About – UNITE Partnerships Inc.

Why UNITE?

As a leading sponsorship sales and marketing authority, our team of professionals is proud to have worked with some of the world’s largest and most respected events, organizations and brands.

We take immense pride in our contribution to creating unforgettable, joy-infused moments. This isn’t just our profession; it’s our passion. It’s the reason behind our unparalleled success and the driving force that propels us forward. We don’t just build connections — we forge unforgettable experiences that resonate and inspire.

Our commitment doesn’t end when an agreement has been signed. Whether we are responsible for fulfillment and servicing a client or not, we maintain contact to ensure that each partnership is delivered as promised, and expectations are met or surpassed.

We treat your business as if it were our own.

Our Team

Rick Ramsbottom

Co-Founder

Rick is a seasoned sponsorship marketing professional with over 25 years of experience in the sport and entertainment industry. He has worked in revenue generation roles with the Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Whitecaps, as well as with major nation-building events including the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

As the Vice President of Partnerships for Toronto 2015, Rick led the most successful Pan American Games sponsorship program to date, generating over $137 million in sponsorship and licensing revenue. His expertise in building and managing complex, integrated partnerships has made him a trusted advisor to both national and international organizations.

Rick is passionate about how sport and entertainment events can enrich communities, and firmly believes partnerships grounded in shared values and objectives can generate lasting, positive impacts for all involved.

A strong proponent of community involvement, Rick serves as a board member for viaSport British Columbia and the Canada Games Council. He is also a long-standing volunteer with KidSport.

Garnet Nelson

Co-Founder

Garnet is an entrepreneurial sponsorship marketing professional with a passion for creating win-win partnerships between brands and properties.

With 25+ years of sponsorship sales and marketing experience, Garnet has been directly responsible for a number of award-winning, high-profile partnerships, ranging from large-scale title partnerships and naming rights positions to critical supplier deals.

Garnet’s strategic approach to sponsorship has enabled him to build successful partnerships with some of Canada’s most respected brands including Freedom Mobile, Rogers, Interac, General Motors, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Kia, Labatt, Pepsi, Starbucks, Diageo, TD, McDonald’s, BCAA, and Tim Hortons, among numerous others.

An entrepreneur, experienced marketer, and veteran sponsorship marketing professional, Garnet regularly participates as a judge of the annual Sponsorship Marketing Awards (Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada). In his spare time, Garnet enjoys playing golf, coaching minor hockey, and roasting his own coffee beans.

Heather Mawhinney

Senior Manager, Partnerships

Heather is passionate about building win-win-win partnerships that integrate business goals, brand objectives and community engagement.

With 10 years of sponsorship experience at leading agencies, brands and properties, her strength is in delivering partnerships that perform. Working with a range of clients – from national brands like Labatt and Maple Leaf Foods, to non-profits and early stage startups – has given her insight into solving a wide range of business challenges.

As a collaborator and teammate, Heather prides herself on being thorough – sweating the details and doing her homework. She’s naturally curious and creative, and enjoys thinking up big ideas.

New to Vancouver, Heather enjoys exploring BC’s vast and beautiful trails, and participating in weekly run clubs around the city. She also volunteers as a board member of the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada.

Charlie Bebb

Coordinator, Partnerships

Prior to joining UNITE, Charlie worked in Global Product Marketing with behemoth beauty company Estee Lauder, and in Private Wealth Management with TD Bank. Learning that finance was not the career path she wanted to pursue, Charlie is thrilled to be back in the marketing industry working in Sponsorship.

She is passionate about bringing people together in creative ways, fostering strong relationships, and connecting with those around her. These qualities contribute to her being known as a proactive and personable individual, who genuinely cares about what she can do to positively impact others and the community.

As an enthusiastic doer of things, in her free time Charlie enjoys backcountry camping with friends, walking her Goldendoodle (Millie), and reading anything related to psychology, true crime, or history.