BACKGROUNDER
Biographies
The Honourable Kevin O'Brien, The Member for Gander
Kevin O'Brien was sworn in as the Member for the District of Gander
on November 12, 2003. Born at Ferryland, where he received his early
education, Mr. O'Brien graduated with honours from Baltimore High
School. He first moved to Gander District in 1974 to complete his
pharmacy internship under the watchful eyes of Albert and Roy Jenkins at
Gander Drugs.
Upon his graduation from the School of Pharmacy, he moved to Gander
to make it his permanent home. He started his career in pharmacy at
Gander Drugs, moving on to Kelways where he worked for 16 years. Mr.
O'Brien's belief in Gander as a viable and growing area was demonstrated
in 1995 when he established his own business, O'Brien's Pharmacy and
Medical Centre.
During his career, Mr. O'Brien has been elected to the Board of
Directors of the ARP pharmacy banner program, where he has served as a
director and chaired several committees. He was appointed to the Board
of Directors of Medi-Plus Pharmacies, a national pharmacy chain, and
served as chair of the board for two years. He was presented with the
National Commitment to Community Care Award by the Canadian
Pharmaceutical Association.
Mr. O'Brien has also served as director on both the Gander Area
Chamber of Commerce and Gander World Wide. Prior to 2003, he served as
President of Aero Marine Products Ltd, an aerospace supply company. Mr.
O'Brien comes with international experience doing business in several
countries. But due to the long-term relationship between Gander and
Cubana Airlines, his main focus has been the country of Cuba.
Mr. O'Brien served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier from
April 6, 2005 to July 5, 2006. He was Minister of Business from July 5,
2006 to October 29, 2007. Mr. O'Brien was appointed Minister of
Government Services on October 30, 2007. Mr. O' Brien is married to
Rhonda Graham; they have three daughters: Adrianne, Tricia and Taylor.
The Honourable Harry Harding, The Member for
Bonavista
North
First elected to the House of Assembly in 2002, Harry Harding was
re-elected as the Member for Bonavista North in 2003. Originally from
Greenspond, he attended Bishop's College in St. John's, Gander District
Vocational School, and Memorial University. For the past 29 years, Mr.
Harding and his wife Abbie have lived in Badger's Quay. They have two
children, Jamie and Patty.
Immediately prior to being elected to the House, Mr. Harding was
employed as resource manager with Beothic Fish Processors Ltd. in
Valleyfield for 14 years. He has also worked as a town clerk/manager for
15 years with the rural district of Badger's Quay-Valleyfield-Pool's
Island. He also worked as a payroll clerk/office manager with St.
Lawrence Construction at Churchill Falls and Labrador City, as a teacher
at Greenspond and Wareham, as a plant worker with Fishery Products
International and as a labourer with Fishermen's Union Trading Company
in Greenspond.
Mr. Harding has been very active in community life, having served
with distinction as a volunteer in many organizations, including with
Lions, Badger's Quay Fire Department, Cape Freels Development
Association and Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Municipal
Administrators. Awards he has received include the Melvin Jones Fellow
(the highest award from the International Association of Lions Clubs).
On March 14, 2006, he was appointed to serve as the Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. On
January 17, 2007, he was appointed to serve as the Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. On October 30,
2007 he was appointed to serve as the Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency.
Steve Kent, The Member for Mount Pearl North
Steve Kent was elected as a Member of the House of Assembly for the
District of Mount Pearl North on October 9, 2007.
In September 1997, Mr. Kent became the youngest elected public official
in the City of Mount Pearl's history. Receiving a record number of
votes, he was elected Deputy Mayor of Mount Pearl. In October 2003, he
became Mount Pearl's eighth Mayor, and he was elected by acclamation in
September 2005. He resigned as Mayor on October 30, 2007. During his
involvement in local government, he served as Avalon Director on the
Board of Directors of the Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador. He
was also an active member of the Atlantic Mayors Congress.
Mr. Kent holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and
Certificate in Public Administration from Memorial University of
Newfoundland, and a Masters in Management degree from McGill University.
In his professional life, for over five years, Mr. Kent served as CEO of
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland. He spent two years at
Stirling Communications International in the role of Manager of
Corporate Development. Early in 2006, he decided to incorporate his own
business, The FOCUS Group Inc., and engaged in management and marketing
consulting for several firms in both the private and voluntary sectors.
He and his wife own FOCUS Driver Training Incorporated, which operates
the Young Drivers of Canada centres in Newfoundland.
Mr. Kent has a long history of community involvement. From 1992 to 1996,
he was selected as Mount Pearl's Youth of the Year, and was also named
Youth Volunteer of the Year on two occasions. He received the national
YTV Achievement Award for Public Service in 1996. In December 1999,
Maclean's magazine recognized him as one of the top 100 Canadians to
watch for in the next century. Currently, in addition to actively
supporting many community groups in Paradise and Mount Pearl, he
continues to volunteer with Scouts Canada, Rotary, the Knights of
Columbus and Junior Achievement.
Mr. Kent was born in Stephenville, and lived in Elizabeth Park in
Paradise before moving with his parents to Mount Pearl in 1980. He
currently resides in Mount Pearl with his wife, Janet and son, Benjamin.
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