Kamloops Profiles of Excellence

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“Perfection is not attainable but, if we choose perfection, we can catch excellence.”

— Legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi Welcome to the second edition of Profiles of Excellence. Kamloops is very fortunate to have so many businesses striving for — and attaining — excellence in myriad fields.

These businesses pursue greatness through initiative and creativity, and by being everyday heroes in our community. Through volunteering, charity work, customer service and staff incentives, each business has achieved a level of excellence, a further tier of success that is noteworthy.

I invite you to read Profiles of Excellence, in which you will bear witness to the great diversity that permeates Kamloops.

When we live with integrity, we are sincere and true to ourselves. Excellence in business requires utmost integrity. People trust and respect businesses and business people who value integrity, leading us to a greater pinnacle of success.

Kamloops This Week’s Profiles of Excellence highlights business leaders within our community, trailblazers who possess a “this-is-it” focus. They reach out through their network, seeing opportunity where others see risk, taking positive action and carrying an unwavering commitment to move forward.

Each of our profiled businesses has a strong tie to the community. Their success is shared with all of us through their dedication to excellence. In Profiles of Excellence, you will read about individual success in a variety of business fields. We hope they will provide inspiration as you reach out for your pursuit of excellence through work and life.

Enjoy, Kelly Hall Publisher, Profiles of Excellence

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INSIDE Cates Ford Oien Epp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Abbott Wealth Management . . . . . . . . . . 4 Dr. Kerry Flintoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dr. Michael Hansford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 D.W. Page Wealth Management . . . . . . 10 Ebata Eyecare Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Excel Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Fox’n Hounds Pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Kamloops Harley-Davidson . . . . . . . . . . 18 Kamloops Veterinary Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Lesra Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Edited by Jessica Klymchuk Photography by Dave Eagles Designed by Lee Malbeuf Director of Advertising, Rose-Marie Fagerholm Director of Creative Services, Lee Malbeuf

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Cates Ford Oien Epp Epp Cates Oien is announcing its new name, Cates Ford Oien Epp, effective September 2015. The mid-sized Kamloops firm will be also be known as “CFOE.”

While the name is new, the firm has very deep roots in the community, having been founded in 1908 by Ashcroft native Fredrick Temple Cornwall. Since its humble inception as Mr. Cornwall’s sole practice, the firm has built and maintained a reputation for excellence in the Kamloops region for more than 100 years.

CFOE currently employs nine lawyers, an articled student, 15 support staff and expects to expand further. The new name has provided an opportunity to acknowledge the firm’s rich history and the lawyers who helped define the firm’s culture. It also helps to entrench the firm’s current growth and plan for the future.

On the new name, partner Candace Cates says, “Our community’s support of this firm has resulted in our noticeable growth over the last few years in particular. This support has been reciprocated by our firm devoting itself to providing the best legal representation and client services. That will not change with our new name.

“We feel that the new name and look of the firm are ideal ways to recognize our growth as well as our bright future.”

Of his colleagues, Elmer Epp, longtime business and real estate lawyer in Kamloops, observes that, “It is really exciting to be part of CFOE. This firm offers a variety of expertise, experience and talents among our lawyers; we truly do have everything to offer anyone needing legal assistance.

“Matt Ford has built a reputation for his ability as a trial lawyer and problem-solver, particularly in personal injury and criminal defence. Similarly, Carolyn Oien has proven herself in the community as the go-to lawyer

in family law and mediation for more than 25 years. Candace Cates is one of the most experienced and skilled business, real estate, wills and estates lawyers in Kamloops. Our associate lawyers are highly performing, very capable and enthusiastic.”

Partner Matt Ford explains, “Our firm is fortunate to enjoy a great history and a brilliant future. This good fortune and planning continues with this expansion.

While we are sometimes involved in the high-profile cases that make the news and papers, that is not and never will be our objective.

“Our focus is to represent our client’s best interests with the highest degree of skill, no matter how big or small they may be. That applies to all of our lawyers and all of our clients. Our clients are our neighbours, our friends and local Kamloopsians. These are the people who foster and ensure our growth and future. We never lose sight of that.”

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“Practical Advice.

Sound Solutions.

Outstanding Results.”

Partner Carolyn Oien notes, “We have very high expectations of our lawyers and staff at CFOE. Hard work and dedication to our clients has resulted in our firm’s rapid expansion. This natural growth is the best kind.

“The fact that the lawyers and staff at our firm are immersed in the culture of Kamloops and its surrounding communities has also likely contributed to our growth. All in all, it means that CFOE has a very bright future.”

