Sir Knight Edgardo Panes, also known as Ed, born and raised in Cebu, Philippines has been elected as State Deputy by the Knights of Columbus delegates for the fraternal year 2021-22 during their Annual General Meeting and Convention held virtually on May 29, 2021.
Ed, a mechanical engineer, is the only 2nd Filipino to be elected to the highest State Council’s position within the BC & Yukon jurisdiction since its institution in 1910 after serving the state council for 9 years. Taking office on 1 July 2021, he serves a jurisdiction in Canada with 132 active councils and over 12,000 members.
As the new State Deputy and as well as an immigrant in Canada, Ed wishes to acknowledge and pay his respect and gratitude to the First Nation, offering them his support through the Knights of Columbus. During his first year of office, one of his goals is to roll out the “Council Recovery Program”, focusing on resuming council operations and inspiring not only members but the parishioners as well. Great service programs and incentives are being planned to encourage and boost membership growth.
Prior to his leadership role in the Knights of Columbus State Council, Ed has been a long time parishioner and a volunteer in the ministry of hospitality of St Joseph the Worker Parish in Richmond City. A firm believer that life is a blessing from God hence should be shared in humanity, he was inspired and motivated to join his local parish’s Knights of Columbus council, Christopher Columbus Council 10681 in 2007, where he served with zest and enthusiasm and made major contributions in this council’s growth. His patience, dedication, determination and hard work got him elected as Grand Knight and led his council to receive a Double Star Award for two consecutive years.
During the Knight of Columbus, BC & Yukon 100th year Annual State General Meeting and Convention in 2011, Ed was recognized and received the Grand Knight of the year Award after which, was appointed District Deputy for District 23 which includes 4 councils in Richmond and 1 in Whitehorse the year after. Similarly, under his term and leadership as District Deputy, his District 23 received the Star District Award for two consecutive years.
Ed moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1980 leaving his first job in the Oil Refinery Industry – Shell Refinery in Batangas, Philippines. He continued to build his career in Engineering which gave him the opportunity to work in various mining towns in Northern British Columbia, as well as in Communications Industries in the lower mainland.
Even at an early age, Ed, surrounded by the love of his parents and family members, has always displayed maturity beyond his age and loved nothing more than working with his hands, fixing parts or anything that gets broken.
He studied secondary school in Don Bosco Technical School where he learned and gained more technical skills and at the same time, mentored the out-of-school youth and adults. He graduated university in 1978 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
He gives credit to his family of instilling in him certain values that have served him well throughout his life.
Ed just recently retired from his profession in early 2020. He is married to his wife, Maribeth for 36 years, and is blessed with two children and three grandchildren.
When asked about why he joined the Knights of Columbus, he can only simply say that “this is an organization that inspires man and their family to grow in their Catholic Faith and instill the teachings and principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism or love of Country”(Henri Mercado).
“The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and willing service.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.