AIMCo Announces Designation of Mac Van Wielingen as Chair of the Board of Directors

EDMONTON, Alberta, December 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) is pleased to announce the designation of Mac Van Wielingen as Chair of the Board of Directors.  John Ferguson assumes the role of Vice-Chair.  The official designation follows today's signing of the Order in Council.

Mr. Van Wielingen is a founding member of the AIMCo Board, following his appointment as director in October 2007.  He will succeed Charles Baillie, who will step down from the Board on January 31, 2015, having served seven years as its Chair.  John Ferguson, who was appointed to the Board in March 2014, will assume the role of Vice-Chair, which was formerly held by George Gosbee.  Mr. Gosbee will continue to serve on the Board of Directors until the expiration of his third term on December 31, 2015.

"From inception, our mandate has been to develop a leading global investment management organization, to best serve our clients and the financial well-being of all Albertans," said Mr. Van Wielingen. "It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to the progress achieved to date, and it is certainly now a privilege to succeed Charlie Baillie as Chair of the Board.  Charlie has been a major source of inspiration and guidance for all of us."

"It has been an honor to serve Albertans as AIMCo's first Chair.  I am very proud of the organization that the Board of Directors and Management Team have built in seven short years," stated Mr. Baillie. "Mac is a true Albertan with the investment experience and business acumen necessary to effectively guide AIMCo through the next stage of its ongoing evolution."

"Charlie Baillie did more than lead AIMCo; in many ways, he helped build it," said Robin Campbell, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance.  "Mr. Baillie managed AIMCo's transition from a government division to an independent corporation, setting its direction and growing it into a world-renowned investment management company.  I am sure AIMCo will continue to succeed under the seasoned leadership of Mac Van Wielingen as Board Chair and Kevin Uebelein as CEO."

Biographical Notes 

Mac Van Wielingen is a founder and director of ARC Financial Corp. and a founder and Chairman of ARC Resources Ltd.  He is also President of Viewpoint Capital Corporation, a private family-owned investment company, and President of Viewpoint Foundation, a private charitable foundation.  In addition, he is a past director of numerous other companies within the energy sector, and is active in various capacities in the community and the not-for-profit sector.  Mr. Van Wielingen is a co-founder and Chair of the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership (CCAL) at the Haskayne School of Business.  He is an Honors' graduate of the Ivey School of Business in finance and has also studied post graduate economics at Harvard University.

John Ferguson is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Princeton Developments Ltd. and Princeton Ventures Ltd..  He is also Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Peter Lougheed Leadership Initiative.  Mr. Ferguson is a Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Alberta Institute of Chartered Accountants and of the Institute of Corporate Directors.  He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta in 1964 and received his CA designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1967.

About Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) 

AIMCo is one of Canada's largest and most diversified institutional investment managers. AIMCo was established on January 1, 2008 with a mandate to provide superior long-term investment results for its clients. AIMCo operates independently from the Government of Alberta and invests globally on behalf of 27 pension, endowment and government funds in the Province of Alberta, including the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. For more information about AIMCo, visit http://www.aimco.alberta.ca.

Media Contact, Dénes Németh, Corporate Communication, O: +1-780-392-3857, M: +1-780-932-4013, E: denes.nemeth@aimco.alberta.ca