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PRIMACORP

STRONG COMMUNITIES BUILD STRONG PORTFOLIOS

We believe that investments flourish in the presence of a strong community. We aim to unite communities with our industries, leveraging collective strength to build resilient and prosperous portfolios. We redefine success in our realm of diversified investments through community empowerment.

30 Years of Experience

Founded in 1995, Primacorp Ventures has been devoted to changing lives through education, service, and care. It started with a desire to become Canada's leading independent provider of private post-secondary education, and today, we enroll over 15,000 students annually. The vision expanded because there was a need to meet the educational needs of the students in their various fields. Today, we have operations in healthcare, hospitality, technology, and more as a socially responsible organization to fulfill the company's mission.

Meet Our CEO

Dr. Peter Chung

CEO & CHAIRMAN, PRIMACORP VENTURES

Dr. Peter Chung is a Korean-American businessman and philanthropist. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dr. Chung serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Primacorp Ventures, a large private conglomerate active in five industries, including Education, Real Estate, Technology, Healthcare, and Hospitality. The Education division includes Canada’s largest private provider of post-secondary education. He studied mathematics, computer science, business management, and ownership at UCLA, Stanford, and Harvard Business School. He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Education and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his humanitarian work from Belhaven University.

 

As a Christian and philanthropist, Dr. Chung contributes personally and professionally to the community. Dr. Chung and his wife, Dr. Stephanie Chung, are devoted to supporting charitable organizations and causes that are dear to them. They are deeply involved in their church, community, and charities, the Coram Deo Foundation and Joe’s Table Cafe. The Coram Deo Foundation provides resources to organizations worldwide where humanitarian aid is urgently needed (including church planting, student ministries, seniors’ homes, and missionary support).

Our Leadership

Yul Kim

President, Education Division

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Andre Souza

Head of Marketing

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Amanda Cabrera

Associate Vice President, Academics

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Wendy Schoenmaker

Senior Vice President, Finance

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Nick Khlystov

Vice President, Information Technology

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Najib Raie

Vice President, Strategy & Business Development

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Chris Wates

Vice President, Human Resources

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Our History


  • 1995

  • 1996

  • 1997

  • 2002

  • 2003

  • 2006

  • 2008

  • 2009

  • 2010

  • 2011

  • 2012

  • 2013

  • 2014

  • 2015

  • 2016

  • 2018

  • 2019

  • 2020

  • 2021

  • 2023
  • Established Primacorp Ventures
    • Acquired Star Education Careers Incorporated in Abbotsford

    • Repurposed the school as a privately run college for project-based career training to fill government-identified gaps in the labour market 

  • Solidified Business in the Educational Industry
    • Purchased secondary education facility Sprott Shaw Richmond 

    • Changed name to Vancouver Career College 

  • Expanding Business
    • Opened the third campus at Metrotown Burnaby

  • Expanding Business in the Lower Mainland
    • Opened fourth and fifth campuses in Coquitlam and Surrey
  • Expanding Business Nationwide
    • Opened sixth Vancouver Career College campus in Kelowna 

    • Acquired Reeves College in Edmonton and Lloydminster 

  • Expanding Business Nationwide
    • Opened Reeves College Calgary
  • Solidifying Business
    • Acquired 15 CDI College campuses 

    • Opened second Reeves College campus in Calgary and first Reeves College campus in Lethbridge

  • Launching of Visual College of Art and Design
    • Opened Visual College of Art and Design in Vancouver
  • Fostering Our Community
    • Established Joseph Chung Scholarship 

    • Established Amenida Seniors Community 

  • Scaling CDI College's Influence
    • Opened an additional 6 CDI College campuses nationwide
  • Increasing CDI College Network
    • Opened CDI College North York
  • Advancing CDI College Network
    • Opened CDI College South Surrey
  • Extending CDI College Network
    • Opened CDI College Anjou
  • Strengthening CDI College Network
    • Opened CDI Richmond
  • Widening CDI College Network
    • Opened CDI Brampton
  • Establishing Online College Programs
    • Launched 2 college programs fully delivered online through the Moodle LMS system
  • Expanding Visual College of Arts and Design
    • Opened Visual College of Arts and DesignCalgary
  • Expanding Online College Programs
    • Officially launched CDI College and VCAD online divisions
  • Diversifying Business
    • Established childcare Tiny Scholars in Abbotsford 

