Bruce Waterman, Agrium Inc. senior vice president, finance, and chief financial officer (CFO) has been chosen as Canada’s CFO of the Year?äó for 2008. Waterman joined Agrium in 2000, and has more than 25 years of experience as a financial executive. He will be honored at a gala dinner in Toronto May 29. The award is presented annually by Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada), PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and The Caldwell Partners International. The award, which recognizes the quality, insight, direction, and leadership of Canada’s senior financial executives, was begun in 2003. Waterman is the first fertilizer company CFO to win the award.
Lateegra Gold Corp. has engaged Stephen Butrenchuk, P.Geol., to review and author a mineral project resource disclosure and provide consulting services involving the recently acquired Fernie Formation phosphate claims (GM April 28, p. 12). Lateegra describes Butrenchuk as one of the leading authorities on phosphate deposits in British Columbia. He began his career with Cominco Ltd., where he spent 16 years as an exploration geologist. He has been contracted to complete a detailed NI 43-101 technical report on the company’s current claim holdings, which will include re-evaluation of historical drilling completed in the area by Cominco, Imperial Oil, Formosa Resources, and First Nuclear Energy.
Viterra Inc. has announced that its board of directors has elected Thomas Birks as chairman. He has been a Viterra director for three years. Birks is president of Birinco Inc., a small merchant bank, and previously served as president of Henry Birks and Sons Ltd. in Montreal. He graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts and holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Birks replaces Terry Baker as Viterra’s chair. Baker will remain on the board as a director.