Barbara Conkie is a senior business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in marketing strategy, brand and reputation management, communications, and public relations. Prior to starting her own firm, Conkie Communications, she held several senior North American roles as Senior Vice-President at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, Vice-President Marketing and Communications for Canada for Direct Energy, and Vice-President Marketing, Communications and Public Relations for ING Canada. Ms. Conkie has a BSc and MBA from Queen’s University, and has attended Executive Business School at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.

Mr. Brian Hildebrand operates an 8,000 acre, no-till farm near Skiff, Alberta. His operation produces grain, oilseeds, pulses and hay. Mr. Hildebrand received his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Alberta. He volunteers his time with associations such as the Southern Alberta Conservation Association, the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta and the Southern Alberta Research Association.

Mr. Doug Annable is now a principal in C D Consulting Inc., a management consulting firm, and was formerly the President of the Energy & Mining Division at AMEC Americas Limited. Mr. Annable received both his Bachelor and Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. He is a Life member of APEGGA as well as a member of the Chemical Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering. Mr. Annable is familiar with the not-for-profit sector; his experience includes working with the United Way of Calgary, the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering, SAIT and Keyano College.

Mr. Shultz is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dauntless Energy, Inc. (“Dauntless”), which he formed in 1995. Mr. Shultz was as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Canada Resources Limited from 1990 to 1995. Mr. Shultz is Chairman of Canadian Oil Sands Trust and serves on the board of directors of Newfield Exploration and Enbridge Inc. He also is a director of several private companies, including Glencoe Resources, Matrix Solutions and Sonoma Resources. He has been primarily in the upstream oil and gas business for over 40 years. Mr. Schultz serves on the Board for the Alberta Economic Development Authority; the Calgary Airport Authority Business Advisory Council; and the Colorado School of Mines Trustee Advisory Board. Mr. Shultz graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in Geological Engineering in 1961 and was named a distinguished graduate in 1986. He also attended the University of Virginia’s Executive Program in 1980; the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 1984; and, completed the Institute of Corporate Directors, Corporate Governance program accrediting him with the ICD.D designation in 2005.

Entering the wind industry in 1999, Claude Mindorff has spent the past nine years directing the development of over 3,000 MW of wind. He was the leader of the Superior Wind Energy team who were the originators and developers of one of the largest wind farms in Canada: 189 MW Prince Wind Farm, located in Sault Ste. Marie, which began successful production in early 2006. Relocating from Ontario to Alberta in 2005, he became the president of West Windeau Inc. His efforts there led to the development of 600 MW of build ready wind and 135 kM of 230 kV transmission assets. Throughout his tenure in the wind industry, he has been a staunch supporter of the NA wind industry and its efforts to bring the renewable energy industry to the mainstream of the electrical power sector. Claude has always played a major role in wind energy and transmission reinforcement initiatives, seeing the success of one as critically hinged to the other.

His current focus for Mainstream Renewable Power is to promote the development of Smart Grid and Supergrid solutions within NA in support of Mainstream’s broader generation build program in the USA and Canada. Claude is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and is married to wife Deborah and is the father of seven children. They live on their cattle ranch near Tilley, Alberta.

Under Dr. Lynch’s leadership as Dean of Engineering since 1994, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta has become a leading Faculty of Engineering in North America. Dr. Lynch received his B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick in 1977, and completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Alberta in 1982. Dr. Lynch is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Alberta, Canada. He has received numerous awards including the AC Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the 2001 APEGGA Centennial Leadership Award, the 2004 ASTech Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Alberta Science and Technology Community and in 2004 he also was named the Resource Person of the Year by the Alberta Chamber of Resources. Dr. Lynch is a member of the boards of key leadership bodies such as the Alberta Science and Research Authority, the Alberta Energy Research Institute, Climate Change Central, and the National Institute for Nanotechnology Board of Trustees.

