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About Us

Board of Directors

The Richmond Olympic Oval is a breathtaking venue on the banks of the Fraser River and winner of the Institution of Structural Engineers top award for Sports or Leisure Structures. Home to long track speed skating during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, the Oval has been transformed into the legacy vision first conceived by the City of Richmond in 2004 – an international centre of excellence for sports, health and wellness, culture and entertainment. In an effort to maximize the entrepreneurial benefit and financial viability of the Oval, the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation was incorporated in 2008 as a municipal corporation under the Business Corporations Act of British Columbia. Its purpose is to manage the business, operations and maintenance of the Oval. The Corporation has a single Shareholder, the City of Richmond, who has appointed a Board of Directors, consisting of a selection of community and business leaders with a broad range of specialized expertise, to govern the Oval. The Corporation is fully accountable to its shareholder, who receives quarterly financial statements and regular operational updates on the performance of its corporation. In the adjacent tabs of this website you will find further detailed corporate information including the most recent Annual Report and the annual Statement of Financial Information.

Richmond Olympic Oval

Board of Directors

  • 01

    George Duncan (CEO)

    George served in the capacity of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the City of Richmond from March 1997 to June 2022 and currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation. Since its incorporation in 2008, George has served as the CEO and as a director on the Board of the Oval Corporation. Richmond became an official Venue City of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Today, the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation continues to work closely with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to showcase the Richmond Olympic Oval (ROO) as a model Olympic Games community legacy facility; and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) on delivering national Olympic Games related programs and events.
    The Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation has achieved positive financial results in each year of post-Olympic Games operations and has expanded its business model by adding a number of new business units and strategic business alliances. These include a YYoga Studio; an expanded high performance sport businesses and athlete development centre; an alliance with Canadian Sport Institute Pacific – who relocated a lab and their offices to the Richmond Olympic Oval; a new retail centre; and the Olympic Experience – the first and only official member of the IOC’s Olympic Museum Network in North America. While operating under George’s guidance, the ROO has received approximately 40 awards for excellence in architecture and sustainability, including the prestigious IOC/IAKS All-Time award for excellence in Olympic Legacy facilities.
    As the Richmond Olympic Oval passes its 10 year anniversary, George is preparing the corporation for changes that will ensure the next 10 years are as successful as the first.

  • 02

    Gary Collinge (Board Chair)

    Gary Collinge is the General Manager of the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver. Gary has spent 40 years in the hotel industry holding General Manager positions for the past 26 years. Born in Manchester, England, Gary grew up in Toronto before moving west to attend the University of Victoria. His career has taken him to Calgary, Victoria and now Vancouver.

    Throughout his professional career, Gary has been involved with many industry groups. In addition to the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation, Gary serves on the Boards of the Hotel Association of Vancouver and Vancouver Hotel Destination Marketing Association. Gary was very involved in efforts supporting the bid for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the taskforce for the expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre. He served three terms as a member of the board of Tourism Vancouver and served on the Governance, Marketing and Nominating Committees as well as Chair of the Investment Advisory Committee.

  • 03

    Bob Jackson

    Born in Victoria, B.C., Bob was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Upon graduation from the YMCA College in Chicago, Bob assumed the position as the Physical Education Director of the Vancouver Downtown YMCA. Bob retired, after working for the Richmond School District for 36 years, the last 18 years as the District Athletic Facilitator. Post retirement, Bob served as the Eligibility Officer for BC School Sports for 3 years.

    Bob has earned 2 Masters Degrees and is a National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Certified Athletic Administrator.

    Throughout his professional athletic career, Bob served a couple of terms as the President of the Richmond Secondary Schools Athletic Association, several terms as President of the Vancouver & District Interscholastic Athletic Association and one term as the President of BC School Sports.

    As a volunteer, Bob has coached a multitude of high school athletic teams and community sport teams. Some of the awards he has received include Sport BC President’s Award, City of Richmond U-Rock Award, Richmond Sports Council Award of Distinction, Promotion Plus Leadership Award and the BC School Sports Honour Award.

    Besides the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation, Bob currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Sports Council and the Richmond Retired Teachers’ Association. Bob is a member of the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame Nominating Committee. He currently chairs, the not-for-profit charity, the Richmond Chapter of KidSport. Bob served as a member of the 2009 Richmond Senior Games Board of Directors as the head of registration, accreditation and results.

