People (January 01, 2006)

In recognition of a career based on innovative technology and strong leadership skills, Hatch’s executive director Bert Wasmund, PhD, PEng., has received the Engineering Medal for Excellence from the Ontario Professional Engineers (OPE).

The OPE also awarded an Engineering Medal for Excellence to John (Jack) Nicholas de la Vergne, PEng., for his 35-plus years as an expert in mine shaft and joist solutions. De la Vergne has written two textbooks, the “Hard Rock Miners Handbook” and the “Hard Rock Miners Technical Spanish Dictionary“.

Paul Healy is new president of Atlas Copco Construction & Mining Canada. Based in Sudbury, Ont., he will be responsible for all Canadian sales and product support as well as the network of service and parts centres across the country.

Canadian Royalties has named its COO, Richard Faucher. He will lead the team evaluating the Raglan South Trend nickel project. He was formerly president and general manager of Falconbridge’s operation in the Dominican Republic.

Jack McClintock is the new president and COO of Canarc Resource Corp. He was most recently global exploration manager for BHP Billiton.

Continental Minerals Corp. has named Gerald S. Panneton to the position of president and CEO. He will also serve as vice-president of corporate development for Hunter Dickinson. Panneton was recently director of advanced projects and evaluations at Barrick Gold.

Anthony Makuch has been named senior vice-president and COO of FNX Mining Co. He was Dynatec Corp.’s vice-president of operations responsible for the Sudbury Joint Venture, until FNX bought out its partner late last year.

John Tosney has joined the board of Golden Band Resources. His career includes working at Saskatchewan Mining Development Corp., as a senior manager at Cameco and as president of Cigar Lake Mining Corp. He is currently an executive advisor at Cogema. He has also been involved in all phases of gold mining at several projects in Saskatchewan.

Lakota Resources has named Andrew Lee Smith to its board of directors. He was instrumental in developing the Sleeping Giant gold mine for Aurizon (from which he resigned in 1998) and is the co-founder of True North Gems. Smith is also president and CEO of Canaco Resources.

Former Barrick chief geologist Dr. C. Jay Hodgson has joined Montreal’s Murgor Resources as chairman of the board.

Nevada Pacific Gold has appointed Robert McEwen to its board of directors. He is the chairman and CEO of US Gold Corp. and past-chairman and CEO of Goldcorp, which he founded. McEwen holds an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business, and a BA from the University of Western Ontario.

Ormex Resources has named David K. Duval as its president and CEO. He has served as president and director of several public companies and as a technical advisor to the United Nations in Thailand. He was also the western editor for The Northern Miner from 1979 to 1989.

John A. Begeman is now COO at Wolfden Resources. He is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (1991) and the University of South Dakota (1993). Begeman was previously a vice-president at Goldcorp and responsible for that company’s western operations and industrial minerals division.