Henry Demone takes the helm of Acadia’s Board of Governors

At its annual fall meeting, Acadia University’s governing board elected Henry Demone (’76) as Chair. Formerly Board Secretary, Demone joined Acadia’s Board in October 2012 and succeeds John Rogers (’79) who began his term as Board Chair in October 2016.

“Your alma mater has a big impact on your life – what you learn, the people you meet, how you grow in those years. Universities like Acadia are an important part of people’s formative years. I am pleased to take on this new role because it is crucial for Acadia to remain strong and healthy for future generations,” says Demone, who specializes in helping organizations thrive.

“The recent challenges presented by COVID-19 has shown how determined Acadia is to provide a transformative education for our students, and we will need strong leadership to stay on track and continue our success,” says Dr. Peter Ricketts, Acadia’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “I am enormously grateful for the leadership provided by John Rogers during his time as Chair of the Acadia Board, and it is exciting to have Henry’s acumen and experience guiding Acadia to a post-pandemic new normal.”

Demone, who lives in Lunenburg, NS, has had three opportunities to turnaround organizations. “One was as a very young man working in the south of France, turning around a company there,” he says. “And I was involved in a well-known turnaround of National Sea Products that became High Liner Foods. And then I joined the Acadia Board of Governors at a time when someone I know and respect well, Paul Jewer (’94), was the Chair, and Ray Ivany was President and Vice-Chancellor. Acadia in those days was in a very challenging position. And under the leadership of Ray and Paul, I and many others helped to get Acadia back on track.”

The first few years of Demone’s career were with National Sea Products in Lunenburg and Swedish company Franz Witte AB. In 1984, he rejoined National Sea Products as its VP International. In 1989, he was appointed President at a time when the company faced heavy debts, money-losing operations, and the catastrophic decline of the East Coast fishery. During Demone’s tenure, the company was transformed. In 1999, it became High Liner Foods, North America’s leading value-added seafood company with a track record of profitable growth and innovation.

Demone served as President and CEO from 1992 until 2015. He was Chairman for two more years, then Chairman and CEO again during a transition time, and Chairman until he retired in 2019. He is currently President of Demone Capital Inc. and Chairman of a clean tech company called Eosense. He is also a director on the boards of Saputo Inc. and Emera Inc.

The winner of numerous awards including Atlantic Canada CEO of the Year (2012), Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser in the Maritime Provinces (2008) and Nova Scotia Male Sailor of the Year (2015), Demone epitomizes a well-rounded approach to life and is a keen sailor and cyclist.

Demone takes the helm from John Rogers (’79), who says, “Serving as the Board of Governors Chair has been gratifying. We witnessed the highs of successfully completing our most ambitious capital campaign at the same time we were faced with the challenges presented by COVID-19. Acadia continues to demonstrate its value by focusing on the student experience. Witnessing their growth as individuals is rewarding and I want to thank my colleagues on the Board for their tireless efforts on behalf of the University and its students. We are fortunate to have Henry as our next Board Chair.”

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