The NSBA’s Board of Directors is made up of 11 business people representing the membership of the organization. Each Director is elected by the membership for a 3-year term. The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by/from their fellow Directors.
Jackie Pilon
Sparks Consulting
Chair
Jackie Pilon Sparks Consulting
Chair
Jackie Pilon has been an advocate and supporter of entrepreneurship and business in Saskatchewan for decades. She is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for Whitecap Dakota First Nation (WDFN), providing strategic oversight to the priorities identified by Council and supporting the WDFN Executive team in key focus areas, including the transition to self-governance, economic development, community growth & development and external communications.
Born and raised in Saskatchewan, her work and personal life have provided her with a unique set of skills, experience and knowledge. In Saskatchewan, she has lived on the farm and in the communities of Rose Valley, Prince Albert, St. Louis & Saskatoon. In the United States, she has lived in various communities on Long Island (New York), Greenwich (Connecticut) and St. Louis (Missouri). She graduated from the U of S, Edwards School of Business with a B. Comm (Finance, with Distinction) in 2009. Jackie’s personal entrepreneurial ventures include a wide range of industries from franchise restaurants, farming, thoroughbred horse breeding & racing, commercial & residential land development and business consultancy. She has Indigenous and global corporate business experience in the areas of community development, business development, communications, government relations and corporate affairs.
Jackie is an active volunteer sharing her passion to make a difference. She currently volunteers in a leadership capacity for the MS Society of Canada as chair of the Saskatchewan Advisory Council with additional participation in various fundraising and advocacy committees. She is very proud of her 6+ years on the Board of the NSBA, where she is currently the Chair. Past board and leadership appointments include Ideas Inc., MidSask Community Futures, SREDA – Regional Committee, and Affinity Credit Union – First Nations District Council, with many other roles on various committees supporting these and other organizations.
Jackie is a former NHL hockey wife, Mom to Megan & Garrett, and is Grandma Jackie to Daxton & Grayson. If you come by for a visit after work, you may find her baking in the kitchen, out in the yard planting, cutting or building something, in her living room chair reading a book, or not at home because she is at the gym or out for a run.
Chelsea Stebner
Parr Auto Body
Vice-Chair
Chelsea Stebner Parr Auto Body
Vice-Chair
Chelsea Stebner is CEO and Managing Partner of Parr Auto Body. Her career in autobody started with her as a receptionist in a heavy truck collision shop where she was introduced to an industry like no other. Through the years as people ask why she’s in collision repair – she maintains it’s never been about the cars; it’s always been about the amazing people along the way.
Chelsea leads her team with the vision “impacting people and community accidentally on purpose through our world class collision repair”. Her role focuses on Business Development, HR, industry relations and so much more.
She’s passionate and committed to her team and the progression of the collision repair industry, as well as her community in Saskatoon. Chelsea has been involved with several industry boards and currently sits as a special advisor on the CCIF (Canadian Collision Industry Forum) Steering Committee and she’s the current chair of the NSBA’s Lesson’s I’ve Learned committee. She also pens a regular column for Collision Repair Magazine. Her commitment to community shines through in her involvements in non-profit organizations within Saskatchewan.
If she’s not at work, you’ll find Chelsea way up north adventuring deep in the woods with her family; her husband Mark and daughters; Kate and Allison. If she’s not in the woods, she might be out walleye fishing or baking her famous cookies or cinnamon rolls.
Tracy Arno
Essence Recruitment
Past Chair
Tracy Arno Essence Recruitment
Past Chair
Tracy Arno is a Saskatchewan business leader, entrepreneur and owner of Essence Talent Solutions. She leads her successful practice based on the core values of honesty, transparency, and respect.
Tracy’s extensive Western Canadian network stems from her vast involvement and dedication to her community. She currently is a board director for the Saskatoon Prairieland Park, NSBA (North Saskatoon Business Association), Meewasin Valley Authority, and Saskatoon Industry Education Council (SIEC). Tracy is also currently the co-chair for the Saskatoon’s United Way Annual campaign. Tracy is also a past president of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she currently enjoys being involved as a mentor for the Raj Manek program and is a volunteer for several other community initiatives.
Tracy’s achievements have been celebrated in many ways. She has received the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce’s “Member of the Year” award, a finalist for the Young Athena award, and in 2013 was named as a “Women of Influence” by SaskBusiness magazine.
Dean Staff
BDO Canada LLP
Director & Audit Committee Chair
Dean Staff BDO Canada LLP
Director & Audit Committee Chair
Dean Staff is a Partner at BDO LLP in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dean has worked with a wide variety of clients, including charitable and not-for-profit organizations, owner-managed private companies, large international operations, and governments and related organizations. Dean attended Ryerson University in Toronto and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon in 1994 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Dean obtained his CPA, CA designation in 1998 and an FCPA, FCA designation in 2014. Dean has served in the following volunteer capacities: Councilor, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan; Director, Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Saskatchewan; Public Member, Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission; Treasurer, North Saskatoon Business Association. Dean is married to Faith, and they have three daughters, Madeline, Lilly, and Eden.
