User:Michael at Pod/sandbox

Early Life
Bob Wells graduated high school in 1991. He then traveled to South Africa to fight apartheid and to live there for a year. As a 17-year-old he was going to change the world, but as it turns out the world changed him. After returning from South Africa he ran for city council in Salmon Arm in 1993 as the youngest candidate in BC.

Bob founded the Silicon Garden Computer Co-op in Salmon Arm in 1997, a business model that helped him shape the creation of My Tech Guys in 2006. While in Salmon Arm he volunteered for the Justice Institute’s Youth Community Alternative Measures Program, focused on restorative justice and designed to work with youth at risk of going to jail and living a life of crime.

Comox Valley
In 2003 Bob and his wife “retired” to Courtenay from Victoria. They were drawn to all the outdoor activities, natural beauty as well as the phenomenal arts community. We decided this would be the perfect place to have a family and call home. Twins Megan and Connor were born in 2007. Due to complications they had to spend 4 months at Victoria General Hospital’s Neonatal intensive care unit. The Wells' were overwhelmed with the support they received, not only from friends and but also from YANA (You Are Not Alone). YANA supported them so they could look after their twins. YANA is a great example of what makes the Comox Valley an amazing place to live.

Community Work
As Treasurer and President of CYMC (the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre) Bob was able to get the organization back from the brink of financial collapse. Although tough decisions had to be made, they were necessary to allow the organization to survive. And through teamwork with other arts organizations helped the Comox Valley be the 2007 Cultural Capital of Canada.

Bob has been a Rotarian in the Comox Valley since 2003. He started with RotaryYouth Exchange, helping local students study abroad, as well as have international students come to the Comox Valley to live for a year. As President of the Strathcona Sunrise Rotary, he was able to help create a vision for his rotary club.

Donations
Bob has been able to support many organizations in the Comox Valley since 2003 including Rotary, YANA, Child Development, CYMC, MusicFest, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice, Elder College, Probus, the Comox Valley Airshow and the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. He has donated $10,000 to the Hospice Society, towards their dream of building a residential care facility. $5000 to Jeneece Place located at the Victoria General Hospital, where families can stay while their children receive critical health care.

My Tech Guys
As founder and president of My Tech Guys in 2006, I have not only helped the company survive through very difficult  but to thrive as one of BC’s  companies and even BC’s fastest growing company in 2010. I have also been recognized as one of BC’s Top 20 under 40 in business as well as the Comox Valley Chamber Small Business of the Year. Since 2010 we have Live Streamed the Child Development Telethon as well as Federal, Provincial and Municipal candidate debates to allow as many people to watch as possible. I am proud to be able to provide employment to 14 staff members.

Courtenay City Hall
After serving one, four year term as a city Councillor, Bob Wells successfully defeated incumbent Larry Jangula to be the Mayor of Courtenay for the 2018 - 2022 term.