Community Futures Big Country is a community driven, non-profit organization that is guided by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is made up of local business people who bring extensive knowledge and experience of the area’s economy. Our Board members represent our region’s population and main economic sectors. The role of the Board is to establish our organization’s priorities, monitor our performance, and be accountable to key stakeholders, such as local, provincial and federal governments.
Interested in becoming a board member or committee volunteer? Please contact us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.
Sharel Shoff
Board Chair
I was born and raised in Drumheller being a third generation Drumhellerite. My grandparents came here in 1912. I raised my two adult children here and now I am enjoying spending time with my two grandsons.
I have completed a Business Administration certificate from Mount Royal University while working fulltime for the Royal Tyrrell Museum I have vast management experience, having managed Royal Tyrrell Museum giftshop, Drumheller Chamber of Commerce visitor information services and giftshop and two hotels. My last job was radio advertising executive. I have knowledge of how government works as I was a town councillor for 13 years. I consider myself a good communicator and I believe that by working together we can accomplish great things. I have always been a community volunteer which has given me great pleasure and satisfaction. I look forward to being the Community Futures Big Country Board Chair and I hope that we can work to make this organization better and more benefit to the area.
Roger Stevenson
Vice-Chair
Roger has been with The Cooperators for almost 20 years, and has been on the agency ownership side for 13 years. He owns the offices in Three Hills, Beiseker and now Drumheller. Roger has been active in the Chambers of Commerce in both Three Hills and Beiseker, having held positions on both boards as Vice President and President, and is currently a Director on both. He is also a board member with Junior Achievement. Roger believes in supporting a vibrant business community and is eager to do whatever he can to foster that. Roger is a Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce Director and also sits on the Chamber's Business Advocacy Committee.
Joe Rowbottom
Secretary-Treasurer
Joe runs a mixed farm and a roll-off bin business based west of Drumheller. He has served on various boards, has coached assorted youth sports and strives to be a good member of the community. He holds a degree from University of Alberta in Ag. Business Management. Joe hopes his business background will be helpful to the Board and the clients that Community Futures tries to help.
Christopher Curtis
Past Chair
Over the last 20 plus years Chris have been a leader in helping people and communities take control of their future, whether they do this through starting a business, making community development plans, running organizations. He has consulted in fields as diverse as Gender projects, Tourism, Youth, and Economic Development among many areas. He believes in the power of self directed community development and has developed and implemented programs that use entrepreneurship and personal development to support people in achieving their dreams and goals, helping to grow communities. His strengths lay in leadership, building consensus, taking action, inspiring people, and directing a group's energies towards a common goal.
Chris’ work has quite often involved people who are facing difficulties that most of us do not. Some examples of this group are survivors in war-torn areas of the world, prisoners, street youth, & welfare recipients. He has also worked extensively with teachers and school boards in training teachers to teach entrepreneurship. Chris has worked with venture capitalist and business angels to help develop entrepreneurial cultures in communities. Innovation, curriculum and program development, and strong facilitation skills are strengths that have helped me be successful in my field.
Specialties: Marketing, Entrepreneurship Development, Teacher Training, Program Development, Innovation Management, Intrapreneurship, New Program Development
Dawn Bancroft
Member
Dawn Bancroft has been a Village of Delia council member since 2013 and is currently the Mayor. She strongly believes in the strength of community and that development is key to its sustainability. Dawn also participates on the board of the Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation. She has significant experience and training as a Senior Conflict Management and Values and Ethics Consultant with the Federal Government - Correctional Services Canada - for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Her variety of roles within Correctional Services Canada have provided many opportunities including experience as a member on regional and national committees for policy and planning.
Jason Blanke
Member
I have been in Drumheller for 23 years. I helped start the Drumheller Community Football Association in 1994. I am very involved with the community be it in volunteering or sports. I am on the Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce board. I am starting a new career in radio with 99.5 Drum FM. In my former career I was in the financial industry and I see a benefit to that in regards to being on the board of Community Futures. I am excited about the difference Community Futures can make in our community.
Bob Davidson
Member
I moved to Alberta in 1976 and started in the trucking industry at that time. I have been involved in moving farm machinery, gravel and fuel. I had the UFA bulk fuel outlet at Beiseker for three years.
Back in Drumheller, started myown waste / portable toilet business in 1993, which is still in operation today. I also move air drills from North Dakota to Dawson Creek, on a part-time basis.
I am 61 years old, divorced with two grown children and two grandchildren, all in Alberta. I love Alberta and my girlfriend too (she lives in Books).
Howard Helton
Member
Howard retired from oilfield operations in 2014 after 30 years in plant and field operations north of Delia, AB. He is currently involved in the communities of Morrin and Three Hills as Secretary/Treasurer - Morrin Blooming Prairie Seniors' Society; Second Vice-President - Kneehill Museum Society; Member - Morrin Community Association and Mayor - Village of Morrin.