    Professionally and as a volunteer, Bob has always promoted participation in physical activities. Each year the Richmond secondary school, with the highest rate of participation, receives the Bob Jackson Participation Award Banner.

    Bob and his wife, Michelle, have resided in Richmond for over 50 years where they have raised their 2 daughters, Colleen and Suzanne, in this great and physically active community of Richmond.

  • 04

    Bob Ransford

    Bob Ransford is a third-generation Richmond resident and has been active in community service most of his life. Locally, he has served on the Richmond Hospital Foundation Board, the Richmond Community Foundation Board, Richmond’s Heritage Advisory Committee and the Richmond Family Court Committee. He also served as Chair of the Board of EasyPark, the City of Vancouver-owned parking corporation and was a Commissioner on the Vancouver Planning Commission. He also chaired the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Foundation Board and was a director on the Board of Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of South Coast BC board, a director on the Vancity Community Foundation Board, a director on the board of Science World and a director on the board of the Jack Webster Foundation.

    For the last 35 years he has worked in the urban development business as a senior executive and also as a private land use consultant. Currently, he is Vice President of Development for Century Group. At the beginning of his working life, he worked as a radio and print journalist and in national politics, serving as an aide to Members of Parliament in Ottawa and as Executive Assistant in the BC Premier’s Office in Victoria. For more than 14 years Bob wrote a regular column in the Vancouver Sun on housing and urban issues.

  • 05

    Gail Terry

    Gail Terry is the General Manager of the Richmond Auto Mall (RAM), Canada’s premiere automotive retail location for the past 30 years. Coming from 10 years in media and communications, she joined RAM in 1988 as Marketing Director. Soon after, Gail was handed the keys to the new role of GM. No handbook for Auto Mall Management existed – Gail was the first of her kind and a key subject of JD Power’s Auto Mall study that named RAM the best organized auto mall in North America. Her role in the group grew immensely from the moment she took the wheel and she is still one of only a handful of true GMs operating in this capacity.

    Gail facilitates the efficient operation of RAM, overseeing all cooperative activities including the mall’s marketing, promotions and public relations, ensuring the positive brand image of RAM. She plays an integral role in the cultivation of member relationships to achieve greater cooperation on all RAM issues. Over the past 3 years she has acted as the Project Liaison between RAM and the developers of the mall’s 10 acre expansion.

    Gail is extremely active in the Richmond community, developing many successful non-profit events, sitting on several boards and NPO committees. She received Richmond’s 1995 Women of the Year award and is a dynamic voice within the city. Gail is passionate about life … her career, people, animals and the environment – giving back is a huge part of her mantra and she lives by it daily in her role as GM of the Auto Mall.

  • 06

    Kush Panatch

    Since founding Panatch Group (previously Centro Development Ltd.) in 1993, Kush has been actively involved in the organization’s daily operations as well as setting the group’s strategic objectives regarding real estate acquisition, development, and investment. Now, two of Kush’s adult children are helping to run Panatch Group, while his youngest has recently transformed their family property into a 35-acre regenerative farm, Athiana Acres.

    In past years, Kush served on the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Airport Authority and Richmond Hospital Foundation. While serving as the Richmond Hospitals Foundation’s Chair, he was awarded an Honorary Director Distinction Award for demonstrating exemplary service in furthering the objectives of the Foundation.

    He has also previously served three terms as a board member of the Financial Institutions Commission and the Audit Committee of the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation. Within the City of Richmond, Kush has served as the Chair of the Advisory Design Panel as well as a member of both the Olympic Business Advisory Committee and the City of Richmond’s Major Facility Advisory Committee during the Oval’s inception and construction.

    Kush is a lifelong Richmond resident, along with his wife and three adult children. He is passionate about serving the community that his family has the privilege of living in.

  • 07

    Peter German

    Peter German was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 31 years, retiring as Deputy Commissioner for Western and Northern Canada. He also served 4 years as Regional Deputy Commissioner (Pacific) for Correctional Service Canada. His postings in the RCMP included as Detective Inspector in Ottawa, the RCMP’s Operations Officer in Richmond, national Director General of Financial Crime, and Lower Mainland Commander. He spearheaded the creation of market enforcement, international anti-corruption and integrated counterfeit enforcement teams, and was a team commander in North Africa. During the 2010 Olympics, he was responsible for RCMP resources in the Urban Domain.

