Gerry Offet to Leave Initiatives Prince George

Monday, November 12, 2007 10:07 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Gerry Offet, the man who has been the head of the Initiatives Prince George Development Corporation will leave the position on March 31^st.

"I have always said that I would leave this job when I turn 70" says Offet. "It has been a great experience for me and I will miss the position, it is a great time to reform the organization."

Offet says he will stay on long enough to assist in the recruiting process to ensure an orderly transition for the new head of Initiatives Prince George. He says the timing couldn’t be better for a new person to take over the reins "The time is ripe for a new person to make an all out effort to diversify our economy given what is taking place in the forest industry. "

He says he is very proud that during his time all three levels of government have started pulling together to diversify the Prince George economy, and while he is pleased he was able to bring some call centres into the city during a time when employment was very high, he also has a disappointment "I wanted to do much more with the downtown" says Offet, " I think we are going to see some signficant renewal in the downtown, with the enthusiasm for a performing arts centre, I think you will see our downtown come back significantly, but it didn’t get as developed as much as I would have liked during my time."

Offet, came to Prince George to take on the position of President of Initiatives Prince George, after working as an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Manitoba government.

A native of Lacombe, Alberta, he graduated from the University of Alberta with a BA in Economics and a Law Degree. He says he has no plans to return to his hometown, and has not yet decided if he and wife Cathe will stay in Prince George."That decision will be made in the coming weeks."

He says while there is a possibility Initiatives Prince George might hire from within, but the Board has indicated it would like to see who is available in the market. "Recruiting will be difficult" says Offet "as Ventures Kamloops is also recruiting for the same position."

His advice to his successor? "I see the window of opportunity open for manufacturing, transportation and logistics, but the window will only be open fo 1-3 years. My advice is to lets get on it! We are taking on Edmonton head on, and we have got to be good!."

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 10:07 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: spanky on November 12 2007 10:40 AM

I am sure he will be greatly missed. I can remember very few people who have done so much talking and had nothing to show for it.

Posted by: giterdun on November 12 2007 10:53 AM

YAHOO!! NOW MAYBEE WE CAN GET SOMEONE WITH THEIR HEART IN P.G. DAN ROGERS WOULD BE A GOOD CANDITATE. HOW BOUT IT DAN?

Posted by: bohemian on November 12 2007 12:14 PM

March 31? Couldn't we just pay him out and let him go at the end of November?

Posted by: flowerchild on November 12 2007 12:26 PM

I know there will be plenty of negative comments about Gerry Offet, but I just want to say this. While Gerry is no friend of mine, I do know him to be a man of his word. That is a rare quality in business these days, and while many may not have liked what he did or didn't do, he is the kind of person you could do a deal with on the strength of a handshake or a promise. I hope the person who takes his place has at least 1/2 as much integrity.
Good luck Gerry and Cathe, and have a happy retirement.

Posted by: Norm1 on November 12 2007 1:10 PM

It is all too easy to criticize....especially when hiding behind an anonymous web id.

Posted by: Moses on November 12 2007 1:15 PM

Agreed Norm1.

There isn't a single poster to this blog that could do Mr. Offet's job any better.

Posted by: Chickie on November 12 2007 1:32 PM

I wonder if people forget what their Mother's taught them.....if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all. I think some people in this community forget the way that Prince George USE to be. A man of honour and incredible integrity, qualities that are extremely hard to find today....Gerry is one of those exceptional men! Congrats Gerry on your retirement!

Posted by: Harbinger on November 12 2007 2:09 PM

I forgot what my mother taught me , but my father said, "Keep yer mouth shut and yer bowels open and you will live a long and happy life". Apparently I haven't learned.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on November 12 2007 3:19 PM

What's Edmonton got that we don't have??

Posted by: bohemian on November 12 2007 4:02 PM

My criticism is based on performance. I believe it can be successfully argued that Initiatives PG has underperformed under Offet's "leadership."

He has been paid a good salary, and benefits and more, and I am looking forward to someone else in his position to achieve, not just talk.

People have a right to critisize poor performance from our tax-funded beaurocrats.

It's just too bad our city council didn't expect more from him also; I hope they raise their standard for Offet's successor.

Posted by: owl on November 12 2007 4:06 PM

give or take a few, 900,000 more people ....

Posted by: Chadermando on November 12 2007 7:07 PM

IMO it is a good time to close Initiatives PG and make the mayor earn his paycheck so that we have accountability for results.

I am encouraged that Offet has finally recognized what PG needs to do, but it doesn't mean much considering the waste of direction and tax dollars Initiatives PG has been for the PG economy since its inception.

Posted by: diplomat on November 12 2007 7:14 PM

Chiclie: ".....if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all."

Good thing to keep in mind, but it doesn't apply when one has a legitimate constructive criticism!

How would things ever change for the better?

Posted by: Howrd_B_Stern on November 13 2007 12:01 AM

He did a great job for PG if you count going on endless trips around the world and bringing little in return as your criteria.

Pay him out now and get some newer and younger blood in there. Preferably someone born during the colour TV era.

Posted by: He speaks on November 13 2007 12:19 AM

Thanks Gerry, you did the best that anyone could have done. A heck of lot better than the last yahoo, what ever did happen to him, wasn't it McMann or something.

Dan Rogers, nope, he could not make a decision, he will just apoint a committee.

We need a real entrepeneur.

Posted by: owl on November 13 2007 4:47 AM

Donald Trump is waiting in the wings ....

Posted by: socredible on November 13 2007 7:58 AM

Chadermando:- "IMO it is a good time to close Initiatives PG and make the mayor earn his paycheck so that we have accountability for results."

