The Independent Appointments Commission is a legislated independent non-partisan commission comprised of five volunteers appointed by resolution of the House of Assembly.
The Independent Appointments Commission is responsible for providing merit-based recommendations of qualified individuals for appointment to our largest Agencies, Boards and Commissions.
These Agencies, Boards and Commissions deliver important services including health care, k-12 and post-secondary education, and help manage our natural resources. The Independent Appointments Commission believes the merit based process it will use to recommend individuals for the most important governance and executive roles in the province’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions will ultimately improve services to residents.
To view the IAC’s Rules of Procedure, please click here.
Members of the Independent Appointments Commission
Earl Ludlow, P.Eng.
Earl Ludlow recently retired as Executive Vice President, Eastern Canadian and Caribbean Operations and Operational Advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer of Fortis Inc. His career with the Fortis Group spanned nearly 40 years. Mr. Ludlow has an extensive career as a community volunteer, including two terms on Memorial University’s Board of Regents and two terms as the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, 1st battalion. He is a member of the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador, has been inducted into the Atlantic Provinces CEO Business Hall of Fame by Atlantic Business Magazine and was designated as the Humanitarian of the Year by the Canadian Red Cross in 2010. Mr. Ludlow earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) in 1980 and a Masters of Business Administration from Memorial University in 1994.
Mr. Ludlow will serve as Chair of the Independent Appointments Commission.
Gerald Anderson
Gerald Anderson has over 30 years of experience working with Marine Institute, most recently as Director of Development and Engagement. Mr. Anderson was the designated lead for all work with Indigenous stakeholders in regions across Canada throughout his career with the Marine Institute, and from 2016 to 2018 was appointed as Vice-President (Indigenous) with University of the Arctic (UArctic), a network university with 180 members worldwide including Memorial University. In this position Mr. Anderson was responsible for ensuring Indigenous inclusion in all activities undertaken by UArctic. Mr. Anderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Memorial University in 1980.
Peggy Bartlett
Peggy Bartlett has over 22 years of experience as a successful owner-operator of five McDonald’s Restaurants in central Newfoundland, with stores in Grand Falls-Windsor, Lewisporte and Gander. Prior to this, she spent 15 years as a community health nurse with the Janeway Child Health Centre. In recent years Ms. Bartlett has served as a town councillor with the Town of Grand Falls Windsor, where she currently resides. She has significant volunteer and board experience, including current membership on the Board of the Gander International Airport Authority, the Grand Falls House Foundation and she serves as Central Director on the Board of the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs. Ms. Bartlett is a graduate of the General Hospital School of Nursing Registered Nurse program, the Memorial University Community Health Nursing program and the Small Business Management program with the College of Trades and Technology.
Cathy Duke
Cathy Duke has been the Chief Executive Officer of Destination St. John’s for the last eight years, where she directs sales and marketing efforts in attracting meetings and conventions, leisure travel and sport tourism. She was formerly Deputy Minister with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Ms. Duke is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, St. John’s Sports and Entertainment and Memorial University Board of Regents. She also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Stella Burry Foundation. Ms. Duke earned a Bachelor of Social Work in 1979 and a Masters of Business Administration in 1982. Ms. Duke acquired her Director designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors in 2017.
Philip R. Earle
Philip Earle is a business partner and Chief Executive Officer of Air Labrador Limited, an Inuit-owned company. While growing the company, Mr. Earle has placed considerable focus on building human resource capacity by promoting Labrador Inuit to key positions. Mr. Earle’s background is steeped in rural and indigenous communities where he has built strong knowledge and experience through working with aboriginal leaders and understanding their culture and values. Mr. Earle also serves on the Board of Directors of the Air Transport Association of Canada and Destination Labrador.