CIRI Elects New Vice Chair and Directors

TORONTO, June 4, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) announced the election of Meghan Brown as the Vice Chair of the CIRI Board of Directors at the 2013 Annual General Meeting today. Meghan is the Director of Investor Relations at Endeavour Sliver Corp. She will succeed George Kesteven as Chair, CIRI Board of Directors in 2014.

Meghan Brown has over 20 years of experience in communications and investor relations in the resource sector. She joined Endeavour Silver in March 2013 as the Director of Investor Relations. Ms. Brown started her career with Suncor Energy and has also worked in communications and investor relations for TransCanada, Placer Dome, Ventana Gold, and a number of publicly traded mineral exploration and development companies. Ms. Brown has been a member of CIRI since 1998 and was President of the BC Chapter of CIRI for the past two years. She holds a BA from UBC and an MBA from Queen's University. Ms. Brown has completed the Canadian Securities Course and the Institute of Corporate Directors' Governance Essentials Program for Directors of Not-for-Profit Organizations and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

"Meghan brings a wealth of expertise to the CIRI Board and by virtue of her previous role as President of the BC Chapter has already been part of the CIRI Board of Directors, which will provide continuity. She has a demonstrated track record of leadership in a number of organizations including CIRI, and is perfectly suited to lead the CIRI Board," said George Kesteven, Chair of the CIRI Board of Directors.

"It is an honour and a privilege for me to be elected Vice Chair of CIRI," said Meghan Brown, Vice Chair, CIRI Board of Directors. "I have a great amount of respect for the work CIRI does and I look forward to working with such a talented and committed group of professionals."

CIRI members also elected Kelly Freeman, Director of Investor Relations at PotashCorp and Elaine Wyatt, Principal of Wyatt Strategic Communications as Directors.

Kelly Freeman was appointed Director, Investor Relations with PotashCorp in July 2012 and is responsible for the development and execution of PotashCorp's investor relations program and strategies as well as oversees PotashCorp's web and social media platforms. Mr. Freeman joined PotashCorp in 2008 as Manager, Investor Relations. Prior to joining PotashCorp, he worked in the forestry products industry with Weyerhaeuser in various financial management roles. Kelly has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and has earned his designation as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). He also currently acts as a moderator for the CMA Strategic Leadership Program.

Elaine Wyatt has been an investor relations and communications consultant to companies in Canada and the United States for more than 15 years. She is a writer, editor and author with a career that spans more than 30 years at newspapers across Canada, including The Winnipeg Free Press, The Financial Post, The Globe and Mail and the Financial Times of Canada. She is the author of several books on money management and investing, including The Money Companion: A Canadian Guide to Managing Your Money, and has conducted surveys of financial and sustainability disclosure since 1997. Ms. Wyatt has been a member of CIRI since 1999, serving as a Director of CIRI Ontario from 2006 to 2011 and as Chapter President in 2009 and 2010. She is a founding member of the Ontario Securities Commission Investor Education Fund (IEF) Board of Directors.

"I am pleased to welcome Kelly and Elaine to the CIRI Board. Kelly brings to the Board a wealth of financial reporting expertise and a working knowledge of the expanding use of social media within the investor relations field. Elaine, who has been a very active volunteer with CIRI for many years, including currently Co-Chairing the Issues Committee of the Board, brings an extensive background in the fields of investor communication and improved financial and sustainability disclosure. I am delighted to welcome both of them to the Board," said George Kesteven.

David Carey, Senior Vice President, Capital Markets at ARC Resources; Anne Plasterer, Executive Director, Investor Relations at Newalta Corporation; Denita Stann, Vice President, Investor and Public Relations at PotashCorp; Ernie Stapleton, President of Fundamental Creative Inc. and Colleen Vancha, President, Creative Advantage are retiring from the Board. All have dedicated many years to volunteering for the organization and have made a tremendous contribution.

"As David, Denita, and Colleen step away from their formal National Board responsibilities, and Anne and Ernie step away from their respective Chapter responsibilities, we owe to all of them an enormous debt of gratitude. All of them have generously and graciously provided their time and expertise to CIRI over the past few years. Although they will no longer hold formal Board and Chapter roles, I am pleased that they will continue to avail CIRI of their expertise," said George Kesteven.

A complete list of CIRI Board of Directors can be found at www.ciri.org.

About CIRI

CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital market by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 600 members and four chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For further information, please visit CIRI.org.

SOURCE: Canadian Investor Relations Institute

Yvette Lokker
President & CEO
Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI)
[phone]
[email protected]