{{Short description|Canadian senator (born 1959)}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | caption = | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | office = Canadian Senator<br/>from Newfoundland and Labrador | term_start = May 3, 2023 | term_end = | predecessor = Norman Doyle | successor = | nominator = Justin Trudeau | appointer = Mary Simon | office1 = Government Liaison in the Senate | leader1 = Marc Gold | term_start1 = September 5, 2024 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Michèle Audette | successor1 = | alma_mater = Memorial University of Newfoundland | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|2|5}} | birth_place = Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | party = Independent Senators Group }}
'''Iris G. Petten''' (born February 5, 1959) is a Canadian senator from Newfoundland and Labrador.<ref>{{cite web|title=Former auditor general Jane MacAdam appointed as senator for P.E.I.|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-new-senator-jane-macadam-1.6830907|publisher=CBC News|date=May 3, 2023|accessdate=May 3, 2023}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Petten was born and raised in Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Vocational Education, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Memorial University of Newfoundland.<ref name="biography">{{Cite web |date=2023-05-03 |title=Iris Petten|publisher=Canadian Government |url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/backgrounders/2023/05/03/iris-petten |access-date=2023-05-03}}</ref>
In 1984, she began her career in the fishing industry with Fishery Products International. She was a founding shareholder and served as vice-president of Grand Atlantic Seafoods, a processing company. She later co-founded Ocean Choice International (OCI) in 2000 and remained there until 2008. She served three terms as the chair of the Board of Regents of Memorial University of Newfoundland, from 2013 to 2022.<ref name="biography" />
==Senate== She was appointed to the Senate of Canada on May 3, 2023, on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-03 |title=The Prime Minister announces the appointment of two senators|publisher=Canadian Government |url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2023/05/03/prime-minister-announces-appointment-two-senators |access-date=2023-05-03}}</ref> She sits as an independent member of the Senate.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=20299}} {{Senate of Canada}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petten, Iris}} Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:Canadian senators from Newfoundland and Labrador Category:Independent Canadian senators Category:Independent Senators Group Category:Women members of the Senate of Canada Category:Memorial University of Newfoundland alumni Category:21st-century members of the Senate of Canada