Seafarers

President: The Right Rev. Michael Ingham

Michael Ingham has been bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada since January 1994. Before this he was Dean of New Westminster and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver.

He was born in Yorkshire, England in 1949. He studied at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, receiving an M.A. in Politics and Philosophy and a B.D. (First Class) in Theology. At the same time, he trained for the priesthood in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Before being ordained, however, he came to North America to do postgraduate work at Harvard University where he studied contemporary American theology. He also spent a semester at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem studying Judaism.

The bishop was ordained as a priest in Ottawa in 1974 and has served in parishes in Ottawa, Burnaby and West Vancouver. From 1989 to 1992 he was the Principal Secretary to the Primate of Canada in Toronto, and in that capacity travelled widely throughout the Anglican Communion.

He is the author of two books. Rites For A New Age, an introduction to the Book of Alternative Services, was published in 1986, and Mansions Of The Spirit, an introduction to inter-faith dialogue, appeared in 1997. He has also written many articles and book reviews, and speaks frequently to lay and professional groups across North America on current theological issues. In 1998 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology.

Bishop Michael is married to Gwen and they have two daughters. His interests include sailing, golf and Oriental cooking.

Chair: Mr. Glen Mitchell, CFRE

Glen is the Director of Gift Planning for the Diocese of New Westminster, Anglican Church of Canada. Previously, he was a self-employed consultant to the non-profit sector specializing in Fundraising, Marketing and Project Management with 30 years of experience in the field. At the Mission he is Chair of the Board of Directors and was Chair of the 2003 Centennial Celebrations Committee.

He is a parishioner at St. Mary's Anglican Church Kerrisdale where he has served in many capacities as Warden, Endowment Fund Trustee, Communications Chair, Retreat Coordinator and others. Formerly a Vancouver-Point Grey Deanery Representative on Diocesan Council, Glen has also been Chair of the Diocesan Stewards in Action Ministry Committee and the Standing Committee on Communications.

Glen is currently enrolled in a Master of Arts in Theological Studies program at Vancouver School of Theology. He is married with two adult children. Glen's recreational pursuits include yacht racing, Yoga and Pilates exercise, cycling, classical and jazz music. [Term: March 2008]

Vice-Chair: Mr. David Morris

Dave Morris is a past Chairman of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia. He has previously served as a Director of the Chamber of Shipping over a six year period, and also previously served as the Vice President, Marine Operations for Westward Shipping Ltd., a long established, independent, Canadian shipping agency headquartered in Vancouver. He has been employed in attending vessel shipboard operations for the past 32 years, and has looked after all types of vessels, both loading and discharging, during his years on the waterfront. [Term: March 2008]

Treasurer: Mr. Michael Ashby, FCA

Mike serves on the Adm inistration & Finance Committee of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, and also on the Refugee Committee. An active member of St. Catherine’s Anglican Church in North Vancouver since 1970, he has served as People’s Warden for several terms. He enjoys studying foreign languages (French & German), travel, stamp collecting, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and has a great sense of humour! He recently finished writing his autobiography.

Mike qualified as a CA in Quebec in 1961, and retired from Deloittes as a partner after a career spanning 27 years. He has been bestowed with a Lifetime Achievement Award recognising his service on numerous Councils and Committees, including the Institute of CA’s of BC, the CICA’S Accounting & Auditing Research Committee, the Auditing Standards Committee, the Professional Liability Insurance Committee, and the BC Institute’s FCA Nominating Committee. Mike and his wife Barbara have four grown children. [Term: November 2009]

Secretary: Mr. Alastair Gray

Alistair Gray is Claims Manager, U.S. at Harlock Murray Underwriting Ltd. He has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Marine Technology from Newcastle University in Great Britain. He grew up in Britain, attending boarding school, before his first permanent employment with Sunderland Marine Mutual. In 2001, when his employer invested in a Vancouver marine insurance business, he immigrated to Canada to work for the new enterprise which insures tugs, barges, fish boats and other mid-sized industrial and pleasure use vessels. In August 2004 he married Emma. Alastair is a keen rugby player and since arriving in Canada, has taken up ice hockey. Their son Kieran was born in February, 2006. [Term: March 2008]

Director: Captain Bert Bjorndal

Captain Bjorndal has been with the British Columbia Coast Pilots since 1997. He started working as a deckhand on the tugboats in 1972 and has been in the marine industry on the BC coast since that time. Married in 1978 both he and his wife Julie have been suportive of Christian service related functions for all of their married lives. They have four grown children (and spouses) and several grandchildren. In addition, they are raising a nephew and neice who came to live with them in 1998. Other interests include fishing, RV camping, family times and antique cars. [Term: March 2009]

