Kelowna Vibes – Jun 24, 2022
The first annual Kelowna Vibes event was a resounding success!
At long last, our members were finally able to gather in person. We were thrilled to be able to network, nibble and sip together, while enjoying the warm Okanagan hospitality.
A huge thank you to our event sponsor, CapriCMW. The event could not have been possible without their generous sponsorship. We were joined by Scot Speiser, Chris Nielsen and Curtis Levinsky for the day. It was great to get to know our fellow council members and sponsor, and learn more about CapriCMW’s services and resources.
The day began in the boardroom of Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corporation. Brian Wall, CEO, welcomed us with coffee and pastries, and shared with us a proprietary reporting tool used to create statistics on health and wellness within the organization. From there, we were taken to the first floor where all of the manufacturing takes place, to begin our tour of his fascinating facility. We learned about how the communications equipment for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft is produced, and how the rigorous quality assurance testing is done. There are simulators on site to test the reliability of the device, be it from severe and lengthy vibrations, to temperature fluctuations. Brian’s passion for the industry is infectious, and we all benefitted from being able to ask questions about the process, and to learn about how his organization approaches its challenges. Brian shared with us a recent technological breakthrough that AEM has developed: a sensor system to detect where faults may exist from areas known to breakdown more frequently than others. This enables the aircraft to be repaired much faster and more efficiently, reducing the time the aircraft needs to be grounded, thus saving his customers money. A huge EHSCBC thank you to Brian for welcoming us into his fabulous new facility!
All of that touring and learning made us peckish, so we followed the visit with a stop for lunch at Earl’s on the water, where members enjoyed more networking over a burger and beer lunch.
Then it was up the hill to the picturesque Kitsch Winery. Members will remember the proprietor, Ria Kitsch, who spoke with us and guided us through a tasting at the 2020 round table. Upon arrival we were all handed a glass of 2021 Pinot Noir Rose. We were treated to a “nitty gritty” tour of the facility and learned about their wine making processes. After the tour we headed under the canopy on their stunning property, overlooking Okanagan Lake and West Kelowna. There, Ben from Kitsch shared some interesting stories about the property history, wine growing in the Okanagan, and about the wines themselves. We culminated our event with a reception in the garden, a stunning backdrop and some delicious charcuterie and pizza plates. We couldn’t have asked for a better day, the sun was shining and we all agreed that we can’t wait to come together again for our 2nd annual Kelowna visit. It was well worth it to have had this chance to connect with our members from the Interior.
A reminder of future events:
Oct. 6th, our annual Round Table takes place. We are currently looking for sponsors, speakers and topics.
