New boards of directors have been appointed for Saskatchewan's commercial Crown corporations, effective April 1st, 2004. All board appointments expired March 31st, 2004.

The new and reappointed members will serve on the boards of directors for SaskPower, SaskTel, SaskEnergy, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC), and SaskWater.

"I am pleased to announce these appointments," Crown Management Board Minister Pat Atkinson said. "The mixture of new and experienced members ensures continuity while bringing new skills and knowledge to these boards.

"I am also pleased to say that we now have a youth member and aboriginal representation on each of these boards, in keeping with our commitment to provide board of director opportunities for young and aboriginal people in our Crown sector."

The youth members are: Sarah Gauthier, a civil engineer from Saskatoon, to the SaskPower board; Ben Voss of Saskatoon, an agricultural and bioresources engineer, to the SaskTel board (appointed in June 2003); Florence Linantud of Regina, a recent graduate in electrical engineering, to the SaskEnergy board; Merin Coutts, a marketing and community relations director from Saskatoon, to the SGI board; Shauna Young of Regina, a public servant, to the STC board; and Doug Hay of Tisdale, an economic development director, to the SaskWater board.

Among the other appointments, Regina lawyer Patricia Quaroni will continue to chair the SaskPower board. She was appointed in December 2003 after the resignation of former chair David Barnard. Mervyn Simon, an engineer and oil and gas consultant from Calgary, becomes chair of the SaskEnergy board. He replaces Tim Gitzel, who had been acting chair. Murray Westby, president of an agricultural equipment company in Watrous, will continue to chair the SaskWater board. He had been acting chair since November 2003 when the ministers responsible were removed from the board.

Five of the boards will get new vice chairs. Heather Heavin, an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Saskatchewan, joins the SaskEnergy board as vice chair. Alison Renny, Assistant Dean of the College of Commerce at the U of S, becomes vice chair of the SaskTel board; Regina businessman Marty Klyne becomes vice chair of the SaskPower board; Saskatoon lawyer Holly Ann Knott takes that position with the STC board; and Daniel Palsich, a retired teacher from Paradise Hill, becomes vice chair of the SaskWater board. All four had been serving on those boards.

"I thank everyone who has agreed to serve on our Crown boards," Atkinson said. "I also want to thank the members of all six boards whose terms have expired. I commend them for their service and thank them for their valuable contribution to the people of Saskatchewan."

For More Information, Contact:

Wendy Dean
Crown Investments Corporation (CIC)
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5985

Additional Information