Previous Councils

• Mayor John Vassilaki
• Councillor Jake Kimberley
• Councillor Judy Sentes
• Councillor Katie Robinson
• Councillor Campbell Watt
• Councillor Julius Bloomfied
• Councillor Frank Regehr

• Mayor Andrew Jakubeit  
• Councillor Max Picton  
• Councillor Judy Sentes
• Councillor Helena Konanz
• Councillor Campbell Watt
• Councillor Andre Martin
• Councillor Tarik Sayeed 

• Mayor Garry Litke
• Councillor Katie Robinson

 

• Mayor Dan Ashton
• Councillor Wesley Hopkins
• Councillor Andrew Jakubeit
• Councillor Helena Konanz
• Councillor Garry Litke
• Councillor Judy Sentes
• Councillor John Vassilaki

• Mayor Dan Ashton
• Councillor Dan Albas
• Councillor Andrew Jakubeit
• Councillor Garry Litke
• Councillor Mike Pearce
• Councillor Judy Sentes
• Councillor John Vassilaki

31. Andrew Jakubeit (2014-2018):
Andrew served a total of 10 years on Penticton Council, first elected to Council in 2008 then as Mayor in 2014. Andrew’s Mayorship saw a number of positive developments, including the expansion of the David E. Kampe Tower at PRH, commitment to youth particularly the YES Project, the revitalization of the Downtown core, and implementing a community engagement strategy and platform (shapeyourcitypenticton.ca).

30. Garry Litke (2013-2014):
Garry served eight years on Penticton City Council and was elected Mayor of Penticton in September 2013.

29. Dan Ashton (2008-2013):
Dan's first term as Mayor of Penticton saw the renovation and expansion of the Community Centre, and the return to ‘core services' and common sense as a method of tackling the City's financial challenges. Dan was first elected to City Council as a Councillor in 1999 and served as Councillor from 1999 until being elected Mayor in 2008.

28. Jake Kimberley (2005-2008):
Jake's third term as Mayor of Penticton saw the City take on several new exciting challenges. The construction and opening of the South Okanagan Events Centre is the foremost of these wonderful enhancements to our community.

27. David Perry (2002-2005):
David served his term as a Mayor of Penticton City Council from 2002-2005. Elected as a councillor first in 1990, he has become well versed in the issues effecting Penticton. He has been a resident of the city since 1975 when he moved here with his wife, to start his career in Education.

26. Mike Pearce (1999-2002):
Mike Pearce began practising law in Quesnel, BC 1972. He served as Mayor of Quesnel from 1980 to 1990 and moved his family to Penticton in 1993. He was elected as a member of Penticton's City Council from 1996-1999 and Mayor from 1999-2002.

25. Beth Campbell (1996-1999):
Beth Campbell served on City Council for twelve years, including three as Mayor from 1996 to 1999. During Campbell's term the City constructed British Columbia's first Wine Centre, received Community support for a Waterfront Destination Casino, completed the City's first neighbourhood plan, completed the Memorial Arena renovations, and placed a permanent "Penticton" sign on Munson Mountain -- a community landmark.

24. G. Jake Kimberley (1990-1996):
Kimberley took over as Mayor as Penticton entered a period of unprecedented growth. Much of Council's attention had been directed towards handling the influx of new residents into the city, while still attempting to preserve the existing character of Penticton. Special interest in preserving and upgrading the city's waterfront areas continued into Kimberley's second term, as did final planning for a $20 million water filtration plant on Penticton Creek.

23. Dorothy Whittaker (1986-1990):
Penticton's first woman Mayor served as an alderman for three years prior to her victory in the 1986 Mayoralty by-election. Re-elected to a three year term in 1987, Whittaker saw the completion of some major projects during her years in office including an expansion of the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, an $18 million upgrading of the city's sewage treatment plant and acquisition of the former Kettle Valley Railway right-of-way through the city.

