After close to 30 years as the financial face of CAUT, Gordon Piché is retiring next year from the senior management ranks of the association.

Piché announced he will step down in early 2014, once a replacement associate executive director of administration and finance is appointed and officially takes over.

“It was good, great and I enjoyed it.” Piché said of his career during a farewell ceremony at CAUT’s November Council meeting. “I’m emotional but not sad.”

CAUT executive director James Turk said Piché had been planning his retirement for some years, but that his leaving will be a loss for CAUT.

“Gord has been an exemplary steward of CAUT’s finances for almost three decades,” Turk said. “He has been resolutely committed to addressing the needs of our member associations, has taken a conservative approach to revenues and advocating for strong reserves, and has provided leadership on major capital projects, such as CAUT’s headquarters in Ottawa.”

Turk said Piché brought stability and a renewed focus on the financial side of CAUT when appointed as associate executive director in 1985.

At the farewell event, the CAUT executive and Council extended their deep gratitude to Piché for his unparalleled work and contributions to the association.