Gary Kachanoski
2012 St. John's Speaker
Gary Kachanoski
Dr. Gary Kachanoski became president and vice-chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland on July 1, 2010. Dr. Kachanoski has been busy building the university’s leadership team and focusing on developing a new strategic plan to guide the university’s activities in teaching and learning, research, and community engagement, as well as overseeing the growth and development of the Marine Institute, Grenfell Campus in Corner Brook and the Labrador Institute. Born in Manitoba and raised in Saskatchewan, Dr. Gary Kachanoski is a renowned soil scientist and an experienced university administrator. Prior to coming to Memorial, Dr. Kachanoski as vice-president (research) at the University of Alberta led an increase in research revenue from $250 million a year to $490 million. Among other activities, Dr. Kachanoski also served as executive director of “Folkways Alive”, a joint initiative of the University of Alberta and the Smithsonian Institute that provides leadership for the preservation of musical cultural heritage. Dr. Kachanoski is married with three children. His partner, Teresa, is an accomplished visual artist and arts administrator.