BVGEC Board of Directors - AGM May 2023
BVGEC held its third AGM on May 2nd 2023.
A vote of the members affirmed and accepted the Board of Directors and officers of the coop as follows:
Jeff Roberts - Chair & President
Jodi Conuel (Biosphere Institute nominee) - Secretary
Mike Agnew - Treasurer
Toby Brodkorb - Director
Peter Driftmier - Director
Jamie Goth - Director
Sue Hayduk - Director
Donald MacDiarmid - Director
Joey O’Brien - Director
Ralph Walicki - Director
Welcome to the Board - Mike Agnew!
Mike is a retired energy industry executive with over 30 years of experience in leadership, operations and engineering. Mike is passionate about the energy transition and is excited to be part of a community-based organization that is working to promote and action local green energy.
Through his experience leading large industrial sites and as a corporate executive in environment, health and safety Mike has gained extensive shareholder engagement experience. He is passionate about working to develop mutually beneficial solutions based on strong relationships with all stakeholders, including communities, politicians, regulators and investors.
Mike has an engineering degree from Queen’s University. He has previously served on various community focused boards including a health foundation and a large corporate foundation.
Mike and his wife Jill are Canmore residents and are parents to two grown children. They thoroughly enjoy the active lifestyle of the community with golfing, skiing and hiking at the top of their list. Family time is a priority for Mike.
Welcome to the Board - Toby Brodkorb!
With over 25 years of experience in the municipal utility infrastructure sector, Toby has developed, delivered and managed projects with multi-disciplinary engineering, technical and administrative colleagues for public sector clients and private companies. His engineering experience is complemented by a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and professional certifications in asset management, capital and operational improvement planning, building energy assessments, solar energy design and energy efficiency consulting services.
He has supported several community solar projects as the BVGEC project manager from conceptual development through procurement, design, construction, and commissioning, including working with the BVGEC and client teams on the development of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
Toby lives in the Bow Valley with his family and is passionate about renewable energy with a 9.9 kW solar array at his own home. He enjoys the mountain community and outdoors with skiing, mountain biking and hiking.
Welcome to the Board - Ralf Walicki!
Ralph Walicki founded Enveratek Corporation, a company specializing in enterprise risk assessment and management system integration, in 2016. Prior to founding his own firm, Ralph was Senior Operations, Technical and Business Development Manager for Western Canada at SAI Global, where he managed and directed business development and operations for management systems assessment and audit program management
As a seasoned management systems and compliance auditor Ralph has focused on integrated risk assessment encompassing environmental, quality, health & safety, emergency and asset/integrity management systems with alignment to voluntary ISO Standards and regulatory requirements under CER OPR for pipeline industry and Alberta’s TEIR GHG Program.
Ralph holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Environmental Engineering degrees from University of Guelph. He is a registered Professional Engineer with APEGA and PEO as well as an Environmental Professional with ECO Canada and was a former member ofthe Electric Utilities Quality Committee (EUQC).
Ralph has been involved in alpine ski racing in race official and race track setter capacities for 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Worldcup Alpine Ski Races at Lake Louise in Canadian Rockies. In his spare time Ralph enjoys skiing, pickleball, cycling, kayaking and curling with his wife and son.
Retiring Board Members
We would like to thank those retiring from the BVGEC Board: Andrea Johansik, Jamie Olscamp and Karena Thieme.
A key member of the BVGEC Board, Jamie Olscamp led the launch of Rocky Mountain Community Energy (RMCE), which aims to advance community-owned renewable energy in our region through the sale of gas, electricity, or internet contracts. He was the primary author of the RMCE business plan, crafting a clear, strategic roadmap to guide the project’s vision, structure, and implementation. Jamie played a key role as BVGEC’s representative with Utility Net and brought all his knowledge and skills to the table to get this initiative off the ground.
Andrea Johansik joined the BVGEC board as the Biosphere Institute’s representative during a maternity leave cover, bringing fresh energy and valuable expertise to the team. During her term, she made notable contributions to several key initiatives, including work on the Temple B’nai Tikvah solar project, where she helped guide planning and engagement initiatives.
Here, she designed and led an impactful investment campaign, successfully attracting new members and capital to support BVGEC’s community energy projects. A key force behind BVGEC’s expansion into Calgary, Andrea played a strategic role in growing the co-op’s urban presence and outreach. Her community engagement expertise was central to developing effective marketing materials and persona profiles, helping BVGEC better connect with a wider and more diverse audience.
Karena Thieme was a founding board member and Treasurer of the Bow Valley Green Energy Co-operative. From the very beginning, she played a key role in shaping the co-op’s vision and structure. She helped develop BVGEC’s initial financial model, established our financial systems, and authored the co-op’s first business plan, providing a clear framework to guide our early operations and growth.
With a strong background in financial planning and organizational development, Karena brought invaluable insight and structure to the co-operative’s formation. Her contributions ensured a solid foundation for BVGEC’s long-term sustainability and success as a community-driven renewable energy organization.
Together their contributions advanced BVGEC’s mission and strengthened the region’s commitment to a more sustainable energy future. We, and the Bow Valley, are thankful for the time and effort you dedicated to the BVGEC. We couldn't have done it without you!
Thank you! 💚