CIRI Announces New Vice Chair

TORONTO, Aug. 25 /CNW/ - The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) announces Colleen Vancha as the Vice Chair of the CIRI Board of Directors. Colleen is the Senior Vice-President of Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs at Viterra. She will succeed David Carey as Chair, CIRI Board of Directors in 2011.

In her current role, Colleen oversees the company's public affairs, advertising, communication and corporate social responsibility programs and manages the company's investor relations and corporate disclosure policies. She has held progressively responsible positions with Viterra since joining in 1988 and was instrumental in establishing the Investor Relations Division when the company went public in 1996. Before joining Viterra, Colleen worked in the Taxation and Economic Policy Division, the Treasury Board Division and the Investment and Financial Services Branch of the Government of Saskatchewan's Department of Finance. She studied Business Administration at the University of Regina and has completed the Canadian Securities Course and the Investor Relations Executive Development program at York University. Colleen has been a CIRI National Board member since 2006.

"Colleen provides valuable leadership in her role on the National Board and as Co-chair of the Resource and Education Committee. She is a passionate champion of CIRI and the investor relations profession and has the skills and experience needed to lead the CIRI Board," said David Carey, Chair, CIRI Board of Directors.

"CIRI's deep commitment to best practices and performance excellence among IR professionals is an inspiration to me in my leadership role at Viterra, and it is why I am extremely honoured and proud to be appointed Vice Chair of the CIRI Board of Directors. I am accepting this role at a time when Investor Relations is bringing increasing value to capital markets and I am looking forward to working with the CIRI leadership and Board of Directors to advance investor relations as a key strategic function within Canadian organizations," said Colleen Vancha.

Jennifer Pierce has resigned from the CIRI Board resulting from a change in position. In her new role, she is the Vice President Commercial Management at TransAlta and will lead the management of long-term commercial arrangements, including long-term power purchase arrangement, joint ventures, fuel supply, regulated transmission and lands with the goal of maximizing TransAlta's contract revenue.

"Jennifer has made a valuable contribution to the National Board over the past two years, particularly in her role as Co-chair of the Issues Committee. We wish her the best in her new and challenging role," said David Carey.

A complete list of CIRI Board of Directors can be found at www.ciri.org.

About CIRI

CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital market by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With 600 members, CIRI is the world's second largest society of investor relations professionals. For further information, please visit ciri.org.

For further information:

Yvette Lokker
Director, Communications & Professional Development, CIRI
[phone]
[email protected]