Ken Achs
Mid-West Group of Companies
Director
Ken Achs Mid-West Group of Companies
Director
Ken is the President and CEO of the Mid-West Group of Companies. A company he founded and has run since 1964. The Mid-West Group is diversified with its primary business in real estate development/property management and financing in western Canada and western USA.
Ken’s business acumen has been recognized by many. In 2012, Ken Achs was inducted into the SABEX Business Hall of Fame. In 2018, both Ken and his wife Colleen were inducted into the Junior Achievement of Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame. Ken’s inspiring success was featured in the 2018 NSBA Popcorn and Entrepreneurship Series documentary film Driven – The Ken Achs Story. In 2019, Ken was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Real Estate and Construction (Canadian Prairies Region).
Ken’s pioneering and successful career as a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racer was also acknowledged when he was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in Toronto in 2002, where his Top Fuel dragster, which he rebuilt to its original condition, was on permanent display as a centrepiece attraction until it was loaned to the Canadian Drag Racing Hall of Fame Museum in Montreal, of which he was inducted into in 2016.
Ken lives in Saskatoon with his wife, business partner/lawyer and media personality, Colleen Wilson. They divide their time between Saskatoon and Palm Springs, California, but with their roots embedded in Saskatoon, it will always be home. In his rare time away from work, Ken can be found golfing in Palm Springs or enjoying his Saskatoon river bank home with Colleen and their pets.
Ritu Malhotra
March Consulting Associates Inc.
Director
Ritu Malhotra March Consulting Associates Inc.
Director
Dr. Ritu Malhotra is an accomplished business leader with experience in engineering, leadership and board governance. Ritu is currently the President and CEO of March Consulting Associates Inc. (March) and has been with March for close to a decade. March is a Saskatchewan-based, and indigenous-owned engineering consulting firm, with offices in Saskatoon and Regina. With over 20 years of combined experience in technical design and management, in her current role at March, Ritu also sponsors and manages projects for Saskatchewan’s heavy industrial sector. Her technical expertise is focused in the areas of power distribution systems, protective relay and control systems and she has led numerous engineering projects for Saskatchewan’s mining, power generation, clean energy and infrastructure sectors.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a Doctorate of Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. She also holds Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Professional Director (Pro. Dir.) and Public Sector Governance (PSGov) designations.
Ritu is an active volunteer who contributes to our community and profession in roles spanning from governance and leadership to relationship building and mentorship. A great communicator, Ritu is known for building strong relationships with clients, team members and in the community. Currently, Ritu serves on the University of Saskatchewan Board of Governors where she currently chairs the Land and Facilities’ Committee, is a member of the Governance & Executive committee and has also previously chaired the Human Resources Committee. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Industrial & Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA) and Chairs the SIMSA Governance Committee. She was the first woman to be elected by the SIMSA membership to serve on this Board. Her additional voluntary roles include serving on the Women in Mining/Women in Nuclear Saskatchewan Scholarship Committee, IEEE – North Saskatchewan Section Executive and serving as a Womentor in the Betty-Ann Heggie Womentorship Program.
Grant Douziech
Apex Performance Consultants Ltd.
Director
Grant Douziech Apex Performance Consultants Ltd.
Director
Grant is a partner and senior consultant with Apex Performance Consultants. Over the past ten years he has worked with many businesses in Saskatoon, supporting their growth and development. Grant is passionate about building success within organizations through the development of high-performance cultures and by fostering innovative thinking. He believes the cornerstones of sustainable success are built through vision, ingenuity, organizational design, empowering people, and effective execution.
Prior to starting his own HR consulting business, Grant worked in Alberta and the Northwest Territories with several large global organizations in the areas of operations and human resources. He was in senior management roles for over 20 years, leading and developing teams. His experience in both operations and HR has given him a unique perspective on the integral role of HR within organizations. He has significant experience in health services, transportation, aviation, mining and related industries.
Grant holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA in leadership. He is also trained as a Black Belt in Six Sigma and is certified in Everything DiSC® and Lencioni’s Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team.
Grant has been involved on the boards of several industry and related associations while living in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Living in Saskatoon for the last 10 years, Grant has volunteered his time to supporting local organizations including as a member of the board of directors for Elmwood Residences Inc., committee member for the NSBA tax committee, committee member with the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, and as a mentor with the Raj Manek Mentorship Program. He recently was appointed to the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board as a member representing employers. In 2021 Grant received the NSBA Member of the Year award.
On the personal side, Grant enjoys spending time with his wife Joann, and hosting friends and family at many celebrations and other events throughout the year. As a former Canadian university football player, Grant still enjoys watching most sports and playing golf.
Curtis Kimpton
Wellington-Altus Private Wealth
Director
Curtis Kimpton Wellington-Altus Private Wealth
Director
Driven by the belief that strong, vibrant, and healthy communities are built upon the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion, Curtis Kimpton has dedicated his life and career to forging connections, finding solutions, and making a difference.
