Blair Whitmarsh has had an interest in leadership throughout his life. He has helped people find their strengths and discover how to best put those strengths to work.
As a coach, a professor, a university administrator, community volunteer and home group leader in his church, Blair has promoted the growth of both individuals and organizations since his arrival in Langley Township. As a member of the Council from 2014-2022, he was able to use his skill to bring out the best in and for the people of Langley Township.
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About 34 years ago as a first year student at Trinity Western University, Blair got to know The Township of Langley beyond the campus as he trained to be a triathlete. He cycled and ran on the roads and paths around the town and discovered the area had a “small-town feel” with which he fell in love. He knew he had found his home.
During those early years, he strengthened his bond with the community by working and volunteering as a lifeguard at the W.C. Blair Recreation Centre which had just opened. Blair embraced Langley as the place to raise a family, to work, and to enjoy life and has remained in Langley except for the brief period it took him to earn his PhD.
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Blair and his wife, Lorraine, returned from his graduate work in Edmonton in 1996 to raise their three daughters, Karina, Jolayne, and Tana. His daughters played community soccer for many years and all three of the girls have attended Trinity Western University. Blair and Lorraine are also active members of Christian Life Assembly Church in Langley.
Langley has provided the backdrop for a fulfilling life for the Whitmarsh family who live in the Brookswood area. The quality of life that his family has experienced has convinced Blair that the Township is the best place to raise a family.
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Learning has been foundational for Blair. He has been an eager student who received his bachelors in physical education from Trinity Western University. He followed this by earning a PhD in sports psychology from the University of Alberta in 1998 and later his MBA from Trinity Western University in 2014.
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Blair returned to Langley in 1996 as a professor at Trinity Western University. In 2005, the university appointed him to the job of Dean of the School of Human Kinetics and Athletics at Trinity and he remains in that position today. In the joint venture between Trinity and the Township of Langley, he played a role in developing and designing the Langley Events Centre.
Expertise in the following areas:
Budget management
Human Resources
Problem Solving
Setting and Accomplishing Goals
Teamwork
Leadership
Performing under Pressure
Stress management
Communication
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Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Blair believes a strong community needs active citizens. He leads by example, coaching youth soccer in Langley and serving on private school boards, the Canadian Sports Institute, Christian Life Assembly Church, and the Community Council for the Gateway of Hope in Langley.
“Working Together for Langley”
— Blair Cares