Executive Officers
President – president@mountainclubs.org
Dave Wharton – Valley Outdoor Association
Dave was born in England, raised in the Lower Mainland, and returned to England following high school where he spent most of the 1970’s completing his post secondary education and began a very successful and rewarding career in Forensic Psychiatry. Dave continued in that field until his return to Vancouver in 1978. Later in his academic life, Dave specialized in Labour issues/Contract Negotiation, Ethics, Management Growth/Education, Accreditation Programs. Dave has been retired since 2008. Once or twice a year he travels to Nicaragua to work with a small NGO in a former refugee camp.
Dave’s outdoor interests include hiking/backpacking, snowshoeing, canoeing, and cycling. He travels extensively, often on international hiking/trekking holidays with his wife, but also solo to attend to his academic interests. When not off on an outdoor adventure you will find Dave reading Philosophy or various sciences, or browsing for hours through second hand book stores.
Vice President
Ken Orr – Chilliwack Outdoor Club
Ken was born in Calgary, Alberta and was raised on an acreage 30 km south of Nakusp, BC, where he gained an appreciation for solo hikes up the bluffs behind the family home. Army Cadets provided an opportunity to learn map and compass, attending a 10-day Outward Bound course at Keremeos and the three-week Army Outward Bound course in Towyn, Wales. After completing high school, Ken joined the Army as an Infantry Officer for 37 years of full-time service, with another 5 years part time service with the Army Reserve. In addition to infantry platoon and company training, Ken’s employment included management of individual training courses, emergency planning and recruiting.
Ken joined the Chilliwack Outdoor Club in 2013, becoming the Membership Secretary in 2014 and became President in 2017. He took on the additional role of Club Representative to the FMCBC in 2015. He worked as part of the team revising the FMCBC bylaws and was elected FMCBC Vice-President in 2018.
Treasurer
Mark Latham – North Shore Hikers
Mark got into hiking at UBC, joining the Varsity Outdoor Club for memorable climbs of Mount Baker and Mount Rainier. A student of math and finance, he moved to the USA for a career in academia and Wall Street. Returning to Vancouver in 2003, he works on public interest democratic reform projects, by improving voter information systems. He’s grateful to the North Shore Hikers who taught him so much about trails, gear and safety, since joining them in 2016. His favourite hikes are on the snow at Grouse Mountain on sunny days.
Secretary
Jay MacArthur – Alpine Club of Canada – Vancouver Section
Jay has been hiking and climbing in BC’s mountains since he was a teenager. He learned how to climb on a FMCBC course in 1973. He has been involved in various clubs such as the North Shore Hikers, ACC Vancouver Section, Varsity Outdoors Club and the BCMC. He currently is a director in the ACC Vancouver Section working on Access and Environment issues. Jay has been active in wilderness conservation since 1979 when he joined the FMCBC Recreation and Conservation Committee. He worked to get many parks created, including: Tsylos – Chilko Lake Provincial Park, South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park, Big Creek Provincial Park and Stein Valley.
Club Directors
[table]Name,Club
Dave King, Caledonia Ramblers
Mack Skinner, North Shore Hikers
Andrew Drouin, South Okanagan Trail Alliance
Natalie Bojarsky, UBC Varsity Outdoor Club
Jan Osborne, Kootenay Mountaineering Club
Judy Carlson, Alberni Valley Outdoor Club
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