Premier announces new Ireland Business Partnerships advisory board

Premier Danny Williams today announced the new members of the province�s Ireland Business Partnerships (IBP) advisory board.

�The IBP leads the province's efforts in identifying, fostering and promoting trade and partnership opportunities with Ireland in business, education and culture,� said Premier Williams. �As the organization responsible for furthering activities under the memorandum of understanding the province has with Ireland, the new advisory board has a significant role to play and important mandate to fulfill. I am confident that, with the knowledge and expertise of the board, our relationship with Ireland will grow even stronger.�

Premier Williams said that Kathy Dunderdale, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, will chair the advisory board. �As the minister responsible for the IBP, Minister Dunderdale accompanied me to Ireland last July and was present when I signed a re-affirmation of the MOU with Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern,� said the premier. �With her experience on this file and the close ties between her department and the IBP�s business development mandate, Minister Dunderdale will serve this position well.�

�There is a lot of progress being made under the MOU and there are many more opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland to pursue. I look forward to working with the new board, in my role as chair, and working with our sister organization in Ireland, the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership, in identifying and capturing those opportunities,� said Minister Dunderdale.

Other advisory board members include: Shawn Skinner (Vice-Chair), Dr. John Ashton, Brian Dobbin, Maureen Foley, Dr. John Fitzgerald, Susan Knight, Bill Mahoney, Michael Monaghan, Patrick O'Callaghan, Dr. Pat Parfrey, Adele Poynter, Gail Ryan, Keith Stoodley, Andy Wells and Patty Wells (biographies follow). Ex-officio members will include Leslie Galway, Cathy Duke and Brent Meade.

The mandate of the IBP is to assist provincial companies and organizations interested in developing economic, cultural and educational opportunities with Ireland by identifying common interests and complementary skills; increasing awareness and collaboration between businesses, cultural agencies and educational institutions; and exchanging up-to-date information on the economy, legislation and regulations. The IBP also identifies strategic business alliances through marketing agreements, joint ventures and technology transfer opportunities, and develops linkages between the public and private sectors in both Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland.

BIOGRAPHIES

KATHY DUNDERDALE (Chairperson) is Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and Minister responsible for the Rural Secretariat and MHA for the District of Virginia Waters. She was the first woman to be elected president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities and the only woman to have been made an honourary member of that organization. She has served as a director with the Canadian Federation of Municipalities, and as president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She has volunteered her time with community organizations such as the Canadian Paraplegic Association, the Association for Community Living, the Roman Catholic School Board, the Community Alliance for Better Solutions, the Coalition Against Violence and Soccer/Hockey Moms. Ms. Dunderdale has worked in the fields of community development, communications, fisheries and social work.

SHAWN SKINNER (Vice-Chair), MHA for St. John�s Centre, has owned and operated a private, post-secondary training college since 1993. He has been involved in the education and training field for over 20 years and has also operated businesses in other provinces. In 1998, Mr. Skinner became a member of the Canadian Institute of Management, from which he was granted the Professional Manager designation. Mr. Skinner has had a long involvement in community development and service. He has served as a St. John�s Municipal Councillor for Ward 2 and has been involved with various community and volunteer groups. Mr. Skinner is past president of the Benevolent Irish Society.

DR. JOHN ASHTON has been principal of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University's Corner Brook campus, since July 1, 2004. He is a long-standing faculty member and professor of folklore at the college, having arrived in Corner Brook in 1982. He previously served as head of the Division of Social Sciences at the College. He holds a B.A. (hons.) from the London School of Economics (1974), an MA (folklife studies) from the University of Leeds (1975) and a PhD (folklore) from Memorial University (1985). A noted folklore scholar, his published work has appeared in books and scholarly journals across Canada, the United States and Great Britain.

BRIAN DOBBIN began his business career in 1986 with Canadian Helicopter Corporation (CHC). Mr. Dobbin worked for three years as assistant to the chairman and then progressed to a variety of management positions with both CHC and N.D. Dobbin Limited. In 1995, He established Newfound Developers Group of Companies. With a collection of young professionals and a simple concept, the group moved forward to develop new industry in Newfoundland to add new revenue to the economy. Today, Newfound has ownership interests and management control of companies in the tourism/resort, real-estate development, international second home sales, marketing promotions, aquaculture, newspaper and hi-tech industries. In June 2004, Mr. Dobbin was awarded an "Atlantic Business Magazine Top 50 CEOs" award.

DR. JOHN FITZGERALD was born in St. John's and holds B.A., B.Ed., and M.A. degrees from Memorial University and the Ph.D. in history from the University of Ottawa. In Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, Cork, London, Oxford, Rome, Ottawa, and in Newfoundland he has conducted extensive research on the connections between Ireland and Newfoundland, and he is adjunct professor of history, and visiting assistant professor of education at Memorial University, where he teaches, including courses in Irish and Newfoundland history. He is a frequent commentator on Newfoundland and Labrador history in the local and national media, and is a member of the Newfoundland Historical Society and the Newfoundland Historic Trust. He serves on the executive boards of a number of provincial and national academic and heritage organizations.

