Settimo Carl ZANON
September 2009 update:
Carol was re-elected Councillor to the West Kelowna Council in November 2009. She is very much invigorated by the challenges in developing the many aspects required in forming a new city. She resigned from the position of Chairperson on the Westbank Irrigation District (WID) in April, 2009 in order to have a free voice when the new city incorporates WID in January 1, 2011. Carol was very much involved in the $20 million state-of-the-art filtration and UV system. Image, the project was completed on time and under budget.
I replaced Carol on the WID Board (riding on her successful coat-tail) to support the implementation of her plans. I attend many of her functions and introduce myself as MR. Carol Zanon.
I am completing eight years as an instructor of a courses known as the Leadership Series. The programs include seven topics and each session is six hours. In addition to Kelowna, I visit Penticton, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Mississauga, Ontario.
In May I was inducted into the Citizens patrol. We are an extension of the RCMP and patrol the community. During the recent forest fire in West Kelowna, I did one session patrolling the evacuated Glen Rosa area. It was an eerie situation with no one around. I am the Chair of the Gellatly Nut Farm Society (by nuts we mean 80 types of walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, etc); Secretary of the Gellatly Bay Trails & Parks Society; and director on a Neighbourhood Board and Friends of the Library.
Our six children are all doing well. We now have seven grand children.
Our daughter Valerie is to be married on October 10th in Denver, CO.
Carol and I have found Maui to be our tropical haven and endeavour to vacation there 2 or 3 weeks each year. The current photo is on a Sunset cruise off Maui December 2008.
See you September. If you are travelling through Central Okanagan please call us.
Aloha!
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There are some moments in our lives that have a great impact on our future. My selection to be part of the Sea Cadet contingent that went to England for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was one of those moments. We traveled crossed the Atlantic on the carrier HMCS Magnificent. Part of the ships crew was University Naval Training officers. I was impressed with the program and eventually join this service while at UBC completing the Electrical Engineering program. During two summer months I did shore training in Halifax and did sea time on the frigates HMCS Lanark and Fort Erie. We visited ports in Wales, England, France, Scotland and the Azores. I received my commission in 1958. I still keep in touch with some of my navy colleagues from the Coronation trip and officer training program.
While in Halifax I met Carol. Carol completed her Masters degree in genetics at UBC. We married in 1960. We had three daughters; Laura, Michelle and Valerie; and three sons; Peter, Scott and Paul. They are all doing well and we are very proud of their accomplishments.
I pursued a technology route that took me from Montreal to the Boston area. I worked on projects relating to space (the heavens). I wrote technical papers and had the good fortune to receive in New York City a team national award for significant innovation for 1965.
I moved to a company that produced aircraft simulators and lunar models. Family day was always a great success with children flying commercial aircraft (DC-10, Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011). In 1969 you saw the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) and “astronauts” on the surface of the moon. All three USA television networks used our full-sized LEM models to simulate this historic event. These were exciting times.
By this time I had completed the MBA program through Northeastern University in Boston. I made the decision to shift to management with a preference to work with people. In a couple of moves I ended up working for Westinghouse in St. Jean Quebec. The year 1976 was particularly eventful. We experienced the Olympics in Montreal and the political change in Quebec. The PQ party led by Rene Leveque culminated in a referendum vote in 1980. Carol and I did our bit for the No campaign to keep Quebec in Canada.
I enjoyed being a VP & General Manager in St. Catharines, Ontario and subsequently, VP and President of a Saskatoon company. Saskatoon turned out to be a fine place to live. Great friends, lots of activities and the youngest three made full use of rowing on the South Saskatchewan. Our three youngest children are Canadian rowing champions. I was elected President of Rowing Saskatchewan and subsequently VP Marketing of Rowing Canada. Our rowers were magnificent at the Atlanta Olympics and brought home six medals.
On the political scene, Carol ran for office representing the Progressive Conservative party under Premier Grant Devine. Although she lost, it was another life experience. One benefit was that Carol got a great seat at a luncheon in Saskatoon honoring QE II and Prince Phillip. At one point we stood and proposed a toast to the “Queen”. There was our Queen acknowledging the toast. Obviously I am a monarchist!
In 1986 I started my own consulting business. This work led me to co-author a book entitled “Advancing Production Management”. It was not a best seller, however, I used the book to promote my consulting services. I moved closer to BC by joining the Alberta Research Council, Calgary, in 1993. While this was happening Carol completed her Law Degree from University of Saskatchewan. She did her articling in Calgary.
I applied for an Engineering Manager position with Western Star Trucks in Kelowna. Here is a guy “long in tooth” (over 60) and white hair - yet they hired me. This move got me back to BC after wandering 39 years in the eastern wilderness. The mountains and lake seen from my deck in Westbank made it feel like we are close to Nelson. I retired in 2001.
Currently I am teaching at the Okanagan University College, adult continuous education. The Leadership Series includes six one-day sessions. In April & May, I instructed five of these segments in Ontario – a new opportunity. In addition, I am a consultant with the Business Development Bank of Canada. BDC has clients interested in my program “Operational Efficiency Evaluation and Forecasting”; a process that improves business profits. I have made presentations through the BDC offices in the major Western Canada centre's. Very stimulating and good fun!
On the volunteer side of life I am the Vice Chair of the Westside Parks & Recreation commission, a Director with the Kelowna Art Gallery, active with the Conservative Party of Canada and a worker on several local projects. It is a good thing I am retired. For recreation Carol and I enjoy vacations in Maui and Florida. We have season passes at the Big White ski resort – 65 minutes from our door. In summer we enjoy the beaches in Peachland – 15 minutes away. This past year I took up gold panning. This panning is not a “get rich” activity as I am averaging about $0.07 per hour.
The attached photographs include:
My graduation from UBC, 1959
Carol & I on our 40th anniversary, and
Six children (young adults) taken in 1999. We are very proud of them. The immediate family now numbers nineteen (19) people.
We look forward to the reunion. See you in September!
