Meet the Board of Directors & Employees of Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc. & Pinnacle Business Services
Shelley Anderson (BMgt, CAFM, PAED) - Director
Audit Committee
HR Committee
Shelley is a founding Principal of In Synch Consulting Inc. As an Aboriginal woman, Shelly is able to combine both traditional understandings and western methodology to find suitable management solutions. Shelly has extensive experience in Aboriginal governance and related Aboriginal issues such as: Economic Development, Financial Reporting, Environment, Health, Family Advocacy, Education, Social Welfare, and Information Management. Shelly has nearly two decades of experience in various capacities of working with First Nations including working in senior management positions and more recently as a management consultant. Shelly oversaw many large functional operations with First Nation communities and tribal councils from the administration of program and service delivery areas, to economic development and business related roles, to moving the First Nations authority and Treaty Rights agenda forward with all levels of government.
Shelly’s involvement in Aboriginal community issues started as a youth community field worker and as a participant in the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Circle on the Constitution. At a national level, working groups have included the Royal Commission for Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal Human Resource Development, National Roundtable on the Environment and Economy, and the 1994 Royal Visit. As an advocate, Shelly has been actively involved with many not-for-profit organizations, most recently acting in the capacity of Chairperson for the newly formed Boyle Street Aboriginal Services. Shelly is also the Vice-president for the Alberta Chapter of the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association.
Scott Ferguson - Director Treasurer
Audit Committee
HR Committee
Scott is currently a Program Officer with the Government of Canada who has also worked in various Federal departments since 2003. Scott returned to school in 1997 where he went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Management Degree. In 2009 he went on to complete a Masters Degree from the University of Alberta where he conducted research on the impact of Information; Communication; and Technology on Aboriginal communities. His research and subsequent work experience have been focused on Aboriginal communities primarily in the areas of Economic and Community Development. Scott has been a Director on the Apeetogosan Board since 2009, in addition to serving on various other boards, both private and not-for-profit.
Leonard Gauthier - Director
Loans Committee
Leonard was born at Wolf Lake, in northern Alberta (near Cold Lake) and attended the University of Alberta Senior and Executive Management Development Program. He also holds a Certificate of Aboriginal Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence from the Banff Centre, a Professional Aboriginal Economic Developer (PAED) Certificate from CANDO, a social work diploma from the Grant MacEwan College, along with a “Red Seal” Crane operating ticket.
He has owned and partnered in a number of businesses and was the President of the Métis Business Association of Edmonton. He is the President of the Alberta Congress Board and a past board member of the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA), Zone IV Métis Regional Council, Edmonton Métis Local 1885 and Métis Child and Family Services Society. His current business, Creeburn Research & Consulting, focuses on organizational development, proposal writing, and strategic planning.
He is employed by the Alberta Government as: Manager, Métis Relations, SREM Aboriginal Affairs Branch (SAAB) Alberta Departments of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. He has witnessed firsthand the tremendous changes that Alberta has experienced in the last few decades. His knowledgeable background and experience guides him to understand the complex challenges that development brings.
Tom Ghostkeeper - Director Chair
Tom was born on the Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement and completed his High School Diploma in Grand Prairie, Alberta. He attended NAIT and SAIT in the Apprenticeship Program as a Radio and T.V. Technician. In 1976 he became employed with the Alberta Government and since retired after 30 years of employment. The highlight of his career was when he served as an Executive Assistant to four Cabinet Ministers in the Alberta Government. He always has worked in the Field of Aboriginal Employment and Career Development. He continues to do volunteer work in the Aboriginal Community and in his spare time he enjoys being an M. C. at various funtioncs. He is married and has three daughters and seven grandchildren.
Ken Pawlyna - Director Secretary
Audit Committee
Loans Committee
Ken is from St. Albert. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and has worked for over 20 years with the Government of Canada. He was a Development Officer with Aboriginal Business Canada (Industry Canada) and assisted many Aboriginal entrepreneurs to launch successful businesses. He is keenly interested in the history of Métis in Western Canada and he can trace his Métis ancestry back to Cuthbert Grant (Battle of Seven Oaks). He is an avid downhill skier and Boston Bruins fan. He has been married for over 20 years and has two children.
