Vancity names Vrooman as CEO: Deputy minister of finance replaces Dave Mowat
Tamara Vrooman, who served for the past three years as B.C.'s deputy minister of finance, has been appointed Vancity's new chief executive officer, the credit union announced Monday. The 39-year-old Vrooman replaces Dave Mowat, who served as CEO for seven years and recently joined ATB Financial in Alberta as president and CEO. Vrooman, who was born in Victoria and grew up in Kamloops, has a career history of public service, according to Vancity's news release.

Vrooman will start her new job on Sept. 1 and says she hopes to continue that service with Vancity. "Vancity has an excellent reputation, not only for innovation and being a strong banker, but for its strong commitment to community," Vrooman said in an interview. "It was a natural draw for me to go to a place that espouses those values."

See also:
Deputy's exit a loss for Finance, Taylor says
Not exactly a vote of confidence for Campbell and his top deputy

Ahousaht: Get clean or get out
Band demands village's bootleggers, drug dealers either get treatment or face banishment
An innovative get-treatment-or-get-out ultimatum handed to bootleggers and drug dealers in Ahousaht, near Tofino, has already changed the atmosphere in the small, isolated First Nations community. Those who chose treatment over banishment are now offering to help counsel other band members with addiction problems, which is proof that the strategy is working -- so far, said Dave Frank, community health services manager at the Ahousaht Holistic Centre. "There's a huge difference in the community so far. There's a sense of peace and energy," he said.