Barry Delaney, senior vice-president, business development, at First West Credit Union and a long-time Abbotsford resident, is the new chair of the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) board of governors.
Delaney succeeds lawyer Larry Stinson of Chilliwack, whose term expired this summer.
UFV’s board of governors includes members appointed by government and elected faculty, staff, and students. The board governs the management, administration, and control of the property, revenue, and business of the university.
Serving with Delaney are board members Stacey Irwin (first vice-chair), Randy Bartsch (second vice-chair), Angela R. Bennett, George Hemeon, John Pankratz, and Terry-Lynn Stone; elected UFV faculty and staff members Chris Bertram, Whitney Fordham, and Sean Parkinson; and elected student members Nathan Abrahams and Theresa Coates; as well as UFV chancellor Brian Minter and president and vice-chancellor Mark Evered.
“UFV’s greatest strength is our people, and that includes our board members, both past and present. I would like to acknowledge the many contributions of outgoing chair Larry Stinson, and I look forward to the excellent leadership from the board continuing with new chair Barry Delaney,” said Evered.
“We are very fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated group of individuals who volunteer their personal time to serve on the university’s board. They provide us with invaluable guidance in achieving our goals of educational excellence and leadership in the development of the Fraser Valley.”
Delaney has been a member of the UFV board of governors since January 2012. Previously, he was connected to the university as a member and then as chair of the UCFV Foundation, which managed fundraising efforts before that function was integrated into UFV’s University Advancement office. While serving on the foundation, he was part of the Friends of UCFV, a community group that lobbied successfully for university status for the former university-college.
Delaney is excited about the future of UFV and the possibilities that are ahead for the university.
“It really is a jewel within the Fraser Valley and a leader within Canada in so many areas. The university is a major employer in our region, a community leader, and it provides educational opportunities for so many students.”
Delaney added, “I love that UFV has a mandate to provide the best undergraduate education in Canada. It is exciting to be associated with an organization that operates and plans on such an ambitious scale nationally.
“As part of the board at UFV, it’s our responsibility to help find new and innovative ways to close the gap between government funding and the increasing costs of running a university.”