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Joe van Koeverden is no ordinary Joe. Despite the alarming reports of late regarding mass outmigration and a declining Saskatchewan population, van Koeverden is a welcome contradiction to this trend. Van Koeverden is a transplanted Ontarian who came to Saskatchewan in 1999.
What brought van Koeverden here was a job, which turns out to be no ordinary job either. He's the president and CEO of Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation, the mothercorp of Casino Regina. Although it was the position that initially enticed van Koeverden (pronounced Vancouver-den) to the Queen City, it was Reginds aura and ambiance that kept him here.
"A friend of mine who is a head hunter with an employment agency phoned me up to tell me that she had the perfect job for me," recalls van Koeverden. "I said OK, as long as it's in Toronto, let's talk."
Van Koeverden put his "Tronna" bias; aside long enough to be convinced to come out for an interview. Once in Saskatchewan, he quickly opened his mind to expanding his geographic demands.
"When I was walking through Victoria Park I got a feel for the city, van Koeverden recalls. "That's when I decided that maybe I would take the position should it be offered to me.'
"I thought that the position itself was a great opportunity," he continues. "It's a new industry with a huge growth potential and significant cash flow. I felt that the job was too good to walk away from."
As with any career move, but particularly one which involves relocation, many factors had to be taken into consideration for van Koeverden to contemplate his latest career move. Certainly his personal situation regarding his...