Released on January 18, 1995
Economic Development Minister Dwain Lingenfelter and co-chair Harold
MacKay today announced the appointment of 12 new members to the
Provincial Action Committee on the Economy (PACE).
The new members are Dieter Jentsch of Saskatoon, Mel Watson of Weyburn,
Don Black of Regina, Gillian Gracie of Air Ronge, Don Loewen of Regina,
Emile Burnouf of Ile-a-la-Crosse, E. (Dutch) Lerat of Regina, John
Somers of Saskatoon, Mary Tidlund of Arcola, Nick Cercone of Regina,
Russ Pratt of Regina, Evelyn Shalapata of Meadow Lake, Frank Proto of
Regina, and William Turner of Cupar.
PACE was created in December, 1992, to oversee the province's long-term
economic plan called Partnership for Renewal. People from business,
agriculture, labor, communities, co-operatives and the aboriginal
community were chosen to guide the development and implementation of
the strategies outlined in the plan.
"With their diverse backgrounds, the new members bring the insight
needed to provide sound advise about Saskatchewan's economic future,"
MacKay said. "Their appointments also ensure that all regions of the
province, including the North, have a greater say in that future."
The new members have been appointed for a one-year term. They join 10
original members of PACE who will be staying on for another year.
The 10 original members are William Gaynor of Prince Albert, Gordon
Steininger of Regina, Gary LaCasse of Estevan, Dianne Olchowski of
Bruno, Robert Hawkins of Humboldt, Donald Ching of Regina, Harold
MacKay of Regina, Tom McClocklin of Saskatoon, Wilson H. Olive of
Regina, and Bernard Michel of Saskatoon.
"The recommendations made by PACE in the past two years have been
instrumental in guiding government policy for our economy,"
Lingenfelter said. "I'm confident that the new team will continue to
provide the sound judgment that will lead to more opportunities for
businesses and individuals in our province."
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For more information, contact:
Peter Phillips Harold MacKay
Economic Development PACE
Regina Regina
Phone: 787-1672 Phone: 347-8417
NICK CERCONE
Nick Cercone is associate vice-president (research) and dean of
Graduate Studies at the University of Regina. He is a past-president
of the Canadian Society for Computational Studies of Intelligence, the
Canadian Society for Fifth Generation Research and the Canadian
Association for Computer Science.
Cercone's research interests include knowledge-based systems, expert
systems, and design and human interfaces. He is the author of more
than 100 papers and editor of three books and the journal Computational
Intelligence.
DIETER JENTSCH
Dieter Jentsch is provincial vice-president for the Bank of Nova
Scotia. He has extensive experience in banking management in several
provinces.
Jentsch is a professional agrologist and member of the Saskatchewan
Institute of Agrologists. He is the senior liaison member for the
Canadian Bankers Association Environmental Subcommittee, past chairman
of the C.B.A.'s Saskatchewan committee and a governor for Northern
Saskatchewan Junior Achievement.
MEL WATSON
Mel Watson is president of Watson Distributors Ltd. in Weyburn and
Watson Tractor and Equipment Ltd. of Regina. He is also immediate
past-president of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and an executive
director of Canadian Western Agribition.
DON BLACK
Don Black is president and chief executive officer of Greystone Capital
Management Inc., which manages a variety of pension funds, corporate
and industrial portfolios. Black was recently appointed chairman of
the Farm Credit Corporation.
Black was formerly president of Houston Willoughby and CEO of Pioneer
Life Assurance Company. He also spent three years as president and CEO
of SGI. Black has served as a director of a number of public and
private companies, industry associations and charitable organizations.
He is on the boards of the Regina Health District, the Hospitals of
Regina Foundation, and the Canadian Scholarship Trust.
GILLIAN GRACIE
Gill Gracie of Air Ronge is the owner-operator of Aurora Communications
Ltd., a home-based business in the field of freelance writing, editing
and photography. She is also publisher of Opportunity North, a
quarterly business, industry, training and employment newsletter for
the North. Gracie is active in community clubs and committees and is a
business volunteer with Junior Achievement.