MAUREEN FOLEY has been a member of Tilting Recreation and Cultural Society (TRACS) for six years and has worked tirelessly towards realizing their vision for Tilting. She believes that by restoring and maintaining our fishery-related buildings and out-buildings, salt-box style homes, and by holding on to the ways of our Irish ancestors, the community can look forward to a bright future. Ms. Foley has been happily married to Philip for 17 years with one daughter (Siobhan).

SUSAN KNIGHT is the founder and artistic director of the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir and FESTIVAL 500. An editor with Oxford University Press, Ms. Knight is active as a guest conductor, adjudicator, lecturer, clinician and advocate. She currently serves on the boards of Chorus America and the International Federation of Choral Music. Ms. Knight is a member of the Order of Canada, and was awarded an honourary doctorate from her alma mater, Memorial University, in 2004.

BILL MAHONEY is the president/owner of Regal Realty Ltd., a St. John�s based commercial real estate company, the Murray Premises Hotel Inc., Community Properties Limited, and St. John�s Executive Suites. He is the former president of Community Cable Limited and Andromeda Cablevision. After serving for 26 years in the Air Force Reserves, Mr. Mahoney recently retired; however, he continues to be a member of many military and civic organizations. Currently, he is chairman of the St. John�s International Airport Authority, the Downtown Development Commission and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Historical Society as well as the St. John�s Rotary Club Sponsoring Committee for 508 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. He is also a director of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, John Howard Society, Community Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and as well, is a member of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Advisory Council and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association. He has received the Canadian Forces Decoration; and in December 1995, Mr. Mahoney was invested as an Officer in the Order of Military Merit. He has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by Rotary International and has received a Certificate of Honour from the Air Cadet League of Canada for his continued support of the Air Cadet Movement. Recently, he has been awarded the Newfoundland and Labrador Lung Association President�s Vote of Thanks Award.

MICHAEL J. MONAGHAN was born in St. John�s and currently resides in Corner Brook. He received his Bachelor of Arts from University of Ottawa and graduated from Dalhousie Law School in 1969. The following year, he was called to the bar and joined the law firm of Barry, Wells and Monaghan, now known as Monaghan, Murphy and Watton, as associate partner. He was appointed Queens Counsel in 1983 and currently conducts general practice specializing in civil and criminal litigation. He is a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and the Canadian Bar Association, and a former member of the Rotary Club of Corner Brook and the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade. Mr. Monaghan was also former director of Air Canada, the Churchill Falls Labrador Corporation, Gateway Cable Limited and the Western Memorial Hospital Corporation, and former President of the Victorian Order of Nurses. Mr. Monaghan is married to Ursula Monaghan and has three children.

PATRICK O�CALLAGHAN is a native of Ireland who has lived in Atlantic Canada for more than 30 years. He graduated in hotel management from St. Mary�s College, Dublin, in 1965 and has worked in the food service industry since that time. Prior to establishing East Coast Catering in 1984, Mr. O�Callaghan spent 20 years in the hotel industry working as food and beverage manager and subsequently general manager in five star hotels in Ireland, USA and Canada. Since 1984, he has directed his talents to providing excellence in catering, housekeeping and facilities management services to construction and mining sites in the North West Territories, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and West Africa. Since 1984, he has also provided catering and hotel services to the majority of drilling rigs operating from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In 2000, he was successful in further expanding the company to Ireland.

DR. PAT PARFREY is a university research professor at Memorial University, research chief of the Health Care Corporation of St. John�s, director of the Patient Research Centre, a staff nephrologist and clinical epidemiologist. He holds a CIHR-RPP Distinguished Scientist Award and has produced international quality research in several areas of clinical epidemiology. He received the Kidney Foundation of Canada Medal for Research Excellence in 2002 and was named an Officer to the Order of Canada in 2004. He is the past president of the Canadian Society of Nephrology, and author or co-author of over 200 papers and multiple book chapters. He has been a leader in the development of rugby both provincially and nationally. He is former head coach of the Canadian National Men�s Team, past president of Rugby Canada and a member of the board of Rugby Canada. In 2005, he coached the Newfoundland Rock Team to their first national senior men�s title. He has been instrumental in the development of high quality facilities for rugby in Newfoundland and Labrador and has a strong commitment to youth development.

ADELE POYNTER is president of Baltic Services, a consulting company based in Newfoundland and Labrador, specializing in developing business strategies for government and the private sector. She holds a BSc (hon) degree from Memorial University and an MSc from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Ms. Poynter has over 20 years experience in business and economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador, and worked in the private sector as well as with federal and provincial governments before starting Baltic Services. She has had extensive experience in Ireland, focusing on both strategy development based on the Irish model, and developing partnerships between Irish and local companies. She has been a member of the board of the Irish Newfoundland Association for the past four years. Ms. Poynter is a Newfoundlander who also holds Irish citizenship.

