2023 Year-End Review
I’ve developed a bit of a routine when crafting these year-end letters, and the first thing I typically do is re-read my previous year’s letter. This year, while doing so, I was amazed that only 12 months have passed, given all that we did…on the other hand, it seems like some of these things happened only just yesterday. Memory is a funny thing, isn’t it?
Among my highlights this year were the purchase of our new Toyota Tundra Hybrid truck and Black Series Offroad trailer, two trips to Metta Forest Monastery in Valley Centre California, and our one-month mountain biking trip to New Zealand—a trip that made us realize we live in such a beautiful place, maybe we don’t need to fly for 14 hours to ride our bikes! In September, Christie and I embarked on a nine-day trip across southern BC to ride the Kettle Valley Rail Trail to test out trailer life, and we had a blast. We also spent many days at Point Roberts, especially during the hot months, enjoying the cool ocean breeze, which is always a special time for us.
We are now planning a trip to Bentonville, Arkansas for next fall, the home of Walmart and the self-declared mountain bike capital of the world (we North Shore folks might have something to say about that).
Our trips to Metta Forest Monastery have been very rewarding. As many of you may know, Christie and I are practicing Buddhists and students of Thanissaro Bhikkhu, the Abbott of Metta Foret Monastery, the second most senior Thai Forest Tradition monk in North America, and one of the most respected Pali (the language of the Buddha’s teachings) scholars in the world. We enjoyed spending time working with the lay people, many of whom are Thais from the LA and San Diego area, who support the 12+ monks residing at the monastery full time. We have grown to appreciate the many friendships that have grown out of our time there and appreciate having time to reflect on what really matters in our lives. We are looking forward to returning in 2024.
2023 Cove Highlights
Cove continues to grow. Nikki and Shanna are finding their way to greater success in their roles as advisors, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. The entire team has been busy doing their part to support the maturing of our culture to align with our goals and commitments.
For my part, I have been active in challenging RBC Insurance to meet their commitments to our policyholders after discovering issues regarding how they have been managing insurance policy investment funds. It all started in November 2022 when RBC announced the dramatic reduction of their credited rate for 2023, as compared to previous years, which was followed by an inquiry from us to understand what was behind that. Fast forward 13 months and RBC has committed to taking our concerns seriously and is looking into making improvements for 2024. They committed to announcing their findings before January 31, 2024. Read our blog about this issue here.
In May, we attended the FEC Enterprise of the Year Awards ceremony. While we did not win the national prize, we were thrilled to have the experience of being the regional winner and being one of the three finalists for the national award. It was a great experience and inspired us to make our Cove video that we are very proud of. Thank you, Hannah Walsh for helping create a video that reflects Cove’s personality and values in video form.
Family Business for Sustainable Development (FBSD)
After three years of working to get a new initiative, Family Business for Sustainable Development (FBSD) off the ground for Family Enterprise Canada (FEC), I’ve decided to step down to focus on other projects. You can read more about FBSD here. The FBSD committee that came together under this initiative has done an amazing job. FEC was named an Honouree by ISAR (International Standards of Accounting and Reporting) at the World Investment Forum in Dubai on October 17th of this year in recognition of our initiative. The event, sponsored by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), celebrates innovative developments, raises awareness, and promotes national and global best practices in sustainability and SDG reporting. I am very proud of the recognition for our work and wish the remaining team much success in carrying this initiative forward.
1% For the Planet
We continue to support 1% For the Planet and the work its affiliated grassroots organizations are doing to fight climate change and other environmental challenges. This year, our focus was once again on supporting Ecojustice for the amazing work they are doing, on our behalf, to hold governments and corporations accountable when they break the law. Ecojustice has also been playing an important role in advocacy for and the development of new laws to protect our environment and the marginalized communities most affected by climate change and environmental degradation. Learn more about Ecojustice’s great work here.
1% For People
The purpose of this funding is to help people become self-sufficient both physically and mentally. One project that we contributed to this year is one near and dear to Warren’s heart. His wife, Marla, an orthopedic nurse, participates in an annual trip to Ecuador to help with hip and knee replacements. Our donation will fund three hip replacements and give mobility and self-sufficiency to three individuals. We applaud Marla and the rest of the team’s commitment to helping others through their great work. Read more about about Operation Esperanza here.
