WELLINGTON, PEI – June 8, 2012 – “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Bonnie Gallant to her new position as interim executive director of RDÉE Prince Edward Island Inc., the provincial francophone economic development council, as of June 11,” proclaimed RDÉE president Martin Marcoux this morning.

“Bonnie has done a superb job since arriving at the RDÉE last summer when we had hired her as a development officer, so we are assigning her these new responsibilities without reserve.”

He mentioned that Gallant worked for 15 years at an Island call centre, serving the last six years as director of operations. She supervised 250 employees and was responsible for managing the financial operations of two call centres serving 12 client-businesses and generating some $20 million in annual revenues. She had previously obtained a bachelor of business administration from Université Sainte-Anne in 1996.

“Her experience in governmental relations and in the development of strategic partnerships will certainly be an asset to her new position,” said the president. “Over the years, she has also had the opportunity to prepare business plans and to measure the tangible results of these plans. In addition, she has experience in media relations and in project management. She will certainly get to use these skills in her new job.”

Gallant says she was extremely lucky to have been able to start her RDÉE career in a position that gave her direct contact with clients and a chance to work directly in the field, which allowed her to better integrate herself into the economic community.

DEVOTED TEAM

“The RDÉE team is exceptionally devoted to community economic development so I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, to support the team members and to contribute to the economic development of the Acadian and francophone community and of the province as a whole.”

Gallant, who was born and raised in the Evangeline region, will now lead a permanent team of seven people in addition to contract employees, coordinators, interns or students, depending on the time of year and on the projects that are happening. She lives in Kinkora and will continue to work out of her office in Wellington.

The president noted that Gary Doucette, who had held the interim executive director position since last fall, decided to return to his original position of assistant executive director and project officer.

“Gary did a fantastic job while he served as executive director, so we are very pleased that he had accepted to take on that duty during that interim period,” said the president.

Francis Thériault, who is on leave from the executive director position, will continue his role as special projects officer.

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For more information:

Bonnie Gallant
Interim exective director
RDÉE Prince Edward Island Inc.
(902) 854-3663
bonnie@rdeeipe.org

Martin Marcoux
President
RDÉE Prince Edward Island Inc.
(902)628-9103
martin.marcoux@rbc.com