Board of Directors
Jonathan Fowler
President 2020-2022
Director 2019-2022
Jonathan Fowler graduated from the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in 2008. He practiced briefly in British Columbia prior to returning to his home Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. In the summer of 2015 Jonathan returned with his family to British Columbia to set up his practice in the City of Mission and has enjoyed a warm welcome to this friendly and growing city.
Jonathan is a member of the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce and is the Vice President of the Downtown Business Association of Mission, of which he has been elected since 2016. In 2017 Jonathan became the owner of the Mission City Business Center, with the aim of assisting local small business owners start-up and maintain a presence in downtown Mission.
Jonathan Fowler Law Corporation
Mission City Business Centre
604.302.8381
Aaron Brisebois
Vice President 2021-2022
Director 2019-2022
Originally from Northern BC, Aaron moved to Mission five years ago from Vancouver in order to escape the big city and embrace her small-town roots. She loves the community and is passionate about working towards growth and change that embraces Mission's unique spirit. She is deeply interested in creative entrepreneurship and is always up for a business chat.
Aaron strongly believes that there is a bright future for Downtown Mission and for the amazing businesses that call it home. Her spare time is spent cooking, getting outside, and being with family and friends.
Aaron Brisebois
Owner Pressland General
604.820.2006
Rocky Blondin
Treasurer 2021-2022
Director 2020-2022
Rocky Blondin is a Professional Industrial Engineering Technologist by trade and training. He has worked the world over on high-tech manufacturing and entertainment systems for a myriad of industries and customers - including Disneyland - and is very proud to call Mission home. Why is he on the board of the DBA? He is also part-owner of Independent Cycles in Mission, and with that role, he has become a serial entrepreneur, general manager, bike mechanic and continues his work on bicycling advocacy here in Mission. Forever an innovator, he sees the downtown as the centre of commerce of Mission's past and the future, and has a vision and ideas on some steps all businesses can take, working together to get there. He is a past-chair of the Economic Development Committee, past-President of the Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Association, current directing member of Mission Community Cycling Coalition (M3C), a current member of the Tourism Committee, and the District of Mission's 2020 Citizen of the Year.
Rocky Blondin
Owner Independent Cycles Inc.
778.860.0040
Gemma Quiring
Secretary 2021-2022
Director 2021-2022
Gemma is the owner and operator of Goody Too Shoes, providing fabulous footwear for fabulous customers! Goody Too Shoes also sells a wonderful array of clothing and accessories to go along with those fabulous shoes. Gemma has also served as the Executive Director of the DBA in the past.
Gemma Quiring
Owner: Goody Too Shoes
604.820.7338
Manny Deol
Director 2019-2021
Born and raised in Mission, Manny has been a professional Real Estate Agent and Residential Builder since 2010. As a local resident and realtor, he is passionate about the entrepreneurial spirit, small businesses, and the growth and development of Mission which has translated into his time volunteering for many programs including being a Director of Community Futures. He has been on our Board of Directors since 2013 and is our past Chair. Manny also dedicates his time as a director at the Mission Chamber of Commerce and sits on their Government Relations Committee as well as being Government Relations Liaison for the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Manny is a father of 2 young children and has been married since 2015. When he has free time, he loves to spend it with family and his hobbies include a good book or going to the gym.
Manny Deol
Owner / Realtor Realtor Royal Le Page
604.820.4689
manny@mannydeol.ca
Carla Kennedy
Director 2020-2022
Carla grew up in Calgary and moved to BC shortly after graduating high school. The picturesque landscape was calling, so she moved to Mission in 2003 where she’s since been raising her family; a now grown daughter and a young son.
Carla has been in management with Canada Post for 13 years, spending the most recent 3 as the Local Area Superintendent of the Mission Delivery Centre. She and her family have participated in the Adopt-A-Block program in previous years and have enjoyed taking part in many of the community events such as MissionFest, Canada Day at Fraser River Heritage Park, Halloween on 1st and the Candlelight Parade. She is excited to be a part of the DBA and looks forward to being involved with the community.
