Bell Aliant CIO Becomes CIPA Judge

	For More Information: Contact: norm.kirkpatrick@cipa.com (905) 952 0778

The chief information officer of Bell Aliant, one of North America's largest regional communications providers, is the newest member of the Canadian Information Productivity Awards' National Judging Panel.

Ivan Toner will bring 20 years of experience in senior IT and management positions to the panel, which holds the significant responsibility of selecting winners for the 2007 CIPA competition. Closing date for entries is June 21.

"It is a pleasure for me to be a part of the CIPA National Judging Panel," Toner says. "I look forward to seeing the best and the brightest examples of IT innovation in the weeks ahead."

As CIO of Bell Aliant, Toner is responsible for information technology and information services planning and effective service delivery, as well as supporting the company's joint go-to-markets efforts with xwave, a division of Bell Aliant. He is also an executive on the Conference Board of Canada Council of CIOs, a member of the IWK Children's Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, a member of the Acadia University Computer Science Advisory Board and a board member of Université Sainte-Anne.

"With increasingly participation in CIPA from Atlantic Canada, we are pleased to have someone with Ivan's depth of knowledge on our National Judging Panel to strengthen our regional perspective," says Norm Kirkpatrick, CIPA president and CEO.

Toner has an extensive background in telecommunications, information technology, systems management, change management and business development leadership. He has held various senior positions including: vice president strategic planning and business development for Aliant Energy Services; director of IT services, director of corporate services and director of IT partnerships and information management with MT&T.

Bell Aliant (TSX: BA.UN) serves customers in six Canadian provinces with information, communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video and value-added business solutions. Through its xwave offices, Bell Aliant also provides IT professional services in Canada and the US. www.aliant.ca.

To view the full list of CIPA judges, visit www.cipa.ca/about/judging_committee.html.