Top of the Line Catering

Top of the Line Catering evolved from a home-based business to a catering company serving the larger area known as the Lakes District. Owners, Carmen Charlie and Shauna Alec trained at the Dubrulle Art Institute of Vancouver before moving back home to Burns Lake to partner up, and start the business they named Top of the Line Catering. Since then, Top of the Line Catering has bridged many artificial lines in their community thanks to their talents and ability to engage employees. Prior to COVID-19, Top of the Line Catering filled a gap in the community enabling it to host large events such as the Lake Babine General Assembly, BC Community Forest AGM, Aboriginal Days and BC Bike Ride during which Carmen and Shaun were able to showcase Indigenous cuisine to riders from across the globe. Top of the Line Catering is adapting its service model and future plans include opening a store front cafe.

Michael Barton & Mari Fujita

Michael Barton and Mari Fujita are multidisciplinary designers who share backgrounds in art, film making, and architecture. Through their roles in the design practice Maiku Brando, they endeavour to produce delightful and useful human-scale products.

Michael and Mari aim to share a feeling of joy through design. Their practice is focused on the development of inventive and elegant design solutions, while seeking the potential for their designs to deliver a greater impact. They apply traditional and emerging technologies and materials in novel ways, while constantly questioning conventional industry practices and production methods.

Their design practice stands out as symbolic of the times we are in. The pandemic demands a practical response – and their face mask design unites functionality with extreme comfort, unique graphics, and an ethos of care. Each product is designed, hand dyed, hand printed, and hand sewn in Vancouver, transcending the medium. Genuine practical and psychological needs are met by their product: people need PPE and they also needed to feel uplifted. Maiku Brando strives to give both. “When society is faced with challenges, it is time to double our commitment to the acts which elevate us.” — Michael Barton

Carol Anne Hilton, MBA

Carol Anne Hilton, MBA is the CEO and Founder of the The Indigenomics Institute and the Global Center of Indigenomics. Carol Anne is a dynamic national Indigenous leader and senior advisor with an international Masters Degree in Business Management (MBA) from the University of Hertfordshire, England. She is of Nuu chah nulth descent from the Hesquiaht Nation on Vancouver Island Carol Anne has led the establishment of a line of thought called #indigenomics – the building and strengthening of Indigenous economies and is the author of ‘IndigenomicsTaking A Seat at the Economic Table’ 

Carol Anne was a founding Director of the BC First Nations Health Authority and has also served on the BC Emerging Economy Task Force, the BC Indigenous Business and Investment Council, and the Canadian Economic Growth Council. She is a Director on the McGill University Institute for the Study of Canada, the BC Digital Supercluster and is an adjunct professor at Royal Roads University School of Business 

Carol Anne is a highly sought after advisor, strategist, facilitator and speaker. Her work has been recognized with an “Outstanding Business Achievement” Award from BC Achievement in 2013, a ‘Creating Wealth Award’ from the National Indigenous Council of Elders, a ’Business of the Year Award” from the Nuu chah nulth Economic Development Corporation and most recently the national Excellence in Aboriginal Relations Award from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.  

Benjamin Kikkert

Benjamin Kikkert is a hot glass and mixed media artist whose work explores themes of landscape and history through cultural, industrial and impressionist artifact. The vibrant and gritty textures of this work at once evoke senses of familiarity and discovery within the viewer. Collections document specific places and can include work installed in situ, with past projects including expeditions to the high Arctic, Newfoundland and Georgian Bay to name a few.

Working from his studio, Vancouver Studio Glass on Granville Island, Benjamin offers the public an “open kitchen” approach to a professional glassblowing studio. Contemporary custom glass design and traditional craftsmanship are presented together with ever changing variety. His goal is to offer the visitor an original experience with each visit to his studio, and to share his passion for the possibilities of glass.

Karen Konzuk

Through a studied use of clean lines and an unwavering commitment to a minimalist aesthetic, Karen’s studio, KONZUK has developed a renowned modern line of handcrafted concrete jewellery for the contemporary design lover. Her wearable architecture is artfully constructed from the meaningful use of industrial materials inspired by her appreciation of the west coast landscape and the majestic sky.

Karen has garnered international attention including being invited in 2019 to develop an official jewellery collection by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation on Wright’s works. She has retailed in internationally recognized museums and art galleries such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Guggenheim, NYC—and closer to home, at the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Polygon Gallery.

Karen has recently expanded her designs to include household objects that evolve the striking aesthetic of her jewellery pieces into a series of extraordinary objects that bring a sense of drama to the living space.

