David C. Bentall was born and raised in Vancouver and is a graduate of both the University of British Columbia and The Harvard Business School.

David worked for 20 years in his family’s businesses, focusing on real estate development at The Bentall Group. He also served for seven years as President and CEO of Dominion Construction. During that time, the company’s sales grew from $150 million per year to just under $300 million.

After selling his interests in the family firm in 1998, David was instrumental in the successful domestic bid for the 2010 Olympics.

He is now President of his own firm, Next Step Advisors. Through this company, he provides succession consulting and executive/life coaching.

In 2006, David was formally recognized by the International Coaches Federation as a “Certified Professional Coach” and by the Family Firm Institute as a Professional Family Business Advisor.

David was Founding Chair of the Business Families Centre at UBC for five years from 2001 – 2006. He is the former Chair of Keats Camps and St. George’s School.

In 2005, David’s first book “The Company You Keep”, was awarded book of the year, in two categories, at the Canadian Word Guild Awards. His next book, “Leaving a Legacy: Navigating Family Business Succession” will be released in May of 2012.

In 2007, David began teaching an undergraduate course at UBC’s Sauder School of Business on the dynamics of family run businesses. He also teaches a similar course to MBA students. Last year, he was honoured to receive the “2010 Teaching Excellence Award” from UBC.

As a competitive water skier, David won a gold medal in the 2001 Western Canadian Championships, and set a new BC Record in Men’s Four Slalom in 2005, 2006 and again in 2007. In October 2006, David finished 8th in the Senior World Water Ski Championships in South Africa. In 2009, David won gold medals at the Provincial Waterski Championships, Western Waterski Championships and the National Waterski Championships. In addition that year, he set a new Canadian Men’s 5 slalom record. In the summer of 2011, David won a gold medal at the Canadian National Water Ski Championships.

David and his wife Alison have been married for over 30 years and they have four fabulous children.