James Bretzlaff, BPHE, MBA, CMC
James is a senior management consultant with Berlin, Eaton & Associates Ltd.

James has been a management consultant since joining the firm in 1999 and brings a well-rounded approach to every engagement. He has played key delivery roles in a wide range of projects – from one-on-one leadership coaching to comprehensive, provincial-wide organizational effectiveness initiatives.

James has a strong background in high performance sport. As an athlete, James has represented Canada in swimming events around the globe. He was a regular finalist on the Canadian national scene during the late 1980s, including an impressive performance at the 1988 Olympic Trials where he was named to the Olympic Development Team. James earned a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education degree from the University of Toronto in 1994. During his studies, he won 2 National Team Championships, and maintained a philosophy of excellence in both sport and academics. He was nominated as a lifetime member of the R. Tait McKenzie Honour Society for academic scholars, received a Governor General Silver Medal Certificate of Academic Excellence, and was named as an Academic All-Canadian for distinguished performance both in sports and academics.

During summers while at university, James worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources in Ontario, and was responsible for overseeing rescue operations at the longest freshwater patrolled beach in the world. He managed a staff of 15 patrollers, and gained over 1,200 hours of navigation time in high speed rescue watercraft where he applied his emergency first aid expertise daily.

In 1995, James was named the Head Coach of the high performance swimming program at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario where he helped prepare athletes for national and international competition. He also taught in the school of Physical and Health Education, and managed aquatic operations for the university including a staff of over 25 coaches and instructors. In 1997, James moved to Victoria to pursue his MBA at the University of Victoria. Concurrent with his studies, James provided coaching support to the UVic high performance swim program which included 2 Olympic finalists. During this time he also completed the first of 2 Ironman triathlons (4km swim; 180km bike; 42km run), and held intern positions with Tourism British Columbia and the BC Ministry of Health.

Through his wide range of experiences, James has developed a strong ability to coach both individuals and teams to performance excellence. He believes that a balanced approach between task-based elements and people-based elements is a key foundation to problem solving, and enjoys supporting courageous endeavours in a wide range of industries.

In his spare time, James enjoys cycling, running and kite-boarding. He continues to support Canadian amateur sport wherever possible as a local board member and volunteer.