KELOWNA, B.C. – November 20, 2018 – The Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA) is pleased to announce it has found an Executive Director. Mark Burley will take up the role effective Tuesday, November 20, 2018.
Mark spent over a decade as Group Program Director for Bell Media. In that capacity he oversaw programming for all 22 Bell Media stations in the BC Interior, and managed large employee and stakeholder teams. Based in Kelowna, Mark worked out of the building on Bernard Avenue that houses 99.9 Sun FM, 101.5 EZ Rock and AM 1150. His responsibilities included the operations and programming of the 3-station cluster in Kelowna on a day-to-day basis. Over the 12 years, the stations enjoyed top of the market ratings.
Previous to taking on the role of Group Program Director for Bell Media, Mark was integral in the creation of CJIQ FM, based out of the Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Kitchener, Ontario, where he held the role of General Manager and Programming Specialist. Mark quite literally, “built the studios and station from ground up,” and put the station on the air in January 2001.
Over the course of his broadcasting career Mark has been awarded with six consecutive Program Director of the Year Award at Canadian Music Week as well as five Station of the Year recognition for Mark and his staff. Part of earning the Program Director awards is recognition of working with on air talent and helping them advance their careers, with a major component being teamwork and a willingness to lead by example.
Yarden Gershony, Downtown Kelowna Association President: “We are delighted to have Mark on board as our Executive Director. Throughout Mark’s long career in radio, he has demonstrated himself to be an accomplished leader and mentor, and a committed community-builder. On behalf of the DKA’s board of directors, I welcome Mark to the team. We are excited to work with Mark closely in the years to come as we continue to make Downtown Kelowna the best place in the region to work, live and play.”
Mark Burley: “The DKA is a strong organization that I am proud to join and I am excited to take on this new challenge. Downtown Kelowna is an exciting place with great potential for growth and I am looking forward to joining the staff and the membership of the DKA, while working with the City of Kelowna, to further advance the growth of a strong and vibrant Downtown community.”
For more information please contact:
Yarden Gershony
President, Downtown Kelowna Association
250.448.7101
