Voting is now open!

Jocelyn Tratch

Sasktoon, SK

Independent Consultant

Education: Bachelor of Science (Hons.) , Project Management Professional (PMP), Licensed Scrum Master, Certified Professional Innovator, Information Technology Professional

Affinity Credit Union’s commitment to fostering financial well-being, community impact, and co-operative values aligns closely with my personal and professional principles. I am passionate about leveraging my expertise in business transformation, strategic innovation, and governance to contribute meaningfully to Affinity’s mission of connecting people and communities to financial possibilities. Serving on the board offers a unique opportunity to guide impactful decisions that benefit members and their communities.

My background demonstrates a robust combination of skills and experiences that align with Affinity’s needs:

Human Resources and Compensation: While I have not held direct roles in Human Resources, I have led leadership development initiatives and spearheaded change management efforts to support shifts in strategic direction and the adoption of new ways of working. Additionally, I have supported staff through transitions such as mergers, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

Information Technology: My knowledge of emerging technologies positioned me well to lead technology-driven innovation programs, and enhancing digital capabilities to meet evolving regulatory and operational needs. Initiatives like enterprise-wide agile adoption and technology governance programs underscore my ability to bridge IT solutions with organizational objectives.

Business Growth and Transformation: I am experienced in large-scale mergers and acquisitions, including serving as the sell-side lead in a $500 million bank acquisition. My strategic leadership includes designing and implementing memberfocused service delivery strategies to meet growth objectives. My work developing innovation frameworks has enabled organizations to navigate disruption, execute brand strategies, and foster a culture of adaptability and resilience.

I bring substantial boardroom experience, having led workshops and provided guidance to board and executive management teams. My strategic vision and collaborative approach ensure alignment with organizational goals. My role in designing governance frameworks and overseeing critical decisions positions me to offer valuable insights and enhance Affinity’s governance capacity.

Throughout my career, I have demonstrated leadership by uniting cross-functional teams, driving strategic goals, and cultivating a results-driven culture. As a senior leader in mergers and acquisitions, strategic management, and innovation, I have consistently influenced positive outcomes, ensuring alignment with organizational missions and values.

My professional journey includes:

• Leadership roles in major Canadian banks, including Equitable Bank and Concentra Bank.
• Professional designations: Project Management Professional (PMP), Licensed Scrum Master (LSM), and Certified Professional Innovator (CPI).
• Volunteer engagements in community initiatives.

As a woman with a diverse professional background spanning industries, geographies, and cultures, I offer unique perspectives to Affinity’s board. My commitment to inclusive innovation and engagement with diverse stakeholder groups aligns with Affinity’s focus on equity, inclusion, and member-centricity.

Raegan Wheler

Warman, SK

Managing Director, Corporate Development Graham

Education: Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Executive Master of Business Administration, Professional Engineer, Project Management Professional (PMP), Gold Seal Certified Project Manager

I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in serving on the Affinity Board of Directors. I have been a credit union member since I was a kid, it was where I got my first bank account, at the River Heights branch in Saskatoon; it is a wellrun institution that has served me well.

I came across your posting on LinkedIn and couldn’t believe the perfect timing of the opportunity, I am currently in my last month of completing an Executive MBA at the Ivey Business School and have been contemplating what challenge to take on with my new knowledge (and to make the best use of the extra 20 hours per week of study time soon to be gone from my calendar!). The topics covered in my MBA courses included the latest in AI innovations, technology risk management, strategy, board governance, and executive compensation alignment with strategy to name but a few.

My current role as a Managing Director of Corporate Development at Graham, where I work integrally with the C-Suite and Executive Leadership Team, has honed my skills in the areas of Business Growth and Transformation, including identifying and analyzing growth opportunities both organically and through M&A and leading strategic change, which align well to the skills currently being sought for the Affinity Board.

Graham is a large, complex organization, with offices throughout North America, with +$4 billion in annual revenue it is one of the largest construction companies in Canada. It’s an employee-owned organization so has a similar “memberfocused” ethos in alignment with the co-operative model that Affinity has.

