Future Of IPG’s Top Post Unclear
Prince George, BC – Just what the future holds for the Initiatives Prince George is a little less clear this morning, than it was yesterday…
That’s when President and CEO Tim McEwan announced he would be resigning from the post he’s held for the past four years – at the head of the local development agency owned by the City and tasked with advancing economic opportunities for Prince George.
IPG’s Vice-President of Strategic Initiatives, Heather Oland, was asked by the Board of Directors to take on the role of Acting CEO and she has accepted, effective today.
As for if and when the position will be filled permanently, IPG’s Board Chair Glen Wonders says a decision won’t be made until after the board has had time to meet, and a meeting is held with the City. In the interim, he says it’s "business as usual" for the economic development agency.
Mayor Shari Green says McEwan’s decision to leave is an exciting one for him, "He’s going on to some other exciting opportunities and it’s a chance for the IPG Board and City Council to get together now and have a conversation around where we’re heading with economic development in the city and have a look at where we want to go moving forward."
One of the planks in Green’s election campaign was that she wanted to ensure the city was open for business. When asked if this vacancy is one of those opportunities, the mayor says, "Well, certainly, IPG is our economic development agency (and) has always been pursuing business for the city definitely, and I don’t see that changing." (click here for previous story)
"But it’s an opportunity for council to have a strong relationship with the board and staff at IPG to make sure that we get the business we’re looking for – we recruit, we bring new opportunities to Prince George and grow the city the way that we know we’re all waiting to see happen."
Last year, IPG requested the same budget from the City that it had received in 2010 $1.024-million dollars. The request sparked an exchange between Councillors Cameron Stolz and Don Bassermann, when Stolz questioned IPG’s role in promoting not only the city, but the region as well. (click here for previous story) This year, Councillor Stolz is the Chair of the City’s Finance and Audit Committee.
Comments
I think its time to close down IPG and not look for a new leader. Get spending under control and keep taxes in line and that alone will attract business to the city. If they need to talk to someone, then we have city staff that can be the ambassadors for the city.
“Get spending under control and keep taxes in line and that alone will attract business to the city”
It will?
So, you are saying that:
1. all those other cities who are having the same “problem” have out of control spending, and
2. all those cities which continue to attract business have controlled their spending?
So, if it is that simple, why do most cities, irrespective of whether their spending is under control, still spend money on some sort of econonomic development function?
Before you even consider answering that question, remember the long list of BC cities whose spending increases in the last 10 years have been far above the rate of inflation and then add those cities that are in the same predicament in the rest of Canada just to remind yourself of the reality that is out there.
A staff of 7 (6 right now) and a million dollar budget.Look’s like a good place to start the core review.
Just throwing it out there but Heather Oland did come from L&M. Yet to be proven, but wasn’t L&M accused of being part of the get Shari elected consortium ? Yes I am a conspiracy theorist.
Tim’s leaving does raise a lot of questions about the future of IPG, but I don’t know that City staff could provide the same function. Ever tried to ask the City for help on anything? The answer is ‘no’. You have to push and push to get them to lift a finger on anything. If the City staff said ‘yes’ they’d have to do some work. Things would have to change quite a bit before City staff could take on this role.
IPG has done a much better job in the past than the City has of promoting opportunities, but things could change without Tim. Tim treated everyone fairly and he’s going to be missed.
It’s really too bad that Shari can’t say something good about Tim other than his leaving is an ‘opportunity’.
Get Jannine North to be the straw boss for now at least. Heather, for the couple of times I did meet her, does not have enough “panash” yet.
And just what are strategic initiatives that there is a vice president in charge? Seems IPG is big on titles and but low on tangible results.
Whoever ends up with the new CEO position I hope one of the first things they look at is where IPG spends it’s advertising dollars. It seems that the money is spent trying to raise the profile of IPG in the local community rather than raise awareness of what the community has to offer outside the region.
I have seen full page ads in the local rag a couple of times a year. I see a banner ad almost every time I open O250, whose users are not exactly the ones IPG should be targeting (95% residents and ex-pats, ~50% old farts on fixed income;-)
Time to do some research and cast the net a little further afield when deciding where to spend on advertising.
The city needs to get on with the administration of our city and stop driving the economy. Let the bussines comunity fill that roll.
The City has 18 directors and if they can do some promoting of our city then find some that can
Why should my tax dollars be used to try and drive the economy. Further more as the economy thrives so will my cost of living increase,
Cheers
I say we shut IPG down. They have most of the people in pg believing that they are the reason for any businesse comeing to PG.
A businesse comes to P.G after doing research and seeing an oppertunity.
Nothing will change if we shut down IPG.
New businesse will still come to PG.People are so easy to manipulate. Here is a good example. Northland Dodge advertizes no charge diesel in their ram trucks.They still charge the customer $78,000 for the truck.I truly feel sorry for people who get taken advantage of.
Ok I said enough. Take car.
I’m with middle finger on the whole L&M and Ms. Green thing. Have met Ms. Oland on a number of occasions and do not think she has the personality for the top job there.
Doesn’t, and shouldn’t, the City have a department that would deal with new business coming to town? Why do we need a separate entity dealing with this? City staff should be able to deal with this as well as refer to other agencies ie. Chamber of Commerce, etc. Great place to cut some costs; cut the IPG.
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