Past President & CEO
Scott Hannah

Remembering Scott

Scott Hannah in his office at the Credit Counselling Society.

Scott Hannah announced that after leading the Credit Counselling Society for 26 years, he was retiring. The Credit Counselling Society’s Board of Directors appointed Peta Wales as the organization’s new President and CEO. She joined the society on February 6, 2023. You can learn more about Peta on our CEO page.

With profound sadness the Credit Counselling Society announces the passing of Scott Hannah. He passed away on June 17, 2023. He was highly regarded and deeply respected for a career spent making a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of Canadians. All those who knew him will be forever grateful that his family shared their father, husband, son, and brother with the nation. Scott leaves behind an indelible legacy and a team motivated and inspired to continue helping, educating, and giving hope to millions more. Learn more about Scott’s life and legacy.

Starting his career in the credit industry at a time when consumers were more cautious about personal indebtedness, Scott Hannah, in his words “has had the honour of leading the Credit Counselling Society since its inception in 1996.” In that time the Society has grown from helping 500 clients in its 1st year to providing assistance through education, counselling and debt repayment solutions to tens of thousands of Canadians each year.

Demonstrated Understanding of the Industry

Guided by his unwavering commitment to acting in the best interest of clients of the Credit Counselling Society, a cornerstone of Scott’s success has been his ability to balance the interests of key stakeholders while protecting consumers from questionable industry practices. Fundamental to his work is his ongoing dedication to personal financial literacy: he firmly believes that young or old, it’s never too late to start learning.

Sharing his Knowledge and Expertise

Through his unique experiences and work in the Canadian credit counselling landscape, Scott has become a recognized expert with keen industry insights. He is a passionate, engaging keynote speaker and is regularly sought out by the media for comment about personal finance topics.

Scott is a past board member and Vice Chair of Credit Counselling Canada, the national association of non-profit credit counselling agencies, and also chaired its Creditor Relations Committee. He has actively participated in various community and government working groups including the Debt Collection Industry Advisory Group under Consumer Protection BC. He also sat on the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.

Scott earned his Diploma in Business Administration from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and is a Registered and Qualified Insolvency Counsellor under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

On November 17, 2012 Scott was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from University Canada West. Scott was chosen for this honour based on “his distinguished service in the field of credit counseling and customer credit education at local, provincial and national levels.”

“Learning to manage your money and use credit wisely shouldn’t be a marathon; rather, slow and steady will win the race.”

Scott Hannah Memorial Scholarship

In memory of Scott Hannah and his ceaseless work to promote financial literacy, the Credit Counselling Society has established a memorial scholarship.