I have previously served as a Director on the Board of YWCA Saskatoon and for the Community Service Village. I am particularly committed to ensuring that the Board’s decisions always reflect the co-operative principle of concern for community, which was also one of the strategic priorities at the Y.

Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated strong leadership qualities. As a Project Manager at Graham for many years, I led large, high-performing teams, on complex projects fostering a results-orientated collaborative environment that aligned with the values of openness, honesty, and inclusivity. As a Professional Engineer registered with APEGS I uphold the high ethical standards required by our association.

As a female engineer in a male-dominated industry there have been many times in my career when I am the only woman in the room, this has made me a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, particularly for women in non-traditional fields.

I am confident that my skills, experience, and deep-seated belief in the co-operative values that underpin Affinity’s mission would make me a valuable asset to the Board of Directors.

Kurt Holfeuer

Saskatoon, SK

Retired

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Master of Arts, Credit Union Director Achievement Program, Certified Credit Union Director (CUDA), Audit Committee Certificate Program

For nine years I have had the privilege of serving as a director on the Board of Affinity Credit Union. I came by my interest in credit union governance through over thirty fives years as a member of many cooperatives including Saskatoon Co-op, Affinity Credit Union, Saskatoon Credit Union and the Saskatoon Community Clinic. I have also had the good fortune of working in the Co‑operative Financial sector for over thirty years. I am committed to co-operative values, including the credit union focus on helping members attain their financial goals and their communities achieving social and economic sustainability. I am proud of the positive impact cooperatives have had on our province and wish to ensure the continuation of this focus as a director for Affinity.

I have over fourteen years executive management responsibility and experience for the Information and Technology function at Saskatoon and FirstSask Credit unions. Responsibility included, core banking systems, technology infrastructure, cybersecurity and online banking. I have provided leadership through several digital business transformations, a challenge currently facing many credit unions. I have twenty years of senior and executive management responsibility and experience for all aspects of the Human Resources function at both Co-operative Trust Company of Canada and Saskatoon Credit Union. As a member of the senior leadership team, I have twenty years experience working with and supporting credit union boards of directors.

As an Affinity Director, I have served on the Audit and Finance committee for 7 years, chaired the Risk committee for the past four years and served on both the Human Resources and the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) committees.

I am committed to continuing education and training:

• Graduate of CUDA the national education and accreditation program for Credit Union directors.
• Certified Credit Union Director (CCD) through completion of the Director Leadership program at the University of Toronto.
• Completed the Audit Committee Certificate program offered by the Certified Professional Accountants of Canada.
• Courses including the Boards oversight of Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation and the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence.

My governance experience also includes ten years as director of a not-for-profit organization which provides services and support to emerging theatre artists and producers in Saskatoon.

I believe my commitment to co-operative values, my leadership in both HR and Technology, combined with my board experience and training enables me to provide strategic leadership to Affinity Credit Union as it adapts to changing member needs and effectively meets competitive challenges in the financial services sector.

Noel Voykin

Candle Lake, SK

Chief Executive Officer, Innovation in Industry Ltd.

Education: Bachelor of Engineering

I believe communities work best when community members work together. The Affinity Credit Union’s community-based values closely match my own values. I am a volunteer with the local Fire Department, Medical First Responders and our provincial Search and Rescue chapter. I welcome the opportunity to represent Affinity Credit Union members in a governance role as the organization continues to prioritize the needs of the communities it serves with its impactful community and member initiatives and programs.

I am an executive with experience in the mining and utility industries. I have led large teams both in Canada and internationally. As an executive, I have strived to listen to and work with diverse groups of stakeholders while adapting to many cultures, political environments and industries.

As a mining executive at Cameco Corporation, I participated in multiple due diligence activities in Canadian and international acquisitions. My role included integrating acquisitions with existing operations, resulting in the development of my strong pre-acquisition due diligence process understanding and skills.

As President & CEO of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC), I led the development of a new strategic plan. The plan development required a major transition in business practices for the corporation. I implemented an enterprise risk management system to ensure all significant corporate risks were managed as the transition took place.

