On the Move (February 01, 1991)

Viola MacMillan is among nine new inductees to the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. MacMillan, 88, was renowned as a mine-finder and financier and was instrumental in transforming the Prospectors & Developers Association from a small group of fewer than 100 to a vital organization of more than 4,000. Still active after six decades in the industry, MacMillan recently donated C$1.2 million for the purchase of the $7-million William Pinch mineral collection, which will be housed in a gallery named after her at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Ottawa.

The Dept. of Mining & Metallurgy at Laval University in Quebec has created an Industrial Chair on narrow vein and small-scale mining. The chair was created by a C$1-million grant from three sources: Laval University, the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Societe CAMBIOR. Dr. Jacek Paraszczak, who holds the chair, is a specialist in mining equipment. Leading a research group of many researchers, Paraszczak will try to introduce innovations in equipment used in narrow vein and small-scale mines.

Golder Associates of Denver, Colo. has named Jeff Thatcher as director of permitting and environmental affairs. He has 20 years of mine permitting experience.

Robert Armstrong has been promoted to president of the Terex division of Terex Corp., based in Hudson, Ohio. Armstrong, who has been with the company for the past three years, reports to Don Schlueter, recently named managing director of Terex Equipment in Motherwell, Scotland. Also, Craig Wood has been appointed the Terex division regional manager for the western U.S.

David Nutter, who held the position of general manager of the Northwest Territories Chamber of Mines since 1984, has been appointed director, minerals and economics analysis, for the Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in the N.W.T. He will be responsible for the department’s geological services in the N.W.T., the regional mining recorder’s office and the department’s regional economic development group.

Harold Knutson has been appointed manager, international exploration, for Placer Dome. Knutson has 33 years’ experience in geology and mining engineering. He joins the company from the Kaiser group of companies in Oakland, Calif. where he was chief geologist with Kaiser Engineers.

Roger Williams recently joined Nordberg Machinery of Guelp, Ont., as used equipment manager. Williams has 34 years’ experience in the operation of equipment in mining and other industries. In other Nordberg news, Michel Veronneau has been appointed sales representative for mining customers in eastern Canada. He spent the past two years as an agent for Nordberg equipment. Veronneau reports to Les Naday, district manager for eastern Canada.

Robert Connochie, chairman and president of the Potash Co. of America, was recently elected vice-chairman of the Potash Phosphate Institute, a non-profit organization in Atlanta, Ga.

Several appointments have been announced at Komatsu Dresser Co. of Lincolnshire, Ill. David Grzelak, formerly of General Electric Co., has been named vice-president, sales; Karl Hoshino is the new vice-president of product marketing; Charles Perron has been named director of market planning; and Mitch Dohi is the new director of production and sales planning.

Bob Kusel has been appointed manager, account sales for new machinery, for Dresser’s Marion division, based in Marlon, Ohio.