President's Perspective

Oliver Bonham, P.Geo. Steps Down and Moves On

Scott McLean, P.Geo. - APGO President

It is with some regret that we bid farewell to Oliver ("Ollie") Bonham who has admirably watched over the Association as its Executive Director and Registrar since September of 2002. Oliver's contribution to the Association has been outstanding and I am confident that his high level of enthusiasm, organizational skill and leadership will be of enormous benefit to all Canadian Professional Geoscientists as he assumes his new role as the first CEO and Executive Director of the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists (CCPG). Oliver's professional career to date has been one of variety and excitement. From his days as a farm boy in Ireland, he learned to love the outdoors. This love is what ultimately drew him to a career in geoscience as the prospect of outdoor adventure motivated him to earn a B.Sc. in Geology from Trinity College Dublin in 1976. Soon after graduation, he commenced his mineral exploration career that started with Barymin as part of their zinc exploration team in Ireland before moving to Canada to work in the Yava Mine in Cape Breton.

In 1981, Oliver returned to the university at Dalhousie in Nova Scotia where he received an MSc in economic geology. It was at this point that Oliver's career took off. He accepted a position with Riocanex (later to become Rio Algom) in Newfoundland in the mid-1980's and by 1991 he had been promoted to the Manager of Exploration - Eastern Canada. In 1994, he was again promoted to Manager of Exploration - North America and between 1997 and 2001 he was based in Santiago Chile in the role of Manager of Exploration - South America. During the acquisition of Rio Algom by Billiton and as part of the subsequent merger between BHP and Billiton, Oliver was located in London, England where he helped in the restructuring of the new company's exploration division before returning to Canada in mid- 2002.

Timing is everything. APGO just happened to be looking for a seasoned practitioner to take on the role of Executive Director and Registrar just at the time Oliver was returning to this country. Our search committee was very impressed with Oliver and soon we had this ideal employee to start-up our fledging association. In talking to Oliver, he reflected on his early trepidation after taking the job and sitting in the first council meeting where the main topic on hand was the APGO's desperate financial situation at the time and the ensuing discussion on how we may not be able to make our payroll that month. I think Oliver took this in stride and was determined to manage the Association to a fiscally sound state. I can assure you he has done that.

Oliver's accomplishments at APGO include: establishing a financially stable association, increasing membership from 400 to 1200, taking a leadership role in establishing a quality, nationally-based PPE exam for geoscience in Ontario, helping coordinate the first APGO election, membership renewals, Complaints and Discipline procedures and a CPD system for all practitioners. If asked, Oliver would say however, that his greatest satisfaction was the work he did to develop this newsletter which has established a concise and professional communication forum for our members.

APGO, under Oliver's leadership has come a long way. The regulatory framework is now in place that allows the Association to function efficiently and meet its mandate to the public. I asked Oliver what he plans to accomplish CCPG. First and foremost he wants to strengthen this umbrella group by creating first-rate, inter-Association communications and to engage Canada's professional geoscientists as a community of practitioners with common responsibilities to manage the many risks that are peculiar to our discipline and to protect the public. This will set the stage for a stronger geoscience profession in Canada and greater recognition of Canadian geoscientist in the international arena. The mission of CCPG is to develop consistent high standards for licensure and practice of geoscience, to facilitate national and international professional mobility, and to promote recognition of Canadian geoscientists. With Oliver at the reins, I am confident that significant progress will be made over his tenure at CCPG.

It is with many thanks that I bid farewell to a colleague and friend. Ollie, on behalf of all your friends at APGO I extend to you a sincere wish for success in your new endeavours.

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Field Notes is published by APGO and is edited by Wendy Diaz, P.Geo. If you have comments or wish to contribute material to this newsletter, please contact Wendy Diaz, P.Geo., or Norman Williams, P.Eng., Executive Director/Registar.

Copyright 2006, Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO)