John LeBoutillier is succeeding Raymond Garneau as the chairman of the board of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

LeBoutillier’s appointment took place today at a board meeting that was held immediately after the company’s annual general and special meeting. His appointment comes after his re-election by the shareholders as director during the annual meeting.

LeBoutillier has been a member of the Industrial Alliance board of directors since 1997. He will serve on the company’s executive committee, human resources and corporate governance committee and ethics committee. He will also be director of Industrial Alliance Pacific Insurance and Financial Services Inc., a life and health insurance subsidiary of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc., whose head office is in Vancouver.

LeBoutillier, who is a lawyer by profession, an MBA graduate and a Member of the Order of Canada, began his career at Price Company Ltd. where he was employed from 1970 to 1980. He then worked for Sidbec-Dosco from 1980 to 1996, where he served as president and CEO of Sidbec and Sidbec-Dosco Inc. from 1983 to 1994, and of Sidbec-Dosco (Ispat) Inc. from 1994 to 1996. LeBoutillier was then named president and CEO of IOC Mining Company, also known as Iron Ore Company of Canada, from 1996 to 2000. He is currently president and chairman of the Board of Mazarin Inc., and its subsidiary Société Asbestos Ltd., a company dedicated to the development of the chrysotile sector.

LeBoutillier serves on the boards of several Canadian companies. He is presently chairman of the board of Roctest Ltd., and a board member at Novamerican Steel Inc., Shermag Inc., and the Société générale de financement du Québec.

Garneau stepped down as chairman of the Industrial Alliance board of directors because he has reached the maximum age specified by Company regulations to serve on the board.

Garneau, who is a Member of the Order of Canada, has been with Industrial Alliance since 1988, where he held the position of president and COO from 1988 to 1991, and president and CEO from 1991 to 2000. He was appointed chairman of the board in 1996.