Employment

2017 – present
Vice President, Marketing & Public Relations, Stenberg College, Surrey, BC

2003 – 2017
Director of Marketing & Public Relations, Stenberg College, Surrey, BC
Les is an integral part of the leadership team that built Stenberg College from 7-students to a $20+million/year college with annual enrollments of more than 1200 students. Les has utilized his agency experience to develop and mentor a collaborative, in-house digital marketing team of highly proficient ethical marketers and lifelong learners who employ a student-centred approach to marketing. Since 2009, Les has been responsible for the annual Student of the Year Award celebrating the inspirational stories of program finalists and profiling them in the college’s annual Success Magazine and on its YouTube channel. For more than 20 years, Les has presented high profile and well attended conferences, symposia, and information sessions that have contributed to reputation and brand awareness. Les also directs and produces the compelling and informative videos featuring Stenberg’s students, grads, and faculty which appear on Stenberg College’s YouTube channel. In 2020, Les’ marketing team took over Stenberg College’s international marketing efforts from StudyGroup and have had significant success generating interest and enrolments in the Philippines, Latin America, and Africa.

1993 – 2004
Creative Director/Principal, Seeing Eye Design, Vancouver, BC
Les and his wife and business partner, Beata Stolarska, built a well-respected boutique advertising agency that won two Lotus awards which celebrate advertising excellence in B.C.. Their client list included: British Columbia Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University College of the Fraser Valley, the Vancouver Aquarium, BC Hydro, Vancouver Canucks, BC Lottery Corporation, Hangar 18 Creative, Vancouver/Whistler Illustrated, the Village at Park Royal, Vancouver Career College, and the Pacific National Exhibition.

2002 – 2004
Director of Marketing, Centre for Arts & Technology, Kelowna/Fredericton/Halifax
At the same time that he was repositioning the Centre for Digital Imaging & Sound (CDIS) for sale, Les developed a new brand, the Centre for Arts & Technology, a creative arts college in Kelowna and Atlantic Canada (Fredericton/Halifax) and exceeded enrollment targets. In addition to a strong radio and print presence, special event marketing played a significant role in the success of the college including a Student Film & Animation Festival, Entertainment Speaker’s Series, weekly Info Sessions, and well-attended Open Houses held every 3 months.

Under Les’ leadership, the Centre and local radio station, SunFM, co-presented Okanagan Grown, the Okanagan’s premiere songwriting and band competition, which received over 250 entries. A CD of the top fifteen bands was released with all proceeds going to the David Foster Foundation. The five winning acts were recorded and produced in the Centre’s recording studios by world-class producers including David Tyson (Amanda Marshall, Alannah Myles), Dave “Rave” Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, 54-40, Skinny Puppy, the Grapes of Wrath), Chin Injeti (Snow, Moka Only, Base is Bass), and ex-Grapes of Wrath, Kevin Kane. Several of the songs from the CD hit regular rotation on the local radio station. Okanagan Grown was a finalist for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) prestigious Gold Ribbon Award for promotion of Canadian talent (losing to Vancouver radio station CFOX’s Seeds competition). Les was also responsible for producing CATalyst magazine which was delivered by Canada Post to every home in Kelowna (over 100,000 homes).

2002
Director of Marketing, Centre for Digital Imaging Sound (CDIS), Burnaby, BC
The Centre for Digital Imaging & Sound (CDIS) was internationally renowned for its recording arts, animation and games program but increasing competition, locally and internationally, presented significant challenges to enrollments and future growth. Under Les’ direction, the marketing of CDIS was dramatically transformed, becoming hipper and more student-centred. Les collaborated with

faculty, grads and students to showcase their creativity and feature their stories in CDIS’ ads and website. Print, radio, television, and out-of-door advertising all strengthened the brand with strong, memorable and consistent messaging and imagery. Reversing a two-year trend which had seen no growth in revenue, in a mere 7 months revenues increased by 28% and CDIS was sold to the second largest for-profit higher education company in North America, Art Institute (EDMC).

2000
Marketing Consultant, Vancouver Career College, multiple campuses
While teaching Vancouver Career College’s Graphic Design program, Les was hired to entirely rebrand/reposition Vancouver Career College in an increasingly competitive and challenging private education sector.  According to Vancouver Career College’s Director of Admissions, Les and his team’s work were responsible for navigating the college “through a difficult financial period and provided more customer inquiries than any other private college in our industry bracket in the same period.”

1991 – 1993
Managing Editor, The Link newspaper, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Les trained students in all aspects of journalism and newspaper production including writing/editing, layout and design, advertising, and photography/darkroom. He rebranded The Link into a well-read student newspaper and highly respected member of the Canadian University Press. The “Sexuality Issue” of The Link received kudos from Vancouver Medical Health Officer, Dr. John Blatherwick for “your courageous effort,” from MP Svend Robinson for your “courage and vision,” and from AIDS Vancouver for “dealing openly and frankly on safer sex and sexuality.” The Link advocated for the first Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual student organization and a comprehensive campus-wide Sexual Harassment policy at BCIT.

Often controversial, The Link forced the Institute to halt all construction while it developed an environmental policy (it didn’t have one!) that ended up preserving the wetlands of Guichon Creek and protecting the wildlife.

Les produced two impressive student handbooks featuring the artwork of one of Canada’s most important artists and Burnaby resident, Jack Shadbolt, and graffiti artist and social critic, 12 Midnite.

1989 – 1991
Managing Editor, Institute for the Humanities publications, Simon Fraser University
Les edited, designed, produced, and promoted four books during his tenure. He was especially honoured to work on Liberation Theology & Sociopolitical Transformation: A Reader, which included a chapter written by Guatemalan human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Rigoberta Menchú. Les also coordinated all Institute for the Humanities events including conferences, symposiums and lectures.

1987 – 1989
Program Assistant, Simon Fraser University
While Les was an undergraduate, he began his career at SFU as a Secretary I (casual). Eventually he worked his way up to a full-time position as a Program Assistant in the Continuing Studies department.