Fred Vasconcelos has resigned as chief technology officer of Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems (BLD-TSX; BLDP-Nasdaq).
Until a successor is named, his responsibilities will be shared by other members of Ballard’s management team. A search is under way for a permanent replacement.
Ballard develops and markets zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
Veit Hannebauer has joined Victoria-based Golden Hand Resources Inc. as a management consultant for business development in European and Asian initiatives.
He joins the company (GDNH-OTCBB, CDH-Frankfurt) with extensive business development experience across Europe and Asia. Hannebauer has worked with several of Europe’s largest companies including SIEMENS AG as well as a number of business and government agencies.
Golden Hand identifies, develops and exploits resource properties made available by the breakup of the former Soviet Union and in nearby Mongolia.
Cusac Gold Mines (TCQC-TSX; CUSIF-OTCBB) has appointed Lesley Hunt as vice-president of exploration.
She brings 18 years of exploration and mining experience, 15 years of which were spent directly on the Vancouver-based company’s Table Mountain Gold Mine in northern B.C.
Kelowna-based Hybrid Fuels Inc. has named Alan Urschel as president and CEO.
Urschel is a cattleman, grain farmer and councillor of the rural municipality of Elcapo No. 154 as well as a director of the Grenfell Cattlemen’s Co-op Board.
He replaces Clay Larson, who recently resigned along with CFO John Morrison.
Hybrid Fuels develops farm-scale agricultural processes that integrate beef operations with the production of ethanol.
Kenneth Leigh has joined Commander Resources as president.
Leigh joins the Vancouver-based company(CMD-TSXV) from Teck Cominco Limited, where he held a senior position with the exploration business development group.
He replaces William Coulter, who will be the company’s new chief executive officer.
Torode Realty founder John Torode is stepping down March 1.
The veteran Calgary realtor and businessman cited new business and personal opportunities in announcing his resignation as director and shareholder to board members last week.
The company was incorporated by John Torode in 1973, and after significant provincial expansion and the acquisition of Knowlton Realty and Calgary-based Merrett Management in the mid-1990s, the firm began trading publicly on the Alberta Stock Exchange in 1997.
No other organizational changes are anticipated as a result of Torode’s departure.
Torode Realty has offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Its services include office and industrial leasing and sales; investment sales; retail leasing and development; and strategic planning.
Western Silver Corporation has made a few key executive changes.
The Vancouver-based company (WTC-TSX; WTZ-AMEX) has appointed Joseph Litnosky as vice-president of finance. He has more than 17 years of experience in business, corporate finance and financial management including past roles at Billiton Metals Canada Ltd. and BHP Billiton Investment Group.
Jeffrey Giesbrecht has been named vice-president (legal) after several years working with the company as general counsel.
As well, Gerald Prosalendis has been appointed VP of corporate development. He previously held the same position at Dia Met Minerals Ltd. Prosalendis, a former business editor of the Vancouver Sun, is also vice- president of corporate development of Shear Minerals Ltd.
Jonathan Clegg has been appointed project manager. He has 30 years of experience in the design, management and construction of mining-related projects including senior roles at Kilborn Engineering Pacific Ltd.
Western Silver is a publicly traded mineral exploration company.
Tom Boardley is the new chief executive and president of P&O Ports Canada Inc., based in Vancouver.
He replaces Robin Silvester, who is heading to London to take on a new position with the international division as executive director of P&O Ports.
U.K.-based P&O Ports operates container terminals and logistics operations in 84 ports in 17 countries.
Canden Capital Corp. is looking for a new president after the sudden death late last month of Arthur Fisher.
Fisher had been at the helm of the Vancouver-based company (CAD.P-TSXV) since March 2000.
Canden director James Watt will assumed the president’s chair until a permanent replacement is found.
Larry Lineker is the new chief sales officer for Chicago-based Hub International Limited (HBG-NYSE; HBG-TSX).
Lineker is president of Hub’s TOS Insurance Services Ltd. subsidiary in Vancouver. He will oversee Hub’s overall sales initiative.
Hub International is a North American insurance brokerage that provides a range of products and services in Canada and the U.S.
APAC Minerals Inc. (APC-TSXV) of Vancouver has named John Stockley as exploration manager in China.
Stockley has more than 25 years’ experience in gold-base metal exploration and mining. He has been involved in exploration and development of projects around the world with companies including Anglo American, Peko Wallsend, Renison Goldfields, Freeport Macmoran and Dominion Mining.
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