    • Opened Amenida Residences 

  • Fostering Our Community
    • Established Primacorp Foundations

Yul Kim

President, Education Division

Yul Kim is the President of Primacorp Ventures, overseeing the Education Division. He has 17 years of dedicated service, working in various departments. Yul's strategic expertise has been instrumental in driving the company's growth, revenue generation, and optimizing returns. He takes a practical approach to maximize ROI and ensures sustainable growth. His student-centric approach has led to successful partnerships with prestigious institutions.

Yul aligns Primacorp Ventures' focus and goals towards enhancing the student experience and outcomes. He exemplifies Primacorp Ventures' core values of humility, integrity, and innovation, empowering his team to excel in their roles. Yul holds a BA in Psychology from UBC and an MBA from Cornell University.

Andre Souza

Head of Marketing

Andre has over 20 years of experience in the private education business, having held leadership positions in both operations and marketing, ranging from Vice President of Marketing, Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. More recently, Andre has been the Head of Marketing, managing budgets of tens of millions of dollars yearly. Over his career, Andre has fostered deep partnerships with large marketing corporations such as Google and Meta, which led to strong performances.

Andre holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Networks Engineering from the University of Brasilia and a postgraduate diploma in Sales and Marketing Management from UBC’s Sauder School of Business. Before joining Primacorp Ventures, Andre worked in the telecommunications industry. 

Amanda Cabrera

Associate Vice President, Academics

Amanda is passionate about delivering high-quality education. From curriculum and instructional design to teaching and student services, she aims for excellence in the educational programs and services supported and evaluated through her work. 

She holds a Master of Arts in Education and International Development from the University of London, a Management Degree from the University of Lethbridge, and a Marketing Management Diploma from BCIT. Before her work in Education Management, Amanda taught at the post-secondary level for more than 10 years. 

Wendy Schoenmaker

Senior Vice President, Finance

Wendy joined Primacorp Ventures in July 2022 and brings over 17 years of diverse finance and accounting experience across the construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and education industries. Wendy has a proven track record of leading finance teams and driving sustainable growth. She is committed to implementing financial best practices, optimizing performance, increasing shareholder value, and contributing to Primacorp Ventures' continued success. 

She holds CPA designations from Australia and British Columbia (CPA Australia and CPA BC), FMVA designation, a Bachelor of Accounting, and an MBA. 

Nick Khlystov

Vice President, Information Technology

Nick has been with the company for over four years and is responsible for Primacorp Ventures' IT functions. With over 27 years of experience in the Information Technology field, Nick deeply understands the IT challenges across the industry among organizations of all sizes. 

Nick holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC. 

Najib Raie

Vice President, Strategy & Business Development

Najib Raie is Vice President, Business and Strategy at Primacorp Ventures and oversees non-school divisions, strategic ventures and partnerships across Canada, including public-private partnerships with federal and provincial governments and nonprofit organizations.

Najib is a creative and growth-focused leader with 20 years of experience structuring, growing, and optimizing enterprises and projects across North America. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, and Royal Roads University, where he studied Commerce and Business Administration. 

Chris Wates

Vice President, Human Resources

Chris joined Primacorp Ventures in his current role in February 2023. Chris brings 25 years of HR experience to the Company and has worked in various industries, including aviation, retail, construction, manufacturing, and high-tech. A lifelong HR Generalist, Chris possesses expertise in all areas of HR, focusing on labour relations, training, and employment law. 

He has an MBA from Sauder School of Business (UBC) and a BBA from Simon Fraser University. He is also a certified Instructor/Facilitator.