Director: Captain John Clarkson, CD FNI

Captain Clarkson is the Associate Dean in the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) School of Transportation, and head of the BCIT Marine Campus in North Vancouver. After finishing high school in Victoria BC, John immediately embarked on a Merchant Marine career in Vancouver starting a 6 year period sailing in ocean going ships of various types, including tramp ships, refrigerated & general cargo ships, tankers, and containerships. Employment followed in coastal and ocean survey vessels and included navigating the Northwest Passage from Victoria to Halifax. He was promoted Master in 1983, and appointed as a Coast Guard Marine Safety Surveyor/ Inspector. In 1999 he was Principal Nautical Examiner for Canada and in 2000 he became the Acting Director of Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage for Canada, which included bringing Canada into conformance with STCW 95 Marine Certification Regulations. John also served for twenty years as a commissioned officer in the Canadian Naval Reserve, and for five years was commanding officer of Harbour Defence Unit two on the west coast of Canada. In 2002 Captain Clarkson was made a Fellow of the Nautical Institute of London UK, for achieving Canada’s compliance with STCW 95 at IMO. [Term: March 2009]

Director: Mr. Maurice Fellis

Mr. Fellis has been involved in the shipping industry since 1950. He spent 40 years with Westward Shipping Ltd., sixteen as the company's President and CEO, and continues as the Chairman Emeritus of the company's Board of Directors. He recently stepped down as Chairman of the Pacific Pilotage Authority. An Anglican, he and his late wife, Amelia, met at the Mission to Seaman in North Vancouver in 1951. [Term: March 2008]

Director: The Rev. John Marsh

John Marsh is the Regional Dean for Burrard Deanery and co-ordinator of the Ministry Team of Jubilee Cluster of the Anglican Parishes of St. Chad's, St. George's, St. Mark's and St. Michael's, all in Vancouver. John Marsh was ordained in 1980 following completion of a M. Divinity from Huron College at the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of the Visioning Group for Seminary in the City Project, Vancouver School of Theology. He is also involved with the Romero Centre at St. Michael's in Vancouver and with refugee sponsorship in the diocese. [Term: March 2008]

Director: Chistine Dioszeghy

Christine Dioszeghy is Director, Human Resources for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, with overall responsibility for labour relations, change management, performance management, compensation and benefits, and recruitment and retention. She has worked in the port of Vancouver since September, 1981. She holds a Bachelor of General Studies in Business and Liberal Arts from Simon Fraser University, and a Management Certificate in Management Systems from British Columbia Institute of Technology. She continues her studies at Simon Fraser University where she is taking their Executive Management Program. Christine lives on the North Shore with her husband, Jozsef, and their three daughters, Corey, Alena and Kimberley, who are all young adults attending university. [Term: September 2009]

Director: Dianne Doyle

Dianne Doyle was appointed in September 2006 as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Providence Health Care, Canada’s largest faith-based health care organization located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Diane brings to the roll more than 20 years of senior executive experience in health care and over 25 years directly at Providence Health Care. Diane is currently a member of the Canadian College of Health Services Executives Fellowship Council, the Canadian health services Research Foundation Extra Advisory Council and the Royal Roads University Centre for Health Leadership and Research Advisory Board. She is active in her community, supporting many non-profit groups with her time and expertise, including the board of the Mission to Seafarers. In 2005 she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in support of the Alzheimer Society of BC.

In 2007, the Toronto based Women’s Executive Network named Diane as one of Canada’s top 100 Most Powerful Women in the public sector. [Term: January 2010]

Director: Captain Arnold Vingsnes

Captain Vingsnes is Western Branch Secretary Treasurer of the Canadian Merchant Service Guild. He joined the Mission Board in April 2007.

He has a background in commercial fishing, coastal towing and log barge operations, and also Arctic transportation. He has been actively engaged in various Guild activities and committees since 1991. Arnold currently also serves on the BCIT Marine Advisory Board and on the WESTAC Priorities Sub-Committes.[Term: April 2010]

Director: Mr. Howard Teasley

Howard Teasley MA(Econ) CGA, practises litigation accounting, especially as an expert witness in court on business value, income loss, and other economic damages. A member of Christ Church Cathedral since 1980, he has served as treasurer, organizing chair of its endowment fund, synod delegate, and sidesman. He has served as treasurer of the 127 Society for Housing, the False Creek Racing Canoe Club, a federal political party's Vancouver Centre riding association, and the party's candidate in the 2000, 2004, and 2006 elections. He captains the party's Sun Run team, has raced dragonboats since 1994, has coached three dragonboat teams, and volunteers as a bartender at the jazz festival and BC Lions games. He met his wife, Barbara, while stationed in her home town as an Army bomb-disposal or EOD officer. They have two adult daughters: one works as a records manager and archivist, the other teaches art and design history. www.teasley.ca [Term: Jan 2010]