Trustees & Management
Harlow Burrows
Trustee
Mr. Burrows retired as president and chief executive officer of Coast Wholesale Appliances LP at the end of 2006 after 28 years with the company. As a Trustee and Director, he continues to contribute the benefit of his considerable industry experience and relationships to the Fund and to Coast. One of three founders of the Coast business, he has been a consistent driving force behind its growth and development. Mr. Burrows is a member of the Certified General Accountants Association of British Columbia.
Patrick B. Dennett
Trustee, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
A management consultant in the glazing and aluminum industries, Mr. Dennett was the owner and president of Landmark Glass and Aluminum Inc. in Coquitlam, British Columbia from 1981 to 2002. He is a past chairman of the Amalgamated Construction Association of BC and the BC Construction Association. Mr. Dennett previously served as a director for the Canadian Construction Association and the British Columbia Construction Labour Relations Association. He holds a Building Technology degree from BC Institute of Technology.
Maurice Paquette
Trustee
Mr. Paquette is a retired business executive with more than 36 years of wholesale distribution experience, focussed on the specialty wood products sector. He served as President and CEO of Hardwoods Specialty Products beginning in 2001. In early 2004, the company went public as Hardwoods Distribution Income Fund, a TSX listed income trust that Mr. Paquette led until his retirement in mid 2010. Previously, he spent more than 20 years with Sauder Distribution, ultimately holding the position of Executive Vice President from 1995 to 2001. Mr. Paquette’s expertise encompasses acquisitions and integrations, large customer buying groups and vendor-managed inventory.
Donald J.A. Smith, CA
Trustee, Chair of Nominating and Governance Committee and Chair of Compensation Committee
Mr. Smith, currently Principal of Excen Management, was previously chief financial officer and secretary of Western GeoPower Corp. He has also served as CFO of several domestic and international distribution companies, and has provided consulting services to a number of corporate boards on corporate governance matters. A past President of the Simon Fraser University Alumni Association and past Chair of the SFU Chancellor Nominating Committee, he has also served on the SFU University Senate. Mr. Smith holds an MBA from SFU and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia.
Anthony L. Soda, CA
Trustee, Chair of Audit Committee
A retired partner of Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte, Chartered Accountants, and a founding partner of its predecessor firm in 1976, Mr. Soda was the external accountant of Coast L.P.'s predecessor business from 1978 to 2005. He is active in both professional and community affairs. Mr. Soda is currently a member of the discipline committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. He previously served as a director and chair of the finance committee of the Burnaby Winter Club.
Blain Lawson
President and CEO of Coast Wholesale Appliances LP
Mr. Lawson is an experienced business leader with more than two decades of senior retail management experience and a demonstrated ability to manage rapid growth. Prior to joining Coast as president and CEO in January 2007, he was with Hudson’s Bay Co. for 18 years, during which he headed up its largest strategic initiative, Hbc Home, and its fastest growing division, Home Outfitters. Mr. Lawson also spent five years with Marks and Spencer.
Jack G. Peck
Vice President and CFO of Coast Wholesale Appliances LP
A Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience as a chief financial officer, Mr. Peck has worked with both publicly-traded companies and large privately-held corporations. He joined Coast in 2005 and is responsible for all aspects of the fund’s financial reporting and accounting.
Stephen J. Raben
Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Coast Wholesale Appliances LP
Mr. Raben joined Coast in 1990 and was appointed to his current position in 2005. He is responsible for sales and marketing to Coast’s single-family retail customers, and for the operation of the company’s branch locations.
William L. Smith
Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Coast Wholesale Appliances LP
Mr. Smith joined Coast in 1978, the company’s inaugural year, and has played a vital role in building the business. He is responsible for sales and marketing to Coast’s multi-family developer and builder customers.