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Board of Directors

 

Interested in becoming a director?

As a member-owned and operated organization, the leadership from a knowledgeable and skilled Board is vital to Sunrise’s commitment to excellence through good governance. Learn more about becoming a director below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A DIRECTOR 

Director FAQ's

An effective director must understand the Credit Union's strategies, plans, and policies and acquire skills for decision making, planning, and policymaking and oversee the Credit Union's performance.

Individual Directors on the Board each play a vital role in the operation of the Board as a whole. Sunrise supports and encourages a well-diversified Board with Directors from various demographics, experiences, and qualities. As an aggregate, the Board should reflect the demographic makeup of Sunrise’s membership.

The successful application of credit union principles requires high standards of personal conduct. Adherence to these principles discourages:

  1. Use of credit union position for personal advantages.
  2. Engaging in any activity harmful to the best interest of the credit union.
  3. Persons or groups from acquiring or exercising influence in a credit union for purposes that are incompatible with credit union objectives.

Persons employed by or elected to leadership positions in credit unions obligate themselves to gain sufficient understanding and skill to carry out their duties well and to strive to increase their education.

Serving on Sunrise’s Board of Directors requires a considerable time commitment from the individual Directors. To do it well, expect to spend about 120+ hours per year in meetings, plus 120+ hours per year in preparation time. There is a fair amount of material to read and study before each meeting. Directors must do their homework and come to meetings prepared.

All new directors must complete the Credit Union Directors Achievement Program within two years of election which includes levels A,B,& C. In addition, the Accreditation exam is to be completed by the end of the Director’s first term.

As a board that is a committed to continuous learning and growth Directors are expected to participate in additional training as required.

Honorarium and meeting fees are paid to the elected Board of Directors.  For more information, contact the Nomination Committee Chair by emailing elections@sunrisecu.mb.ca

Attendance is crucial at all meetings and events. The following are required activities:

  • monthly Board meetings
  • quarterly committee meetings
  • semiannual Strategic planning session weekend
  • self-directed Director training and conference

While Sunrise welcomes anyone who meets the qualifications to run for a seat on the Board, there are a set of ideal skills and attributes that contribute to an effective Board team.

The ideal skills and attributes required for each member of the Board recognize that to achieve its mission, the Board itself should reflect the communities that it serves.

Competency Definition
Strategic Thinking Experience and ability to think strategically. Ability to relate external business and environmental conditions to Sunrise Credit Union’s operations.
Objectivity Draws conclusion by impartial evaluation of other perspectives and views without prejudice or bias.
Effective Judgement Applies common sense, measured reasoning, knowledge, and experience to come to a conclusion.
Group Decision-Making Can identify and diminish group think tendencies and recognize decision-making biases in board discussion. Ability to accept and promote board decisions. Assists the board to move towards consensus.
Initiative Grasps opportunities and proactively ensures that neither issues nor people are forgotten or overlooked.
Personal Commitment Demonstrated interest in the success of Sunrise Credit Union and ability to be an ambassador. This includes a willingness to conduct the majority of financial business with Sunrise and to assist with business and membership development.
Integrity Trustworthy and conscientious and can be relied upon to act and speak with consistency and honesty.
Knowledge of buinsses, the financial services industry, and/or community issues. Understands regional community issues, Sunrise Credit Union’s core business and the financial services industry.
Communication

Gives and receives information with clarity, attentiveness, understanding and perception. Readily contributes to group discussion in a productive way.

 

Meet The Board

Sunrise Credit Union’s Board of Directors are elected by the members in a democratic one-member, one-vote system for a three-year term, up to a maximum of four consecutive terms. In addition to attending regular board meetings, each Director serves on a committee that assists the Board in its governance.
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District 1

 With a passion for rural development, volunteerism, and community leadership, Carissa Caruk-Ganczar has dedicated her career and volunteer service toward working with organizations who are committed to the growth and sustainability of rural communities.

Carissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Agroecology from the University of Manitoba and a Rural Development Diploma from Assiniboine Community College. Carissa has over 20 years of experience working in rural community economic development, entrepreneurship, and small business support, and has been involved with a wide variety of initiatives across the region.

Carissa owns Flourish Leadership Development, a consulting business specializing in leadership development, community engagement, and capacity building services for non-profit organizations. In addition to running her own business, Carissa has worked for the City of Dauphin, Province of Manitoba, Community Futures Parkland, Parkland Chamber of Commerce, and other non-profit organizations.

