The Team
Associate Profiles
When you select Western Business Consulting for a project, you benefit because you are plugging into the exceptional experience and energy of our team. Every one of our associates has a unique and compelling background, having served businesses in a variety of roles. They have worked with public and private businesses both large and small and have also served with a wide range of organizations and government agencies.
Mark Vanderkam – President
| Mark has served in a number of executive roles, including Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing for a leading pension administration software and actuarial consulting firm and Director of Brand Marketing for a fast-growing software engineering firm with customers in over 110 countries around the world. As a consultant, he has developed business and marketing strategies and programs for publicly traded and privately held companies, helped clients raise venture capital, and acted as a catalyst for growth and business improvement throughout his client base. |
Mark Vanderkam |
Mike Gosselin – Creative Director
Mike has over twenty-five years of experience in graphic design with leading Canadian advertising agencies on national and international accounts, producing award-winning logos, brochures, annual reports, websites, and communications packages.
Mabel Chan – Consultant
Mabel is an exceptional analytical thinker with both the academic foundation and the business experience to make a solid contribution to the success of our clients. Mabel's Honors degree in Commerce from Queen's University in Ontario, with a focus on Finance and International Business Management, backed by a Diploma in Intermediate Accounting from the University of British Columbia, give her the tools to analyze and manage a wide range of business projects. Over the past eight years, Mabel has worked in a number of business situations and as a consultant, helping to meet the needs of clients both in Canada and internationally. Mabel grew up in Vancouver and is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
Dean Warner, CMA – Associate
Dean is a practical hands-on finance professional who can assist businesses with a variety of strategic business functions. He has an entrepreneurial background that includes formal business education from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario, big company experience with Thompson Newspapers, owning a small business, and, as Chief Financial Officer, helping to launch a successful international start-up. He has raised venture capital for business expansion and has written and implemented business and marketing plans leading to business success. He understands the challenges faced by entrepreneurs because he has been there!
Stacey Byrnes – Associate
Stacey spent fourteen years as a PR and marketing professional in Silicon Valley working extensively with companies such as Apple and HP. Since moving to Canada in 1999, she has consulted at the highest levels for leading technology companies including Fortune 50 firms, developing and implementing communications programs and marketing strategies.
Kimberly Love – Associate
Kimberly is a senior business communications expert with exceptional depth of experience developing marketing communications strategies and PR programs in the financial sector. In her career, she has co-authored a bestselling financial guidebook, worked in leading roles for major mutual fund and pension firms, and directed marketing communications efforts at one of Canada's largest integrated financial service companies. Kimberley shares her expertise with students as a part-time lecturer at a Canadian university.
Ray Strafehl – Associate
Ray has over fourteen years of experience as an investment banker and has worked since 1999 helping entrepreneurs with new venture creation and venture financing. His work takes him into all aspects of business management, from corporate governance to business planning to marketing strategies and execution. In effect, he helps clients formulate business strategies, then put the pieces in place to qualify for venture financing, and finally apply for and obtain capital for business growth.
Mark MacDonald – Associate
Mark started out in graphic design and rose to lead the creative department of one of the largest advertising firms in eastern Canada, winning numerous national and international awards for his exceptional design work and outstanding creative campaigns. Now based in the United States, Mark divides his time between developing marketing strategies for his clients and creating breakthrough communications programs.
