Coldstream Helicopters Ltd. is pleased to announce that Lynda Flynn has been appointed Executive Vice President of the Coldstream Group of Companies as of Feb. 1, 2022. In addition to her new position, Lynda will continue to fill her current role as Chief Financial Officer. Coldstream is a vibrant, rapidly growing commercial helicopter operator headquartered at the Kelowna airport with multiple bases operating approximately 15 helicopters. Coldstream is active in the firefighting, emergency services, heli-skiing, powerline and construction sectors, and has also expanded into the manufacturing sector. Coldstream’s main area of operations, which it continues to grow, is the Super Puma heavy lift helicopter, which Coldstream converts to, and operates as, the Firecat, a specialty outfitted helicopter for wildfire suppression and utility operations.
Lynda’s new position will be instrumental in helping to manage the growth and advancement of Coldstream.
“This is an exciting time for Coldstream as we continue to expand and progress,” said Robert Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer & President of Coldstream. “Lynda is an integral part of the Coldstream team and Lynda’s proven track record of leadership attributes, business and financial expertise will continue to have enormous impact on Coldstream’s growth and success.”
“Coldstream has an incredible team of people that are dedicated to being best in class, and who are committed to safety and service excellence. I am honored to expand my role at Coldstream and to continue to be part of the leadership team as Coldstream continues to expand its heavy lift helicopter operations,” said Lynda.
Lynda is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA) with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honors) in Accounting and Management Information Systems from the University of British Columbia. Her post-graduate work includes the Queen’s School of Business Leadership Program (2005).
Prior to joining the Coldstream Group of Companies, Lynda was chief financial officer (2001) and later president (2007 – 2010) of Alpine Helicopters, an operator of approximately 40 Bell helicopters, and its subsidiary company, Alpine Aerotech, a helicopter parts manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. At Alpine, Lynda led a team of 200+ pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, and operations, administrative and support staff. She was a member of the Executive Management team charged with providing leadership to Canadian Mountain Holidays, a subsidiary of Alpine, the world’s oldest and largest helicopter skiing operator. Lynda also was previously employed as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Blackcomb Aviation and is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the Helicopter Association of Canada. Prior to entering the aviation field, Lynda was a Partner in the professional services firm KPMG LLP, a global network of professional firms specializing in audit, tax, and advisory services.
Lynda served as a director of The Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) from 2003 – 2010, holding various executive board appointments including Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair. She was also a member, by invitation, of the Canadian Aviation Executives’ Safety Network, an annual assembly for Canadian aviation leaders, established by Transport Canada in 2003, to identify aviation safety challenges and mitigation strategies, and to provide an industry forum on the regulatory health and direction of the Canadian aviation industry. She was a frequent guest lecturer at HAC and other aviation forums and a contributor to numerous industry magazines where she wrote on financial and management issues affecting the aviation industry.
This press release was prepared and distributed by the Coldstream Group of Companies.
