(St. John’s, NL: July 17, 2014) The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development and Minister Responsible for the Research & Development Corporation (RDC), today announced appointments to the RDC Board of Directors.

“I am pleased to have these exemplary individuals serve on the RDC Board of Directors. They bring considerable depth of experience and expertise, and will provide invaluable guidance to RDC as it works to strengthen research and development for the long-term economic benefit of our province,”Bernard (Tanny) Collins, President of PF Collins International Trade Solutions, was appointed as a Director;

  • Alan Brown, Retired Vice-President, East Coast Canada, Suncor Energy Inc. (formerly Petro-Canada), has been re-appointed as Vice Chair of the Board;
  • Gary Dinn, Vice-President of PanGeo Subsea and past-chair of OceansAdvance, has been re-appointed as a Director;
  • Laurier Schramm, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Saskatchewan Research Council has been re-appointed as a director; and
  • Terry-Lynn Young, Professor, Memorial University Faculty of Medicine and Laboratory Scientist, Eastern Health, has been re-appointed as a Director.

The biographies of the new and returning board members are noted in the attached backgrounder.

Minister Sullivan also acknowledged the contributions and leadership of outgoing Chair Jackie Sheppard, who has served as RDC’s Chair since her appointment in 2009, as well as Hege Rognø, who recently took on a new executive role with Statoil in her home country of Norway.

“I would like to commend and thank Jackie Sheppard and Hege Rognø for their service to RDC, and express the Provincial Government’s appreciation for their contributions. The leadership, global perspective and industry expertise of these individuals has provided immense value to RDC and I wish them well in their new endeavours,”  said Minister Syllivan.

RDC works with research and development stakeholders including business, academia and government agencies and departments to make strategic investments in people, R&D opportunities, and infrastructure.

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development
709-729-4570, 728-4104
jennifertulk@gov.nl.ca    

Chris Flanagan
Director of Marketing and Communications
Research and Development Corporation (RDC)
709-758-1021, 709-691-1009
chrisflanagan@rdc.org