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Class of 1965

The 2005 Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to Arnold Rovers, Class of 1965.

Arnold Rovers was born in Holland and raised in Tracadie, Nova Scotia, graduating with a diploma in agriculture from the NSAC in 1965. He later received his Bachelor of Science from McGill University in 1967 and his Masters of Science from the University of Connecticut in 1971.

Arnold has had a long and distinguished career with the province of Nova Scotia beginning in 1967 when he joined the Department of Agriculture and Marketing in the area of business management and policy development.

He was later appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Nova Scotia Farm Loan Board from 1978-1990 where he implemented client-based credit and other programs to 1600 Nova Scotia farmers. Arnold demonstrated administrative, negotiation and problem solving abilities while tripling the Board's loan portfolio to $150 million. He also achieved the lowest loan loss record in Canada for similar credit organizations, at lower than average administrative costs and with a very high degree of client satisfaction.

Arnold was Executive Director of the Agriculture Development Division for the province of Nova Scotia from 1990-1994. He managed the Department of Agriculture and Marketing鈥檚 Plant, Animal and Extension Branches, as well as the Farm Business Management and Policy Development Sections.

During Arnold鈥檚 time as Deputy Minister of the NS Department of Agriculture and Marketing , he achieved a highly regarded national profile for the industry and substantial satisfaction among clients for a service oriented and innovative organization.

Arnold was also Deputy Minister of the Department of Business and Consumer Services, where, during his tenure, he established a new Department by integrating nine divisions from seven departments into a new business organization. He also redesigned service delivery to improve access and outlined new technology solutions to provide the support systems necessary for new approaches to service delivery.

In 1997, Arnold was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Emergency Medical Care Inc., in Dartmouth Nova Scotia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medavie Blue Cross where he has acquired and consolidated 50 individual ambulance companies into an integrated operation. Emergency Medical Inc, under Arnold鈥檚 direction, has achieved recognition as one of the highest performing ambulance services in North America.

Arnold is also involved in his community. He is a member of the Nova Scotia Institute of Agrologists, receiving its Distinguished Agrologist Award in 1993. Arnold received the Dedicated Service Award from the province of Nova Scotia in 1997 and is currently an Executive member of the Pier 21 Society where he and his family recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their emigration from Holland.

Since his graduation in 1965 Arnold has been a strong advocate for the university and the Department. He is an accomplished and experienced senior executive with demonstrated leadership, management and operations skills. This combined with his unique ability to bring diverse organizations and operating cultures into a cohesive business structure that focuses on strategic objectives and key results makes him a very deserving recipient of the NSAC Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2005.

Presented by former Deputy Minister Dick Huggard
October 15th, 2005