Executive Council
January 13, 2009

Premier Announces Changes in Senior Management

The Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced several changes in senior management in the Provincial Government.

"The individuals appointed to new positions have been strong contributing members of the senior provincial public service team," said Premier Williams. "I wish them well in their new roles and look forward to their ongoing contributions."

Brent Meade has been appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. He most recently served as Deputy Minister of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

Cathy Duke, who most recently was Deputy Minister of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

David Gale has been appointed Deputy Minister of Special Projects, which includes the completion of select collective bargaining negotiations that have already begun.

Rebecca Roome has been appointed Deputy Minister of the Public Service Secretariat. Most recently she was Deputy Minister of the Department of Education. Rick Hayward will assume the duties of Deputy Minister of Education in an acting capacity.

Bill Parrott has been confirmed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Environment and Conservation. He had been serving in that position in an acting capacity since July 3, 2008.

Mike Samson, in addition to his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Fire and Emergency Services Agency, has been appointed interim Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board. John Scott, the former Chair and CEO of the board, has retired.

Cluney Mercer has been appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Municipal Engineering and Planning) of the Department of Municipal Affairs. Most recently he served as Assistant Deputy Minister (Transportation) of the Department of Transportation and Works.

Jeffrey Whalen has been confirmed as Assistant Deputy Minister (Agrifoods Development) in the Forest and Agrifoods Agency, Department of Natural Resources. He had been serving in the position in an acting capacity since June 2006.

All appointments are effective today.

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Media contacts:

Elizabeth Matthews
Director of Communications
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca
Roger Scaplen
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
709-729-4304, 727-0991
rogerscaplen@gov.nl.ca


Biographical Information

Brent Meade

Brent Meade was appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation in May 2007, prior to that he was Assistant Deputy Minister (Culture and Recreation) with the department. He has also held senior positions within the 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 has worked extensively in rural parts of the province, in areas such as fisheries adjustment programs, human resource development, community economic development, and cultural tourism development. He has served on the boards of The Rooms Corporation, the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, the Film Development Corporation and the Conservation Corps of NL. Mr. Meade has a bachelor of arts (economics) from Acadia University and has completed graduate studies in project management, public administration, and economic development.

Cathy Duke

Cathy Duke most recently served as Deputy Minister of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. Prior to that she was Executive Director of the Ireland Business Partnerships in that department, leading the province�s efforts in identifying, fostering and promoting trade and partnership opportunities with Ireland in business, education and culture.

Before taking that position in March 2005, she worked in the private sector as President of Sports Villas Resort, Inc., 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 co-ordinator 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 bachelor of social work and master of business administration from Memorial University.

David Gale

David Gale most recently served as Deputy Minister of the Public Service Secretariat. Since beginning his career with the provincial public service in 1980 as a human resources officer, he has held a variety of positions in the human resource, collective bargaining and other areas of government. These included staff relations specialist, CEO of the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board, Executive Director of Employee Relations, and Associate Secretary (Human Resources) to Treasury Board. Mr. Gale holds a bachelor of arts and master of business administration degrees from Memorial University.

Rebecca Roome

Rebecca Roome most recently served as Deputy Minister of the Department of Education. During her term as deputy minister there, she also served for a period of time in an acting capacity as President of the College of the North Atlantic. Ms. Roome has also served in the positions of Deputy Minister, Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment; Assistant Secretary to Cabinet for Social Policy; Assistant Deputy Minister for the province�s Strategic Social Plan; and, Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy and Planning) with the former Department of Human Resources and Employment. She has more than 30 years experience in the public sector in front line service delivery, human resource management, social policy and planning, and public administration. She holds a bachelor of arts in sociology, and a bachelor of social work from Memorial University, and has completed courses in social work at the master�s level.

