Cranbrook’s movers and shakers

There are many ways to support our community, and the people listed here provide some excellent examples

Trent Taylor and Mike Adams (both in white shirts) and the staff of Taylor Adams Chartered Professional Accountants actively support the community of Cranbrook. — Marie Milner photo

If you ever wonder how much difference the efforts of one person can make, consider the efforts of the people on the list below. They don’t work alone, certainly, but without them, Cranbrook would be a poorer place. These are just some of the many whose generosity and creativity make our community rich.

1. Mike Adams and Trent Taylor of Taylor Adams Chartered Professional  Accountants are the principal sponsors of the Kootenay Rockies Gran Fondo. Adams and Taylor are active in a number of service clubs and other organizations in Cranbrook. The company has a culture of generosity, and its seven staff members all give of their time to support community projects and organizations.
2. Derek Kortschaga, Cranbrook’s 2015 citizen of the year, is a radio personality who prefers to stay in the background as he supports the Air and Army Cadets, Relay for Life and many other non-profit organizations. His particular passion is to encourage all types of education.
3. Sandy Zeznik, volunteer extraordinaire, contributes to the success of many worthy events in Cranbrook. Zeznik is the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, presented in 2012.
4. Donna Grainger, executive director of the East Kootenay Foundation for Health, does an exceptional job of raising the profile of health care in the region, along with funds to support it. Her approach to fundraising makes donors proud to help.
5. Frank Van den Broek is a former Rotary club president who spearheaded the Paint the Train Project and was a key organizer for the Kootenay Rockies Gran Fondo. He has been involved with Sun Life’s sponsorship of the Juvenile Diabetes Walk and the Ride to Eradicate Polio. He’s a staunch community supporter, and his wife, Robin, works right beside him.
6. Rob Porter of Just Liquid Sports earned three 2015 Business Excellence Awards from the Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce, demonstrating that you can grow your personal passion—in this case paddle sports—into a profitable, community-building, tourist-attracting, economy-boosting movement.
7. Steve Mercandelli of Cranbrook Dodge takes risks for this community. He’s twice strolled the catwalk at Cops for Kids, he’s twice ridden a bull to support the Kimberley Dynamiters, he’s appeared publicly in a skating dress for the local figure skating club, he’s pulled a truck at the strong man competition and he’s (repeatedly) entered the boxing ring to raise funds for people in need.
8. Rick Jensen is a star in East Kootenay business. He was a board member, president and CEO of Panorama Mountain Village, 2010 to 2014; he founded New Dawn Developments, a successful construction and development company; he is a director for Columbia Basin Trust and for Columbia Power Corporation; and he is on the board of the new Cranbrook Kimberley Development Initiative.
9. Mike Hambalek, owner of Caliper Machine & Hydraulics, is becoming known in the resource industry as an inventor and innovator—and Cranbrook is receiving some reflected glory. Hambalek’s most recent piece of work is a labour-saving, solar-powered LED light tower for industrial use in remote areas.
10. Brenna Baker, manager of the East Kootenay branch of the B.C. SPCA, led her team in its remarkable achievement of being named 2015 Branch of the Year. Baker’s financial smarts and dedication to animal welfare have resulted in an improved facility, the preservation of many animal lives and the enrichment of many homes with loving animal companions.