Rita Parikh appointed chair of Vancity’s Board of Directors
January 11, 2023, Territories of Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations/Vancouver B.C. –Vancity is pleased to announce, effective January 1, 2023, Rita Parikh has assumed the role of Chair of Vancity’s Board of Directors. Appointed in accordance with Vancity’s guidelines, Rita replaces Anita Braha who has served as chair of the board since May 2021.
Rita has been a Vancity board director since 2016 and has served in several key leadership roles during her tenure including Vice Chair, Chair of the Governance Committee and Chair of the Equity and People Committee.
Rita brings to the leadership position more than two decades of governance, fiscal management and social justice work. She has been the Chair and/or a director of the boards of national and provincial co-ops, as well as of Oxfam Canada, the Vancity Community Foundation, Canadian Parents for French, and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Society. Rita is also a seasoned executive within the non-profit community, having served as the Executive Director of the Nursing Community Assessment Service within the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, and of Pacific Peoples’ Partnership and Canadian Parents for French (BC & Yukon). Through her leadership roles, Rita has moved organizations through long-term visioning and strategic planning and provided oversight to organizations with billions of dollars in assets.
“With Rita’s extensive board experience, breadth of organizational knowledge and investment in community, we consider her an outstanding choice to take on the role of chair of the board,” said Joel DeYoung, board vice chair. “We are excited about her leadership.”
Outgoing board chair Anita Braha has served almost 12 years as a director, in addition to previously serving as board chair from 2016-2019. Anita will continue as a director until the AGM in May, when she will leave following completion of her maximum number of terms.
The new board chair commented on Anita’s tenure: “Anita has led with tremendous courage, wisdom, empathy, and insight through some of the most challenging years in Vancity’s history. She has played a key role in ensuring Vancity remains a powerful financial force for change. We will miss her humour and boldness.”
Rita said: "We thank Anita for her significant leadership and service as board chair and during her tenure as a director and we are delighted to have her continue to serve for this remaining term."
About Vancity
Vancity is a values-based financial co-operative serving the needs of its more than 560,000 member-owners and their communities, with offices and more than 50 branches located in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria, Squamish and Alert Bay, within the territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw people. With $33 billion in assets plus assets under administration, Vancity is Canada’s largest community credit union. Vancity uses its assets to help improve the financial well-being of its members while at the same time helping to develop healthy communities that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.