2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nicolette Rushton grew up in South Africa and immigrated to Canada in 1996, she moved to Bracebridge in 2000.

Niki is the Community Manager Muskoka for RBC, covering Gravenhurst to Sundridge.  Previous to this she was at CIBC for 14 years.

Niki has been married for 18 years and has 2 children. She believes in shopping locally and is an active participant in most local community events. This is the 3rd board that Niki is on (Bracebridge Soccer and Macaulay Tree House).

In her leisure time Niki enjoys camping with her family, reading, and being involved in the local community.

Founder of The Velocity Partners David Perlock has been consulting with clients for over 20 years. In that time he has worked with over 500 clients ranging from gas bars to airlines – independent contractors to home manufacturers – retail stores through wholesale distribution and manufacturers.   David has been a 15 year member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants and attended Wilfrid Laurier University for business administration.  He is also a graduate of the University of Windsor (Commerce) and the Canadian Tax Academy.

David enjoys helping small businesses save money, defer tax, adopt technology, and grow!

David has been in the insurance industry for 32 years. Experience includes VP for the largest global insurance broker. Volunteer experience includes coaching, mentoring youth sports. His board experience includes 6 years with the Ottawa Insurance Brokers Association including 2 years as President, 6 additional years as a Territory Director for the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario. He has also engaged with several Ottawa area not for profits on fund raising including The Ottawa YMCA-YWCA and The Royal Ottawa Hospital.

Stan Darling Insurance has offices in Sundridge and, Burk’s Falls and also owns Gidley & Associates in Gravenhurst and, A.W. Shier Insurance in Bracebridge. He moved to the area 3 years ago, from Ottawa, to establish a dedicated commercial insurance profit centre for the 4 offices. Stan Darling Insurance has always been a supportive community business and wish to extend this to our other communities where they live, work and prosper. He is a local resident and faithful consumer in Bracebridge. Supporting those who support him has always been important to him.

Geoff is President & CEO of Hewick Benefits Consulting Inc. located in Bracebridge, providing leading edge advice and service related to Corporate Benefits plans and Owner/Executive insurance products.  Prior to establishing his own firm, Geoff spent nearly 15 years in various senior roles with companies like London Life, Great-West Life and Blue Cross as well as Vice President and Managing partner of MGA Group Benefits in Mississauga.  His clients span the province and through his travels he energetically sings the praises of living and working in Muskoka.

Geoff and his family moved to Muskoka in 2014 to enrich their lifestyle and are dedicated to be involved in the community.  He has volunteered as a coach and mentor with the Bracebridge Breakers basketball club and is  dedicated to giving back to a sport he played competitively while at the University of Windsor.  In his spare time he enjoys working on home renovations, wood working projects, painting and is also is an avid golfer.

Always looking to give back, he is eager to find more ways to be involved in community initiatives that will help Bracebridge and Muskoka grow and thrive.

Emily McQuade is 32 year old devoted wife to Andrew McQuade and loving mother of 3 beautiful children – Claire (5), AJ (2) & Lily (1). Emily and her family moved to Bracebridge, ON in June of 2013 to enjoy all Muskoka has to offer and escape to busy life style of Burlington / Oakville to raise their family. Emily an energetic and self-motivated individual with soild qualifications in sales, marketing, and customer relations. With over 12 years of sales background she is self confident, driven to succeed and poised in interactions across all business hierarchic; a persuasive communicator and has excellent time management skills.

As part of the move Emily and her husband Andrew envisioned building their own business, which would be the first indoor playground in Muskoka for children 0-10 years old. They’re now proud to say after 3 years of building and developing their indoor playground (The Play Pit), it has now been in operation for 15 months and has been a welcoming addition to not only Bracebridge but also the surrounding areas. In 2016 The Play Pit was nominated for new
Business of the year, as well as Emily was nominated for young entrepreneurs of the year as well as woman entrepreneurs. Emily continues in growing her business with her husband and the support of her community.

When Emily isn’t working hard on maintaining a busy household and managing The Play Pit, she dedicates her time to giving to the community and the school her oldest daughter attends. From hosting charity events at The Play Pit to collect food for the locate food bank & raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muskoka to donating her time to Monck Public School by assisting in coordinating events to raise money for programs to attending those events and doing face painting, among other things. Emily’s life is full but there’s always time to give those who need it and to our community. She looks forward to becoming a bigger part of her community in 2017.

Owns the Canadian Tire Gas Bars in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst.  Won the Best Customer Service award in 2015.
Has a University Business Degree and an MBA in Marketing.
Been in retail since 1988.  Arrived in Canada in 2002 from Columbia.
Member of the Bracebridge Rotary Club.
Worked for Exon for 6 years as a marketing coordinator.  Worked as the credit and collections manager for Eternit for 3 years.

David is an Associate Consultant with Investors Group Financial Services Inc. where he provides comprehensive written financial plans for his clients, including investment, retirement, estate and tax planning. David is licensed to offer mutual funds, life, accident, sickness, business and group insurance plans. Prior to joining Investors Group, he enjoyed a 38 year career in the financial services industry, retiring in 2010 as the Executive in charge of Retail Banking for Southern Alberta. As a second career, he was the inaugural CEO of Agriculture for Life, Inc., a not for profit organization engaged in delivery of creative programs largely aimed at children on food education and farm safety.

Always active in his community, David was a 6 year member of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce holding positions as Chair of the Finance Committee and Long Range Planning Committee. He was the Chair of the Board of Directors in 2012. While in Calgary, David was a member of the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations and Chair of the Classroom Agriculture Program. In addition to these activities, David was active in poverty and homelessness reduction, children’s education and gender equality.

David has been a member and President of the Bracebridge Chamber Board since 2014.