Bruce Calder will chair the North Island College board of governors as it moves into the 2011-12 school year.Calder, a Comox Valley community representative on the board and previous vice-chair, was acclaimed as board chair Wednesday during the board’s first meeting of the school year.”Thank you very much for your support,” he said. “It really is a pleasure to be here. I’ve been on the board now for about three years, and it’s just a great opportunity for me. I hope to follow in some great footsteps in Judith (Round) and Chris (Gibson) before her.”Calder pointed out that he is the first male board chair in a while.”I may bring a slightly different perspective, but I promise you I won’t be the bull in a china shop that some males are sometimes,” he laughed.Calder is a retired former executive for Telus Corporation. His last assignment was as a consultant for Apparent Networks, preparing strategic plans for telecommunications industries. Previously, he was a vice-president and general manager with Telus Enterprise Solutions, managing the internal and external information technology subsidiary of Telus Corporation.Calder has also previously served as a director with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. David Kruyt, the community representative for Campbell River, was acclaimed as board vice-chair.Kruyt is the chief financial officer for a Vancouver Island-based insurance brokerage.Prior to moving to Campbell River, he was a vice-president and controller with an international trade finance company, worked in private practice as a forensic accountant and spent several years as the controller of a not-for-profit private club.Kruyt has been involved on numerous community and arts group boards in the past. Currently, he is a member of the Professional Conduct Enquiry Committee of the B.C. Certified Management Accountants Association and sits as a director on the board of the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Comox Valley Record