Executive Committee
Meet the West Coast Estonian Days LEP 2015 Executive committee!
Olev Rumm – Chairman
The current president of the Vancouver Estonian Society, Olev Rumm was born in Estonia and moved to Canada nearly two decades ago. With a love of all things Estonian, Olev is responsible for all programming and events for the LEP 2015 festival. Having attended 9 LEPs in the past, Olev is looking forward to a successful LEP 2015 in Whistler. He is also excited to see the next generation of North American Estonians participate in the festival. His two children, Karl and Ingrid participated in the 2014 Laulupidu in Tallinn.
Harry Jaako – Vice Chairman
Harry Jaako is the president of Discovery Capital, a Vancouver venture capital firm he co-founded in 1986. He has been active in Vancouver’s tech community for 35 years, most recently on the Boards of Avigilon Corporation and TMX Group Limited. In 1999, Harry was appointed Honorary Consul for Estonia in Vancouver. A ski, golf and motorcycle enthusiast, Harry calls Whistler home, and looks forward to sharing its natural mountain beauty with everyone who attends LEP 2015. Harry served on the Executive of LEP 1977, the Rahvapidu Committee of LEP 1987, and participated as a folk dancer in the 1975, 1977 and 1987 festivals. His daughter, Leah continues the family’s LEP involvement by overseeing all digital marketing for LEP 2015, and recently participated in the 2014 Tantsupidu in Tallinn.
Lilian Olljum – Vice Chairman
Born and raised in Vancouver, Lilian Olljum is a retired teacher and mother of two boys, who has been active in the Estonian and Swedish communities throughout her life. Growing up, her days were filled with Eesti Kool, Swedish School, folk dancing, rhythmic gymnastics, choir rehearsals and the occasional Kalevala theatre performance. Since 1961, Lilian has been part of almost every LEP. She was a member of Muinsuskaitse Selts – Vancouveri Osakond, and a founding member of BIG – “Baltic Information Group”. Lilian looks forward to greeting old friends and making new ones in Whistler in 2015.
Karin Sillat Muld – Secretary
Karin Sillat Muld has grown up submersed in Estonian culture. She attended the Los Angeles Estonian Sunday School and Lutheran Church, and danced with both the Kivikasukas (LA) and Kullad Varavad (SF) folk dance groups. While living in San Francisco, she was a member of the Eesti Seltsi Juhatus and served as its President from 2001 to 2005. Karin has attended almost all LEPs since 1971, and has been a volunteer, organizer and/or executive for LEPs in 1979, 1983, 1989, 1993 and 2001. Love and marriage brought Karin to Vancouver in 2007, where she continues to be involved with the Vancouver Estonian Society. Most often Karin can be found in the kitchen, where she enjoys preparing many Estonian dishes, including Mulgikapsad. At LEP 2015, she is looking forward to sharing and showing off the awesome beauty of Vancouver and Whistler to her friends from the USA.
Alar Suurkask – Treasurer
Born in Estonia, Alar immigrated to Canada in 1951. He grew up in Toronto. While on a visit to Vancouver he was persuaded to join the Vancouver Folk Dance group and performed at LEP1959 in San Francisco. He obtained his Bachelor of Engineering at Buffalo, New York. He moved to Vancouver in 1968. As a Professional Engineer, Alar was responsible for the development of many projects throughout Western Canada and the Middle East. He has attended every LEP since 1971. He managed the Salakõrts at Cecil Green Park at UBC in 1977, was secretary in LEP 1987 at Hotel Vancouver, vice secretary in LEP 1977 at Bayshore Inn and the chair of LEP 2005 at Harrison Hot Springs. Alar’s son Anton is proudly following in his father’s footsteps. This past summer, he participated in both the Tantsupidu and Laulupidu in Tallinn, and he will be co-managing the nightly Salakõrts at LEP 2015 in Whistler.