Nancy Bryant

Nancy Bryant is an established costume designer who has worked creatively with various dance, theatre, opera and film directors internationally and across Canada. Vancouver has been her home for the last 40 years. Her work with choreographer Crystal Pite has had much notoriety in Europe, USA and across Canada as well as theatre projects with Morris Panych and Kim Collier locally, for the Shaw Festival and Canadian Stage. She is known to bring her unique vision to every project she works on, while maintaining a collaborative approach. Her attention to detail has brought her numerous awards for costume design including Jessie Richardson theatre awards, the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award, a Leo (film) Award and two Olivier Awards.

In addition, Nancy has worked with the Paris Opera, The Royal Ballet (London), The Netherlands Dance Theatre, the Zurich Opera Ballet, the Monte-Carlo Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet  BC and the National Ballet of Canada  and  designed for theatre directors and artists such as Stan Douglas (Helen Lawrence), Morris Panych for many of his productions (including The Overcoat) and Kim Collier and Jonathon Young (Tear the Curtain) of the Electric Company. Her involvement with each of her creations and the actors who wear them is legendary, “She has been known to stand backstage during a dress rehearsal, sewing costume pieces onto actors as they walk onstage.” — Morris Panych, director and playwright.

Jeff Martin

Jeff Martin is a furniture designer and collaborator. His studio, Jeff Martin Joinery, explores research-based design that creates beautiful, interesting and high-quality furniture with sales across Canada, US and Europe. One of his studio’s philosophies is that beauty is inherently a characteristic of how interesting something presents. Never one to remain with a single medium, Jeff has expanded his practice to experimental glass blowing, focusing on cork molded, mouth blown collectible glass vessels.

Jeff has recently moved to a large production facility based out of Vancouver’s 1000 Parker Street studio which serves as a showroom and makes space for other designers to help promote their work. It is in keeping with Jeff’s mentorship to younger artists and designers along with his determination to collect and promote their work that makes him a force within the design community.

Nupqu Resource Limited Partnership

Nupqu Resource Limited Partnership (Nupqu) specializes in natural resource management consulting and contracting services within the Ktunaxa Traditional Territory. Nupqu (the Ktunaxa word for black bear) is proudly owned by all communities of the Ktunaxa Nation. From vegetation management and invasive plant control, to full-scale forestry development, wildfire risk mitigation, water science, fisheries, archeology and native plants, Nupqu is a trusted advisor to its clients which range from resource-based industrial clients to the provincial government to local communities. Nupqu provides first aid medics and emergency transportation vehicles, and an experienced prime contractor oversees construction site safety, procurement, and project management. With offices in Cranbrook and Fernie, Nupqu offers a wide variety of employment opportunities for Ktunaxa Nation members and non-Ktunaxa citizens.

Lil'wat Holdings Limited Partnership

Lil’wat Holdings Limited Partnership is the holding company for all of the operating companies of the Lil’wat Nation (DBA Lil’wat Business Group) and includes: Lil’wat Retail Operations LP, Lil’wat Forestry Ventures LP, Lil’wat Construction Enterprises LP, Lil’wat Capital Assets LP, and Lil’wat Management Services LP. Lil’wat Holdings has been instrumental in bringing broadband services to the Nation and in helping acquire forestry rights so that the Nation can control its valuable natural resources and dictate logging activities. In 2009 the Nation opened a full-service grocery store (Tsípun Supermarket at Xetólacw) in Mount Currie to provide fresh, consistent, food supplies and retail work opportunities and training. It also offers financial and advisory support to community members, and its gas station (Lil’wat Station) has become a meeting and gathering place. Future plans include the construction of a new gas station in Whistler, BC along with a mixed use commercial/residential development in Whistler, expansion of their commercial core in Mount Currie and further residential development in both Whistler and Pemberton.

Alkali Resource Management Ltd.

Alkali Resource Management Ltd. (ARM) is an integrated forest management company established in 2001 to manage the forest licenses, woodlot and community forest on behalf of Esk’etemc (formerly Alkali Lake Indian Band). ARM blends traditional land management practices with the latest technologies. 100% owned by the Esk’etemc people, ARM’s mission is to manage Esk’etemc forest resources ensuring a balance of economic, social and environmental benefits for Esk’etemc members, other forest users and neighbouring communities. ARM is committed to ensuring employment opportunities for community members and leads the way in the industry through implementing traditional wildfire management practices.