You can find our Impact Report for 2023 here.
2023 Team Highlights
Christie Geiss
2023 was a great year. One of the most rewarding aspects of this year has been witnessing the growth and development of our new advisors. Watching them navigate challenges, embrace opportunities, and evolve into confident professionals has been a source of pride for all of us. It’s a testament to the strength of our collaborative spirit and the nurturing environment we’ve cultivated.
In 2023, I said goodbye to my 50s and entered my 60s. With this, I find myself contemplating the idea of retirement. The prospect of stepping back from the hustle and bustle of a career that has spanned several decades is both exciting and, admittedly, a little daunting. Although Bernie and I are not retiring quite yet, we do need to figure out what we will do after retirement. In this spirit, we purchased a Truck and Trailer, to see if this type of adventuring would suit us.
We did our inaugural trip this September by visiting areas around the Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail and riding the trail every day. British Columbia is a beautiful province; I was struck by just how amazing the KVR Trail is and the stunning scenery it provides on every ride. I look forward to exploring BC over the years—we live in the best place on Earth!
Warren Campbell
Wow! What to say about a year that went by so fast? The year started with my wife’s annual trip to Ecuador. Marla travels with a group of doctors and nurses to the city of Cuenca to provide free orthopedic surgery and medical care to Ecuadoreans who don’t have the financial means to access these services. I am happy that Cove was able to contribute to her efforts for the upcoming trip in January 2024.
The girls continue to be very active at both school and their sports—Chelsea in tennis and Jordan in tennis, soccer, and seemingly any sport her school offers. Chelsea’s hard work paid off with a trip to the U16 Nationals in Montreal in March, along with a move to California for a change of tennis scenery for grade 10.
Our family vacation took us to Nelson with some well-deserved rest and relaxation with friends. We had to take the long road there due to the forest fires. Thankfully, the fires didn’t impact our stay too much, but we did enjoy a good view of the water scoopers flying down into the lake to load up water for the fires. The fall has been busy both at work and at home and we’re looking forward to some time off over the holidays for tennis, skiing, or hiking with the family.
Alex Liber
At the beginning of 2023, Shanna and I enjoyed a longer winter-season, and I managed to get out snowboarding 25 times, which was easily the most I’ve ever snowboarded in one season before. In the spring, I completed the Vancouver Marathon, which was my first-ever road marathon, and then ran the Squamish 50 in August for the second time. Among several adventures in the local North Shore mountains, a highlight of the year was visiting Oregon for the first time in August for some running and hiking through the Columbia Gorge, followed by visits to Portland and the coast. We also drove down to Leavenworth, WA in September to attempt the Enchantments Traverse, but unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Although we only completed about 1/3 of the route, it was still beautiful, and I hope to return for another attempt in 2024.
For now, I’ll continue to await the arrival of snow on Mount Seymour and plan for next year’s race season, which so far includes Run Ridge Run in February, the Vancouver Half-Marathon in May, entering the lottery to run the Kneeknacker in July. I’m also eagerly looking forward to the announcement of a new race in September from local race producers Coast Mountain Trail Running.
Brent Bourne
2023 has been a fantastic year for the Brent Bourne family for the most part! All seven of us are happy in life and generally healthy, and we continue to connect regularly both in person and online. That is no small feat as my oldest daughter, Meghan, and her husband, Brian, live in London, UK; Kristen and her boyfriend, Erik, in Brentwood Bay, Vancouver Island; and our son, Stuart is in downtown Toronto. Despite this distance, we managed to spend a week’s holiday in Penticton together as well as visit both Toronto and Vancouver Island. Furthermore, my wife Kate and I visited the UK, as well as Bologna, Italy for a few days with Meghan and Brian. We are very lucky!
Going forward, our son has just moved back to the West Coast and Meghan has advised us that we will be grandparents in May 2024, which is very exciting, and a new stage in life that we will fully embrace! Christmas is my favourite time of year so I am going to enjoy it as usual!
