Executive Committee
2005/2007

President - Gerry Vowles
Immediate Past President - J.G. “Bud” Alcorn
1st Vice President - Red Thibodeau
2nd Vice President - David Sinclair
Treasurer - Andy Anderson
Chairman -Ed Findlater
Executive Officer - Bob Brady
Executive Officer - Bev Croft
Executive Officer - Joan Holland
Executive Officer - Marc Tremblay
Executive Officer - Harvey Truax
Executive Officer - Al Turner

Group Photo
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Gerry Vowles, President	Comrade Gerry Vowles, President of BC/Yukon Command of The Royal Canadian Legion. Since leaving the Canadian Forces in 1980 Gerry has been an active member of the Legion and is currently a Life member of Grandview Branch #179. During his 28 years of service in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Armed Forces, Comrade Vowles became widely known for being the creator and cartoonist of the popular “Flotsam and Jetsam” comic strip that mirrored the life and times of sailors, soldiers and airman. He was otherwise primarily involved in designing, establishing and conducting physical training programs at CFB bases and stations across Canada, including CFB Alert in the Northwest Territories, which is the most northern inhabited settlement on earth. He has served as chairman of the Command Public Relations; Finance; Branch Advisory and Unity committees. He has served at the Dominion Command level on the Public Relations and Unity Committees and is currently a member of the Dominion Public Relations and Dominion Executive Committees. Comrade Vowles is also an active member of the Veterans Affairs Commemorative Committee; a member of the Vancouver Naval Veterans Association; the Victoria Branch of the Chiefs and Petty Officers Association and for the last 12 years has been the Chair of the Grandview Legion Housing Society. Comrade Vowles is married and has two adult children that are both Associate members of The Royal Canadian Legion and he has three grandchildren. Gerry and his wife Dianne are both very active Legion members. November 2005
Bud Alcorn Immediate Past President BC / Yukon Command	Comrade Alcorn is currently a member of Osoyoos Branch # 173 and has been a member of The Royal Canadian Legion since 1956. He holds the Meritorious Service Medal and Life Membership. Comrade Alcorn first joined the Legion in Montreal, and was a member of the Executive of Greenfield Park Branch #94. After 22 years in Montreal, part of it as Superintendent of Customs for Montreal Harbour and then Dorval Airport he was transferred with Canada Customs and Immigration to White Rock, then Prince Rupert and finally Osoyoos. Comrade Bud retired in 1991, after 39 years with Customs and Immigration. Everywhere Comrade Alcorn went, he joined the local Legion Branch. He served as Branch President in White Rock, a member of the Executive in Prince Rupert, and, in South Okanagan & Similkameen Zone as Deputy Zone Commander, Zone Commander, BC/Yukon Command President and currently Immediate Past President. Along the way Comrade Alcorn has chaired many committees at every level. In addition, he has served on the Board of Governors of the Okanagan University College, is a Past President and Life Member of the Osoyoos Chamber of Commerce, and of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and, is a member of the Osoyoos Credit Union Board. With all of this he still finds time for his favourite recreations – fishing and his RV. September 2004
Red Thibodeau, 1st Vice-President.	Comrade Red Thibodeau joined The Royal Canadian Legion in 1990 as a member of Branch #65 Clayoquot in Tofino, BC. He held various positions within the Branch and eventually served two terms as Branch President. In 1995 when his wife Shelly took a position with the local government in Armstrong, Comrade Thibodeau transferred to Branch #35 Armstrong and was immediately elected to the Executive Committee and held the positions of Executive member, 1st Vice President and then Branch President. Comrade Thibodeau has served at Zone level as Secretary; Honours and Awards Chairman and completed two terms as Zone Commander. Comrade Thibodeau was elected to the Command Executive Council in 2003 in Coquitlam. He was elevated to Command 2nd Vice President in February of 2004 and served as the Youth Committee Chairman for BC/Yukon Command. At the recent convention held in Whitehorse, Comrade Thibodeau was elected to the position of 1st Vice President. He currently chairs the Constitution and Laws Committee as well as the Future Directions Committee July 2005
Dave Sinclair 2nd Vice President	Comrade Dave Sinclair is the 2nd Vice President of BC/Yukon Command and is currently serving as Chairman of the Military Services and Associations Committee as well as the Public Relations and Promotions Committee. Comrade Dave Sinclair is a Life Member of Britannia Branch 7 in Victoria, South Vancouver Island Zone. He has served various positions on the South Vancouver Island Zone and was elected to the Command Executive Council in 2003. Dave is currently the President of J.O. Anderson Legion Senior’s Housing for South Vancouver Island, and, is Deputy Chairman of Falls Prevention for Senior’s in Greater Victoria. Comrade Sinclair joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1953 and served 25 years in the RCN retiring in 1977. Dave worked as a radio operator and later became an electronic warfare operator. He served on numerous ships mainly in the Pacific. Dave retired in 1994 just in time to be the supervisor of all 675 vehicles at the Commonwealth Games. He met and married his wife Anne in 1956. They have two children and two grandchildren. July 2005
