‘He had a tremendous amount of grace under pressure’; colleagues remember former TNRD chair

The flags in front of the TNRD building have been lowered to half-staff in mourning the former chair, who spent 11 years serving residents of the TNRD.

“Ken was a believer in the rural areas, and that’s what the TNRD is based around,” said Doug Haughton, friend of Gillis and current representative of Electoral Area L.

Ken spent his years on the board representing Electoral Area L (Grasslands), just south of Kamloops.

Barbara Roden took over from Gillis as board chair in 2022 and worked closely with Gillis during his last term.

She says she will aways remember Gillis as an old school gentleman and mentor.

“He had a tremendous amount of grace under pressure, which he was certainly able to demonstrate over the four years that he was board chair from 2018 to 2022,” Roden said.

Gillis chaired through trying times for the region, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 wildfire season and the catastrophic flooding caused by an atmospheric river.

“During the time of the forensic audit when all that was unfolding about the TNRD, as the board chair, he obviously had something like a target on his back. He became the focal point for a lot of criticism, a lot of anger from people,” Roden explained. “I think as his legacy, I’d like people to realize that he led the TNRD through a very difficult time.”

Gillis’ family sent a statement to local media Thursday afternoon, calling him gregarious and dedicated.

“He loved a joke, roared instead of laughing, enjoyed a party and an adult beverage or three. He could bash out Johnny Cash songs on a guitar all night, and be up at 6:00 a.m. to cut firewood.”

While his contributions to the region, his sense of humor and his angelic voice will be remembered by all who worked with him.

by Sydney Chisholm

‘He had a tremendous amount of grace under pressure’; colleagues remember former TNRD chair

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