Human resource management was highlighted as a key corporate risk in the strategic plan. Under my leadership, a diversity policy was implemented, a succession plan was developed for key positions, a new compensation plan was developed and formal leadership development for senior executives and managers was put into practice. In two years, these changes reduced turnover rates by three per cent, significantly increased diversity in the senior management team to better reflect the demographics of our customer base and reduced union grievances by approximately 50 per cent.

During my time at NTPC, the corporation suffered a significant ransomware attack. During the process of restoring and securing corporate systems, I gained a broad base of knowledge on information technology security practices.

I have served on multiple boards, including Electricity Canada, URTEK, the International Mining Innovation Institute (IMII) and the Highway 394 Water Co-op. During my tenure on the Electricity Canada board, I had the opportunity to sit on national committees and the board executive committee. These roles encouraged learning from fellow Chief Executive Officers and other board members, which inspired me to start a company focussed on Canada’s changing clean energy landscape.

Today, I run a growing company active in Canada’s clean energy transition. Our strategic plan includes equity ownership opportunities in clean energy facilities. We are performing due diligence on several potential opportunities and intend to make an initial investment shortly.

Rish Malhotra

Saskatoon, SK

Executive Vice President, Global Strategic Growth Rekor Systems Inc.

Education:Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Directors Education Program

As a passionate advocate for community-focused leadership, it is a privilege to submit my candidacy for the Board of Directors at Affinity Credit Union (Affinity). My professional background, leadership experience and governance expertise align with Affinity’s values and strategic priorities, equipping me to contribute meaningfully to its continued success.

Saskatchewan’s credit union sector is at a pivotal moment, with recent consolidations highlighting the need for scale to remain competitive amidst increasing regulatory and technological demands. I believe Affinity’s current size and strong market position presents a unique opportunity to lead transformative growth, ensuring its long-term sustainability and reinforcing its reputation as a trusted, innovative financial institution.

With over 20+ years of leadership experience, I specialize in driving business transformation and sustainable growth. As President & CEO of International Road Dynamics Inc. (IRD), I successfully steered the company to global prominence in the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry by developing innovative technologies to enhance safety and sustainability and thereby achieving sustainable business outcomes. Under my leadership, IRD achieved consistent yearover- year organic revenue growth, margin expansion and record profitability. Through $160M+ strategic M&A investments, I helped build an exceptional and profitable industry leader with a long-term, sustainable, competitive and differentiated advantage. Currently, as Executive Vice President, Global Strategic Growth at Rekor Systems, I am scaling operations and driving growth in the rapidly evolving field of roadway intelligence and Edge AI technologies.

Governance has been a cornerstone in my career. I have served on boards of public, private, Crown, and not-for-profit sectors, including as Chair of IRD’s international subsidiaries. My role on the board of the Gordie Howe International Bridge (federal Crown) involved overseeing a $7B+ public-private partnership. My work with organizations such as the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, Hope Restored Canada, and ITS Canada has honed my expertise in financial oversight, strategic planning, and fostering inclusion.

Beyond business growth and transformation, I bring extensive experience in Information Technology, including ERP transformation, cybersecurity, and compliance with regulatory standards such as SOC2 and AES-256 encryption. My expertise in Human Resources and Compensation includes hands-on experience in executive development, succession planning, and aligning compensation frameworks with corporate strategy.

I hold an MBA, the Professional Engineer designation (P.Eng.), and the Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D), providing a robust foundation in governance and leadership. As a Canadian citizen with diverse heritage, I embrace a global perspective and a collaborative, forward-thinking approach.

If elected, I will leverage my leadership experience, strategic expertise, and dedication to community-building to contribute meaningfully to Affinity’s purpose of building a better world, every day.

Thank you for considering my candidacy.

