The University of Calgary continues to add key players in its mission to become a leader in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Last week, the U of C announced it has granted three of Canada’s leading academics $8 million in funding for research over five years.
The money is part of a $30-million program headed by the Alberta government known as the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCore).
The university says the appointments of Dr. Graham Jullien, Dr. Gerard Lachapelle and Dr. Carey Williamson will draw more professors, postdoctoral and graduate students to Calgary and at the same time prevent the exodus of researchers to other parts of the country or the U.S.
“We’re definitely seeing a new perception of Alberta emerge as a place to do ICT research,” said Dr. Brian Unger, president of iCore.
Dr. Jullien, who receives $3.7 million, relocates to Calgary from the University of Windsor with a wide knowledge of information processing systems.
Dr. Lachapelle, head of the U of C’s geomatics engineering department, has received $2.5 million to develop his research in wireless location technology. Dr. Williamson, a former professor at the University of Saskatchewan, receives $1.75 million and will lead a team unifying wireless technologies and the Web.
The U of C’s Faculty of Management has announced that Geoffrey Shmigelsky is the school’s new entrepreneur-in-residence and Steve Smith is its new executive-in-residence.
Shmigelsky is the founder and former president of CADVision Development Corp. while Smith is the former president and CEO of WestJet Airlines.
In other news at the university, David O’Brien, chairman, president and CEO of Canadian Pacific Ltd., has been named the winner of the U of C’s Distinguished Business Leader Award, established in 1993 to recognize outstanding business leadership in Calgary.
Warren Piers was appointed chair of a research program studying environmental waste in the plastics industry.
Doug Reid, former president and CEO of NovAtel Inc., has joined Calgary-based E-Volve Inc.
E-Volve was founded in 1999 by Brian Westcott and University Technologies International Inc. of Calgary. Its mandate was to commercialize Morpheus, a technology that manages data distribution in multiple locations across the Internet. Its first product application, called My-Personal-Net, allows users to connect to a data source on their own personal computer from any type of Internet-connecting device including Web-enabled cellular phones, personal digital assistants and computers.
“Mr. Reid brings with him the exact combination of technology business experience and vision that E-Volve needs,” said Westcott.
Calgary-based OnSat.net Canada has appointed John Burns as its newest director. Burns is a partner in the law firm of Bennett-Jones, where he focuses on corporate finance and securities law.
Burns served 15 years as a public governor of the Alberta Stock Exchange. He now serves as the only Canadian member of the Nasdaq listing qualifications panel. He also sits on many public and private corporations and is a member of the Calgary Economic Development Authority.
OnSat is a satellite-based broadband wireless provider, which trades on the Canadian Venture Exchange (ONS: CDNX).
Mike Rowell, president and CEO of Trident Communications Inc., is joining Digital Artisans Guild Inc. as director of business development.
Before joining Digital, Rowell was chief information officer and vice-president of information systems with JAWZ Inc.
Digital Artisans, a producer of interactive HDTV content, has also announced a marketing alliance with communications agency Parallel Strategies’ Zero Gravity of Calgary. Zero Gravity has obtained an equity position in Digital. The companies say they will work together to provide marketing, communications and investor relations support.
BelAir Energy has added Harry Wheeler to its board of directors.
Wheeler was chairman of Cabre Exploration Ltd. until EnerMark Income Fund acquired it in December 2000.
Vic Luhowy, president and CEO of BelAir, said Wheeler brings 38 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry to the company. BelAir (BEC- TSE), based in Calgary, is involved in the exploration of petroleum reserves in western Canada.
Paul Little has joined the board of directors of Calgary’s Delaney Energy Services Corp.
Little, a chartered accountant, co-founded Toronto-based merchant bank Gornitzki, Thompson & Little in 1986 and GTL Securities in 1989.
Delaney Energy is an integrated service company serving the western Canadian oil and gas industry with offices throughout Alberta.
Rapidly-growing Electronics Manufacturing Group Inc. (EM-CDNX) has announced two senior appointments.
Don Mitchell has been named vice-president, international, while Joy Uniat is the company’s new vice-president, corporate supply chain.
Mitchell will be launching EMG’s first international endeavour — the establishment of an international purchasing office.
Uniat brings more than 20 years of global distribution, materials management and e-business expertise to the company, says EMG.
EMG provides a wide range of product development and delivery services to the global technology and electronics industry, including design, prototyping, manufacturing and assembly, testing, product assurance, supply-chain management, worldwide distribution and after-sales service.
It has three manufacturing facilities located in Calgary and Markham, Ont. Employing 355 Canadians, it was recently recognized by Profit Magazine as the sixth-fastest growing startup in Canada.
Equatorial Energy Inc. (OZ-TSE) has made a number of management changes effective this week.
Company president and CEO G. Marshall Abbott assumes duties of chairman of the board while David Matheson has been named president and chief executive officer. Mike Machalski has been appointed chief operating officer.
Equatorial is a Calgary-based independent junior oil and gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of petroleum and natural gas in western Canada and Indonesia.
Impac Services has changed its name and is moving into Calgary.
The U.S.-based company says it has dropped ‘Services’ from its name. At the same time, Marti Nuth and Daniel Knoch will head up its new office in Calgary.
Impac, an Oracle e-business applications consulting firm, said its inaugural Calgary team will be based in the new Bankers Hall Tower.
