Donald French and Robert Gauvin receive the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien

April 19, 2008
Mr. Donald French, past member of the Board of Directors of the Office de stabilisation des Caisses populaires acadiennes and Mr. Robert Gauvin, former General Manager of Caisse populaire de Tracadie received, yesterday evening, the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien, as part of the Evening of Distinction during the Caisses populaires Acadiennes Annual General Meeting. This is the highest distinction awarded in the Acadian cooperative sector. With many years of work with the Caisses populaires acadiennes network under their belt, the impressive track record of these two gentlemen is testament to their commitment toward the Mouvement.

Donald French - Ordre du Mérite at the 3rd degree
Born in Moncton in 1950, Donald French holds a Bachelor of Commercial Science - Accounting Option from Université de Moncton, as well as the professional title of Chartered Accountant from the New Brunswick Institute of Chartered Accountants.

After a few years as Manager of Crown corporations auditing at the office of the Auditor General of N.-B., Mr. French begins his employment at Coop Atlantique in 1980, as Director of Audit, Consultation and Special Project Services. Mr. French then became Senior Manager of Project Development and Evaluation at Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in 1986, and in 1990, took on the position of Superintendent of the Caisses populaires, Registrar of cooperatives, and Examinations Director for the New Brunswick Department of Justice.

Mr. French was also a member of the Boards of Directors of both provincial Stabilization Boards, one of which is the Office de stabilisation de la Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes, from 1990 to 1994, and was also President of the New Brunswick Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation during that same period. In 1999, he was voted on the Board of Directors of the Office de stabilisation des caisses populaires acadiennes. In 2000, he takes on the management of this organization, a task he will perform until 2006. During that period, he also became the representative of the Office de stabilisation on the Board of Directors of the New Brunswick Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation. Both of these mandates will come to an end in 2008.

Mr. French also possesses a solid background in experience as well as paraprofessional and community involvement, which make him an exemplary volunteer. He was a member of the Education Committee for Francophone Members of the New Brunswick Institute of Chartered Accountants from 1996 to 2000, member of the Board of Directors of Radio CKUM from 2000 to 2006, member of the Fundraiser Committee of Notre-Dame d'Acadie parish of the Moncton diocese from 2005 to 2007, and member of the Budget Committee for United Way of Greater Moncton.

Robert Gauvin - Ordre du Mérite at the 2nd degree
Born in Moncton in 1947, Mr. Gauvin has been involved in the development of several organizations of the Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes since 1983. Mr. Gauvin is a Université de Moncton graduate, having obtained a bachelor's degree in Administration. He has also obtained his certificate from the Institute of Canadian Bankers.

After having worked in the field of banking, he joined the cooperative movement in 1983 as General Manager of Caisse populaire de Tracadie, until his retirement in 2007. He was also member of the Board of Directors of the Cooperation Council of Regional Development from 1996 to 2000, founding member and director of Coopérative d'habitation Oasis for two years, and treasurer of the temporary Board of Directors of the Coopérative d'habitation Acadie from 2005 to 2006. Mr. Gauvin was also part of the founding group of Coopérative funéraire La Colombe.

On top of his involvement in the cooperative movement on local and regional levels, Mr. Gauvin is also involved in community initiatives. He was a founding member and director for 10 years of Les logements de Tracadie inc., a non-profit organization, member of Richelieu Clubs of Shippagan, Richibucto and Tracadie-Sheila for nine years, member of the Knights of Columbus since 1980, and member of the Executive Committee of downtown Tracadie-Sheila for seven years.

By receiving the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien, these two co-operators confirm their important contribution to the cooperative movement in the Acadian community.

Some previous recipients of the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien are:
2007: Jules J. Breau
2006: Ubald Benoît
2005: Roland Cormier

About the Mouvement:
The Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes was founded in 1946. It is the largest Acadian financial institution in New Brunswick. With global assets at close to $2.7 billion, this network of 34 Caisses is represented by 86 business locations in New Brunswick. More than 1,200 employees and 350 elected representatives constitute the strength of our organization. The Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes is located in Caraquet, New Brunswick.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.acadie.com.

For additional information:
Mario Griffin
Communications and Public Relations Manager
Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes
Phone: (506) 726-4785
Cell.: (506) 724-0078
Fax: (506) 726-8220
mario.griffin@acadie.com