Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Yanik D'aigle, CIBC

President

Before joining the banking industry 16 years ago, Yanik was in IT, telecom & call center management, sales, and consulting for 14 years for various Fortune 500 companies and government agencies at the municipal, provincial and federal level. In banking, Yanik has had held several roles, including Account Manager, Regional Sales Coach, Branch Manager and is now the NWT Community General Manager for CIBC, which currently includes the Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Inuvik, Yellowknife and Hay River branches. Yanik has recently served on various boards such as Vice President for three years for the Chamber of Commerce in High Prairie AB and two years as a Director for the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

Yanik is currently a Technical Chair for the public speaking competition and a Director for Skills Canada NWT, a past-president of the Rotary Club of Yellowknife, a Director for the United Way NWT and also a Director for the NWT Disabilities Council. Yanik recently completed his MBA in Innovation Leadership with the University of Fredericton in March 2016, holds a Personal Financial Planning (PFP) designation, and is fully bilingual in French and English. Yanik, his spouse Tammy, and his family have now made Yellowknife home for over a decade and love every moment of being in and advocating for the North.
Lee Cawson, Aurora Group of Companies

First Vice-President

Lee is the Vice President of the Aurora Group of Companies. These consist of Aurora Ford Hay River, Aurora Ford Yellowknife, Aurora Dodge and Aurora Manufacturing.

Lee has been involved in the automotive industry for over 20 years serving in several capacities along the way. He was working for Go Auto in 2015 when the opportunity came to move up North. Go Auto had purchased the Kingland Group and Lee came up North to run that alongside the already existing Yellowknife Chrysler. The last five years have seen these stores evolve into the Aurora Group of Companies.

Lee has been involved with the Hay River chapter of the Rotary Club, service as its Treasurer for several years. He has also been a key member of the committee that organizes the annual local musician and artisan event, Hay Days. Lee is looking forward to be able to work with the NWT Chamber of Commerce.

Sean Crowell, Canarctic Graphics

Second Vice-President

Sean holds the position of General Manager and has been an employee of Canarctic Graphics for over 17 years. With a degree in Graphic Design and over 30 years’ experience in the print industry, he is able to provide his clientele with various and inventive solutions to all their printing needs.

He currently holds the position of Vice-President of the NWT Manufacturing Association and Secretary of the Somba K’e Paddling Club. When he’s not working Sean spends as much time as he can in his kayak, exploring as many lakes as possible in the Northwest Territories.

Newton Grey, Northview Fund

Treasurer

Newton M. Grey was born in the friendly city of Montego Bay on the beautiful island of Jamaica and holds a Master of Science Degree in Hotel and Tourism Management. This sports enthusiast has devoted most of his life to the hotel industry which has taken him to several cities throughout the Caribbean and Canada. He has been involved with the Chamber movement in most of the cities he has lived in, including for two terms as President of the chamber in Inuvik.

Trevor Wever, Air Tindi Ltd.

Past-President

Trevor has been with Air Tindi Ltd. & Group of Companies for over six years and has a professional aviation career of 23 years; all of which has been in the NWT. He has worked as a Line Captain, Training Captain, Apprentice Engineer, Chief Pilot, Director of Flight Operations and General Manager and various executive positions for regional, air taxi, fire suppression and executive flight departments with domestic and international service. Trevor was a partner of a medium sized air taxi operation for several years with over 13 aircraft at bases in the NWT and Northern Quebec. He serves at the executive level on various boards of directors for the Northern Air Transport Association and the NWT Chamber of Commerce. Trevor’s current business activities span all three territories, western provinces and Ontario. He is passionate about Indigenous business and holds board positions on several First Nations and Inuit owned enterprises.

Mark Brajer, Tłı̨chǫ Investment and Group of Companies

Director at Large

Mark Brajer is Chief Executive Officer for the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation (TIC) and has been with the organization since December 2017. The group of companies consists of many wholly-owned companies in construction, retail operations, property management, engineering & environmental services, equipment leasing, site services and labour management. TIC also has several joint ventures with companies ranging from electrical services, blasting, underground mining support, air transport, and road construction.

Mark's career has been largely in the operations, supply chain, and engineering areas over a 25-plus year career. He has worked with E.D. Smith in Winona, Ontario and Byhalia, Mississipi; Alberto Culver in Toronto and Melrose Park, Illinois; Unilever in Toronto and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey; before making his way to Epicure in Victoria, BC and then to TIC. He has undergraduate degrees in Chemistry (B.SC) and Chemical Engineering (B.Eng) from McMaster University, and MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. He is currently working toward a Doctorate in Management (Organizational Development) at the University of Phoenix. He is a licensed engineer in Ontario, British Columbia, Norwest Territories, and Nunavut.
John Henderson, Det'on Cho Corporation

Director at Large

During a career that has spanned over 25 years, John has provided his expertise and leadership to a variety of small businesses, large enterprises and government organizations. Over the course of his career, John has worked in cross functional settings providing him exposure to all aspects of business operations. John joined Det'on Cho in Augugst 2016 and is focus don developing a program of operational excellence while also continuing to drive profitability. John is focused on creating and maximizing opportunities for the companies currently under the Det'on Cho umbrella and developing new business ventures in the form of parternships, acquisitions or new start ups
Mike Scott, 6143 NWT Ltd.

