Questerre welcomes new VP finance, CFO

Questerre Energy Corporation of Calgary has appointed Jackie Cugnet as vice-president of finance and chief financial officer.
Cugnet has more than 13 years of experience in public accounting practice and the energy industry, most recently as VP of finance and CFO of Pivotal Energy Ltd.
Prior to that, she worked as an independent consultant with several private and public energy companies. She also held executive roles at Summit Resources Limited from 1997 to 2000.
Questerre (QEC-TSX) is an independent resource company engaged in the exploration for and development, production and acquisition of large-scale natural gas projects in Canada.

Micralyne Inc. has named Yan Loke as its new vice-president of engineering. He joined the Edmonton-based firm in January as director of engineering.
Previously, Loke was MEMS foundry manager for optical switch manufacturer OMM Inc. Before that, he was a technical staff member at the Institute of Microelectronics in Singapore.
Micralyne develops and manufactures microfabricated and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems)-based components for industries including communications, automotive and biomedical.

Michael Donnell is the new president and chief operating officer of Zi Corporation, based in Calgary. Donnell, who has more than 18 years of senior management experience in the wireless sector, is the former CEO of Cellular One of San Francisco.
He replaces Gary Kovacs, who has resigned to pursue other business opportunities.
Zi Corp. (ZICA-NASDAQ; ZIC-TSX) is a text-messaging firm.

Calgary-based Tallagium Corporation has put Daniel Clark in the chief financial officer’s chair.
Clark will serve as CFO for Tallagium (TAA-TSXV) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, MegaDox Corporation, Quisitek Corporation, Assiniboine Enterprises Corp., Brazeau Enterprises Corp. and Brazeau Ventures Corp.
Clark brings more than 12 years of experience dealing with publicly listed companies, including a role as co-founder of chartered accounting firm Luna Clark Taniguchi.

Highview Resources Ltd has made two key executive appointments.
J. Rene Rosales is joining the Calgary-based energy firm (HVW-TSXV) as president and CEO. He has three decades of oilpatch experience in Western Canada, the U.S. Gulf Coast, the U.K. North Sea, onshore Texas, Latin America and Austro-Asia. Most recently, he held senior roles at public and private companies in Western Canada.
As well, Elizabeth (Buzzy) Mitchell is coming on board as geological and technical consulting adviser. She brings 23 years of exploration-exploitation technical and management experience in Western Canada.

Calgary-based communications company Kanga is expanding its team.
The company has hired Louise Uhrenholt, who graduated last year from the Alberta College of Art & Design. She joins the firm’s design staff.
As well, Mike Buckley, a recent SAIT graduate, has joined the company as a web applications developer.
Kanga is a full-service communications firm offering web solutions, branding, print design, strategy and advertising.

Robin Cumine has been named vice-president of Maclab Hotels & Resorts. Cumine has more than two decades of experience in the hospitality sector, most recently as vice-president of United States operations for a major North American hotel and resort real estate investment trust.
Maclab is the hotel division of Maclab Enterprises, an Edmonton-based real estate development firm with operations in Alberta, B.C., the Northwest Territories and the U.S.

Dr. Pieter van Nierop is the new manager of carbon and energy management at the Alberta Research Council (ARC). Van Nierop will direct and manage ARC programs aimed at developing technologies and processes to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency.
Along with a scientific career focused on coal, carbon and gasification research, he held technical and business management positions at Sasol-Lurgi Technology Company.
The Alberta Research Council develops and commercializes technologies for the energy, life sciences, agriculture, environment, forestry and manufacturing sectors.

Shelley Kazakoff is the new marketing manager of CPI Crown Properties International Corp. Kazakoff was previously a sales manager with Telus Communications, managing a team of 27 sales staff.
She will raise funds for real estate developments at Calgary-based CPI (CWN-TSXV).

Todd Blevins is the new national creative director for Calgary-based Venture Communications Ltd. Blevins, art director at Venture since early 2002, was previously senior art director with two agencies in Calgary and prior to that worked with several Ottawa-based firms.
Blevins will head up divisions including advertising, graphic design, production and marketing as well as website, database and interactive design.
Founded in 1984, Venture Communications is a national, independent communications firm. The company operates wholly owned branch offices in Edmonton, Ottawa and London, Ont.

Joan Paul has joined Calgary-based human resource and business consulting firm Canadian Career Partners. Paul, an integrated human resource and business consultant, previously worked with corporations including Xerox Canada, The Forum Corporation and KPMG Canada.

K2 Energy Corp. has put David Young at the helm as president and chief executive. Young is president and majority owner of The Hamilton Group Inc., a Toronto-based private investment holding company. He replaces Paul MacKay, who will resume his previous role a technical adviser to the Calgary-based company (KTO-TSX).
As well, Michael Erickson has been named K2’s chief operating officer. He has been with the company since 1996.

Neil Shelly is the new executive director of the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA).
Born and raised in Grande Prairie, he joined the association in 1995 and has been responsible for environmental affairs, forest certification and other issues. Prior to that, he held a variety of positions in the energy sector and government.
Shelly replaces Garry Leithead.

The Millennium Music Foundation has appointed Blane Hogue as director of marketing and communications.
An independent consultant, Hogue most recently was director of development for Information Resources at the University of Calgary. He was responsible for creating and managing marketing and fund-raising campaigns for facilities including libraries and archives, the Nickle Arts Museum and the University Press.
He replaces Susan Scott, who has moved on to research a book on homeless women.
Also joining the MMF is Linda Finley, who will manage the administrative side of operations. The foundation brings four world-class chamber music concerts to Calgary each year.