Portage Regional Economic Development (PRED) held its first board meeting Thursday with Vern May, incoming executive director. May says he's thrilled about joining PRED at the same time Roquette is preparing to build its $400 million plant in the area.

"It's fortunate timing for an executive director to come in on a high, from my perspective," May says. "While there might be somewhat of a grace period in terms of the public as to what comes next, I think the pressure's on to produce. People want to know what is the next thing. This is the result of the great work that PRED already did over the last 18 months that the public's now beginning to hear. We need to start working today on what's next."

RM of Portage Councillor and PRED Board Chair Roy Tufford says both the RM and Cty Councils are excited about the big announcement for the new plant as well as PRED's new executive director. He notes they'll endeavour to keep the current momentum going.

Construction is finished at the new PRED location, on Saskatchewan Avenue in the Portage Planning District building. Tufford adds, "The decision will be made today (Thursday) about what we're doing about furniture for the offices; whether we're moving it to this location from the old PRED office, or whether we're getting new workstations and start afresh."

Newly expanded Portage la Prairie Planning District building