D. GAIL RYAN is the general manager of the St. John�s Board of Trade, a leading chamber with over 700 company members representing all industries. She has been with the board for 11 years and is currently responsible for the overall management of the board, all financial aspect of the organization, human resources, international trade and business development, as well as strategic partnerships and projects. During the last eight years, Ms. Ryan has been leading the board�s initiatives in Ireland, including partnering with the Ireland Business Partnerships on the organization of four business missions, as well as administering agreements and relationships with many Irish chambers and organizations. Prior to working with the St. John�s Board of Trade, she held various financial management positions with St. John�s companies, including Saga Communications, Hibernia Management and Development Limited and Fishery Products International. Ms. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland and is completing an MBA.

KEITH STOODLEY has over 25 years experience in ocean industries including fisheries, aquaculture, marine biotechnology and marine technology and has been actively involved in exporting to Ireland for over a decade. He is the sitting chairperson of a public-private partnership focused on the development of the ocean industry cluster in Newfoundland and Labrador. The initiative, known as OceansAdvance, is advocating the establishment of a western North Atlantic Ocean Observatory with linkages to Ireland. Mr. Stoodley was born in Grand Bank and educated at Memorial University and the University of British Columbia. He sits on a variety of provincial, regional and national boards including Memorial University�s Genesis Centre, the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce�s Innovation Council, and the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Mr. Stoodley has been a board member of the IBP since 1997 and has served as chair of the Environment Subcommittee (1997-2000) and chair of the Business Subcommittee (2002-2004).

ANDY WELLS began his career in municipal politics in 1977 as a councillor. In 1990, he was elected deputy mayor, a position he held until 1997 when he became mayor. Mr. Wells has Bachelor of Arts in history and a Bachelor of Arts in education, both from Memorial University. He also did graduate work in Economics at New Mexico State University, towards an M.A. in regulatory studies. Mr. Wells has held positions as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (1985-1990), a member of the Royal Commission on Employment and Unemployment (1985-1986), business agent with the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses' Union (1984-1985), and national representative with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (1979-1984).

PATTY WELLS served on the board of the Irish Newfoundland Association for seven years, the last two as president. She is a professional archaeologist with research interests in the culture and heritage of both Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland. Ms. Wells studied the heritage industry in Ireland and coordinated with professors Gabriel Cooney (UCD) and Priscilla Renouf (MUN) on an exchange of archaeology students. She also sat on the board that organized events around the visit of the replica famine ship the Jeannie Johnson.

BRENT MEADE (Ex-officio) has worked for the past 16 years throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. He has worked extensively in rural parts of the province, in areas such as fisheries adjustment programs, human resource development, community development, and cultural tourism development. He has held senior positions within the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and Executive Council (Intergovernmental Affairs and Cabinet Secretariat) and with special assignments such as the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada. He is currently the assistant deputy minister for culture and heritage.

LESLIE GALWAY (Ex-officio) is the deputy minister of the Department of Business. Previous to this appointment, she was president and CEO of the Newfoundland Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) since December 1999. From 1990 to 1999, Ms. Galway held the positions of commissioner, vice-chairperson and acting chairperson and chief executive officer with the Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities. Prior to that she was a chartered accountant and management consultant (1980-1984, 1987-1989) with Clarkson Gordon / Woods Gordon (now Ernst & Young). A graduate of Memorial University with a master of business administration degree, Ms. Galway has also served as lecturer and assistant professor with Memorial�s Faculty of Business Administration (1984-1987, 1990). Ms. Galway is an active member and co-chair of the Industrial Opportunities Working Committee of the Atlantic Energy Roundtable; co-chair of the National Trade Team Oil and Gas; member of the Petroleum Industry Human Resource Committee; member of the Advisory Board of the National Research Council Institute of Ocean Technology; and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Newfoundland.

CATHY DUKE (Ex-officio) has 10 years experience in the private sector, her most recent position being president of Sports Villas Resort, Inc., owner and operator of the Terra Nova Golf Resort and its related real estate and hotel operations. Ms. Duke�s experience in the tourism industry includes her tenure as executive director of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. She also has considerable experience in the business development field, having served as a business consultant with Coastal Associates and Consultants Limited, business development coordinator and later executive director of the Economic Recovery Commission, and account manager with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Among her board appointments, Ms. Duke has served as a board member of the St. John�s International Airport Authority, member of the Tourism Marketing Council, board member of Enterprise Newfoundland and Labrador, director of the St. John�s Board of Trade, Newfoundland and Labrador chair for the 2004 Governor General�s Canadian Leadership Conference, chair of Golf Newfoundland and Labrador and chair of the Women�s Enterprise Bureau. She holds a B.S.W. and M.B.A. from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Media contact:
Ken Morrissey, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-4304, 690-0525
Lynn Evans, Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, (709) 729-4570, 690-6290

2005 09 15                   12:10 p.m.