Tourism, Culture and Recreation
February 17, 2009
Appointments Made to The Rooms Board of Directors
The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism,
Culture and Recreation, today announced appointments and re-appointments
to the board of directors of The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Dr. Priscilla Renouf has been re-appointed as chair of
the board, while five new board members, Bruce Patey, Kathi Stacey,
Wanda Mitchell, Albert Dober and Merrill Strachan have been appointed
for three-year terms. Tom Foran, Bobbi Redpath and Seamus O�Regan have
been re-appointed for three-year terms, while continuing board members
are Stan Hill, Lisa Browne, Julia Pickard, Lois Skanes, Q.C., and Dawn
Baker. Cathy Duke, Deputy Minister, will serve on the board as the
representative from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.
Minister Jackman said the newly-appointed board
members will bring considerable expertise to the table, and add to the
board�s broad range of knowledge and experience.
"It is always good to bring new ideas and fresh
perspectives to the boardroom table," said Minister Jackman. "With a
healthy balance of new and experienced board members, The Rooms will no
doubt build on its achievements to date and continue to successfully
represent the history, heritage and artistic expression of Newfoundland
and Labrador."
Dr. Renouf said she was looking forward to continuing
the work of the board over the next three years.
"I am very pleased to have been re-appointed as chair
of The Rooms Corporation, together with three members from the founding
board of directors of The Rooms - Tom Foran, Seamus O'Regan and Bobbi
Redpath," said Dr. Renouf. "The continuation of five members appointed
in February 2006, as well as five new members, provides the staggered
terms necessary for continuity and succession planning as we continue to
develop The Rooms project".
Minister Jackman also thanked departing board members
Rex Anthony, Michelle Baikie, Steve Knudsen, Gary Newell and Shawn
O�Hagan, whose terms have expired.
The Rooms extensive collections, exhibits, and
activities tell the stories of Newfoundland and Labrador and its people,
and interpret the world around us through art, artifacts, archaeology,
architecture and archival records. Since its opening in 2005, The Rooms
has welcomed over 275,000 visitors and
displayed more than 110 exhibits from Newfoundland and Labrador and
around the world. Corporate donations from BMO Financial Group and
Chevron have also enabled The Rooms to enhance its education and
outreach throughout the province.
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Media contacts:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca |
Jena Mitchell
Manager of Marketing and
Advertising
The Rooms Corporation
709-757-8070, 691-5681 |
BACKGROUNDER
The following have been appointed, or re-appointed to three-year
terms on the Board of Directors of the Rooms Corporation.
Dr. Priscilla Renouf (Chair)
has been active in the heritage community of the province for over 25
years. She is the Canada Research Chair in North Atlantic Archaeology in
the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Memorial University. She
is a past board member of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and was
instrumental in developing that museum�s first strategic plan. She sat
on the board of the Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and
Labrador and was chair of the advisory board of the Newfoundland and
Labrador Heritage Outreach Program. She is currently a member of the
Governing Council of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
of Canada. Dr. Renouf is passionate about the arts and heritage of
Newfoundland and Labrador and has played a pivotal role in the
development of Port aux Choix National Historic Site.
Albert Dober is a retired
district superintendent of Education having spent 40 years as an
educator. After he retired, he went to work with Memorial University,
College of the North Atlantic, and a local private college. Mr. Dober is
an active volunteer with many local groups. Presently, he is the chair
of the Marystown Heritage Museum and a director of the Heritage Run
Tourism Association, the Canadian Red Cross, Community Living Foundation
and the Tidy Towns Committee. Mr. Dober has served on several boards and
committees in the Marystown and Burin areas as well as at the provincial
level.
Tom Foran is the managing
director, vice-president of BMO Nesbitt Burns. He entered the investment
business in 1975 with Merrill Lynch Canada and established the Burns Fry
office in St. John�s in 1988. Mr. Foran is the past president and the
current director of Investment Dealers Association District Council,
Newfoundland. He is the past chairman and current director of the
Northern Radar Systems Ltd. He was the chair of the fundraising
committee of the Juvenile Diabetes Walk for the Cure from 1998 to 2000.
He is an avid supporter of the arts, and collects Newfoundland and
Labrador and international art.
Wanda Mitchell has made a
career in the financial services industry and has progressed though more
responsible roles for the past 28 years. She presently holds the
position of branch manager of BMO Bank of Montreal in Corner Brook,
where she has lived her entire life. Wanda has always seen volunteering
as a great way to give back to her community. She has an extensive
background with community-based volunteer organizations and twice, in
2004 and 2008, was a nominee for the Award of Excellence, an award
recognizing outstanding contributions to the community. Aside from being
an active volunteer with various local organizations, Ms. Mitchell has
also been the co-chair of volunteers in the Relay for Life. She is also
a director on the Corner Brook Rotary Music Festival, as well as a
member of the Corner Brook Rotary Club.
Seamus O�Regan is the
co-host of CTV�s Canada AM. He is from St. John�s and was raised in
Goose Bay. He studied politics at St. Francis Xavier University and
University College, Dublin, before receiving his Masters of Philosophy
in Politics from the University of Cambridge. He also studied
multinational marketing strategies at INSEAD, the international business
school near Paris.
Bruce Patey is a versatile
educator, who has held a wide range of teaching and administrative
responsibilities over the years. For the majority of his teaching
career, he has taught at the junior and senior high school levels. In
addition to his everyday work, Mr. Patey is involved with many local
community groups and boards. Mr. Patey is a graduate of Memorial
University (B.A., B.Ed) and Dalhousie University (M.Ed).
Bobbi Redpath has worked
with arts organizations in North Bay, Ontario as well as CBC in
Montreal. Ms. Redpath is a resident of St. John�s.
Kathi Stacey is a tourism
product development officer with Destination St. John�s and has many
years of experience working in community and economic development,
marketing and public relations. In addition to being a member of various
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador (HNL) committees, Ms. Stacey is
currently the chair of the cultural programming committee for the
Cupids400 celebrations in 2010. Ms. Stacey also hosts a local EastLinkTV
program that focuses on the arts and culture in the rural areas of the
Avalon region.
Merrill Strachan has worked
in the Labrador region, specifically Nain and North West River, for more
than 40 years. She has lived in Happy Valley-Goose Bay since 1980. She
has acquired a vast amount of knowledge and experience working in the
arts and culture sectors. Ms. Strachan has served as a member of the
Labrador East Integrated School Board and the Early Childhood
Development Association. She is also a member on the board of directors
of Them Days Magazine in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Currently, she is the
manager of the Northside Development Corporation in Happy Valley-Goose
Bay.
2009 02 17 9:55 a.m.
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