About Us

Tsekonámus Rosemary Stager is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Líl̓wat Business Group (LBG).

Appointed in August 2023, Rosemary Stager is the first woman to become CEO of he Líl̓wat Business Group. She brings extensive experience in the administration of Indigenous organizations to this role with the Líl̓wat Nation’s arms-length economic development corporation. However, her involvement with LBG dates back more than a decade. As a council member for Líl̓wat Nation, Rosemary held the Economic Development portfolio for much of the 12 years she was in office, developing a solid understanding of regional business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and how to best address community needs. And early in her working life, she worked at the original Líl̓wat Gas, managing the convenience store when the business group was known as Creekside Resources.

Before assuming the role of CEO with LBG, Rosemary worked for almost a decade in the health care sector in senior leadership positions. Before joining LBG she was the Executive Director at the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society (VAHS). In addition to overseeing a team of almost 100 people working in four distinct programs in two locations, she introduced vital cultural programming.  A passionate proponent of living a decolonized life, she brought land-based healing and traditional Indigenous knowledge to the urban Indigenous community of Vancouver by creating opportunities for traditional wellness, such as participating in sweat lodges, drumming and taking part in ceremonies, including the powerful Lakota Yuwipi ceremony. She was also the driving force behind VAHS hosting Vancouver’s first Father’s Day Weekend Powwow in June 2023, an event that brought out thousands of spectators and hundreds of performers from across Turtle Island.

At VAHS, she built on the experience she had gained as Health Director for the Southern Stl’atl’imx Health Society (SSHS) from 2015-2021. Under her leadership, SSHS adopted a vision of providing Stl’atl’imx-enhanced holistic health services and a mission to weave traditional wellness into services the organization delivered to its member communities of N’Quatqua, Samahquam, Skatin and Xa’xtsa.

While at SSHS, she guided the expansion of its health and wellness services, developing a team of nearly 40 staff and contractors to deliver innovative, culturally grounded programming. Designed to strengthen SSHS’s members’ cultural and community connections, these projects included the Native American Music Award-winning recording Lateral Kindness, and The Nt̓ákmen Calendar, a field guide to the food and medicine plants found in the Southern Stl’atl’imx region, and opportunities for members to engage in traditional First Nations ceremonies.

Rosemary was recognized for her work in land-based healing in 2016 with a First Nations Health Directors Association (FNHDA) Inspiration Award for Grounding Work Within Culture and Tradition, and in 2023 with a YWCA Women of Distinction Award nomination.

Deeply committed to community, Rosemary is a determined capacity-builder. She is dedicated to investigating new business prospects, expanding LBG’s offerings and building on existing projects to bring greater prosperity to Líl̓wat families through the development of more well-paying jobs and training opportunities. One of her goals is to expand support services and develop a framework for Líl̓wat entrepreneurs to help ensure the success of their businesses. This Lil̓wat7úl entrepreneurial ventures project will be an important aspect of Líl̓wat Marketplace, a project in development in the community’s commercial core.

Her vision for LBG is to grow its reputation as a leader in Indigenous-led business, maintain and develop strong partnerships, expand its holdings, and create opportunities that enrich the lives of Líl̓wat citizens. Her ultimate goal is an economically empowered Líl̓wat Nation, with residents contributing to and supporting a sustainable economy.

Rosemary’s passion for Indigenous advocacy and leadership stems from her upbringing as the daughter of the late Stl’atl’imx Hereditary Chief Allen Stager. She has had a distinguished political career, which has included negotiating significant agreements such as 2017’s Whistler Blackcomb Master Development Agreement. She has also sat on numerous committees and boards including the FNHDA Board of from 2019-2023.

The mother of four adult children, Rosemary is also the grandmother of seven. She shares her life with her husband, Án̓wasúlmec Brett Wallace in their home in Líl̓wat Nation. Both she and Brett spend time exploring what Nt̓ákmen (The Ways of Our Ancestors) means and participating in cultural events. An avid home chef, Rosemary enjoys preparing traditional Stl’atl’imx foods and hosting gatherings for friends and family, cherishing moments of connection and celebration.

Dwayne Stanshall, CPA, CA, has been LBG’s Chief Financial Officer since 2018. From 2020 to 2023, he served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer for the organization, returning fulltime to his role as CFO with the hire of CEO Rosemary Stager.

Prior to joining LBG, Dwayne worked in the mining sector as Manager of Commercial Accounting and Reporting for Glencore-Xstrata Copper Canada, and as a Senior Auditor with Deloitte’s Real Estate and Mining Group.

In 2012, Dwayne founded Tread Well Inc., establishing a group of multidisciplinary medical clinics in Burlington, Ontario. As President, he remains involved in the company, which also includes a retail shoe store.

He holds a BBA in Accounting & Finance from York University, Schulich School of Business and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 2003. Through ongoing professional development, he has gained expertise in IT and developed strong and diverse leadership skills.

