving Forward: Let’s Talk Anti-Racism”, which featured two high profile BCIT Alumni sharing their unique lived experiences as IBPOC folks. For her years of service and dedication in this regard, she received the BCIT Inclusivity Award.
Judy is also a member of the BCGEU’s Roundtable for Workers of Colour, and resides on the unceded traditional territories of Qayqayt First Nation (New Westminster).
Arzeena Hamir is Area B Director on the Comox Valley Regional District and runs Amara Farm, a certified organic farm the Comox Valley. She obtained her BSc in Crop Science from the University of Guelph and her Master’s Degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of London, England. She helped to launch the Richmond Farm School, Mid Island Farmer’s Institute, and the Merville Organics Grower Co-op to support the farming and food sector. @arzeena
David Levi currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Columbia Institute.
Outside volunteering his time to the non-profit, David is the President & CEO of Working Enterprises Ltd. In 1992, he founded the Working Opportunity Fund (WOF), BC’s original labour-sponsored investment fund, and was CEO until 2016. WOF has invested $600 million in more than 130 growth-oriented, entrepreneurial BC companies.
GrowthWorks was founded by David in January 1999 and grew to be a leading venture capital fund manager, having five offices and nine venture capital funds under management which have made investments in over 200 companies across the country David has grown assets under management to $800 million for GrowthWorks, the second largest manager of labour-sponsored investment funds in Canada. Today, he serves as Executive Vice President.
In addition to his entrepreneurship and strategic leadership, David has over 10 years of investment management experience and an in-depth knowledge of the brokerage community, having previously been chair of VanCity Credit Union and Vice-President of Broker Services at C.M. Oliver.
David has provided strategic direction to many portfolio companies and currently serves on the boards of Avcorp Industries and Xantrex Technology. He also chairs Verite, an independent, non-profit social auditing and research organization and is involved in a numDirectorber of community organizations.
Contact David via email.
Director
Annette has been a vice president at MoveUP (Movement of United Professionals) since 2013. Her experience in the labour movement goes back to 1992 when she was president of Local 4002 with the Airline Division of CUPE. In her capacity as Vice President, Annette represents the 4500+ unionized employees at ICBC. She also serves on the board of directors for the BC Labour Heritage Centre. She is the chair of the MoveUP Human Rights Committee, as well as a member of the BCFED Human Rights Committee. Additionally, she is the labour co-chair for the United Way campaign at ICBC and serves as a pension trustee. Annette holds a BA from the University of Victoria.
Board Chair
Sussanne was elected BCFED Secretary-Treasurer in November 2018. A well-known human rights, social justice and queer rights activist, Sussanne has served as executive vice-president of BCGEU since 2014. She has also served as co-chair of the BCFED’s Human Rights Committee, and is active in the Women’s Rights Committee.
Director
Ken is the National Director for Canada, United Steelworkers (USW). Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, Ken Neumann has been a lifelong Steelworker. When he was still a teenager, he was a member of Local 5890 at Ipsco Ltd. in Regina, SK, and later was a member of Local 6166 at Inco Ltd. in Thompson, MB.
As a member of Local 4728 (Westank-Willock, Regina), Ken became active as a steward and later took on other responsibilities in the local prior to being elected president. He became an instructor, organizer, and president of the Regina Area Council before being hired as a Steelworker Staff Representative in 1977.
First elected District 3 Director in 1989, he was returned to office in every election until he was appointed by the International Executive Board as National Director for Canada in 2004 following the retirement of Lawrence McBrearty. He was reconfirmed in the union’s 2005 international elections, and in November 2009 was re-confirmed again for the 2010-2014 term.
Ken has built a personal reputation for strong service to Steelworker members. As National Director, Ken was instrumental in completing the merger with the Industrial Wood & Allied Workers of Canada (IWA) in 2004, and under his leadership, the union in Canada has signed strategic alliances with the Alliance of Canadian Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA); the Canadian Region of Communications Workers of Canada (CWA); Environmental Defence; and most recently the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU). In 2007, he hosted the 50th Canadian National Policy Conference, an historic event that included signing the Ottawa Accord – the agreement between our union and UNITE to form the first Global Union.
Ken is active in numerous Canadian and international organizations, including serving as labour co-chair of the Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress (CSTEC); President of the Steelworkers’ Humanity Fund; and Director of the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM). He is also secretary of the USW Non-ferrous Industry Conference, chair of the United Dominion Industries Conference, and a General Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress.