Kenneth F. DesRoches, B.A., B.Ed.

Principle – Kenneth F. DesRoches - Consultant
Associate Consultant - MacPherson Roche Smith & Associates
Sessional Lecturer, School of Business Administration, U.P.E.I.

Early in Mr. DesRoches’ (Ken’s) career the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island were beginning the implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan for the Province. In 1970, as a recent graduate in sociology and education, Ken was engaged by the Rural Development Council as a core councilor with a role in facilitating public participation in the plan process and in community economic development. In 1974, Ken was appointed Executive Director of the Occupational Training Center, a vocational training center for the adult handicapped. During his term at the center he became very active in municipal affairs and was elected an alderman for the City of Charlottetown.

His keen interest in economic development led, in 1976, to his appointment as the Assistant General Manager of the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC). In 1980 he became General Manager and in 1982 was appointed Chief Executive Officer. He left CADC in 1985 to become the Executive Vice President of Prince Edward Hotel Corporation. In 1986 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs for P.E.I. In 1989 he was appointed the first Deputy Minister of a newly created Department of the Environment. Following the organization of the new department he became, in 1991, the Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise P.E.I., a newly developed agency designed to integrate economic development efforts in the Province. In the period from 1991 to 1993 he also served as Chair of the Management in Government Task Force, a major initiative of the Cabinet Committee on Government Reform.

Ken left the public service for the private practice of management consulting in 1994. He established a significant practice known as the Matrix Consulting Group in Charlottetown.  In the spring of 2000, Ken was appointed President of Slemon Park Corporation. He has retired from that position in order to accept a sessional lectureship at the University of Prince Edward Island, and establish a smaller home based consultancy focused on management, strategy, human resource development, training and evaluation.