As the co-founder of Family Legacy Advisory Group, a wealth management company serving western Canada, Curtis is committed to supporting individuals and families in their efforts to achieve purposeful outcomes for their lives and financial futures. With more than two decades of experience in the financial services field, he has helped shift the economic trajectory for countless people and businesses across Saskatchewan.
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Curtis brings prairie grit and a homesteading heart to everything he does, along with a deep acknowledgement of his privilege to live and work on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. He is a celebrated bridge-builder, personally and professionally, with a passion for making important things happen via meaningful conversation, thoughtful collaboration, and unrelenting determination. Curtis is the loving husband of Candace and proud father of two children, Sierra and Kelan. Their top family priorities include fun, friends, quality time together, and community service.
Curtis is an active and engaged participant in the Saskatoon business community, with membership in the North Saskatchewan Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce. Sitting on various committees, he routinely extends his financial acumen and leadership skills with the aim of fostering dialogue and facilitating partnerships between companies, charitable organizations, and human service agencies.
In the non-profit sector, Curtis is highly regarded as an ally, advocate, and champion with an acute ability to generate awareness, create momentum, and get things done. He has held a number of leadership positions at local, provincial, and national levels in a multitude of organizations, consistently spearheading significant initiatives and playing a critical role in securing vital financial resources. Curtis has been involved with the Kinsmen for more than 25 years and served as President of Kin Canada in 2004/05. In that role, he was instrumental in establishing the Kin Canada Foundation and moving the Portraits of Honour (POH) project forward. POH toured across Canada and celebrated the many service men and women who lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict. The tour was underpinned with the intention of building morale and spirit for the personnel of the Canadian Armed Forces. In recent years, he has enjoyed supporting the military regiments in Saskatoon with the annual “Vimy Dinner,” an event that helps create understanding and invaluable relationships between civilians and service personnel.
Currently, Curtis is focused on reconciliation efforts in his role as Past Chair of the Saskatoon Community Foundation. Working alongside Elders, cultural advisors, and Indigenous knowledge-keepers, he helped establish the Community Fund for Reconciliation; an initiative grounded in healing the community, while tackling issues of systemic racism, poverty, and food insecurity.
In honour of his contributions and tireless volunteerism, Curtis has been named “Volunteer of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is recognized as a “Life Member” in Kin Canada; the highest commendation bestowed on behalf of the association.
Adele Buettner
AgriBiz Communications Corp.
Director
Adele Buettner AgriBiz Communications Corp.
Director
Adele is a passionate foodie and farm girl raised on a grain and beef farm near Saskatoon. In 1993, she founded AgriBiz Communications, which provides management, marketing and communication services to agriculture and food organizations and businesses across North America. Through her ongoing efforts as a champion of agriculture, Adele has pioneered in the area of building public trust in agriculture in our country.
In her 27 years in business, she has been an active volunteer and has provided leadership on a variety of boards including serving as Past President of both Agriculture in the Classroom and Saskatoon Prairieland Park, and Past Chair of SaskTel Centre. She is a current Director on the Board of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity and the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee on Women Entrepreneurship, among others.
In 2019 Adele received the Branch Communication Award of the Canadian Culinary Federation/CF Saskatoon and was recognized as an Honourary Life Member of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrology. She is also a 2020 inductee of the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame.
At the core of her business is her immense pride to work in an industry that produces the best food in the world.
Ken Kreutzwieser
ICR Commercial Real Estate
Director
Ken Kreutzwieser ICR Commercial Real Estate
Director
Ken Kreutzwieser is a Partner and Senior Sales Associate at ICR Commercial Real Estate. With almost 20 years of experience in the real estate business Ken is a full-service problem solver, offering everything from banking assistance to contractual know-how. He is consistently one of ICR’s top-producing agents and enjoys nothing better than helping clients to meet their real estate requirements and maximize profits.
Ken has been a long time NSBA member, supporter, and committee member. He is also actively involved in volunteering with the Canadian Progress Club as well he is the west chapter president for SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors). He enjoys spending time with his family, snowmobiling, and playing hockey in the winter. In the summer, he golfs, barefoot water skis, and likes to spend time at the cabin.
Ashley McConnell-Quesnel
Humboldt Electric Ltd.
Director
Ashley McConnell-Quesnel Humboldt Electric Ltd.
Director
Ashley is President and Partner of Humboldt Electric, a Saskatchewan-based electrical contractor specializing in commercial and water infrastructure as well as electrical service and maintenance. Between her lived experience as a born and raised Saskatonian, her business acumen, and her willingness to do the work to initiate change, she brings a welcome and unique perspective to the Board.
Having grown up inside a family business—one whose legacy she is proud to continue today—she knows firsthand the spectrum from struggle to success that businesses face. Although sometimes these challenges are niche to an industry, often they are things business owners across all sectors can, to some degree, relate to.
As a Director, Ashley is passionate about engaging with and learning from NSBA’s membership. These conversations ensure she and the rest of the Board make decisions that protect and promote local business and economic development.