Atlantic Institute for Market Studies
News Release
For Immediate Release
West-East Pipeline Already Flowing
AIMS names new President: Marco Navarro-Genie will take over from outgoing President & CEO, Charles Cirtwill
Halifax, 3 September 2013 – As the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) prepares to celebrate its 20th year in 2014-2015, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Marco Navarro-Genie as AIMS incoming President.
Charles Cirtwill, AIMS current President and CEO, who has been with AIMS for over 12 years, is leaving to create a new think tank based in Northern Ontario, the Northern Policy Institute.
“Charles has been the face of AIMS for longer than anyone in the Institute’s history,” says Board Chairman, John Risley. “His departure is a huge loss for the Institute and for our region. Charles’ contribution to public policy issues here in Atlantic Canada, across the nation and, indeed, internationally, has made AIMS one of the most widely respected think tanks in the world.”
“The Board is simply thrilled to have found someone with the skills and experience to build on Charles’ legacy,” continued Risley, “Dr. Navarro-Genie has a long history of success in Canada’s think tank movement and is also a longtime friend of, and collaborator with, AIMS. He knows us and we know him, which makes for a seamless transition.”
Cirtwill’s replacement is indeed no stranger to the think tank community. Navarro-Genie comes to AIMS from the Frontier Centre for Public Policy; a think tank built on the basis of the AIMS model and based in Western Canada. As Vice-President of Research with Frontier, he has worked closely with AIMS in the past on projects such as the western high school report card and a national coalition highlighting the inequities and inefficiencies of Canada’s approach to equalization.
“AIMS is an important voice on the national stage” says Navarro-Genie, “and I am eager to continue AIMS tradition of making a difference in people’s lives by questioning poor policy decisions and promoting good policy ideas.”
“Atlantic Canada already has an important role to play in Canada’s energy and resource based resurgence, and in our modern knowledge economy. The newly announced west-east pipeline is only the latest example of the east’s role as a gateway for Canada and all of North America, to the world. With my arrival, and the arrival of more people like me, the west-east pipeline could herald a new era of not just crude flowing west to east, but people, investment and greater opportunity as well.”
Navarro-Genie holds a BA (Hons.) from Concordia University, an MA and PhD (Political Science) from the University of Calgary. He has also taught political science in the Department of Policy Studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, at St. Mary’s College, the University of Calgary, and Concordia University in Montreal. His teaching and pioneering research have been recognized, respectively, by a Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award (1999) at Mount Royal University, and an Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship (2004-2006) held at the University of Calgary. He is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. He regularly comments on Canadian and provincial politics for various local, national, and international print and broadcast news outlets that include Calgary Herald, Leader Post, Vancouver Sun, Windsor Star, Montreal Gazette, National Post, Radio-Canada International, Radio-Canada, CTV News, Sun TV, and RDI.
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For further comment, contact:
Dr. Marco Navarro-Genie
(902) 818-7614
Charles Cirtwill
(902) 489-7699
Navarro-Genie will officially take over on September 15th, 2013.
Cirtwill will remain with AIMS in an advisory capacity until October 31, 2013.