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Doug Bell, Operating Partner
Doug is the Operating Partner and Developer for Northern Lights as well as the Owner/Operator of Family Fast Foods Ltd.. Doug has been a part of Prince George since 1988, and to say he is invested in his community is an understatement. Doug is committed to excellence in his city and has volunteered his time for a variety of committees at UNBC, coached local high school sports teams, and was a driving force behind the creation of Prince George’s annual Climb for Cancer. Doug also previously served on the Board of Directors for Initiatives Prince George before joining Tourism Prince George to serve on their Board of Directors.
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Pat and Brenda Bell, Development Partners
After meeting at UBC, Pat and Brenda moved back to Brenda’s hometown of Prince George to start a business and raise their family. The pair became franchisees for Wendy’s in 1988, adding a logging company and trucking company to their business portfolio years later. Pat had a lengthy stint in politics, even acting as BC’s Minister of Agriculture and Lands. During this time, Pat and Brenda became interested in wine-making and began investigating the feasibility of a winery in Prince George. By 2013, Pat, Brenda, and their son Doug were ready to begin construction on what would become BC’s northernmost winery.
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Noemi Touchette, Director of Operations
Noemie’s passion for agriculture started in Pemberton in 1999 while working on organic vegetable farms. She later graduated from Laval University in Quebec City with a degree in Agriculture Science to continue pursuing her passion. Noemie’s creativity is inspired by various professional developments in the wine and agriculture sectors. Her motto is to produce excellent quality fruits to create refined fruit wines.
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Jenese Skomedal, Director of Events
Jenese comes to us from the Okanagan where she gained 15 years of Event Industry experience in fast-paced, high-demand properties. She has been able to develop a strong foundation in Wedding and Corporate planning while working in both Winery and Resort settings. Her career has been based around cultivating one-of-a-kind event experiences and continues to do so at Northern Lights. Whether it’s a corporate meeting, a wedding, or anything else, Jenese will ensure that you don’t have to worry about any detail.
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Erin Pearson, Director of Food and Beverage
Erin comes from a diverse hospitality background, working throughout BC in a variety of resort, restaurant, and hotel settings for over a decade. Following a career in top-tier service and experiences, she found herself back in Prince George, her hometown, working with the team at Northern Lights. After years leading the service team inside the winery, Erin has recently changed roles and headed out to be the Farm Manager on our Foreman Farms property. With a passion for agriculture and quite the green-thumb, Erin is excited to showcase the diversity and bounty of the North.
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Raylesha Prest, Farm Manager
Raylesha developed a passion for growing when she started at Northern Lights Estate Winery in 2018. Her love for plants led her to complete the Master Gardener program in 2021, through the David Douglas Botanical Garden Society. In addition to farming food at work and at home, foraging in the backcountry is one of her favorite things to do. With knowledge of proper wild harvest practices, she is adamant about maintaining sustainable farming practices here at the winery.
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Christine Leroux, Wine Maker/ Consultant
From 1985-1989, Christine attended the University of Québec in Montréal and achieved a Bachelors degree in Biology/Toxicology. From 1990-1993, she attended the University of Bordeaux in France to achieve her DNO (National Diploma of Oenology). Some of her practicums included cellars like Château Margaux and Petrus but also wine laboratories and consulting in the region of Bordeaux. We are happy to welcome her and her wealth of experience to the North.
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Terrance Badham, Business Development Manager
Terrance graduated from UNBC a few years ago with a Bachelor's of Commerce majoring in Human Resources & Finance. He grew up here in Prince George and is happy to continue calling Northern BC his home. After university, Terrance worked in sales before joining the team here at Northern Lights in August 2020. Since then, he’s developed a passion for E-Commerce and is always is always ready to try new things to help the company grow!
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Jakob Goerz, Cellar Manager
Jakob, often known as 'Jake,' pursued a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UNBC. In addition to his scientific background, he gained valuable experience in the wine industry, working in the wine shop from the fall of 2019 through the spring of 2020. Since rejoining the winery, Jake has been passionately involved in cellar work, and as of April 2023, he has assumed the role of managing the cellar. His primary objective is to expand his knowledge in winemaking and uphold the production of the high-quality wines for which Northern Lights is renowned
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Yannick Mirindi, Social Media/Marketing Manager
Yannick has been working internationally for the past 7 years. After studying in France, he worked in the airline industry in Dubai before relocating to the Philippines, where he managed the operations of large digital and social media customer service teams. Recently, upon moving to Canada, Yannick joined Northern Lights Winery with the goal of further strengthening the winery's social media presence and enhancing its digital footprint
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Rickie Sugiyana, Head Chef
With expertise in human kinetics and culinary arts from Vancouver Island University, Chef Rickie mastered various culinary environments, from diverse restaurants to remote settings. Thriving under pressure, Chef Rickie returned to the realm of fine dining as head chef, envisioning our bistro as the ultimate destination for exceptional cuisine and captivating ambiance. Their mission? To establish us as the prime spot for events and unforgettable dining experiences.