Dwayne and his wife and four children live in Whistler and enjoy spending time outdoors in a variety of recreational pursuits.

Klay Tindall, Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures (LFV) General Manager, joined LBG in August 2012. Prior to taking the lead at LFV, Klay acquired a diversity of experience in the forestry sector, including silviculture and engineering field work, working for a major licensee and as an entrepreneur.

As GM for LFV, Klay manages the harvesting of an annual allowable cut of 110,000m3 of timber, provides oversight to 25-40 staff, engineers, and silviculture contractors over five Líl̓wat Nation’s five forestry tenures, and engages in strategic planning. He also manages relationships with clients and other licensees that contract with LFV for services such as forest firefighting, fuels management, BC Hydro slashing, arbourist work, silviculture, and road maintenance work.

Klay works closely with Líl̓wat Nation’ Lands and Resources Department to ensure Rights and Title are strengthened because of LFV’s activities. He ensures that LBG’s forestry division supports the Nation by generating profits, employment, and training. Job creation and developing employee skills have been a consistent focus of his work with LFV.

Klay represents Líl̓wat forestry at several provincial associations. He is a board member of both the Truck Loggers Association (TLA) and BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) and works with the First Nations Forestry Council as an advisor. He is particularly proud of the work LFV does to manage the Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest and the work the division does with the Cheakamus Community Forest.

Klay holds a Bachelor of Forestry from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and an Advanced Leadership Certificate from the UBC’s Sauder School of Business. When he’s not ensuring forests for the future, he enjoys spending time in the forests of Líl̓wat with his family and friends snowboarding, mountain biking, and hunting.

Graham Turner, Líl̓wat Retail Operations (LRO) General Manager, joined LBG in April 2013. The businesses under Graham’s guidance include the Tsípun Supermarket, Líl̓wat Station Chevron, the Mount Currie Post Office, and Líl̓wat Broadband.

During his time with LBG, he has moved the Tsípun Supermarket into a better position for future growth and profitability, expanding food and beverage services and grocery options, and opened the new Líl̓wat Station Chevron with adjacent convenience store and Canada Post outlet.

Graham came to LBG with 20+ years of experience as a Merchandise Manager and Retail Operations Manager for Whistler Blackcomb with three Showcase Snowboard Shop locations under his guidance. He has leveraged this experience to enhance LRO through strategic supplier partnerships, increased staff engagement, and being responsive to customer service and market needs.

His commitment to excellent retail extends beyond his work with LBG. Graham is also owner/operator of the Pemberton Brand logo wear and accessories company, and GT3.0 Consulting, a company that assists entrepreneurs in growing their businesses.

A passionate proponent of community development, Graham was president of the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce from 2017-2021. He was also one of the founding creators of the Pemberton BMX Track and previously served as a board member with the Zero Ceiling Society of Canada. He enjoys spending time with his kids outdoors and dreaming up new ideas for Pemberton Brand.

Born and raised in Líl̓wat Nation, Jason Andrew spent the first part of his career working in Vancouver as a journeyman carpenter, then superintendent, for Graham Construction, the third largest construction company in Canada. In November 2023, after 12 years with Graham, he returned home to Líl̓wat to take on the role of Construction Services Manager with Líl̓wat Construction Enterprises (LCE).

Jason provides management for all of Líl̓wat Business Group’s construction projects. Upon joining LBG, he assumed responsibility for the Function Junction mixed residential/commercial project, which re-establishes Líl̓wat Nation’s presence on its Traditional Territory in Whistler, and the Spirit Circle renovation, an exciting community legacy project. He is looking forward to taking on new projects such as the planning for a mixed residential/commercial development on the Pemberton Highway Yards lands and the much anticipated Líl̓wat Marketplace, a Lil̓wat7úl entrepreneurial ventures project.

Jason is committed to increasing capacity for Líl̓wat citizens interested in pursuing careers in the building trades and working with partners, such as Murphy Construction, Bethel Lands Corporation and Pemberton Concrete, to create more employment and training opportunities. He also sees LCE as being keenly focussed on community building, which is reflected in his vision statement for the company,  “At Líl̓wat Construction Enterprises we envision a future where our commitment to excellence in construction is matched only by our dedication to promote unity and prosperity within our communities. With ‘Building Unity, Structuring Success’ as our guiding motto, we strive to be a recognized construction company that not only constructs exceptional buildings and infrastructure but also builds enduring relationships, strengthens communities, and lays the foundations for shared success.”

In addition to being a Red Seal carpenter, Jason holds an associate degree in Construction Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). He has also achieved Construction Safety Officer (CSO), Level 2 First Aid, Construction Operations and Construction Supervision certificates.

Jason, his wife, and two children live in Líl̓wat Nation, where they enjoy spending time with friends and family, and are planning to build a home.