Halifax – The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) is celebrating its 15th year in 2009 and the Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Cirtwill as AIMS President, effective November 2nd, 2009.

Brian Lee Crowley, the founding President, is leaving AIMS to create a new think tank based in Ottawa, ON, the MacDonald-Laurier Institute.

“AIMS was Brian’s vision,” says Board Chairman, John F. Irving. “We are grateful for all his hard work at making the Institute a success and we wish him all the best with his new institute. While it is no doubt Brian will be missed, and our loss is Ottawa’s gain, Charles has proven that he can provide the leadership and vision needed for AIMS in the future.”

“AIMS will continue to provide intellectual leadership on regional, national, and international issues, while never losing sight of those items of particular interest to Atlantic Canadians, just as we have so successfully for the past 15 years,” says Irving.

“We wish Brian great success in his new endeavor and are excited to welcome Charles to his new role.”

AIMS was founded in 1994, by Brian Lee Crowley with the support of George Cooper and William Mingo, two senior members of the bar in Halifax, NS. He recently completed an 18-month appointment (2006-08) in Ottawa as the Clifford Clark Visiting Economist with the Federal Department of Finance.

Charles Cirtwill was acting President of AIMS during Crowley’s absence. He holds three degrees from Dalhousie University in Halifax including a law degree and Masters of Public Administration. Cirtwill arrived at AIMS in 2001 to work on a paper on port governance. In the last eight years he has built AIMS’ public education reform project including its annual high school report card. He has also authored numerous papers and Commentaries on such public policy issues as equalization, public finance, health care, Atlantica and energy. His op/eds appear regularly in regional and national newspapers and he is frequently sought out by reporters for informed comment on matters of public policy regionally, nationally and internationally.

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For further comment, contact:

Charles Cirtwill, Incoming President
902-489-7699

Barbara Pike, Director of Communications
902-452-1172