Cates Ford Oien Epp has more than 120 combined years of legal experience available to help clients in need of legal expertise.

The legal team has expertise in most areas of law, including personal injury, wills and estates, family law, civil litigation, criminal defence, business law and real-estate law for Kamloops and surrounding area residents.

Photo: Candace Cates, Matt Ford, Carolyn Oien and Elmer Epp.

300-125 Fourth Avenue Kamloops, B.C. 250.372.8811

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Abbott Wealth Management You sense something different when you walk through the doors of Abbott Wealth Management. Immediately you know you are not in for a typical client experience.

There is something about the energy, the team and the sense of confidence you feel knowing you are working with dedicated professionals.

The Abbott team is very focused on engaging in details and does incredible work for clients who are dedicated to the Wealth Management process and to their successful financial future.

“Every day we live our vision, mission and values with statements like, ‘to create an unequalled elite, life-long experience’ and ‘to raise the bar and improve the landscape of the financial services industry,’” said Mark Bertoli, one of the partners at Abbott Wealth.

You can truly sense this is a company with dedication and direction.

Working with John van Limbeek and Sandy Vollo, you get a sense of the relationships Abbott Wealth has with all the families they work with.

Sandy Vollo said it best: “We value and appreciate the importance of all our relationships”.

The Client-Focused Wealth Management Program is a key part of the client experience.

It is a comprehensive, customizable wealthmanagement system that addresses every aspect of a client’s financial future.

“We look at the individual family, discuss the entire Client-Focused Wealth Management Program and then prioritize the different aspects of the program that would bring the greatest value,” Mr. van Limbeek said.

There is a complete team of professionals associated with Abbott Wealth Management.

Mark Bertoli explained, “If we were a medical firm, we would consider ourselves general practitioners. If there is a situation that requires a medical specialist, then a specialist is brought in. We are no different.

“We are able to offer some of Canada’s elite investment counsellors, both personal and corporate advanced tax specialists, and a team of estate planners and lawyers for indepth advice. We are the financial advocates for our clients, creating their personal plan.

Once created, we then work with their local legal and accounting firms to complete and initiate the program.”

The programs that help their clients across Western Canada are attracting national attention. The Abbott team has spoken to their peers at six national events — most recently in Scottsdale, Ariz., in January.

The team has also been asked to speak to over 600 financial professionals from across Canada at a national conference in September 2015.

“We value and appreciate the importance of all our relationships.”

In their mission statement, it states, “We value making a difference through community involvement.” Abbott Wealth calls Kamloops its home base and is very proud of this community and its residents.

Mr. Bertoli has been involved with Kamloops West Rotary as a past-president and current board member. Ms. Vollo is completing her second year as a director of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce and Mr. van Limbeek is involved in local sports in Kamloops.

The entire Abbott Team supports local fundraisers and all work together to help make Kamloops a better community.

Abbott Wealth Management delivers an elite, world-class experience, where relationships are built and strengthened through dedication to client service.

“Every day we ask, ‘How can we do it better for our clients? How can we make it simpler and clearer?” Mr. Bertoli said. “Everything we do should be looked at through our clients’ eyes”.

Abbott Wealth is dedicated to their clients.

They feel it is their responsibility and duty to act as guardians of their clients’ dreams, goals and successful financial future.

Photo: Mark Bertoli, John van Limbeek and Sandy Vollo.

207-1211 Summit Drive Kamloops, B.C. 250.372.3736 abbottwealth.com

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Dr. Kerry Flintoff Dr. Kerry Flintoff is paving a path in Kamloops with one goal clearly in mind: building a community of smiles.

For Flintoff, orthodontics is as much about the personalities as it is the science and, after discovering Kamloopsians during two months of locum work, she fell in love with the community.

She’s a Kelowna native, but spent the last several years in Montreal, where she studied dentistry, and Toronto, where she studied orthodontics.

She covered for Kamloops’ Dr. Roy Queen in 2013, just before she was set to spend a few months in France. She thought it would be her last hurrah in her home province before settling down in Montreal. But, Kamloops turned out to be so much more than she expected.

“People here give so much to the community,” she said.

“It was somewhere I felt I could spend the rest of my life, working and being a part of such a wonderful community.”

After already having the opportunity to work with Queen, she knew what a great clinic he had built. She joined him last year and bought the practice — now Queen & Flintoff Orthodontics — setting the stage for a long career in the community. She’s already working with patients who have been seeing Queen for nearly 30 years and is looking forward to continuing the great work he’s done in Kamloops.