In 2022, Carissa received the Business Person of the Year Award from the Parkland Chamber of Commerce and was nominated for the 2022 Award of Distinction from the Economic Developers Association of Manitoba.

Committed to lifelong learning, Carissa is continuously challenging herself with new opportunities to learn and grow. She spends her spare time volunteering, traveling with her family, and enjoying summers in Riding Mountain National Park. 

Carissa lives in Dauphin with her husband Steve Ganczar and their school-aged daughter. They own and operate a small grain farm in the RM of Dauphin.


Agnes was elected to the Sunrise Credit Union Board of Directors on January 1, 2019, and has previously served as Chair. She loves the challenge of contributing meaningfully to this well-organized and highly effective board.

Agnes had previously served as a director for the legacy Strathclair Credit Union for 15 years. She received the Canadian Credit Union Directors’ Association Certification. Completed the CUES Governance Leadership Institute program through the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto). In addition, Agnes completed several courses through Governance Solutions including Covid, Culture and the Board and Financial Governance for Non-Financial Leaders.

Agnes was born and raised on a dairy farm in the Netherlands. There, she received her diploma (top honours) from a business school (Detailhandel). Agnes is also a certified Chiropodist in the Netherlands. She speaks fluent Dutch.

In 1979, she immigrated to Canada with her husband, Paul. Together they established and successfully ran a retail/service store in Shoal Lake until Paul's retirement in 2018.

In 2005, Agnes realized her dream to become a licensed realtor and continues to have a successful career with Century 21 Westman Realty Ltd., based in Brandon. Her passion is providing exceptional personalized service to her clients. She is thrilled to have achieved Centurion status 12 times and placed in Canada's top 75 realtors multiple times. In addition, the Century 21 Hall of Fame inducted Agnes in 2014.

In addition to supporting several outreach and volunteer programs, Agnes faithfully served as a deacon for the Shoal Lake Baptist Church from 2008 to 2020.

Agnes is an avid reader, is creative, and loves exploring/traveling when time permits. She and Paul enjoy spending time with friends, family, and especially their precious four young grandchildren!

Agnes brings integrity, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude to all aspects of her life.

Scott Thompson co-operates a grain and forage seed production farm with his father on their family farm west of Minnedosa. Scott completed his Bachelor of Science, majoring in Agronomy at the University of Manitoba in 2009 and began farming with his dad that summer. He also attended U of M the following two winter semesters with a focus on finance and accounting.

In 2012, he married his wife, Brandi, who works as an Ultrasound Technologist with Shared Health Services at the Neepawa Health Centre. They live in the home they built on the farm with their two young daughters. Scott sat on the Minnedosa Credit Union board for six years and was vice chair in the final year before the amalgamation with Sunrise Credit Union. In his spare time, he is busy with kids and sports in the summer and at the hockey rink in the winter. He also enjoys travelling to foreign countries and learning about their culture and way of life.

Doug Van Damme grew up in Southern Manitoba and worked on his family’s farm. Upon graduating from High School, Doug attended Brandon University, where he earned his B.SC (80), B.ED (83) and Masters of Education in 2001. After graduating from university in 1983, he began his 32-year teaching career, with the last 23 years in The Pas as a school administrator. Throughout his career, Doug has been active in teacher and principal organizations at both the local and provincial levels. Doug served as a Director on the Council of School Leaders of MTS and its predecessor, the Manitoba Association of Principals, for numerous years.

After long successful careers working as educators in Northern Manitoba, Doug and his wife, Valerie, moved back to her hometown of Laurier in 2016.

Since joining the Sunrise Board of Directors in 2019, Doug has shown his commitment by graduating from the Credit Union Director Accreditation Program and the Rotman School of Management Institute Levels 1 & 2.  He is dedicated to making positive, meaningful contributions to this well-organized and highly effective board. Doug intends to continue serving the region with the same integrity and honesty he demonstrated throughout his professional career and volunteer work.

In addition to serving on the Sunrise Credit Union Board of Directors, Doug has kept busy as a volunteer and treasurer for the local Senior Centre.  He also worked as a substitute teacher for the Turtle River School Division until 2020. Doug has volunteered with the Canadian Red Cross during regional disasters and on the Personal Disaster Assistance Team in the Dauphin Region.  He assists on his relatives’ farm as an equipment operator during the planting and harvesting seasons.

