Jill Haller; the dynamic women behind the business side of the 2026 Memorial Cup
By Will MacLaren
With the CHL postseason around the corner, the focus continues to increase on Kelowna, BC and the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota. At the centre of this year’s event is one of the Okanagan’s most powerful women; a champion for Kelowna who cannot wait to watch her city crown this year’s junior hockey champion.
Jill Haller was born and raised in Kelowna. She earned her Batchelor of Business Administration at Okanagan College. After brief stints in Victoria and Calgary, she returned home to establish Kelowna Concierge, a venture that has won awards from the local Chamber of Commerce since its inception in 2017 and has elevated Haller into a place of prominence in the burgeoning community.
“It’s a very hospitality focused business,” Haller explains. “We do wine tours and transportation and event planning. When anyone comes to the Okanagan and they’re looking for fun stuff to do, they can give us a call and we’ll help point them in the right direction. Kelowna is like the perfect four-season playground. I grew up skiing and swimming and, on the beach, and golfing. I feel like my full-time job is trying to get people to play across the community and supporting other small businesses here in town as well. As a Kelowna kid, I feel pretty spoiled at what we’ve built here.”
While Haller may feel spoiled, her fellow businesspeople in the Kelowna region are quite impressed. That includes the Hamilton family, who were quick to reach out to Haller when they decided to make a run at hosting rights for the Memorial Cup twice in the past six years. Despite earning that privilege, the first time didn’t go accordingly to script, much like the rest of the world’s plans.
“In March of 2020, we actually had the CHL out here for a site visit when things started to go sideways with COVID and everyone talking about how big is this situation could become,” Haller recalls. “Still, we were so skeptical at how it might affect things. It was really within a matter of two weeks that it went from this idea of potential cancellation to literally calling our suppliers and partners and explaining how the government won’t allow us to host the event. It was a real roller coaster of emotions for those couple weeks and then something I’ve never had to do before which is cancel a large-scale event. Emotionally, it was devastating to tell this to our community and our partners.”
In 2025, Rockets President Bruce Hamilton called upon Haller again. The message was simple; dust off that winning plan again. We’re making another run for it. So far, in the game of securing Memorial Cup hosting rights, Haller is a perfect two-for-two.
“It feels different this time around,” she explains. “I feel like we’ve got something to prove out here in Kelowna, which is actually really awesome.”
It’s no surprise that Haller is embracing the challenge. Married and the mother of an energetic two-and-a-half-year-old son, being busy is a way of life. But hockey circles can be a different ball of wax altogether. Though Haller describes herself as a casual fan of the game, being placed at the helm of a major event in a male-dominated realm came with some pre-conceived notions that she, happily has been able to dispel.
“When I took on the project, especially knowing it was hockey and sports forward, I assumed it would be working with all men,” Haller recalls. “However, pretty much immediately, I found out there’s a lot of real powerhouse women working within the CHL and WHL and within the Rockets organization as well. Annie (Rockets’ Director of Marketing and Game Day Operations Anne-Marie Hamilton), has been incredible to work with. I was so excited and surprised to see all of the women involved. Specifically, I would say the national events team from the CHL has such a strong group of ladies that are leading the charge from the event planning perspective. I think that’s been really awesome.”
Haller has watched her city gain a greater foothold within the world of high-profile events. Recent successes such as the 2025 Montana’s Brier and Canadian Country Music Awards have set the table for Kelowna’s first stint as Memorial Cup hosts since capturing the title in 2004. But it was one instance in particular that resonated with one of the area’s most dynamic women.
“My biggest moment was when we started to work on our economic impact survey for the tournament specifically,” Haller says. “We came back with a number of $22.5 million that is going to come into our community as a result of the Memorial Cup. I wrote the bid. I did all of the graphic design for the bid. I did the presentation notes. And then, when you see that number come back, to think I am part of this team that is responsible for bringing that economic impact to our community, as a Kelowna kid, it’s just the coolest thing.”
Event planning is a constantly demanding, and constantly changing, line of work. It takes a powerful person to adjust accordingly. Haller has made this not only a way of life but a source of satisfaction. Some of her best advice for young women who may wish to follow a similar path is simple but impactful.
“Being able to be part of something so much bigger than yourself is very rewarding,” Haller implores. “There’s so much support out there, too. It comes from so many different avenues. You just need to utilize those resources and open yourself up to that. People that believe in you will back you and go to bat for you. Just go for it!”
