Introducing Christine Ulmer, Marketing Director
Christine Ulmer joins the MAKR Group to lead marketing division for Waterplay, Parkworks, and Wekid Manufacturing
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, January 19, 2023—The MAKR Group is expanding its global reach and impact with the addition of Christine Ulmer as Director of Marketing. The position, which is new for the organization, will focus on elevating all three of MAKR’s working brands: Waterplay, a leading global splash pad provider, Parkworks, Western Canada’s happiest park space supplier, and Wekid Manufacturing, Canada’s most playful steel manufacturer.
Ulmer brings more than 15 years of senior level experience, most recently leading the marketing, communications, and public engagement efforts of the City of Vancouver’s Board of Parks and Recreation, one of Canada’s most unique and diverse municipal structures. The Park Board stewards and oversees more than 250 parks, including the magnificent 400-hectare Stanley Park, 24 community centres with swimming pools, splash pads, arenas, and playing fields, and world-class attractions and amenities such as VanDusen Botanical Garden, the Bloedel Conservatory, civic marinas, and three championship golf courses.
Prior to joining the City of Vancouver Ulmer delivered award-winning marketing campaigns for the British Columbia Institute of Technology, where she was the Director of Marketing and Communications.
She benefits from a deeply connected network in the Okanagan, which is MAKR’s Central Hub. Ulmer spent the first decade of her career in Kelowna where she helped build the Public Affairs division at Okanagan College and was a sessional faculty member, teaching communications at the College.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to join the team at MAKR,” said Ulmer. “I’m thrilled to work alongside a group of talented, focused, innovative, and caring people who are living the values of the company every day while aspiring to connect communities around the world through equitable access to play and social experiences.”
The MAKR Group has experienced tremendous growth across each of its working brands. The company now employs 135 people across North America with offices in Kelowna, Langley, Edmonton, and an increased presence in Texas and California.
“We are excited Christine is joining our burgeoning business,” said Kerrin Smith, Vice President Strategic Growth at MAKR Group. “Christine brings a wealth of marketing and relevant industry experience, which will benefit further expansion of our already envious marketing efforts. Our exciting growth trajectory requires a strategic marketing professional to propel our MAKR brand and related businesses in Waterplay, Parkworks and Wekid to the levels of dominance we believe are available to us. Christine brings all this possibility, and more, to our massively fun business.”
Ulmer holds a master’s degree in communications from Boston University. Prior to earning her graduate degree she completed a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of British Columbia, where she played field hockey for the Thunderbirds. She has a passion for amateur sport and is a Director of the Board for the BC Games Society.
ABOUT MAKR
We are MAKRs, an enthusiastic group of people with the purpose of connecting communities through play and social experiences. The MAKR Group is comprised of three working brands dedicated to making the world more livable, playful and socially just—Waterplay, a cheeky global splash pad provider, Parkworks, a North American park space supplier, and Wekid Mfg., Canada’s most playfully professional steel manufacturing team. With 10s of thousands of play and park space installations throughout the world, the MAKR Group have helped provide millions of people, from all walks of life, of all ages, and with diverse abilities, with access to amazing, inviting, playable, enjoyable, “go-backable” recreation places.
Join our movement: www.makrgroup.com