16 December 2024
Doug Ng saw a lot of changes during his nine years on Silvera’s Board.
He recently handed over the reins to Paul Taylor, the Board’s new chairperson.
“The organization has matured,” says Doug. “But while our assets have grown, our core beliefs and culture have remained unchanged.”
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From an asset perspective, the organization has made some positive gains in the past decade. Four properties were added to the portfolio (Westview Residence West, Livingston, Gilchrist and Vista), two closed (Valleyview and Confederation Park) and one underwent a major renovation (Westview Town Suites.) As a result of these developments, Doug says the organization has unlocked the value of its assets.
Doug, who is an accountant and partner with MNP, talks about the professionalism of his Board colleagues, the compensation improvements for employees, the high level of resident satisfaction and the positive relationships with Silvera’s team and government partners and stakeholders as highlights of his years serving Silvera.
“Board members always must keep in mind that the decisions we make or recommendations we support directly impact the lives of residents and employees,” he observes. “Sometimes these decisions weigh heavy on the Board because of that impact. Our decisions have cascading effects down the road.”
However, this is what makes the work so meaningful, says Doug, as the organization is always moving forward, anchored by its culture and values.
He recalls the decisions the Board had to make during the pandemic to ensure resident and employee safety. “I marvel how well the organization came through COVID. While some of our residents and team got sick, the strong processes we rolled out helped us to shepherd in a relatively smooth transition to living and working in a COVID environment.”
Compensation improvements for employees were important to Doug. “This was an important journey we took to ensure the organization isn’t taking advantage of employees, and to ensure compensation allows our people to make a living wage,” he says. “There’s still work to do, but I’m proud we moved the needle even a bit. I hope the Board keeps this issue top of mind as they move forward. We’ve made some gains, but there is still work to do.”
Doug credits maintaining good relationships with Silvera’s two City of Calgary Board representatives and provincial partners for helping Silvera move forward during his tenure. “We’ve been very fortunate to have wonderful government partners who are engaged and ready to participate and pitch in,” he says.
One of the best parts of being on Silvera’s Board was working shoulder to shoulder with people who have the same beliefs in the importance of seniors housing.
“I’ve been proud to serve with so many thoughtful, caring individuals who are doing this hard work. Not only from a volunteer perspective on the Board, but also from the dedication of the team members working with residents every day under the leadership of Arlene and her management team. They are the reason we have such high resident satisfaction levels.
“It’s inspiring how people take on their duties with such passion and commitment because they believe in the cause. They are not here to just punch a time clock or collect a wage. They believe in what they do.
“It makes me proud that I could be part of this organization for nine years and help where I could.”
CEO Arlene Adamson says she is very grateful for Doug’s commitment and service.
“Doug always kept concern for employees and residents at the forefront,” she says. “It’s why he dedicated nine years to Silvera – a tremendous commitment. He is an inspiration! It was an honour to work with him and Silvera is better because of his support, guidance and leadership.”