Board of Directors

Our Board is comprised of up to six independent members, two members appointed by the Province, and the Society’s president. The Board sets policy, provides strategic direction, and monitors the financial and operational health of the organization. The president is a non-voting director responsible for the ongoing operations and management of the organization. New independent members are selected by the Board of Directors.

GEORGE IWAMA (Vancouver), Chair

Professor George Iwama received his B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of British Columbia (UBC). He was a fish culturist at the Kootenay Trout Hatchery, near Cranbrook, BC. His distinguished career includes a tenured full-professorship in Animal Science at UBC, Director General of the National Research Council’s Institute for Marine Biosciences in Halifax, Dean of Science at Acadia University, Dean of Science at Carleton University, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia, and Executive Vice President, Provost and Vice-CEO of Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, in Japan. He also served as Chancellor, followed by a five year term as President and Vice-Chancellor, at Quest University Canada. George is an Adjunct Professor in Zoology at his alma mater, UBC.

KATHY RUDDICK (Kamloops), Vice Chair

Kathy is a life-long fly-fisher, best known for her Vancouver retail store, Ruddick’s Fly Shop. In addition her involvement in the retail industry, Kathy was also a fly fishing and casting instructor. She has extensive experiences fishing throughout BC as well as destinations like Cuba, Belize, New Zealand, Australia, UK and Iceland – on both freshwater and saltwater. Kathy competed in several International World Fly Fishing Competitions, as well as a Canadian Fly Fishing competition. Notably, she was the first woman to be selected on the teams. Kathy also has financial banking experience, retiring from RBC and Valley First Credit Union. Her banking career entailed branch management, Human Resources, credit, mutual funds, and small business financing. Kathy continues to pursue her passion of fly fishing, enjoying the variety of fishing opportunities around B.C. and near her home in Kamloops.

MURRAY JACOBS (Victoria), Secretary Treasurer

Murray is a CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant), and retired after 30 years with the BC public service in the following areas: health, economy sector, forests and transportation. He has been involved in coaching and playing soccer most of his life, and currently enjoys travel, photography, jogging, biking, hiking, old cars and reading. Murray and his wife live on Langford Lake. He is hoping his involvement with the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC will bring him better luck fishing in his backyard.

STEVE MATTHEWS (Summerland), Director

Steve is a Registered Professional Biologist with over 34 years experience in freshwater fisheries management with the provincial government. He has held several provincial government positions within the Thompson Okanagan Region including Fish and Wildlife Section Head, and Manager, Environmental Stewardship Division. Steve has chaired and participated in numerous regional and provincial fish and wildlife committees. He also led the development and delivery of several large-scale projects, including the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative and the Okanagan Lake Kokanee Recovery Plan. Since his 2012 retirement from the provincial government, Steve has provided consulting services for program planning, project management, and fish habitat restoration. Steve’s personal interests include fresh and saltwater fly fishing, skiing, tennis, and classic cars.

MIKE RAMSAY (Williams Lake), Director

Mike has 30 years’ experience working in the fish program in the Province of BC, including 10 years as the Fish Section Head in the Cariboo Region Fish and Wildlife Program.  He even served for six months as the Director of Fish and Wildlife (August 2016 – January 2017). Most recently, Mike has been working as the Senior Fish Biologist in Region 5 (Cariboo).   Mike has had a career that has seen him in leadership roles in both branch and region.  In his spare time Mike and his wife Devon fish and hunt in the Cariboo and northern regions of the province.  He has a particular interest in making hand-made rods and flies.  Mike has four children keeping he and Devon very busy.  His favorite place is the Dean River.

JAMIE ROSS (Victoria), Director

Jamie is a Partner with Deloitte and leads the firm’s Risk Advisory practice in Victoria. He has over 20 years of experience in information technology consulting. Jamie works with the BC Public Sector in identifying, assessing and mitigating business and technology risks, with a focus on cybersecurity and privacy. His work includes assisting organizations in developing and implementing cybersecurity and/or privacy programs, conducting current-state assessments and leading or supporting clients through significant cyber and privacy breaches. Jamie is also focused on enabling improved public sector information sharing and analytics through effective, risk-based cyber and privacy programs. Prior to his consulting career, Jamie worked as a research scientist studying the use of real-time monitoring information to manage environmental and public health risks.

HILLARY WARD (Penticton), Director

Hillary grew up in Victoria and has a PhD in Fisheries Ecology and Management from the University of Calgary (2014). Her PhD research focused on understanding interactions between angler behaviour and fish populations in small BC lake rainbow trout fisheries. She started with the provincial government as a Fisheries Stock Assessment Biologist in 2014 and is now the Director of Resource Management, Ministry of Forests, Thompson Okanagan Region. In her spare time, Hillary enjoys taking her two girls (ages 4 and 6) fishing on the rainbow trout lakes near their home in Penticton.  

ANDREW WILSON (Victoria), President

Andrew Wilson became the Freshwater Fisheries Society President in 2015 and is an ex-officio member of our Board of Directors. He left government in 2014 to become Vice President, Sport Fishing Division, with the Society. Prior to that, Andrew spent three years as the Director of the provincial Fish and Wildlife Branch and five years as the Fisheries Manager. He brings a wealth of fisheries management experience to the Society and the senior executive position. Andrew lives in Victoria and is an avid angler.