R. Bev Harrison CFO
Mr. R. Bev Harrison (Bev) is a mature financial executive with strategic leadership and expertise in both traditional and entrepreneurial environments. His personal strengths include superb organizational skills and an energetic, systematic approach to all challenges. Bev is an experienced relationship builder with Boards of Directors and Advisors, lenders, investors and auditors. He is quick to recognize and then successfully pursue new opportunities, and is particularly effective working in a high-stakes, high-achieving environment such as that exists at Brand Neue.
Mr. R. Bev Harrison began his professional life in 1962, after
graduating from Queen's University with a gold medal as top
scholastic graduate. A series of illustrious accomplishments
followed him throughout his remarkable professional career and many
philanthropic endeavors. Early in Bev's career, he
joined the world-wide Chartered Accountant partnership of Arthur
Andersen & Co, working in Toronto, Vancouver and San Francisco,
and was invited to partnership in 1973. During his tenure he
was elected to the Council providing strategic advice to the
Chairman of World Wide Partnership; provided financial and audit
advice to blue-chip clients like Daon Development, Finning
International and BC Tel (Telus); and participated in all Vancouver
office public financings (1973-1984).
In 1986, Bev joined the merchant banking/venture capital firm of
Ashlar Capital Corporation, as Executive Vice President.
There, he solicited investment from pension funds in Quebec,
Ontario and British Columbia, and developed a protocol for
evaluating investment opportunities. He left Ashlar in 1988 to
pursue senior level challenges at Columbia Computing Services and
then Davis & Company LLP (Vancouver) as Managing
Director. He returned to Ashlar as President from 1995
through 2002, and raised funds for and refined the company's
sector-leading factoring business.
From 2002 until present, Mr. Harrison served as President of
WestFactor Capital Inc, a factoring company that purchases
commercial accounts receivable from small and mid-sized businesses
in Western Canada. At WestFactor, Mr. Harrison attracted a
financial partner to assume operational costs and limit the
company's exposure. Simultaneously, from 2006 through 2008,
he sourced private and institutional investments in excess of $11M,
during the first 15 months of a real estate development
start-up. Mr. Harrison is an active community volunteer,
providing service to British Columbia's Children's Hospital, the
Canadian Memorial United Church, University of British Columbia
Faculty of Commerce, the United Way and many other worthy
organizations.