Director at Large

Mike Scott is a life long Northerner who is passionate about entrepreneurship. Mike was born in Hay River, lived in Yellowknife for many years and has owned successful businesses that operate throughout the North.

Mike worked in the printing and publishing industry for 40 plus years in sales and management with newspaper publishing companies in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He was co-owner, Vice President and General Manager of Northern News Services and Canarctic Graphics for 36 years where he collaborated with many Northerners, helping to develop their businesses with advertising and marketing services.

Currently, he is President of 6143 NWT and continues to invest, mentor and develop business in the North. He has always been an entrepreneur: from when he sold News of the North newspapers as a paper carrier on the streets of Yellowknife in 1967, to when he sold his interest in that publishing company 50 years later.

He is a past and present board member of the NWT Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of the Great Slave Sailing Club as Race Coordinator.
Myrna Pokiak, Paul Bros NEXTreme Inc.

Director at Large

Myrna Pokiak, was born and raised in Tuktoyaktuk, and currently lives in Yellowknife with her husband, Eddie Paul, and three daughters, Mya, Launa, and Kara. Myrna was raised in a family business and from a young age she was given the hands-on experience for what it takes to be successful: dedication; 24/7 commitment; and the most challenging of all, self-confidence.

Since 2013, Myrna has worked as the Business Manager for Paul Bros NEXTreme Inc., a manufacturing and construction company, which was a 180° turn from what she went to University for and was experienced in. Some of Myrna’s biggest accomplishments have been during the growth and expansion of Paul Bros NEXTreme Inc., from a small-sized business to a mid-sized business in a field dominated by men.

Her success in the industry leads back to her childhood. Girl or boy, man or woman, she was given many opportunities girls had yet to experience. The message from her father, James, was clear: “You can do whatever you put your mind to." Myrna’s mother, Maureen, led by example and did just that.

Myrna currently works full time with Paul Bros NEXTreme Inc., and also owns and operates a Cultural Manufacturing and Education business, Alappaa Inc. Since 2003 she has achieved major accomplishments for the positive recognition of Indigenous people, particularly the Inuvialuit of the Western Canadian Arctic. In 2020, her art was chosen to symbolize 150 years of the Northwest Territories joining confederation, by the Royal Canadian Mint, minted on a $30 Silver Coin.
Wally Schumann, Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd.

Director at Large

South Slave region entrepreneur Wally Schumann is a former MLA for Hay River South who served in cabinet as Minister of Industry Tourism and Investment. During his time in government, Wally led the way for some major projects for the NWT, such as the all-season road to Whati and the development of a state-of-the-art fish processing facility in Hay River.

While major industries such as resource development drive the NWT’s economy — closely supported by secondary industries servicing major mining operations — Wally is keenly aware of the importance of having a thriving small and independent businesses sector.

Wally put years of effort to make Poison Graphics in Hay River a success, the thriving small business employing people in the community to this day. In recent times, Wally has been serving as senior adviser on Indigenous and Northern affairs for Arctic Canadian Diamond Company Ltd., the new owners of Ekati Mine, the largest diamond producer in the NWT. Wally is deeply rooted in the community of Hay River and is a passionate about what he envisions to be a very promising future for the town.
Bill Kellett, Kellett Communications

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Representative

Bill is the President at Kellett Communications, a consultancy with offices in Yellowknife and Whitehorse (established in 1998). KC provides clients with strategic marketing communications and focuses on helping northern businesses thrive. The team of writers, designers, developers and planners bring experience gained from all around the world to the North, resulting in a truly unique team of creative explorers.

Bill is also the chief strategist responsible for the top-level marketing direction and providing clients with general consultation on topics ranging from branding to corporate philosophy. William has built a network of partners and clients across Canada that work with and for each other. He’s had first hand experience guiding contracts for northern businesses, governments and organizations of all sizes.

As agency president, Bill is involved with every client, including the North’s leading NGOs, regulatory boards, crown corporations, private businesses and governments at all levels. William’s project experience is extremely diverse, with strategic planning, branding, marketing campaigns and building websites representing the tip of the iceberg. This immense experience affords him the ability to listen to a client’s challenges and help steer them toward the best solution efficiently and effectively.

Bill has a BA with a Major in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. As well as Master Advertising Practitioner – Trans-Canada Advertising Agency Network. In addition to being on the NWT Chamber of Commerce Bill is a director with the Stanton Territorial Foundation and is a Director for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.