Doug enjoys gardening, cycling, hiking, golfing, cross-country skiing, and curling. He has had a long association with the Credit Union System as a member in Laurier, The Pas, and he served as a director for the legacy Prairie Mountain Credit Union. Doug joined the Sunrise Credit Union Board of Directors on April 1st, 2019, and is currently a member of the Nomination Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

District 2

Fred graduated with a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba in 1982 and worked in the Ag Credit field for 12 years, starting as an Ag Loans officer with the Virden Credit Union. He then moved to MASC, where he finished his off-farm employment as a Credit Manager. Fred began full time farming in 1994, operating a pedigreed seed farm with his in-laws near Reston.

The business has grown to include his children and their youthful enthusiasm and energy, which will continue a prosperous future for the family farm. Through the years, he has been fortunate to serve on the Board of Directors for Canterra Seeds, Manitoba Pulse Growers and Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers in addition to local community groups. The skills that he has learned in these positions have proven to be useful while serving on the Sunrise Credit Union board.
 
 

Carol Hodgson was elected to the Sunrise Credit Union Board of Directors in 2023, after many years of membership.

At 19 years of age, Carol began running her own business before pursuing a career in education. She started teaching at Crocus Plains High School at the age of 24, and retired from teaching in 2014, which is when she began her career in real estate. Carol has strong foundation in accounting and payroll from her years of bookkeeping for her family farm, and the two businesses her children own.

Organization plays a key role in Carol’s day-to-day life, making her an asset to Sunrise Credit Union’s Board of Directors.


 
 
 
 
 

Daryll Logeot has been a Sunrise board member since it formed in 2008. Before this, he sat on the board of Hartney Credit Union from 2002 up to the amalgamation. He has taken numerous training sessions to upgrade his understanding as a credit union director along the way.

He is the owner/operator of DL Consulting, an independent agrology firm which he started in 2003. Before that, he worked two years for an agrology firm called Crop Tech after working 11 years for Agricore and one of its parent companies, Manitoba Pool Elevators. He also worked for four years as a seasonal employee for United Grain Growers beginning in 1985. Daryll earned the accredited designation of Certified Crop Advisor for the Prairie Provinces region in 1997 and has maintained that certification to the present day.

Daryll and his family operate a small beef operation, and from 1990 to 2011 ran a herd of Purebred Angus cattle under D-Bar Angus. Daryll served on numerous boards within the livestock industry, most notably, six years on the Manitoba Angus Association board, of which he was president for three years ending in 2002. The registered herd was dispersed in the fall of 2011, but they still maintain a small herd of commercial cattle. He and his family are quite active within the community as well.

Daryll completed the CUES Governance Leadership Institute at the Joesph L. Rotman School of Management, earning a CCUD (Certified Credit Union Director) designation.

Jan has been a credit union director for nearly two decades. She served on the amalgamation committee, which was responsible for bringing five credit unions together to form Sunrise Credit Union.

Jan has several years of experience as a small business owner in conjunction with her spouse, where she was responsible for bookkeeping, inventory control and payroll.

She has 23 years of provincial government service, including 13 years as an administrative assistant and 10 in inspection services for the Petroleum Branch, where she was the first woman to serve in this position in the province. As an administrative assistant, she developed several significantly simplified reporting procedures and computerized the record-keeping function by writing programming. As a Petroleum Inspector, she licensed all provincial oil flow lines, developed guidelines for land use concerning mud spreading, over-seeing all oil industry activity in the regulatory capacity, and seconded as a Workplace Safety and Health officer about worker safety in the oil field. She also assisted in the development/revision of the Petroleum Regulations under The Oil and Gas Act.

Jan has several years’ experience chairing major community committees, including Centennial celebrations, School Reunion, the Deloraine and Area Christmas Cheer, Church Board, Westman Heritage Inc., Canada 150 Party, etc. She is active on many additional committees, including the local Palliative Care, Chamber of Commerce, Museum, Parent Council, Fitness Centre, Provincial & local hockey & ball tournaments.

Currently, Jan is self-employed in the healing & coaching industry and employed on a casual basis with Wright’s Auction Service. She is also a Trustee and the Administrator for Lowe McClelland Family Trust, and a director for 4785691 Manitoba Ltd, a holding company.