Don Bell is one of the founders of WestJet. He was instrumental in creating and perpetuating the environment that supports the outstanding WestJet guest experience and award-winning corporate culture. His ideas and leadership helped a 1996 start-up become one of the most successful airlines in North America. Prior to retiring in July 2007, he was Executive Vice-President, Culture. His other roles at WestJet included Senior VP, Customer Service, Co-Chief Operating Officer and Boeing 737 Captain. In 2000, Mr. Bell and the other co-founders won The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and they went on to win an International Entrepreneurship Award for Outstanding Teamwork in 2001 in Monaco. WestJet has been named Canada’s Most Respected Corporation, received many awards for Customer Service, been recognized for having the Best Call Center in the business, and received the Waterstone Human Capital Award for Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Culture in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Prior to joining the WestJet start-up team, Mr. Bell spent 18 years as president and owner of a Calgary-based computer company, with offices throughout western Canada.

Mr. Geoff Mackey is now retired. Formerly he was the President and CEO at Superior Plus Inc. after spending 10 years with the company in various senior roles. He also has extensive knowledge in Human Resources and Administration after working for many years in this field for Norcen Energy, Trilon Financial, Toys R’ Us and two large management consulting companies. Mr. Mackey has volunteered his time with STARS Air Ambulance, March of Dimes and has served on an assortment of Boards of Directors. He earned his undergraduate and Masters degrees in Sociology from McMaster University and is an institute-certified director through the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Mr. Geoff Thompson is an experienced senior executive who has successfully led three software development companies to become market leaders in their respective markets. Mr. Thompson has a Bachelor of Commerce/Finance degree from the University of Calgary. His broad base of experience includes the organization and management of all aspects of a technology business, developing organization’s from start-up to exit, contracting for and delivery of enterprise and international projects, fund raising and strategic corporate planning. His career has been split between public multinational and small private companies. Mr. Thompson currently sits on one Corporate Board and two non-profit governing Boards. He is married with three children.

Mr. Gordon Olsen is the President of Gordon Olsen Associates Inc. in Calgary. Previously he was the Executive Director of the Southern Alberta Office of the Premier, the Executive Assistant to the Premier and Legislative Affairs/Caucus Liaison, as well as a member of the Alberta Government Office in Ottawa. Mr. Olsen graduated from the University of Alberta in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He also received a Certificate en Française for Langue Seconde from Université Laval in the same year.

Mr. Jason Krips is an Assistant Deputy Minister of Industry and Food Safety with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Prior to this position he served as an Executive Assistant to the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology and as a Legislative Manager at the Department of Government Services, Director of Research and Analysis with the Ministry of Executive Council and Executive Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Mr. Krips has a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction and a Bachelor of Law. He was admitted as a member of the Alberta Bar in 1997 and was an Associate with Wilson & Hurlbert Barristers & Solicitors.

Mr. Kerry Rudd is President and CEO of Associated Engineering. He has 28 years of experience in the design and construction of municipal services, transportation facilities, and site development projects. Prior to joining Associated Engineering, he was employed by Mott, Hay and Anderson, Consulting Engineers in England, as a civil engineer. Mr. Rudd has a Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering (First Class Honours) from the Southampton University (UK). Mr. Rudd is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C., Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers UK and the Project Management Institute.

Dr. Larry Payne is the Superintendent of Schools for the Battle River Regional School Division. A dedicated and professional educator for over 20 years, he obtained a PhD in Educational Psychology in 2003, an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction in 1994 and a BEd in 1987, all from the University of Alberta. As Assistant Superintendent and then Superintendent for the Battle River School Division, he has been committed to rural education and effective programming for 7,000 students. He initiated the Leadership Academy, spearheaded and co-chaired committees including Student Achievement, High School Completion, Inclusive Schools and Healthy Interactions, and facilitated strategic planning for the future of the school division. Before joining the Battle River School Division, he was a sessional professor at the University of Alberta, and a principal and teacher within Edmonton Public Schools.

Mr. Paul Clark is now retired, and was previously the Director of Fuel Supply at TransAlta Utilities Corporation in Calgary. He previously worked as a Manager of Mine Planning for Montreal Engineering Corporation and held various senior operating positions with northern Canadian companies. Paul graduated from Haileybury School of Mines and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering as well as a Masters of Science in Mineral Industry Management both earned at the University of Alaska. His community service is recognised as a Fellow at the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and as a Past President of the Stockman’s Memorial Foundation. Mr. Clark’s personal interests are mountain hiking, ranching and anything related to western culture.

Robert Pockar, President and CEO of Matrix Solutions Inc., is an engineer with more than 15 years of hydrogeology consulting experience. He provides expert advice in the areas of environmental liability and impact assessment, remediation, and groundwater resource development. He has been the project manager and/or technical reviewer for more than 12 groundwater assessment projects for steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) oil sands projects in northeast and east-central Alberta, and for more than 300 soil and groundwater quality assessment, remediation and monitoring programs at upstream oil and gas facilities. Mr. Pockar has an MSc in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo (2000), and a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta (1994).

Stephen Burns is a partner in the Calgary office of Bennett Jones LLP. Stephen’s practice focuses primarily on information and privacy law, technology transactions and the commercialization of intellectual property.

Stephen’s practice includes advising organizations with respect to their technology and outsourcing transactions and their information management, document retention, privacy and rights management programs, policies and procedures. Stephen currently advises a number of large natural resource and regulated utility companies in respect of their IT, privacy, document retention and information management projects. Stephen’s technology practice includes advising technology companies in respect of development, distribution, and licensing agreements, and the development and implementation of their intellectual property portfolio management policies and practices.

As a trade-mark agent, Stephen regularly deals with issues concerning licensing, registration and protection of trade-marks in Canada and abroad.

A member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, IT.CAN (Canadian IT Law Association), Canadian Bar Association and Calgary Bar Association, Stephen has lectured for the Alberta Institute of Chartered Accountants; given presentations on confidential information, document retention, private sector privacy, software licensing, seismic data licensing, e-commerce, intellectual property portfolio management, and trade mark licensing; and published papers and texts on these and other technology related issues.

A former board member, Stephen currently serves as counsel to the boards for the Calgary French and International School and its sister societies. Prior to his work with the Calgary French and International School, Stephen served as a director for the Calgary Habitat for Humanity Society.

Stephen received his H.B.A. from the University of Western Ontario in 1992, his LL.B. from the University of Manitoba in 1997, and his M.B.A. from the University of Calgary in 2004.

Mr. Steven Gaudet is Manager, Environment & Reclamation for Syncrude Canada Ltd. at their oil sands operations in Fort McMurray, Alberta where he has held various earth sciences, technical and management positions. Throughout his career he has worked in the petroleum industry in Western Canada, the Canadian East Coast offshore and the North Sea. Mr. Gaudet holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Saint Mary’s University) and a Master of Business Administration (Athabasca University). He brings governance experience from his volunteerism as a Board Member of the Wood Buffalo Environmental Association and the Oil Sands Discovery Centre, along with past service on the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists Practice Standards Committee. He enjoys sailing and spending time with his family.

Mr. Vaughn Paul is the Chief Executive Officer of The First Nations (AB) Technical Services Advisory Group (TSAG). This group provides technical services and training for Alberta First Nations in the Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 areas. TSAG specializes in housing, public works and community facilities, information technology and environmental management. The goal of the organization is to assist First Nation communities in achieving and maintaining high standards in all these areas. Mr. Paul has worked on a number of projects that have enhanced the capacity of the First Nations, particularly in the area of environmental management. He has a varied work history which includes: Director of First Nations Employment and Training Centre (FNET), Assistant Director of the Alexander First Nation Education Authority (AFNEA) and Manager of Public Works & Housing.