United by their desire to make MEC successful, our executive team is tasked with embracing change, seeking out new ideas and finding talented people to keep Mountain Equipment Company humming.
Peter Hlynsky
CEO
Peter has an extensive background as an executive leader across a range of industries in Canada, the US, Australia and Europe. He brings a broad range of experience with a focus on balancing financial stability while managing culture to ensure long-term business success. He’s a Chartered Accountant with a wealth of knowledge in everything from operational improvements to transaction services.
Peter has been a member of MEC since 1995. Some of his adventures include ski touring in Canada, hiking in the Andes, rafting the Amazon River, diving off Fiji, surfing in California and lots of kayaking through Desolation Sound and the Gulf Islands. Growing up on the North Shore near Vancouver, he has fond memories of riding his 1990s rigid mountain bike wearing hockey equipment as padding (gear has come a long way). These days, you can find Peter and his wife introducing their three kids to his favourite old trails in the mountains.
Adam Ketcheson
Chief Commercial Officer
Adam oversees the MEC Label, brand and digital teams. Before starting at Mountain Equipment Company, Adam was the CMO for Canadian tech start-up North (acquired by Google). He has deep experience in the realm of outdoor retail, and has led sales and brand marketing groups at global industry leaders Salomon, The North Face and Arc'teryx. He’s also served on the board of The Conservation Alliance.
Adam has been an MEC member since 1994, and when he’s not working with our staff to develop and bring in new gear, he’s using it outside on backcountry ski tours, mountain bike trails, and running routes in the North Shore mountains.
Deb Paulsen
Chief HR Officer
Deb is a seasoned professional and devoted employee advocate. She has a passion for influencing organizational cultures and driving people initiatives that inspires staffers to achieve their potential and deliver their best.
Deb plays a critical role in advancing MEC’s people vision and culture by building integrated talent solutions and shaping MEC’s people programs across the business. She has served in senior leadership roles at Rocky Mountaineer and 3M, supporting accelerated organizational growth and building high-performance teams.
A long-time MEC member, Deb enjoys cycling (whether on trails, the road, or on her spin bike), hiking the North Shore mountains, and spending as much time as she can in Whistler enjoying a variety of outdoor activities.
Erik Garrett
Chief Information Officer
Erik is seasoned technology leader who is living his career dream of working for MEC, a brand that has been influencing him from a young age.
Since the early 2000s, Erik has built a technology career on two basic principles – keep learning and keep improving. Having worked across multiple industries, Erik brings a breadth of experience that’s needed to keep pushing MEC’s Information Technology forward in the ever-changing retail landscape.
Erik was drawn to the outdoors from a very young age, having grown up on the West Coast, and attributes this inspiration to the old MEC print catalogues. Now settled on the North Shore of Vancouver, Erik spends his time mountain biking, hiking, camping and snowboarding.
Catherine Lau
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Catherine leads and oversees MEC’s legal, governance, privacy and real estate matters. She brings over 14 years of legal experience to our team, and prior to joining MEC, was Senior Counsel at TELUS and associate at Borden Ladner Gervais, LLP.
She currently serves on the board of Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, along with the Women General Counsel of Canada. She enjoys giving back to the community and has volunteered with various community groups, including the TELUS Victoria Community Board.
Catherine enjoys biking, hitting the ski hill and travelling with her family. A couple past highlights include visiting the ruins in Machu Picchu and snorkelling near Maldives and the Great Barrier Reef.
Michele Guimond
VP Marketing
Michele leads the group that’s responsible for sharing the MEC brand with the world. A dedicated people leader, she’s known for her ability to build strong culture as well as strong teams. She’s been a proud MEC member for ages, and she brings a depth of skills in brand strategy and operations to her role.
Before MEC, Michele led marketing at top-tier retail brands going through periods of rapid growth (including Arc’teryx and Aritzia). As a leader who’s also a creative at heart, she believes in the power of good storytelling and leading with high-quality creative to elevate a brand.
One of her favourite aspects of her work is how it links with her love for the outdoors. She’s an avid backcountry skier, downhill mountain biker and trail runner, and she spends every opportunity planning adventures outdoors.
Sylvia McLoughlin
VP Retail
MEC stores are the start of so many adventures, and Sylvia’s role is to help make sure your experience at our stores is a great one. She drives awesome member service and staffer engagement by supporting and improving store processes and procedures.
Sylvia hails from South Africa and lived in Ireland for 15 years before settling in Canada. With over 20 years of retail experience, she has worn many hats, including area controller, regional manager and store manager.
Sylvia is always up to go trail running, hiking and bouldering, but she’s happiest in the water – either paddling, surfing or kayaking. She loves that every day she gets to live the dream and be inspired by the amazing adventures our staff have.
Leah Nielsen
VP Digital and eCommerce
Leah leads the eCommerce and digital group that’s responsible for providing a seamless omni-channel shopping experience. She brings 15 years of eCommerce experience to MEC with a focus on the outdoor industry and has a passion for connecting members with the gear they need to get outside.
Before joining MEC, Leah led digital teams with other well-known brands including Arc’teryx, Patagonia and SAXX.
Leah has been a proud MEC member for 25 years. Fun fact: Leah’s journey in the outdoor industry began at MEC, where she started as a cashier and clothing team member at the Toronto and Vancouver stores! When she is not at work, Leah can be found running, cycling, sea kayaking and exploring new trails in and around her home in Squamish.
