Don Bell

Don Bell co-founded WestJet in 1996 and played a key role in quickly growing it to become Canada’s second largest airline. Don’s vision, ideas and leadership were instrumental in creating a powerful company culture based on employee engagement and empowerment. Don served many roles in WestJet including Co-Chief Operating Officer, EVP of Customer Service and as a Boeing 737 Captain. Prior to WestJet, Don spent 18 years as President and owner of a Calgary-based company that developed, installed and supported specialized software systems for enterprises. Don is now partner in a very successful property development business in BC, a Helicopter business in Alberta, and has sat on the boards of multiple successful organizations from Public companies to non-profits. Don has his ICD.D designation and lives in Alberta.

Brad Palmer

Brad Palmer is Jostle’s CEO and co-founder. He has more than 30 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams and driving the commercialization of technology businesses. Most recently he provided overall leadership to OMNEX Controls where he improved strategy, process and leadership to quickly transform the company, thereby creating considerable value. Prior to OMNEX, Brad led Kodak’s ink-jet proofing and colour management businesses, where he successfully consolidated 15 teams from three companies into a unified worldwide operation. At Creo Inc. he served as a Corporate VP and led the inkjet printing and on-press imaging divisions, both of which introduced highly innovative products. Earlier, he founded ThermicEdge Corporation and built it into a public company that custom manufactured high-performance components for the electronics industry. Brad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Physics from SFU.

Patricia Phillips

Patricia Phillips is CEO and Chair of The PBA Group of Companies, a diversified real estate company headquartered in Calgary. Since her appointment in 2005—when fewer than 1 in 50 Canadian CEOs were women—Patricia has led PBA’s transformation from one of the city’s leading landowners and property managers. As CEO, she has presided over a period of robust growth in a challenging market, a transformative expansion of the team, and the adoption of a new strategic direction that promises to take the company well beyond its roots. She has led over $2.0 billion in accretive transactions. Before PBA, Patricia established a stellar 28-year track record in business that began on Wall Street where she became one of the first female Financial Analysts.

In addition to chairing PBA and The Phillips Foundation (which she co-founded), Patricia currently sits on several private and non-profit boards, including Jostle, headversity (which she chairs), WITHORG (Women In Tourism And Hospitality), The Glenbow Museum, and Fortress Mountain. Patricia holds an MBA from the McCoombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin and also, studied at Sciences Po in Paris.

Gerard de Leeuw

Gerard (Gerry) de Leeuw is currently President and a member of the board of Cutter Resources. Previously he was VP, Exploration and Business Development for Surge Energy for three years and VP, Exploration and Development for Devon Canada for over 10 years, where he managed a yearly budget of over $1.6B. Before joining Devon, Gerry held senior positions in exploration, marketing, and business development with Northstar Energy, TCPI, Texaco, Amoco, and Esso Resources. Gerry is actively involved in volunteer sporting organizations such as Ski Jumping Canada and Nordic Combined Canada. He was the Chief of Distance for Ski Jumping at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. Gerry holds an honours Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.

Derek Payne

Derek Payne is a CPA, CA, with over 25 years of experience driving multi-industry corporate finance functions for capital intensive public and private organizations within start-up, stable and high growth situations. Derek spent 10 years as Treasurer and Vice President of Finance at WestJet, where he started and built the treasury department from the ground up and was instrumental in WestJet’s successful Initial Public Offering as well as financing over 80 aircraft worth in excess of $3.0B.

Following his time at WestJet, Derek was the Chief Financial Officer for DIRTT Environmental Solutions, where he again was instrumental in directing their successful IPO and overseeing the financial function of a highly entrepreneurial and quickly growing Company. Derek now spends his time in advisory and board capacities in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors and volunteering in the business programs at the Universities in Calgary. Derek obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 1996 and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan.