PEGNL Report

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September 2008

PEGNL Report

Steve McLean, P. Eng.

Barry Thomson, P. Eng.

Another year has begun for PEGNL Council. We start the year by welcoming Barry Thomson, P. Eng. as our new President and look forward to working with him throughout the coming year.

Council Elections

The results of the 2008 Council elections were announced at the AGM in June and the new Council held its first meeting on August 22-23, 2008. There were 760 ballots cast [about 30%], of a total of 2,530 eligible voters. This result is higher than the participation rate in recent years.

The newly-elected members of PEGNL Council are:

Dr. Jim Wright, P.Geo. 2nd Vice President/President Elect
Jennifer Williams, P.Eng. Councillor Eastern District
Rod Churchill, P.Geo. Geoscience Councillor
Carl King, P.Eng. Councillor Western District

Continuing Council Members are:

Barry Thompson, P.Eng. President
Darryl Benson, P.Eng. 1st Vice President
Dick Myers, P.Eng. Past President
Sean LaCour, P.Eng. Councillor Eastern District
Todd Churchill, P.Eng. Councillor Eastern District
Andrew Sanger, P.Eng. Councillor Central District
Michael Greene, P.Eng. Councillor Labrador District
Kim Durant, P.Eng. Councillor-at-Large
Gilbert Bennett, P.Eng. Councillor-at-Large
Paul Moore, P.Geo. Geoscience Councillor

The two non-voting, non-elected, Ex-Officio Council members representing engineering and geoscience degree programs at Memorial University will continue as well: Dr. John Quaicoe, P.Eng., Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and Dr. John Hanchar, P.Geo., Head, Department of Earth Sciences.

It should be noted that Dr. Wright is the first Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) to become PEGNL President Elect. Congratulations to him and to all those who were elected. On behalf of Council and all PEGNL members, we also express our appreciation to those who stood for election. Without members who are prepared to serve, our professions will not succeed.

2008 AGM and Conference

The 2008 PEGNL Annual General Meeting and Conference was held in St. John's on June 12-13, 2008. All participants agreed that the entire event was a great success. Unfortunately, overall attendance by members was relatively low. Council has moved the venue and location over the past several years, searching for the ideal place and time, with no real success. About the same number of members have attended each of the past three AGMs.

The technical sessions held on Friday were positively received. All presenters did an excellent job and their contribution of time and effort to prepare and attend the conference was greatly appreciated. Our thanks go to them all.

Without the financial contribution made by our conference sponsors, the event would not have been financially feasible. We thank the following generous donors:

Lead Sponsor

TD Insurance Meloche Monnex

Loyal Supporters

Noble Drilling (Canada) Ltd.
Atlantic Minerals Limited
Manulife Financial
BAE-Newplan Group Limited
Vale Inco Ltd.
Kruger (Corner Brook Mill)
Great West Life.

Other Supporters

Quadratec Inc.
Newfoundland Design Associates
Kavanagh and Associates
Jacques Whitford and Associates
CECON Limited
FGA Consulting Engineers Ltd.

PEGNL Awards

The Awards Committee has had a very positive and successful year identifying and nominating an excellent slate of people to receive PEGNL awards. The award presentations were made at a well attended dinner on June 13 during the 2008 AGM and conference. These are all very worthy recipients and demonstrate the great value or professions make to our society. A copy of the citations prepared for the awards presentations is available on the PEGNL website.

The recipients are:

Award of Merit - Dr. Axel Meisen, P.Eng and Dr. Geoff Thurlow, P.Geo.
Community Service Award - Keith O'Neill, P.Eng.
Award for Service - Rick Goosney, P.Eng.
Honourary Membership - Dr. Arthur King
Environment Award - Green Bay Waste Management Authority.

L-R: Rick Goosney, Dr. Arthur King, Keith O'Neill, Dr. Hugh Miller, Dick Myers and Glenda Fowlow & Candy Weir of Green Bay Waste Management

Engineer Canada Fellows

As you know, in 2007, the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CCPE) changed its business name to Engineers Canada. At the same time, the Engineers Canada Board of Directors established a new award named "Engineers Canada Fellow".

The Fellowship status may be conferred upon individuals who have given noteworthy service to the engineering profession in a number of categories one of which is a person who has assumed office as president of one of Engineers Canada's constituent members (the 12 provincial and territorial engineering associations). Engineers upon whom this honour is bestowed are awarded the privilege of the use of the designation "Engineers Canada Fellow - FEC".

PEGNL nominated its first group of 38 Engineers Canada Fellows, consisting of 37 Past Presidents and one past serving Executive Director. Engineers Canada agreed to bestow upon those nominated the Engineers Canada Fellow - FEC Award.

On June 13th, 2008, PEGNL sponsored a dinner for the Past President nominees and their companions, in conjunction with the annual general meeting, at which the FEC awards were presented. An advertisement was also placed in The Telegram recognizing the FEC awardees.

Those who received the Engineers Canada Fellowship - FEC are: