With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1181452
( quality time ) O FF T H E C LO C K ROBERT KENNEY NOVEMBER 2019 BCBUSINESS 69 W hen Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia isn't managing her Vancouver businesses, she devotes herself to charity activi- ties. Since 1987, her Women's Media Golf Classic has raised millions of dollars for child- related organizations, including Variety Children's Charity and the Children's Foundation, although it recently ceased operating. "As a result of founding Pacific Autism Family Network with my husband, our fundraising focus has shifted a little bit," says Lisogar-Cocchia. The PAFN Launch holiday luncheon fundraiser for 1,000 guests is November 29. Along with her husband and business partner, Sergio Cocchia, and others who have family members with autism spectrum, she formed PAFN in 2008 to provide a centre for research, education, treatment and support. The 60,000-square-foot GoodLife Fitness Autism Family Hub in Richmond, opened eight years later, offers assessment, thera- pies from music to medical, a preschool and adult daycare. The centre has since added spokes in Chilliwack, Kelowna and Prince George. Weekends and evenings, Lisogar-Cocchia volunteers with BC & Alberta Guide Dogs. "I wish I was a puppy raiser, but I'm not," she confides. "What it involves is visiting with them to share some autism knowledge with their dog train- ers." The organization provides Century Plaza Hotel CEO Wendy Lisogar- Cocchia goes to the guide dogs in her spare time by Felicity Stone W E E K E N D WA R R IOR WARRIOR SPOTLIGHT Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia's business is a family affair. What is now called the Century Plaza Hotel & Spa was built by her father, Roy Lisogar, on Vancouver's Burrard Street in 1972. Growing up, she did pretty much every job there from painting rooms to house- keeping and stints at the front desk. "That was an invaluable training ground to then, years later with my husband, be working at the hotel," says Lisogar- Cocchia. She and Sergio Cocchia are CEO and presi- dent, respectively, of Crew Management, launched in 1996, which also oversees Absolute Spa Group, Soluzione Spa Products, a recording studio and prop- erty holdings. –F.S. RUFF DAY Lisogar-Cocchia connects with two autism service dogs in-training Paws for Effect O FF T H E C LO C K