Abbotsford chartered professional accountant John Pankratz is the new chair of the board of governors at the University of the Fraser Valley.
He succeeds Barry Delaney, whose term expired this summer.
Pankratz will be the 13th chair of the UFV board, and the first who is an alumnus of UFV. He attended what was then Fraser Valley College for one year of study starting in 1979.
“John Pankratz is an excellent choice for board chair,” said UFV president Mark Evered. “He has been one of our most dedicated and engaged board members and it is evident that he cares deeply about UFV, its people and especially our students. I look forward to working with him.”
Evered thanked Delaney for his “tireless dedication and many contributions.”
“He served as board chair for the past three years, but his volunteer work with UFV goes much deeper. Over the decades he led our foundation, he served on key committees, and supported the Friends of UCFV initiative that helped us gain full university status,” said Evered.
Pankratz is a partner at Friesen Pankratz & Associates LLP, entering public practice in 1986 and becoming a certified general accountant in 1988.
He has served his profession at the provincial level as the president of CGA BC in 2010. He was appointed to the UFV board of governors in 2013.
Pankratz assumes the responsibilities of chair at a key time in UFV’s history as it prepares to hire its sixth president, replacing Evered, who plans to retire next summer.
Pankratz has also been active in the community, as treasurer of the Valley Squadron of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, on the board of finance for Bakerview Church, and as an examiner and area administrator for the Royal Life Saving Society.
He remains active as a board member of the Abbotsford Restorative Justice and Advocacy Association.
UFV’s board of governors includes members appointed by government as well as elected faculty, staff, and students.
Serving with Pankratz for the 2016-17 term are appointed members Randy Bartsch (first vice-chair), Elyssa Lockhart (second vice-chair), Len Goerke, and Justin P. Goodrich; elected UFV faculty and staff members Zoe Dennison, Rhonda Snow, and Manish Mehra; student members Sukhi Brar and Robert Pedersen; UFV chancellor Gwen Point; and president and vice-chancellor Mark Evered.
Several new members will be appointed this summer to fill additional vacancies.