Peter Fassbender appoints Jim Chu and Murray Dinwoodie to TransLink board

Barry Forbes replaces Marcella Szel as chair; TransLink suspends search for new CEO

August 20th, 2015 

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• Newly minted TransLink director Jim Chu formerly headed the Vancouver police.

B.C.'s new minister of TransLink has appointed two provincial representatives to the TransLink board of directors.

In Kelowna, Peter Fassbender announced today (August 20) that Jim Chu, former chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department, and Murray Dinwoodie, former city manager for Surrey, will join the board.

"Mr. Chu and Mr. Dinwoodie have extensive experience, not only at the civic level but at the regional, provincial and national levels as well - I am confident their contributions will be invaluable to the board as TransLink works to secure the confidence of the region's taxpayers, both in relation to its fiscal management and its delivery of the transportation systems so important to the region," Fassbender said in a news release.

Chu is a vice president with the Aquilini Investment Group. Dinwoodie retired in 2014.

In the release, Chu stated: "I am enthusiastic to bring what I have learned from my time as chief constable of the Vancouver Police Department to this important role. I am passionate about transportation and realize just how important a safe and efficient transit system is to healthy, vibrant, growing communities. I look forward to working with the TransLink board to ensure that Metro Vancouver has the system we require for our future."

According to the release, "The TransLink board of directors is composed of seven individuals appointed by the mayors' council, the mayors' council chair and vice- chair, and up to two members appointed by the minister."

In a separate news release, TransLink announced today that it has a new board chair.

On July 30, the board elected Barry Forbes to replace Marcella Szel as chair.

Forbes, a former CEO of Westminster Savings Credit Union, was previously TransLink vice chair. Szel will stay on as a director.

Last month, TransLink put up a job posting seeking a new CEO who can expect to earn a "salary of $319,244 plus an annual bonus up to 30% of base salary, six weeks of vacation, and a full benefits package which includes a $14,400 annual transportation allowance, a $2,500 annual wellness allowance, and a $1,200 annual parking allowance, as well as pension, health/medical/dental benefits, and relocation assistance (if applicable)".

According to today's TransLink release, the search for a new CEO is "on pause for the time being".

“We will resume the recruitment once the new board members have had time to get up to speed,” Forbes said.

“In the meantime, we have full confidence in Acting CEO Cathy McLay and the TransLink leadership team to keep the organization focused on the important work of getting people and goods where they need to go – safely, reliably, and efficiently.”and efficiently.”