Former Syncrude boss bids farewell to U of A mining school

Former Syncrude president Jim Carter, who played a leading role in the growth of the University of Alberta’s highly regarded mining engineering program over the past 25 years, is set to retire.

Carter will be honoured by his colleagues Friday, when he chairs his final meeting of the Alberta Chamber of Resources mining industry advisory committee.

The committee, formed in 1991, has worked closely with the U of A’s Faculty of Engineering to build the school’s enrolment and global reputation.

“Jim has devoted 25 years to ensuring that the University of Alberta’s mining engineering program is both vibrant and sustainable,” Fraser Forbes, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, said in a release.

“He was instrumental in the rescue of our program in the early 1990s, when it was slated to be cancelled. Jim brought the mining industry together to build a support community for our program, which has only strengthened over the last three decades.

“We will miss both his leadership and his passion for mining engineering.”

Since Carter became chair of the advisory committee in 1991, the mining school has grown from just six undergrad students to become one of the biggest such schools in the world, with roughly 500 graduates.

“Jim has shown incredible leadership,” said Brad Anderson, executive director of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, which represents the province’s mining, energy and forestry companies.

“He recognized that we couldn’t build and safely operate mines unless we had enough capable mining engineers. His solution was simple: we needed the best mining engineering department in the world right here. His contributions have added to the well-being of the province.”