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Region's new-biz whiz moving on
Posted By MATTHEW VAN DONGEN , STANDARD STAFF
Posted 1 day ago
The head of Niagara's economic development agency is leaving for the top job at a new winery trade association.
Patrick Gedge is slated to become president and chief executive officer of the Winery and Grower Alliance of Ontario on Aug. 20.
Gedge has headed the Niagara Economic Development Corp., an arm's-length, board-run agency that reports to regional council, for the past six years. The corporation -- often a lightning rod for criticism from the 12 Niagara municipalities vying for new business -- is the subject of a performance review ordered by regional council and due in September.
Gedge said Monday he hadn't planned to leave NEDC, but the winery trade association offered him an opportunity too good to pass up.
"I wasn't looking (for a new job)," he said. "They approached me."
Gedge said he's keen to help build the new association "from the ground up" and is looking forward to helping guide the wine industry "through a period of major transition."
The new association formed last year following a split between the Wine Council of Ontario and some of the province's biggest wineries over a new tax on blended wines sold through private outlets.
"It's so vitally important that this industry is successful," Gedge said. "I hope to make a contribution to the future success of the whole industry.... If I'm successful, I'll be helping Niagara's economy."
Gedge presided over the creation of the Region's economic growth strategy, the annual lobbying pilgrimage to Queen's Park dubbed Niagara Week in Toronto and the Region's Niagara Original branding effort. He also dealt with criticism from some municipal politicians over agency funding, transparency and perceived duplication of services between local economic development agencies.
One Niagara Falls regional councillor in particular, Norm Puttick, declared "war" on the agency in 2008 and vowed to see it dissolved.
Puttick called the news "the best birthday present I could ever have."
"I'm hoping this is the beginning of a revamp for economic development, so we can finally have some transparency," said Puttick, who added he's hoping the NEDC review will bring economic development "back under the wing of the Region."
Gedge wouldn't comment on whether competing priorities or criticisms from different municipal officials affected his decision to switch career gears.
But he did say he "learned a lot about bringing diverse stakeholder groups together" during his time with NEDC and expected the skill would come in handy in the evolving local wine industry.
St. Catharines Regional Coun. Judy Casselman said her fellow councillors have been chatting more of late about the economic development agency and its future leadership, given the governance review.
But she said Gedge's departure wasn't due to any council direction. Casselman said she thought the outgoing economic guru soldiered through a tough job in difficult times.
"It's difficult at the best of times, working with some municipalities who have economic development organizations and some who don't," she said. "If employment dips or this or that business leaves, people ask, 'Hey, what are you doing?' But so much of what they're doing is geared towards long-term gains."
Regional Chairman Peter Partington said he was surprised to learn Gedge was leaving last week.
"Trying to replace someone of his calibre won't be easy," said Partington, one of four regional council representatives on the NEDC board of directors. "Patrick has expertise in dealing with marketing and an ability to connect with upper levels of government."
Partington acknowledged not everyone was happy with NEDC's performance. "Although we talk about speaking with one voice on economic and other issues, obviously there is still a lot of work to be done," he said. "But I think most board members appreciated his contribution."
St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan, another board member, said he expects the corporation to hold off on replacing Gedge until the results of the regional review arrive in the fall, although an interim CEO might be appointed.
That review is looking at options ranging from turning the agency into a regional government department to leaving the governance structure untouched.
