Kelowna’s Jeff Stibbard has done everything in the mining industry from worker, welder, drill and miner to shift boss, mine manager and now CEO of an international mine development company.
Such a career arc caught the eye of the jury of the Kelowna Business Excellence Awards, which named Stibbard Kelowna’s CEO of the year 2019.
Stibbard, 53, is the CEO of JDS Mining, a company that has developed diamond mines in the Canadian Arctic and South Africa, copper and gold mines in the Yukon, numerous gold mines in South and Latin America, gold mines in Turkey and silver mines in BC Energy projects in Alberta and around the world.
While JDS is headquartered in Kelowna, 95% of its business is outside of town and more than 50% of that activity is outside of Canada.
The Kelowna Business Excellence Awards will present trophies in a dozen categories at the Delta Grand Hotel on November 1 and honor Stibbard at the gala event.
The company director of the year will be announced in advance to promote the awards.
Although most of Stibbard’s work is outside of Kelowna, the Business Excellence Awards chose to honor him as such a company is important to the city’s economy and makeup.
Entrepreneurs are drawn to Kelowna for its weather, scenery, lifestyle, business-friendly demeanor, and airport connections.
Many companies can be based in Kelowna and do business around the world.
“Jeff and his family have enriched our city, province and country tremendously,” said Nikki Csek, president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.
“It is remarkable what he has done for the extractive sector and how he has ethically enriched communities in Canada and around the world. We are so happy to have him here in Kelowna. “
Before Stibbard settled in Kelowna with his wife Brenda and their two sons in 2004, he lived in 13 mining communities in northern and western Canada.
Mining, oil and gas production often have a bad reputation for environmental degradation and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
“JDS embodies values such as professionalism, honesty, integrity and no harm to people, the environment, wealth or reputation,” said Stibbard.
“We provide our extractive industry partners with the highest level of commitment to cost, schedule, and quality in some of the toughest, tallest, deepest, coldest, hottest, remote, wettest, driest, and riskiest places on earth with swiftness. We can do it. “
Stibbard was the senior manager of the executive team that successfully designed, approved, financed, built and operated Canada’s first diamond mine in the Northwest Territories – BHP-Ekati.
Kelowna-based geologist Chuck Fipke discovered the diamonds that led to the development of the mine.
JDS also developed Shell Albian, one of the largest oil and sand companies in Fort McMurray.
JDS headquarters in Kelowna employs 25 people in finance and administration.
Another 50 JDS employees live in Kelowna and work on various mining, construction, railroad and heavy industry projects around the world.
JDS employs 350 more people worldwide as engineers, craftsmen, miners, operators and managers.
Stibbard graduated from Montana Tech as a mining engineer.
He attributes his success to hard work and good luck meeting, collaborating, and caring for some of the most progressive leaders in the global mining industry.
“(As such) my focus is on creating the same opportunities and motivating others to invest in themselves and be a productive Canadian leader,” said Stibbard.
“Our growing business success is the result of the freedom of business, low taxes, and real estate security that Canada offers us. We are doing our part as leading corporate citizens to invest in the development of responsible citizens and healthy residents by donating to sport, building strong minds through donating to education, building strong souls through personal mentoring, and strong communities through donating to health care and the healthcare performing and visual arts. “
JDS also employs retired and rotating Canadian military personnel.
From 2016 to 1919, Stibbard was an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, a position where he raised awareness of the work of the Air Force, stood up for the Air Force, and looked after Air Force members.
Stibbard and JDS also won the Hugo Dennett Diamond Award from the BC Association of Mineral Exploration, a BC Top 25 Exporters Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Montana Tech.
