Michael Lavis

Michael Lavis

Michael Lavis is the founding CEO of Creative Options Regina (COR) — a for-impact, charitable organization that develops personalized support services for people experiencing disability in Regina, Saskatchewan.  Under Michael’s leadership, COR has grown to become one of Saskatchewan’s largest support providers serving both vulnerable youth and adults in-care. Michael is passionately committed to nurturing a culture of gentleness within the workplace, transforming care by focusing on employee experience.

As a purpose-driven leader, Michael embraces a culture of continuous learning, recently completing a MA in Leadership with a specialization is values from Royal Roads University. Additionally, he has a MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding, coupled with a BA in International Relations from the University of Saskatchewan, and has completed a number of leadership certificate programs.  Michael has over fifteen years of global experience developing opportunities for marginalized individuals; from South America to Africa, and Southeast Asia to Canada, Michael has worked and researched extensively within various international organizations. Michael is passionately committed to strengthening the disability services sector in Saskatchewan and to forge out new beginnings for the province’s most vulnerable citizens.  In addition to his work at COR, Michael serves on the Board of Directors of Service Hospitality, Caledonian Curling Club, and is an advisory committee member of the Conference Board of Canada’s Council on Workplace Health and Wellness. COR has been recognized as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures – Broader Public Sector (2020), one of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers (2018-2021), Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2021), and recipient of Canada’s Healthiest Workplaces Award (2019 & 2020).

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A veteran of the financial services industry since 1974, John provides strategic leadership to Nicola Wealth Management, exercising his passion for providing innovative solutions to clients’ complex problems.

His areas of expertise include investment management, estate

and financial planning, as well as business planning with a focus on best practices for wealth building, exit strategies, and shareholder agreements.

In 2011, John was selected as the winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Financial and Professional Services in the Pacific Region), in 2015 John was named the Winner of Business In Vancouver’s BC CEO of the Year Award – Small-Medium Private Company, and most recently, John was recognized as one of Canada’s Most Admired CEOs.

He is a Founding Member of CALU (Conference for Life Underwriters) and has continued to contribute to the organization for example, by serving as the Chair for the 2003 annual meeting. John also sits on the Canuck Place Hospice Society Board of Directors. Using his business acumen to help develop and grow this and several other not-for-profit organizations over a number of years. These include The Pivot Law Society, a volunteer legal society defending the underrepresented issues facing Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and Bulembu International, a foundation dedicated to helping an abandoned African mining village become self-sufficient.

Married for over 40 years, John and Claire have 3 children – Christopher, Jason and Jared, all of whom are married, providing 4 grandchildren: Chloe, Lilly, Wyatt, and Parker. Family is a big focus for both of them.

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