Hosting the World Cup is more than just about the soccer. It’s about an opportunity to shine a spotlight on Vancouver on the global stage. In this presentation, you’ll hear about what Destination Vancouver has been doing in the lead-up to the tournament, as well as what to expect over the next two months. This includes recommendations for what businesses can do to show up for visitors in the city, and how to make the most out of the audience of eyes around the world who will be paying attention.
Destination Vancouveris the official destination marketing and management organization for the spectacular city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
They represent more than 800 members in the city’s visitor economy. Their mandate is to support Vancouver's tourism industry in developing compelling experiences and offerings for our visitors and promoting Vancouver to target Canadian, US, and international markets.
Destination Vancouver's purpose is to transform our communities and our visitors through the power of travel, achieved by dedicated group of more than 60 full-time team members (and growing), along with close to 200 visitor services volunteers.
Krista Alcazaris the Director, Market Development at Destination Vancouver and has 16 years of experience working in the dynamic and fast-paced travel and tourism industry. She leads all initiatives related to driving travel media coverage of Vancouver around the world, and has been instrumental in securing coverage of our city in the lead-up to the World Cup, as well as upcoming journalist visits.
Parker Masonis the World Cup Activation Lead at Destination Vancouver, and works closely with internal teams, agencies, Destination Vancouver members, the World Cup Host Committee and more to help our city tell consistent and welcoming story to visitors.
Who do you know that is remarkable?Someone whose story or expertise would captivate a room full of experienced business and community leaders?
Do you know anyone from this Top-Speaker List in Vancouver?
Think thought leaders, change makers, or trailblazers in business, sports, innovation, public service, or philanthropy.
Take a quick scroll through this list & your LinkedIn connections. You might spot someone you haven’t thought about in a while who would be perfect.
If someone comes to mind, please connect with Bill Davidson at billd@davidson-co.com
Date: Saturday, July 18, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Location: Ladner Memorial Park, 5010 47 Ave, Delta, BC
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow Rotary members, relax, and enjoy a great summer day together. There will be something for everyone—delicious food, family-friendly activities, and plenty of time to catch up with friends old and new.
We’re also excited to welcome a special guest, Rotary International Director Marty Helman, who will be joining us for the celebration as part of her cross-country Impact Tour.
Bring your family, bring your Rotary spirit, and be part of a memorable day in District 5040!
We know it is a challenge for Rotary members from outside the Lower Mainland to attend this event. Many of you travel to Metro Vancouver for business, family, and personal reasons. We hope you will be able to plan to join us on July 18th .
We look forward to seeing you!
Thank you for all you do for Rotary and your community,
PDG Chris Offer, Event Chair
PS – Look at the special Event Swag – Rotary-branded clothing for this event!
To start off the meeting, President Joan gave a brief update about our very special June 1 event .... DETAILS WILL BE REVEALED NEXT WEEK!
Tickets to this event are currently on sale to club members and local Rotary clubs in the district.
Ticket sales will open to the general public next week.
WATCH OUT FOR MORE DETAILS TO COME !
Additionally, she announced that two sponsors have stepped up to support the event: Navid's Company Acorn Early Education Centre and Jason’s company Vela Wealth.
Thank you to both companies for their generous sponsorship!
We also exchanged our Club Flag with one from India - District 3181 - Dr. Sudhakar, works in the medical field focusing on foot and total joint replacement. He expressed his deepest gratitude to be welcomed to our meeting.
For the main program, we welcomed Alison Parry, Senior Investment Counsellor from RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc (PH&N), and her colleague Nadjy Nackna -
"A Review of Rotary's Foundations Portfolios"
At this meeting, members heard a comprehensive Foundation & Investment Update from Alison Parry and Nadjy Nakhna of RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, who manage the portfolios for both the Rotary Club of Vancouver Foundation and the Hearing Foundation. Alison, who has served the club for many years, will be retiring in August, and Nadjy will assume lead responsibility, with a focus on continuity and ongoing support for Rotary’s projects.
They outlined a clear portfolio approach designed to preserve capital, generate steady income to fund initiatives, and limit volatility.
The main Rotary Club of Vancouver Foundation is invested in a balanced portfolio of roughly 50% cash and bonds and 50% equities, aiming to blend stability with long‑term growth. The equity portion is broadly diversified across Canada, the US, and international markets, with strong exposure to Canadian financial and insurance companies, higher technology exposure (about 30%) in US holdings, and a small “alternative” allocation to a conservative commercial mortgage fund with quarterly liquidity. The Hearing Foundation portfolio is structured more conservatively, with over 60% in cash and bonds and about 40% in equities, reflecting its shorter‑term funding needs.
Despite recent global uncertainty, both portfolios have delivered solid performance. The main foundation has produced 10‑year average returns in the mid‑ to high‑single digits, with the last few years “even better” than earlier reports. The Hearing Foundation has achieved a 10‑year average return of around 6.3% and about 5.5% since inception. The key message to members was that returns are not linear, but a disciplined, conservative, and diversified strategy has supported strong long‑term outcomes.
Alison and Nadjy also touched on several major economic and market themes. They noted that artificial intelligence (AI) has been a significant driver of recent equity gains—especially in semiconductors and hardware—while software and some big tech names have been more volatile, and it remains too early to know who the ultimate long‑term winners will be. On geopolitics and oil, they highlighted that conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and changing OPEC dynamics can move energy prices and market sentiment, but not every geopolitical shock translates into a lasting market downturn, as markets often “look ahead” to likely resolutions. On interest rates, markets are currently expecting two Bank of Canada rate hikes this year; most of that is already priced into bonds, so the greatest risk lies in unexpected surprises. The foundations’ fixed‑income holdings therefore include a mix of government, provincial, and high‑grade corporate bonds in Canada, along with global fixed‑income exposure and a modest allocation to commercial mortgages, all intended to diversify risk and enhance yield.
Finally, they addressed concerns about the dominance of the so‑called “Magnificent Seven” large US technology stocks, which have driven a disproportionate share of index returns. Their approach is to maintain a measured exposure to these market leaders—on the order of 20–30%, rather than extreme concentration—while balancing this with diversified holdings across sectors and regions, including Europe, parts of Asia, and broader global equities. A key educational point for members was that headline indices such as the S&P 500 do not mirror a well‑diversified portfolio, and that the foundations’ investments are deliberately structured to avoid over‑reliance on any small group of companies or single market.
Closing Remarks
The meeting concluded with a toast by President Joan Posivy:
"To the Club’s Foundations"
—specifically, in recognition of the good they enable the club to do in the community!
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Canadian Blood Services, 4750 Oak Street, Vancouver
Appointment slots: 11:00–11:45 AM
We usually meet for coffee nearby about an hour before — come early and join us!
Registration is now open—be sure to secure your spot early. Details and registration at 