Todd Antill

Saskatoon, SK

Vice President, Registry Operations Information Services Corporation (ISC)

Education:Diploma in Computer Information Systems (Hons), Project Management Professional (PMP), TOGAF Certified Enterprise Architect, Prosci Certified Change Practitioner

I am a proud member of Affinity Credit Union and am aligned with Affinity’s values of community giving and local investment. I see the Affinity Board as a place to apply my knowledge in technology and experience in business and digital transformation, to help guide the future of such an impactful Saskatchewan co-operative financial institution. My nearly 30 years of Information Technology (IT) experience has been focused on business and digital transformation spanning numerous sectors including registry services, mining, industrial manufacturing, telecommunications, and utilities.

As Vice President of Registry Operations for a publicly traded company focused on registry solutions and services, I am the Executive Sponsor for our multi-year business and technology enhancement program. A program designed to offer best-in-class technology, security, and user experience for the major Registries we operate on behalf of the Province of Saskatchewan. Prior to joining this organization, I worked for the world’s largest potash producer, where I was responsible for Potash IT strategy, growth, and delivery; I helped shape and sponsor a Digital Transformation, which delivered tangible safety and productivity improvements across potash operations. Cyber security has been a key focus of my career for the past decade. I’ve helped establish cyber programs focused on enhancing current protocols and standards, including overseeing numerous internal and external cyber security audits, where I was accountable for establishing remediations and strategies to mitigate cyber risk.

Early in my career, I joined a new small business focused on business and technology consulting, proudly headquartered in Regina. I began as the firm’s first employee but was fortunate to buy into the company a few years later and join the corporate Leadership Team. Together we developed a culture that was recognized locally and nationally as a top employer. My twelve years there, helping to expand the company to over 300 employees across western Canada, taught me the challenges and rewards of operating and growing a business in Saskatchewan.

In 2023 I was elected to the Board of Directors for the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, where I currently sit on the Audit & Finance, Governance, and Nominating Committees. I was a Director on the Board of the Saskatchewan Science Center in Regina from 2020 to 2024, where I sat on the Audit & Finance, HR, and Governance committees. Both opportunities helped shape my experience in formal Board governance and collaborating as a team to help the organization achieve results.

Nathaniel Cole

Regina, SK

Strategic Advisor Saskatchewan Federation of Labour

Education:Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Certificate Social Economy and Co-operatives, Professional Director Designation, Credit Union Director Achievement (CUDA)

It’s been a privilege to be on the Affinity board of directors for the past several years, serving a growing credit union that invests in people, businesses, and communities in every corner of the province.

I live in Regina with my partner Garrett, grew up on a farm in the southeast corner, and have lived my whole life in Saskatchewan. I credit our province’s proud history of mutual aid, innovation, and resilience for igniting my passion in cooperatives and community building.

have spent most of my career as a public servant, working at Saskatchewan Parks, Employment & Social Development Canada, and the Legislative Assembly. Presently, I work as the Strategic Advisor to the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour.

I studied at the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan, earning a degree in history and a graduate certificate in social economy and cooperatives. I have completed all three levels of the Credit Union Director Achievement Program, and earned a Finance for Non-financial Professionals certificate from the Ivey Academy at University of Western Ontario. In 2023, I achieved the Professional Director (Pro.Dir.) designation.

I have served on the Affinity Credit Union Board of Directors since 2018. During the last term, I have been honoured to be elevated to positions of board leadership by my peers. I’m particularly proud to have served on the CEO Selection Committee, and led both the Governance and Nominating Committees as they formulated and implemented our present model of governance.

My governance expertise has led me to serve on the boards of provincial political & labour organizations, as well as a condominium corporation.

Information Technology: I have work experience leveraging digital tools and managing data. In response to the growing focus of board oversight, my recent professional development has focused on practical and governance perspectives of artificial intelligence.

Business Growth and Transformation: At work, I’ve helped to future-proof our organization and ensure we meet the needs of our stakeholders in a rapidly-changing environment. My time on Affinity’s board has honed my skills in strategic planning and overseeing growth through a period of significant transformation in the credit union sector.

Human Resources & Compensation: I have experience in collective bargaining, labour relations, and CEO recruitment.