Professional experience

A true generalist, his work experience included assignments touching on every aspect of corporate management, including significant exposure directly supporting Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister communities. David’s policy experience embraces diverse areas including post-secondary education, agriculture, health and corporate management policies, including human resources.

David served Northwest Community College (now Coast Mountain College) as full-time business faculty, Program Coordinator and Chair for over a decade. A versatile instructor, David covered a wide variety of management, economic and business courses, as well as offering numerous workshops in developing the next generation of leaders in northern BC. Always eager for a challenge, David served as the Dean prior to retiring in the Fall 2016. He is currently Acting Chair of the Board of Directors. 

Business credentials

David is also a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and an accredited Executive Coach (ACC). 

As a consultant and coach, David has a long history of assisting people and organizations across public, private and non-profit sectors. Identifying core issues and innovative solutions, focussing attention on new horizons and helping people identify and achieve extraordinary goals, are the cornerstones of David’s management consulting and executive coaching practice. 

First Nation governance and management issues are of personal interest and he has also worked for a number of First Nation communities and served on many non-profit boards. David currently serves as a Director of the Kitselas First Nation Development Corporation. 

Academia

David received his PhD in Management from Warwick University, UK and holds Master Degrees in both Research (Bradford University, UK) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Ottawa after completing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics at Carleton University. Continuously challenging himself to learn and grow, all four degrees were acquired while maintaining demanding full-time employment. 

Community-minded

Dr. Try is an active member of his community; currently serving as a Treaty Negotiator and as Vice-Chair of the Coast Mountain College Board, previous Board work including Terrace & District Community Service Society, Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society, Terrace Public Library, Terrace Hospice Society and others.

Overall, his extensive professional experience coupled with a broad academic knowledge grounds David with a thorough understanding of what it takes to be a successful leader in the 21st century.