Steve Blake
President
Steve is a Mountain Safety Specialist for Jasper National Park. He is also a fully certified Mountain Guide and has been in charge of public safety for the park for the last 5 years, winning awards for rescue work. He received his B.Sc. in Geography and Environmental Science from Trent University in 1985. He has worked at the Justice Institute of BC as a Search and Rescue Instructor Coordinator and has been a board member for a housing cooperative in Jasper. Steve also does volunteer work for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. He sees the CAC in a transitional era in terms of its growth and is committed to establishing clear direction for the future of the centre.
Dave Smith
Vice President
Dave began his avalanche-safety career in 1982 as a seasonal employee with BC Highways. In 1989 he accepted a full-time Avalanche Technician position based in Nelson, where he has been ever since. He became a fully certified Mountain Guide in 1975, and continues to guide in the summer. As a long-time member of the CAA, Dave has had many years of direct involvement with the organization, as the board’s Secretary-Treasurer, and as a member and eventual chair of the Education Committee. Dave is also an active community volunteer. He is the Past President and current Treasurer for the Friends of West Kootenay Parks, and the Treasurer for the Nelson Musical Festival Association. Dave brings wise perspective to the board, as well as years of hands-on experience. His energy, skills and credibility within the community are certain to be helpful as the board faces both challenges and opportunities in the future.
John Hetherington
Secretary Treasurer
John lives in Whistler and is a part owner and the Operations Manager for Whistler Heli-Skiing. He has been involved in various sectors of the avalanche industry since 1967, when he first moved to Whistler. John has spent many years in municipal politics, elected to two terms on Whistler’s Municipal Council and appointed to a four-year term to the Advisory Parks and Recreation Commission, a committee that advises the Municipal Council on parks and recreation issues. He also served for two years on the town council of Invermere, B.C. Since 1990, he has been the President of the Whistler Heli-Port Society. That association built and now operates the well-used heli-port serving the resort community of Whistler. BC. He is very active in Search and Rescue, volunteering in Whistler for 17 years and 7 years in Invermere. He received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Toronto in 1966. John is looking forward to helping guide the CAC into its new role as a national organization.
Ken Bibby Director,
Membership Committee
Ken’s exposure to the avalanche industry began in 1995 when he worked as a production assistant on the avalanche awareness video “Beating the Odds”. He soon found himself inspired by the work, community and lifestyle that working in the avalanche industry can provide and began pursuing a career as a ski guide. Since then, Ken has worked as a professional ski patroller, AST instructor and as a ski guide in both mechanized and non-mechanized commercial ski operations. He is certified through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides as a Ski Guide and works for Big Red Cats as their Guiding Operations Manager. He also teaches for the CAA Industry Training Programs and works for the CAC as a public avalanche forecaster. Ken is excited about the opportunity to participate on the board of directors of the CAC in this pivotal time in the industry. He lives with his wife and three young children in Smithers, BC.
Mike Boissonneault
Director, CAA Representative
Mike Boissonneault has worked in the avalanche industry for the past 27 years. Mike’s initial exposure to avalanche work began as a member of the Granduc Mine Avalanche Program in Northwestern BC. In 1985, he began his current career with the BC Ministry of Transportation’s Avalanche Program. He started as an Avalanche Technician in Bear Pass, near Stewart, and soon became a Senior Avalanche Officer. Mike now manages the Avalanche and Weather Programs for the entire province. He also spent eight years as chair of the CAA Explosives Committee, working to establish industry-wide explosive use procedures and training guidelines. His dedication and accomplishments in that position were recognized by his peers, who awarded him CAA Volunteer of the Year in 2001 and Professional of the Year in 2002. Mike is looking forward to continued contributions toward the avalanche industry’s growth and direction. Mike is the CAA representative on the CAC Board.
David Zemrau
Director, Supporters
With close to 20 years of experience in a leadership role with the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC), David brings both organizational skills and a love for the backcountry to his position on the CAC’s Board of Directors. As the Director for Supporters, David represents the companies, organizations, agencies and individuals who have paid $200 to become Supporting Members of the CAC. The disparate members of this group are united in their commitment to the purposes of the CAC—to serve as Canada’s national agency for public avalanche safety.
Based in Edmonton, David’s career is in manufacturing, with a strong background in logistics. His career with the ACC began with leading climbing and skiing trips, and progressed to the position of National Vice President, where he was responsible for the Education and Safety committees for over 10,000 members. While still involved with the ACC, he was also active with the Canadian Ski Patrol System as a Patrol Leader, and he’s been a First Aid and Ski Instructor for the past 10 years. David’s passion for helping others safely enjoy the mountains of Western Canada make him a welcome addition to the CAC’s Board of Directors.
Dan Markham
Director, Friends
Dan brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the board of the CAC. He has an MBA in marketing and finance from the University of Calgary, and was a member of former-Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's communications team in the early 1990s. Dan left political life to join an advertising agency in Calgary and, most recently, was Director of Marketing and Communications for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Dan and his wife now live in Banff, where he is the Director for Marketing and Sales for Ski Banff-Lake Louise-Sunshine. Dan is also an active volunteer, donating his time to help raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society as well as the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. Dan hopes to dramatically increase the membership of the CAC, through greater public support and increasing opportunities for a wider range of people to participate in the building of the CAC.
Jack Bennetto
Director, CAF Representative
Jack has been involved in the delivery of avalanche safety programs on a full-time basis for more than 25 years, including helicopter ski operations and managing the program for the BC provincial highway network. He is presently the manager of the Rocky Mountain District of the BC Ministry of Transportation, responsible for Southeastern BC including the highway-related avalanche safety programs in the Revelstoke and Golden areas. As a former president of the Canadian Avalanche Association, a position he held from 1995 - 1997, Jack is now an honourary member of the CAA. He was also the Chair of the International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW), held in Penticton, BC, in 2002. He is the Vice-President of the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, and as the foundation's representative, Jack is looking forward to helping guide the CAC into the future.