“Long term, I’d love to be not only the orthodontist, but someone that’s a part of the community, who is involved in volunteering and proudly supporting Kamloops,” Flintoff said. “That, to me, feels like success, being a positive influence on people.”

Flintoff pursued dentistry after completing her undergraduate degree in microbiology and immunology at the University of British Columbia. She worked in a biotechnology lab for a couple years, but knew it wasn’t dynamic enough. She was destined to work with people and make a difference in their lives.

At Queen and Flintoff Orthodontics, she gets the opportunity to work with children who have craniofacial abnormalities, work on which she finds particularly rewarding.

She’s also picking up on Queen’s interest in temporomandibular joint problems, though she is still developing interests of her own.

There is a wide network of professionals she belongs to, keeping her up to date on interesting cases around the country. Flintoff finds orthodontics fascinating, mostly because every case is different and every patient develops uniquely.

“It’s very long term. You get to transform these people as they are transforming,” she said. “It’s such an interesting part of life. These kids come in and you get to watch them grow up. It’s a really unique opportunity.”

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“The reward to me isn’t walking home with a paycheque in my pocket, it’s seeing the change and knowing that I’m doing the best I can for every single person.”

Making an impact on people’s smiles — children and adults — extends far beyond their pearly whites, too. Flintoff takes great pride in leaving a lasting impression on her patients and giving them confidence from the moment they walk in the door.

“There are a lot of kids who are being bullied at school and, if they can come here and have a really positive experience and every time they walk in the door feel like they really matter and that everyone here really cares about them, that, too, can be part of the transformation,” she said.

“The reward to me isn’t walking home with a paycheque in my pocket, it’s seeing the change and knowing that I’m doing the best I can for every single person.”

Photo: Dr. Kerry Flintoff hopes to make a lasting impression on her patients and the community.

403-321 Nicola Street Kamloops, B.C. 250.374.7131 drqueen.com

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Dr. Michael Hansford One of the most innovative practices in modern dentistry is the ability to give someone a brand-new smile in less than a day — and we’re not talking dentures.

Dr. Michael Hansford prides himself on offering revolutionary procedures at Smile Kamloops that have the ability to transform someone’s confidence in mere hours. His biggest impact is helping people who never imagined they would smile so bright.

“Not everyone has a lot of luck with their teeth,” he said. “It starts with just a little problem that’s easy to ignore and it takes years for the problem to grow. It becomes a real disability for people. It doesn’t even seem possible to fix.”

Hansford has been practicing cosmetic and implant dentistry with sedation for 16 years.

For people who suffer from bad teeth, their smile can become the part of them they are least proud of. Hansford can change all that with his teeth-in-a-day program. Patients leave with beautiful, completely secure teeth in just one day. The four-implant procedure is attractive to people with dentures or in need of full upper or lower restorations — people like Gilles Serre, who have problematic teeth.

Serre regularly encountered sore teeth and inherited poor gum health.

Serre visited Hansford and decided to invest in his confidence. In June, he had the teethin-a-day procedure done on his bottom teeth. He is so pleased with the results that he’s getting the same procedure done on his top teeth in January.

“I made a lot of big decisions that day I never even thought about making,” Serre said. “It was more than the talk, it was the knowledge, the information, how easily it can be done.”

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“I’ll be able to eat whatever I want, look great. That’s the best thing, being confident.”

Smile Kamloops is undergoing significant renovations to increase the number of stateof-the-art treatment rooms available for its most advanced procedures. There will always be operative space prepped to decrease wait times and increase the availability of sameday implant treatment.

“If you have a problem tooth and you want it fixed, we can see you today, not in three weeks or three months — today,” Hansford said.

“There are moments in your profession when you get real joy and pride for what you’ve done and I get real joy and pride out of transforming people’s smiles. It’s the highest level of my achievement.”

Many of Hansford’s patients choose sedation for all their dental work and he’s sedated more than 4,000 patients for a comfortable visit. Hansford is one of few dentists who is certified to offer both oral and IV sedation.

“There are moments in your profession when you get real joy and pride for what you’ve done.”

You don’t have to come to Hansford for a full mouth makeover or sedation. He also utilizes industry-leading technology for his general practice, making procedures like crowns and wisdom-teeth removals easier and more efficient than you’d imagine.

