Premier announces senior appointments

Premier Danny Williams today announced four senior appointments.

Sandra Barnes is appointed Assistant Secretary to Cabinet - Program Renewal in Executive Council. Gary Cake replaces Ms. Barnes as Assistant Secretary to Cabinet - Economic Policy (Acting) in Executive Council. Mr. Cake was most recently Executive Director of Policy and Planning with the Labour Relations Agency.

Premier Williams also appointed Pierre Tobin as Assistant Deputy Minister - Agriculture at the Department of Natural Resources. Brian Condon replaces Mr. Tobin as Assistant Deputy Minister - Industrial Benefits (Acting) at the Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Condon was most recently Director of Industrial Benefits with the same department.

All appointments are effective immediately.

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Communications, (709) 729-3960

Sandra Barnes
Sandra Barnes is appointed Assistant Secretary to Cabinet - Program Renewal. She has worked with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1990, bringing her skills as an information technology professional to bear on policy development, project management and strategic planning roles in Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs and Cabinet Secretariat. In her most recent role as Assistant Secretary to Cabinet - Economic Policy, Ms. Barnes provided executive support to the Economic Policy and Rural Revitalization Committee of Cabinet, advised departmental executives and facilitated inter-departmental initiatives. As Director of Resource Policy Analysis and Planning for Cabinet Secretariat, she streamlined the strategic planning efforts of Cabinet Secretariat and other planning entities to minimize redundancy and ensure consistency. An experienced and effective team builder and manager of organizational change, Ms. Barnes spearheaded development and implementation of government�s departmental strategic planning and reporting processes. She holds an undergraduate degree in computer sciences from Memorial University and has served as a volunteer and leader in a variety of community, education and youth support organizations.

Gary Cake
Gary Cake is appointed Assistant Secretary to Cabinet - Economic Policy (Acting). Mr. Cake joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1981. Since that time he has occupied a number of progressively responsible positions throughout the public service, including management positions with the Alcohol and Drug Dependency Commission, the Petroleum Directorate, the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat, and the Department of Development and Rural Renewal. Mr. Cake also served with the Royal Commission on Employment and Unemployment and the Economic Recovery Commission. In February 2001, Mr. Cake was appointed as Executive Director, Policy and Planning with the Department of Labour. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University and a Master of Arts (Sociology) from Queen�s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Pierre Tobin
Pierre Tobin is appointed Assistant Deputy Minister - Agriculture. He began his career in government in 1982 as a development officer in the Department of Development. In 1984, Mr. Tobin became a senior development officer and served in this role within the Industrial Operations Division of the former Department of Development and the Business Analysis Division within the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology. He became the manager of Business Support Programs with that department in 1994 and was responsible for the administration of cost-shared agreements, delivered by the department and federal partners, as well as delivery of the EDGE program. Mr. Tobin moved to Cabinet Secretariat in 1999 where he served as a senior policy analyst and coordinator of the Offshore Development Fund. In 2000, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of Industrial Benefits with the Department of Industry, Trade and Technology. With the creation of the Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development in 2001, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of Advanced Technology, Research and Industrial Benefits. Mr. Tobin moved to Cabinet Secretariat in February 2002 as Assistant Secretary to Cabinet for Economic Policy (Acting). In September 2002, with the transfer of the industrial benefits function to the Department of Mines and Energy, he moved to Mines and Energy as Assistant Deputy Minister of Industrial Benefits responsible for implementation and monitoring of benefits from major resource-based projects. Mr. Tobin hold a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Business Administration degrees from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Brian Condon
Brian Condon is appointed Assistant Deputy Minister - Industrial Benefits (Acting). He joined the provincial government in 1974. Since then Mr. Condon has occupied a number of senior positions throughout government including at the Office of the Auditor General, the Debt Management Division of the Department of Finance and with the Business Analysis Division of the Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development. Prior to his new appointment Mr. Condon held the position of Director of Industrial Benefits with the responsibility for negotiating and monitoring industrial benefits from major industrial projects, particularly oil and gas. He also holds a Certified Management Accountant designation.