Sands & Associates was started in 1990 by a Trustee, formerly with one of the "Big Five" Accounting firms, who felt that there would be a demand for a mid sized firm offering an alternative to the "Big Five". We have grown to five Trustees and more than forty staff, operating out of offices in Vancouver, Burnaby, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley and Surrey.
Sands & Associates is the top firm in British Columbia in total number of Business and Personal Bankruptcies handled.
The firm's success is based on three simple ingredients -- expertise, excellent service to our clients, and reasonable costs.
| Gerry Foran is a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals and a Trustee in Bankruptcy. His experience includes the successful operation of a steel manufacturing plant, General Manager of a multi-store retail furniture company, and an insolvency professional with a national firm of Chartered Accountants. Gerry has extensive insolvency experience involving the hospitality industry, large construction companies, manufacturing companies, the retail industry, and the agricultural industry. |
DEANE GURNEY, B.Sc., Lic. Acct., CIRP
| Deane Gurney is a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals and a Trustee in Bankruptcy. Deane has extensive experience in personal and corporate bankruptcies as well as receivership work; operations of automotive dealerships; restaurants; fabrication and manufacturing companies. |
| Bruce Gandossi is a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals, a Trustee in Bankruptcy and a Chartered Accountant. Bruce, before joining Sands & Associates, spent ten years practising exclusively on insolvency matters with a big six chartered accountancy firm. Bruce has worked for many secured creditors performing assessments ("looksees"), monitoring roles and administering formal receiverships and agency appointments. Bruce has been involved in the following sectors: restaurants; fitness clubs; night-clubs; retail operations; advertising agencies; forest products; hearing aid manufacturing and wholesaling operations. |
| Geoff Orrell is a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals and a Trustee in Bankruptcy. Prior to joining Sands & Associates, Geoff spent 20 years between two major accounting firms practicing exclusively in insolvency matters. He has worked with a variety of lenders in receivership and bankruptcy situations. Geoff has extensive experience in personal and business bankruptcies as well as personal and corporate proposals. Geoff was a director of the BC Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Practitioners from 1995 through 2001. During that time he was the chair of the Bankruptcy Practice Committee and the provincial representative on the Continuing Education Committee. He has been involved with the national education program of CAIRP, most recently as chair of the bankruptcy examination committee. |
KELLY CHOW, B.Sc., CIRP, Trustee,
| Kelly Chow is a Trustee in Bankruptcy, a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Professionals ("CAIRP"), and has 25 years of experience in the consumer and commercial insolvency industry. Before joining Sands & Associates, he worked in three major accounting firms, and operated his own practice from 1998 to 2007. He has worked on a wide variety of commercial engagements, and has also developed an expertise in First Nations financial management. Kelly has supported our profession by serving on numerous CAIRP boards and committees, including two terms as a Director as well as a Director of the affiliated Alberta Association. |
| Susan Newbury is a Trustee in Bankruptcy, located in our Abbotsford and Chilliwack offices. Susan has worked in the insolvency industry since 1980 and, for the past 10 years, has focused primarily on helping individuals deal with their financial difficulties, through proposals to creditors or bankruptcy. Susan is a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals, a director of the BC Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Professionals, and an associate member of the Credit Grantors Association. |
TRACEY A. LOWE, B.A., CIRP, Trustee
| Tracey Lowe is a Trustee in Bankruptcy and a member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals. She has worked in the insolvency industry since 1990, and has been with Sands & Associates since 1995. Located at our Vancouver and Burnaby offices, Tracey's primary focus has been on the administration of bankruptcies and proposals to creditors in order to help individuals deal with financial difficulties. |
KIMBERLY TO, CGA, Estate Manager
| Kimberly To is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies in our Surrey office. Kimberly has worked in the insolvency field since 1991. In addition to personal insolvency, Kimberly has insolvency experience in restaurants, video rentals, grocery stores, airline industry, automobile dealership, and a motel receivership. Kimberly obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration in 1987 and her CGA in 1998. Kimberly, a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor, is currently enrolled in the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course working towards achieving her Trustee licence. |
| Cindy has been with Sands & Associates since 1998. She is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies in our Vancouver office. Cindy has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course on Insolvency Administration and is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor. |
| Karen Wright is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies in our Surrey and Abbotsford offices. Karen has worked in the insolvency field since 1989. Prior to joining Sands & Associates, Karen had worked for two other major insolvency firms as an administrative assistant to the Trustee. Karen has successfully completed her course in the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course on Insolvency Administration and is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor. |
KRISTINE MEDEIROS,
Estate Manager
| Kristine Medeiros is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies and proposals in our Surrey office. Kristine has many years of experience as an Estate Manager. She is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor and has completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course in Insolvency Administration. |
| Dana is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies in our Langley office. She has worked in the insolvency field since 1994 and has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course on Insolvency Administration. Dana is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor. |
| Lisa Kelly has worked in the insolvency field since 1999, and is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies and proposals in our Burnaby office. She is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor, and has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professional course on Insolvency Administration. Currently, Lisa is working towards obtaining her license as a Trustee in Bankruptcy. |
DARLENE MULLEN, Estate Manager
| Darlene's past experience includes 10 years of retail management. Darlene joined our firm in 2001 and has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course on Insolvency Administration, and is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor. Darlene is currently responsible for administering personal bankruptcies and proposals in our Burnaby office. |
BARB CATHERWOOD, Estate Manager
| Prior to joining our Langley office, Barbara worked for two other major CA firms in their Insolvency Division. She has over 12 years of insolvency experience, primarily in personal bankruptcies, proprietorships and Division I & II Proposals. She has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency Practitioners course on Insolvency Administration and is a Qualified Insolvency Counselor. |
| Janice has been in the insolvency industry since 1999. Prior to working for Sands & Associates she had previously worked for another major insolvency firm. Janice administers personal bankruptcies in our Langley office and has successfully completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals course on Insolvency Administration. |
| Nicole Clarke has been with Sands & Associates since January 2001 and is responsible for the administration of personal bankruptcies in our downtown location. She has been a qualified Insolvency Counsellor since 2003 and has completed the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals Insolvency Administration Course. |
JOANNE FONG, Administrative Assistant
| Joanne Fong works in our Richmond office, and is fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Since she began working in the insolvency industry in 1999, her main responsibility has been the administration of personal bankruptcies. Joanne is a Qualified Insolvency Counsellor, and is currently working towards her certification as an Insolvency Administrator. |