For example, his crown-milling machine, Cerec, makes one-appointment crowns a reality. He also has one of the few CT scanners in town that produces 3D images, allowing him to properly examine bone structure for implant placement.

Hansford is proud of his professional team of certified dental assistants, treatment co-ordinators and hygienists who easily and effectively help patients navigate their decisions, leading with an it’s-possible-to-fix attitude and helping people smile more.

Photo: Dr. Michael Hansford in his innovative practice, Smile Kamloops.

65-1967 East Trans Canada Highway Kamloops, B.C. 250.434.2249 smilekamloops.com

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D.W. Page Wealth Management David Page made the most important decision of his life when he chose to make his money work for his future. He’s been helping people do the same ever since.

detailed look at their financial picture and their life goals. He has a proven process in achieving financial security with peace of mind and the freedom to enjoy life.

Financial planning has grown into the practice of helping clients fulfil their life’s objectives. Through a holistic approach and 40 years of experience, David helps his clients secure a financial future that achieves their goals.

The most important aspect of his process is education: making sure his clients understand money-management principles, so they not only have a full understanding of his recommendations, but also why his suggestions fit their life goals.

“This isn’t a job to me. It’s my life,” David said. “When a client says to me, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be retiring in the lifestyle I’m retiring in today,’ I feel about 10 feet off the ground. That, to me, is the most rewarding thing that can happen.”

He quickly moves clients from a sense of confusion, isolation and powerlessness to one of clarity, confidence and excitement. Emotions are the most powerful influence on financial decisions and, with professional advice, clients can be sure their financial decisions are sound.

David said greed and fear are detrimental to financial stability, but professional wealth management calms those tendencies.

Whether they’re helping someone plan buying a home, leaving their estate to their children, planning their retirement or making debt work to their advantage, the financial planning team at D.W. Page Wealth Management walks with their clients through life.

David was only age 25 when he learned how to pay himself first.

“No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t seem to get ahead,” he said. “That day I learned some of the basic principles that I teach others today — young or old, it makes no difference. Those principles led to my financial security and have helped many others over the years.”

“Since that day, I haven’t looked back.”

You’re going to be in one of two positions 10 years down the road, David said: I’m glad I did or I wish I had. For most people, the highest priority is maintaining their lifestyle and not outliving their resources. With David’s help, his clients avoid retiring from life and live their retirement.

David works in a causal environment, identifying the needs of his clients, taking a

“Overcoming their emotions, that is one of the greatest things we can do for clients, helping them not make mistakes,” he said.

David’s ever-evolving program includes a road map that guides clients through education on money management, investment planning, estate planning, major purchase planning, retirement planning and educational planning. Most of all, he ensures investments suit the needs of his clients.

“When a client says to me, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be retiring in the lifestyle I’m retiring in today,’ I feel about 10 feet off the ground.”

“When I make recommendations for clients, I always want to make sure they are in line with their comfort zone so they can sleep at night and feel secure,” he said.

At D.W. Page Wealth Management, they’re the idea people when it comes to money. If you don’t clarify your goals and find a track to run on, David said, you’ll end up in the same position 10 years down the road. If you lose 10 years, you will have one-quarter of the wealth you could have had, so start now.

“The worst thing that can happen is you will gain some knowledge and perspective and you’re going to learn how to grow,” he said.

Photo: The team at D.W. Page Wealth Management: (top row) Caroline Knox, David Page and Ryan Puri.

(Bottom row) Lois Wass, Donna Page and Cara Petri.

5-685 Tranquille Road Kamloops, B.C. 778.470.3100 dwpage.com

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Ebata Eyecare Optometry “What could be more important to you than your sight?” asks Dr. Russell Ebata.

Ebata Eyecare’s philosophy is helping people live better lives through better vision.

“I truly believe that what we do helps our patients. Knowing that our clinic makes a positive impact on their lives is extremely rewarding,” Russell said.

“It’s surprising how many people take their eyes for granted. Many people believe that they don’t need to visit a doctor of optometry because they can ‘see well’ without the use of glasses.”

Unfortunately, many diseases that can cause permanent damage to your eyes don’t affect your vision until it’s too late. This is why it’s so important to get your eyes examined regularly.

Your vision is much more than just seeing well. Advancements in technology allow doctors of optometry to diagnose diseases much earlier than they ever could in the past.

When a doctor of optometry examines the health of a patient’s eyes, they can tell a lot about their physical health, too. This is why Ebata Eyecare makes patient education a cornerstone of the high level of care they provide to their patients.

