GVBOT announces recipients of the 2027 Rix Awards

For Immediate Release



VANCOUVER, B.C. — The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is thrilled to announce the recipients of the prestigious 2027 Rix Awards. 

Cindy Beedie, Executive Director of the Beedie Foundation, and Ryan Beedie, President of Beedie, will be honoured with the Rix Award for Community Citizenship in recognition of their profound philanthropic commitments and significant contributions to our region.

Nicola Wealth, a leading independent wealth management firm, will receive the Rix Award for Corporate Citizenship, celebrating its commitment to giving back and creating meaningful community impact. 

The awards will be presented at the 39th annual Governors’ Gala & Rix Awards on April 23, 2027, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. This signature event brings together leaders from business, government, and the community to recognize exceptional contributions to civic leadership and community engagement.  

The Board of Trade will also induct its immediate past chair, Stuart Louie, Co-President of H.Y. Louie Co. Ltd., into its esteemed Council of Governors as part of the evening’s celebrations.

2027 RIX AWARD FOR COMMUNITY CITIZENSHIP –  Cindy Beedie

Cindy Beedie is the Executive Director of the Beedie Foundation and a passionate philanthropic leader who supports housing projects, women’s education, and health-care facilities. She is the naming donor for YWCA Cindy Beedie Place, providing 56 safe, affordable homes for low-income single mothers as well as onsite childcare. Cindy also co-founded Beedie Rocks, a music festival that has raised millions for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and YWCA Metro Vancouver. Additionally, she’s chaired projects and raised considerable funds for both the Vancouver Police Department Foundation and Powell Place, Vancouver’s first women-only shelter on the Downtown Eastside.

Cindy has received numerous recognitions for her philanthropy including most recently a Women in Leadership Award from Spoken Leadership and Education, and a 2026 Woman of the Year Award by BC Business Magazine. She has also received a YWCA Women of Distinction Award (Community Champion Category), a King Charles III Coronation Medal, and recognition as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Vancouver. She is a member of ONE’s Global Leadership Circle, founded by Bono, the Vogue100, and holds two consecutive Power 50 Awards from Vancouver Magazine. 

2027 RIX AWARD FOR COMMUNITY CITIZENSHIP – Ryan Beedie 

Ryan Beedie is President of one of the most successful property development companies in Canada as well as a dedicated philanthropist. Born and raised in Burnaby, B.C., Ryan’s passion for real estate was ignited by his father Keith, who founded the Beedie business in 1954. Ryan studied accounting and finance at Simon Fraser University and earned an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from the University of British Columbia before joining the company in 1993 and becoming President in 2001. 

Beedie’s motto, Built for Good, reflects the quality, integrity and generosity that have become cornerstones of the business which has three divisions: Beedie Industrial, a proven leader in land development, construction and property management; Beedie Living, the residential development arm of Beedie and renowned for exceptional projects across Metro Vancouver; and Beedie Capital, a multi-strategy direct investment platform that manages all the alternative investments and assets for Beedie.

A philanthropist at heart, Ryan is committed to making a difference in his community and beyond. In June of 2026, Ryan announced he was donating $100 million over the course of the year to Beedie Luminaries and the Beedie Foundation, in honour of what would have been his father Keith’s 100 birthday. This is in addition to the $195 million he has donated or committed to more than 553 charitable organizations in British Columbia and beyond since 2010.

In 2018, Ryan founded Beedie Luminaries — a program that offers scholarships and wraparound supports to promising students from disadvantaged backgrounds including high school graduates, single parents, refugees and immigrants, graduate students, and future family practice doctors. To date, Beedie Luminarieshas awarded over $59 million dollars in scholarships and helped more than 1300 students attend life-changing post-secondary programs.

In 2011, Ryan and his father Keith contributed $22 million to Ryan’s alma mater, Simon Fraser University, to help fund the Beedie School of Business, which is consistently ranked among the top 100 business schools globally and boasts more than 23,000 alumni across 70 countries. In 2013, Ryan also co-chaired SFU’s $250 million Capital Campaign.

Avid concertgoers, Ryan and Cindy have hosted five Beedie Rocks concerts at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park since 2016. The event is held every second year as a thank you to those connected to the company. The concerts always include a fundraising component. In August of 2025, more than $2.5 million was raised for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, bringing the total raised for the Food Bank over the past two concerts to more than $4.8 million.

Ryan Beedie’s achievements and generosity have earned numerous awards and acknowledgments, including:

• Simon Fraser University Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (2026)
• University of British Columbia Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (2026)
• #1 on Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50 Award (2026)
• United Nations Association in Canada National Citizen Award (2025)
• King Charles III Coronation Medal (2025)
• Canadian Business Hall of Fame (2025)
• Business Laureates of BC (2025)
• Order of British Columbia (2020)
• Canadian Business Leader of the Year (2023)
• Ernst and Young’s Pacific Region’s Entrepreneur of the Year (2009)
   

When John Nicola founded Nicola Wealth in Vancouver in 1994, he set out to build a different kind of firm. With a belief that clients deserved a more sophisticated approach to wealth management, he created a business rooted in long-term thinking, innovation, and a simple conviction: success is more meaningful when it is shared. 

Over the past three decades, that belief has shaped the firm's growth from a team of eight people managing approximately $80 million in assets to one of Canada's largest independent, non-bank investment counsel firms, serving households across the country. Yet while the business has evolved, the philosophy at its core has remained unchanged. 

At Nicola Wealth, that philosophy is known as Share the Pie. More than a corporate value, it is a way of thinking that guides how the firm creates opportunities for its people, works alongside its clients, and contributes to the broader community. It reflects an abundance mindset and a belief that growth, contribution and success should benefit all.  

Giving back has long been part of the firm's culture. Through its Nicola Gives Back program, a portion of annual profits are directed to community organizations, while employees play an active role in championing causes, volunteering their time, and helping identify opportunities to create meaningful impact. The firm also works with clients to integrate philanthropy into their financial and legacy planning through the Nicola Private Giving Foundation, a donor advised fund; ultimately helping them turn generosity into lasting impact for the communities and causes they care about most.  

Today, Nicola Wealth's commitment to corporate citizenship extends beyond financial support. It is reflected in the relationships the firm builds, the leadership it fosters, and the belief that strong communities are created through shared responsibility and long-term investment. From its Vancouver roots to its growing national presence, Nicola Wealth continues to demonstrate that business success and community impact are deeply connected.

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About the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade:

Since its inception in 1887, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has been recognized as Western Canada's leading business association, engaging our members to inform public policy at all levels of government and empowering them to succeed and prosper in the global economy. With a Membership whose employees comprise one-third of B.C.'s workforce, we are the largest business association between Victoria and Toronto. We leverage this collective strength, facilitating networking opportunities and providing professional development through unique programs. In addition, we operate one of the largest events platforms in the country, providing a stage for national and international thought leaders to enlighten B.C.'s business leaders.

Media contact:

Federico Cerani
Communications Manager
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
604-640-5450 | media@boardoftrade.com