James Carter, President of Syncrude Canada Ltd, has been a vigorous champion of research and new technology, and has been responsible for Syncrude's introduction of many key enabling technologies to the oil sands industry. In the community, he shaped Syncrude's highly regarded efforts in such areas as Aboriginal development, and he played a pivotal role in reviving and growing the Mining Engineering Program at the University of Alberta. Through his chairmanship of the Mining Association of Canada, he helped move the country's mining industry toward more sustainable economic, social and environmental practices.