22. Ivan C. Messmer (1980-1986):
Messmer turned from his construction business to be elected Mayor in 1980. Messmer believed that Penticton's future lay in bringing new business to the city to broaden the tax base and encourage secondary businesses. Re-elected three times, Messmer resigned in 1986 to enter provincial politics as a Social Credit MLA. He quickly advanced to a cabinet position and ended his tenure in government as Solicitor-General.

21. Joe J. Winkelaar (1979-1980):
Winkelaar served one term as Alderman before being elected to the Mayor's chair in 1979. Unfortunately, his tenure was cut short by cancer. He was forced to resign after five months in office and died in August 1980. Born in Edmonton, Winkelaar lived in Penticton for 32 years and quickly became involved in community affairs. A former president of the Penticton Chamber of Commerce, he also served as a director on the Hospital Board, United Way and the Peach Festival.

20. K. Al Kenyon (1976-1979):
The Kenyon family has long been associated with the construction industry in Penticton, and Kenyon was Mayor during a time of busy expansion of the city. In 1975 and 1976 the population increased almost 15 percent, compared to the average annual growth of two or three percent. As he left office, a $4.5 million project to construct the four lane Channel Parkway was under way.

19. Frank W. Laird (1972-1975):
A long time driving force within the community, Laird was awarded the Order of Canada by Governor-General Ed Schreyer in 1981. In addition to his years on City Council, Laird served on the Penticton Hospital Board for 26 years and is a past president of the B.C. Health Association. A former teacher, Laird has also been keenly involved in the fruit industry, serving two terms on the Board of Governors of BC Tree Fruits Ltd.

18. F.D. Stuart (1968-1971):
First elected to Council as an Alderman in 1960 at age 35, Stuart served 11 years on Council. Born in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Stuart moved to Penticton in 1956 and worked in the commercial printing section of the Penticton Herald. He later opened Stuart Graphics Ltd. An avid pilot, Stuart was a former director of the B.C. Aviation Council and twice ran unsuccessfully as a provincial NDP candidate in 1959 and 1963.

17. Maurice P. Finnerty (1962-1967):
A former Liberal MLA, Finnerty believed that people should not stay in public office indefinitely. "Any head of government should have a goal, make his contribution and then get out," he once said. "The longer you are in office, the more you become immune to fresh ideas." The owner of CKOK Radio at the time, Finnerty saw construction of a new City Hall and a new Convention Centre during his tenure as Mayor.

10b. Charles E. Oliver** (1931-1935 & 1957-1961):
The son of former B.C. Premier John Oliver, served two four-year stints as head of Penticton's local government. Oliver was first elected as Reeve in 1931, then 26 years later was elected as Mayor. He was a great believer in acquiring additional water storage for the city and often focused his election campaigns on that issue.

16. C. Oscar Matson (1954-1957):
Starting out as a carpenter, Matson entered the contracting business at a time when Penticton was starting to boom. With partners Sid Kenyon and Tom Robertson, Matson formed a contracting company with the trade name MKR. The partnership later dissolved and each continued in the building trade alone. Matson later bought the old B.C. Hotel on Front Street, which was renovated and renamed the Valley Hotel.

15. William A. Rathbun (1950-1953):
Rathbun moved to Penticton from Calgary at the end of World War II, purchased OK Valley Freightlines from Oscar Matson, who succeeded him as Mayor. Rathbun was involved in real estate and investments for several years and was a senior partner of Burtch and Co. Realtors.

14. Robert Lyon (1943-1944, 1946-1947 & 1948-1949):
Bob Lyon had the distinction of being the last Reeve in Penticton's history and its first Mayor after incorporation as a city in 1948. Born in Scotland and educated as an architect, Lyon arrived in Penticton following World War One. One of the few architects in the South Okanagan, he provided plans for many of Penticton's older buildings including the former post office at Main Street and Nanaimo Avenue.

