Former Maple Ridge mayor Nicole Read to lead provincial economic development association

Former Maple Ridge mayor Nicole Read will become president and chief executive officer of the B.C. Economic Development Association (BCEDA) on Nov. 1. The association announced the appointment Sept. 24.

Read, who served as Maple Ridge mayor from 2014 to 2018, is currently general manager of Community Futures South Fraser. She said she was honoured and excited to lead BCEDA, a professional association for economic development practitioners in British Columbia, and described economic development as increasingly focused on collaboration, resilience and helping communities and businesses respond to change.

BCEDA board chair Rocio Zielinski said Read brings leadership experience, economic development knowledge and a commitment to communities across the province. Read has been an active member since 2018, participating in programs and economic summits. Her appointment followed a province-wide recruitment, candidate shortlisting, structured interviews and assessments.

Read succeeds Dale Wheeldon, who has led BCEDA since 2007 and will work with her during a transition period to support continuity in the association’s programs, partnerships and operations. In the role, Read will oversee provincial activities, member services, professional development, partnerships, government relations and economic resilience initiatives, including the continuing development and expansion of DisasterSmartBCtm. She will also lead the annual BC Economic Summit and work with the board to strengthen BCEDA’s role as a resource and connector for economic development professionals and communities across British Columbia.