Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Everybody, it seems is welcoming Bud!


“We welcome a new board chair who will work to enable industry investment, while still retaining the port as a public asset.”— from a press release from Northern Communities outlining their satisfaction with the appointment of Bud Smith to the executive offices of Ridley Terminals.

Across Northern BC, they’re seemingly putting out the welcome mat for the new temporary CEO and President of Ridley Terminals.

Bud Smith, who was named to the post over the weekend, is being praised by politicians, business officials and community leaders as offering what they call an opportunity for a new era of cooperation between Ridley Terminals, resource industries and communities across Western Canada. His appointment hailed in a press release from the Northern Development Initiative Trust.

He can take heart in all of that goodwill flowing his way and file it for future use, as he prepares to take on his duties, as he prepares to replace Dan Veniez who was removed from his post on Friday.

Smith, a former Socred cabinet minister will apparently find a much more engaging bit of conversation than his predecessor did with the various interests of Northern BC, many of whom apparently had questions regarding Mr. Veniez’s agenda while at the helm of Ridley Terminals.

For now it seems that Mr. Smith will be wearing the white hat in the debate over the status of Ridley Terminals as a public corporation. A status that seems to be the favoured outcome for communities across Northern British Columbia, who see a publicly operated Ridley Terminals as being a key element in the economic development of this part of the province.

Prince George Citizen-- New boss to lead Ridley Terminals

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