Ebata Eyecare has been a family-owned and operated optometric clinic for the last 41 years. Russell’s father, Dr. Eugene Ebata, has been practising optometry in Kamloops since 1974 and retired in 2014. He formed the foundation of what Ebata Eyecare has become today.

After Russell graduated in 2009 with honours from the University of Waterloo, his father taught him about the importance of developing a trusting relationship between a doctor and a patient.

“It is humbling when I get to examine a patient who has seen my father for longer than I have been alive,” Russell said. “It’s rewarding to know that patients are truly grateful for what you do for their vision and, as a result, become lifelong patients of our clinic.”

Ebata Eyecare aims to become not only a sought-after place for vision care, but a community leader in the city Russell and his team call home.

As a lifelong resident of Kamloops, he knows the importance of being a part of a strong community. In addition to supporting various local causes, Ebata Eyecare supports two organizations that have a special significance to the Ebata family: The Iccha Wish Fund, which raises funds to purchase urgently needed equipment for Royal Inland Hospital, and Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, which searches for a cure for irritable bowel disease.

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“I truly believe that what we do helps our patients.

Knowing that our clinic makes a positive impact on their lives is extremely rewarding.”

“Supporting our local community and providing the highest level of care for our patients has really become my passion,” Russell said. “At Ebata Eyecare, we strive to provide exceptional service and value to each and every one of our patients.”

The team at Ebata Eyecare undergoes extensive training programs to provide patients with the best solution for their vision needs, while maintaining the highest level of care and service.

With modern technology revolutionizing the eye-care industry, Russell knows the service that Ebata Eyecare provides to their patients is the foundation of their philosophy of helping people live better lives through better vision.

Photo: Dr. Russell Ebata strives to help people live better lives through better vision.

910 Columbia Street West Kamloops, B.C. 250.377.8875 ebataeyecare.com

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Excel Personnel On its 23rd anniversary, Excel Personnel is celebrating its best year yet. Thanks to the support of the Kamloops community, Excel is now a multi-million-dollar company.

For the past two decades, CEO Karen Watt has been an expert corporate matchmaker, helping candidates find their dream jobs and clients fill crucial positions. Her success is driven by her passion for people and her dedication to integrity — inside and outside the office.

Excel Personnel, an employmentrecruitment firm, has grown from a onewoman show to a 10-person operation with clients across Canada and offices in Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George.

With new additions in the past several months, Excel’s growth has surpassed Watt’s original goals for the company, with a field staff of over 70. Watt said her team is the strongest its ever been.

“Success is not built with just one person,” she said. “Success is about the people you surround yourself with that assist in your growth, so our team is everything. One person cannot continue to be the company.”

This year, Excel is nominated for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneurs Momentum Award for the fourth time and again for the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards, top service provider with 11-plus staff. Acsess, the employment agency and governing body for the staffing industry, also awarded Excel with a business excellence award.

“People recognize us and that is a real honour when you have business people in the community that take the time out of their day to say, ‘We’d like to recognize you.’ That is huge. It’s people thanking us,” Watt said.

Photo: Karen Watt, CEO of Excel Personnel.

Excel started off recruiting for temporary staffing in the early 1990s. It later began recruiting for permanent placements for companies that wanted to outsource their human-resources department. They search, select, interview, evaluate, reference, summarize and present the top candidates to their clients.

Today, about 78 per cent of their recruits for temporary positions will move to a permanent position within the company because Excel matched them successfully.

They’ve seen selected candidates stay with companies for over 15 years.

Watt leads by example, building an atmosphere of trust and respect within her company as well as with the candidates and clients who seek Excel’s services.

“Integrity is the highest and the most important thing to us. We stand behind everything we say and do because you can fix a mistake, but you can’t fix a lie,” she said.

“The community has embraced that from Excel and comes back to us time after time after time.”

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“Success is not built with just one person.

Success is about the people you surround yourself with.”

For the loyalty the community has shown Excel, Watt ensures the company is always giving back to the community. Staff are encouraged to use company hours to volunteer and Excel sponsors several events throughout the city.

“We give back to community in volunteering because what Kamloops is famous for is its volunteerism,” she said.

“Whether it’s Ribfest, whether it’s Rotary, whether it’s for non-profit organizations that can always use an extra pair of hands, it’s really important to us because this is where we live and this is how we’ve built Kamloops, making it the best we possibly can.”