Bill Parrott

Bill Parrott was appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of Environment and Conservation, in an acting capacity, in July 2008, prior to that he was Assistant Deputy Minister (Environment) with the department. His previous positions with the Provincial Government include Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Economic Policy); Assistant Deputy Minister (Lands), Department of Environment and Conservation; Director of Crown Lands, Department of Government Services; Regional Lands Manager in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; Regional Lands Manager for the Central Region, Gander; and Manager of Crown Lands Administration. Mr. Parrott has bachelor and masters degrees in geography from Memorial University.

Mike Samson

Mike Samson is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Fire and Emergency Services Agency. He began his career with the Provincial Government in 1987. He has previously served as Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture (2001-2006) and Deputy Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs (1999-2001). He has also held other policy positions, including with the then Native Policy Branch of Executive Council and as Executive Director, Aboriginal Affairs, Executive Council.

Mr. Samson holds a bachelor of arts in political science and economics from Acadia University, and undertook graduate studies in Canadian government and Newfoundland politics at Memorial University.

Cluney Mercer

Cluney Mercer most recently was Assistant Deputy Minister (Transportation) of the Department of Transportation and Works (2004 to 2008). He has also held the position of Executive Director of Roads with that department (2002 to 2004). He began his career with the Provincial Government in that department in 1987 as a resident engineer, working out of the Grand Falls regional office of the department. In 1994 he became the Regional Engineer for Central Newfoundland and in 1998 moved to St. John�s as Director of Highway Design and Construction. He has been the Newfoundland and Labrador representative on the Chief Engineers Council of the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) since 2002, and spent three years on the Highway Geometric Design Committee of TAC. Mr. Mercer has been actively involved with PIARC (World Roads Congress) since 2001 and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian National Committee to the World Roads Association. He has been a member of the National Engineering and Research Committee reporting to the Council of Deputy Ministers responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety (2004 to present), and an original member of the National Highway System Task Force established in 2004 to review the national highway system which led to an expanded National Highway System in 2005. Since 2007, Mr. Mercer has been the provincial co-chair leading the task force towards a 2010 review and the completion of annual condition reports. Mr. Mercer received a bachelor degree in civil engineering from Memorial University in 1987.

Jeffrey Whalen

Jeff Whalen has 31 years of dedicated service with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. He was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Agrifoods) in an acting capacity in June 2006, with responsibility for the sustainable management of the province�s agriculture sector, and accountable for the development, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs to enhance the growth and economic sustainability of the province�s agriculture resource. Previous to this position he served in various capacities with the Department of Natural Resources as Director of Land Resource Stewardship (2001-2006), Soils Specialist (1991-2001), Soil Surveyor (1981-1991), Soil Technician (1978-1981). He had also held various positions with the Department of Mines and Energy. His career outside the Provincial Government included positions in the mining industry. Mr. Whalen is a graduate of Memorial University (bachelor of science) and holds certificates from the University of Guelph, Penn State University, Iowa State University and the University of Maine. He is the author of several publications including Soils of the St. Fintan�s area (Western Newfoundland), and Soils of the Flat Bay - Maine Gut area (Western Newfoundland). Mr. Whalen is the provincial representative on various boards and is active in his community of Pasadena.

Rick Hayward

Rick Hayward has been an Assistant Deputy Minister (Corporate Services) of the Department of Education since April 2004. Prior to that appointment, he held various positions with the provincial public service. He was Director of Budgeting, Treasury Board Secretariat (1999 to 2004); Director of Financial and General Operations for the Departments of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, Environment and Lands, and Industry, Trade and Technology (1992 to 1999); Director of Financial and General Operations, Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs (1991 to 1992); Director of Finance and Administration, Newfoundland Liquor Licensing Board (1987 to 1991); and, various positions, including Audit Manager, in the Office of the Auditor General (1978 to 1987). Mr. Hayward has a bachelorof arts degree in economics and a bachelor of commerce (accounting and finance) from Memorial University. He received his designation as Chartered Accountant in 1982.

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