Brian Wilton - Director Vice-Chair
Brian is a semi-retired Funeral Councillor. He sold his Funeral Home in 2005 and works part time as a relief Funeral Director for small Funeral Homes to give the owners a holiday or when they need extra help. He has been contacted by friends to conduct funerals for them which he has provided by working with the funeral home where his current licence is held at. He also now sells and installs Monuments.
He is in his second term as a board member for Apeetogosan and at the present he is Vice Chair. He has represented Apeetogosan in Region 6 sitting on two local inter-agency Boards the first being Grande Prairie Aboriginal Circle of Services (GPACOS) and the second Aboriginal & Northern Studies Degree Program Committee; which is in the process of setting up a Northern Native Studies Program with Grande Prairie Regional College.
He is a Branch Past President and a 33 year member of the Royal Canadian Legion and is honoured to belong to Alberta Aboriginal Veteran's Society. Brian has also sat on a funding committee for SPAC (Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee).
Michael Ivy - General Manager
Michael is a M.Sc. graduate out of the University of Guelph, Department of Agricultural Economics & Business. His first job out of grad school was to assist the Chippewa of Nawash First Nation in estimating and demonstrating the economic net benefits of the whitefish and chub fishery surrounding Cape Croker and the Bruce Peninsula.
He returned to Edmonton, taking a term position with INAC as a field services officer charged with developing a proposal aimed at improving access to shared technical support services for the communities of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, Fort McKay First Nation, and Ft. McMurray First Nation. Under Industry Canada's NEDP Program (better known as the ABC Program), Michael took on the External Delivery Officer role out of Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc. In 7 years he garnered 120 commercial projects gaining approval of $5.2M for Métis and First Nation entrepreneurs seeking assistance with establishing or expanding their business initiatives.
To change it up in 2005 he served as Quality Assurance, Western Region with the aim of improving the delivery of Aboriginal Business Canada's Grants & Contributions Program and it is here where he became familiar with the extent and market reach of the Aboriginal Capital Corporations across Canada and the level of success in Aboriginal business development that each ACC was achieving. For Michael, "it was impossible to ignore the real and tangible impact that the ACCs were accomplishing in the area of sustainable economic development." Moreover, the support network of NACCA established an air of comradery amongst all ACCs across the country; a favorable environment for affecting change and economic growth.
In 2008 Michael returned to Apeetogosan with the vision of positioning Apeetogosan as a lender of first resort - a single window of delivery of business services to Métis entrepreneurs seeking the means to attain economic self sufficiency.
Sally Bidin - Sr. Account Manager
Sally grew up in Edmonton, raised two kids and enjoys sports. She has worked for the provincial and federal government and in the many different aboriginal organizations.
She attended the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Business Administration program. Following this she was given an opportunity to work for Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc. where she has held several different positions over the last 14 years with the last 10 years i a lending capacity.
She is currently working towards obtaining a Certified Credit Professional designation.
Ken Balcom - Sr. Business Consultant
Ken Balcom is the Senior Business Consultant for Pinnacle Business Services Ltd., the business consulting arm of Apeetogosan. Ken has over 25 years experience in small business development from retail management to commercial lending and small business consulting. A driving force behind Pinnacle since its inception in 1993, Ken has assisted over 400 Aboriginal entrepreneurs throughout Alberta start, expand and manage their business.
Ken holds a Bachelors of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University and an MBA from the University of Alberta. He is also a member of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Alberta.
Cindy Castelletti - Business Consultant
Cindy has worked at Apeetogosan for the past 18 years and during that time she has gained a wealth of experience and insight into assisting entrepeneurs as they develop their business ideas.
She has attended both U of A and NAIT, with a focus on business and accounting courses. Having been both a loans officer and the External Development Officer for the Aboriginal Business Canada program she has assisted in a wide variety of business start-ups and expansions.
Currently a Business Consultant with Pinnacle Business Services Ltd., her focus is now on providing business support services with a focus on bookkeeping assistance.
Nicholas Hrycun - Development Officer
Nicholas, External Development Officer of Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc., has a passion for small business development. He graduated from Grant MacEwan university with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He brings with him a background from the banking industry and from family owned and operated businesses. Nicholas was born and raised in Stony Plain, Alberta and now makes his home in Edmonton.
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