Basil Skodyn, ABC, MC

Beginning a career in communications as editor, company publications for a national trust company, Basil worked for more than 25 years in Toronto, Calgary, and the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. He worked in a variety of communications functions, including editing, media relations, video production, corporate advertising and speechwriting. An innovative, award-winning program with an environmental focus was one of the many highlights of his communications career.

He joined Corporate Communicators Toronto in 1974 and began a life-long association with professional communicators. He was on the organizing committee of the first-ever IABC conference held in Canada and served on the IABC Toronto chapter board, eventually becoming president. He was also on the executive of IABC Calgary and volunteered on a number of IABC committees, including Gold Quill judging, conference organization, professional development, and accreditation mentoring.

Basil graduated with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and accepted a position as a teaching assistant at the University of British Columbia while working towards an MA. He received his ABC in 1988 and MC in 1992.

He moved to the Okanagan in 1994 and established Skodyn Communications, working mostly in health services communications. He retired from communications work in 2000 and accepted an appointment as returning officer for the Okanagan-Coquihalla federal electoral district. He maintains regular contact with communicators in the Okanagan Valley with the ultimate goal of helping establish an IABC chapter in the Okanagan in the future.