600-235 First Avenue Kamloops, B.C. 250.374.3853 excel.bc.ca

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Fox’n Hounds Pub The Deacon family has spent over 30 years learning the entertainment business, so you better believe Al Deacon when he says his neighbourhood pub isn’t your old-school dingy bar. Fox’n Hounds is three generations deep and thriving.

“We aren’t the dark tavern of yesteryear,” he said. “We do the best in our business on an ongoing basis. This is what we do.”

While food used to complement alcohol in pubs — and vice versa in restaurants — nowadays you can’t tell the difference. Fox’n Hounds Pub does almost 50/50 and is combatting the idea you have to drink to visit a bar. Besides the age restriction, it all feels the same.

“There is still a stigma out there with bars,” Deacon said. “People think in order to go out to a bar, you are expected to drink. We serve as much food as we do alcohol.”

In fact, food is the most important part of Deacon’s business and he believes growth will come from the kitchen. Pubs are known for serving up cheap, good food, but you can only serve run-of-the-mill grub for so long.

People’s palates are like wine, he said. You have to innovate. Fox’n Hounds’ new chef, Dari Isaacs, is introducing new ideas in the kitchen to keep the menu modern.

“The food business is tough,” Deacon said.

“We are really trying to change our menu to be a little more than the traditional pub grub.

Any successful pub has to do that.”

Riding on the coattails of the pub’s success, Sahali Liquor Store was opened by Deacon nine years ago. It’s one of the largest liquor stores outside the Lower Mainland at 6,000 square feet, has the largest selection of cold product in the city and 800 varieties of wine.

In the pub and the liquor store, people are choosing quality over quantity, Deacon said.

“We certainly know people are drinking better — better scotches, better whiskey,” he said. “People get to a certain stage in their life where they want to be encompassed with the nice things in life.”

Sahali Liquor Store promotes and reviews beer and wine on Kamloops radio and TV. Store manager Linda Coles visits the Midday Show once a month to review a wine, B100 every week for Test a Wine Tuesday and CIFM every Friday to review a beer.

The Fox has also partnered with The Broadcast Centre to give away its Smart Summer Ride Smart Car. With any purchase of an Okanagan Springs or Sleeman product at the Fox, customers are entered into the draw. At the same time, through a partnership with Budweiser, Sahali Liquor Store is giving away a Jeep. Patrons are entered to win with the purchase of any Bud product.

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“We are very proud of how we operate.

We’re very serious about it.”

“We do promotions with these companies and we do it right,” Deacon said. “They like that and appreciate us for it. That’s a good feeling, when they have a vote of confidence in us to go ahead and execute these promotions.”

It isn’t the first time — or the last — Deacon has gone big for his customers. He knows people will drive across town to win a car and hopes they will, just to come in and see for themselves what his pub is all about. He believes his business speaks for itself and even encourages his loyal customers to visit his competition.

“We are very proud of how we operate. We’re very serious about it,” he said. “Our heels are dug in deep in the community. We aren’t going anywhere.”

Photo: Server Payton Derby, Fox’n Hounds owner Al Deacon and Sahali Liquor Store manager Linda Coles with their latest giveaways.

20-945 West Columbia Street Kamloops, B.C. 250.374.9425 foxpub.ca

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Kamloops Harley-Davidson Al Perrett opened his first motorcycle shop 49 years ago with a $4,000 bank loan and five Suzuki Motorcycles — and threw caution to the wind.

A true entrepreneur, the Kamloops HarleyDavidson owner at 77 has not only built a thriving business, but has tended to his own need for speed since the age of 21. He took his first ride in 1953 on a BSA C10 and the rest is history.

“The first time I ever saw a motorcycle, I thought, ‘I want to do that. That looks like fun,’” he said with a laugh.

Perrett opened Richmond Motorcycle Sales in 1966 selling Suzuki motorcycles. He switched to Yamaha and brought in BSA and Triumph in 1967 before purchasing the contents of Tyneside Repairs in 1970, enabling him to stay in business.

In 1972, Perrett escaped the big city to start Kamloops Honda. In 1977, he acquired the Harley-Davidson franchise and operated both brands out of a two-acre lot at 1455 Iron Mask Rd. Soon after, he opened a second shop on Eighth Street selling Suzuki and Kawasaki motorcycles. In 1985 Perrett brought all brands together at a downtown location he called Kamloops Super Bike, but a fire destroyed the building in 1986, leaving the future of the business uncertain.

“We had about three years where we didn’t know if we were going to make it,” he said.

