VICTORIA - Gerry Martin will become the new chair of the British Columbia Progress Board, the government announced today.

Mr. Martin was co-owner and corporate secretary of Northern Drugs Ltd., a chain of drug stores operating in northwest British Columbia, which was recently sold. He is active in business as co-owner of Kra-Mar Investments and as president of Shames Mountain Ski Corporation, past-president of the K.T. Industrial Development Society, and president of the Kitamaat Port Development Society.

Martin is also actively involved in a number of community and professional activities. He is a member of the Premier's Technology Council, and past president of the Chain Drug Association of B.C., as well as a fellow and past chair of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce.

The B.C. Progress Board has created a system of benchmarking that tracks British Columbia's progress against a number of economic, social and environmental indicators. The board has published its results in a series of benchmarking reports, all of which can be located on the Progress Board's website at http://www.bcprogressboard.com/ .

In addition, the board has produced several special reports – including recent reports on crime and the social condition in British Columbia, which are available on the website.

Mr. Martin replaces David Black, who served as chair between 2005 and 2007.

Biographies of the members of the progress board are available online at http://www.bcprogressboard.com/ .