Guy Pelletier, Chair, RDC Board of Governors.

By Sheldon Spackman

New Beginnings

Pelletier excited to carry torch as RDC Board Chair

Sep 27, 2019 | 3:11 PM

The new Chair for the Red Deer College Board of Governors says he’s looking forward to continuing the institution’s transition to university status, and steering RDC through times of anticipated fiscal restraint from the province.

Guy Pelletier, who also serves as Chair of the RDC President Transition Team, says he feels good about his recent appointment, adding he has a deep connection to the college going back to his days as an RDC student during the 80s.

“I’m a big supporter of education and a big supporter of RDC, so I’m proud to take on this role,” says Pelletier.

RELATED: Guy Pelletier named RDC board chair

Pelletier takes over as Chair from Morris Flewwelling, who along with Dianne Macaulay and Karin Melnyk saw their positions on the RDC Board of Governors rescinded by the province on Sept. 11. Kristen Korhonen and Julie Oliver were appointed along with Pelletier as their replacements.

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Pelletier, who is vice president, Red Deer Region, for Melcor Developments, admits he was not caught off-guard by his appointment.

“Morris Flewwelling, very capable Board Chair, always thinking through what succession might look like, so I had a couple of conversations with the college folks about whether it would be a good fit for me, so I would say no, it wasn’t a surprise.”

RELATED: Flewwelling disappointed, but optimistic after removal from RDC board

RDC welcomed a new President with Dr. Peter Nunoda taking over from Joel Ward, who retired after 10 years in the role.

Pelletier says both Ward and Flewwelling did a terrific job during their tenures.

“The college has been a place of big change here the last few years with being a huge supporter and partner in the Canada Games and then of course the announcement for the university,” says Pelletier. “That’s all thanks to the work done by that Board, and certainly the administrative group there as well. That’s our role, is to take where they’ve left off and keep carrying that ball forward.”

However, Pelletier says his first order of business is to get to know the College’s administrative team and the rest of the new Board.

“With three new Board members, we have to make sure we’re understanding where the college is at and just continue their mission, which at this point,” adds Pelletier. “Really is to focus on university status and that transition, completing the good work done to date.”

Pelletier notes an opportunity next week to meet with Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides to hear the government’s latest update on the college’s transition to university status.

“You may have seen some of the information that’s been out around the MacKinnon Report and some of the changes they’re looking at,” says Pelletier. “So we’ll have a chance to chat with the minister about that and where they see the role of the college and to make sure it’s in alignment with our expectations.”

Although Pelletier doesn’t anticipate any road blocks from the new government regarding RDC’s transition to a university, he does anticipate fiscal challenges that likely lie ahead.

“The whole province is looking to make sure that we can make the budget numbers work,” exclaims Pelletier. “The budget comes out towards the end of October, so we’ll have a better idea then what we’re looking at as an institution. But we’re certainly happy to work with whatever government is in place and serve the best interests of both the community and the taxpayer-at-large.”

Having said that, however, Pelletier concedes they don’t anticipate any new provincial funding on the way.

“So as an institution, both this one and all the institutions across the province in every sector, will have to find ways to tighten things up a little bit I think,” adds Pelletier. “What that looks like, we don’t know but we’ll wait until the end of the month and see what happens and we’ll work with it. I don’t think anybody’s expecting big increases in funding.”