The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the appointment of Dr. Rob Greenwood as Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development and Engagement, and Chief Economic Development Officer.
Dr. Greenwood has been a significant voice in our province for many years, particularly when it comes to discussions on the sustainability of communities across Newfoundland and Labrador. His work at the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development at Memorial University has been particularly valuable in promoting engagement and research relevant to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
This appointment is effective September 5, 2023.
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“Newfoundland and Labrador is perfectly positioned at this time of transition, to capitalize on the wealth of opportunities available to us as we continue to develop our role in the global economy. Rural parts of our province are critical to that development, and I look forward to the insight and experience Dr. Greenwood will bring to our government as we build a brighter future for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
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BACKGROUNDER
Biography of Robert Greenwood, Ph.D.
Dr. Rob Greenwood most recently served as Associate Vice President (Public Engagement and External Relations) at Memorial University, and was founding Director of the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development. His responsibilities also included the Signal Hill Campus, Alumni Engagement, Strategic External Relations, the Botanical Gardens and the Newfoundland Quarterly.
Rob has served as a Director and Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy in Economic Development departments in Newfoundland and Labrador and in Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, he led the development of the provincial economic strategy. He was Vice President, Corporate Development, Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan, and was founding Director of the Sustainable Communities Initiative, a partnership of the University of Regina, the City of Regina and the National Research Council of Canada.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, he was Director of Research and Principal Author of the 1995 Report of the Task Force on Community Economic Development, and led the process to establish Regional Economic Development Boards in 20 Economic Zones. He also led the development of a strategy for small-scale manufacturing in Newfoundland and Labrador, which was launched in 1999.
Rob has taught, consulted, published and presented extensively on community economic and regional development, strategic economic planning, sectoral and cluster development, public engagement and knowledge mobilization.
Rob holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Business Studies from the University of Warwick, England, which he attended as a Commonwealth Scholar and an Institute of Social and Economic Research Doctoral Fellow. He completed his Masters in History at York University and his B.A. (Hons.) at Memorial University. He has been awarded lifetime achievement awards from the Economic Developers Association of Canada, the Newfoundland and Labrador Economic Developers Association, and the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, and was awarded the Pinnacle Award for Organizational Leadership from the International Association of Business Communicators, Newfoundland and Labrador.