I am reminded of all the troubles we have seen all over the world these past few months, and how lucky we are as Canadians and British Columbians. I am thankful to live a safe, healthy, and happy life and hang out at work with extraordinary people.
Jonathan Poon
2023 was quite a year for me! The biggest highlight has to be proposing to my now fiancée in October at Minnewaska Park, New York. She didn’t suspect it at all, so the surprise was a success! I had a professional photographer capture the moment, and the whole photoshoot at the park made for a memorable experience. I also discovered a new love for Broadway shows and would absolutely go to New York again just to watch them!
At Cove, we’ve ramped up our social media this year. We’ve been creating more engaging campaigns, such as our new #AskAnExpert and #NorthShoreBizHighlights series, and we’ve also launched on TikTok! We’ve also been working on building our marketing automation platform so that clients and interested prospects can receive curated, meaningful communication, and we’re excited to fully flesh out our plan in 2024.
There were a lot of milestones achieved for me this year, and I expect to accomplish many more next year, so I’m looking forward to 2024!
Luciana Alvarez
Every day is a gift and I feel so grateful to have had so many great adventures shared with family and friends. I skied in the winter and spring, which was spectacular with the perfect blue sky and lots of snow. There was so much I was able to enjoy throughout the year, from spending time at Shuswap Lake resting, swimming, and kayaking to exploring the Vancouver forest trails, beaches, and stunning sunsets.
I also learned to appreciate the magic of the human body—specifically how it repairs itself perfectly. I fractured 5 bones on my right foot on July 7th and had to use a boot and scooter for 10 weeks. My husband was a gem and took such excellent care of me during this time. My first steps after the injury were like a kid learning how to walk again, but slowly but surely, all the doors opened up again to the things I love doing, and I felt like a champ! I was able to return to form, and walk, drive, be independent, do sports, and play 18 pitch n putt with the team in October!
Nikki Downie
2023 has proven to be quite the year, both in my professional journey and personal life!
As the calendar pages turned, my understanding of the industry deepened, and the enthusiasm for my work intensified. This ever-evolving industry constantly presents opportunities for learning, ensuring that each day brings a new and exciting challenge. What was once a maze of insurance jargon, finally all makes sense thanks to the support of my team over the years. Moreover, I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a company that places a strong emphasis on environmental and social responsibility. The collective efforts we make have an impact, reinforcing my belief that even small actions contribute to meaningful change.
On a personal note, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve invested in a season ski pass for Whistler! I plan to get on the mountain as much as I can and enjoy the beauty that is our province. Now, my only wish is for abundant snowfall on the mountain—fingers crossed! I feel so grateful to live in a place where the mountain meets the sea. 2023 has provided me with ongoing moments of joy, the growth of meaningful relationships, and developing a heightened gratitude for life’s small pleasures as I bid farewell to the final chapters of my 20s.
Time flies by WAY too quickly, but I am looking forward to what new opportunities and experiences await in 2024—and I am ready to welcome them with open arms.
Shanna Liber
Professionally, 2023 brought another full year working in the insurance industry. There’s been many learnings, challenges, and successes along the way. Some great opportunities to serve clients in both Alberta and British Columbia are coming in 2024, which I’m both ready and excited about.
Personally, adventuring stayed close to home on the west coast. Alex and I travelled to Oregon to trail run and camp; explored Portland, Leavenworth, Powell River; and went sailing on the Howe Sound. I skied often at Cypress & Mt. Seymour. This spring, I completed my first-ever marathon by running the BMO Vancouver Marathon and completed the multi-grind challenge with a total of 6 climbs in one day. This summer, I discovered my love of paddle boarding, as well as mountain biking on our North Shore mountains.
As for Piper, she continues to love her North Shore dog life. She joined us on many hikes up our local mountains this year, including Seymour, Elk, and Evans Peak. We recently moved closer to Deep Cove and she now enjoys more time swimming and plenty of time on the trails by our sides.
The Future
In closing, we would like to send you and your family best wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year. We hope that you discover how to bring true happiness into your life and can do what it takes to make it a reality. On behalf of our entire team at Cove, Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Bernie Geiss
Founder
PS, Please note that our office will be closed for the holidays from:
4:30 PM, Friday, December 22nd, 2023 until Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024
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