Walter J. (Jim) Treliving -
Chairman & Owner, Boston Pizza International Inc.
"Behind every great company is a great team."
- Jim Treliving
It was more than 40 years ago when Jim Treliving walked into the original Boston Pizza restaurant in Edmonton and tried his first pizza. It was love at first taste and in a very short time it was to be his future.
As a true visionary, born entrepreneur and risk taker, Jim saw the potential in the pizza restaurant business and left the security of his position as an RCMP officer to become a Boston Pizza franchisee.
He opened his first restaurant in 1968 in Penticton, B.C. In the ensuing few years, he became friends with a local accountant, George Melville, who turned into his business partner in 1973. Today, the two men share responsibility as co-owners and co-chairmen of Canada's No. 1 casual dining chain.
Jim and his partner, George Melville, have invested in dozens of other businesses and provide guidance and support to their management teams to help them realize their full potential. They created T&M Management Services Ltd., a multi-faceted organization with a diversified group of businesses including: Boston Pizza International, Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund, Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, Boston Pizza Foundation, Kitchen Partners Ltd., Mr. Lube, Global Entertainment Corp., S&T Holdings Inc., White Rock Commercial, Naramata Benchlands, brand.LIVE and Dermal Laser Centre. Jim and George serve as chairmen and owners of T&M Management Services Ltd.
To Jim, one of the most important parts of running a successful business is creating and maintaining a strong culture of camaraderie. No matter where he is, Jim makes a point of stopping in to say hello at every Boston Pizza in town. When he visits a restaurant, he always shakes hands with the staff and thanks them for their hard work. According to Jim, "you take people in as franchisees and they become part of your family."
Jim has always had a vision for expanding the Boston Pizza chain, not only across Canada, but around the world. With more than 390 restaurants across North America, Jim is now looking towards expansion into Australia, the United Kingdom, and eventually Asia.
Jim manages the operation of the U.S. head office for Boston's The Gourmet Pizza in Dallas, Texas. He moved there in 2000 to ensure there was a solid infrastructure in place to support local franchisees and to demonstrate their long-term commitment to the American market.
Jim is involved in a number of other business interests. He serves as Chairman of the Central Hockey League and Global Entertainment Corporation and is a director for the Hockey Canada Foundation. He is also a founding director of the Boston Pizza Foundation, which has raised more than $10 million for various Canadian charities including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Kids Help Phone and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Jim currently stars as one of the five Dragon's in CBC's reality TV show, Dragon's Den. In Dragons' Den, aspiring entrepreneurs secure a financial investment from the Dragons to start their own business.
Jim resides in Dallas with his wife Sandi and two stepchildren, Daniel and Katie. The eldest of Jim's children are following in his footsteps. Daughter Cheryl obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of British Columbia, is a Boston Pizza franchisee and the executive director of the Boston Pizza Foundation, while son Brad is the assistant general manager for the Phoenix Coyotes and also a Boston Pizza franchisee. Jim and Sandi are the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.
George C. Melville -
Chairman & Owner, Boston Pizza International Inc.
Director and Chief Executive Officer, Boston Pizza GP Inc.
"To succeed in this business, you need to keep it simple and stick to what you do best."
- George Melville
George Melville has a passion for business and a passion for people.
The notion of surrounding yourself with great people and building a strong, diverse team is fundamental to George who became involved with Boston Pizza International Inc. in 1973 when he partnered with Jim Treliving. Today, the two close friends share responsibility as co-owners and co-chairmen of Canada's No. 1 casual dining chain, which has over 340 locations across Canada. The company operates in the U.S. and Mexico under Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, with more than 50 restaurants to its name.
George attributes his success as an entrepreneur to his family, who has always been extremely supportive and encouraging. George is grateful that his parents taught him to respect people and to listen to what they have to say. He spends a lot of time on the phone with franchisees, talking about their business and offering advice to help them succeed. He respects them as business partners and considers them friends. To George, the franchisees and staff at Boston Pizza have become his extended family.
