John Zaozirny
Encyclopedia
John Brian Zaozirny is a businessman as well as a former lawyer and provincial level politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1986. During his time in the Assembly he served on the Executive Council of Alberta as the Minister of Energy from 1982 to 1986.
in 1969. He moved to British Columbia
to attended the University of British Columbia
where he attaind his Bachelor of Law in 1972. He became a Master's of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
in 1973.
. He won the new electoral district of Calgary-Forest Lawn defeating five other candidates to pickup the new district for the governing Progressive Conservative party. He ran for re-election in the 1982 Alberta general election
winning a massive landslide and nearly doubling his plurality from the 1979 election.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed
appointed Zaozirny to the Executive Council as the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. He negotiated the end to the National Energy Program
on behalf of the Government of Alberta which resulted in the Western Energy Accord. In response to his work the Alberta Chamber of Resources named him Resource Man of The Year in 1985. Zaozirny kept his role in the energy portfolio after Don Getty
became Premier in 1985. He decided not to run for office and retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Legislature in 1986.
In 1988 Zaozirny joined Pengrowth Energy Corporation's board of directors and continues to serve with the company to present day as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In addition to his work at Pengrowth, Zaozirny is Vice Chair and Director of Canaccord Capital Corporation.
In July 2009, Zaozirny resigned his seat on the board for personal reasons of Bayou Bend Petroleum. He had joined the board of directors on February 19, 2007.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1986. During his time in the Assembly he served on the Executive Council of Alberta as the Minister of Energy from 1982 to 1986.
Early life
Zaozirny earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree (B.Comm.) at the University of CalgaryUniversity of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 1969. He moved to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to attended the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
where he attaind his Bachelor of Law in 1972. He became a Master's of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1973.
Political career
Zaozirny ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature for the first time in the 1979 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1979
The Alberta general election of 1979 was the nineteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on March 14, 1979 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He won the new electoral district of Calgary-Forest Lawn defeating five other candidates to pickup the new district for the governing Progressive Conservative party. He ran for re-election in the 1982 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1982
The Alberta general election of 1982 was the twentieth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 2, 1982 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
winning a massive landslide and nearly doubling his plurality from the 1979 election.
After the election Premier Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
appointed Zaozirny to the Executive Council as the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. He negotiated the end to the National Energy Program
National Energy Program
The National Energy Program was an energy policy of the Government of Canada. It was created under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau by Minister of Energy Marc Lalonde in 1980, and administered by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.-Description:The NEP was...
on behalf of the Government of Alberta which resulted in the Western Energy Accord. In response to his work the Alberta Chamber of Resources named him Resource Man of The Year in 1985. Zaozirny kept his role in the energy portfolio after Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
became Premier in 1985. He decided not to run for office and retired from provincial politics at dissolution of the Legislature in 1986.
Business career
Zaozirny joined the law firm of Russell & DuMoulin as a partner after leaving provincial politics in 1986. He spent less than a year before joining McCarthy Tétrault LLP as counsel in their corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions group for Calgary and Vancouver. Later that year he was honored by the University of Calgary by winning the Distinguished Alumni award in 1987.In 1988 Zaozirny joined Pengrowth Energy Corporation's board of directors and continues to serve with the company to present day as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In addition to his work at Pengrowth, Zaozirny is Vice Chair and Director of Canaccord Capital Corporation.
In July 2009, Zaozirny resigned his seat on the board for personal reasons of Bayou Bend Petroleum. He had joined the board of directors on February 19, 2007.