DON LOEWEN
Don Loewen is chief executive officer of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.
He serves on the boards of XCAN Grain Pool Ltd., Northco Foods Ltd.,
PrintWest Communications Ltd., and CanAmera Foods. Loewen worked at
Quaker Oats Canada before joining the Wheat Pool in 1972 as chief
chemist. He then worked in a variety of capacities at CSP Foods Ltd.
before returning to the Pool in 1990.
Loewen is a member of the Minister's Advisory Committee on Trade
Development, the Regina Economic Development Advisory Council and the
Pacific Basin Economic Council - Canadian Committee.
EMILE BURNOUF
Emile Burnouf is a businessman in Ile-a-la-Crosse who owns a
combination gas bar, retail grocery and hardware store. He previously
worked for DNS Housing and owned and operated a logging business.
Burnouf is a member of the Ile-a-la-Crosse Development Corporation. He
was formerly on town council and the local school board.
E. (Dutch) LERAT
Dutch Lerat of Regina is second vice-chief of the Federation of
Saskatchewan Indian Nations. As such, he is responsible for economic
development for the F.S.I.N.
Lerat sits on a number of boards and commissions, including the
Saskatchewan Indian Economic Development Commission, the National
Indian Financial Corporation and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of
Technologies.
JOHN SOMERS
John Somers is president of Kilborn Western Inc. in Saskatoon and is
responsible for the company's operations in the prairies. He's also
president of Bitmin Resources Inc., a joint venture between Kilborn and
Fording Coal Ltd., which is active in oil sands development in Alberta.
Somers has served as an adviser to the Saskatchewan Energy Conservation
and Development Institute. He's involved with the Saskatchewan Local
Airport Authority and is very active in community activities.
MARY TIDLUND
Mary Tidlund is president and CEO of Williston Wildcatters Oil
Corporation, which moved its head office from Calgary to Arcola in
1989. The company now employs approximately 170 fulltime and
contracted employees, most of whom are Saskatchewan residents.
Tidlund has a background as a director of several oil and gas
companies, and was also a negotiating landman with PanCanadian
Petroleum Limited. In 1993 she won the award for Canadian Woman
Entrepreneur in the category "influence on the local economy."
RUSS PRATT
Russ Pratt is senior vice-president at SaskEnergy in Regina, a position
he has held since 1992. He was formerly the national representative
and co-ordinator of the Energy and Chemicals Workers Union - now the
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada.
Pratt has served on a number of boards and committees, including the
city of Regina's Economic Development Authority, the Canadian Council
of Working Life, and the Electrical Energy Options Panel. He was also
appointed by the Saskatchewan Government to serve as chairperson for
the management group at the common table bargaining sessions of 1992.
EVELYN SHALAPATA
Evelyn Shalapata is director, north west district, for Indian and
Northern Affairs Canada. Current responsibilities include managing the
implementation and delivery of departmental programs, directing
negotiations with First Nations or other parties, supporting First
Nation self-government and resolving disputes.
Shalapata has served on the Saskatchewan Water Appeals Board and as a
director of the Silversage Low Rent Authority and the Silversage
Construction Company. She has been a volunteer for various community
organizations, including the United Way.
FRANK PROTO
Frank Proto is president and CEO of Wascana Energy Inc. A native of
Moose Jaw, he is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and the
Cornell School of Business Executive Development Program.
Proto was previously senior vice-president with Alberta Energy Company
Ltd. Active in industry and community associations he is a director of
Cominco Fertilizers Ltd., Century Sales and Service, Nelson Lumber
Company Ltd., and the Ex Terra Foundation.
WILLIAM TURNER
Bill Turner is president of Credit Union Central in Regina. He is also
a member of the Canadian Co-operatives Association. Turner farms in
the Cupar area and is active in community organizations such as the
Cupar Lions Club and the Lions Volunteer Ambulance Service.
