Summer 2007 - The Alpine Club of Canada

New ACC Executive Director “exactly what the Club needs”
BY LYNN MARTEL
Even before Lawrence White took
over the position of Alpine Club
of Canada Executive Director
in early May from Bruce Keith, who
retired after 12 years in the role, he was
looking forward to the challenge of
trying to attract a broader membership
demographic to the 100-year-old
not–for-profi t organization.
And, White believes his own youth
should go a long way in letting the
public know the ACC is not a staid or
hardcore–focussed group.
“My primary goal is to continue along
with the work Bruce has initiated already,
and to soak up as
much as I can from
the leadership of the
Club, gain from their
mentorship,” said
White, 33.
“My next goal is to
fi nd ways to appeal to
another demographic
– a younger crowd
who is reluctant to get
involved in clubs and
charities. I hope I can show them that
I’m young, I volunteer and lead trips and
I’m involved at the Club’s section level. I
hope the public will see there are other
people out there in senior roles who are
still active and involved in the Club. If
the public went to meetings, they might
see the variety the ACC has to off er,
that we run trips with everything from
snowshoeing to mountain bike rides to
advanced mountaineering.”
White joined the ACC while living in
Vancouver in 1999, when he was 25. From
then his interest was piqued.
“It was an outdoor recreation
organization I wanted to get involved
with,” White said. “I felt it was a
club I could gain knowledge from. I
wanted to get involved in the outdoor
mountaineering community, and I found
the ACC on line.”
With a population of over two
million, Vancouver has just 600 ACC
members, a fact that can make fi nding
partners for mountaineering activities
challenging, he said.
“Th ere’s not much presence there,
that’s something I’d like to change,”
White said.
Lawrence has a lot of experience
running both the activities and facilities
areas of the Alpine Club of Canada.
His level of enthusiasm and eff ort for
everything he does is second to none. His
love and respect for the mountains ensures
that he will represent the ACC and its
members to the best of his ability. We’re
lucky to have him as Executive Director.
—Cam Roe, ACC President
In 2000, while studying tourism
management at Capilano College in
North Vancouver, White accepted a
three-month student practicum position
with the Club at its Canmore head offi ce.
“It seemed like a natural progression,
wanting to learn more about the nonprofi
t environment, and the ACC, and
what it did out this way,” White said.
When a full time position became
available not long afterward, White
quickly accepted the Club’s off er and
moved to Canmore. His partner, Corina
Strim, followed, relocating her business,
Music Magic, teaching music to children
and adults.
Now after fi ve
years with the
ACC, White said
he feels the timing
is perfect for him
to take on the
Executive Director
role.
“I felt the
timing was
appropriate,”
White said. “I’ve been employed by the
Club in all areas in the fi ve years that
I’ve been here. I came in at entry level,
then middle management, then up to
senior management. And I looked at
it as, if not now, then when? And right
now, the environment of the Club is very
attractive. If it was in disarray of any kind,
or if there was any sense of instability,
I would have thought twice about it.
But the volunteer base is so strong,
and we have an incredibly supportive
Executive Committee. Th e leadership of
the Executive Committee is incredibly
encouraging. I think from the Club’s
perspective the change will be relatively
seamless, with the excellent support
structure and networks already in place. I
think that speaks volumes about Bruce’s
leadership too.”
Passing his desk on to White, Keith
also said he felt White is the right person
at the right time.
“Lawrence is exactly what the Club
needs in an Executive Director,” Keith
said. “An ability to see the big picture,
together with a willingness to roll up his
sleeves and get the job done. Th e ACC is
fortunate to have him. I think he’s got all
Lawrence getting the job done at the Fay Hut
reconstruction site
the qualities and potential the Club needs
as it enters its second century. Great
energy, new ideas, great sense of humour
and commitment.”
Th at energy and commitment is a
two-way street, White said, something
he aims to reveal to younger mountain
enthusiasts who for the most part seem
reluctant or disinterested in joining clubs
or volunteering their time and skills.
“Maybe they just don’t realize how
much you can get out of belonging to
an organization and volunteering –
especially one that does such cool things,”
White said. “You really can get a lot out
of the ACC, depending on what you
put into it. I’ve put a lot in, and I know
you can get a lot out of it. Th e challenge
is appealing to a broader demographic.
Th ere are no easy solutions, but the
electronic media off ers lots of potential.
I have no magic bullet, I hope people in
that demographic can look to me as a role
model – as a professional, a volunteer and
a mountaineer.”
Reprinted with permission from the
Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Alpine Club of Canada ● Gazette ● SUMMER 2007 5