Province appoints new chair to U of A Board of Governors
June 14, 2006 - Edmonton - Successful Alberta businessman and leader Brian Heidecker has been appointed by the provincial government as chair of the University of Alberta Board of Governors.
Heidecker will begin his three-year term as board chair on July 1 of this year, but he has had strong ties to the university for many years. He will enter the position after two years serving as vice-chair of the board, and six years as a senate member.
"Brian has been a valued and trusted board member since 2000. I have thoroughly enjoyed working closely with him during this past year, and I look forward to his wise counsel and leadership in the coming years," said U of A President Indira Samarasekera.
During his board tenure he helped develop the document "A Case for Investment," which ultimately helped achieve a $4.5 billion commitment to higher learning in the province and a six per cent annual increase in funding for a three year period. While serving on the U of A Senate, Heidecker was chair of the Senate Task Force on Graduate Employability and vice-chair and co-author of the Senate Task Force Report on Student Financing.
Named one of Alberta's 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine in 2005, Heidecker is the founder of the recently sold Drylander Ranch Ltd. in Coronation, Alberta. He has served and continues to serve on a variety of boards, including Alberta Treasury Branches (ATB), past Chair of the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta, past Board member of the Bank of Canada and past trustee of the Clearview Regional School Division. As an ATB board member, he contributed to the strategic planning, business development and risk management processes that resulted in an increase of $1.2 billion over a ten-year period.
Heidecker succeeds Jim Edwards, who has served as board chair since March 2002.
"The University of Alberta is a labour of love for Brian," said Edwards.
"He has served two terms on our Senate and six years on the Board, all involving count
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