Our People
CHRIS GEAR
Principal
Chris founded Blackfin in May of 2023. He is an executive and lawyer with over 25 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry. He started his career with leading Canadian law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where his first sports client was the Air Canada Championship PGA Tour stop in Vancouver. He then joined the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where he was Director and Senior Counsel for almost six years.
In July 2010, Gear joined Canucks Sports & Entertainment, where he worked for 12 years in various roles including Chief Legal Officer and Assistant General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks. He also served as Governor for both the American Hockey League's Utica Comets and National Lacrosse League's Vancouver Warriors.
Most recently, Gear spent a season as a writer and analyst for Daily Faceoff, a digital and web-based media platform covering the hockey industry, while also consulting for the Canadian Olympic Committee on a bid for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Chris lives in Steveston with his wife, two teenage children and two well-fed cats.
JAMES DOUGLAS
Principal
James has three decades of experience delivering partnership strategy, sales and marketing solutions in the sports and entertainment industry.
At the start of his career, he spent 15 years in the broadcast industry, in senior sales roles representing some of the largest broadcast organizations in Canada, including Astral, Corus and Pattison Media.
He then embarked on a successful career with Canucks Sports & Entertainment. He most recently served as Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships, where he achieved record growth leading an integrated sales and marketing team responsible for the partnership development and development of the organization's hockey, lacrosse and e-sports properties.
James lives in Vancouver with his wife, two sons and two menacing Labradoodles.
CHRIS BEARDSMORE
Principal
Chris has over 20 years of experience as a lawyer, including over 13 years working as a senior executive in the sports and entertainment industry.
He started his legal career in the business law group of leading Canadian law firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP. In 2007, he joined the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where he was Director and Legal Counsel for three years.
In 2013, Chris joined Canucks Sports & Entertainment, where he was an integral part of the senior management team for 10 years. In 2020, he was promoted to Vice President & General Counsel. He was involved in the structuring and negotiation of hundreds of corporate sponsorship and supply arrangements for the Canucks NHL and AHL hockey teams, the Warriors lacrosse team and the Titans and Surge e-sports teams, as well as the contractual arrangements for hundreds of concerts and other live entertainment events held at Rogers Arena and Abbotsford Centre.
Chris lives in North Vancouver with his wife, two active kids and one ornery hedgehog.
MADDIE SECCO
Manager, Business Development
Maddie joined Blackfin in September 2024 after distinguished athletic and academic careers.
She earned a BA in Human Biology with a Minor in Communications at Stanford University, while becoming an All-American field hockey player and team MVP. Maddie earned 157 caps over 11 years with the Canadian National field hockey team, competing in two Pan-American Games, 3 Commonwealth Games (captaining the team in 2022), and the first World Cup for Canada in 30 years. She also earned a Certificate in Business from Queen's University while playing professionally in Europe, and completed her MBA at University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management after retiring from competitive play.
Prior to joining Blackfin, Maddie has worked as an Assistant Producer for SDIsports, a global sports marketing agency in Toronto, and as a Business Analyst at Deloitte's Vancouver office. She also serves as a volunteer member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Sport Institute of Ontario.
Maddie lives in Vancouver and is hoping to keep some plants alive before she takes on the challenge of a pet.
Chris Brumwell
Chris Brumwell
Chris Brumwell
Chris is a highly respected communications and community relations professional in the sports industry. His career includes senior roles with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee, lululemon, Vancouver Canucks and Canucks For Kids Fund. He now serves as SVP, Broadcast and Media Relations for the Seattle Kraken.
Trent Carroll
Chris Brumwell
Chris Brumwell
Trent is a dynamic and humble leader with a proven track record of success in corporate sales, marketing and hospitality. He served as National VP of Sales for Labatt Breweries and spent 12 years at Canucks Sports and Entertainment as EVP, Revenue and then Chief Operating Officer before assuming his current role as President of White Spot Restaurants. He is also an active member of both the Canucks Alumni Foundation and the minor hockey community.
Ella Chan
Chris Brumwell
George Duncan
Ella is a charismatic leader with considerable experience in the sport hospitality and food and beverage sector. She is also a CPA and CMA and served as Controller at Joey Restaurant Group before joining Canucks Sports and Entertainment as Controller and then VP, Hospitality. She now serves as Chief Operating Officer of Pedalheads, a company that offers bicycle and swim camps to children across North America.
George Duncan
George Duncan
George Duncan
George recently retired as the Chief Administrative Officer at the City of Richmond, where he was employed for an incredible 35 years. George is highly regarded for the exceptionally well-managed and financially responsible municipal government he oversaw. He was the driving force behind the City's bid for, and development of, the Richmond Olympic Oval, a facility he has overseen from the time it opened in 2008 and for which he continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer.
Ali Gardiner
George Duncan
Trevor Linden
Ali is an inspired brand and marketing professional, with vast experience in the sports industry. After starting her career with Molson Breweries, Ali led the brand and creative team for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games before spending several years leading the marketing and brand efforts of the Vancouver Canucks and then Cactus Restaurants. She now heads up her own marketing firm, Mothership Marketing.
Trevor Linden
George Duncan
Trevor Linden
Trevor is a well-known sport and business icon in Canada, having played 19 National Hockey League seasons and having participated in an Olympic Games. Since his retirement from hockey, he has been involved in a number of business interests, most notably a chain of fitness clubs bearing his name that operates throughout British Columbia. He also served as President of the Vancouver Canucks for four seasons. He is very active in his community, lending his time and leadership to a number of social and wellness causes.
Janeil Mackay
Christine Nesbitt
Christine Nesbitt
Janeil's expertise in sports retail operations, store design and development, licensing and merchandising is second to none. Her experience includes senior roles with Helly Hansen and Canucks Sports & Entertainment, as well as owning her own retail consulting and event planning company. She now serves as Senior Director, Global Sports Retail for Bensussen, Deutsch & Associates, a sport merchandising company that launched the Seattle Kraken retail program.
Christine Nesbitt
Christine Nesbitt
Christine Nesbitt
Christine is one of the most accomplished speed skaters in Canadian history. She is an eight-time world champion and winner of both a 2006 Olympic silver medal and 2010 Olympic gold medal. She remains the Canadian record holder at the 1000m distance, a time that was once a world record. After retiring, Christine has embarked on a career in urban planning and governance. She currently works for the City of Richmond and also served two terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation.