Three former General Managers of the caisses are awarded the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien

May 9, 2009

Caraquet, May 8, 2009 - Friday evening, Gilles Landry, Dominique Martin and Raymond Richard, three former General Managers of the Caisses populaires acadiennes network, received the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien, as part of the Distinction evening of the Caisses populaires acadiennes Annual Congress. The Ordre du Mérite is the highest recognition in the Acadian coop sector.

With their many years at the service of the Caisses populaires acadiennes network, the impressive track record of these three gentlemen is a tribute to their involvement in the Mouvement.

By being awarded the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien, the important contribution of these cooperators in the development of the cooperative sector in the Acadian community is officially recognized.

Notes about Gilles Landry - Ordre du Mérite at the 3rd degree:
Mr. Landry was born in Bathurst in October 1949. He began his cooperation career as a Loans Clerk at Caisse populaire de Grande-Anse. In 1985, he became General Manager of the same caisse, and in 1989, he accepted the position of General Manager at Caisse populaire de Caraquet. In 2006, through a co-management agreement, he takes on not only his role as General Manager of Caisse de Caraquet but also took on the management of Caisse Acadie (Caisses populaires de Bertrand, de Grande-Anse, and de Maisonnette). He performed his duties until his retirement, in 2008.

Throughout his career in the Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes, Mr. Landry was actively involved in several committees and paraprofessional projects. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Atlantic Student Loans from 1995 to 2006, and of the interprovincial committee for Reengineering. He was also Secretary-Treasurer of the Caisses populaires of the Gloucester region for 10 years, and in that same period was also involved in several projects gathering the region's Caisses populaires.

His longstanding community involvement in various groups such as the Knights of Columbus, the Association des gens d'affaires de Caraquet, the Chambre de commerce de Caraquet, the Club Richelieu and the Bibliothèque Mgr-Paquet de Caraquet, allowed him to put his skills to good use in priority initiatives for his community.

It is in recognition of his exemplary 30-year commitment in the development of the Mouvement coopératif on local, regional and provincial levels that he has received the highest recognition of the Mérite Coopératif Acadien.

Notes about Dominique Martin - Ordre du Mérite, 3rd degree:
Dominique Martin was born on January 9, 1957, in Baie Sainte-Anne, New Brunswick. After getting a diploma in Administration at the Moncton Community College, he returned to his native village of Baie Sainte-Anne and began working at the local Caisse populaire. He left this organization in 2008, when he decided to retire after 30 years of loyal services to the Mouvement coopératif, and the last 23 years as General Manager of the Caisse.

At the community level he was, namely, President of the Committee for the establishment of a nursing home, President of the comité du 15 août, President of the comité des Fêtes du 400e, President of the Parents' Committee for six years, was a member of the School Council for six years, and was also a member of the Committee for the construction of the Miramichi Hospital. At the cooperative level, Mr. Martin was also a generous and dedicated collaborator. He became a member of the Board of Directors of the Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes, of Acadia Financial Holdings and of Acadia Service Corporation in 2001, and left office in 2008, when he decided to retire. During that period, he was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Fédération and also a member of the Audit Committee. From 2002 to 2008, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pension Fund, and joined the Executive Committee of the Kent Region, becoming Treasurer and then Vice President. In 2006, he joined the Board of Directors of Atlantic Student Loans and of Acadia Service Centre, which he served as Director until 2008.

Notes about Raymond Richard - Ordre du Mérite, 3rd degree:
Raymond Richard was born in February 1952, in the village of Val-Comeau.
In 1974, after getting his bachelor's degree in business, he started his career as inspector of the Caisses populaires for Services Unis de Vérification et d'Inspection, position he held until 1976. That same year, he became responsible for the inspection and auditing of SUVI.

In 1987, Mr. Richard became a budget consultant and responsible for caisses in renovation or under construction at the Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes. A few years later, in 1992, he became General Manager of Caisse populaire de Sheila, position he held until 2008, when he decided to retire.

Throughout his career in the Mouvement coopératif, Mr. Richard has been involved in several committees and boards of directors for organizations members of the Mouvement. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Acadia Service Centre from 1996 until the Board was dissolved in 2006, and was also a member of the Board of Directors of Acadia Life from 2003 to 2008, in addition to being part of several other consultation workshops and advisory boards of the network. He was also involved in the Gloucester region, accepting the mandate of Treasurer of the Advisory Board for three years and responsible for sponsorships for two years. He also held the position of President of the Association of General Managers for the Gloucester region for two mandates, in 1995 and 2007.

Mr. Richard has also been actively involved in his community. He was the founder and also the President of the minor baseball league of the Acadian Peninsula for three years, from 1986 to 1988. He also devoted nine years of volunteering for young athletes from Caraquet and Tracadie-Sheila, and was also the referee of the league for seven years. Finally, he was a volunteer for 10 years in the minor hockey league of Tracadie-Sheila.

His exemplary 35-year commitment in the development of the Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes on the local, regional and provincial levels, earned him the highest recognition awarded to the promoters of the Mouvement Coopératif Acadien.

Some of the former recipients of the Ordre du Mérite Coopératif Acadien:
2008: Donald French and Robert Gauvin
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 the Atlantic Provinces. With global assets at more than 2.8 billion dollars, this network consists of 29 Caisses and 86 service points in New Brunswick. More than 1,200 employees and 350 elected representatives constitute the strength of the organization. The Fédération des caisses populaires acadiennes is located at Place de l'Acadie in Caraquet, New Brunswick. For further details, visit our Web site at http://www.acadie.com.

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For additional information:
Mario Griffin
Communications and Public Relations Consultant
Caisses populaires acadiennes
Telephone: 506 726-4785
Mobile: 506 724-0078
Fax: 506 726-8220
mario.griffin@acadie.com