Founding Partners

Carol Newell

Photo by Jaime KowalCarol Newell is the Founding Investor and Principal of Renewal. Through this organization, she has established a life’s work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist, placing over $60 million in organizations and businesses working toward sustainability in BC.

Carol is also the co-creator of Play BIG, an initiative to encourage others with wealth to activate their resources for social change.

Ms. Newell is an active member of Hollyhock Centre, the Threshold Foundation, Canadian Women’s Foundation, Women Donors Network, Investors’ Circle, Social Venture Network, and the Wealth & Giving Forum. In 2007, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2008 she was honoured by her Alma Mater, St Lawrence University with a Doctor of Humane Letters.

Joel Solomon

Photo by lisa Hartley Joel Solomon is President of Renewal Partners, and Chairman for Renewal2 Investment Fund.

In 1993, Joel joined Carol Newell in the development of Renewal Partners and the Endswell Foundation. Renewal has since invested in over seventy-five companies that share its commitment to socially responsible growth, including some of the best-known social purpose companies in Canada: Happy Planet Foods, Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD), and Communicopia, and Michael Jantzi Research Associates. Through its long-term commitment to capacity building, strategic alliances, and institutional development, the Endswell Foundation, now in its long-planned spend down, helped  sustain many charitable organizations who worked for a conservation economy.

Joel is a founding member of Social Venture Network (SVN), Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), Renewal Land Company, Tides Canada Foundation and the Sage Centre. He is Chair of the Board of Tides Foundation (US) and sits on numerous other boards throughout North America.

Martha Burton

Photo by Lisa HartleyMartha A. Burton is a partner in Renewal Partners.

Martha is also a director of Renewal Land Company, which promotes conservation-based land use and works to create viable models of forest conservation on private land.  As faculty for Play BIG, a series of invitational workshops for those with significant resources, Martha plays a key role as an advisor.  She is a regular consultant at the annual Social Venture Institute (SVI) held at Hollyhock on Cortes Island.  

Martha currently serves on the Executive Board as Treasurer for Vision Vancouver Electors Association; sharing Vision's commitment to lead Vancouver toward a new future with solutions to end homelessness, while building a green economy.

Martha is a founding member of  Nashville's  Women in  Commercial Real Estate (WCRE) and Social Venture Network (SVN) ; a member of Association of Women in Finance  and Women's Executive Network (Vancouver chapters),  as well as  the Non-profit Centers Network.  

Pamela Chaloult

Pamela Chaloult is Managing Director for Renewal and Vice President of Renewal2. She is also a senior advisor to Hollyhock.

Previously, Pamela served as Co-Executive Director of Social Venture Network (SVN), as Communications and Marketing Director for California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and Communications Director for Planned Parenthood. Before joining the non-profit sector, she led the marketing and advertising efforts for the CBS affiliate KPIX TV & Radio and for a variety of film and entertainment groups in Los Angeles.

Pamela is a member of the Women’s Executive Network, the Association of Women in Finance, Social Venture Network and sits on a variety of social purpose boards across North America.

Paul Richardson

Paul is the President of Renewal2, an early stage capital fund structured to deliver superior financial, environmental, and social returns.  For the past five years, Paul has been Vice President and in-house counsel at Renewal.

Paul’s work with Renewal Partners has focused on supporting its diverse portfolio of socially responsible companies and analyzing new investment opportunities from mission aligned businesses.

A large portion of his work at the Endswell Foundation has been in support of the internationally significant land use decisions for Canada’s 21 million acre Great Bear Rainforest - recognized as the largest and most significant integrated conservation program in North American history.

Staff

  • Carla Culos, Executive Assistant to Joel Solomon and Renewal2 Associate
  • Heidi Hartman, SVI Coordinator
  • Marisa Whitlock, Executive Assistant to Renewal2 and Office Manager