2026 Board of Director Nominees

South Country Co-op has four people running for positions on our Board of Directors. There are three positions available; all 3 for a 3-year term. Individual Director terms determined by vote count.

Please review the candidates and cast your vote between March 1-15, 2026 once online voting opens. To attend our virtual Annual General Meeting, please see this post to sign up before March 23, 2026.

Wayne Petersen

Hello, my name is Wayne Petersen and I am a Lethbridge-based lawyer with more than four decades of experience in corporate, commercial, municipal, and employment law. Throughout my career as a partner and managing partner at North & Company Barristers & Solicitors, I have advised organizations on governance, risk management, and strategic decision-making.

I bring extensive board and leadership experience, including nine years on the Board of Trustees for St. Michael’s Health Centre (Covenant Health), where I served in several leadership roles, including Chair, and six years on the Board of the Good Samaritan Society, including two as Chair, supporting continuing care governance across Alberta and British Columbia.

In addition, I have held senior governance roles with the Alberta Golf Association and the Royal Canadian Golf Association, including serving as President, Board Chair, and Honorary Life Governor. I also served as an Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel with the 20th Independent Field Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, based in Lethbridge reflecting a long-standing commitment to service and leadership.

As a Board candidate, I am committed to thoughtful oversight, sound governance, and acting in the best interests of our members and communities.

Bill Ressler

Who Is Bill Ressler?
I am a retired teacher/school administrator with the Prairie Rose School Division. I live in Bow Island with my wife Kathy. We have two adult children. Brad and his family live in Calgary where he is an accountant with Ovintiv. Gina and her family live in Montreal where she is a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. We are blessed with 4 grandchildren.

Why?
I has been my honour to serve 7 years on the Board of Directors. It’s a role I take very seriously. I have completed Series 1 & 2 of the Director Development Program. At one time or another, I have served on each of our committees. Presently, I am the chair of our Finance Committee, Secretary on the Executive and serve on Member Relations.

The more I have learned about SSC and the CRS, the more passionate I have become about the company, its people and the Co-op retail model. Supporting local producers and businesses isn’t a slogan, it’s what we do! I like that our profits go to our members rather than to some billionaire. I love how we give back to our communities, making them better places to live. I’ve always enjoyed the customer experience. Regardless of the store, the staff is always friendly and helpful. It gives me and all of our members the sense that this just isn’t any store, it’s our store.

I know I have the time, energy, and experience to be an asset on the Board and respectfully ask for your support.

Education: B.Ed. University of Lethbridge - 1976
M.A. University of Victoria – 1988

Giving Back:
Recently re-elected to my fourth term on Bow Island Town Council
Currently President of the Bow Island Golden Age Club
Volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels
Volunteer coach in a variety of sports including over 40 years as a volleyball coach
Former President of the Bow Island Golf Club
Former Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council 2753
Recognized as Bow Island’s Volunteer of the Year in 2010 and a “Hometown Hero” in 2023

Kent Walker

Hello,
My name is Kent Walker and I would be honoured to serve as a strong, reliable team player on the South Country Co-op Board.
I bring extensive financial expertise and a long-standing commitment to cooperative values. I served as a Senior Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, and Director with Scotia Wealth Management in Medicine Hat from November 1989 until my retirement in October 2018. For nearly 30 years, I provided investment management, financial planning, and risk oversight services to individuals, families, and organizations. My career required disciplined financial management, fiduciary responsibility, and sound decision-making within a highly regulated environment.

I have also contributed to community leadership through volunteer service. From 2005 to 2008, I served on the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of Medicine Hat and Southeast Alberta, where my responsibilities included supporting corporate governance, contributing to strategic planning, and acting as a responsible steward of donated funds and community grants. Most recently, I served on the Yuill Family Foundation Charity Golf Tournament Committee in 2025.

Originally from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, I have been a member of South Country Co-op for more than 20 years. I have a strong understanding of the cooperative’s mission, history, and member-focused approach. My long-term perspective supports sound, sustainable decision-making in the best interests of both the members and the communities we serve.

I am known for my integrity, analytical approach, and collaborative leadership style. My financial acumen, governance experience, and commitment to cooperative principles position me to contribute effectively to the Board of South Country Co-op. Thank you for your support as a valued member-owner.

Adam Zanoni

BACKROUND
I was born and raised in Southern Alberta and have lived here my entire life with the exception of a few years when I left to play junior hockey. I attended the University of Lethbridge where I graduated with a Bachelor of Management with Great Distinction, after which I went on to receive my Canadian Chartered Accountant Designation. During my career I have worked in public practice and industry, while also serving as a CFO in the transportation and dental care industries. I currently serve as the Director of Finance for the large local NPO. My wife and I have been married for eighteen years and we have three beautiful children together.

SERVING

I have a passion for teaching and volunteering and have been blessed to add both into my career. I have been a sessional instructor at the University of Lethbridge for over fifteen years and a facilitator and sessional leader with CPA Western School of Business for the last ten years. In terms of volunteering, I have sat on a number of different boards or served as a director with a variety of different organizations. Some of these include the Town of Coaldale Economic Development, South Grow, Lethbridge Regional Police Commission, Lethbridge Family Services, and the Lethbridge 2020 Alberta Summer Games. In addition to currently sitting on the South Country Co-op board, I also sit on the board of the Lethbridge Hurricanes Jr. Hockey Club and 1st Choice Credit Union.

CONCLUSION

My career passion is financial management, strategy and governance. I have always been interested in helping businesses succeed and making Southern Alberta a proud place to call home. I believe that serving on the Co-op Board of Directors aligns with both of these interests. I have enjoyed serving the members by sitting on the Co-op board over this past year. I hope to get the opportunity to continue to serve and apply what I have learned over the past year. I believe that my experience in business and in board governance can be an asset to the board in helping it to achieve its goals.