Hugh Planche, who served as Alberta’s minister of economic development from 1979 to 1986, has been appointed by ministerial order, effective April 1, to a three-year term as a Public Member of APEGGA Council.

A resident of Calgary, Mr. Planche will replace Don Hoover, P.Ag., who has served as a Public Member of Council for six years. Mr. Planche, who graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of commerce, has extensive business experience, including as founder of Hallmark Alloys Ltd. and Hallmark Tubular Ltd. Since leaving politics, he has been the president of Hugh Planche Holdings and Quality Tube Supply.

He is a founding director of both the Van Horne Institute and University Technologies Inc.

Mr. Planche joins two Public Members of APEGGA Council, Michael Stevens-Guille and Stan Souch, PhD, who will continue to serve.

Alberta Public Works, Supply and Services Minister Stan Woloshyn also announced that Wayne Pettapiece, P.Ag., PhD, of Edmonton, has been appointed by ministerial order, also effective April 1, to a three-year term as one of three Public Members of the APEGGA Board of Examiners.

Prior to retiring in 1997, Dr. Pettapiece was a senior land resource specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He holds degrees from Brandon College, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta, where he obtained his PhD.

He replaces Ted Allen, FCA, a Public Member of the Board of Examiners since 1992. There are two other Public Members of the Board of Examiners, Niha Prasad-Kroliczek and Ericka Gerlock, LL.B.

The Board of Examiners ensures that individuals approved for registration in APEGGA meet appropriate standards for admission in terms of academic background, experience and character.