July 27, 2000 For Immediate Release

Dr George Pedersen, Chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia, has been appointed President of the Bill Reid Foundation.

The Vancouver-based Foundation was established in January 1999 to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of Bill Reid and the impact he has had on the culture of BC's Northwest Coast First Nations. The Foundation has identified two major projects: a worldwide tour of approximately 150 Bill Reid works and the construction of a facility in Vancouver that would house the collection after the tour and document Bill Reid's life and art.

Dr Pedersen became Chancellor of UNBC in 1998. He has been the President or Vice-President of every BC university and also served as President of the University of Western Ontario for nine years. In 1992, Dr Pedersen was appointed an Officer in the Order of Canada.