Absolutely agree! These things exist all over BC, and at best all they ever succeed in doing seems to be the generation what W A C Bennett used to call "hot house industries."

Plants built to provide 'jobs', rather than 'products'. Things that anyone really needs, or can afford, that can pay their own way.

Take the public subsidies away, and the 'jobs' disappear too. By then the promoters have generally pocketed far more in the way of 'benefits' than the workers have.

Posted by: metalman on November 13 2007 9:42 AM

Hot topic! I don't know the man, thus will refrain from comments about him. As for comments about the existence of I.P.G. however, I say it's a free country, and that includes free speech. I.P.G. is, in my ever so humble opinion, a waste of our money. I think that we have nothing to sell but resources or the products made from them, and the big corps. of the world already know where the best resources are located, we do not have to advertise. Maybe thirty or more years ago we had to advertise, but this thing called 'the internet' has shrunk the world, we do not need an Initiatives Prince George to trumpet our capabilities. I realize that by my comments I could be accused of 'thinking too small' but this is what I believe. If it is our local industry that is being showcased by these taxpayer supported organizations, then why not have them do their own advertising and promotion? If we cut out all the government sponsored initiatives all businesses would be on the same level playing field, and furthermore, all these programs to get unmotivated youth into the work force are also a waste of money. All we are doing is enabling the lazy, conditioning them to a world of hand outs and fringe benefits. I think that people should have to find and keep a job using their own wits and ambition. We are not helping these kids ('kids?, some are over 30) by giving them a paid position to 'learn the skills necessary to secure and maintain employment' Government involvement a.k.a. f.u.b.a.r.
metalman.

Posted by: owl on November 13 2007 11:54 AM

"If we cut out all the government sponsored initiatives all businesses would be on the same level playing field"

I very much agree. However, that is not gong to happen. What many do not realize is that communities are just as much a business as any other organization. They set objectives of waht they want to be and how how they might become what they wish to be.

Just like a business, they invest in infrastructure based on how the capacity to they feel they have to support that investment.

So, we are competing even just to keep people here.

We can get out of the competition and simply let things be as others wish them to be, or we can take charge as best as we can.

Like any business, the dscision is up to us, the owner of the business of maintaining a viable, quality, well-off Prince George.

Posted by: owl on November 13 2007 11:56 AM

"all these programs to get unmotivated youth into the work force are also a waste of money."

I agree ..... we should allow them to become burdens on society .. drug pushers ... drug abusers ... criminals ... and put them into jail and spend $60,000 year to put them in the many Hiltons on the Hill.

Far too much money to try to give them a helping hand .....

Posted by: owl on November 13 2007 12:36 PM

"the big corps. of the world already know where the best resources are located,"

Yup, wherever one has a good number of well educated people ready and willing to work at relativeley low wages. In Canada that quite often is small communities with lower housing costs and lower costs of living in general plus reasonable access to a good quality lifestyle.

Much of the rest can be transported in.

Posted by: lmorg on November 13 2007 1:04 PM

The only diversification I see coming to PG is the need for more administrative personell to handle the huge increase in EI and welfare cheques looming on the horizon when the forestry industry and its support industries start closing up.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on November 13 2007 1:41 PM

Owl say.."Like any business, the dscision is up to us, the owner of the business of maintaining a viable, quality, well-off Prince George."

Are you in business Owl? Or do you mean the business of sticking your nose in other peoples businesses - all in a good cause of course.

It wasn't clear by what you wrote. (I'm assuming "dscision" was decision).

Posted by: Chadermando on November 13 2007 7:11 PM

I like the conscept of creating a competitive environment for entrepreneurial enterprise and let the market recognize those advantages and act on them. ie lower taxes, quality infrastructure in place. The IPG model is to increase taxes to pay for their administration (could have paid for an industrial zone outside of the city airshed)and then in turn submit more ways the governemnt can spend government dollars to further make the subsidized market based on connections to an organization that is not democratically accountable for our tax dollars.

Posted by: owl on November 13 2007 11:01 PM

Pre industrial revolution the majority of people worked in producing food.

During the industrialization period, food production was maintained, but with more machinery and less people. The jobs were in goods producing industries.

In todays western world, there are even fewer working in agriculture, and fewer working in goods producing with the majority working in the service industry.

For those who are not aware of it, we spend a lot of our resources on organizing and administering the social and economic systems we have created.

Of course, we can try to reverse that trend right here in Prince George and send ourselves back into the industrial revolution with stinky air and people dying younger.

Any further back than that and we would have trouble since this is a difficult subsistence agriculture area which will likely only hold a fraction of the population we currently have.

Get your suits of armour ready or your sackcloth outer wear ...

;-)

Posted by: Chadermando on November 13 2007 11:53 PM

Yup, I found an article on the web that is the model IPG took their play book from lol... very funny.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article2748936.ece

Posted by: Chadermando on November 13 2007 11:54 PM

Owl, are you saying we'll have a choice?

Posted by: owl on November 14 2007 12:52 AM

Theoretically everyone in a "free" world has a choice.

You can leave or stay.

You can sit back and watch or get active.

You can elect this person or that one.

You can be a leader or you can be a follower.

You can conserve or you can spend.

You can spend on this or you can spend on that.

The list is endless.

We have a choice to build that heavy industrial site outside the bowl for instance, or to continue to allw them to be built inside the bowl.

We have a choice to build smaller houses to conserve space, energy, and give the lumber industry another blow by using less material for each housing unit and give our taxpayers a break by building less roads to service the denser housing which should result.

The basic choice we really have, and most fail miserably at, is that we have the choice between the easy way and the hard way - between changing our way or thinking or staying with the flow.