January 13, 1999
(Executive Council)

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Board of Directors appointed

Premier Brian Tobin today announced the names of the individuals who have agreed to serve on the board of directors of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and the Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation (CF(L)Co).

The new chair of the board of directors of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is Dean MacDonald, president of Cable Atlantic. The new members of the board include: Barbara Fong, executive vice president of Instrumar; Bill Kelly, Wabush Mines; Deborah Thiel, president of Nexus Consultants Inc.; Mark Dobbin, chairman and CEO of Vector Aerospace Corporation; and Wayne Trask, president of LaFarge Gypsum, Corner Brook.

Reappointed to the board are: Trudy Pound Curtis and the deputy minister of Mines and Energy, Brian Maynard. Also sitting as directors are William Wells, president and CEO of Hydro, and Terry Goodyear of Grand Falls - Windsor, who has one year remaining in his term.

"I am pleased that this outstanding group of citizens has accepted the task of directing Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro," noted Premier Tobin. "This is an exciting era in the development of this province's hydro-electric potential, and the coming years will be busy ones indeed."

The premier also announced the board of directors of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation (CF(L)Co). Dean MacDonald will also serve as chair of CF(L)Co. Reappointed to the board are Victor Young and Bill Wells. Three new members of the board are: Albert Hickman, chairman and president of Hickman Motors Ltd.; Len Stirling, first vice president and Atlantic regional manager of Johnson's Insurance; and Bob Warr, a well known Happy Valley-Goose Bay businessman. Also serving as directors are two members of Hydro Quebec.

Premier Tobin also paid tribute to the outgoing chair of the Hydro Group of Companies, Norman Whalen, Q.C., and other retiring board members. "I sincerely want to thank them for their dedication and hard work during a period when Hydro and government faced many challenges together."

Media Contact: Heidi Bonnell, Premier's Office, (709) 729-3564.

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DEAN MACDONALD

Dean is president of Cable Atlantic Inc. As a director and minority shareholder, he has worked with Cable Atlantic for the past 15 years. During that span he has been very active in the Canadian Cable industry and currently sits on the Board of the Canadian Cable Television Association and vision.com. Likewise, he is the chairman of Canadian Cable in the Classroom and the vice-chairman of the Canadian Cable Standards Foundation.

In addition to his cable endeavors, Dean is a director of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), Operation ONLINE, The Genesis Center and Ireland Business Partnerships. Dean also serves on the boards of a number of businesses including Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, and Nautical Data International. Recently, Dean chaired SoftWorld '98, an International IT deal-making event held in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Through his work with the cable industry, Dean has received the Frederick T. Metcalf Award for Innovation in Marketing, the industry's highest award for marketing excellence. In 1996, he was recognized as Gonzagas' Alumnus of the year and selected in 1998 by the Financial Post as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. Most recently, Dean was awarded the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries 1998 Leadership Award.

Along with his business interests, Dean is active in the community working on behalf of a number of charities.

Dean and his wife Susan have four boys ranging in age from three to nine.

 

BOB WARR

Mr. Warr graduated from Prince of Wales Collegiate in 1966. The well known Happy Valley-Goose Bay businessman is a member of the Board of Governors of The Provincial Hockey Hall of Fame. He is a past president of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Rotary Club, served as a member of the Advisory Council on the Economy and is currently a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

WAYNE TRASK

The president of Lafarge Gypsum Canadian, Corner Brook, Wayne is well known for his involvement throughout the years in civic affairs. He received designation as a chartered accountant in 1971 while working with Peat Marwick Thorne. In 1985 and 1986, he served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland and on the National Board of Governors from 1984 to 1986. Wayne is chairman of the Corner Brook Civic Center Committee and the Canada Winter Games. He is also involved in numerous other community activities.

ALBERT E.P. HICKMAN

Albert E.P. Hickman is chairman and president of Hickman Motors Limited. He is also the chairman of the Hickman Group of Companies - with diversified activities in Newfoundland (heavy equipment sales, building supplies, land development, Budget Rent-A-Car, and industrial equipment rentals). Mr. Hickman's directorship include: Fishery Products International Limited, NewTel Enterprises Limited, NewTel Communications Limited, Buchans River Limited, Environmental Excellence Corporation and Wilson Equipment Limited. He also has a distinguished record of service with charitable organizations including the Board of Governors of Junior Achievement of Canada and a Patron of Laubach Literacy of Canada. As well, in the local community, he served as campaign chairman for the Newfoundland March of Dimes and as chairman of the Construction Board for the YM/YWCA.

MARK D. DOBBIN

Mark Dobbin became chairman and CEO of Vector Aerospace Corporation in June 1998 upon the successful completion of its Initial Public Offering of shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Prior to this he was senior vice president and member of the Board of Directors of CHC Helicopter Corporation (CHC). Beginning in 1984 Mr. Dobbin held increasingly responsible positions with CHC and its predecessor corporation, Sealand Helicopters. Prior to joining Sealand he held positions with Petroleum Helicopters, Lafayette, Louisiana, and with Aerospatiale, Marignane, France. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University and a Masters in Business Administration from Dalhousie University.

Mr. Dobbin is a director of Stratos Global Communications and chairman of its Resources Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.

DEBORAH THIEL

Deborah Thiel, president of Nexus Consultants Inc., has earned significant respect within the natural resource industries of mining, oil and gas. Ms. Thiel has successfully listed public companies on the TSE and ASE and has served as a senior executive of companies on three Canadian stock exchanges. Over the past four years Ms. Thiel has worked with well respected public mineral exploration companies (Takla Star Resources, Golden Star Resources, Mindoro Resources, etc.) as well as private junior mining companies to develop and implement sophisticated in-house corporate communications and marketing programs.

Previous to her full-time involvement in the mining industry and in consort with two associates, Ms. Thiel created and expanded a thriving human resource and corporate communications consulting practice in the metropolitan St. John's area. As managing director of the firm she directed its daily operations and was responsible for co-ordinating and developing her organization into a firm with five office locations, a staff complement of eight full-time consultants and four full-time support and research personnel. She is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland.

BARBARA FONG

Ms. Fong is executive vice-president of Instrumar Limited, responsible for administrations, finance and corporate business development functions. Ms. Fong received a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Memorial University in 1975 and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Toronto in 1976.

LEN STIRLING

A native of Corner Brook, Mr. Stirling is a fellow of the Insurance Institute of Canada. He has spent his working career with Johnsons Inc., a Newfoundland based insurance organization where he is the first vice president and manager of the Atlantic Region.

He is a past president of the Better Business Bureau, past president of the St. John's Kinsman Club as well as past president of the Insurance Broker's of Newfoundland. He also served as the former deputy mayor of St. John's. Mr. Stirling was also a former lieutenant with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, a member of the Board of Trade, and a member of the General Hospital Health Foundation.

1999 01 13                                        4:05 p.m.