Mel KOSITSKY ~ Profile

Mel Kositsky is an experienced journalist trained at the University of Western Ontario’s Graduate School of Journalism, who has spent most of his media career in the newspaper industry, with some radio and community television experience. He served 18 years as an elected Councillor with the Township of Langley, in BC. His strengths are in leadership development, mentoring and communications.

" My 18 years in local government offered me numerous opportunities to learn and understand the public consultation process, government decision making, municipal and regional district budgets, as well as how to develop business and government networks. I started or helped with the creation of many innovative community programs and projects, such as the Langley and Fraser Valley Diversity programs, Langley Volunteer Bureau, and many community safety initiatives.. My strength has been in building intergovernmental relationship, as well as partnerships with business and First Nations. I have also been a youth mentor in various programs."

After a career in journalism, which included being the Editor of the Langley Times, Kositsky was elected as a Councillor in Langley Township in 1993 and served until December 2011. During that period he was also elected by his peers in local government to the boards of directors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), Lower Mainland Local Government Association, and the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee. He was chosen by the FCM International program to represent Canadian local governments in the Philippines through the Municipal Partnership Program. In 2013, Kositsky was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service and dedication to local government. He was inducted to the FCM’s Roll of Honour in 2012 for outstanding service to local government in Canada and abroad.

CAREER EXPERIENCE:

Kositsky Consulting – present
Specializing in government and community relations

Columnist: - present
Today’s Senior News Magazine (monthly column)
Living 60 Plus Magazine (product of Langley Times)

BC Housing Management Commission – present
Appointed in April 2012 by the Government of British Columbia to serve on the management board of a Crown corporation

Media experience:
1994 - 1999 - Fraser Valley Radio (account executive)
1993 - 2002 - Langley Advance community newspaper (columnist)
1991 - 1994 - Rogers Broadcasting (CKWX 1130 – Account Executive)
1982 -1991 - Langley Times community newspaper (Editor and Reporter)
1976- 1979 – Fraser Valley News Herald (Reporter and Columnist)
1978 - 1980 - Calgary Herald (Columnist)
1973 - 1976 - Medicine Hat News (news and sports reporter)

Recreation Coordinator (Part-time)
Horse Council BC – March 2012-April 2013
Responsible for communication of trails information, road and trail safety initiatives and other equine-related programs about outdoor recreation in the province of B.C. Organized a province-wide workshop on “Share The Trail” in Kamloops, January 2013.

Local Government and Metro Vancouver Regional District
1993 - 2011 - Councillor of Langley Township
- Director of the Greater Vancouver Regional District
Member of the board and a number of committees
- Metro Vancouver Parks committee (member 1997-2011)
- Metro Vancouver Labour Relations Bureau (various years)
- Pacific Parklands Foundation board of directors
- Lower Mainland Flood Control and River
Management Committee (Metro Vancouver representative)
- Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee (Treaty table representative to Katzie First Nation)

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
- February 2013 - Awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service in Canada and dedication to local government in Canada and internationally.
- Roll of Honour 2012 – Federation of Canadian Municipalities (meritorious achievement in local government)
- 2012 nominee as Fraser Valley Ambassador of Diversity for Langley Diversity Program
- Fraser Valley Network Organizing Against Racism and Hate
- Lower Mainland Municipal Drug and Alcohol Prevention Strategy (Committee Chair)
- Helped create new community advisory committees such as the Langley Community Safety Committee, Langley Youth Committee, and Langley Agricultural Committee.
- Greater Vancouver regional task force on non-smoking bylaws
- Greater Vancouver task force on transportation and transit (now Translink)
- Organized and developed award-winning Municipal Partnership with City of San Fernando, La Union, Philippines. (Named "Honorary Son" of the City of San Fernando by resolution of City Council in May, 2006)
- Horse Council of BC – Vice President’s Award for promotion of the horse industry

EDUCATION
- University of Western Ontario - Graduate Diploma in Journalism (1973)
- University of British Columbia - BA in Political Science (1972)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
- BC Recreation and Parks Association board of directors – 2011-2013
- Pacific Parklands Foundation – current (since 2000)
- Chair of Kiwanis Under 18 International Junior Curling Championship (2013)
- Member of the Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) and chair of the 20th anniversary gala (2013)
- Langley Big Brothers Big Sisters - 1986 to 2014
- Big Brother and in-school mentor
- Former president and board member of Langley Big Brothers
- Former board member of Big Brothers of BC and affiliated Big Sisters
- Celebrate Canada Committee of B.C. - Fraser Valley director
- Rogers and Shaw Community Television
     - volunteer host and director of various shows (Langley People)
- Langley Chamber of Commerce - former member of board of directors
- Langley Seniors Centre building committee member
- BC Standardbred Horse Association – former vice president and member of board of directors.

Call 604-534-3009
and leave a message

or email at
Mel@MelKositsky.ca

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