Carla Kennedy
Local Area Superintendent with Canada Post
604.826.6034
Dave Perritt
Director 2021-2022
Dave Perritt, founder of Mission’s Grab-A-Java Coffee Roasters, says one of his mottos is “Leadership by example”. Perritt has been a board member of Big Brothers for several years, helped form the Ravine Park Salmonid Enhancement Society, and was chair of the Mission Chamber of Commerce tourism committee in the 1990s. He continues to volunteer extensively in the Fraser Valley and we're glad to have his wealth of experience and knowledge at the board table.
Dave Perritt
Owner: Grab-A-Java Coffeehouse & Roasting
604.820.4945
Els Thune
Director 2020-2022
Els is the branch manager at RBC Mission branch. This will be her fifth year in downtown Mission. She comes to us as a passionate and creative leader with demonstrated experience and results in team building and engagement. She is skilled in inspiring, coaching and creative problem solving.
Els is always looking for ways in which she can support her community. Els and her RBC team have been actively participating in all of DBA’s downtown initiatives and have been working with and supporting Mission Hospice, My House, Centennial Place, Mission Friendship Center, the Indo-Canadian Film Festival, Fraserview Learning Center, and Mission Food Center.
Els has also spent many years volunteering for the Canadian Cancer Society.
When not at work, Els is either running, hiking, biking or looking for the next spot for a road trip adventure.
Els Thune
Branch Manager RBC Mission Branch
604.820.4700
Erika Willems
Director 2021-2022
Erika is the manager and represents Eleni's Greek Restaurant on the DBA Board of Directors. She is a very active volunteer in the community in various organizations. We're very thankful for the passion and dedication she brings to this team.
Erika Willems
Manager Eleni's Greek Restaurant
604.826.4430
Gwen Schmidt
Community Futures / North Fraser Liasion (Non Voting)
Gwen’s background with a local credit union gave her the inspiration to want to help small businesses from the beginning of their journey. She has a passion for Marketing and helping businesses spread the word of their successes. As the Executive Director of Community Futures, she is excited to help small businesses in her community from start to end. Gwen has lived in Mission most of her life and loves the town and all it has to offer, has always enjoyed being involved in the community, from fundraising for local charities to being an active Executive Board member with the Mission Skating Club.
Gwen Schmidt
Executive Director of Community Futures Development Corporation of North Fraser
604.826.6252
Jag Gill
District of Mission Liasion (Non Voting)
Born and raised in Mission, Jag Gill attended Cherry Hill Elementary, graduated from Mission Secondary, and then studied Business and Communications at the University of the Fraser Valley.Gill holds a wealth of board experience, currently serving on Downtown Mission Business Association, Emergency Planning Committee, Municipal Insurance Association of BC, Mission Association for Senior Housing, Mission Arts Council, and the Cultural Resources Commission.
From a young age Gill was taught from his parents the value of working hard and to be grateful for what you have. Gill opened his first business in high school, Mission City Pizza, which he has grown and has become more successful then he could ever have dreamed of due to the support received from the Mission residents.
In 2018, Gill was elected as the youngest municipal Councillor in Mission and continues to working tirelessly on behalf of the residents of Mission. Last year, Gill also became a proud Rotary member. A big part of Gill’s life, which he enjoys, is volunteering with many great local organizations.
In his spare time, he enjoys long hikes with his puppy Kobe and reading a good book.
It’s Jag Gill’s love for the community that motivates him to strive for improvements and progress on a daily basis.
Jag Gill
District of Mission Councillor
Carol Hamilton
District of Mission Liasion (Non Voting)
Carol is the District of Mission representative. She has called Mission home since 1975. She enjoyed a successful career in banking working 20 years for TD Canada Trust and 13 years with Envision Financial. Carol retired at the end of 2013. She has two adult children; her daughter and family live in Kelowna and her son lives in Mission. Carol has served as an elected School Trustee for Mission Public Schools for 9 years. As well, she is a Rotarian, a member of our Distribution Committee and our Development Committee, and she sits on the Board of Fraser House. Carol was inducted into Mission’s Sports Hall of Fame for her volunteer work with The BC Winter Games. In her spare time, she enjoys playing golf and hopes to improve her game.
Carol Hamilton
District of Mission Councillor