Barry loves aviation! He started flying at the age of 16 and has since logged over 18,000 flying hours (fixed and rotary wing); is an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer by trade; and the Founder & CEO of a leading Canadian aerospace company. Barry Lapointe’s passion for flight has resulted in a lifetime of dedication to the aerospace industry in Canada.
Starting as a small aircraft repair business servicing the BC Interior from a panel van, Barry has spent the last five decades building KF Aerospace (founded as Kelowna Flightcraft) into a leading Air Cargo operator; an Engineering (DAO), Maintenance and Modification provider; a Pilot Training organization for the Royal Canadian Air Force; and an aircraft leasing company.
Over those 50 years, he’s led and shaped a truly Canadian success story—KF Aerospace. KF is a multifaceted and highly integrated aviation company—and Canada’s largest commercial Aircraft Maintenance Organization. Employing nearly 1,100 dedicated staff across the country, Barry has them delivering exceptional quality, reliability, and on-time delivery. KF is respected by airline brands and cargo operators worldwide, competing with the industry giants while maintaining its Canadian roots.
Barry has served on dozens of public and private boards over the years, including Purolator Courier of which he is minority owner. His passion for aviation continues unabated and embodied in the creation of the Centre for Excellence to be built in Kelowna as a legacy to the importance of aerospace in Canada. “It will be a place where our community can rub shoulders, where kids get to see old airplanes up close and where we can get people excited about the history and the future of aviation,” he says.
Lapointe is an honorary lifetime member of ATAC and the AME associations and has been recognized by AIAC, AIABC, BCIT, Rotary, and many other organizations for his contributions and accomplishments in aerospace and the local communities. He has supported AME Community Colleges across Canada including Okanagan College and Mohawk College, and supported the University of British Columbia – Okanagan. Through the KF Charitable Foundation he actively supports causes across Canada including the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Kids’ Cancer Care Foundation at KGH and Girls Fly Too.
Barry was appointed the Order of British Columbia in 2015 and inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019.

David is a CPA and an accomplished executive with an entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience building successful, growth-driven companies. In 2016, he sold StarDyne Technologies, a privately held software company he co-founded. Before StarDyne, David was CFO at Western Star Trucks Holdings and for 17 years held various senior financial and information technology positions with subsidiaries of Alcan Aluminum. David currently serves as a director for a large international family trust with significant interests overseas as well as Advisory Board Member for the KF Capital and KF Aerospace group of companies.

Alan has extensive government experience at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, taking on a range of leadership roles. He served with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for 22 years in a variety of domestic and overseas posts including responsibilities for helping secure the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler. In 2014, Alan moved on to the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) to assist this newly formed organization with the important mandate of police oversight. He now enjoys life in the Okanagan and has joined the City of Kelowna as the Security and Business Continuity Manager. Alan also serves as a Board Member for the Barry Lapointe Foundation.

Dylana is a retired lawyer whose career focused on litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to her retirement, Dylana was a partner in a leading and well established regional firm.

Dylana, who was called to the B.C. bar in 2002, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia.

Dylana is experienced in arbitration, mediation and has appeared as counsel at both the trial and appellate levels of the British Columbia court. She has also appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Sally is a lawyer. She earned her law degrees at Oxford University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria. She practised as a business lawyer at a major Canadian law firm for many years before switching her focus to private client work, including trusts, private corporate governance, and personal and business succession planning. After a stint as general counsel to Intrawest PLC - the then owner and operator of multiple ski resort developments including Whistler Blackcomb - and serving in a law firm senior management role, in 2008 she joined a full-service regional BC law firm and resumed her private client practice. She retired from private practice in 2022 and now serves as a part-time legal consultant to KF Aerospace.

Sally was a director of Rugby Canada for seven years and was the chair of its board until 2024. She serves as Canada’s representative on World Rugby’s Council and is a member of its Executive Board. She is a director of Lion’s Gate Hospital Foundation and the chair of its governance committee, and a director of the KF Aerospace Centre for Excellence Association. She joined the advisory board of the KF Aerospace Group of Companies in early 2023 and became a director of KF Capital Ltd. in October 2023.

Sally divides her time between Deep Cove and Kelowna. She is married with three adult children and enjoys collecting cookbooks and cooking from them. She is an avid reader, loves to travel and is always planning her next foreign vacation.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Chris joined the newly created Kelowna-based Flair Airlines in 2005, relocating to Kelowna in 2008 with his wife Mary and son Matthew as the business expanded. In his role as Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Operations for Flair, Chris was pivotal in the successful growth and management of the B737 charter airline operation, guiding it from inception through its sale as a commercial passenger carrier in 2018.

Chris’ diverse career also includes senior roles within destination resort management, tour and travel, special event management, and consumer show production companies. His life-long dedication to volunteering with community organizations and industry associations has fostered a strong understanding of local dynamics and excellent community connections.

Chris’ appointment is the result of a comprehensive recruitment and selection process following the retirement of Paula Quinn, the Centre’s first Executive Director.

Chris is a dedicated family man, friend, and dog lover who enjoys spending time with friends, boating, skiing, and traveling. His leadership and vision will be instrumental in driving the KF Centre for Excellence forward, continuing its mission to provide top-tier educational and community resources.