Board of Directors
A volunteer Board of Directors determines United Way’s straegic direction, advises and takes responsibility for financial decisions and the CEO’s performance. The Board members are accountable for achieving United Way’s objectives. In Central Alberta, the Board members come from business, government, social services and the public sector.
2011 Board President
Joe Deutscher — Dow Chemical Canada
Joe has been engaged with the United Way board for the past 4 years as a director and in his most recent term, as Board President. He has been an active donor and supporter of the United Way initiatives since joining Dow Chemical in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta in 1985. Joe and his wife Lorrie, daughter Julianna and son Karl have lived in Red Deer since 2006. They have travelled the world during their manufacturing assignments with Dow in Alberta, Ohio, Texas, Ontario and The Netherlands. Deutscher is presently the Director of Dow’s Alberta Operations, Vice-President of Dow Chemical Canada ULC and Global Business Manufacturing Director of solution polyethylene and Elastomers.
Outside of his work in the manufacturing world of petrochemicals, Joe and his son are busy restoring a 1966 Mustang convertible. His family is active in many charitable activities as both donors and volunteers.
Past President
Linda Wilson – CorQuest Inc.
Linda has served on the United Way Board of Directors for the past 6 ½ years, the first 2 ½ years as a director, 2 years as the Board President and the last 2 years as Past President. This past year, she also served on the United Way Campaign Cabinet as the Division Chair of Special Events. She holds a Masters in Continued Education, specializing in workplace learning, from the U of C. Linda is the owner of the corporate training company CorQuest Inc., as well as is the part-time Executive Director for The Leadership Centre of Central Alberta. She is also a part-time instructor for Red Deer College in the Kinesiology Department. She, her husband and 14 year old son live just outside of Sylvan Lake. A part from work, Linda enjoys: volunteering for Saskatchewan’s CCOF (a camp for kids who have been impacted by cancer), coordinating Family Ministry for her church, watching her son play hockey and soccer, reading, snowboarding and entertaining.
2011 Vice Presidents
Murray Cunningham – Scott Builders Ltd.
Murray has been a board member for 4 years, currently sitting as Vice-Chair and prior to this was a member of the Community Impact Committee. Murray has been a supporter of the United Way since joining Scott Builders in 1997. He lives in Lacombe with his wife Nadine and three young children. Murray is the Vice President and General Manager for Scott Builders in Red Deer. Murray and Nadine keep very busy outside of work coaching and organizing their kids in sports and other activities.
Brenda Farwell – Alberta Health Services
Brenda has been engaged and committed to the United Way as a director for five years, and currently sits as Vice- Chair. She has also been previously active with the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre United Way Employee Campaign. Professionally, she has been employed with Alberta Health Services for twenty years, as a Coordinator of Volunteer Resources. She is an alumni of Red Deer College, Nursing 1980. She and her husband have three grown daughters, two of whom are married, one grandchild and one due to arrive in late Spring. In her time outside of work and volunteering, she enjoys golf and entertaining.
2011 Treasurer
Nicholas Mah – Genivar Inc.
Nicholas Mah has been a member of The United Way Board and the current position of Treasurer since September 2011. Nicholas brings considerable accounting and financial knowledge in his role of Treasurer having obtained his CA designation in 2008. He currently holds the position as the Regional Controller of Alberta for GENIVAR Inc. one of the largest professional multi-disciplinary engineering firms in Canada. In his spare time, Nicholas can be seen enjoying the outdoor wilderness within Alberta and driving his motorcycle on some of the greatest scenic highways in North America.
2011 Board Members
Deborah LaCroix — Community Member
Donna Morrison — Red Deer College
Donna has served on the United Way Board for five years and prior to this was a member of the Citizens Review Committee for six years. She holds a PhD in Early Childhood Education from the University of Alberta, and has been employed by Red Deer College in the ELCC department since 1989. Donna is committed to supporting young children and their families through both volunteer community work and engagement in a number of projects and activities through her company, CareX Consulting Inc. She was a researcher on the Red Deer Understanding the Early Years initiative and is a moderator with Alberta Early Learning and Care Services. Donna and her husband, Stewart, have six children and twelve grandchildren. They enjoy traveling and experiencing diversity around the world.
Cathy Peacocke – Community Member
Cathy has served on the United Way Board of Directors since the fall of 2010. She is a member of the Governance Committee and previously sat on the Citizens Review Committee. Formerly employed at a UWCA funded agency, Cathy understands the positive impact the United Way has on its member agencies, and on the community as a whole. Raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Cathy graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in mathematics. She was elected to the Red Deer Public School Board in 2007 and currently serves in the position of Vice Chair. Cathy enjoys volunteering with a number of Red Deer charities and values the incredibly caring people she has met along the way.
Karen Smilar — Government of Alberta
Karen has been a UWCA director for 4 years and currently co-chairs the Community Impact Council. She has been an active donor and supporter of the United Way initiatives since working on the City of Red Deer’s Civic Employee’s Campaign Committee in 2002. Karen is a Policy Analyst with the Government of Alberta working on provincial economic development initiatives. Karen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management, a designation in Economic Development and is currently pursuing Executive Education through University of Alberta, School of Business. Karen holds memberships in Economic Developers Alberta and Economic Developers Association of Canada. Karen and her husband have resided in Blackfalds since 2000 and enjoy travelling and camping.
Rick Van Hemmen — NOVA Chemicals
Rick Van Hemmen has been a member of the United Way board since September 2010, currently chairs the Governance Committee, and has been an active United Way supporter through NOVA Chemicals’ workplace campaigns for many years. Rick holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and has over 25 years’ experience at NOVA Chemicals’ manufacturing locations in Ontario and Alberta. Rick is currently the Manufacturing Director for NOVA Chemicals’ operations in Alberta. He comes to the UWCA with previous board experience from his time in Ontario, as former President of the Sarnia-Lambton Environmental Association and founding Chair of the Bluewater Sustainability Initiative. Rick and his wife, Ann, moved to Red Deer in 2008. They have two grown children, Alysia and Keith, who currently reside in Ontario. Rick and Ann are dog lovers, and enjoy vacationing in the Caribbean to help shorten the Alberta winters. Rick is also a martial artist who can often be found weight training in a local gym.
Belinda Davies — City of Red Deer
Belinda Davies has been a member of The United Way Board since November of 2010. Belinda brings 8 years of Human Resources experience working in both private industry and the public sector. Currently she is an Human Resources Consultant with The City of Red Deer, a that role she has held since October 2007. Belinda has completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Lethbridge as well as certificates in Business Management and Human Resources Management from the University of Calgary. In addition, Belinda is a member in good standing with the Human Resources Institute of Alberta and holds the Certified Human Resources Professional designation. In her time off, Belinda enjoys traveling and being physically active. She is also a big hockey fan and her favourite team is the Red Deer Rebels!
Daniel Wilson — Schnell Hardy Jones