Andy Anderson Treasurer	Andy Anderson spent 361/2 years in the RCAF and Canadian Forces all of it with the Finance Department at various locations throughout Canada and including a four year tour of duty with NATO at the 4th Allied Tactical Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany. Upon release from the Regular Force Andy transferred to the Primary Reserve and spent a further 10 years as Comptroller at HMCS Quadra Cadet Camp in Comox B.C. Andy has also been heavily involved in his Community having just served six years as Vice President and Director of Finance at the 600 member Sunnydale Golf & Country Club and is currently the President of the Senior Golf Committee at Sunnydale. At the moment Andy is serving a three year term as a Director of the Comox Valley Community Justice Centre. In addition, Andy continues to be deeply involved with various other Community initiatives on an ongoing basis. Andy lives in Courtenay in the beautiful Comox Valley with his wife Gladys and they have three grown children. Andy has served as Branch President and then moved on to Zone where he served as Zone Commander for the North Central Vancouver Island Zone. At the 2005 Convention in Whitehorse, Andy was elected to the position of Command Treasurer for BC/Yukon Command. July 2005
Ed Findlater, Chairman	Ed Findlater is the Chairman of BC/Yukon Command. He served on Command as Vice-Chairman 1997-1999 and Chairman from 1999-2005 and was re-elected in Whitehorse for 2005-2007. Comrade Ed has also served as Honors and Awards Chair 2003-2005 and has served on the Command Membership and Appeals committees. Comrade Ed served in the RCAF and Canadian Forces for 32 1/2 years and then three years as a Cadet Instructor Officer. Comrade Findlater is married and he and Mary have 3 grown children, 8 grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter. Ed and Mary reside in Okanagan Falls where they are both Life Members of Branch 227. July 2005
Bob Brady, Executive Officer	Comrade Brady has been a member of The Royal Canadian Legion for over 35 years. In June of this year, Comrade Brady was elected to the BC/Yukon Command Executive Council and serves as Sports Chairman. He is also a Life member of Branch #265 Aldergrove. Comrade Brady has performed numerous roles at all levels of the Legion including three terms as President of Branch #265 and 8 years as Zone Commander for the Fraser Valley Zone. Aside from Legion activities Comrade Brady has kept very busy over the years. He served as Alderman in the District of Matsqui for a number of years and was President of the Aldergrove Lions where he spearheaded the building of the Aldergrove Intermediate Care Hospital and Lions Grove Seniors Housing at Jackman Manor. He was Master of the Abbotsford Masonic Lodge in 1981 and 1982 and is an active Shriner. As a Shriner he is Captain of the Fraser Valley Scooter Corps. This group performs at 15 to 20 parades a year in B.C. and Washington. He is also a member of the Aldergrove Elks and Abbotsford Eagles. Comrade Brady works as a Utilization Technician for B.C. Gas and has been married to Sharon for 39 years. They have two sons and two granddaughters. . May 2007
Bev Croft, Executive Officer	Bev Croft is a member of the BC/Yukon Command Executive Council and Chairman of the newly created Communications Committee. She has previously chaired the Command Honors and Awards and Constitution and Laws Committees. Comrade Croft is a 33-year member of the Legion and is currently a member of South Vancouver Branch #16 where she serves as Public Relations Chairman. Comrade Croft has served many levels of the organization at both Branch and Zone. Comrade Croft enjoys working with seniors and people in general, especially in the areas of motivation and conflict resolution challenges. There is nothing that she wouldn’t do (within reason) to contribute to the future of The Royal Canadian Legion. Comrade Croft resides in Vancouver. She has volunteered for the Vancouver Poppy Fund for more than 20 years and has held various Chairs at the New Chelsea Housing Society including President. She is currently serving as Liaison Officer for New Chelsea Gardens Families and Seniors and also chairs the Public Relations and Honors and Awards Committees. She has two children, Stephen (Hisano) and Jennifer and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Samantha. July 2005
