Pioneer Cannery Board Chairman Retiresff

The board chairman of Pioneer Food Cannery Limited, the Ghanaian affiliate of H.J. Heinz and producers of Star Kist Tuna products, Dr. Eric Ago Kwei is retiring after twenty-eight (28) years of service with the company.

A ceremonial dinner to mark his exit is to be held at Tema on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 under the chairmanship of the president of Heinz world wide in charge of Europe and Africa, Mr. Adolfo Valsecchi.

Dr. Kwei joined Star Kist International in March 1977 as a scientist support in his capacity as Senior Project Manager. He is a graduate of the University College of Gold Coast (1954 - 1959).

A holder of MSc (1962) and PhD. (1972), he lectured in Zoology and Oceanography at the Universities of Ghana and Cape Coast and was associate professor (1975). Dr Kwei has contributed in no small measure in the achievement of PFC as the reputable producers of Star Kist Tuna and other Tuna products for its affiliate, H.J. Heinz.

While working with the Star Kist International, Dr. Kwei conducted studies into the tuna resources of the West African Coast in collaboration with other scientists brought together under the aegis of International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT).

His major assignment was to coordinate government policy formulations and harmonization of management steps with institutional and labor relations.

Dr. Kwei rose in the hierarchy of the ICCAT from research scientist to vice chairman in 1989, a position which won for him immense respect from his colleague scientists.

For fourteen (14) years (1982 - 1996) Dr. Kwei served as a member of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Governing Board, chairman of the Animal Research Institute (1983 - 1995), chairman of the Technology Transfer Centre (TTC) 1986 - 1991 and was appointed president of the Advisory Council of Scientists in 2000.

A keen educationist, Dr. Kwei has assisted in founding schools besides being foremost in the management of others including the chairmanship of Tema Parents' Association School (1974 - 1984), Nungua Secondary School (1991 - 1993) and Tema Secondary School (1994 to present).

He is a keen Rotarian having been in Rotary for 30 years during which he held the post of district governor for District 9100 in the Rotary year 1995 - 1996.

“J.H. Heinz and PFC will indeed miss the wise counsel of Dr. Kwei whose intensive scientific research works have contributed to the success of PFC”, Mr. Adolfo Valsecchi said.