Giving back to the community is a natural part of doing business for George. Boston Pizza encourages their franchisees to support local causes and, in 1990, George co-founded the Boston Pizza Foundation. Since its inception, more than $10 million has been raised for various Canadian charities including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Kids Help Phone and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
George and his partner, Jim Treliving, have invested in dozens of other businesses and provide guidance and support to their management teams to help them realize their full potential. They created T&M Management Services Ltd., a multi-faceted organization with a diversified group of businesses including: Boston Pizza International, Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund, Boston's The Gourmet Pizza, Boston Pizza Foundation, Kitchen Partners Ltd., Mr. Lube, Global Entertainment Corp., S&T Holdings Inc., White Rock Commercial, Naramata Benchlands, brand.LIVE and Dermal Laser Centre. Jim and George serve as chairmen and owners of T&M Management Services Ltd.
George is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and is an active member of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, and the Vancouver Board of Trade. He is a director of the Central Hockey League and Global Entertainment Corporation, as well as a director and chief executive officer of Boston Pizza GP Inc.
Prior to Boston Pizza, George earned a chartered accountant designation in 1968 and worked for the renowned accounting firm, Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. in Penticton, BC.
George has been married to his wife Sylvia since 1968. His love for Boston Pizza has been passed down to their two children, Lia and Jordan, who are both part of the Boston Pizza family. Lia and her husband Jeff Wheatley are franchisees, and Jordan is the vice president of business development. George and Sylvia are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren. In his spare time, George loves to play golf, which has become an integral part of Boston Pizza's fundraising culture.
Mark Pacinda -
President & Chief Operating Officer, Boston Pizza International Inc.
Mark Pacinda, president and chief operating officer of Boston Pizza International Inc. (BPI), oversees the performance of Canadian operations and manages the executive team responsible for defining BPI's strategy, objectives and business planning.
He joined BPI as executive vice president in 1997 to lead the company's expansion into Eastern Canada. He played an instrumental role in the successful launch and growth of Eastern operations and oversaw the creation of a regional corporate office in Mississauga, Ont. Since 1997, Boston Pizza has aggressively expanded across Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
Previously, Mark was president of Arby's International, responsible for the company's operations in 12 countries worldwide. He also held several senior management positions with Pepsi Co., including chief financial officer for the South Pacific region.
Mark currently serves as a director of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association and is actively involved in the Boston Pizza Foundation, a registered charitable organization that has raised more than $10 million for Canadian charities.
He earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of New York and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Southern Connecticut.
Mark lives in Oakville, Ont., with his wife Debbie and their two children, Joanne and Ryan. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing and spending time with his family.
Mark Powell -
Chief Financial Officer, Boston Pizza International Inc.
Director and Chief Financial Officer, Boston Pizza GP Inc.
Mark Powell is the chief financial officer of Boston Pizza International Inc. and Boston Pizza, GP Inc. Boston Pizza GP Inc. is the managing general partner of the Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund. As CFO, Mark oversees Finance, Accounting, Legal, Investor Relations, Business Development and Internal Audit.
Mark has worked with the group since January, 2001. Prior to 2001, he served as vice president of finance for Vancouver-based real estate company Ledingham McAllister Properties for most of the 1990's. From 1994 to 1995, he worked with Sun Development in Aruba as part of the development team for the Tierra Del Sol championship golf resort project. Throughout the 1980's, he held financial management positions of increasing responsibility in the hospitality industry.
Mark has been a member of the Certified Management Accountants of Canada (CMA) since receiving his designation in 1986. He is a board member of the Canadian Association of Income Funds. Mark is a member of Financial Executives International and the Vancouver Board of Trade.
Mark lives in Vancouver, BC with his wife Joan and has two children, Jessica and Christopher. Jessica attends university in Holland, and Christopher attends college in Oregon, USA.