Jan completed the CUES Governance Leadership Institute at the Joesph L. Rotman School of Management, earning a CCUD (Certified Credit Union Director) designation. She also completed the Brown Governance Board Competencies course as well as the CUES 2017 Board Chair Development Course.

District 3

Craig spent 33 years as a public school teacher and was active with the Manitoba Teachers’ Society in various capacities, including sitting on the MTS Provincial Executive. He was a director of the Tiger Hills Credit Union from 1993 to 2008 and Reeve of the RM of South Norfolk and the amalgamated municipality of Norfolk Treherne for eight years. Craig has been the Chair or Co-chair of the Boyne Valley Water Initiative for more than 20 years. He is also Chair of South Norfolk-Treherne Non-Profit Housing Inc., sits on the MNT Community Development Corporation Board, and regularly volunteers in his community.

Craig’s experience with past amalgamations, governance development, and personnel issues aid him in being a productive board member. He likes being part of a consensus-driven Sunrise Credit Union Board of Directors, where members’ financial needs are satisfied with recognition of social responsibility. Craig has completed the Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA®) training. Continuing education and training remain Craig’s priorities. He has recently completed a dozen courses from the CCUA Campus and participated in the Directors’ Forums and the CUES Digital High-Performance series. Craig has also attended the Rotman School of Management Program and the 2024 CCUA National Conference for Canada’s Credit Unions.

The Guild Insurance Group employs Gord as a Life Insurance Advisor. He has 40 years of experience in various accounting and administration roles, including for a large public utility, a private business conglomerate, a not-for-profit agency, and as CAO of a rural municipality for 20 years. He grew up on a small mixed farm and has been involved with many local sports teams and community groups. He currently lives in his hometown of Baldur. 
   
  
  
 
 
 
   
   
       

Steve Langston is an entrepreneur from Onanole, Manitoba. He holds an Accounting Diploma from Assiniboine and a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge. 

Steve, owns and operates Dirty T-Shirt Productions since 2010, a video production and marketing company with clients across North America. Steve and his wife are the founders of Langston Lane Ltd., a real estate investment company that focuses on revitalizing communities in western Manitoba. Langston is proud to serve his community as a Municipal Councillor in Harrison Park and a Director at Dauphin’s Countryfest.

In 2020, the Langston family and a group of dedicated community members established the SCORE Store Inc. This non-profit thrift shop, located in Erickson, MB, has been a beacon of positive change, driving over 1 million dollars of investment in the region and fostering numerous social benefits. 

Langston firmly believes that rural Manitoba offers abundant business opportunities and an impressive quality of life. He is proud to be a Director at Sunrise because of the organization’s impact on the communities we serve.

Glenn has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (B.Sc.A.) and has owned and operated a grains and oilseeds farm in the Cypress River & Holland area. In addition, he ran an agri-business consulting enterprise dealing in farm management analysis and taxation. That experience enabled him to work for 22 years for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) as a farm management analyst. Glenn's long-standing belief in the value agriculture brings to our economy was instrumental in becoming a founding member of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), the Manitoba general farm policy organization.

Glenn was a board member of Cypress River Credit Union from 1980 -1989, then from 1995 to 2008, serving as Chair from 1995 to 2008. He has been a board member of Sunrise Credit Union since 2008 and currently serves as Chair until April of 2022. In addition, he has completed the CUES Governance Leadership Institute course offered by the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management.

He has served as a District delegate to Manitoba Pool Elevators from 1984 to 1994, served as a delegate to the Co-operators Group from 2006 to 2020, and served as an Executive Member of Keystone Agricultural Producers for 12 years, four as Vice President.

Glenn has served as Manitoba's producer representative on the National NISA Committee (NNC) from 1998-2002. He has served as Manitoba's producer representative on the National CAIS Committee (NCC) from 2003- 2008 and as Chair of the CAIS & Agri-Stability Appeals Committee from 2005 to the present. In addition, Glenn served as Chair of the Manitoba Agri-Recovery Appeals Committee for flood programs supported by Agri-Recovery in 2011 and 2014. He also served as a Director on the Aquanty Project steering committee.

Glenn completed the CUES Governance Leadership Institute at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, earning a CCUD (Certified Credit Union Director) designation.