Trevor Deeley — Mr. Motorcycle as Perrett likes to call him — saw Perrett’s love for the industry and supported him through that time, when he moved his whole operation back to Iron Mask Road. By the mid-1990s, he was exclusively selling Harley-Davidson bikes through Deeley.

Deeley Imports is the last independent Harley-Davidson distributor in the world and will close its doors this August after 42

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years, one year before Perrett will celebrate 50 years of selling motorcycles.

He’s been around to see it all, weathered the changes and celebrated the successes.

“Harley caught on. It was like a worldwide phenomenon,” Perrett said. “The success of Harley-Davidson, they basically came out of the ashes. I never thought I would have a Harley-Davidson store like this.”

In 1995, he opened his expanded Iron Mask Road shop on the same plot of land and then did another $2-million expansion in 2009.

Between new and used, he features about 500 bikes for sale per year. People come from across Western Canada to have their rides serviced in his shop.

“Like any business, you have to love your customers,” Perrett said. “You have to look out for people.

“Like any business, you have to love your customers.

You have to look out for people.”

“We’re fair, we’re honest and, for service and sales, we’re the best in B.C. If you buy a $40,000 Harley, you want the confidence you’re taken care of.”

While the dealership has doubled in size in the last 20 years, Perrett says his operation is still small enough to be personable. Much of his staff has ridden the ups and downs alongside him and he credits the dealership’s success to them. They all pride themselves on welcoming anyone and everyone into the Harley family.

Perrett is a dedicated member and sponsor of the Kamloops Harley Owners Group (HOG) chapter, which has raised over $850,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

Although he’s a motorcycle connoisseur, Perrett’s true love is dirt biking. His riding has taken him through the desert, across North America, Italy, Isle of Mann, Austria, Slovakia, France and Germany and he’s still on two wheels every chance he gets.

1465 Iron Mask Road Kamloops, B.C. 250.828.0622 kamloopshd.com

“If I had to do it all again, I would do the same thing,” he said. “I’m very fortunate.”

Photo: Al Perrett, owner of Kamloops Harley-Davidson, will celebrate 50 years of selling motorcycles next year.

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Kamloops Veterinary Clinic Dr. Paula Davies is the owner of the Kamloops Veterinary Clinic at 1465 Cariboo Place, a well-established clinic that has been operating in Kamloops since 1968.

The Kamloops Veterinary Clinic is a large operation with six veterinarians and 17 support staff, including 10 registered veterinary technicians.

After graduating with great distinction from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine program in Saskatchewan in 1999, Dr. Davies worked in various clinics throughout B.C. until she settled in the Kamloops area in 2003.

The personnel are not only dedicated to their profession, but loyal to the clinic, showing their pride and confidence in all the work they do. Many of the staff members have been employed at the clinic for well over 10 years and, in some cases, over 25 years.

In 2007, she joined the Kamloops Veterinary team and, in 2012, became the sole owner.

They all have a passion for animal welfare and focus greatly on the human-animal bond. Many pet owners see their pets as a valued member of the family due to the companionship and unconditional love their pet brings.

Her decision to run the business was driven primarily by her confidence in the dedicated, compassionate staff and our caring community.

Dr. Davies is one of only three veterinarians in B.C. who has diplomat status from the American Board of Veterinarian Practitioners (ABVP) in Canine and Feline Practice.

What this means is she made a choice to undergo a long and difficult process of additional studies and examinations. The process took three years to complete. ABVP Diplomats have a proven knowledge and expertise above and beyond what is required to practice veterinary medicine.

“Our staff is very adept at feeling out what an owner wants and what’s going to be best for their pet during their appointment,” Davies said.

One example would be having the doctor examine a wary patient on the front lawn to try to reduce their level of stress and anxiety.

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“Our staff is very adept at feeling out what an owner wants and what’s going to be best for their pet during their appointment.”

The workers always strive to make the visit a positive experience not only for the pet, but for their owners as well.

Over the years, the Kamloops Veterinary Clinic has expanded and modernized its equipment to keep up with the everchanging veterinary medical sciences.

As Kamloops grows, the Kamloops Veterinary Clinic grows with it and Dr. Davies hopes to keep that momentum going for many years to come.

The many services they provide include inhouse blood analysis, digital radiography and dental radiography, ultrasound technology and therapeutic laser therapy.

“We live in a great community. It is so full of kind and generous people. It’s a great place to live.”

They are also currently the only clinic in the Interior to offer in-house stem cell therapy.