Joan Holland, Executive Officer	Comrade Holland was re-elected as a BC/Yukon Command Executive Officer at the 2005 Convention and is now serving her 4th term as Veterans Services and Seniors Chairman Joan joined Whalley Branch in 1972 as an Associate member on her father’s record. She served the Branch Executive for 14 consecutive years with three years as President. Joan was awarded her Life Membership in 1991; the Meritorious Service Medal in 1997 and the Palm Leaf in September 2000. Comrade Holland has served nine years on the Peace Arch Zone Executive and four years as the Zone Commander. Joan has been a member of the Veterans Commemoration Committee since it was formed with VAC now in its 8th year. The committee formed an association in 2003 named BC Veterans Commemoration Association of which she served as Vice President 2004-2005. She was elected to the Board of Directors to the George Derby Centre for a three year term in 2004. Joan was born and raised in Lincolnshire on the Northeast coast of England. She comes from a long line of servicemen! During WWII at the age of 10 she was part of an entertainment group, which toured the local POW camps, Flying Angels (Seamen and Sailors missions) etc. Comrade Holland’s father served in WW I, her two brothers in WW II, and her sister in a munitions factory. She and Jim were married in 1955. Jim was transferred with his employment as a radar technician and together with Joan and their three children came to Canada in 1966. After a short stop in Montreal they came to the West Coast and they have lived in Surrey ever since. Joan and Jim now have four grandchildren three boys and one girl whom they enjoy very much. July 2005
Marc Tremblay, Executive Officer	Comrade Tremblay was born in Burnaby B.C. the son of an RCMP officer. Following childhood moves to Montreal, Quebec, Campbellton, New Brunswick, Ottawa and North Bay, Ontario, he joined the RCMP in 1978. After basic RCMP training in Regina, he was posted to Kelowna and subsequently served at Boston Bar, Nanaimo, Pemberton, Mount Currie, Vernon and Armstrong where he is still employed. Comrade Tremblay joined the Royal Canadian Legion at Pemberton in 1992 serving as President for 1993 and 1994. Upon relocating to Armstrong, he transferred membership and served in the Branch positions of Executive Officer, Treasurer, 1st Vice President and 2 terms as President. He was appointed the Treasurer for North Okanagan Zone and also served as Deputy Zone Commander and Zone Commander subsequent to his election to a second term as Command Executive Officer. Comrade Tremblay has served on the Provincial Honours & Awards, Constitution and Laws, Youth and Future Directions Committees. He is currently serving a second term as British Columbia / Yukon Command Membership Chairman; and, is a committee member on the Dominion Command Membership Committee. Comrade Tremblay became involved with the Canadian Cadet Organization when he joined the Vernon based 1705 British Columbia Dragoons Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in 1999 serving as Supply Officer, Training Officer and Admin Officer. He transferred to 223 Red Lion Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in September 2003 serving as Commanding Officer for the Vernon based Squadron. Comrade Tremblay is on the Board of Directors for the Armstrong Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society; is a member of the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Arts Society; and is a member of the Orders and Medals Research Society (United Kingdom and Vancouver, B.C. Branch). Comrade Tremblay recently celebrated 20 years of marriage to Karen with whom he has three children – Joel, Sheldon and Brittany. May 2007
Harvey Truax Executive Officer	Harvey was elected to the Executive Committee of BC/’Yukon Command at the 2005 convention in Whitehorse, YT and is currently serving as Chairman of the Youth Committee. He has been a Legion member for 36 years and is presently a member of Branch 20 Nakusp where he served four years as Branch President. Harvey was active in the West Kootenay Zone and served as Vice Chairman, Chairman and Deputy Zone Commander. He served as Zone Commander for three terms. Comrade Truax was a member of the Canadian Forces Royal Canadian Signal Corps and served as a Peacekeeper on the Gaza Strip. He also served in the Reserve Forces and held the rank of Captain until discharge. Comrade Truax worked with Youth as a Scout leader; 4H leader and served as District Commissioner for Boy Scouts of Canada. He was instrumental in the formation of 787 Banshee Air Cadet Squadron in Mackenzie BC where he served as the Commanding Officer for four and a half years until relocating to Nakusp BC. Harvey and his wife Cheryl have been married for 42 years and they have four adult children and ten grandchildren. Harvey is employed in the logging industry as a heavy equipment operator in the road maintenance division.
Al Turner Executive Officer	Comrade Turner has been a member of The Royal Canadian Legion for 31 years. Comrade Turner was elected to BC/ Yukon Command Executive Council in 2005 and is serving as Honors and Awards Chairman. His present membership is with Branch 273 Mackenzie. Comrade Turner has served three years as Branch President. He has been active in the Central BC Zone for 10 years where he served as Chairman, Deputy Zone Commander and two terms as Zone Commander. Aside from Legion activities Comrade Turner does Santa for the community every year. He has served on the board of the Care & Share Food Bank for 15 years and is also the Master of Ceremonies for the 787 Banshee Squadron’s Annual Reviews. Comrade Turner is married with three children and six grand children. He is presently employed with Pope and Talbot Pulp mill in Mackenzie. July 2005