After Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics CEO John Furlong accepted the position of executive chair with the Vancouver Whitecaps, independent business consultant Sandra Hamilton decided to return to work in the Comox Valley.
"It was an honour to be asked to manage John Furlong's post-Games business transition," said Hamilton, who has spent more than 15 years advising Olympians on their transition from sport to business.
Hamilton is a strategic business and marketing advisor who three years ago moved to the Valley to raise her two children.
She worked with Furlong in the early days of the Olympic bid and became his business manager after the Games. Besides his reputation, Hamilton managed Furlong's speaking business, sponsorships, media, events and the launch of his book Patriot Hearts – Inside the Olympics that changed a country.
“Sandra is a results-oriented, values-driven business woman, well known for her passion, integrity and innovative thinking," Furlong said. "She is a thought provocateur who brings an independent, honest and creative approach to revenue generation and strategic marketing. Totally committed to inspiring people and making a meaningful contribution to organizations, I fully understand Sandra’s desire to now apply her years of corporate marketing experience to the area of social enterprise in the not-for-profit sector and to the area of economic development in our smaller communities."
Through her work with Furlong, Silken Laumann and the Twentyten Group, Hamilton has created and delivered media, fundraising, marketing and sponsorship strategies for more than 30 events and organizations each year.
Before running her own business, Hamilton was director of marketing for The Vancouver Sun, publisher of BC Woman Magazine and sales manager for Vancouver Magazine. In 1989, she emigrated to Vancouver from the United Kingdom where she was regional sales manager for the women’s monthly magazine division of IPC, the largest magazine publisher in Britain.