NS Board of Executive & Officers
The CASARA NS team is dedicated to leading our volunteers located in Nova Scotia. These are the members who dedicate their time and effort into managing and leading our Member Organization to make successful search and rescue taskings possible.
Director of NS,. National VP of Finance & Administration: Ken Pothier
Ken Pothier has extensive military, commercial and recreation aviation experience spanning 45 years. He was a helicopter instructor-pilot and flight commander and participated in three Search & Rescue missions with the Royal Canadian Air Force. In support of Army Training and Operations he flew helicopters in both domestic and international operations. He holds Airline Transport Pilot Licences for both Airplanes and Helicopters and is type-rated on the Bell 206, 212, 412, Pilatus PC12 and Cessna Citation III. In his commercial aviation experience, he was an Operations Manager and Chief Pilot for both Airplane (702, 703 and 704) and Helicopter (702 and 703) charter companies.
Ken is a co-owner of a Piper Cherokee (PA28) with his wife, Verna Wirth. Ken is the President of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association of Nova Scotia. As a Director on the National Board of Directors of CASARA, he was elected to the position of Vice-President Finance and Administration in May 2022.
Deputy Director & Provincial Training Officer: Olivier Beyer
Olivier has been involved with CASARA since 2012 and currently holds the positions as the Deputy Director and Provincial Training Officer for Nova Scotia. Alongside his positions, Olivier is involved with Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and is a crucial asset in helping to train members for search and rescue readiness.
Provincial Safety Officer., National Safety Officer: Verna Wirth
Verna is the Provincial Training Officer (PTO) for CASARA NS and sits on the executive as the CASARA National Safety Officer (NSO). She is also qualified currently for search positions of Spotter, Navigator, and Ground Support Specialist. With over 5+ years of experience within the Nova Scotia, she has helped strengthen our capabilities and membership safety.
Treasurer: Ken Heaton
Ken joined CASARA in 2014 and holds the main position of being the treasurer for the organization. Alongside that role, Ken holds various search positions like being a Spotter, Navigator, and Ground Homing Specialist within Nova Scotia. His volunteerism has helped strengthen the organization's search and rescue efforts in accomplishing their mission.