Well deserved award presented today by Mayor Ron Hovanes to the former Speaker of the Provincial Legislature Bill Barisoff. A lifetime of public service.

Following information supplied by BC Government:

Bill Barisoff served 8 years as Speaker and held the posts of Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection and Minister of Provincial Revenue prior to his appointment as speaker.

He was first elected in 1996 to represent the riding of Okanagan-Boundary and was re-elected in 2001,2005 and 2009 as the Member for Penticton and served in that role until 2013.

Bill, who was born and raised in Oliver, owned a trucking firm before his election to the Legislative Assembly.

He served as a school trustee for 18 years, including eight as chair of School District #14; was a volunteer firefighter in Oliver for over 25 years.

Bill and Edna Barisoff live in Oliver.