This is a huge advancement in the veterinary field for treating arthritis. Stem cells can become new cartilage cells and have a natural anti-inflammatory property thus reducing pain and increasing your pet’s mobility.

Photo: The Kamloops Veterinary Clinic has a large staff with a passion for animal welfare.

1465 Cariboo Place Kamloops, B.C. 250.374.1485 kamloopsveterinaryclinic.com

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Lesra Martin

When Lesra Martin sets foot in a boxing ring, it’s natural his first thought is of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter.

lead a life of purpose. He has spent his entire life searching for his purpose and the beauty is “it’s constantly taking new forms”, he said.

He thinks of how Carter interpreted the ring — an arena of his livelihood, where he demonstrated substance over form. Martin’s feat in the courtroom with Carter is probably his best-known accomplishment — made famous by the Hollywood movie The Hurricane — but the ring doesn’t embody his career success. For Martin, the ring has its own meaning.

While he once would have defined success as getting food on the table, today, at 51 years old, it’s raising two beautiful daughters and learning to live with self-doubt and fear stemming from his past.

“The boxing ring itself has always had a hidden gem of a message,” Martin said.

“I often think of the arena as a little bit of a challenge one has with one’s self. You have an opponent. You also have an opponent in life, but the biggest opponent for all of us has got to be ourselves. At least it is for me.”

Raised on the violent streets of Bushwick in Brooklyn, New York, Martin often sees the world partly through the eyes of an illiterate 15-year-old boy.

His greatest obstacle has been combatting his inner demons, even while gracing world stages from the United Nations to The Oprah Winfrey Show as a successful lawyer and literacy advocate. In the back of his mind has always been the doubt he could accomplish something, that he couldn’t become a contributing member of society.

“Even though you have that initial fear and panic that you may not be able to do something — because that never leaves you — you do begin to realize, I’ve been here before and I can overcome this,” he said.

“When you’re faced with hurdles in life, it reminds you of never giving up on your dreams, your aspirations and your purpose.”

“What constitutes one’s greatest success, that’s an ongoing thing,” Martin said. “I always think there is something more to do and some greater goal to reach. It’s hard for me to say what my greatest success has been.

I don’t really know what tomorrow brings.”

While continuing to be a fierce advocate for education as an ambassador for ABC Life Literacy and speaking around the world, Martin hopes to establish a literacy organization where people can face their fears of learning to read and write. He has a scholarship fund for students of Douglas College and hopes to establish one for Kamloops students, as well.

Perhaps his greatest success will one day be giving children the same opportunity he was given at 15 when strangers took him in, helped educate him, enabled him to attend the University of Toronto and later receive his law degree from Dalhousie University.

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“When you’re faced with hurdles in life, it reminds you of never giving up on your dreams, your aspirations and your purpose.”

“For me, the vision of the future would be all of us coming together to lend a hand to ensure as many people as possible have proper access to opportunity and education,” Martin said.

“If you give a kid a chance, if you help somebody out and they embrace that help, then you can help change that person’s life. If we all did that, can you imagine how beautiful our community would be?”

Martin said the greatest purpose in life is to

Photo: Lesra Martin, pictured here in the Kamloops Boxing Academy ring, finds special meaning in the square space pugilists share between the ropes.

101-1315 Summit Drive Kamloops, B.C. 250.828.6175 martinlawyers.com

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Jessica Klymchuk

Dave Eagles

Jessica Klymchuk is the writer and co-ordinator for special sections and supplements at Kamloops This Week. A Vernon native, Jessica has been living in Kamloops for three years. While attending Thompson Rivers University, Jessica got her start in journalism by contributing to the student newspaper, the Omega, and later became news editor.

She worked as a summer intern in the editorial department at the Salmon Arm Observer in 2013 and graduated from Thompson Rivers University’s bachelor of journalism program in 2014.

Her work has also appeared in Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities.

Dave Eagles is Kamloops This Week staff photographer, daily shooting the news scene around the Kamloops area since 1998.

Capturing hard news with award-winning images, Dave has excelled with his storytelling photos that capture the heart and spirit of the people of Kamloops.

His eye for spot news and feature photos has garnered Dave many provincial and national news photography awards. Dave has seen the days of both film and digital news photography and has evolved his skills to continue to meet the ever-changing world of online news with Kamloops This Week’s website. Having made his home in Kamloops over the past 30 years, Dave’s hobbies are an extension of his eye for detail. He is a passionate gardener, winning awards from the city for his efforts in best garden and best waterfall feature — a lifelong hobby that he loves.

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