Four more North Shore residents are joining the Order of British Columbia.
Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin named 12 people to the province’s highest civilian honour on B.C. Day, including sustainable agriculture magnate John Anderson, health sciences CEO Karimah Es Sabar, public health activist and philanthropist Lily Lee of West Vancouver, and rock/blues musician Colin James Munn (known far better by just his first and middle names) of North Vancouver.
Colin James
James entered the blues music scene in 1984 as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s opening act. He debuted his first album in 1988 and has gone on to release 19 more, many of which have achieved gold and platinum status. In 1990, he earned international prominence with his hit Just Came Back, which reached No. 3 on the US Billboard charts. Over his career, he’s won eight Juno Awards and an unprecedented 31 Maple Blues Awards. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2013.
More than being a Canadian music legend in his own right, James has a reputation for volunteering his guitar and voice for benefit shows assisting communities impacted by wildfires and artists facing dire medical situations.
“Whether through his music or community service, Colin exemplifies excellence and generosity, making a profound impact on the cultural and social fabric of B.C.” the lieutenant-governor’s bio on him reads.
Karimah Es Sabar
Es Sabar, meanwhile, is being described as a “transformative force in B.C.’s healthcare and life sciences sectors,” after raising more than $1.5 billion for venture enterprises in biotech.
The selection committee acknowledged Es Sabar’s numerous roles in leading companies, including LifeSciences BC, the Centre for Drug Research and Development, where she secured more than $180 million in funding for six new innovative companies, and Quark Venture, where Es Sabar spearheaded a $500 million USD Global Health Sciences Fund, backing 24 pioneering healthcare companies globally.
She also helped guide national response strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lily Lee
Lee established the Lily Lee Community Health Centre Hastings, an integrated community health unit in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, where she launched and spent much of her career as a public health nurse.
According to her bio, Lee’s father – an early Chinese immigrant to B.C. – made the decision to send her to UBC to get an education in nursing.
“I’ve always had a passion for this area and it’s important to look after those who need help,” Lee said.
Lee is also lauded for her work with her late husband, businessman and philanthropist Robert H. Lee. Together, they established the Robert and Lily Lee Family Community Health Centre, the Robert Lee YMCA, the Robert H. Lee Graduate School, the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre along with the Lily Lee Scholarship in Nursing at the UBC.
“Lily’s commitment to education, healthcare and housing continues to benefit those in need. Her enduring legacy of service and philanthropy exemplifies her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of others,” her bio reads.
John Anderson
Anderson went from a warehouse worker at global produce firm Oppy to the executive suite.
As CEO of the company, Anderson has made his mark advancing fair trade and sustainable agriculture, the committee acknowledged. More than 90 per cent of the company’s packaging is recyclable or biodegradable and Anderson has seen the firm’s water consumption reduced by 30 per cent.
Today, the company employs thousands of people, farming millions of hectares worldwide.
The committee also gave a nod to Anderson’s generosity, donating millions of dollars to social causes including food security banks, the Lions Gate and Saint Paul’s Hospital Foundations, UBC, Women’s and Children’s Hospitals, the Family Services of the North Shore Christmas Bureau, Hope Air, Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Foundation, United Way, Pacific Autism Family Network’s JET Gardening Program and the Judith Fisher Centre on his home community of Lasqueti Island.
Also an aviator, Anderson offers his company’s jets to BC Transplant, allowing doctors and vital organs when time is of the essence.
