BPA CEO is named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEO’s

Belledune NB –The head of the Belledune Port Authority (BPA) has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEO’s by Atlantic Business Magazine. Mr. Rayburn Doucett, President & CEO of the BPA received the award for excellence in corporate leadership at an awards ceremony on May 7, 2009 in Halifax NS.

Mr. Doucett made his mark in politics, to which he devoted more than 28 years of his life. Mr. Doucett sat on his municipal Council, the Legislative Assembly, and the New Brunswick provincial Cabinet, holding the positions of Minister of Commerce and Technology and Minister of Regional Development Corporation and Chairman of NB Power. Following his retirement from politics he sat on a number of Boards including the Board of Export Development Canada. Mr. Doucett was Chairman of the Board of the Belledune Port Authority from 2000 to 2004 and rejoined the BPA as President & CEO in 2005 where he brought his broad range of experience.

“Top 50 CEOs stand for results-oriented, socially conscious leadership – and Rayburn Doucett is no exception. From the earliest days of his career as a banker, through to his public service in the New Brunswick government, on to his current position with the Port of Belledune, he has consistently proven himself as someone who is a benefit to his organization as well as the larger community. His standards of success are very high, encompassing organizational health, fiscal capacity, client satisfaction and workforce engagement. For those reasons, we are proud to have this opportunity to recognize Mr. Doucett’s achievement alongside those of his award-winning Top 50 CEO peers,” says Dawn Chafe, Editor, Atlantic Business Magazine.

Since 1999, Atlantic Business magazine’s Top 50 CEO recognition program has saluted the region’s management talent. Winners were selected by a panel of judges, from hundreds of nominations for 144 individual nominees. Nominations come from Atlantic Business readers and are judged by a select panel of business executives. Judging criteria include: the size and growth of the individual’s organization; his or her proven managerial acumen; plus, demonstrated community and industry leadership.

“Since joining the Port as CEO in 2005 my greatest achievement has been completing the staff with qualified, motivated and capable individuals. They have proven they can do the job and work well with the existing team, says Mr. Doucett. “The level of productivity and cooperation proven many times by the staff at the BPA is outstanding. I credit this award to the team; as the coach I was blessed with a team of star players and top performers leading us to success.

“Our direction comes from a very competent Board of Directors, made up of local individuals with northern New Brunswick as a priority. Our Chairman, Mr. Claude Doucet and the rest of the Board Members provide excellent advice, guidance and direction. They are a pleasure to work with on a regular basis,” expresses Mr. Doucett.

Mr. Doucett describes the overall performance at the port as “a team effort to create an increasingly profitable and utilized facility. Profits have risen from $175,000 in 2004 to just below $2.5 million in 2008; the Port’s vitals all remain robust including a 30% increase in tonnage handled and a 33% increase in vessels calling on the port from 2007 to 2008 alone. It is the small staff that is making continued growth possible and success an expectation at the Port of Belledune.”

For more information including the Top 50 CEO list visit www.atlanticbusinessmagazine.com.

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