Image: SD33 / Mark Friesen, the assistant secretary-treasurer for the Chilliwack School District, has accepted a similar position with the Nicola-Similkameen School District.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Staff departure

SD33 Assistant Secretary Treasurer set to leave Chilliwack

Jun 18, 2025 | 8:41 AM

CHILLIWACK — Mark Friesen, the assistant secretary-treasurer for the Chilliwack School District, has accepted a similar position with the Nicola-Similkameen School District.

According to a news release, Friesen has been appointed as secretary treasurer and chief financial officer for SD58, headquartered in Merritt. His last day with the Chilliwack School District is August 15, 2025.

Friesen joined the District as assistant secretary treasurer in 2015. In his decade with SD33, the district says Friesen helped to modernize the district’s financial processes and built collaborative relationships across the organization.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Chilliwack School District, working alongside staff who truly put kids first in all of their daily work,” said Friesen.

“Mark is a steady, kind, and empathetic leader who is admired by his team,” said Rohan Arul-pragasam, Superintendent of Schools. “While Mark will be greatly missed in Chilliwack, we’re honoured to have been part of his journey. The Nicola-Similkameen School District will benefit from Mark’s extensive experience in education and his knowledge of how financial departments support education.”

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His biography on the SD33 website said Friesen enjoyed collaborating with school administrators, clerical and department heads in developing budgets and explaining financial concepts in an easy to understand way. Friesen also has a passion for process improvement and looking for ways to incorporate technology to make repetitive tasks easier to manage.

In a news release from SD58, Friesen brings not only strong technical and leadership skills, but also a relational and community-minded approach to the job. Friesen is being credited with building strong partnerships with schools and Indigenous leaders throughout his career and has been commended for supporting the learning and success of all students through sound financial success.

Friesen’s departure marks the second departure of a key member of the district’s financial team in the past three years. In November 2022, former SD33 secretary treasurer Gerry Slykhuis announced that he had accepted a similar position with Fraser-Cascade School District; his successor is the current SD33 secretary treasurer, Simone Sangster.

Further information about the SD33 vacancy is forthcoming. Expressions of interest can be sent to SD33 Human Resources at careers@sd33.bc.ca.