    A lawyer and member of the Ontario and British Columbia bars, Dr. German holds graduate degrees in law and political science, including a doctorate in law from the University of London. He is the author of Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering, published by Thomson Reuters. His awards include Officer of the Order of Merit of Police, and the Gold Medal of the International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law. Dr. German is a frequent lecturer and has served as a Canadian delegate to various international forums. Peter, his wife Louise, and daughters Alexandra and Kimberly are long time Richmond residents.

  • 08

    Serj Sangara

    Serj Sangara has lived in Richmond his entire life. He was born on Mitchell Island in the mid 50’s surrounded by sawmills and spent 47 years in the lumber industry, first as a labourer and then as a family business owner of Leslie Forest Products and now of Wild River Forest Products.

    However, Serj’s real passion was and still is community sports. Serj has coached and administered sports in Richmond for over three decades. Through those endeavours, in 2010 he received the Richmond Sports Award for Excellence In Athletics – Builders Category and in 2023 BC’s Grassroots Coach of the Year from Baseball Canada,. He has been a Director with Richmond Baseball, B.C. Minor Baseball, Baseball B.C., Richmond Little League and the Richmond Sports Council, where he served as Vice Chair. Serj continues to be heavily involved in the community with The Dugout Club, a not- for-profit organization he created by engaging others in the sports community and which continues to provide low cost opportunities for children to engage in sport. Further made possible in early 2024 by partnering with the BC AMATEUR SPORTS FUND and the Rishi and Serj Sangara Family Foundation.

    Having never left the Richmond community in his 68 years, Serj’s main goal going forward, along with his wife Rishi and children Aleesha and Jai, is to leave the health, fitness and sports opportunities in Richmond second to none. Ones where doors open for the entire general public regardless of any financial barriers or obstacles of any kind and one where people are proud to call Richmond “Home”.

  • 09

    Traci Corr

    Traci Corr is healthcare professional, with extensive experience in high-acuity clinical, management and research settings. Traci’s career has included working in clinical cancer settings, at BC Children’s Hospital; at BC Cancer Agency, as Manager of Clinical Trials, and with the Ministry of Health, as Provincial Blood Office Utilization Manager. Traci is a Triple Alumni from UBC with Bachelors and Masters degrees in Biochemistry and Nursing. Traci currently supports Arthritis Research Canada as a Grant Reviewer on their Innovation Team.

    A long-term Richmond resident and dedicated community volunteer, Traci is past Director for the Richmond Public Library, and currently also serves on the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre and Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives Boards. Traci is an advocate for inclusive services and spaces for all and is excited to join the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation Board.

  • 10

    Walter Soo

    Walter Soo served in the gaming entertainment business for 36 years with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.

    He is a past recipient of the Display of Excellence Casino Award for individual contribution to the Canadian Gaming Industry. In 1987, Walter opened the first Richmond Casino and later played a key role in the visionary formation and development of River Rock Casino Resort. On a global scale, Walter has managed international gaming and entertainment projects in Asia and Europe.

    Guided by his passion and sense of community, Walter has also served as Vice Chairman of the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation, a charitable organization responsible for raising funds for S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society, one of B.C.’s largest non-profit social service providers.

    Over the years, Walter has participated in Richmond community programs such as serving on the Board of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, a Member of the Richmond Economic Advisory Committee, Richmond Canada Line Business Liaison & Communication Committee, and the Richmond Sister City Committee.

    Walter has resided in Richmond since 1991.

Board Minutes

  • 2023

    October 25

  • 2023

    September 20

  • 2023

    August 23

  • 2023

    May 24

  • 2023

    April 20

  • 2023

    February 28

  • 2023

    January 17

  • 2022

    December 15

  • 2022

    November 23

  • 2022

    August 17

  • 2022

    May 18

  • 2022

    April 20

  • 2022

    March 8

  • 2021

    December 3

  • 2021

    November 24

  • 2021

    August 18

  • 2021

    June 24

  • 2021

    May 20

  • 2021

    April 22

  • 2021

    February 18

  • 2020

    December 10

  • 2020

    August 27

  • 2020

    June 25

  • 2020

    May 20

  • 2020

    April 16

  • 2019

    December 11

  • 2019

    November 21

  • 2019

    October 30

  • 2019

    April 18

  • 2019

    January 17

  • 2018

    November 29

  • 2018

    September 19

  • 2018

    August 22

  • 2018

    July 19

  • 2018

    June 13

  • 2018

    May 23

  • 2018

    April 25

  • 2018

    January 3

  • 2017

    November 28

  • 2017

    June 14

  • 2017

    April 19