Building a legacy

C A N A D A   G A M E S

Jean-Paul Deveau is the Chair of the Board for the 2011 Canada Games.

Jean-Paul Deveau runs one of Nova Scotia’s most successful and innovative companies, Acadian Seaplants. He serves on several boards including BioNova and the Council of International Seaweed Association. An avid outdoorsman, Mr. Deveau leads volunteer efforts to maintain the popular glades trails at Ski Wentworth in the fall before frequenting the trails all winter long. As if that weren’t enough, in 2009, he accepted the volunteer role of Chair of the Board for the Halifax 2011 Canada Games.

“The Games will leave behind a legacy including the $40 million Canada Games Complex in Clayton Park, and $15 million of upgrades on existing facilities. They will help build a trained volunteer community, and of course, it will be a great show,” says Mr. Deveau.

The 2011 Canada Games will take place in Halifax from February 11 to 27. The games will draw 3,000 athletes competing in 20 sports, and are expected to generate $90 million in revenue for the city.

Mr. Deveau, a Moncton native with roots in Nova Scotia’s south shore, completed a science degree at Dalhousie University in 1979, followed by two years at TUNS where he completed a degree in industrial engineering. Mr. Deveau then set off for McGill University where he received his MBA, which he eventually used to add further value to Acadian Seaplants, the company founded by his father, Louis Deveau, BEng’57.

In 2002, Mr. Deveau assumed the role of president and CEO of the company while his father fulfills the role of chair. With the head office in Dartmouth, Acadian Seaplants employ 300 people in 8 countries, exports to over 70 countries, and grosses over $30 million in revenue annually.

Mr. Deveau credits much of his ability to effectively lead a national sporting event while managing a thriving company, to his industrial engineering background.

“This will be the first Canada Games where project management technology is being implemented,” explains Mr. Deveau. “We are looking to advance the technology used in order to effectively transfer knowledge, and ensure all 46 staff members and over 500 planning volunteers are on track.”

Last February, Mr. Deveau travelled to the Vancouver Olympics on his own dime to get a feel for the sporting event. Although the Canada Games are a smaller scale event, they too will leave a lasting impression on the host city of Halifax.

“Each province hosts the Canada Games only once every 40 years,” he says. “This is an opportunity to make a difference and I am honoured to be able to make a contribution and give back.”

- Reprinted from Engineering, an alumni newsletter

Dalhousie is a proud Sapphire Sponsor of the 2011 Canada Games. For more:

• Visit our Canada Games website with links to all Games-related Dal News stories
• Read first-person Games accounts and get Dalhousie results at our blog
• Contribute your Games photos to our Flickr group.