EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Mark Brajer, PEng, MBA, ICD.D
Chief Executive Officer
Tsartlip Group of Companies
Mark Brajer joined Tsartlip Group of Companies (TGoC) in February 2024 as Chief Executive Officer. Mark is responsible for overseeing the economic development and all business operations, subsidiary companies, and joint ventures. TGoC is the economic development arm of the Tsartlip First Nation in Brentwood Bay, BC.
Mark has spent the past six years as CEO of the Tlicho Investment Corporation (TIC). TIC is the economic development and business arm for the Tlicho First Nation near Yellowknife, NT. His work with first nations and northern employment was quite extensive with the turnaround and expansion of the TIC business. There has been a drive to improve the sustainability of the organization, grow the business organically and inorganically, diversify the corporation, and provide the Tlicho with a proud economic development business across the region.
His career has been largely in the economic development, operations, supply chain and engineering areas over a 30-year career, half at an executive level. He has worked across North America before starting his position with TGoC. Mark has worked for E.D. Smith, Alberto-Culver, Unilever, Epicure, the Tlicho Investment Corporation and now the Tsartlip Group of Companies.
Mark has undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering (B.Eng.) and Chemistry (B.Sc.) from McMaster University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, and a Food Science Certificate from Guelph University. Mark is a licensed engineer in British Columbia, Ontario, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon.
Mr. Brajer currently sits on the boards of Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, the Corporate Indigenous Relations Council, is a Senior Fellow with Arctic 360 and has served on many community and not-for-profit boards across the country. Mark currently lives in Victoria, BC.
PING Zhao
Chief Financial Officer
Ping joins TGoC’s Executive Leadership Team and brings over 16 years of experience working at public, private and semi-government sectors in providing them with financial strategy, tax planning, internal controls, system implementation, compliance, and various other business services.
Ping and holds a Bachelor' of Art degree from Wuhan University and a Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting degree from Mount Royal University. Ping articled with Ernest & Young LLP and obtained the CPA, CA designation in 2010.
Outside work, Ping enjoys gardening, site seeing and walking, you’ll also find her volunteering at a local tax center at tax season.
MANAGEMENT
Mark Freeborn
Tsartlip Fuel & Convenience Manager
Mark Freeborn has recently joined TGOC, holding the role of Manager, Tsartlip Fuel & Convenience (TF&C). Mark’s primary objectives are to improve the overall profitability of the retail operation and assist in future expansions. To achieve these goals, Mark oversees the day-to-day operations, human resources, inventory management, merchandising, and product assortment selection of TF&C.
Mark spent several years managing retail stores in the Specialty Outdoor Sporting Goods market, catering to the rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry travel, camping, hiking, and skiing communities. Expanding on these passions, he made the switch from retail to the wholesale side of the business, holding sales representative roles, both in house, and independently for brands such as Mammut Sports and Helly Hansen Leisure Canada. As brand representative, his duties included selling the brand’s products directly to retailers across Western Canada, supporting community engagement events, athlete development and sponsorship, and training store staff on product knowledge and selling techniques.
Mark studied Enterprise Development at Camosun College, has completed the Canadian Professional Sales Training program, and is currently in his final semester of the Bachelor of Commerce program at Thompson Rivers University, OL Learning.
Mark lives and plays in Brentwood Bay with his two Metis children. Outside work, he can be found coaching the children’s sports, fishing, hunting, boating, rock climbing, ski touring, or working on home improvement projects.