He is also the Village of Morrin Representative for: Starland Regional FCSS, Community Futures Big Country, Starland/Morrin/Munson Water Authority, Drumheller & District Solid Waste, Starland/Morrin Planning Study group and Morrin Homecoming 2020 group.
Tony Lacher
Member
Tony Lacher has been a resident of Drumheller for the past 21 years after relocating here as a Branch Manager with ATB Financial in 1996. He was employed in that position up until 2010 when he was promoted to a District General Manager in charge of 13 branches in SE Alberta. While his new office was located in Lethbridge, he chose to commute the distance versus having to leave Drumheller. He is married to Linda and they have raised all of their 3 children in the Valley. All of them graduated from either DVHS or St. Anthony’s and they have all since moved on to begin successful careers of their own. Tony retired in 2014 after 35 years of service with ATB Financial and he and his wife have chosen to retire in Drumheller. Tony was elected to Town Council in October 2017 and is currently serving his first term.
Throughout the 21 years that his family has lived here, they have always been involved in the community whether it be in sports programs, non-profit organizations, special events or fundraising campaigns. He is a long standing member of both the Knights of Columbus and Lions Club service groups and is the current President of the latter. Tony has served on various Chamber and Town boards across the province in the communities where his career with ATB has taken him. In Drumheller, he sat on the Solid Waste & Recycling committee and was the past chairman of the Badlands Community Facility steering committee which was instrumental in taking a grassroots idea to a reality.
As a member of Town Council, he currently sits on the boards of the Municipal Planning Committee, the Valley Bus Society, Community Futures, Aqua 7 Steering Committee, Community Standards Appeal Committee and the Assessment Review Board. He is a graduate of Medicine Hat College and holds a diploma in Business Administration. He brings an extensive skill set in accounting and finance to the board with hands on lending experience in Small Business, Agriculture and Commercial financing.
Twyla Palmquist
Member
Twyla Palmquist is the Owner/Senior Adjuster for TJ Valley Adjusters Inc., which is locally operated out of the vibrant community of Drumheller. She has been in the insurance industry for over twenty years and has many qualifications in Business, Insurance and Management. She originally grew up in Drumheller, spending all of her school years in the valley. She is happy to be back in Drumheller and is looking forward to volunteering, in order to help Drumheller prosper.
Don Rosgen
Member
I was born and raised in this area and farmed for many years in the Munson district before joining Remax in 1998. I am married to my wonderful wife, Janice, and have three terrific children and four grandchildren.
Steve Wannstrom
Member
Councillor with Starland County served 2 terms from 2001-2007, currently serving since October 2013. Served on Community Futures board from 2001-2007, returned to board in 2013. Living on family farm near Munson.
Currently Fire Chief with Munson Fire Department, member for 25 years. Manager at Yavis Family Restaurant in Drumheller.
Board Criteria
Excerpt from Amended Articles of Association (June 2017). Click here for the entire document.
Article 6 Board of Directors and Officers
6.01 The Board will be charged with the responsibility of developing strategic planning in cooperation with other community agencies regarding community economic development on behalf of the Corporation. The Board will also initiate and/or facilitate the development of projects which it deems beneficial to the Drumheller Region in reaching its goals and objectives that it has set to achieve its mandate.
6.02 The Corporation will be governed by a Board composed of up to fourteen (14) Directors comprised of the following:
Five (5) Directors shall be appointed by the Appointing Bodies with each Appointing Body being entitled to appoint one Director; Appointing Bodies means the Town of Drumheller, Village of Munson, Village of Morrin, Village of Delia and Starland County.
One (1) Director shall be appointed from the Drumheller and District Chamber of Commerce, or such other name as it may be known by from time to time; and
Up to eight (8) Directors shall be elected by the Members on a rotating 2 year basis, in accordance with the procedure outlined in Article 12.
6.03 No Director shall be elected to the Board for more than four (4) consecutive two year terms. A person is eligible for re-election to the Board after a one (1) year absence from an elected position. No Appointed Member shall be on the Board for more than eight (8) consecutive one (1) year terms.
6.04 a) On an annual basis, the Board will elect an Executive Committee comprised of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer from amongst the Members generally, except the Chair shall be elected from the Members at Large. This will be done by secret ballot and all Board members (both elected and appointed) will be eligible to vote.
b) The Executive Committee will be comprised of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary-Treasurer (as aforesaid) and Past Chair. The Past Chair will be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The terms of reference of the Executive Committee will be specified in a policy document passed by the Board.
6.05 The Board will establish the scope and nature of the activities to be carried out by the Corporation in order to carry out its mandate and the Corporation will strive to maintain a broad cross section of representation from the community which will include expertise in community economic development, business development, and tourism.
