News Releases

Tahltan Nation Development Corporation Welcomes New CEO

Vancouver, B.C./January 17, 2017: The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Arendt to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Outgoing CEO Garry Merkel will continue working with TNDC in an advisory role to support the transition over the coming months.

Peter Arendt is a senior mining and energy professional with more than 30 years of diverse and well-rounded experience. He has held leadership roles in coal marketing, business development, engineering, operations, project development and transportation/logistics. His extensive international experience includes positions and projects in a number of countries, including Canada, Australia, Latin America and Asia, which includes working with indigenous people. Most recently, Mr. Arendt has been working as a consultant in the coal, energy and mine consulting sectors. Previously he served as General Manager of Planning, Strategy and Market Development for a major Indonesian coal producer and exporter. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from the University of Queensland in Australia and a Graduate Diploma in Business from the Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. As well, Mr. Arendt is qualified as a professional engineer British Columbia and Alberta.

“The TNDC Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Peter Arendt to assume the helm of TNDC. With his extensive background and vast experience in the resource development and operations sector, Peter is an exceptional choice to advance TNDC’s strategic goals and drive long-term sustainable growth. Peter will play a critical role working with industry, government and our business partners to lead a renewed focus to ensure TNDC and the Tahltan Nation participate in and benefit from sustainable and responsible resource and industrial development in Tahltan territory,” said TNDC Board Chair Calvin Carlick. 

"It is an honour to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of TNDC, applying my Canadian and international experience in operations, projects and business development. With its long history, strong reputation, extensive experience and local advantage, TNDC is in a unique position to capitalize on the resource and industrial activity occurring in Tahltan territory. With the support of the TNDC board and staff, I look forward to working with industry and government to escalate the corporation’s involvement in this activity and advance initiatives to diversify its business model,” said Mr. Arendt.

“On behalf of the board and staff, we also express our gratitude to Garry Merkel for the significant contributions he has made to TNDC. Under Garry’s leadership, TNDC has established a solid operational foundation and launched strategic initiatives that will drive the corporation’s long-term, sustainable growth. As an early leader of TNDC’s management team and chair of its board prior to assuming the CEO position, Garry has been instrumental in guiding TNDC’s evolution. We are pleased he will continue to serve as an advisor to support the leadership transition and advance our strategic goals,” said Mr. Carlick.

Tahltan territory encompasses 11 percent of British Columbia and is rich in natural resources, including the prolific Golden Triangle, which is the catalyst for dozens of existing and proposed energy, resource and industrial development projects in the region. As the business arm of the Tahltan Nation, TNDC was established to benefit from sustainable, responsible business and economic development opportunities in the region that lead to job creation, training and business opportunities for Tahltan members. 

View a copy of the news release