13. Robert J. McDougall (1941-1942 & 1945):
Raised in Peachland, McDougall worked for the Vancouver Province newspaper before coming to Penticton in 1914. For many years he and John Power co-owned the Penticton Herald Publishing Company, before selling his interest to Grey Rowland in 1940. McDougall also served on the editorial committee of the Okanagan Historical Society.

12. W. Gordon Wilkins (1937-1940):
Gordon Wilkins, better known as "Wilkie", arrived in Okanagan Falls from his native England prior to the outbreak of World War One. Wilkins has been described as one of Penticton's most colorful residents who loved to live it up and reportedly went through two sizeable English estates. In the mid 1930's he built a large section of benchland on the east side of Skaha Lake, where he built a country home.

11. H.B. Morley (1936):
Although he only served one year as Reeve, Morley left his mark on Penticton. The Morley Block was built in 1919 in the 100 block Main Street for his hardware and sporting goods business. For many years he was associated with the Penticton Board of Trade and was a keen Mason, serving as Grandmaster of B.C.

10a. Charles E. Oliver (1931-1935 & 1957-1961):
The son of former B.C. Premier John Oliver, served two four-year stints as head of Penticton's local government. Oliver was first elected as Reeve in 1931, then 26 years later was elected as Mayor. He was a great believer in acquiring additional water storage for the city and often focused his election campaigns on that issue.

9. George A.B. MacDonald (1926-1927 & 1929-1931):
A former mink rancher from Prince Edward Island, MacDonald developed an orchard and built his home on the site of what is now Nkwala Elementary School. Keenly interested in politics, he also served as a director of the Penticton Fruit Growers Union.

8. James Kirkpatrick (1924-1925 & 1928):
An agent with Canadian Pacific Railway, Kirkpatrick saw the CPR's importance to Penticton steadily grow as it was the sole shipper of fruit and express shipments through the Dominion Express Co. He died before retirement.

7. Edward John Chambers (1920-1923):
Community affairs, especially when they involved the fruit industry, were a keen interest for Chambers during his life in Penticton. The son-in-law of former Reeve Robert Scott Conklin, Chambers served four years as Reeve. He also was a president of the local Fruit Growers Cooperative Association and later became a member of the Prices and Trade Board in Ottawa.

6. Frederick Maurice Smith (1918-1919):
Arriving in Penticton from England, Smith and his brother purchased an orchard north of Lakeview Cemetery, which he operated until his death. During his second year as Reeve, Smith had the honor of welcoming the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) to Penticton. Photos from that visit were published around the world.

5. William Alexander McKenzie (1917):
A Penticton resident for 11 years prior to his election as Reeve, McKenzie also served as a School Trustee. He would later be elected as a Conservative MLA for the riding and moved to Victoria after being named Minister of Mines.

4. Robert Scott Conklin (1914-1916):
Described as a gifted orator, Conklin arrived in Penticton from Winnipeg in 1909. Semi-retired at the time, Conklin's daughter and son-in-law also moved to Penticton. His son-in-law, E.J. Chambers would later be elected as Reeve in 1920.

3. Capt. Ivan M. Stevens (1912):
The former British Army officer arrived in Penticton in 1907 and purchased several blocks of orchard land. After his term as Reeve, he left Penticton to resume active duty during World War One. He returned to the Okanagan after the war, opening a garage and service station in the 200 block of Main Street.

2. Edwin Foley-Bennett (1910-1911 & 1913):
Foley-Bennett brought his past experiences in the Klondike and his native New Zealand to the Reeve's chair in Penticton. He defeated W.J. Clement, editor of the Penticton Press, to win the 1910 election. The Kettle Valley Railway became a reality during his term of office.

1. Alfred H. Wade (1909):
The first Reeve of Penticton was the brother-in-law of Tom Ellis, the first white settler in the area. Wade arrived in Penticton in 1883 to join his sister, Wilhelmina Ellis and her husband on their large ranch. He later operated a general store adjacent to the Penticton Hotel on Front Street. He did not seek re-election after his one year in office.