Memorial welcomed today’s announcement of Glenn D. Barnes as the next chair of the Board of Regents.

The appointment was made by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

President Vianne Timmons says she is looking forward to working with Mr. Barnes in this new role.

“Mr. Barnes has been an active and engaged member of the Board of Regents since his initial appointment in 2017,” she said. “His lifelong commitment to community service and his extensive leadership experience will be a benefit to Memorial. I look forward to working closely with him as chair.”

In addition to serving on the Board of Regents, Mr. Barnes is a member of the Board Executive Committee and chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He was also a member of the Core Science Facility Building Oversight Committee, which played an integral role in the on-budget completion of the building.

Governing body

Mr. Barnes succeeds Iris Petten, who served three terms as board chair.

Ms. Petten stepped down in February 2022 and Cathy Duke, vice-chair of the board, stepped in as acting chair.

“Ms. Petten’s commitment and service to Memorial cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Timmons. “The university benefited tremendously from her knowledge, expertise and leadership skills. We are grateful for her service. I would also like to thank Ms. Duke for stepping fully into the chair role during the transition period and look forward to continuing our good work together in her role as vice-chair.”

The Board of Regents is the governing body of Memorial University. Its 30 members are representative of the public and the institution. Most are appointed by the provincial government, including the chair and student representatives. Six members are elected by Memorial’s alumni.