Gavin Leitch, President
Gavin is an associate lawyer with the firm Scheifele, Erskine & Renken, with offices in both Meaford and Thornbury. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the Universite de Montreal (2007), and went on to complete his law studies in New Brunswick (2012). On his return to Ontario in 2013, Gavin was called to the Bar and sought to establish himself in the Grey-Bruce area to practise law.
Living with his family in Clarksburg, he is eager to stay active outside of work, and joined the Chamber of Commerce to contribute to the growth of the business community and collaborate with its members to ensure that our region remains a great place to live and do business. You will find Gavin relishing the great outdoors and enjoying time with his family in town.
Sean Landreth, Vice-President
Sean is the Founder and President of Property Valet, a full-service property management company for second homes, vacation rentals and investment properties that he started in the Blue Mountains in 2016. It has since become a valued area employer that provides an ever-expanding list of services to more than 80 properties, with over 40 employees, and they continue to grow. It should also be mentioned that Property Valet were the winners of the Chamber’s 2020 Business Recognition Award for Business of the Year!
Sean arrived in the Blue Mountains in 2015 via a fascinating professional background that brought him around the globe in roles that included B2B and B2C sales, sales management, media distribution, and real estate financing. Sean brings this diverse expertise to the Chamber Board of Directors with a fierce desire to help new and existing local businesses thrive. As the area continues to grow, he is passionate about being an active part of the business community here and serving as a dedicated steward to its future success. Sean and his family are thrilled to be part of the Blue Mountains community, and they feel so lucky to be able to enjoy all that this beautiful area has to offer.
Glenn Gatcliffe, Treasurer
Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, Glenn ended up at McGill University for an MBA and proceeded to marry the love of his life from Montréal. He landed a job in investment banking at BMO Capital Markets and moved to Toronto in 2000. After working for two banks, for 20 years, and collecting a ridiculous amount of frequent flyer points, he has finally crossed the street to private equity. Joining the team at Argyle Capital as a Partner is part of Glenn’s dream to own and operate amazing private businesses. He hopes to bring his experience and love of agriculture to a transaction one day.
Glenn may have started riding his gravel bike and running a little late in life but it allows him to keep up with his two children. He spends every free minute thinking about his next deep-sea fishing adventure or spending time at the Farm in The Blue Mountains with his wife and the family Wheaton Terrier.
Alicia Wood, Secretary
Alicia is a lawyer with an office located on Bruce St. in Thornbury, practicing law with Scheifele, Erskine & Renken.
Alicia has been a member of the Blue Mountains community for over 25 years, having grown up in the area as an avid FIS ski racer at Craigleith Ski Club and the National Ski Academy. Her family has permanently resided in Thornbury for over 15 years, and her brother is also a local business owner.
Prior to permanently moving to the Blue Mountains in 2018 Alicia worked for several years as a lawyer at national and global law firms based in Toronto and lead the national in-house legal team at Canada’s second largest retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical services provider.
Alicia has both business and legal experience and education; she has a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree (International Business and Economics) and earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Queen’s University; she is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and a Notary Public.
At an early age Alicia developed her desire to assist small businesses and local communities’ members as a consultant and project manager for the national charitable organization Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship/Enactus. Alicia continues to be passionate about contributing to her community and is actively involved in local community initiatives and sporting activities.
Neal Lewis, Director
Neal is the Vice President of Operations for Turner Hospitality Group, which owns and operates several local restaurants including Twist, Magnone’s, Winifred’s & Mother Tongue. Together they provide over 120 employment opportunities within the community. Neal relocated to the Blue Mountains in 2015 from Mississauga, where he worked with several large restaurant brands. He brings with him a wealth of industry experience and business management expertise.
Neal is passionate about community networking to encourage mutual support and growth. He resides in Thornbury with his wife and daughter, and loves spending time outdoors hiking or skiing.
Dawn Hennessey, Director
Business Development Bank of Canada
Dawn has enjoyed working with diverse entrepreneurs, associations and the like for the last two decades. Professionally, she has been in the Corporate, Financial & Advisory industry for over 20 years, and has spent 18 years with Business Development Bank of Canada. Dawn started her career in Toronto and later worked in the Peterborough & Durham region, and she presently supports The Blue Mountains, Dufferin, Brampton markets. In her personal time she has contributed to the community in various ways, including her work with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, School Council Committee and now as a Co-Founder of FemSTEAM, an awareness group focussed on bringing STEAM careers to the forefront of young girls’ aspirations.
Dawn is passionate about supporting education, the business ecosystem and making a positive contribution to the community at large. Dawn grew up in Sarnia, Ontario, attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and has completed various professional development programs.
Nicole Paara, Director
Nicole is the Co-Owner & Operator of Bruce Wine Bar and Food & Beverage Partner for Beaver Valley Ski Club, as well as a proud member of the Board of Directors of the Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce.
Nicole has spent most of her career in client service roles across various industries. With a start in the hospitality business from a young age, Nicole then spent the early part of her career in public relations and marketing in Toronto, developing strategic communications plans, event planning and executing multi-platform marketing campaigns for brands such as Dove, Panasonic, Purina and Microsoft. She has won several industry awards for communications and marketing excellence and exceptional client service.
After moving north to Thornbury in 2010, Nicole became the Director of Events, Marketing & Sponsorship for Cedar Run Horse Park, where her role included overseeing the entire event season at the Park, heading up the sponsorship team and directing all marketing activities for the park, including media buying, public relations and social media. Nicole worked with the local BIA, Chamber of Commerce, the Town, and other groups to integrate Cedar Run as part of the local community.
Nicole has returned rather recently to her hospitality roots, taking over as Co-Owner and Operator of Bruce Wine Bar with her partner Shaun Edmonstone. Nicole brings her years of client service, business and staff management, and marketing expertise to Bruce Wine Bar, and to her role with the Chamber of Commerce.
Tarynn Lennox, Director
A self proclaimed Real Estate Junkie, Tarynn brings enthusiasm, tenacity and drive to the world of real estate, and her passion for her profession is evident in everything that she does. Born and raised in the Thornbury Area, she has a true love for the Southern Georgian Bay Area and is a proud advocate of the region.
Graduating with an Honours in Business, Tarynn began her career with Scotiabank as a Financial Advisor. Five years, and two promotions later, Tarynn shifted into the real estate industry in 2015 as a Client Care Manager for an award winning real estate team in Thornbury. Her responsibilities included client communication, marketing and managing team expenses. In November of 2017, Tarynn became a licensed REALTOR®, and was a top producing member of a large team with Royal LePage for her first 3 years.
This early success inspired Tarynn to venture out on her own; creating her own brand, Tarynn Lennox Real Estate, in 2021. Since then she has been recognized for several top tier awards, including a National Recognition of Top 35 Under 35 with Royal Lepage throughout Canada.
Scott Fleming, Director
Scott is the owner of JA Custom Homes, an accomplished builder located in the Georgian Bay Region that was voted the Reader’s Favourite Award for a builder in 2023. Scott holds a Business Diploma from Sheridan College and was an Honours student in the Ontario Management Development Program at Mohawk College. He also received Honours status in the Construction Estimator program at Sheridan College. With his continuous drive to stay relevant in the business world, Scott has just completed the University of Toronto Business Communication Program to fine-tune his skills in communication, as well as completing Executive Leadership Certificates from both Cornell University and Harvard University.
Scott brings his more than 20 years of sales management experience, his leadership skills and his passion for business to the BMCC Board, and is eager to use his experience and expertise to support the BMCC membership.
